Chapter 97: Chapter 97 Foundation Establishment Pill Completion
 

The cave was narrow and long, spanning over ten mu, which already ranked it among the top within the spirit land.

Zhou Yi followed the team deeper into the cave, where along the way he saw field after field of spiritual medicine with a water attribute.

They encountered four cultivators on the journey, all using the Spirit Rain Technique with their cultivation at the early stages of Qi Refinement.

The cultivators’ cave dwellings were different from the marketplace; they carved out living spaces with three rooms and a hall directly into the cave walls, turning every inch of land into spirit fields without destroying the natural formation of the spirit land.

At the bottom of the cave, there was a shrine.

Standing at the entrance was an elder in purple robes, hands clasped behind his back, his face exuding authority, his gaze swept across the descendants of the Imperial Clan, finally pausing on Zhou Yi.

Gu Yun said respectfully, “Your Highness, there are a total of twelve individuals rotating into the spiritual practice this time.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Daoist Gu Yun.”

Li Yu, the old prince, spoke, “Cultivation in the spirit land, if one cannot reach twenty years’ worth of inner qi in one year, or a hundred years’ worth in five, then return to the mundane world to live as a wealthy idler. Understand?”

All the children of the Imperial Clan had serious expressions as they agreed in unison.

Li Yu looked at Zhou Yi, his tone much gentler, “My great-grandfather often spoke of Master Zhou’s kindness. Since Brother Chen is a descendant of Master Zhou, if you have any doubts in your future cultivation, feel free to ask me.”

Zhou Yi bowed and said, “Thank you, senior.”

The children of the Imperial Clan had a flicker in their eyes as they regarded Zhou Yi differently.

Li Hong had been dead for more than seventy years, and with two or three generations having passed in the mundane world, although they spoke of revering the Sage Emperor, in truth, he was regarded more as a historical figure. Li Yu, who had often been by Li Hong’s side in his youth, was naturally influenced and held a special regard for the descendants of Master Zhou.

“Follow this king to worship our ancestors.”

Li Yu led everyone into the shrine, where the portraits of the Li family’s illustrious ancestors were enshrined.

The clan members of the Li family kneed and kowtowed three times, taking turns to offer incense.

Zhou Yi stood at the back, perusing all the portraits; the first few were familiar faces, Li Wu, Li Ye, Li Hong, Chen Jinyu, and others, skillfully captured by the artist to resemble their original appearances by seventy to eighty percent.

As for the portraits further back, he could scarcely identify one.

Emperor Zhou of Yuan, Li Yi, styled Martial.

“Things change; people come and go.”

Zhou Yi sighed silently to himself; he had only seen the boy once, recalling his somewhat shy nature, hiding behind Chen Jinyu, not daring to show his face. Who would have thought that after becoming the emperor, he would personally lead campaigns to sweep through Great Yong, expanding the territory of Da Qian by more than thirty percent.

After the worship, Li Yu distributed cultivation resources.

A bottle of stone milk.

A scroll of top-tier inner qi cultivation technique.

“This spirit land even has accompanying spiritual objects; the Li family really struck it lucky.”

Zhou Yi browsed the inner qi cultivation technique and asked Li Yu several questions about cultivation, then chose a secluded cave dwelling.

Once inside, he triggered the mechanism of the stone chamber, lowering the massive stone door, laid out an array plate to arrange a Minor Five Elements Array, planted the thousand-year-old ginseng, and began to ponder over the Mystical Pill Scripture.

…

Days passed, one after another.

Zhou Yi pondered over the pill technique for more than half a year, during which he left a few times on the pretext of buying wine or celebrating. However, in reality, he went to purchase spiritual medicine from the Small Pill Mountain.

Disguised as an old Daoist with white hair, he entered the marketplace with great caution.

“Indeed, as long as one doesn’t cause a commotion, if a demonic cultivator can come here, so can I!”

Zhou Yi roamed the marketplace and discovered that Jing Xu’s Abode had changed its sign to Spirit Talisman Hall. It was only after inquiring that he learned, over a decade ago, Jing Xu the Daoist had exhausted his lifespan and, with no designated heir to the shop, the marketplace had leased it out again.

“I still haven’t managed to return the notes.”

Zhou Yi silently noted this act of kindness, resolving that if he ever encountered descendants of Jing Xu or Qing Jing, he would lend a helping hand.

After acquiring the spiritual medicine, he immediately returned to the spirit land and started to concoct the simplest of pills, the Qi Nurturing Pill, with its main ingredient being Qi Nurturing Grass and several other common auxiliary spiritual medicines.

The pill furnace he used was the Mountain and River Cauldron, which was originally meant for cooking but could make do for alchemy as well.

The flame was the most ordinary mana flame, incomparable to the true fire one would have after Foundation Establishment, or to the fire from earth veins, with no additional success rate bonuses.

The first cauldron.

He produced balls of charred ash, and just as Li Xun showed up to mooch a drink, he casually mixed some of the powder into the alcohol. As a result, Li Xun was unseen for several days. Upon making some inquiries, Zhou Yi learned that Li Xun had been vomiting and had severe diarrhea, looking pale and three shades lighter.

After more than a dozen cauldrons, he grasped some of the knack for it and finally succeeded in making pills.

“The color and shape are correct, but should I find someone to test the pill?”

Zhou Yi was only sure that the pill wouldn’t kill anyone, since there were no highly poisonous ingredients in the material; whether it had any effect on increasing mana, he had no idea.

Unfortunately, Li Xun turned up at his door, face shamelessly eager, “Brother Chen, considering my pitiful state these past few days, spare me a drink!”

Zhou Yi looked at Li Xun with a strange gaze, feeling that this pill was fated for him.

Li Xun was quite lucky, the Primordial Pill was used by cultivators in Qi Refinement, and it was more than sufficient for refining Inner Qi.

One year later.

Only four of the Imperial Clan’s disciples were left in the spirit land, one of them being Li Xun.

Li Xun was also puzzled—he was not diligent on a daily basis, would drink and chat, and wanted to be nothing more than a wealthy idler, yet his Inner Qi always surged inexplicably.

“Could it be that I truly possess an exceptional talent?”

Two years had passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Yi did not rush to concoct other pills. Instead, he repeatedly refined Primordial Pills until he could produce ten pills in a single batch.

If only considering the number of pills produced, his proficiency in Primordial Pills had reached perfection.

Zhou Yi scattered the dregs from two whole storage bags into the cold pond, quite pleased with his alchemy talent.

“Alchemy is pretty simple. Practice makes perfect!”

He then flew towards Little Dan Mountain on his Magic Artifact, to purchase materials for Yellow Dragon Pills.

Another three years went by.

The experience in refining Primordial Pills could be transferred to other pills; low-level pills like Yellow Dragon Pills, Water Softening Pills, and Spirit Stabilizing Pills reached full proficiency in just two years.

“How many Spirit Stones have I spent? Countless! Thanks to the Jade Dew Art, no, gratitude to the Longevity Dao Fruit!”

Zhou Yi was only jesting about the simplicity of alchemy, yet his tally of consumed Spiritual Medicines would make any Foundation Establishment true person turn green with envy.

On this day.

Zhou Yi failed in making Green Sun Pills. The refinement of the medicinal herbs required for mid-grade pills exceeded twenty varieties, making the difficulty of concocting pills increase by more than tenfold.

Continuous failure did not discourage Zhou Yi, who took out more Spiritual Medicine from his storage bag and continued his work.

Thump, thump, thump!

Sounds came from the door of his cave, Zhou Yi put away his Pill Furnace and Array Plate and opened the stone door—it was indeed Li Xun.

“Brother Zhou, I am leaving tomorrow. Before parting, let’s not return until we are drunk!” Li Xun was an emotional creature, and as he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes, and he opened his arms wide, ready to hug.

“Scram!”

Zhou Yi brushed off Li Xun, confused, “Haven’t you reached a hundred years of Inner Qi? And the date hasn’t arrived, has it?”

“Brother, it is my innate talent after all!”

Li Xun raised his eyebrows proudly, then sighed, “It’s too dull here. If I stay any longer, I’ll suffocate. I just wanted to be a wealthy idler, and a hundred years of Inner Qi is more than enough to roam the world!”

Zhou Yi whispered, “Aren’t you interested in that position above?”

“With my temperament, if I took that seat, I’d be nothing but a disastrous emperor. Better not to harm others or myself.”

Li Xun urged, “Don’t talk about such disheartening things. Hurry, bring out the wine. Let’s not return until we are drunk.”

Zhou Yi looked at Li Xun’s youthful face, realizing that upon their next meeting, he might already be an old man with white hair, feeling a stir in his heart. He took out a newly brewed batch of Spiritual Wine titled Soul Soothing Intoxication.

“Let’s drink something good today!”

After getting drunk, they went their separate ways.

Li Xun went to pursue his dream of roaming the lands, while Zhou Yi continued his alchemy.

Time flies.

Years pass like a shuttle.

Twenty-five years passed in the blink of an eye.

In the stone chamber.

Zhou Yi grabbed the Spirit Ginseng baby, indifferent to its rolling white eyes, pouting mouth, stretching legs, glaring, and mumbling. He mercilessly sliced off a piece of thousand-year Spirit Ginseng and dropped it into the Mountain and River Cauldron.

In thirty years, the Mountain and River Cauldron had refined countless Spiritual Medicines and was emitting a fragrant aroma both inside and out.

A few days later.

“Merge!”

Zhou Yi pinched a spell and controlled the liquid in the cauldron to condense into Foundation Establishment Pills.

Moments later, a puff of black smoke burst out of the Mountain and River Cauldron.

Zhou Yi was not shocked but overjoyed. He hurriedly flipped through the scalding hot remains and saw two golden, round pills lying quietly in the black ashes.

“After a full twenty batches, I have finally succeeded!”