Immortality and cultivation begin at age forty, starting with Foundation Establishment.

Outside the secluded valley, amidst the disciples' calls of "Uncle-Master" and "Senior," Chen An recalled the senior he had met when he first entered the Xuan Yang Sect, a senior who had just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and how spirited he was.

Chen An has now become a senior.

As you walk on your sword, the world seems to expand even further.

The mountains were verdant and the forests were ablaze with color. A ray of sunset shone on Chen An's face, making his deep eyes appear even brighter and more determined.

Lu Nian traveled with Chen An on his sword, sharing his views on the cultivation world and advising Chen An that to establish himself in the Xuan Yang Sect, he must establish connections with the sect's Golden Core families.

"Junior Brother Chen, having been to the Trial Grounds, should understand that the three sects of the Great Jin Dynasty have never lacked spiritual herbs for refining Foundation Establishment Pills, or even Foundation Establishment Pills themselves."

"Cultivation is difficult, especially for independent cultivators and disciples without a background in the sect."

"People like you and me, even if we break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, will find it difficult to obtain the resources for further cultivation."

"Eighty years ago, when I, your senior brother, stepped into the early stage of Foundation Establishment, I was just as full of vigor as you. But later I learned that many seniors only reached the early stage of Foundation Establishment their whole lives and had no hope of forming a core."

"In order to research second-tier pills, I almost sold myself to a cultivator of the same tier."

"Junior brother, do you know that even though I have now become a second-level alchemist, without special opportunities, I still cannot cultivate to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage in my lifetime, let alone accumulate the resources to form a Golden Core?"

"That day, I happened to learn from a great man that the alchemist families of sects only research and refine mid-grade or high-grade pills."

"An alchemist who refines low-grade pills is not considered an alchemist in the eyes of a family-trained alchemist."

"That senior has chosen me, but what can I do? I have no background and no alchemy lineage. How can I compare to those alchemist families with lineages?"

"Comparing personal resources with family resources, the alchemy families have been practicing alchemy for generations, and their alchemy techniques are countless. How can I possibly win? It would be difficult enough to refine even ordinary mid-grade pills, let alone high-grade pills."

"Junior brother, do you know that in all these years of alchemy, I haven't made as many first-grade high-quality pills as your little girl named Shi Ying?"

"Even though I am now a second-level alchemist, I can only refine low-grade pills at the early stage of the second level at most. If I want to learn new pill formulas, I still have to start from scratch. Without inheritance and lack of channels to obtain resources, I simply cannot withstand this kind of loss."

"The second-tier pills I can refine are just the kind of pills that are commonly found in sects."

"I could never be like those alchemists in sects and families, casually refining numerous second-grade high-quality pills."

"Junior brother, Yu Peiyao of the Yu family has already reached the Qi Refining Perfection stage. Like you, she is a cultivator with great perseverance. If she can get your help, she will surely be able to step into the Foundation Establishment stage."

"Once this woman reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, she will be highly valued by the family and will definitely become a great help to you."

"If Junior Brother agrees, I will pass on all the second-tier alchemy techniques I have figured out to Shi Ying."

The final words explained the need for this matter: "Foundation Building Pill".

Even though Chen An has now reached the Foundation Establishment stage, Foundation Establishment Pills are still very difficult to obtain.

As a resource controlled by the sect, Foundation Establishment Pills are only available to a select few outstanding disciples. Only Qi Refining disciples who risk their lives in the Trial Grounds have a chance to obtain them.

Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, you can no longer enter the Trial Grounds or obtain Foundation Establishment Pills through normal channels.

Chen An once ventured into the Trial Grounds and obtained four Foundation Establishment Pills.

Having consumed three Foundation Establishment Pills to break through his cultivation level, he does indeed have one left. However, this Foundation Establishment Pill is the reward he promised to Wang Qian, and he cannot hand it over.

Chen An is a time traveler who has had a special ability since childhood: he can see other people's favorability ratings and judge whether a person can be cooperated with or trusted by the increase or decrease in favorability ratings.

Experiments have shown that the less you meet someone, the more accurate your judgment of their credibility; conversely, the more familiar you are with someone, the more likely you are to make a mistake.

His ability to grow to where he is today and acquire so many resources is partly due to this special ability.

Lu Nian's favorability rating reached 60, which is even showing an upward trend compared to before, indicating that Lu Nian did not have any ulterior motives.

Lu Nian wouldn't make baseless accusations. In Lu Nian's eyes, that disciple named Yu Peiyao was probably very likely to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm.

A Foundation Establishment Pill and a female Foundation Establishment cultivator as a cultivation partner—this is an incredibly good thing.

Most Core Formation cultivators in the cultivation world only seek female Foundation Establishment cultivators as partners or concubines.

Women admire strength. Ordinary female Foundation Establishment cultivators rarely look favorably upon ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators. At the very least, they want to find a Foundation Establishment cultivator from a family with a powerful background.

"Thank you for your frankness, Senior Brother." Chen An said thoughtfully.

Lu Nian doesn't have many friends, but Chen An is definitely not the only one. Among the Foundation Establishment prodigies he interacts with, there are even those who are expected to reach the Golden Core realm in the future.

Before Chen An could ask, Lu Nian continued, "The Yu family, a Golden Core cultivator, is famous for crafting magical artifacts. My senior brother once made an agreement with Yu Peiyao that after she enters the Foundation Establishment realm, he would help me purchase a top-grade magic artifact. Therefore, I will also give her a Foundation Establishment Pill. The spirit stones for this Foundation Establishment Pill will be counted towards the spirit stones I use to buy the magic artifact."

"Junior brother, you and Junior Sister Yu are both people with firm Dao hearts. Together you can go further. In addition, with the Foundation Establishment Pill in your hand, with two Foundation Establishment Pills, Yu Peiyao will definitely be able to break through her cultivation."

"And you, junior brother, can also purchase more magical artifacts in bulk through Yu Peiyao's status as her Daoist partner."

As for why Lu Nian chose Chen An, it was simply because he felt that Chen An and Yu Peiyao were not ungrateful people, and that the two of them would not forget his kindness if they got together in the future.

Chen An's three spiritual roots are only considered average. After entering the Foundation Establishment realm, like Lu Nian back then, his future cultivation will be fraught with difficulties without any help.

Lu Nian sought out Chen An, explained all the principles clearly, and pointed out the path of future cultivation, which can be considered a timely help.

Chen An said, "Junior Brother does have a Foundation Establishment Pill, but he has already promised it to Junior Sister Wang Qian."

Lu Nian knew about Chen An and Wang Qian's affair, and upon hearing Chen An's explanation, he was even more satisfied with Chen An.

"Junior brother is indeed a loyal and righteous person. I admire you. But don't worry, junior brother, I have another way to deal with the Foundation Establishment Pill."

"The Yu family of Jindan is currently recruiting guest elders. They agree to serve them for ten years and will be given a Foundation Establishment Pill as a reward, as well as a certain amount of Foundation Establishment cultivation resources each year."

"Senior brother, I have become a guest retainer of the Yu family."

Lu Nian becoming a guest elder? There's no need to do that for a top-grade magic weapon; it doesn't fit his personality.

It's strange that the least restrained person chooses to restrain themselves.

Chen An frowned, as if thinking of something, and transmitted his voice, "Is a sect war really about to break out?"

Lu Nian chuckled. As expected of his chosen partner, he was very perceptive of danger. He also transmitted his thoughts to Chen An.

"Within ten years, two Foundation Establishment Peak cultivators broke through to become Demon Core cultivators, and one Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator broke through to become Golden Core cultivator. In my 150 years of cultivation, I have only witnessed the birth of five Demon Core seniors and four Golden Core seniors."

"The fact that three Golden Core experts have emerged in ten years could be a sign that powerful figures are preparing for an impending emergency."

"Furthermore, the Yu family, a Golden Core cultivator, spent the cost of a Foundation Establishment Pill to bring me into their family as a guest elder within ten years, indicating that the day the great war breaks out will be within ten years."

When Foundation Establishment Pills are released, Foundation Establishment cultivators will be born. Many disciples over fifty years old only need one or two Foundation Establishment Pills to have a chance to step into the Foundation Establishment realm. However, most people are not good at combat, so it is difficult for them to choose to participate in the trial grounds and obtain Foundation Establishment Pills.

Chen An frowned. His eagerness to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage was partly due to this consideration. If war broke out, the Qi Refining stage cultivators of the sect would inevitably be unable to control their own destiny.

Chen An did not know the details of the Xuan Yang Sect's past wars, but he had the privilege of hearing about the wars between sects in other countries. Blood flowed like rivers, corpses littered the fields, and even the scattered families of cultivators near their respective sects were conscripted into the sects' ranks by various forces and became cannon fodder on the battlefield.

If someone else were in Chen An's position, they would definitely overthink things, but Chen An doesn't need to worry about this issue.

Based on the fluctuations in favorability, Chen An became certain that Lu Nian was telling the truth and genuinely caring about Chen An.

Sincerity begets sincerity.

Someone else might have questioned Lu Nian's intentions.

Chen An has nothing to worry about. As for whether he agrees with Yu Peiyao, Chen An needs time to think about it and investigate.

It's best if there's no war, but if there is, it's always good to plan ahead.