The instant the vortex collapsed, the Wang Family Ancestor's face turned livid.
He had never expected this, not with a Foundation Establishment Pill to help and dual spirit root aptitude to boot.
Wang Xingwei had actually failed to reach Foundation Establishment.
Seeing the ancestor's ugly expression, none of the other Wang Family cultivators, including their patriarch Wang Qu Yan, dared speak at a time like this, lest they draw his ire.
Half an hour later, Wang Xingwei emerged from the courtyard with his head lowered. He silently walked to a corner far from the other Wang Family cultivators, not daring to look the ancestor in the eye!
No one spoke. The Wang Family Ancestor's eyes were filled with frustration at iron that refused to become steel, while inwardly he considered what to do next.
The ideal outcome had been for Wang Xingwei to reach Foundation Establishment with one pill, leaving the other to bolster the lineage's reserves.
But now that Wang Xingwei had failed, they could no longer keep the second Foundation Establishment Pill in reserve.
What he needed to consider was who should use it!
After a long deliberation, the Wang Family Ancestor's gaze still settled on Wang Xingwei. "Xingwei, take this Foundation Establishment Pill and try again!"
Giving the remaining Foundation Establishment Pill to Wang Xingwei was the result of the Wang Family Ancestor's careful consideration.
First, as a cultivator with dual spirit roots, Wang Xingwei naturally had a ten to twenty percent higher chance of reaching Foundation Establishment than a cultivator with three spirit roots.
Second, Wang Xingwei had already attempted Foundation Establishment once. Although he had failed, the previous pill's medicinal power had helped him break through part of the bottleneck, and its remaining power still lingered in his meridians.
If he struck while the iron was hot and used another Foundation Establishment Pill now, his chances of success would be higher than when he had used the first.
Taking everything into account, the Wang Family Ancestor believed that letting Wang Xingwei use the remaining Foundation Establishment Pill was the best choice!
"Huh? Me?" Wang Xingwei raised his head, his eyes full of confusion and disbelief.
The Wang Family Ancestor smiled and tried to soften his voice, but his words only placed greater pressure on Wang Xingwei. "Yes, Xingwei. I believe you'll succeed. You carry the hopes of our entire lineage on your shoulders. Our future depends entirely on you."
"No, no... I can't..." Wang Xingwei did not dare meet the ancestor's eyes, his gaze darting away again and again. All he wanted now was to escape, to get as far from here as possible. "Ancestor, that Foundation Establishment Pill... I can't."
What he actually wanted to say was that there had been something wrong with that Foundation Establishment Pill.
He had been on the verge of reaching Foundation Establishment, but the medicinal power released by the pill had suddenly faltered. He had failed to react in time, interrupting the process and causing his attempt to fail.
But then he thought that if he said this, the ancestor would surely think he was making excuses for his failure.
The ancestor would certainly scold him with things like, "Don't shirk responsibility when you make a mistake. Look harder at your own shortcomings," and, "There is no greater virtue than recognizing your mistakes and correcting them"... until he lowered his head in shame and admitted his fault!
Then the ancestor would warn him with stories such as, "The Ancient Sages cut down the spirit fruit tree at home and voluntarily carried the axe to their elders to confess," telling him that he had to admit his mistakes and must not resist his elders' reprimands...
And so, despite all his stammering, he never managed to say it. He only kept repeating, "I can't," hoping to change the ancestor's mind.
Seeing Wang Xingwei like this, the Wang Family Ancestor began to hesitate.
After all, a cultivator's confidence and morale also had an enormous influence on whether they could reach Foundation Establishment.
With Wang Xingwei in this state...
He sighed inwardly and prepared to give the opportunity to another late Qi Refining stage cultivator in the lineage who had three spirit roots.
Just then, the patriarch Wang Qu Yan, who stood nearby, saw Wang Xingwei's pitiful state. After a long hesitation, he finally summoned the courage to speak again. "Ancestor, judging by Xingwei's current condition, he really isn't fit to attempt Foundation Establishment. Why not choose someone else from the lineage, or let Xingwei recover and try another day?"
Before Wang Qu Yan spoke, the Wang Family Ancestor had already changed his mind.
But now that Wang Qu Yan had offered this suggestion, wouldn't agreeing to choose someone else make him seem inferior to Wang Qu Yan?
At that thought, the Wang Family Ancestor instead hardened his resolve. He furrowed his brows, turned toward Wang Qu Yan, and snapped, "What does a mere Qi Refining cultivator like you know about Foundation Establishment? No one in this lineage understands Foundation Establishment better than I do!"
"We'll do it today, riding this momentum! Xingwei will still be the one to use this Foundation Establishment Pill!"
"Take the Foundation Establishment Pill and attempt your breakthrough right now!"
Under the ancestor's pressure, Wang Xingwei could not refuse. He could only obediently take the Foundation Establishment Pill and walk toward the nearby courtyard.
His heart was filled with apprehension, and he kept reassuring himself. Maybe only the previous Foundation Establishment Pill was defective. The one in my hand is fine.
Ten days had passed, and the Shared Boat Association's second gathering was held on schedule in Li Ping's Cave Abode.
Since they only needed to confirm everyone's contributions and pay the corresponding amounts into the foundation establishment fund, this gathering took place at noon. Once it ended, the others could leave the Inner City directly rather than waiting until the next day for the curfew to end.
Li Ping naturally contributed three hundred spirit stones again. Zhang Tie was next.
When his turn came, Gu Musheng and the other four all grew solemn.
To their surprise, however, Zhang Tie remained quite composed. He stood and said, "After careful consideration, I've decided to contribute one hundred spirit stones to the foundation establishment fund this year."
As he spoke, he poured a small pile of spirit stones out of his Storage Bag.
Everyone swept their divine sense over them. There were exactly one hundred.
Surprise appeared on all their faces.
Only Teng Feng looked as though he wanted to say something, seemingly intending to dissuade him. Zhang Tie had brought him into the association, and the two were usually close. Seeing Zhang Tie apparently acting out of spite naturally worried him.
Li Ping nodded expressionlessly. "That's fine, but your annual contribution can't fall below this amount in the future. Understand?"
Zhang Tie's gaze was firm. "Big Brother, I understand."
Li Ping was not at all surprised that Zhang Tie could produce one hundred spirit stones. Zhang
Tie himself lacked the means, but his master, Old Lin, was not only a first-tier upper-grade Tanner, but also owned his own Leatherworking Shop.
He could afford to provide seventy spirit stones to make up Zhang Tie's shortfall.
Moreover, apart from the seven of them, Old Lin was the only person who knew about the Shared Boat Association.
With an opportunity for Foundation Establishment right before his eyes, how could he possibly refrain from lending Zhang Tie a hand?
After Zhang Tie came Gu Musheng's turn.
Gu Musheng stood and said with a smile, "After careful consideration, I've still decided to contribute one hundred spirit stones."
Although he was somewhat surprised that Zhang Tie could match his stake, Gu Musheng thought it was a good thing after giving it some thought.
Counting Big Brother's three hundred spirit stones, plus the hundred each from him and Zhang Tie, even if the remaining four brothers and sister contributed the minimum, the foundation establishment fund would grow by at least five hundred and seventy spirit stones each year.
At that rate, they would need only about six years to gather enough spirit stones for one Foundation Establishment Pill.
If Cheng Yao and the other three made breakthroughs in their cultivation, perhaps the foundation establishment fund could gather enough spirit stones for both him and Zhang Tie to attempt Foundation Establishment in less than ten years.
In ten years, he would only be forty-three.
Even if he had to wait longer than Zhang Tie, he could fully accept it as long as he received a chance at Foundation Establishment before turning fifty.
Li Ping likewise nodded at Gu Musheng's decision.
Next came the remaining four, who obediently had no intention of stirring up trouble.
Cheng Yao, Qi Hanmo, and Teng Feng were in the middle Qi Refining stage and contributed twenty spirit stones each. Bai Qing was in the early Qi Refining stage and contributed ten.
Only after putting the five hundred and seventy spirit stones into his Storage Bag did Li Ping breathe a sigh of relief.
The Shared Boat Association's oath concerned his Great Dao, after all. He had to handle it with care.