I rely on learning to achieve immortality.

Xu Zhou slowly spoke: "These medicinal herbs are what I have collected over the years, and they should be able to meet the requirements for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill."

Unfortunately, we're still missing one crucial ingredient: the Celestial Spirit Fruit. Otherwise, I could immediately ask someone to begin refining the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Zhang Wufeng remained silent for a moment.

He just stared intently at the medicinal herbs on the table, his face full of disbelief, yet he couldn't utter a word.

After a long while, he finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"I understand what you mean, senior brother."

He then straightened his tone and said, "However, I really don't want to do this."

Xu Zhou remained expressionless and gestured for him to continue.

Zhang Wufeng continued, "I know my spiritual root is too poor, and I'm also getting old. If I want to establish my foundation, the only thing I can rely on is the Foundation Establishment Pill."

If I listen to my senior brother, although I can obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill faster, I will also have to bear about a 50% chance of failure.

I have already obtained the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, and I have taken the most difficult step. I am truly unwilling to take this risk. Even if it means waiting another three years, I will not change my mind.

Silence fell in the room once again.

Xu Zhou carefully examined Zhang Wufeng.

The other person's gaze was firm and their tone solemn; these words probably came from the bottom of their heart.

Xu Zhou tapped his fingers lightly in the air.

three years?

If he had to wait another three years, he would truly be considered an octogenarian in the eyes of the sect.

This is somewhat detrimental to his situation after he has established his foundation.

After thinking for a while, he nodded.

"Junior Brother Zhang, don't panic."

Xu Zhou smiled and said, "I understand what Junior Brother Zhang is worried about."

"In that case, I'll take another step back."

As he spoke, he tapped his finger again and took out several items from his storage bag.

He placed these things in front of him.

"These are the Pulse Protection Pill, Marrow Cleansing Pill, and Flawless Leaf... all of which are Foundation Establishment spiritual items that can increase the probability of Foundation Establishment."

While ultimately not as potent as a Foundation Establishment Pill, the combined effects are still about 30-40% effective.

Xu Zhou looked at the other person.

"Consider these Foundation Establishment spiritual items my advance payment to my junior brother, how about it?"

He had foreseen this conflict when he was collecting foundation-building spiritual items several years ago.

Two sets of all the spiritual items were prepared in advance, just in case.

Although it lacks rare items like the Spirit Essence Flame, it is still awe-inspiring enough.

Zhang Wufeng hesitated.

In that brief moment, he gradually realized that he had almost exhausted his wealth and made every effort to reach the Foundation Establishment stage over the years, only to obtain a single Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

Xu Zhou, on the other hand, remained calm and steady, quietly making all the necessary preparations.

Aside from the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, the other party was closer to Foundation Establishment than him.

Thinking of this, his previously unwavering belief began to waver.

His gaze fell on those Foundation Establishment spiritual objects.

As Xu Zhou said, these Foundation Establishment spiritual items are only 30% to 40% as effective as Foundation Establishment Pills.

But when they are laid out so perfectly before them, no Qi Refining cultivator can remain calm.

Zhang Wufeng had considered preparing some Foundation Establishment spiritual items, but he knew that obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills was the limit of what he could do. No matter how useful other Foundation Establishment spiritual items might be, he had to reluctantly give them up.

Therefore, he was even more shocked when Xu Zhou displayed these things again.

Instinctively, he almost reached out to take it.

He looked at Xu Zhou: "If in the end two or more Foundation Establishment Pills are successfully formed..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Zhou replied directly, "Naturally, it will be divided between you and me."

Zhang Wufeng sighed inwardly.

The pressure Xu Zhou exerted on him was simply too great.

This senior student seemed to have prepared everything, only waiting for his piece to be the final piece of the puzzle.

If this drags on, the other person is already old, so it's just a matter of getting a few more years older, while my own vitality is declining every moment.

The initiative is no longer in our own hands.

After a long while, he let out a long sigh, as if he had finally resigned himself to his fate.

"Since that's the case..."

Mr. Zhang then agreed to his senior's suggestion.

He said those words as if he had exhausted all his strength.

Xu Zhou nodded in satisfaction.

"This way, we can both save a lot of time."

Without waiting for the other party's reaction, he handed over these Foundation Establishment spiritual items to him.

Zhang Wufeng was still somewhat dazed and accepted the spiritual object with a slightly bewildered expression.

After a long while, looking at the magical object in his hand, the last bit of struggle in his heart finally died down.

Thinking it over carefully, if everything goes smoothly, he can obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill as quickly as possible. On top of that, he will also have so many Foundation Establishment spiritual items to assist him.

The chances of successfully establishing his foundation are much greater than he had previously anticipated!

In the end, he and Xu Zhou made a vow to Heaven and reached a consensus.

An invisible wave swept through their hearts, and the two of them calmed down.

Then, Zhang Wufeng took out the Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

He looked at the spiritual fruit in his hand with some reluctance, but finally slowly handed it over.

"Senior brother, there's no time to lose, let's find someone to refine the pills quickly."

At this point, he no longer concealed his eagerness: "Once the Foundation Establishment Pill is refined, please inform me immediately, Senior Brother. I would be extremely grateful."

Xu Zhou accepted the Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

"Don't worry, I will obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill as quickly as possible."

...

Zhang Wufeng left quickly.

After he left, Xu Zhou secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, an agreement was reached with the other party.

Those Foundation Establishment level spiritual items were the limit of what he could accept. If Zhang Wufeng was still unwilling, then he would have no choice but to continue dragging things out with him.

Although he has the advantage of time, wasting time meaninglessly is also detrimental to him.

Now that he could use the Foundation Establishment spiritual objects he had prepared in advance to ensure that things would proceed smoothly, Xu Zhou was quite satisfied.

He looked down at the Heavenly Spirit Fruit in his hand.

For this one item, Zhang Wufeng traveled for nearly ten years, venturing into dangerous places countless times.

In the end, I finally got what I was waiting for.

"However, how do we refine this Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Xu Zhou pondered for a moment.

During the years he waited for the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, he studied the "Spiritual Spring Cleansing Chapter" and his alchemy skills improved considerably.

Afterwards, he studied the Foundation Building Elixir formula again. Although he still had many questions, he was finally able to understand it.

Over the years, he felt he had basically mastered the refining techniques.

If possible, he could try refining it right now in the cave.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Zhou shook his head.

There's only one Heavenly Spirit Fruit; it's not worth the risk.

If he fails in refining the elixir, the consequences will be unbearable for him.

If all else fails, we still have to ask Song Rou for help and get a real second-level alchemist to take action; that would be the only foolproof solution.

Xu Zhou tidied up for a moment, then got up and set off.

He was lucky; Song Rou was still in seclusion in Qianmu Forest and hadn't gone out.

After informing the two of the matter, they set off to find a second-tier alchemist.

Led by Song Rou, the two arrived at a spiritual site halfway up a mountain, where Xu Zhou also met this second-level alchemist.

The other party was the beautiful woman he had seen in front of Song Rou's cave.

"Senior Sister Feng is a mid-grade second-tier alchemist, so refining Foundation Establishment Pills is not a difficult task for her."

Song Rou gently comforted Xu Zhou, saying, "Senior brother, don't worry. Just wait a few days, and we will surely be able to deliver the Foundation Establishment Pill to you."

Xu Zhou suppressed his nervousness and forced a smile, saying, "That's very good."

For some reason, he felt that Song Rou's attitude towards him today was a little too gentle.

However, at this moment, his attention was entirely focused on the Foundation Establishment Pill, so he didn't think about it any further.

a few days later.

As the fire in the alchemy room gradually died down, the alchemy process finally came to an end.

Xu Zhou appeared calm on the surface, but his fingers clenched tightly in his sleeve in an instant.

Did you make it?

A moment later, the beautiful woman emerged from the pass and handed a jade bottle to Xu Zhou.

Xu Zhou took it and saw that it contained two warm and smooth pills, exactly the same as the Foundation Establishment Pills he had seen in Li Zelei's hands before, and they were even emitting a slight warmth.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

I got them, and there are two of them!

"You've taken the pills, now leave."

The beautiful woman said somewhat impatiently.

Xu Zhou knew that the other party disliked him, so he immediately stood up, bowed, thanked him, and then turned to leave.

Song Rou did not part with him immediately, but thoughtfully accompanied him all the way back to the mountain gate before reluctantly leaving.

Xu Zhou returned to his residence and packaged the Foundation Establishment Pills.

Looking at the numerous Foundation Establishment spiritual items already prepared in the storage bag, as well as his own Foundation Establishment Pill, Xu Zhou couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

He suppressed his thoughts, picked up another bottle of Foundation Establishment Pills, and went to Zhang Wufeng's residence.

A moment later, Zhang Wufeng took the jade bottle and bowed to thank Xu Zhou.

The two lamented how hard-won the elixir was, and after a moment, Xu Zhou revealed the purpose of their visit.

"When Junior Brother Zhang begins his Foundation Establishment, would it be possible for me to observe for a moment?"

Zhang Wufeng looked slightly surprised: "Senior Brother, aren't you planning to establish your foundation immediately?"

Xu Zhou shook his head: "My cultivation has not yet reached the peak of Qi Refining, so I still plan to hone it a bit more."

"We've waited so many years, what's one more time?"

Zhang Wufeng felt a sense of helplessness.

After a long pause, the other party nodded: "Senior brother has helped me a great deal. This time, I should let senior brother observe from the sidelines as I begin my foundation-building journey."