Gou can devour and become a saint in the cultivation world.

Chapter 60 Visitors from the Dong family, ancient cave mansion

Chapter 60 Visitors from the Dong family, ancient cave mansion

"Wow, late-stage Qi Refining, the old tree has blossomed?"

Qin Chengcheng leaned against the kitchen door frame, her moon-white gauze dress swaying gently in the wind, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Her beautiful eyes scanned Chen Yi up and down.

Chen Yi, who was studying formations in the secret chamber, shook his head with a wry smile upon hearing this: "I only managed to break through thanks to Fairy Qin and the breakthrough pills sent by Young Master Xu."

"Breakthrough Pill?" Qin Chengcheng frowned slightly, her skirt swirling as she walked to the table. "It's best to avoid these kinds of pills that force you to break through barriers. They'll deplete your potential and affect your next major breakthrough."

Then she thought, "After you get this age, you don't have much potential left, so it doesn't matter. Breaking through one level is one level at a time."

She gathered a wisp of icy blue spiritual energy at her fingertips and gently touched Chen Yi's wrist.

"Huh? Your spiritual energy is quite clear and clean, of excellent quality. It seems your physical foundation is more than just a low-grade spiritual root. Perhaps you were affected by your time as a mortal all these years, which is why it's like this."

"Unfortunately, if you had started cultivating twenty years earlier, you might have actually been able to attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage."

Feeling the cool touch on his wrist, Chen Yi calmly withdrew his hand: "At my age, what potential do I still have? I don't even dare to hope for Foundation Establishment or anything like that. I'll just take it one step at a time."

"By the way, Fairy, why did Lin Xiaoyu choose not to take the Foundation Establishment Pill to establish her foundation? Isn't she afraid of something going wrong?" Chen Yi asked casually.

"Xiaoyu?" Qin Chengcheng's eyes flickered slightly. "She has a Heavenly Spiritual Root and grew up soaking in spiritual liquid since she was a child."

With a gentle wave of her hand, three illusory ice crystals condensed in the air, explaining the principles of Foundation Establishment to Chen Yi:

"Foundation building emphasizes the unity of the three elements."

The first ice crystal transformed into a surging spiritual liquid: "The magical power needs to be condensed like mercury, filling the dantian and meridians, almost reaching the edge of liquefaction."

The second ripple of divine consciousness appeared: "Divine consciousness needs to break through its shackles and complete the atomization process during foundation building to better perceive the spiritual energy of heaven and earth."

The third section demonstrates the meridian network: "At the same time, the physical body must be able to withstand the cleansing of spiritual energy."

Only when essence, energy, and spirit reach their peak can one successfully establish a foundation and become a Qi Refining cultivator.

Qin Chengcheng spoke eloquently, imparting a great deal of basic knowledge about Foundation Establishment to Chen Yi.

It turns out that the success rate of a cultivator's Foundation Establishment is closely related to the entire Qi Refining stage of cultivation.

The purpose of the Foundation Establishment Pill is to enhance magical power, aid in the breakthrough of spiritual consciousness, and protect the meridians at the final stage. It can only play a supporting role; cultivators also need to consume their potential and resources to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Taking Foundation Establishment Pills is the method chosen by the vast majority of people who want to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, simply because it can increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment and ensure that the cultivator will not die even if they fail.

Lin Xiaoyu, however, is different. She possesses a Heavenly Spiritual Root, with an extremely solid foundation in magical power. The cultivation technique she practices is also a top-tier technique from her sect, and her meridians and dantian are well-developed.

Furthermore, she has been consuming rare and precious herbs since childhood, and her spiritual sense has already been developed; it is estimated that she has already advanced to the second level ahead of schedule.

Given these prerequisites, and a gentle, stable, and spiritually abundant environment for breakthrough, such as a modified second-tier high-grade or near-third-tier spiritual vein cave,

And to achieve these conditions during one's twenties, when vitality is at its peak.

Furthermore, during the breakthrough, he had a father at the Core Formation stage to help protect him.

This gives you the opportunity to retain your potential and complete the foundation building.

These conditions left Chen Yi speechless.

He doesn't seem to meet any of these criteria. Others are already aiming for Foundation Establishment at twenty, while he, a forty-year-old old man, has only just reached the late stage of Qi Refining. He really can't compare.

"I was just asking. If I can reach the ninth level of Qi Refining before I turn sixty, I'll try my best to get a Foundation Establishment Pill and try to break through."

As for those genius-level Foundation Establishment methods that don't rely on Foundation Establishment Pills, Chen Yi didn't even consider it. It wasn't that he couldn't meet those conditions himself.

Because there are no Foundation Establishment Pills, there is a risk of injury or death if one fails to establish a foundation.

He wouldn't allow himself to take any risks.

"Sixty?" Qin Chengcheng chuckled, covering her lips with her hand. "You old bones." Seeing Chen Yi's serious expression, she suddenly became solemn. "If you can really help me break the restriction, I promise you a Foundation Establishment Pill."

"A single Foundation Establishment Pill... isn't that too risky?"

"Heh, you're already so old, you're lucky to even have the chance to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, why are you still asking for stability?"

Very well, if I succeed, my cultivation will definitely make a great breakthrough. If I fail with one, I guarantee you two.

"Come on, let's continue studying this restriction."

A fragrant breeze wafted by as Qin Chengcheng sat down beside Chen Yi. With a flick of her wrist, a complex second-tier soul-path restriction appeared.

The two of them had already broken three layers of the restriction together, leaving only the last layer, which was connected to Qin Chengcheng's soul and consciousness.

The two tried everything they could, but couldn't find a way to break the restriction without damaging their consciousness.

Fortunately, there are still more than three years left.

A few days later, Hao Youren and Old Hu ran into Chen Yi in the market.

Hao Youren's eyes widened as he pointed at Chen Yi, his voice rising several decibels: "Brother Chen, you... weren't you supposed to have a low-grade spiritual root? Didn't you say before that you had no hope of cultivation and were prepared to settle down as a cook? How come you suddenly broke through?!"

Old Hu stroked his goatee, squinting as he looked Chen Yi up and down, his eyes filled with suspicion and a strange look, as if he were looking at a "cultivation bitch"—the kind who says she's lying down but secretly is secretly scheming.

Chen Yi felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by the two men. He coughed lightly and lowered his voice, saying, "It's embarrassing to talk about this, you have to keep it a secret for me."

He looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping before continuing, "A few days ago, thanks to Fairy Qin's influence, Young Master Xu rewarded me with a breakthrough pill for the late stage of Qi Refining, which allowed me to break through to the next level by sheer luck."

Hao Youren suddenly realized, slapping his thigh and saying, "So that's how it is! I knew it! Brother Chen, your talent is so mediocre, how did you suddenly break through? It turns out you got the Breakthrough Pill!"

Old Hu frowned and said, "Relying on the Breakthrough Pill will deplete your potential. You can actually get through the late stage of Qi Refining in a few years. If you take it now, your Foundation Establishment will probably be even more difficult."

Chen Yi smiled wryly: "There's nothing I can do. I'm getting old. If I grind for a few more years, forget about Foundation Establishment, I might not even be able to touch the door of Qi Refining Level 9 in my lifetime."

As for the future, let's take it one step at a time. Anyway, I'm not aiming for Foundation Establishment.

Lao Hu and Hao Youren expressed their understanding upon hearing this. Indeed, given Chen Yi's current state, reaching the late stage of Qi Refining was already an incredible feat. Since he was unwilling to seek refuge with powerful figures or bow down to them, he truly had little hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment stage.

Then, Chen Yi sighed again: "Speaking of which, my breakthrough this time may have offended Young Master Xu instead."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Hao Youren asked curiously.

Chen Yi lowered his voice and said, "I suggested to Young Master Xu that he send some demonic beasts to please Fairy Qin, but the demonic beasts that Young Master Xu sent were of average quality. After Fairy Qin ate them, they did not improve her soul or magic power, so... the effect was not very good."

"Young Master Xu thinks my ideas are useless, so he's probably not happy about it. He even had Dong Chang'an give me a warning before. I haven't dared to leave the market lately, for fear of being punished by him."

Upon hearing this, Hao Youren slammed his hand on the table and laughed, "Hey! I thought it was something serious! Brother Chen, you're overthinking it! Young Master Xu is no ordinary person; how could he hold a grudge over such a trivial matter?"

He leaned closer to Chen Yi and lowered his voice, saying, "How about this, I'll go and explain for you. I'll say that you've been thinking about it and feel bad that the second-tier demon beast that Young Master Xu gave you didn't work. How about we let this matter drop? You can't just stay hidden in the market all the time."

Chen Yi quickly waved his hand: "No, no, no! Fellow Daoist Hao, I appreciate your kindness, but I really don't want to get involved in these things anymore. I'd better just be a good cook."

Hao Youren, however, gave Chen Yi a knowing look and patted him on the shoulder: "Brother Chen, you're just too cautious! Don't worry, I'll take care of this!"

After saying that, he pulled Old Hu away in a hurry. Before leaving, he turned back and winked at Chen Yi, as if to say, "Brother, I'll take care of this for you."

Chen Yi opened his mouth, wanting to stop him but couldn't, and could only shake his head helplessly.

……

That evening, Hao Youren found Xu Shixian, bowed respectfully, and cautiously said, "Young Master, there is something I'm unsure whether I should say..."

Xu Shixian was fiddling with a jade slip when he heard this, he raised his eyelids slightly: "Speak. What did you do wrong? I promise I won't be angry."

Hao Youren said with a forced smile, "It's like this, I have a friend... he may have unintentionally offended you, young master, so he hasn't dared to..."

He relayed Chen Yi's words, adding at the end, "Chen Yi is timid and cowardly, but he definitely doesn't have bad intentions. Now he's so scared he doesn't dare leave the market. Could you please be lenient and not punish him?"

After listening, Xu Shixian frowned and pondered for a long time, then suddenly slapped his thigh: "So that's it! No wonder Fairy Qin didn't react much to the demon beast I sent; it turns out its quality wasn't good enough!"

He looked enlightened, then laughed and said, "Alright, I understand. Go tell that Chef Chen that I won't hold it against him."

Hao Youren was overjoyed and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you for your magnanimity, young master!"

Xu Shixian waved his hand, but a meaningful smile appeared on his lips: "Besides, it's not about sending away demonic beasts anymore. The elders in the family have already taken action, hehehe..."

He didn't say anything more, but just laughed to himself, a hint of smugness and anticipation in his eyes.

Some time ago, Zhao Tieshan's suggestion was adopted by the sect, and the Jade Dragon Sect is preparing to discuss a marriage alliance with the Wonderful Sound Pavilion.

……

After learning of Xu Shixian's attitude from Hao Youren, Chen Yi felt somewhat relieved, thinking to himself, "As expected, the second-generation rich kids are easier to fool."

But then he thought of Zhao Tieshan from the Enforcement Hall, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"In comparison, Zhao Tieshan is the real trouble."

After the last inspection, Chen Yi realized that although this person seemed rough, he was actually meticulous and every move he made had a deeper meaning.

"He didn't find anything last time, but that doesn't necessarily mean he really believed it."

"There are some things I need to prepare in advance..."

Chen Yi took a deep breath, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

Two months later, Huhaifang Market welcomed a new manager.

Dong Changqing, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, is Dong Chang'an's younger brother. At the age of 120, he has already entered the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, making him far superior to his elder brother, whose lifespan is nearing its end and whose cultivation has stagnated.

He wore a brocade robe, with a jade belt loosely tied around his waist. His pot-bellied appearance made him look like a wealthy magistrate. He always had a kind smile on his face, which made people feel close to him at first sight.

Under Xu Shixian's supervision, Dong Changqing officially took over the management of the market.

Those rogue cultivators who had previously served Xu Shixian faithfully were now filled with bitterness—they had thought that with Dong Chang'an's death, they could seize the opportunity to climb the ranks of a sect's true disciples, reap some benefits, and perhaps even obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.

But who would have thought that, after all the twists and turns, the market would eventually fall back into the hands of the Dong family!

"Sigh, all that work for nothing..." Hao Youren shook his head and sighed, his brocade robes appearing somewhat dull.

Old Hu looked even more worried, his goatee drooping: "The status of a cultivation family and a sect's true disciple is worlds apart! Even the Dong family themselves might not be able to get a Foundation Establishment Pill, so why would they share it with us?"

Looking back now, I realize that Brother Chen had a much more open-minded perspective.

Their hopes of joining the Dong family's Foundation Establishment stage and following the sect's true teachings were completely dashed.

……

After taking office, Dong Changqing immediately went to pay a visit to Zhao Tieshan.

Although both were at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, Zhao Tieshan was only seventy years old, had a very solid cultivation, and was also a steward of the sect's law enforcement hall. His future was limitless, and his status was far superior to Dong Changqing's.

Dong Changqing adopted an extremely humble posture, cupping his hands and smiling, "Deacon Zhao, the market will need your continued support in the future."

Zhao Tieshan nodded calmly and got straight to the point: "Fellow Daoist Dong, the sect has two things for you to do."

"First, to explore the secrets deep within the second-tier ice spirit mine at the bottom of the lake; second, to secretly investigate potential Foundation Establishment cultivators hidden in the market."

"Remember, if you discover any trace of a body cultivator, do not alert them. Report to the sect immediately; we need to capture them alive."

Dong Changqing's smile remained unchanged as he repeatedly agreed, but then his expression turned troubled: "Deacon Zhao, I am new here and have no one to rely on. I'm not comfortable using the cultivators from Dong Chang'an's lineage..."

Zhao Tieshan glanced at him, fully aware of what was going on, and said calmly, "Twenty percent of the profits from the Ice Spirit Mine are yours to distribute and use to win people's hearts."

A glint flashed in Dong Changqing's eyes, and his smile widened: "Rest assured, Deacon Zhao, I will do my utmost!"

……

However, after leaving, Dong Changqing changed his tune.

"Exploring the Ice Spirit Mine? Heh, I'll just send my men to scout ahead. I'm not going to go in myself."

"As for capturing body cultivators? I remember exactly how my brother died!"

He sneered inwardly, making up his mind—even if he really discovered that body cultivator, he would never make a sound; he would befriend him if possible, and trade with him if possible.

"Serving a sect to the death? Who is this sect? My Dong family has been affiliated with the Jade Dragon Sect for a hundred years, yet we haven't produced a single fake Core Formation cultivator!"

He was well aware that the sect tightly controlled all the main ingredients of the Crystallization Pills, ensuring that these Foundation Establishment families would not be allowed to obtain even a trace of them.

Dong Changqing's governing philosophy is simple: be on good terms with everyone and never offend anyone easily.

In his first year in office, he announced a 10% reduction in rent for all shops in the market, and for those who voluntarily sought to join him, the rent was halved.

He even personally visited the late-stage Qi Refining cultivators in the market, showing concern for their well-being and inquiring about their cultivation difficulties, appearing to be compassionate towards the people.

Although the actual benefits were minimal, the reputation gained was immense.

……

On this day, Dong Changqing arrived at Miaoyin Pavilion.

With a beaming smile, he not only extended his greetings to the fairies in the pavilion, but also to cooks like Chen Yi.

"I've heard that Chef Chen Ling's culinary skills are superb, ranking among the best in the market. He's truly a talent!"

"Are you settling in well at Miaoyin Pavilion? Is there anything else that needs improvement in the market? Please let me know!" Dong Changqing patted Chen Yi on the shoulder, his tone friendly.

However, the moment he made contact, he was suddenly startled!

"This magic...something's not right!"

Chen Yi's water and wood spiritual energy was extremely pure and flowed smoothly, far surpassing that of ordinary Qi Refining Level 7 cultivators, and even comparable to the true disciples of sects!

What's even more peculiar is that his blood energy is both pure and thin, completely unlike what a mortal martial artist who has been in contact with demonic beasts and stained with blood for many years should be in.

This person either had a major stroke of luck, rebuilding their body and improving their aptitude, or...

Either some important figure is hiding their identity and cultivating their mind in the marketplace.

Dong Changqing's pupils contracted slightly, and he regretted his rash action of patting the other person on the shoulder. If this person was a demon, then he might have already gotten himself into big trouble.

However, Dong Chang'an remained outwardly calm, his smile still warm, and he even offered Chen Yi a bottle of pills as a gesture of goodwill: "Chef Chen, dealing with demonic beasts is hard work, and you're easily tainted by their evil aura."

This bottle of Qi-purifying pills can purify the spiritual energy within Chen Lingchu's body.

Consider it a small token of Mr. Dong's appreciation, haha!

Chen Yi was extremely annoyed by the other person patting him, but on the surface, the other person was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, while he was only at the late-Qi Refinement stage. The difference in their status was too great, and he couldn't possibly resist, back down, or retaliate.

Hoping the other party wouldn't notice anything, Chen Yi accepted the bottle of Qingqi Pills, looking flattered and expressing his gratitude.

After leaving Miaoyin Pavilion, Dong Changqing's back was covered in a layer of cold sweat.

"This person is definitely not simple..."

He secretly resolved that he would never pat someone on the shoulder lightly again—what if he discovered some deadly secret and the other party became desperate and acted recklessly? Wouldn't he be following in his brother's footsteps?

As for helping the sect recruit body cultivators?

"Heh, I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly... but there are some people I will never touch."

Dong Changqing's eyes held a deep meaning.

Zhao Tieshan ordered Dong Changqing to lead a team to explore the second-order ice spirit mine at the bottom of the lake.

The newly appointed market manager outwardly agreed, but in reality, he feigned illness to shirk responsibility, only sending low-level cultivators and rogue cultivators as cannon fodder.

"Steward Zhao, my old injury has flared up again," Dong Changqing coughed, clutching his chest, his gray beard trembling. "Send my men to scout ahead first. I'll go after we find some clues."

Zhao Tieshan was displeased, but he didn't show it, only saying:

"Fellow Daoist Dong, rest well. You and I will stay up here and let the people below scout ahead. We'll make our move when second-tier demonic beasts start running rampant."

Dong Changqing organized the independent cultivators in the market to work with the sect's law enforcement cultivators to continuously bombard the depths of the mine.

For some reason, the lurking monsters remained hidden deep in the waters several miles away and did not come over.

"boom!"

After the seventh explosion, a violent tremor suddenly came from the bottom of the lake. Several rogue cultivators, covered in blood, staggered out, shouting with ecstasy, "We've broken through! There's something behind the spiritual vein!"

Deep within the broken mineral vein, behind a glass-like barrier, one could vaguely see flying eaves and brackets.

A corner of what appears to be an ancient cave dwelling is faintly visible.

Zhao Tieshan immediately went into the water to investigate.

Dong Changqing, who was standing nearby, also abandoned his feigned illness and entered the water, his escape technique proving to be just as swift.

He was afraid that the opportunity that appeared on his Dong family's territory would slip away.

(End of this chapter)