Mortal: I'm in Tianxing City, intelligence updates daily.

Upon hearing the words "Miaoyin Sect," Li Shizhou was not particularly surprised.

After all, Zhuo Ruting was a member of this sect in the original book, and later became the Right Envoy, wielding great power.

"Brother Shizhou, I know what happened."

"Take your time and tell me."

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Miaoyin Sect wanted to take me as a disciple, but my grandmother said that this sect often gives its disciples as gifts to high-level cultivators and is not a kind place, so she refused outright. I never expected that this would cause such a grudge. My grandmother was poisoned last time, which was probably also the work of the Miaoyin Sect. Brother Shizhou, what should we do?"

After Zhuo Ruting finished speaking, her expression showed both resentment and fear.

Li Shizhou's heart tightened; he knew he had gotten himself into trouble this time.

In the original book, the Myriad Sounds Sect was just a small sect, but that was in comparison to a behemoth like the Star Palace.

This sect not only has Core Formation cultivators in charge, but also guest elders at the Core Formation stage.

Moreover, since most of the disciples were beautiful female cultivators, many of them became Daoist partners or concubines of high-level cultivators, which naturally brought them a lot of connections.

He was not someone a Qi Refining stage cultivator could afford to provoke.

But upon closer reflection, Zhuo Ruting was merely a Qi Refining cultivator, not worthy of the attention of a Core Formation cultivator.

The target of her attack might just be a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Myriad Sounds Sect.

If Li Shizhou can successfully establish his foundation, given his status as a Star Palace cultivator, the other party will most likely not cause trouble, and the problem will naturally be solved.

So he told Zhuo Ruting what he had in mind.

Then he comforted her, saying, "Don't go out recently. I'm preparing to go into seclusion to break through the bottleneck of Foundation Establishment. We'll talk about everything after I come out of seclusion. I will definitely avenge your grandmother once I have achieved success in my cultivation."

Zhuo Ruting nodded heavily, the fear on her face dissipating considerably.

She gently rested her head on Li Shizhou's shoulder and whispered, "Brother Shizhou, you're all I have now. There's no rush to avenge my grandmother. Just focus on your cultivation."

Upon hearing this, Li Shizhou felt a surge of emotion and gently patted Zhuo Ruting's back to comfort her.

After a while, once she had calmed down, Li Shizhou took stock of the valuables on the bed.

He took out two high-level magical artifacts and several bottles of pills and handed them to Zhuo Ruting.

"Brother Shizhou, I don't want it. You need spirit stones right now. Don't worry, I still have the pills and magical artifacts that my grandmother bought."

Zhuo Ruting's words were earnest, her eyes sincere, not merely polite.

"Alright, you don't need to worry about the pills anymore, I'll figure something out."

Li Shizhou packed up his belongings, gave a few instructions, and then left the cave, taking a flying chariot to the Spirit Medicine Pavilion of the Star Palace's Internal Affairs Hall.

He came here for nature and for the Foundation Establishment Elixir.

Not long after entering the Star Palace, Li Shizhou inquired about it.

Outer disciples must be no older than thirty years old. They can exchange fifty merit points for a Foundation Establishment Pill, and each disciple can only exchange for one.

If you are over thirty, the effort required will double.

He received 100 skill points when he entered the sect, and only spent 10 points when exchanging them for a skill technique, which was enough to exchange for one.

In addition, if disciples of the Star Palace offer rare spiritual materials or medicines, they can exchange them for Foundation Establishment Pills.

Li Shizhou has Blood Spirit Fruit on him, but it's unclear whether it's on the list of tribute items. However, this item is rarer than Foundation Establishment Pills, so there shouldn't be any problem.

He first spent fifty merit points to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill at the Spirit Medicine Pavilion.

Then he found the cultivator in charge of managing the tribute and asked, "Uncle-Master, can Blood Spirit Fruit be exchanged for Foundation Establishment Pills?"

The cultivator in charge was a young woman in a purple dress, with a cultivation level at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

She had been somewhat absent-minded, but her eyes lit up when she heard Li Shizhou's words, and she immediately sat up straight.

"Yes, one Blood Spirit Fruit can be exchanged for two Foundation Establishment Pills."

After saying this, the young woman in the purple dress suddenly switched to telepathy and said, "I wonder how many you have? If you have two, could you exchange one with me privately?"

Li Shizhou was in a dilemma, worried that there might be complications, but if he didn't agree, he was afraid that he would be harassed.

Seeing his expression, the young woman in purple continued to transmit her voice, "Judging from your appearance, you must have more than one. Your master is not greedy and will only exchange one Blood Spirit Fruit for it. You will definitely not be short of Foundation Establishment Pills."

"Reporting back to my master, I do indeed have two," Li Shizhou replied truthfully via telepathy.

A hint of joy flashed across the young woman in purple's face. She then exchanged a few more words telepathically to arrange the time and place for the transaction.

Li Shizhou first took out a Blood Spirit Fruit and exchanged it for two Foundation Establishment Pills, then took his leave.

After leaving the Spirit Medicine Pavilion, he waited in a private room of a restaurant in the market. During this time, he hid a talisman in his sleeve that could withstand an attack from a Foundation Establishment cultivator in case of unforeseen circumstances.

About an hour later, the young woman in purple arrived as promised.

She placed a jade bottle on the table and pushed it in front of Li Shizhou.

Li Shizhou picked them up and examined them; they were indeed two Foundation Establishment Pills. He then took out a jade box and placed it on the table.

The young woman in purple hurriedly took the jade box into her hand, opened it, glanced at it, and then put it away.

"Uncle-Master, my name is Wen Zhiqi. I thank you on behalf of my niece. Consider this a favor I owe you."

As long as he got the pills smoothly, Li Shizhou didn't dare to hope for anything else, so he respectfully said, "No, no, I'm just glad you're satisfied, Uncle."

"Alright, Martial Uncle is leaving. Also, put away the talismans in your sleeves." The woman in purple chuckled and left the room without looking back.

Li Shizhou breathed a sigh of relief and left the market. He headed straight for the Daodao Cliff, a place where the Star Palace provided seclusion for disciples in the Qi Refining stage.

He dared not delay for a moment on the road. Although fighting was forbidden in Tianxing City, he was currently carrying six Foundation Establishment Pills. If the news leaked, someone might take the risk.

Upon arriving at the Asking Cliff, the cultivator in charge was just an old cultivator in the Qi Refining stage, wearing gray robes, who was dozing off at the table.

"Senior brother, is there any available space in the secluded cultivation cave?"

The old cultivator stretched and yawned, saying, "Grade A is gone, but Grade B is still available. It costs five merit points per month, and any period less than a month is counted as a full month."

"Grade B is also acceptable."

As Li Shizhou spoke, he handed over the jade token.

After registering, he took the restriction token and entered a stone chamber that was two zhang wide, which was fully equipped with cultivation tools.

Sitting cross-legged on the futon on the ground, Li Shizhou did not immediately take out the pills, but first lit a calming incense stick and began to meditate.

He sat there for three days straight.

He waited until his mind was completely calm before taking out a Foundation Establishment Pill, putting it in his mouth, and swallowing it.

......

at the same time.

Inside an elegantly furnished room at Miaoyin Gate.

A glamorous woman in palace attire, with a cultivation level at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, sat cross-legged behind a tea table.

She was leisurely sipping her spiritual tea, while two maids respectfully served her.

Suddenly someone outside the door said, "Madam, we've found out what you asked us to do."

The woman in palace attire waved to the maids beside her, signaling them to leave.

After a short while, a girl in a red dress walked in.

After bowing and paying his respects, he said, "Madam, Zhuo Ruting has become a Daoist couple with a disciple of the Star Palace and is currently hiding in the Jade Balance Courtyard."