Chapter 64: Foundation Establishment Pill

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Upon hearing the nickname Flying Centipede, a flash of doubt immediately crossed Xu Yan’s eyes.

Wasn’t Flying Centipede the head chieftain of Yuan Mountain Stronghold, Liao Jiuming? He hadn’t expected that Liao Jiuming had once been the deputy hall master of Green Wood Hall.

Mei Sanniang had once heard Liao Jiuming mutter to himself when drunk that he had been a member of Ghost King Gate. Apart from that one time, Liao Jiuming had never mentioned his origins in front of others. As for the nanmu wood box hidden in the wall compartment, neither Xu Yan nor Mei Sanniang knew what it was. They only knew that the pill-like object inside the box must have significant origins.

The small nanmu wood box had always been kept close to Xu Yan’s body. Now that he had learned news of Liao Jiuming from Eight Fingers Wang’s mouth, how could Xu Yan miss the opportunity to investigate the pill in the box?

“What treasure did that Flying Centipede actually steal that warranted posting a ten-thousand-tael silver bounty?” Xu Yan asked calmly.

“Ten thousand taels is actually too little.” Eight Fingers Wang looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then lowered his voice: “What he stole couldn’t be bought for ten thousand taels—even a hundred thousand taels wouldn’t be enough. It was a Foundation Establishment Pill!”

“Boiled chicken egg?” Xu Yan scratched his head, thinking ‘So it really is food.’ Hearing it was food, his interest greatly increased as he pressed: “A boiled chicken egg worth ten thousand taels of silver? Could it be an egg laid by a golden chicken?”

“What boiled chicken egg? It’s a Foundation Establishment Pill!”

Eight Fingers Wang glanced at the little Taoist and explained with pursed lips: “You know about the six meridians, right? When a martial artist breaks through one meridian, they become innate. If they break through all six meridians, that’s the Foundation Establishment realm. The Foundation Establishment realm has another name—Grandmaster. Those are true cultivators, existences like earthbound immortals.”

Since he was gathering information, Xu Yan naturally put on a surprised expression, nodding as if he half-understood. Seeing his appearance, Eight Fingers Wang spoke even more enthusiastically.

“Martial artists who can break through all six meridians are ultimately few. Most martial artists reach their limit after breaking through three meridians. That’s why Foundation Establishment Pills exist. As long as you can break through three meridians and then take a Foundation Establishment Pill, the remaining three meridians can be opened automatically through the pill’s effects. Then you can reach the Foundation Establishment realm. Once you reach Foundation Establishment, you can join true cultivation sects, not just martial world factions. I heard that cultivation sects are full of living immortals who can fly through the sky and burrow through the earth!”

The effects of the Foundation Establishment Pill that Eight Fingers Wang described were actually things Xu Yan had heard Zhang He mention at Yuan Mountain Stronghold. But Zhang He didn’t know the name “Foundation Establishment Pill.” As a former accountant, he naturally didn’t know as much as Eight Fingers Wang, who had joined Ghost King Gate.

“Foundation Establishment Pills must be very expensive,” Xu Yan said, clicking his tongue.

“More than expensive—innate martial artists will fight to the death for a single Foundation Establishment Pill. There are plenty willing to risk their lives for one. You tell me if that’s expensive or not.”

“Are the last three meridians opened with a Foundation Establishment Pill different from opening the last three meridians yourself?”

Having learned about the Foundation Establishment Pill’s effects, Xu Yan was shocked but also noticed a difference. This kind of shortcut through pills should have some drawbacks.

“Yes, they’re very different.” Eight Fingers Wang shook his head as he explained: “Those who become Foundation Establishment cultivators through Foundation Establishment Pills are just ordinary cultivators. Those who break through all six meridians to reach Foundation Establishment through their own power can be called Grandmasters. Such people are called geniuses! I heard that cultivation sects compete to recruit them and treat them like treasures.”

Sure enough, where there were shortcuts, there would be distinctions.

Xu Yan had only heard some news about cultivators so far, but with his intelligence, he could already see that the Foundation Establishment Pill shortcut wasn’t really a good thing.

A towering building rises from flat ground. If you build halfway and then use pills to fill in the remaining half, the foundation of that building is destined to be unstable. Only those who are self-reliant and break through all six meridians step by step with their own power can be considered true cultivators. Their future cultivation would probably be much faster and easier than those who used Foundation Establishment Pills.

For geniuses, Foundation Establishment Pills indeed weren’t good things. But for most innate martial artists, Foundation Establishment Pills were bridges spanning the gap between martial artists and cultivators.

After all, there weren’t many geniuses in this world. Most were ordinary people, and those who could break through all six meridians on their own were probably even fewer. For those with average talent, Foundation Establishment Pills were incredibly precious—precious enough to risk their lives for.

Cultivators who were regarded as living immortals made even Xu Yan, a little Taoist, yearn for that level. How much more so for others? Thus, Xu Yan increasingly felt that the Foundation Establishment Pill in his chest was becoming hot to handle.

Third Sister was right—this thing could make even innate martial artists red with envy. It was better not to take it out.

Deciding to hide the Foundation Establishment Pill deeply, Xu Yan finally recovered his composure and chatted casually with Eight Fingers Wang. When evening came, he went to the kitchen to get busy preparing dinner.

Working at Plum Fragrance Tower was much more relaxed than at Yuan Mountain Stronghold. At least none of the kitchen staff dared to be unreasonable to Xu Yan, this little Taoist. Everyone knew Xu Yan was the proprietress’s sworn younger brother. The boss’s brother helping with work was already admirable—who would dare give him orders?

Xu Yan was diligent, honest in character, and had no temper. Over time, his popularity at Plum Fragrance Tower ranked first. However, occasionally putting on Taoist robes and wandering around the building would always make Mei Sanniang furious.

The consequence of Third Sister’s anger was that the little Taoist would have his robes stripped off, leaving only his undergarments, and then stand there with a nosebleed and vacant expression. Whenever the siblings had their scuffles, it would always make the group of women at Plum Fragrance Tower laugh heartily.

Spring in Qi Nation came much later than in Pu Nation, and early spring was still bitterly cold. Fortunately, Plum Fragrance Tower was warm as spring inside, and Xu Yan finally experienced the benefits of having money.

Fine clothes and rich food—this kind of life seemed to Xu Yan like something only immortals should live. It was a hundred times better than the impoverished Riding Clouds Temple.

Xu Yan hadn’t forgotten the grand aspiration he’d made last year. This year he indeed ate much more than last year. A sixteen-year-old youth, once well-fed, would grow even faster.

Xu Yan was growing day by day, but Little Black hadn’t gained even half a pound. Apart from some small red dots appearing in its eyes, it was exactly the same as last year. This was also something that troubled Xu Yan.

A pig that had been raised for six or seven years and was only thirty to fifty pounds—no one would believe it if you told them.

If it wouldn’t grow, then it wouldn’t grow. Having raised Little Black for so many years, Xu Yan had long since accepted it. Whether big pig or small pig, Little Black was always his Little Black. As for the red dots appearing in the pig’s eyes, it was probably because it had been eating too much meat lately and needed some vegetables and fruits.

Since Plum Fragrance Tower had guards, the local ruffians and troublemakers who came looking for trouble had obviously decreased. Eight Fingers Wang’s reputation as a Ghost King Gate disciple was truly impressive. At least when Shen Liu was carried to Plum Fragrance Tower to cause trouble, he was directly scared into fleeing in panic by Eight Fingers Wang’s reputation.

Fengdu Ghost King was not an ordinary title. Ghost King Gate, which held the position of leader among Qi Nation’s evil sects, had influence throughout half of Qi Nation. With secret support from Qi Nation’s royal family, the current Ghost King Gate was at the height of its power, not fearing even first-rate righteous sects from Pu Nation.

Since it was called the martial world, it was destined never to be peaceful.

Xu Yan at Plum Fragrance Tower had obtained a comfortable life, living carefree every day. However, within the true martial world, undercurrents had long been surging. In recent years, the warfare between Qi and Pu nations had become increasingly fierce, and the private struggles between righteous and evil had also become more intense.

Brothels were actually places where various forces and wealthy families made contact. Having lived at Plum Fragrance Tower for a long time, Xu Yan had also heard many martial world rumors. In the blink of an eye, summer was approaching, the weather was gradually becoming hotter, and the heat would further promote the restlessness in those martial artists’ hearts.

Trouble for Plum Fragrance Tower was about to come knocking again.