Chapter 85: Enhancing the Quality of the Foundation Establishment Pill (Please Subscribe)

Just as Li Guanxuan approached the door and was about to pull it open, he suddenly sensed someone on the other side trying to push it in. He immediately took a step back. The door was pushed open forcefully, slamming against the wall with a bang.

Li Guanxuan frowned slightly; had he not noticed in advance, he might have experienced an unwelcome encounter with the door. The person at the threshold paused in surprise, clearly not expecting anyone to be standing inside. Upon realizing the other was merely a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, he cupped his hands and said, “Apologies.” With that, the man walked past Li Guanxuan into the room, saying nothing more.

At first glance, Li Guanxuan recognized the man as an early Foundation Establishment cultivator, dressed in a robe emblazoned with the Eight Trigrams, likely a second-rank middle or high-grade alchemist. The old man’s hair and beard were snow-white, yet his eyes sparkled with vigor. Oddly enough, Li Guanxuan had never seen him in the Silver Maple City branch of the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion.

“Manager Zheng, wonderful news, wonderful news indeed!” the old alchemist exclaimed with a hearty laugh as he entered. Zheng Huangjin had already witnessed the scene and, frowning slightly, shot Li Guanxuan an apologetic look, silently conveying his regrets on behalf of the alchemist. He then asked, “Alchemist Murong, what brings such joy?”

Alchemist Murong placed a small porcelain vial atop the desk, looking rather pleased. “Please have a look, Manager Zheng.” A trace of curiosity flashed in Zheng Huangjin’s eyes as he nodded and uncorked the vial. Immediately, a rich medicinal fragrance filled the room, and a faint blue glow shimmered at the bottle’s mouth—proof enough that the pill was of exceptional quality.

“Life Gate Pill?” Zheng Huangjin was surprised; this was an essential elixir for early Foundation Establishment cultivators seeking to break through to the mid-stage. “Indeed, a premium Life Gate Pill, the genuine article,” Murong emphasized, laughter in his voice. “I believe you know how rare it is to find those who can refine this pill at all—let alone produce a premium-grade one. With this, perhaps my guest status in the Pavilion might be elevated a little?”

“Naturally,” Zheng Huangjin replied with a smile, nodding. “Rest assured, Alchemist Murong, I’ll apply for a raise on your behalf—there should be an answer within a month at most.” He then produced a pouch of spirit stones and offered it. “Here are eighty mid-grade spirit stones for now. We at the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion will never treat you unfairly.”

But Alchemist Murong did not accept the pouch. For him, exchanging pills for status was paramount. Besides, a premium Life Gate Pill would be in demand anywhere—why sell it solely to the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion? He cleared his throat and hinted, “By the way, I just recalled—when the pill was formed, its fragrance spread seven miles, and the Lingbao Pavilion caught wind of it. Manager Wen personally visited my residence. Of course, please rest assured, Manager Zheng, since I am a guest of the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion, I naturally won’t refine pills for Lingbao Pavilion. I know the rules, but…”

Zheng Huangjin understood the implication well enough. The meaning was clear: if his treatment did not improve, he might just take his talents elsewhere. With a sigh, Zheng responded, “Alchemist Murong, you know I’m only the branch manager here. I merely work for headquarters; I can’t make such decisions alone. Please be patient for a month.”

“I see.” Alchemist Murong sighed, disappointment flickering in his eyes. Cupping his hands, he said, “I just remembered—a friend of mine is about to break through to mid-Foundation Establishment, and he’s in dire need of a premium Life Gate Pill. What a pity! I’ll have to take this pill back for now and deliver another to you next time.” Zheng Huangjin, an old hand at such exchanges, knew exactly what this meant and returned the pill with a helpless smile.

“Farewell.”
“Take care, Alchemist Murong.”
“…”

As Alchemist Murong left, he finally noticed Li Guanxuan standing quietly by the door, but paid him little mind. A cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, not even at the peak—how many spirit stones could such a person have? Yet… someone who could meet Zheng Huangjin personally, even at the ninth level, might be a second-rank craftsman after all. Besides, during his last batch of Foundation Establishment Pills, he’d ended up with an inferior one. Perhaps…

A smile flickered on Murong’s face. He cupped his hands and asked, “Young friend, are you also a guest of the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion?”
Li Guanxuan returned the gesture with a polite smile. “No, I’ve just come to discuss some business with Manager Zheng.”
Murong paid no mind to these details and got straight to the point. “You seem close to reaching the peak of the ninth level. Have you prepared a Foundation Establishment Pill?”
Li Guanxuan blinked and answered truthfully, “No.”
Murong beamed, rummaging through his pouch for a small porcelain vial. “I am Murong, an early Foundation Establishment cultivator and a second-rank mid-grade alchemist. Not long ago, I happened to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill. Since fate has brought us together, I’ll sell it to you for five thousand low-grade spirit stones.”
Zheng Huangjin: “…”
Li Guanxuan couldn’t help but laugh. “Thank you for your kindness, senior, but I’m far from ready for Foundation Establishment. I won’t need the pill quite yet.”
“How could you not need one? If you’ve chosen the path of cultivation, you must face the three barriers of Foundation Establishment. Without the pill, you may never succeed.” Murong grew stern. He pressed the vial into Li Guanxuan’s hands. “If you think it’s too expensive, then four thousand eight hundred low-grade spirit stones. If not for our fateful meeting, and your acquaintance with Manager Zheng, I’d never offer such a deal.”
“Thank you, senior, but I really don’t need it.” Li Guanxuan returned the vial.

“You… you really…” Murong saw his resolve and snorted. “Kind words can’t save the doomed. Without a Foundation Establishment Pill, you’ll never succeed in this life.” With that, he swept his sleeves and departed.

Li Guanxuan shook his head helplessly. Only after Murong had gone did he close the door.

—

Li Guanxuan asked, “Why haven’t I seen him before?”
“He’s called Murong Li. Came here from another spirit city. His alchemy skills were decent, so we recruited him as a guest,” Zheng Huangjin explained. “But he’s too impatient—he’s only been a guest for half a year and already wants his status raised twice. Now he’s pressing for more after only a month. Sigh.” Clearly, Zheng was a bit exasperated. Still, Murong Li was a second-rank mid-grade alchemist—he could find work anywhere. They couldn’t just hand such a man over to the Lingbao Pavilion.

“If his heart’s not with the Pavilion, why keep him?” Li Guanxuan chuckled. “By the way, you’ve been stuck at early Foundation Establishment for years now, haven’t you?”
“Yes. When I succeeded in Foundation Establishment, you were only at the fifth level of Qi Refinement.” Zheng nodded, his tone wistful. “Hard to believe you’re already catching up.”
“That’s why, whether immortal or man, one must remember—‘men and women working together achieve twice the result with half the effort.’ You should really find yourself a Dao companion,” Li Guanxuan laughed. “Now, prepare the formulas and materials for Detoxification Pills and Life Gate Pills for me.”
Zheng was momentarily stunned, then his eyes filled with gratitude. He nodded without another word. He knew Li Guanxuan was requesting these pills to refine them for him. Over the years, Zheng had consumed many second-rank pills to stabilize his foundation and magic, and the resulting pill toxins had accumulated in his body. Without purging them, he could never hope to break through to mid-Foundation Establishment.

Once the formulas and materials were gathered, Zheng smiled, “For the Life Gate Pill, either mid- or high-grade is fine. There’s no rush—I’ve got over a hundred years left.” After all, Li Guanxuan needed to focus on his own breakthrough. Zheng didn’t want to be the cause of any failure.

“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing,” Li Guanxuan replied with a smile. “Next time we meet, it may be three years from now. In the meantime, just ignore Murong Li.”
Zheng laughed heartily. “With those words, I’m reassured.”

—

By the time Li Guanxuan returned to Ping’an Courtyard, dusk had fallen. Wen Rongxin and Qin Jiyue were in the kitchen preparing dinner—the former frying vegetables, the latter tasting dishes.

Li Guanxuan slipped behind Wen Rongxin, wrapped his arms around her waist, and grinned. “My dear wife, you’re so virtuous. I’ll have to reward you tonight.”
Feeling his hands growing mischievous, Wen Rongxin blushed and whispered, “I’m cooking, husband. Don’t fool around.”
“You do your work, I’ll do mine—perfectly reasonable,” he teased, squeezing and kneading here and there, marveling at her flexibility and resilience.

Song Zhiqiao was petite and slender, with a willow waist. But since Wen Rongxin had begun body cultivation, her flexibility had only increased. Her abdominal muscles were now clearly defined, and her chest firm and shapely.

“Go on, get out—stop bullying big sister! If you want trouble, come for me!” Qin Jiyue, seeing Wen Rongxin nearly out of strength, hurried over to chase the wolf out.

Li Guanxuan laughed, scooped Qin Jiyue up in his arms, and quipped, “It’s true—Foundation Establishment cultivators are resilient. A mere fourth-level Qi Refiner can’t even make it out the door now.”
“Scoundrel, don’t you know how to cherish beauty?” Qin Jiyue retorted, “Go and help Zhiqiao recover her strength, or you won’t be up to any wickedness tonight.”
“Understood…” Li Guanxuan grinned, pecked her on the lips, and set her down.

Entering the side room, he found Song Zhiqiao still asleep and sighed inwardly. The little green tea had grown wild with experience, even competing with Qin Jiyue—thus damaging her own Dao foundation. He’d forgotten to use his wood-elemental energy to nourish her body and Dao before leaving that morning.

Li Guanxuan gently placed his palm on her flat stomach and channeled a thread of wood-elemental energy into her.

Soon, Song Zhiqiao gave a soft whimper and opened her eyes, still half in dreams. Seeing Li Guanxuan, she stretched out her arms and cooed, “Brother, hold me.”
He gathered her into his arms, his heart aching. “I’m sorry, I forgot to nourish you before I left.”
“It’s good to have time to adapt—the body will adjust faster that way,” she murmured, nestling closer. “Brother Li, you’re going to attempt Foundation Establishment soon, aren’t you?”
“Yes. After tonight’s dual cultivation, I’ll focus on improving my alchemy. Once I advance to a second-rank mid-grade alchemist, I’ll begin refining Foundation Establishment Pills and attempt my breakthrough,” he said softly.
“I believe in you, brother—you’re sure to succeed.” Song Zhiqiao smiled sweetly.

—

After dinner, Li Guanxuan began exploring the cave residences. First, he delved into the one left by a sixth-level body cultivator, then discovered others from a fourth-level Qi Refiner and an early Foundation Establishment cultivator. Overjoyed, he searched back and forth for hidden treasures.

This routine continued for about half a month. After absorbing the celestial energy from the Velvet Flower Spirit Tree, he was amazed to find his alchemical skills had advanced to second-rank mid-grade, and his cultivation had reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refinement. Even the “Azure Profound Art” had been perfected.

Thick streams of azure energy now coiled about him, the wood elemental aura within growing more intense, even nurturing his body to rival a ninth-level body cultivator.

“The Li clan’s bloodline technique not only prolongs life beyond that of ordinary cultivators, but when mastered, the body quietly reaches the ninth level of body cultivation…” Li Guanxuan was astonished. Just who was the Li clan’s ancestor in the Nascent Soul stage—what sort of being was he?

“The Azure Profound Art will only sustain me through early Foundation Establishment. Once I reach the mid-stage, its power and effect will diminish greatly… By then, I suppose I’ll have to return to the Li clan.” He sighed inwardly. Truth be told, he had no desire to return to the capital of the Grand Heng Immortal Dynasty. In such a city, the water ran deeper than the Immortal Ruins themselves. The only advantage was its adherence to law and evidence—but that was also its drawback.

—

“We’ll see. If I can’t find a suitable Foundation Establishment technique, I’ll return—just grab the manual and leave,” Li Guanxuan thought. Though he could live forever, he still required resources to break through bottlenecks, and techniques appropriate to his cultivation stage.

That was only natural. If cultivation were so simple, everyone would be a Nascent Soul or Void-Refining cultivator by now.

Adjusting his mindset and breath, Li Guanxuan began refining pills. He’d made Foundation Establishment Pills many times, mastering the process, but to improve their quality further, he needed to perfect the “fusion” step—blending the essence of three-hundred-year-old spirit herbs with the liquefied core of a late second-rank demon beast. The proportions had to be exact—one fraction too much or too little would ruin everything.

Next came the infusion of spiritual energy to merge with the medicinal liquid and enhance its potency—this was key to improving the pill’s quality. Finally, the liquid would solidify into a pill.

—

He only had materials for one batch of thirty-five percent probability Foundation Establishment Pills, so he chose to refine a batch of thirty percent probability pills first. Once confident, he would attempt the higher grade. Even if he failed in the end, he would accept it. But with the opportunity before him, he wanted to live up to his own expectations.

Time passed, and two months went by. Li Guanxuan produced two batches—four Foundation Establishment Pills, each with a thirty percent success rate.

“Time to refine a pill for myself…” Taking a deep breath, he left the cultivation chamber to store up celestial energy for the coming attempt.

The next morning, after resting for two hours, he returned to the chamber. His celestial energy was abundant—everything was ready.

He fired up the furnace.

At first, Li Guanxuan was tense—there was no room for error now. If he failed, the rare late second-rank demon core would be lost. He cleansed, warmed, added herbs, liquefied and purified them…

At this stage, he focused intently, his Foundation Establishment spiritual sense monitoring every change within the furnace, the flames under perfect control. Once all impurities were expelled from the medicinal liquid, he relaxed slightly and added the demon core, slowly refining and purifying it.

To achieve a thirty-five percent success rate, the “fusion” step was critical. Only the demon core could enhance the quality of three-hundred-year-old herbs. To reach forty percent, he’d need four-hundred-year-old Thousand-Gold Vine and Purple Ginseng—but his current skills weren’t enough to extract their full essence.

The demon core dissolved into spiritual liquid and was transferred to the isolation chamber. Now for the fusion: Li Guanxuan held his breath and carefully combined the measured liquids in the main chamber, then gradually merged them, infusing spiritual energy to enhance their potency. This step was the riskiest—most likely to cause the furnace to explode.

“No problems…” As the liquids fused perfectly in proportion, he breathed a sigh of relief, then slowly infused more spiritual energy, strengthening the medicinal liquid.

The furnace began to tremble. Li Guanxuan’s expression tightened—was the force too great? Would the furnace explode? He adjusted the flame and the flow of spiritual energy until the furnace stabilized, then continued even more slowly.

Once the medicinal liquid reached the desired quality, he could begin cooling and compressing it into pill form. Here, patience was paramount.

A month later, Li Guanxuan saw that the liquid had reached the ideal state—his heart finally settled. The subsequent cooling phase was easier, but haste could still ruin all.

As a rich medicinal fragrance wafted from the chamber, spreading throughout Ping’an Courtyard, the three women’s eyes lit up.

“He’s done it!”
“Jiyue, you’ll have to guard him during this breakthrough,” Song Zhiqiao said with unconcealed joy. “Soon, our household will have two Foundation Establishment cultivators!” Foundation Establishment—the realm she’d dreamed of.

Wen Rongxin, seeing her thoughts, hugged her slender waist gently. “Don’t worry, Zhiqiao. With him here, you’ll succeed, too.”
“I’ll work hard!” Song Zhiqiao nodded.
“And not just in cultivation,” Qin Jiyue sighed. “From now on, he’ll be even more diligent in seeking dual cultivation with us.”

At these words, a rosy blush crept up Wen Rongxin and Song Zhiqiao’s cheeks.

—

P.S.: Five thousand words—another five thousand to come. Check back in the morning for the next chapter, and please vote for me!
(End of chapter)