Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Compared to the main ingredient of the Foundation Establishment Pill, the attraction of the main ingredient of the Second Tier Lifespan Extension Pill is considerably less.

One represents rebirth, the other a desperate struggle to survive.

Loose cultivators are alright, being responsible only for themselves, nothing wrong with that.

However, for elderly family cultivators, if they focus more on the Lifespan Extension Pill than on the Foundation Establishment Pill, they might face criticism from their kin, leaving a reputation of selfishness and clinging to life.

Furthermore, although the Second Tier Lifespan Extension Pill is rare in Cangyun State, it is not that difficult to acquire with a certain status and position. After all, this pill only extends life and does not increase combat power, so it does not pose a significant issue for peace and stability under the rule of Biyun Sect.

It does not belong to forbidden items.

Loose cultivators such as Alchemist Zou and Doctor Bai have long consumed the Second Tier Lifespan Extension Pill.

From the beginning, Li Ji’an showed a clear intention to bid.

Many elderly cultivators from Foundation Establishment Clans who initially hoped to get a bargain gave up when they saw it was Li Ji’an, a wealthy Pill Master, making a move.

Firstly, fearing to offend this renowned Pill Master.

Secondly, many Foundation Establishment cultivators have pill requests with him, so they need to maintain good relations.

Thirdly, they are aware of Alchemist Li’s financial power and know they can’t compete.

”Two thousand eight hundred spirit stones,” Li Ji’an bid again.

This price is somewhat inflated.

Moreover, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Li Ji’an’s lifespan is still ample, not yet at the point of needing a Lifespan Extension Pill.

Doctor Bai and a few others looked at Li Ji’an with some puzzlement.

Alchemist Zou straightforwardly advised that it was not worth it.

While auxiliary materials for the Second Tier Lifespan Extension Pill are not rare, they are not cheap when it comes to lifespan, needing at least five hundred spirit stones. Including the main ingredient, the material cost is suitable within three thousand stones, and exceeding that is not very cost-effective.

Years ago, Alchemist Zou prepared one batch of materials for the Lifespan Extension Pill, which yielded two pills: one Middle Grade, extending life by seven years, and one Lower Grade, extending by five years, with a total value barely over three thousand spirit stones.

Li Ji’an thanked the two for their good intentions and waved his hand, indicating that it was to support the great cause of the Upper Sect and contribute to the state’s stability.

This suddenly enlightened several people, especially Alchemist Zou, whose eyes sparkled with realization.

His lifelong dream was to join the Biyun Sect, yet his talent was insufficient in his youth, and he failed the trial.

Fortunately, with some talent in the Alchemy Dao and his teacher’s guidance, he held hope of entering Biyun Sect as a Pill Master.

However, compared to the Pill Masters within the sect, he was still lacking, ultimately not catching Biyun Sect’s eye.

Now at the sect’s low point, this auction seemed like an obligation, and strong support might...

Thinking of this, Alchemist Zou felt a surge of emotion in his heart.

”Two thousand nine hundred spirit stones,” someone else now called out a higher bid.

”Hmm?” The crowd looked towards the person in surprise.

Li Ji’an frowned slightly. It was an elderly man with white hair, his revealed cultivation only at the late Qi Stage.

However, with his divine sense comparable to the late Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t see through the man’s disguise, only sensing that he was using a Disguise Technique.

People like Doctor Bai couldn’t even tell he was using a disguise technique at that moment.

”Late Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator!”

With his current divine sense, if it were a Fake Pill True Man using disguise, he wouldn’t be able to detect it.

Since he could sense the disguise but not break through it, it must be a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.

He was slightly surprised, given that within Cangyun State, aside from Biyun Sect, late Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators are almost like second-tier top figures, they shouldn’t lack a Second Tier Lifespan Extension Pill.

”Could it be someone sent by the sect?” Li Ji’an pondered.

This possibility was not small, considering one of the primary purposes of this sect auction was liquidation.

During the auction of the Foundation Establishment Pill’s main ingredient, he saw a few unfamiliar faces who would interject just as things were cooling down and then disappear.

”Three thousand spirit stones.” Li Ji’an didn’t mind someone acting as a shill. Today, he originally planned to spend some spirit stones in public, and since he already determined the use for this Lifespan Extension Pill, as long as the price wasn’t too excessive, it was acceptable as trading spirit stones for time.

However, upon seeing Li Ji’an bid again, the old man frowned and looked towards Li Ji’an from afar.

”Alchemist Li, this old man...” Li Ji’an then received his telepathic message.

Yet, just as he started, the message was abruptly interrupted by a powerful divine sense.

”Hahaha, Old Dog Liu, hiding and bullying the weak, you truly bring glory to your Liu Clan.”

Subsequently, in the auction hall’s third-floor VIP room, a figure stepped out, floating in mid-air.

That position in the VIP room is only reserved for the top few in Cangyun State.

Either sect elder rank or the Five Great Clan patriarchs.

”Hiss~ that’s the Qin Family’s Fake Pill Ancestor!”

”Greetings, Master Qin!”

”Master Qin personally came to lend support this time.”

...

Purple Bamboo Mountain’s Qin Family dominates the southwest half of Cangyun State, with a main vein of Third Tier Lower Grade. In terms of Spirit Vein level and coverage area, it is considered the top among the Five Great Clans.

Especially since the clan grounds are filled with Spiritual Bamboo and medicinal fields, the industry is flourishing, making it the most likely force among the Five Great Clans to produce a True Pill Master.

Moreover, the founding ancestor of the clan was once a pioneering contributor of the Biyun Sect. His disciples and protégés have always held key positions within the sect, deeply intertwined with the sect, essentially counting as a direct lineage of the sect.

The Qin Henian you see before you almost formed a True Pill back in the day.

”Young friend, do not fear, I will stand by you. Bid boldly!” Qin Henian glanced at the Liu Clan cultivator hidden in the crowd, then encouraged Li Ji’an.

”Thank you, Master Qin!” Li Ji’an hurriedly greeted with trepidation.

Though not his first encounter with a Fake Pill True Man, it was his first face-to-face exchange with one.

Especially when swept by Qin Henian’s Fake Pill-level Divine Sense, Li Ji’an felt an immense sense of crisis.

In the Cultivation Realm, the higher one progresses, the greater the chasm between each layer of realms; as the saying goes, each tier of cultivation is akin to First Heaven. Although he, with many trump cards and full preparation, does not fear a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator of a slightly higher realm, against a Foundation Establishment Late Stage cultivator, even if he uses all his trump cards, he stands no chance. At best, he could use a Teleportation Talisman to escape.

If facing a Fake Pill True Man, however, even escape would be impossible.

”Old Dog Liu, growing more pathetic with age? Can’t even muster the courage to speak? Where is your spirit from back then?” Qin Henian confronted the ordinary-looking old man below.

”Ah.” The old man sighed heavily, looking somewhat despondent as he gazed toward Master Qin.

”Henian, must you be like this?” As he spoke, a wave of magical power surged from his body, revealing his true appearance.

Aside from the change in appearance, he remained aged, with a sense of impending demise, seemingly with little lifespan left.

”The Liu Clan’s prodigy from back then, Liu Jingchun!” Doctor Bai instantly recognized the man.

”Is this the Liu Jingchun who had swept across Cangyun State with unmatched charisma two hundred years ago?” Old Zhou’s face showed a hint of nostalgia.

”Back then, exceptional and dazzling, with Earth Spirit Root and extraordinary array talent, overshadowing the peers of his era. Even sect disciples of his generation had to avoid his edge, how has he become like this?”

”Hiss~ In my old memory, Liu Jingchun and Master Qin were unrivaled dual heroes of Cangyun State, how could it be...”

...

In an instant, the auction house was abuzz with discussions.

Especially those over two hundred years old who had lived through that era, all looked at Liu Jingchun with keen nostalgia.

”Hahaha, must it be like this? You seized my Core Formation Spirit Treasure back then, causing me to only form a Fake Pill, and you ask me why must it be so? I treated you as an elder brother, humbling myself before you, and you, at the critical moment, stabbed me in the back? I’ve been waiting for your explanation, yet you hid in your clan for over a century. If it weren’t for the sect’s summons this time, I might never rest in peace, today, you must give this True Man an explanation!” Qin Henian looked as though he was finally able to unleash emotions suppressed for a century, completely disregarding his Fake Pill True Man status, publicly demanding answers.

His Fake Pill aura erupted, causing the vicinity to tremble ceaselessly.

Qi Cultivation Stage Junior Cultivators shook in fear, many already crouching low on the ground, shivering.

Liu Jingchun stood calmly, his aged face revealing a hint of nostalgia, but ultimately remained silent.

Li Ji’an, with ears attentive, gathered all the information, and his heart trembled.

Through the years, he realized his strength was not enough to confront the Five Great Clans with a Fake Pill True Man, so he had buried past grievances deep within.

Especially after truly understanding the situation here, the intricate ties between the Five Great Clans and the Biyun Sect, he completely gave up the thought of investigating the blood slave matter before his strength was sufficient.

He had once thought of covertly fueling it when his Foundation Establishment began.

But having secretly understood the relationship between the Five Great Clans and the Biyun Sect, he could only abandon it.

Nowadays, each of the Five Great Clans is a continuation of once high-ranking groups of Biyun Sect, two of which were descendants of Biyun Sect’s founding elders.

He worried that even if he investigated thoroughly, presenting the evidence to Biyun Sect might only lead to a toast of three cups.

So, he was in fact prepared to someday take Zhao Shuyao’s ashes back to the Immortal Dynasty.

At this moment, hearing of Liu Jingchun’s past, combined with many subtle clues from over the years.

Including the words of Granny You back then.

All information and the blood slave matter of the Immortal Dynasty corresponded, forming a vague clue.

”More than two hundred years ago… the timeline matches perfectly.”

The Earth Spirit Root prodigy from over two hundred years ago, moreover a progeny of the Five Great Clans, now still in the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

Additionally, given his status, he would still covertly transmit to Li Ji’an for a Second Tier Lifespan Extension Pill.

Listening to Qin Henian’s words, he hadn’t left his clan for more than a hundred years, representing the Liu family to respond to Biyun Sect’s summons this time.

Especially when combined with the previous journey from the Immortal Dynasty in the Storm Desert, the conversation between the Guiding Immortal Master and the assassin.

And Granny You’s remark about the internal struggles within the Liu family back then…

Li Ji’an was almost certain that the family that had raised blood slaves back then was the Liu family!

However, this conclusion is merely inferred from scattered information, countervalidated, with no concrete evidence, and the motive for raising blood slaves remains unclear.

”Calm down, Master Qin!”

Just at that moment, a ethereal voice came through.

”Your matters can be discussed another day, do not affect today’s auction.” Following this, a figure silently appeared beside Qin Henian.

Qin Henian glanced at him, slightly furrowing his brows, but eventually calmed down.

”Liu Jingchun, for Elder Jia’s sake, I’ll spare you for now, but this time, you must give me, Qin, an explanation.”