Yuelai Restaurant.
Xu Fugui led Li Chang’an to the second floor.
On the way, he had already told Li Chang’an the whole story.
His eldest senior sister, Tang Suran, also had a Wood Spirit Root. Its tier was Middle Grade, and an exceptionally good one at that.
When her Spiritual Root was tested back then, her aptitude was found to be just shy of a Top Grade Spirit Root.
Now,
her Cultivation had reached the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.
A few days ago, she had discovered a "Seven-leafed Colored Lotus," a Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Object, in a Secret Realm.
However, she wasn’t the only one who found it.
Several Poison Cultivators from the Five Poison Wanderer Lineage had also discovered the Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Object.
"My senior sister fought a great battle with those Poison Cultivators. Although she managed to snatch the Seven-leafed Colored Lotus, her ridians were corroded by a strange poison."
"I see."
Li Chang’an pondered.
The Seven-leafed Colored Lotus wasn’t considered a top-tier Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Object.
A complete Seven-leafed Colored Lotus could increase the success rate of Foundation Establishnt by fifteen percent.
According to Xu Fugui,
the Seven-leafed Colored Lotus that Tang Suran had snatched was damaged during the fight. Its dicinal efficacy had diminished, so it could probably only increase the success rate by about ten percent.
Its effect could not be stacked with other Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Objects, only with a Foundation Establishnt Pill.
And a Foundation Establishnt Pill could increase the success rate by about twenty percent.
Stacked together, that was a thirty percent increase.
’If I can get this Seven-leafed Colored Lotus and then obtain a Foundation Establishnt Pill, I’ll have a baseline thirty percent chance at Foundation Establishnt.’
Li Chang’an thought to himself. He wasn’t actually very satisfied with this damaged Seven-leafed Colored Lotus.
His goal was a Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Object with a better effect.
But...
no matter what,
sothing was better than nothing!
’I have to get my hands on this Seven-leafed Colored Lotus if at all possible!’
Soon,
the two of them t Tang Suran.
Compared to a few days ago, Tang Suran now looked much more haggard.
Her pretty face was a little pale, and her lips were faintly purple—obvious signs of poisoning.
"Eldest Senior Sister."
"Fugui, you’re here."
Tang Suran smiled and gestured for him to sit.
Xu Fugui noticed
that there was already another person in the room.
Third Senior Brother, Gu Shanxing!
"Third Senior Brother, do you want this Seven-leafed Colored Lotus too?"
Xu Fugui asked directly. After all, they were fellow disciples; there was no need to beat around the bush.
Gu Shanxing nodded slightly, his reply just as direct.
"Fugui, I’m already at the Qi Refining Eighth Layer, not far from Foundation Establishnt, but I still haven’t found a suitable Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Object."
He glanced at Li Chang’an, who was beside Xu Fugui, and understood.
Clearly,
Xu Fugui wanted Li Chang’an to get the Seven-leafed Colored Lotus.
However, Li Chang’an was only at the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, and his Spiritual Root was just a Low Grade one. His talent was not outstanding.
Gu Shanxing was very confident.
"Fugui, I am determined to have this Seven-leafed Colored Lotus!"
Hearing this, Xu Fugui’s heart sank.
He realized
that Eldest Senior Sister Tang Suran’s gaze was on Gu Shanxing most of the ti.
"Big Bro, we probably won’t be able to compete for this Seven-leafed Colored Lotus," Xu Fugui sent to Li Chang’an via a secret Sound Transmission.
"It’s nothing. I was just trying my luck anyway."
Li Chang’an’s reply was lighthearted; he was taking it in stride.
He hadn’t had high hopes to begin with.
After a while,
a few more people arrived.
One of them even had higher talent than Gu Shanxing.
However, none of them were from the restaurant.
Tang Suran spoke with them and asked a few questions, but was ultimately unsatisfied and asked them all to leave.
In the end,
only Li Chang’an and Gu Shanxing remained.
Tang Suran quickly made her decision.
"Daoist Li, I’m truly sorry,"
she said to Li Chang’an, her expression apologetic.
"Junior Brother Gu is more suited for this Seven-leafed Colored Lotus."
In her opinion, although Li Chang’an had the backing of one of Huang He Master’s disciples, his own talent was simply too poor.
His chances of reaching Foundation Establishnt in the future were slim.
It was even questionable whether he could cultivate to the Qi Refining Ninth Layer before the age of sixty.
Giving him the Seven-leafed Colored Lotus would very likely be a waste.
"It’s nothing. My talent is poor; I’m indeed not the best choice."
Li Chang’an had expected this and replied with a smile.
Beside them, Gu Shanxing’s face lit up with joy.
He vowed, "Senior Sister, rest assured, I will definitely succeed in my Foundation Establishnt and cure the poison in your ridians!"
Then, with Xu Fugui and Li Chang’an as witnesses,
the two signed a Spirit Contract.
And just like that,
Gu Shanxing exchanged a promise for the precious Seven-leafed Colored Lotus.
’The damage to this Seven-leafed Colored Lotus is indeed significant.’
During the exchange, Li Chang’an saw the Seven-leafed Colored Lotus.
The Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Object could no longer be called "seven-leafed"; it only had five leaves left.
Its stem was also slightly damaged.
’This item and I are not fated to be. Perhaps I will be able to obtain an even better Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Object in the future.’
Li Chang’an’s mindset was peaceful.
Although Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Objects were rare, it wasn’t impossible to acquire them.
Over the years,
Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Objects had occasionally appeared at auctions in Yellow Crane Immortal City.
After the deal was done, Tang Suran started telling them about the Secret Realm.
She suspected
that deep within the Secret Realm,
there might be other Foundation Establishnt Spiritual Objects that had yet to be discovered.
"Daoist Li, that Secret Realm isn’t far from Yellow Crane Immortal City. It’s called the ’Ancient Wood Secret Realm.’ Many Wood Elent Treasures have been discovered there, making it very suitable for Cultivators with Wood Spirit Roots like you and to explore."
Tang Suran didn’t let Li Chang’an leave empty-handed.
She gave him a map.
This map was more complete than the Secret Realm maps sold in many of the shops in the Immortal City.
"I compiled this map by discussing and exchanging information with many fellow daoists, building upon the original Secret Realm maps."
"Thank you, Daoist Tang."
Li Chang’an took the map and gave it a cursory glance.
His scalp imdiately tingled with dread.
It was covered in dense markings like "Trap," "Dangerous Area," and "Multiple Deaths."
This was a Secret Realm, filled with all sorts of dangers.
Even with such a relatively complete map, Li Chang’an had no desire to go.
’Wouldn’t it be better to stay ho and cultivate comfortably, let others do the exploring, and then pick up what they leave behind?’
...
That night,
Li Chang’an returned ho.
He imdiately tossed the map into the deepest corner of his Storage Pouch.
He prepared the Body Tempering dicine Liquid and continued the physical tempering for the Eighth Stage of Body Refinent.
Before he knew it,
it was Midnight.
[Divination has been refreshed]
[Today’s Divination: Evil Trigram]
[Your friend invites you to the 250th birthday banquet of a Foundation Establishnt Powerhouse, ntioning that the powerhouse possesses a "Profound Crystal," a Treasure suitable for helping Water Elent Demon Beasts break through. You happily accept the invitation and go.]
[At the banquet, the Foundation Establishnt Powerhouse suddenly goes berserk, as if possessed, and attacks indiscriminately, causing countless guests to be killed or injured.]
’Foundation Establishnt... going berserk?’
This sudden Evil Trigram surprised Li Chang’an.
The theoretical lifespan of a Foundation Establishnt Great Cultivator was around 240 years.
Of course, if one had always focused on self-cultivation and obtained life-extending Treasures, living to be 250 was also normal.
Living that long was considered a joyous occasion.
’Why would this Foundation Establishnt Great Cultivator suddenly go berserk and kill people indiscriminately?’
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