Assassination in the Street
Mo Wen was delighted that the Azure Wood Instruction had reached perfection. He had been in this world for four years and had finally cultivated this primary Cultivation Method to perfection.
But amid his happiness, Mo Wen also had to face a difficult problem: obtaining a top-tier Cultivation Method that could take him at least to the Nascent Soul level.
Several thousand years ago, Yan Province had suffered a great calamity. The inheritances of most Nascent Soul sects had been severed, leaving behind only the foundational portions of some top-tier Cultivation Methods. In Yan Province today, only the three great Nascent Soul immortal sects still retained a few complete top-tier Cultivation Methods.
And even then, only True Disciples of the three great sects could obtain the portion of the inheritance corresponding to their cultivation level. From this, one could see just how difficult it was for a Rogue Cultivator to obtain a complete top-tier Cultivation Method!
Fortunately, Mo Wen still had the Ten Thousand Blood True Body Instruction, a Body Refining Cultivation Method that could take him to the Nascent Soul level. Once he broke through to Foundation Establishment, he could make the Ten Thousand Blood True Body Instruction his primary practice, then begin cultivating the path of Qi Refining after obtaining a suitable top-tier Cultivation Method.
The main reason he still wanted to cultivate a Qi Refining Cultivation Method was his lifespan. Although cultivators who primarily practiced Body Refining Cultivation Methods could gain incomparably powerful combat strength, their lifespans fell far short of those who followed the path of Qi Refining.
On the path of Qi Refining, a Foundation Establishment cultivator had a theoretical lifespan of two hundred and forty years, a Golden Core cultivator six hundred years, and a Nascent Soul Cultivator twelve hundred years.
On the path of Body Refining, a Primordial Embryo cultivator had a theoretical lifespan of two hundred years, a Treasure Body cultivator four hundred years, and a True Body cultivator eight hundred years.
As a cultivator with the Heavenly Dao Rewards Diligence talent, Mo Wen naturally wanted to gain as long a lifespan as possible. Only then could he bring his talent to its full potential and reach a higher level of cultivation.
Top-tier Cultivation Methods like that can only be stumbled upon, not sought! Fortunately, I have enough time to search at my own pace.
Ever since the Sun Essence and Moon Radiance Life-Praying Technique had reached the proficient level, Mo Wen's lifespan had increased to one hundred and thirty-four years. If he succeeded in Foundation Establishment, he could add another two sixty-year cycles to his lifespan, bringing it to two hundred and fifty-four years. Over those nearly two hundred years, his Sun Essence and Moon Radiance Life-Praying Technique would surely reach the minor accomplishment level, allowing him to extend his lifespan once more.
That meant Mo Wen could live past three hundred at the Foundation Establishment stage alone, a little longer than even those False Core cultivators. If he still could not obtain a top-tier Cultivation Method in all that time, he could only call it heaven's will.
In Song Xuan's eyes, I've already passed the limit of my Qi and Blood, so I have to hurry and reach Foundation Establishment! To keep him from growing suspicious, I should find a way to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Once I have a Foundation Establishment Pill, I can disappear for a suitable period and show Foundation Establishment Realm strength when I return. Then everything will fall into place.
He went to all this trouble because he did not want others to discover what was unusual about him. The Attribute Panel was his greatest secret, and he could not let anyone know about it, not even those closest to him!
Ever since arriving in Azure Luan Immortal City, Mo Wen had kept an eye out for news concerning Foundation Establishment Pills.
It had to be said that Azure Luan Immortal City truly lived up to its reputation as a holy land sought after by countless Rogue Cultivators. Foundation Establishment Pills were nearly impossible to obtain elsewhere, but there were several ways to get one in Azure Luan Immortal City.
The first was to buy one with Spirit Stones. The Divine Pill Pavilion, the largest pill shop in the immortal city, sold Foundation Establishment Pills. As long as one had enough Spirit Stones, one could even buy a legendary "superior Foundation Establishment Pill"!
The Foundation Establishment Pills sold at the Divine Pill Pavilion came in three grades: defective, standard, and superior.
Defective Foundation Establishment Pills were the cheapest, costing around seven thousand Spirit Stones. However, pills of this grade were poor in effect and could only slightly increase the chances of successful Foundation Establishment. Their sole value was ensuring that a cultivator would not perish on the spot during the process.
Standard Foundation Establishment Pills were the best choice for most Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivators. They cost between fifteen thousand and thirty thousand Spirit Stones, depending on their quality. Besides increasing the chance of successful Foundation Establishment by at least twenty percentage points, a standard Foundation Establishment Pill was most praised for its ability to protect a cultivator's body. Even if Foundation Establishment failed, the cultivator's foundation would remain unharmed, allowing another attempt in the future.
As for superior Foundation Establishment Pills, ordinary cultivators could not even dream of them. With prices readily exceeding one hundred thousand Spirit Stones, only the True Disciples of immortal sects and the legitimate sons of Golden Core cultivators were qualified to use them!
Second, Rogue Cultivators could choose to join a faction to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Of these factions, the city lord's residence was naturally the first choice. The city lord's residence recruited a group of newcomers every year, and anyone who passed the assessment could join. Its control over Foundation Establishment Pills was not particularly strict; anyone who earned enough merit could obtain one.
Those who failed to meet the city lord's residence's assessment requirements could also choose to join one of the city's major factions. Though these powerful factions were not as strong as the city lord's residence, they also had channels for obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills.
Finally, Rogue Cultivators had one more way to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills: "crowdfunded pill refinement." This meant that cultivators who each possessed one of the main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills joined forces and hired a second-tier Alchemist to refine a batch. Once the pills were ready, they were distributed according to each person's contribution.
Mo Wen had no shortage of Spirit Stones, so he naturally had no need to join a faction, much less take part in crowdfunded pill refinement. He planned to buy a standard Foundation Establishment Pill from the Divine Pill Pavilion. Though he certainly would not need it himself, it would not go to waste!
Having made up his mind, Mo Wen wasted no time. After making a few preparations, he left his cave abode and headed straight for the Divine Pill Pavilion.
It was between nine and eleven in the morning, and the streets were bustling with carriages and horses!
Most of the pedestrians were cultivators, with a few mortals among them. Flying was forbidden in Azure Luan Immortal City, so many cultivators rode beast pets to get around. These beast pets varied in size and shape, but they all shared one characteristic: they looked imposing and magnificent!
Mo Wen watched the beast pets pass him one after another, and his eyes were opened.
Interesting. How are these beast pets any different from luxury cars in my previous life? They're all for showing off!
Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I'll raise a beast pet to play around with too!
Mo Wen imagined himself "riding dragons and straddling phoenixes" in the future, and his heart could not help but fill with delight.
Just then, a nearly imperceptible yet viciously sinister strand of Sword Qi suddenly shot toward Mo Wen.
Mo Wen's heart jolted with alarm. He immediately drove the full force of his Divine Sense in an attempt to slow the approaching Sword Qi. At the same time, he activated his layers of protection in an orderly manner.
His magical robe, Wood Armor Talisman, power of Qi and Blood, and Black Tortoise Armor activated in turn, only for the Sword Qi to pierce through each one.
Fortunately, those defenses had an effect, buying Mo Wen a full breath of time.
Just before the Sword Qi struck him, Mo Wen's Purple Star Sword snapped across his chest and firmly blocked it.