Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 238 Foundation Building Pill

The deposit is 30 spirit stones, and the rental fee is also 30 spirit stones per month, for a total of 120 spirit stones.

This price is below average among the cave dwellings outside Jiangxian Pass, and is reasonable considering the environment.

Without saying a word, Song Yan handed over the corresponding spirit stones and completed the handover of the cave dwelling with Nangong Ling.

What a straightforward Taoist priest! Nangong Ling was delighted.

May your cultivation be successful and your path to immortality flourish!

After saying a few auspicious words, the child left happily.

Standing on the platform in front of the cave, listening to the babbling brook and feeling the pure and peaceful spiritual energy of this place, Song Yan felt reassured.

"This is it," he said to Xiao Ju and Xiao He. "I will be in seclusion here for the next three months to cultivate."

Snake Baby immediately answered, "Don't worry, Yan Yan! Sister Xiao Ju will take care of me!"

As it spoke, it transformed into a snake, nimbly coiling around Xiao Ju's arm, its golden snake eyes filled with anticipation.

Xiao Ju nodded quickly, "Senior, please go into seclusion with peace of mind. I will take good care of Xiao He and will not neglect my cultivation."

She looked at Song Yan with a determined gaze.

Without further delay, Song Yan made a hand seal and activated the spiritual energy restriction outside the cultivation stone chamber.

As you step inside, the stone gate slowly closes behind you, completely shutting out the noise from the outside world.

……

Time always flies when you're in seclusion.

In the blink of an eye, three months have passed.

During these three months, a major event occurred in the cultivation world of Chu.

Jiang Chaosheng, a rogue cultivator, was 169 years old when he attained the Golden Core Dao and became one of the Golden Core cultivators among the rogue cultivators of the Chu Kingdom.

This is a very remarkable thing.

No matter where they are, the living conditions of independent cultivators are actually quite similar. Even if they unite with various parties to help each other, they still lack cultivation resources.

To reach the Golden Core realm as a rogue cultivator requires talent, perseverance, and good fortune—all three are indispensable.

This event also greatly excited all the independent cultivators in the entire Chu Kingdom.

The cultivators in Jiangxian Pass have always considered themselves independent cultivators, and the atmosphere these days is even more lively than usual.

However, Song Yan, who was in seclusion, was oblivious to what was happening outside and knew nothing of it.

He sat cross-legged in the cave, looking at the two golden pills floating in front of him, a thoughtful expression on his face.

The two golden pills before us are an improved version of the Foundation Establishment Pill, refined according to the materials and steps in the Thousand Pill Recipes.

"Hoo..." He gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

The refining of this improved Foundation Establishment Pill was truly incredibly difficult.

Song Yan already had considerable experience in refining pills using the sword qi furnace, and he had used the last of the Moon-Supporting Lotus Seeds to refine the Wuxiang Pill twice more, thus familiarizing himself with the steps once again.

I felt I was already extremely proficient, and I knew every step by heart.

Furthermore, with the Qian Dan Yi Fang (a traditional Chinese medicine formula), there are detailed instructions and precautions to be taken step by step so that you can understand them in advance.

Even so, the first eight attempts to refine it all ended in failure.

Sometimes, even the pill cannot be formed, thus wasting the entire batch of medicinal materials.

Song Yan saw it all and felt the pain in her heart.

However, perhaps these failures are all necessary steps on the road to success. On the ninth attempt, he finally felt that he had grasped some of the tricks of the trade.

Although it was still a failure, we have seen the hope of success.

On the tenth and eleventh attempts, they succeeded consecutively!

The final attempt to refine the material failed due to an operational error.

He remained silent, his expression seemingly a mixture of joy and sorrow.

The worry is that despite such thorough preparation and elaborate refining, and twelve attempts, only two pills were produced.

He couldn't tell whether it was enough or not for him.

Judging by the aptitude of an ordinary dual-spiritual-root cultivator, it should be sufficient.

The good thing is that the advantage of sword-based alchemy lies in this: due to the extreme removal of impurities, once the pill is formed, there is a high probability that it will be a pill of very good quality.

Of the two pills before me, one was perfectly formed, its spiritual energy complete.

It's actually a top-grade elixir!
The successful refinement of this elixir was completely beyond Song Yan's expectations.

The other one, while not reaching that quality, is still of medium grade.

He used up all the prepared materials and obtained two Foundation Establishment Pills. This efficiency was neither good nor bad, since there was no one to compare with.

He didn't care whether it was good or bad; as long as he could eventually build a foundation for his Dao, who would care about such things?

What Song Yan didn't know was that this level was actually quite good compared to ordinary alchemists.

The path of alchemy was actually more difficult than he had imagined.

After all, with ordinary alchemy methods, he had only ever refined the simplest pills, such as the Qi Nourishing Pill.

However, sword-based alchemy is extremely compatible with the cultivation system of sword cultivators, and its success rate is already significantly increased. Moreover, he himself has remarkable talent in alchemy.

It took three months of refining and twelve attempts to produce two pills, which is already quite good.

Considering the more than one year of preparation time, this result is not surprising.

For some time now, Song Yan has been either refining pills or cultivating in the small illusionary realm of the sword pill.

His cultivation progressed at an astonishing rate, truly by leaps and bounds.

However, to his slight regret, the spiritual energy contained in this small illusion seemed to be limited.

Come to think of it, if the spiritual energy within is inexhaustible, I might as well find a secluded mountain valley, cultivate for a hundred or two hundred years, and then emerge from seclusion. Who knows, I might be able to directly attain the Golden Core Dao...

That's wishful thinking.

"Judging by the days, it's about time."

The stone door to the cultivation room opened, and Song Yan slowly walked out, the concentrated aura of three months of seclusion flowing around him.

The closer one gets to the perfect Qi Refining Realm, the more refined and pure one's magical power becomes.

Little He was playing in the stream when she saw him. She darted over in a flash, transforming into a snake, and wrapped herself around his arm, her tail tip slapping excitedly.

"Yanyan! You're finally out!"

Xiao Ju seemed to have just finished her practice and quickly stood up, giving a graceful bow: "Senior Song."

Song Yan gently tapped Xiao He's head, his gaze sweeping over the stream and distant mountains.

Three months is not a long time, but the outside world of Jiangxian Pass seems to have become even more lively.

"The time is almost up."

"Xiao Ju, go and return the jade talisman to this cave for me. I'll go to the Strange Talisman Residence to get a spirit talisman and then come find you."

"it is good."

The two people and the snake went out together.
……

Within the Jiangxian Pass, there is a wondrous talisman to reside.

The shop remains unchanged, its understated elegance emanating from the dark brown driftwood, and the faint fragrance of incense wafting through the air.

This time, however, Song Yan did not see Jiang Gudong, the scholar in blue robes holding ancient books, but someone else.

The same pretty young woman poured tea for Song Yan, but her expression carried a hint of sadness, and she lacked some of her previous liveliness when she came forward.

"Greetings, senior." She bowed slightly. "Have you come to collect the custom-made talisman?"

“Indeed. My name is Tong Chuping.” Song Yan nodded. “The three-month period has ended.”

Just as the girl was about to say something, the curtain of the inner room moved slightly, and a middle-aged man dressed in a dark purple brocade robe and with a slightly plump figure walked out.

This man had a square face and a wide mouth, with a meticulously groomed black beard. His eyes were sharp and shrewd, and he walked with the decisiveness and composure characteristic of a merchant.

"Fellow Daoist Tong, I've kept you waiting." The middle-aged man smiled broadly, his voice loud and clear, "I am Su Changcai, the manager of Qifu Keju. Before Fellow Daoist Jiang left, he specifically instructed me that there was an important transaction involving talismans. I presume it is the Pure Moon Talisman that you commissioned."

Song Yan understood. It seemed that Jiang Gudong was indeed just temporarily minding the shop, as he had said that day, and now the shop owner had returned.

"Thank you for your help, Manager Su."

He didn't want to say much; he just wanted to get the talisman as soon as possible.

Su Changcai stroked his beard and chuckled, gesturing for the girl to fetch the items: "Fellow Daoist Jiang said the talisman drawing went smoothly, and the delivery can be completed as agreed. The matter of the spirit stones can be settled with me."

The shopkeeper paused, seemingly recalling something: "He also asked me to tell Fellow Daoist Tong that the item you entrusted to him is indeed extraordinary, and that it is a stroke of luck to be able to make a talisman from it. I hope that this Pure Moon Talisman can lend you a helping hand."

"As for other things, he didn't say much. He left in a hurry, and even I, the manager, didn't get to say more than a few words to him."

"Thank you for informing me, shopkeeper."

Song Yan felt slightly relieved; Jiang Gudong's attitude indicated that the process of drawing the talisman should proceed without any unexpected events.

At this moment, the young girl came out carrying a sandalwood brocade box about a foot long. Shopkeeper Su took it, carefully placed it on the counter, and gently opened the lid with both hands.

The box was lined with velvet, and three talismans, shimmering with the cool moonlight, stood quietly side by side on it.

The talisman has a translucent jade-like texture, as delicate as grease, with pale blue and silvery-white halos flowing slowly across it, and wisps of cool, refreshing air lingering around it.

The three talismans are slightly different in shape.

There was also a note on the table.

Song Yan picked it up and took a look.

"The remaining essence of the lotus petals has not been exhausted, and by chance, an extra talisman has been formed. The contract is set at two to three, but the spiritual material is sufficient. This talisman should return to its master. Jiang Gudong left this."

Jiang Gudong not only completed the two Pure Moon Talismans entrusted to him, but also successfully refined the third one. Because the spiritual materials used were provided by Song Yan and "the remaining essence was not exhausted", based on the talisman master's insistence and principles, he believed that this extra one should also belong to its owner, Song Yan.

This note made Song Yan look at this person in a new light.

Generally speaking, whether it's custom-made talismans or commissioned pill refining, the amount is delivered once the order is placed.

If the skill level is high, then the surplus materials after completing the commission belong to the talisman maker or alchemist.

This is actually a tacitly accepted rule in many places.

"Hmm, such pure moonlight chill! No wonder it's a second-tier high-grade talisman."

Shopkeeper Su couldn't help but come closer to admire it, praising it highly. It seemed that Shopkeeper Su had never seen anything like it before he opened it.

After confirming the quality of the talisman and Jiang Gudong's message, Song Yan nodded and said, "Thank you for your help, Manager and Fellow Daoist Jiang."

Without further ado, the spirit stones were handed over immediately.

The transaction is complete. Fellow Daoist Tong, if you have any needs in the future, please feel free to come to my Qifu Keju again! Su Changcai bowed and saw him off.

It has to be said that both Jiang Gudong and Su Changcai gave Song Yan a very good impression.

They are sincere, at least in their business dealings.

"must."

Song Yan nodded and left Qifu Keju.

The biggest reason he went to such great lengths to have someone refine this talisman was his inner demon.

This thing is too bizarre.

Whether it has affected me or when it might suddenly arise and influence my thoughts is entirely unknown.

That's what makes it so terrifying.

It is invisible and intangible, yet it is ever-present, subtly influencing people.

Song Yan dared not gamble that the most crucial moment of his foundation building would not occur, so it was best to make thorough preparations.

The trip was a great success, even exceeding expectations.

Next, it's time to fully adjust our state and prepare to make a final assault on that Foundation Establishment barrier.

Now that the Foundation Establishment Pill is in hand, the Cleansing Moon Talisman and the Thoughtless Pill are also ready.

Everything is ready, and my mind is clear.

Song Yan stepped out of Qifu Keju, where Xiao Ju and Xiao He were already waiting at the agreed-upon courtyard gate.

Xiao Ju has returned the jade talisman used to rent the cave to the Nangong family and settled all matters. She has also taken care of the daily necessities that the three of them temporarily purchased at Jiangxian Pass.

When Xiao He saw Song Yan appear, she waved her little hand.

"Senior, everything has been taken care of." Xiao Ju stepped forward and reported softly.

Song Yan nodded, and after confirming that everything was alright, he didn't linger any longer: "Okay, let's go back. We'll return the spirit boat to Lanxi Cave first."

Without further delay, the three immediately set off to leave Jiangxian Pass. Song Yan found a secluded spot and once again summoned the Red Dust Battle.

A faint red light flashed, and the flying boat steadily ascended into the air, transforming into a streak of light as it sped towards Lanxi Cave.

The dust storm swept across the continuous mountains and rivers of Chu, moving much faster than when it had traveled by boat.

On the way back, Song Yan closed his eyes to rest, but his mind was more calm and determined than when he came.

As the Red Dust Battle gradually approached the Lanxi Mountain area, Song Yan's brows twitched slightly.

He sensed that the spiritual energy permeating the surrounding world seemed much more active than usual, faintly exuding an indescribable, vibrant, and joyful aura.

This is not a naturally occurring fluctuation of spiritual energy.

Xiao Ju and Xiao He also sensed something different. Xiao He curiously clung to the gunwale and peered down.

After the flying boat landed, the three entered the territory of Lanxi Cave, where the scenery confirmed their feelings.

Lanxi Dongfang Market no longer has the slow-paced atmosphere of the past.

The entire market was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, not extravagant, but noticeably more festive.

The streets were much more crowded than usual, and most of the cultivators had smiles on their faces, their steps carrying a sense of pride and excitement, and their conversations were lively.

Strange, the scene wasn't like this when they left.

Just as the group was wondering what was going on, a mid-stage Qi Refining guard patrolling nearby recognized Song Yan.

"Oh? What a coincidence, fellow Daoist."

It was the same cultivator Song Yan had met when he first visited Lanxi Cave.

Seeing the slightly puzzled looks in Song Yan and Xiao Ju's eyes, he was very excited. Before he could ask any more questions, he couldn't wait to speak, his voice loud and clear, revealing an irrepressible pride.

"Fellow Daoist may not know this, but recently, our Lanxi Cave has been celebrating a great and joyous occasion! A truly momentous occasion!"

Song Yan and Xiao Ju exchanged a glance, somewhat puzzled.

"May I ask what joyous occasion is it?"

The man beamed with delight: "Old Ancestor Jiang recently attained the Golden Elixir Dao!"

"Our Lanxi Cave is now a genuine treasure land with a Golden Core cultivator presiding over it! Don't you think it's worth celebrating?"

His words were filled with pride as a member of Lanxidong.

Song Yan suddenly realized something.

It turns out that the powerful rogue cultivator Xiao Ju had heard about at Jiangxian Pass was none other than Jiang Chaosheng, the mysterious rogue cultivator who had established Lanxi Cave and sheltered the rogue cultivators here for many years.

(End of this chapter)