The Wang Family Ancestor had gone to every possible length to gather enough spirit materials for one batch of Foundation Establishment Pills.
Then, through the Meng Family's connections, he had secured Master Hu Feng's services, successfully producing two Foundation Establishment Pills.
With two Foundation Establishment Pills in hand, he intended to use one to cultivate a Foundation Establishment cultivator for the lineage.
That way, the lineage would not be left without a successor after he passed away. With a Foundation Establishment cultivator presiding over it, the lineage could also retain most of its interests within Immortal City.
The remaining Foundation Establishment Pill would be passed down as part of the lineage's reserves.
If anything happened to the lineage in the future, they could select someone to use that Foundation Establishment Pill to break through!
Taking the chances of success into account, the Wang Family Ancestor had chosen the lineage's only cultivator with a dual spirit root to use the Foundation Establishment Pill and attempt to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm!
Ever since this descendant had been found to possess a dual spirit root at twelve, the ancestor had kept him by his side to cultivate.
After more than ten years of patient instruction and an uninterrupted supply of cultivation resources, this descendant had reached peak Qi Refining.
In the Wang Family Ancestor's eyes, with his dual spirit root aptitude and the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill, this descendant's chances of reaching Foundation Establishment were at least fifty percent.
But what he had not expected was that, after he solemnly explained to this descendant how hard-won these Foundation Establishment Pills were, and how his ability to use one to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator would determine the future fate of the lineage's several hundred cultivators-
And just when he was counting on the boy to turn pressure into drive and break through the bottleneck in one go-
The boy actually said he was afraid and wanted to give another member of the lineage the chance to use the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The Wang Family Ancestor was deeply disappointed. He had never imagined that more than a decade of painstaking instruction would produce such a useless piece of trash.
With a greater than fifty-percent chance of reaching Foundation Establishment, this descendant did not even dare to try!
As for whether his overbearing manner, the constant pressure he imposed on this descendant, and his frequent reprimands had caused such a cowardly disposition?
The Wang Family Ancestor's answer was that you knew jack shit. Had you never heard that "the greater the pressure, the stronger the drive"?
Without pressure, where would the drive come from?
At that moment, the Wang Family Ancestor and his gifted descendant were not the only two people in the Wang Family's Ancestral Grounds.
The lineage head, Wang Qu Yan, and several other peak Qi Refining cultivators were also present.
Hearing the ancestor's scolding, as though he resented iron for failing to become steel, and seeing the trembling figure of the Foundation Establishment candidate, the other peak Qi Refining cultivators under sixty could not help looking intrigued.
If the ancestor changed his mind, would their opportunity not arrive?
Wang Qu Yan glanced at the frail figure before the ancestor and could not help sighing inwardly.
He had already been an adult at the late Qi Refining stage when the ancestor chose him to serve as lineage head.
Back then, he had been in his forties or fifties and considered his character fully formed, unafraid of any blow.
Yet after spending decades with the ancestor and being reprimanded every day, he felt as though he was on the verge of sinking into depression.
And this poor boy had been kept at the ancestor's side since his early teens. Given the ancestor's irascible, headstrong nature, his methods of instruction were easy enough to imagine.
The fact that the boy was merely timid rather than insane already spoke to his mental resilience.
Attempting Foundation Establishment in such a state, even with a dual spirit root, would not offer particularly high chances of success.
If he failed, given the pressure he bore, it would probably... destroy him completely.
At that thought, Wang Qu Yan felt that, as lineage head, he had to do something now. He said, "Ancestor, since Xingwei is unwilling, why not choose someone else from the lineage to attempt Foundation Establishment? Xingwei is still young. In the future..."
"You insolent fool! What do you know?!"
Before Wang Qu Yan could finish, the ancestor's rebuke rang in his ears, forcing him to swallow everything else he had wanted to say.
In the Wang Family Ancestor's eyes, Wang Qu Yan was spouting utter nonsense. Choose someone else? All the Wang Family's other peak Qi Refining cultivators had three-spirit roots. How could their chances of reaching Foundation Establishment compare to those of a dual spirit root cultivator?
After reprimanding Wang Qu Yan, the Wang Family Ancestor took a jade vial from his Storage Bag. "Xingwei, go into seclusion and attempt Foundation Establishment right now. I will personally stand guard for you!"
Faced with Wang Xingwei's pleading gaze, Wang Qu Yan sighed. In the end, he did not dare say anything more.
Inside Li Ping's Cave Abode.
It was the same female cultivator from the Meng Family who had traded with him last time. She said respectfully, "Senior Li, this is the pill master inheritance you requested."
Li Ping nodded and accepted the jade slip from her.
In prestigious professions such as pill refining, artifact refining, and formation mastery, every Pill Refiner, Artifact Refiner, and Formation Master treasured even their worn-out brooms as precious possessions. Inheritances of the second tier or above almost never circulated on the market.
Even first-tier inheritances were exceedingly rare.
Li Ping had spent several days making inquiries in the Market Ward without finding any definite leads. Ultimately, only the Meng Family, in consideration of their good working relationship, had agreed to sell him a First-Tier Upper-Grade Pill Refiner Inheritance.
Moreover, before purchasing it, he had to swear an oath upon the Great Dao that he would not pass this pill refiner inheritance on to anyone else.
In truth, if he could have managed it, Li Ping would have preferred to acquire an Alchemy Furnace, just as he had previously obtained a Talisman Brush from Meng Qingyi.
That way, he would not only avoid being bound by an oath but also save the spirit stones needed to purchase an inheritance.
Unfortunately, Alchemy Furnaces were not like talisman brushes.
Alchemy Furnaces were durable goods. Once a Pill Refiner grew accustomed to one, they would not replace it unless it exploded or was completely ruined.
If he passed up a new Alchemy Furnace and instead approached someone to buy their used one for more than a new one cost, he would inevitably invite suspicion about his motives.
When he had bought the Talisman Brush from Meng Qingyi, his excuse had been that his purse was lean, so he wanted a secondhand brush to tide him over.
That excuse clearly would not hold water when it came to an Alchemy Furnace.
As for buying Alchemy Furnaces that had been completely destroyed by explosions during pill refining-
First, furnace explosions were very unlikely during pill refining. He might have to wait a long time before a first-tier upper-grade pill refiner or better suffered one.
There was too much uncertainty, and he was unwilling to wait.
Second, once an Alchemy Furnace exploded, it lost its value and would be discarded as rubbish. If he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, went rummaging through rubbish heaps-
It would not only damage his dignity as a Foundation Establishment cultivator but might also attract the attention of observant people.
Thus, for him, purchasing an inheritance to acquire first-tier upper-grade pill refining skills-
Was the most suitable and convenient approach.
After paying the spirit stones for the inheritance and telling the Meng Family's female cultivator to leave, Li Ping's gaze settled above the Inheritance Jade Slip.
The nourishment required to activate his "Peerless Talent" was already slowly appearing in midair.
[First-Tier Upper-Grade Pill Refiner Inheritance, low-grade spirit stones ×100, three fifty-year-old spirit herbs, one first-tier upper-grade spirit flame. Used as nourishment, these grant mastery of first-tier upper-grade pill refining skills.]
Li Ping nodded slightly.
The hundred spirit stones were easy enough. Fifty-year-old spirit herbs could also be readily purchased in Immortal City, provided he was willing to pay.
As for the first-tier upper-grade spirit flame, "Spirit flame" here did not refer solely to flames nurtured by heaven and earth, but to any flame containing spiritual qi.
That also included demon flames nurtured within late first-tier demon beasts.