Chapter 125: Fu Zhizhou’s Final Will

Screech! Screech! That day, Wei Tu emerged from seclusion. The Wind-Cleaving Eagle swooped down from the sky outside the courtyard, clutching a letter in its beak and presenting it to him with an eager look. After being captured by Wei Tu, it had assumed it would be treated favorably—after all, it had once been the right-hand beast of the Blood Demon Elder. Had it not developed its talent for stealing cultivators’ storage pouches, the Blood Demon Elder would have perished in battle long ago. However, the Wind-Cleaving Eagle was soon disappointed. Not only did Wei Tu release it into the wilds of Demon Wolf Mountain for months, but he also abandoned it twice at Luoxue Courtyard, leaving it starving for years. And now, after bringing it to Talisman Heart Residence, Wei Tu completely disregarded it, assigning its care to a mere servant... The Wind-Cleaving Eagle was clearly disgruntled, but Wei Tu paid no mind to its thoughts. With the Beast Control Token in hand, no matter how much dissatisfaction the eagle harbored, it could do nothing about it. Taking the letter, Wei Tu glanced at the sender—Fu Zhizhou. His brows slightly furrowed. A year ago, he had just met Fu Zhizhou at Danqiu Mountain. Given Fu Zhizhou’s reserved nature, he wouldn’t send letters without good reason. Something unusual must have happened. Breaking the seal, Wei Tu skimmed over the greetings and went straight to the main contents. "Helian Xiong has reached Foundation Establishment?" This was the first thing Fu Zhizhou mentioned in the letter. A month ago, Helian Xiong had successfully advanced to the Foundation Establishment realm. Afterward, Fu Zhizhou had questioned Helian Xiong about the details of his Demonic Soul Foundation Establishment Method. Upon learning that Helian Xiong had reached Foundation Establishment solely with the Condensed Foundation Pill and the demonic method, Fu Zhizhou stated that he no longer wished to wait twenty more years in search of a Foundation Establishment Pill. After all, Foundation Establishment Pills were rare. If he spent two decades searching and still failed to obtain one, he would have wasted precious time. Reaching Foundation Establishment at 100 years old was entirely different from attempting it near the age of 120—his future potential would be drastically reduced. Each person must make their own choices. Wei Tu understood Fu Zhizhou’s reasoning well. Some things couldn’t be delayed. The sooner one acted, the better their chances of success. The letter was long. Wei Tu continued reading. Aside from informing him about Helian Xiong’s breakthrough and his own decision to attempt Foundation Establishment, Fu Zhizhou mentioned two additional matters. The first: Two years from now, he might be unable to attend their ten-year reunion due to his Foundation Establishment attempt. The second: In the event that he failed and died, he entrusted his final wishes to Wei Tu. Foundation Establishment failure meant death. Unlike the Foundation Establishment Pill, which protected the cultivator’s heart meridian and dantian, the Condensed Foundation Pill offered no such safeguard. If a cultivator failed during Foundation Establishment, death was highly likely. Fu Zhizhou’s will was written with great detail. At the beginning, he expressed gratitude for Wei Tu’s help over the years. He stated that if he perished, he would leave behind his remaining 300 spirit stones to Wei Tu. As for his artifacts and possessions, Wei Tu was to hold onto them until he found a suitable time to return them to Fu Zhizhou’s descendants. At the very end of the letter, Fu Zhizhou wrote: "We have been friends for 80 years, sworn as brothers, supporting each other. I have no regrets." After reading the letter, Wei Tu remained silent for a long time. Fu Zhizhou’s unyielding will was something Wei Tu could not compare to. Had he been in Fu Zhizhou’s situation—without a Foundation Establishment Pill—he would have waited until he was nearly 120 years old before making an attempt. At that time, whether he succeeded or perished, he would have no regrets. But Fu Zhizhou was different. He sacrificed 20 years of potential lifespan, taking the gamble for a higher chance of post-Foundation Establishment potential. "I hope my fourth brother succeeds in his breakthrough." Wei Tu sighed softly. He carefully folded the letter and left the cultivation chamber, heading toward the front courtyard of the Offering Hall. "Granduncle." Huang Chengfu stepped forward, greeting Wei Tu with a bow. He glanced at the Wind-Cleaving Eagle perched on Wei Tu’s shoulder, hesitating to speak. Earlier, when the eagle had snatched the letter and flown directly into Wei Tu’s chamber, it had frightened him greatly. However, he had no right to enter the core area of the residence, so he could only wait outside in distress. "From now on, don’t stop the Wind-Cleaving Eagle when it delivers my messages. It knows when I emerge from seclusion." Wei Tu noticed Huang Chengfu’s concern and chuckled, speaking casually. —Spirit beasts had far keener senses than human cultivators. Even if he concealed his aura, the Wind-Cleaving Eagle could still detect the moment he stepped out. Of course, if Wei Tu deliberately suppressed his presence using the Thousand Faces Phantom Art, that would be a different story. "Understood, Granduncle." Huang Chengfu obeyed immediately, standing attentively. "The spirit beast hides I asked you to tan—are they ready?" Wei Tu inquired. Yunhe Mountain was different from Danqiu Mountain—there were few shops selling first-grade talisman paper, and the prices were much higher. Thus, after Huang Chengfu came to serve at Talisman Heart Residence, Wei Tu assigned him the task of producing talisman paper. Although second-grade talismans fetched higher prices, they were less profitable for Wei Tu. First, he had only recently acquired a second-grade talisman inheritance, so his success rate in crafting second-grade talismans was unstable—meaning he lost more money than he made. Second, compared to second-grade talismans, first-grade talismans had a much larger market. He could consistently produce them, earning profit with each completed talisman. Three reasons led Wei Tu to prioritize first-grade talisman paper over second-grade ones. First, second-grade talisman paper was hard to obtain. Even if he had the skill to craft second-grade talismans, without materials, he could only watch in frustration. Second, the market for first-grade talismans was much larger. They were easy to sell, and as long as he could produce them consistently, he could generate stable income. Third, Wei Tu’s proficiency in second-grade talismans was still at the beginner stage. The failure rate was high, making the costs outweigh the profits. “Granduncle, the batch of spirit beast hides was fully processed half a month ago. I will bring them to your talisman workshop shortly.” Huang Chengfu bowed respectfully. Wei Tu nodded, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes. Just as Huang Peng had claimed, Huang Chengfu might not be clever, but he was diligent. Every task assigned to him was completed ahead of time, never once neglected. However, Wei Tu didn’t show any overt encouragement. He simply responded with a calm “Good.” Then, with the Wind-Cleaving Eagle on his shoulder, he left Talisman Heart Residence. —The art of tanning spirit beast hides and crafting first-grade talisman paper might seem trivial to him, but for low-level cultivators, it was a lifeline for survival. Leaving Talisman Heart Residence, Wei Tu headed to the Clan Affairs Hall of the Heshan Huang Clan to report on his progress in talisman arts. “What?! In just two years, Master Wei has already mastered the Stone Shattering Talisman?” Clan Chief Huang Changshun was visibly shocked. The Stone Shattering Talisman was a low-tier second-grade talisman, one of the techniques Wei Tu had selected from the clan’s talisman inheritance. “I had prior experience crafting Earth-element talismans such as the Rock Shield Talisman and the Earth Spike Talisman during my Qi Refinement stage. These talismans share commonalities with the Stone Shattering Talisman...” Wei Tu gave a simple explanation. With his Late Bloomer Destiny, once he gained entry-level proficiency in second-grade talismans and practiced diligently, his mastery would gradually increase. Though the Stone Shattering Talisman was complex, he was no longer a mere Qi Refinement stage novice—he was now a Foundation Establishment talisman master with vast experience. “Excellent, excellent, excellent!” Hearing this, Huang Changshun laughed heartily, repeating “excellent” three times. Wei Tu wasn’t an outsider—he was an honored guest elder of the Heshan Huang Clan. His talisman expertise was a great benefit to the family. “Starting today, Master Wei’s stipend will be raised one level. Every three years, you will receive two sets of second-grade spirit beast hides...” “Additionally, every fifty years, you will receive one Emerald Radiance Pill.” Huang Changshun declared after a moment’s thought. Reaching second-grade talismans within two years meant that Wei Tu could eventually master high-tier second-grade talismans. Such talismans were useful even to Golden Core cultivators and could serve as a clan’s protective treasure. Wei Tu was inwardly pleased. He had made the right move by advancing his talisman proficiency ahead of schedule. Previously, his stipend allowed him to receive one Emerald Radiance Pill every eighty years. Now, the duration had shortened to fifty years—a thirty-year reduction. In 300 years, he would now obtain six Emerald Radiance Pills instead of four—an increase of two full pills. The Emerald Radiance Pill was a common cultivation pill for Foundation Establishment cultivators, each highly valuable. Six months later. The Heshan Huang Clan’s Grand Exchange Gathering, which Housekeeper Huang Yu’er had mentioned, was approaching. After making inquiries, Wei Tu learned that this exchange was similar in nature to the Righteous Society’s Ten-Year Reunion—intended for sharing insights, forging bonds, and conducting trades. Held every eight years, it was a major event. More importantly, this was not an event exclusive to the Heshan Huang Clan. Every gathering attracted cultivators from external clans, including members of the Three Great Sects and the Seven Major Golden Core Clans—as well as powerful patriarchs from Foundation Establishment families. The exchange doubled as a trade fair, offering opportunities for cultivation advancement. In preparation, Wei Tu spent the past six months tirelessly crafting talismans, stockpiling a variety of first-grade talismans and three second-grade Stone Shattering Talismans. The gathering was held outside the Heshan Huang Clan’s main territory—at Golden Moon Cliff. Golden Moon Cliff was adjacent to Yunhe Mountain, designated as a second-tier spirit land under Yunhe Mountain’s control. Various pavilions and stalls had been set up across the cliff. By the time Wei Tu arrived, many Huang Clan cultivators had already begun setting up stalls, engaging in spirit artifact and material trades. As an honored guest elder of the Heshan Huang Clan, and one of its renowned craftsmen, Wei Tu’s designated pavilion was situated at the heart of Golden Moon Cliff’s trading area. “Master Yu the Puppet Craftsman?” Arriving at the Offering Pavilion, Wei Tu noticed that another cultivator had already set up a stall under the same Offering Pavilion banner. Displayed on the stall’s cloth-covered table were a variety of intricately designed puppets—both humanoid and beast-shaped constructs. Recognizing the merchant, Wei Tu immediately cupped his hands and greeted him. The old man, Yu the Puppet Craftsman, had a head full of white hair. Upon hearing Wei Tu’s greeting, he looked up, slightly puzzled. “Fellow Daoist, who might you be?” The Yu the Puppet Craftsman had never seen him before. “The current resident of Talisman Heart Residence.” Wei Tu introduced himself briefly. “Ah, so you are Master Wei the Talisman Crafter!” Yu the Puppet Craftsman instantly understood. He invited Wei Tu to sit beside him and commented with surprise: “I had heard from Yu’er that Talisman Heart Residence had a new talisman master living there for the past three years, yet I had never met him.” “I didn’t expect Master Wei to be so young.” “Still in the prime of youth, even.” His tone carried undisguised astonishment. Previous Chapter || Next Chapte