In Hand

Three days later, early in the morning.

Zhou Ning sensed something amiss with his body, and a suspicion arose in the Unseen:

I'm afraid that in just a few days, this body will collapse on its own, even if I don't return to Cuiwei Lake.

As his cultivation rose, it would probably take at least four or five years for the jade to fill up again.

I'll find a chance to sell the remaining eel blood and exchange it for resources.

And try to obtain an alchemy inheritance.

In the cultivation world, status was just as important as cultivation. Otherwise, even someone with Foundation Establishment strength was, in the eyes of outsiders, a high-level thug at best.

But possessing a craft was a different matter altogether. An Alchemist would be treated as an honored guest wherever he went, living in peace and comfort, free to quiet his mind and cultivate.

He could also take the opportunity to build a wide network of contacts, then exchange rare resources for resale in the future. Wouldn't that be pleasant?

After all, most Alchemists were wealthy, which would also help conceal his secret of traveling between two worlds. He could kill several birds with one stone.

Today, the wildflower girl brought news: a group of Devil Cultivators from the south had surrounded the outskirts of Gazing Immortal Port, and the city's grand array had been activated.

Zhou Ning frowned. "Has this happened before?"

"Not often. The Devil Cultivators all went around in the end. The immortal city is the territory of the Purple Mansion Wu Household, so they don't dare cause trouble."

The wildflower girl spoke with absolute confidence, never worrying.

Several great Foundation Establishment cultivators stood guard in the city year-round. The Devil Cultivators would have to eat a bear's heart and a leopard's gall to dare attack.

"That's good, then."

But for now, the cultivators in the city couldn't leave either.

The wildflower girl told him everything she had recently learned about the He Household.

It turned out that the He Household's Purple Mansion ancestor had only a little over a hundred years of life left. Most of the He Household's younger generation were mediocre, and its Foundation Establishment clansmen numbered no more than ten.

Everyone said that the He Household was flourishing now, but once its Purple Mansion ancestor passed away, it was in danger of collapse, or of being swallowed up by the Firmament Treasure Sect.

After hearing this, Zhou Ning immediately had the wildflower girl lead him out to buy Jade Slips containing miscellaneous notes on cultivation and the like.

Up in a teahouse.

The wildflower girl sampled the pastries, stealing a glance at Zhou Ning from time to time.

"They're so delicious. Mother loves sweet things most..."

After a long while, Zhou Ning withdrew his Divine Sense from the Jade Slip. He let out a breath, his expression relaxed.

Once an immortal foundation was established, a cultivator's Dao Path was difficult to change and determined every Divine Ability thereafter.

The He Household had only one Purple Mansion Dao Path, which its Purple Mansion ancestor had already occupied. Even if later cultivators practiced the same Cultivation Method, they would have no path forward and no way to condense Divine Abilities. They might even become the former's "cultivation spirit materials."

Besides, cultivators on the same Dao Path were bound to compete for spiritual objects. There weren't even enough for the Purple Mansion cultivator, so how could he give any up?

On top of that was the Firmament Treasure Sect's blockade. Back then, the He Household had been lucky enough to produce a Purple Mansion cultivator and had immediately set up on its own, flourishing with its alchemy skills and seriously encroaching on the Treasure Sect's interests.

Now, another Purple Mansion cultivator would never be permitted to emerge.

That was the He Household's predicament.

Then what if the He Household had a chance to gain another Dao Path? Zhou Ning pondered.

He acted on the thought at once. "All right, I'm leaving first. Pack up the remaining pastries and take them home."

The wildflower girl's mouth fell open and her eyes widened. "Huh?"

The day was only half over!

Zhou Ning stood, lightly tapped the flower in the girl's hair, and smiled. "Wait for me at the inn entrance tomorrow, as usual."

The He Household Pill House.

The middle-aged man guarding the entrance told everyone who came by, "You can come in to buy medicine, but not to have pills refined. The fire vein is being tended to."

"Oh, honored guest, please come in!"

Zhou Ning said, "What I wish to discuss is of great importance."

He Zhuoran was making entries in an account book. Seeing a familiar face, he invited him in. "Please follow me to the quiet room."

Although he knew there was no chance of a Purple Mansion cultivator spying on their dealings this time, he still activated a concealing Cultivation Method.

The room was on the third floor. Blue smoke rose from an incense burner as Zhou Ning sat in a rattan chair, holding a cup of tea.

"What is it you seek, fellow Daoist?" He Zhuoran asked calmly, as distinguished as ever.

Zhou Ning said little, pushing a Jade Slip across to him.

At first, He Zhuoran paid it little attention. But when he sent his Divine Sense inside and caught sight of the Void Wind Qi-Unifying Instruction, even with his exceptional composure, he couldn't help changing color.

He blurted out, "A direct descendant of the Chai Household?"

Zhou Ning was utterly unconcerned. "Just a remnant of the Chai Household."

Faced with a complete fourth-grade Purple Mansion Cultivation Method, He Zhuoran desperately wanted to memorize every word. Unfortunately, he had barely begun when it came to an abrupt stop.

He Zhuoran raised his head and stared at Zhou Ning, his eyes dark and fathomless.

Qi Refining cultivation, with meager spiritual power. He's probably only at the Qi Refining First Layer. Why not just kill him?

He immediately suppressed the wicked thought. The Chai Household had once been a Purple Mansion Lineage, and since this man dared come alone to trade, he must have prepared some means of his own.

After a long while, he said, "What do you want? A Foundation-Consolidating Pill?"

In this world, the Foundation-Consolidating Pill was the key pill used to establish an immortal foundation. It could increase the chance of success by twenty percent, much like the Foundation Establishment Pill at Cuiwei Lake.

But because the Foundation-Consolidating Pill's main ingredient was scarce in this world, it lacked the Foundation Establishment Pill's most crucial life-preserving effect. Taking it increased the chance of success, but failure meant death.

"Heh, even if I live long enough to get it, will I live long enough to use it?" Zhou Ning countered.

Unhurried, he lightly tapped the table. "I'll trade the complete Void Wind Qi-Unifying Instruction for your He Household's alchemy inheritance."

The atmosphere grew somewhat suffocating.

He Zhuoran's gaze suddenly sharpened, and his voice turned cold.

"Don't you think that's going too far? The Void Wind Qi-Unifying Instruction is certainly precious, but there isn't even a clue where to find Profound-Piercing Wind. And my He Household's alchemy inheritance is so precious-how could we simply trade it away?"

Zhou Ning felt a weight lift from his heart. There's hope!

He had actually been prepared to be driven out, but He Zhuoran was only angry.

"You know better than I do how precious a Purple Mansion Cultivation Method is. As I understand it, your He Household is now..."

He Zhuoran cut him off. "No need to trouble yourself."

Zhou Ning continued on his own. "Keep the land but lose the people, and both are lost. Keep the people but lose the land, and both are preserved. The He Household might take a look at my Chai Household's fate."

His voice carried a trace of sorrow, bleak beyond measure.

Thinking of the Chai Household's present situation, He Zhuoran too fell silent. He knew his own household's affairs best.

The two bargained back and forth, and in the end Zhou Ning managed to pry a concession out of him.

He Zhuoran said that he had only the Qi Refining Realm alchemy inheritance in his hands. As for the Foundation Establishment Realm inheritance, Zhou Ning could bring the contract to the He Household's residence and claim it after establishing his immortal foundation.

Zhou Ning said, "What the hell use is a Qi Refining pill inheritance to me?"

If he couldn't refine Foundation Establishment Pills, he would never reach Foundation Establishment in his lifetime. Wouldn't that just hand the He Household a bargain for nothing?

He Zhuoran said, "..."

Thinking it over, he saw the point. The logic really didn't hold up, so he separated out the Foundation Establishment Pill inheritance.

Only Zhou Ning himself could view the alchemy inheritance. He Zhuoran refused to yield an inch on that point and demanded that he swear a spiritual oath of secrecy.

Zhou Ning agreed for the time being, thinking to himself:

To hell with all your conditions. Could Dao Master Xuangao really come looking for me at Cuiwei Lake?

He also took the opportunity to open his lion's jaws wide, demanding the complete Qi Refining Realm alchemy inheritance: Pill Formulas and even the insights of generations of He Household Alchemists, all bundled together.

At last, just before they swore the spiritual oath, Zhou Ning said, "Wait."

He Zhuoran let out a breath, his mind tensing. "We've come this far. Surely you don't mean to go back on your word?"

Zhou Ning said slyly, "Throw in a little something extra. Give me that brilliantly radiant Law Technique of yours as well."

He Zhuoran said, "..."

He agreed in the end. It was only a Law Technique for concealing one's spirit and Qi.

With that, the deal was struck. Zhou Ning traded the Purple Mansion Cultivation Method, the Void Wind Qi-Unifying Instruction, for the Qi Refining portion of the He Household's alchemy inheritance, the separate Foundation Establishment Pill inheritance, and the Flowing Light Concealing Shadow Technique.

After taking the contract, he said his farewell. "Brother Zhuoran, we'll meet again after I reach Foundation Establishment."

With that, he vanished from the quiet room.

He Zhuoran watched his departing figure, a flash of killing intent in his eyes before it faded.

After all, the spiritual oath stipulated that the He Household could not ambush and kill him. If he turned on him so soon, Dao Master Xuangao might be watching from above and leave his soul gravely injured.

Then He Zhuoran smiled and took a leisurely sip of tea, at ease.

"So what if I give you the inheritance? Will you live long enough to use it?"

He looked out the window and thought, The great calamity is approaching. Does a mere remnant of the Chai Household think he can walk out of Gazing Immortal Port?