Chapter 24: A Deal

People often say that once you've passed the first layer of Qi Refining, you've officially stepped into the world of cultivation. But the major sects and orthodox schools scoff at that idea. In their eyes, the entire Qi Refinement stage is nothing more than a preparation phase. Anyone at that level is simply a Qi Refiner, not a true cultivator. It's only after forming a sea of qi in the dantian and entering the Foundation Establishment stage that one is considered to have truly stepped through the threshold of cultivation. Foundation Establishment. The name says it all: laying the foundation for the path ahead. Without that groundwork, what cultivation is there to speak of? This view is pretty much the consensus in the orthodox cultivation world. And it makes sense when you think about it from another angle too. The abilities shown in the first and second layers of Qi Refinement aren’t much different from those of martial artists in the mortal world. In an actual fight, the outcome between the two would be hard to predict. It’s only starting from the third layer that the gap really starts to show. The truth is, ninety-nine percent of Qi Refiners spend their entire lives stuck in the Qi Refinement stage. They never make it past this preparatory phase. Their lifespan caps out at around a hundred years. So how can that be considered true cultivation? Only once the qi sea is fully formed can someone be recognized as a real cultivator, and from that point, their lifespan can stretch to around 160 years. That’s when they finally start to show the demeanor of a true cultivator. After Foundation Establishment comes the task of solidifying the qi sea into a Golden Core. Then begins the long process of tempering the Golden Core and refining it over and over, until it better fits one’s nature and unleashes greater potential. Each bit of refinement might bring a few extra years of life, eventually extending the lifespan to somewhere between 240 and 300 years. Only those with extraordinary talent or great fortune are able to gradually awaken divine sense during this phase, and ultimately give birth to a Nascent Soul. All the advanced stages of cultivation that follow, like Soul Refinement, Return to the Void, or even the legendary Dao Integration—are centered around the Nascent Soul. From that point onward, there are no clearly defined realms, just differences in power level. Cultivators who reach this stage are considered true elites, often referred to by the great sects as earthly immortals. That’s why the birth of the Nascent Soul is seen as the true dividing line. Cross it, and one joins the ranks of mighty cultivators. And gains the potential to live up to 600 years. The Foundation Establishment Pill is a spiritual pill that helps Qi Refiners build their qi sea. For the vast majority of them, it's the key to opening the gate to true cultivation; a lifelong dream they chase with everything they have. But this pill isn’t just hard to make, the ingredients are incredibly rare, and the recipe is a closely guarded secret known only to the inner circles of major sects. Even among old cultivation families, the number of people who can refine it can be counted on one hand. That should tell you just how valuable it is. "It was stolen?" Zuo Gaofeng was stunned. The idea that someone could steal a Foundation Establishment Pill painstakingly refined by the Lu clan of Mount Tianmu was almost unthinkable. “That’s right. It was stolen. No doubt about it,” Wei Hongqing said with a heavy nod. “That kind of inside information… how do you know about it?” Zuo Gaofeng pressed. Tan Bajhang let out a sigh. “It seems our brother Wei here has some sort of... connection with one of the inner disciples of the Lu clan. A female disciple.” Zuo Gaofeng opened his mouth but was speechless for a long moment. Wei Hongqing spoke in a low voice: “The one who stole the pill was a steward assigned to guard the alchemy room. Name’s Lu Zi’an. He used to be an outer disciple of Mount Tianmu and had already reached the tenth level of Qi Refinement. But when he failed to make it through the selection for inner disciples, he grew bitter. During his shift guarding the pill room, he seized the opportunity and stole the pill. After that, he fled the mountain. Right now, the entire Lu clan is searching high and low for him.” He paused, then suddenly smiled. “As it happens, I know exactly where Lu Zi’an is.” As soon as those words left his mouth, everyone in the room held their breath, their excitement clearly rising. For the rogue cultivators of Wulong Mountain, including Liu Xiaolou, becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator was the ultimate dream. Things like Golden Core or Nascent Soul were far beyond what they dared hope for. And now, Wei Hongqing had suddenly dropped the news that a Foundation Establishment Pill had found its way into the wild. It was impossible not to let the mind wander a little. But if, by some miracle, they really did get their hands on it.... Who would it go to? How would they divide it? The group looked at one another in silence, glancing from face to face, no one saying a word. “Sell it and split the spirit stones!" Tan Bajhang suddenly said after a long pause. "If we can get our hands on that pill, we could flip it for a hundred spirit stones, easy.” Xishan Hermit, Zuo Gaofeng, and Liu Xiaolou all slowly shook their heads. “This isn’t something we can rush," Zuo Gaofeng said. "We're talking about someone at the tenth level of Qi Refinement…” “A hundred?" Xishan Hermit said. "Brother Tan, do you know any marketplace where a Foundation Establishment Pill has actually been sold? At what price? Zuo, Liu, either of you know?” Everyone started racking their brains, thinking hard. Wei Hongqing also asked, “Hermit raises a good question; has anyone here ever heard of a Foundation Establishment Pill being sold in any market?” They thought for a long time. But no one had an answer; they’d never even heard of it. “That’s because no one dares to sell one," Wei Hongqing said coldly. "Every sect’s pill formula is unique. Anyone who knows their stuff can tell at a glance which sect made the pill. Right now, the entire Lu clan of Mount Tianmu is searching for Lu Zi’an and that pill. If you try to sell it in a market, what shop would dare take it? And even if someone did buy it, would you live long enough to spend what you made?” The room went quiet again. Wei Hongqing had a point. Forget spending the profit, you might not even survive long enough to make the sale. Who would you even sell it to? The second it’s sold, word gets out. When Mount Tianmu comes knocking, who’s going to handle that? You might not even make it to the door before the buyer turns you in. Tan Bajhang hesitated. “Someone out there’s got to be willing to take it, right? Sell it farther away.... in Qingcheng Market, or over at Luofu Mountain? We’ve made it this far living with our heads hanging by a thread. Playing it safe and second-guessing everything? That’s not how Wulong Mountain cultivators do things!” “This isn’t something to rush," Zuo Gaofeng said. "Let’s all stay calm. Since Brother Wei brought us together, he must have a plan. He’s not the kind to act without thinking things through.” And Wei Hongqing certainly wasn’t the cautious type; if he were, he wouldn’t have called everyone here in the first place. His approach was just a bit more calculated. “To be honest, the pill itself isn’t even the main issue,” Wei Hongqing said. “What’s really got the elders of Mount Tianmu furious is the betrayal. A traitor emerged from within their own sect. That’s why they issued a decree: any disciple who captures Lu Zi’an and retrieves the Foundation Establishment Pill will be rewarded. Outer disciples will be promoted straight into the inner sect. Inner disciples will be granted access to sect secret techniques.” “What about outsiders?” Xishan Hermit asked. Wei Hongqing nodded. “Mount Tianmu sees this as a stain on their honor. They don’t want to rely on outsiders. But if an outsider provides reliable information, they’ll still reward them.... with twenty spirit stones.” The mood in the room immediately dipped. Tan Bajhang muttered, “Let him die, then! I can’t believe a prestigious sect would be so stingy.” “Twenty spirit stones for a tip-off.... not bad," Xishan Hermit replied. "If you don’t want your share, Brother Tan, you can back out. I’ll take your cut. That leaves four stones each. Not exactly nothing. Brother Liu, what do you think?” Liu Xiaolou was blunt: “Sell.” Wei Hongqing gave a mysterious smile. “If it were just that, I wouldn’t have called you all here. But I’ve got a better idea. If we actually capture Lu Zi’an and return the pill to Mount Tianmu, we’ll get fifty spirit stones.” Liu Xiaolou’s eyes lit up. “Brother Wei, you mean handing both the man and the pill over to that contact of yours in the sect…” Tan Bajhang snapped his fingers. “His lady friend!” Xishan Hermit raised a brow. “She’s willing to pay fifty? Damn those big sect types really do have money to burn. Well, if that’s the deal, then this job might be worth doing after all.” Zuo Gaofeng stroked his beard and smiled. “Still... tenth-layer Qi Refinement. This’ll take careful planning.”