Chapter 67: Yulou, Do You Think I Still Have a Chance? |
"Jiuqiao Sect is too far. Besides, a disciple's cultivation depends on the clan's arrangements."
In truth, Yulou had already decided to join Dripdrop Cave to cultivate in the future.
True Person Danri had tested his spirit root, and her judgment was six parts fire and four parts water.
To achieve harmonization of root energy and an early Foundation Establishment, he needed to supplement his water-elemental arts.
The Source Vein Gui Water Qi of Dripdrop Cave, recommended by True Person Danri, would not only help Yulou supplement his water arts but was also top-tier for magical combat.
Therefore, Yulou would definitely join Dripdrop Cave in the future.
For the Wang Clan of Anbei Kingdom, arranging for a dual spirit root disciple to enter a Purple Palace sect was as simple as eating and drinking.
However, there was no need for Yulou to explain all this to Hongmei, so he simply said he would follow the clan's arrangements.
"The clan's arrangements. Yulou, my good disciple, you—no, our Wang Clan. The Patriarch hasn't given any clear word on how our Wang Clan plans to deal with me. With your cultivation base at the seventh layer of Qi Induction, forging a mid-grade magical artifact with thirteen restrictions today means you are actually ready to graduate."
Wang Xianmao's condition was that he had to properly teach the two of them the artificing path before discussing his Foundation Establishment.
Back then, in order to reach Foundation Establishment, Hongmei had both taken desperate risks and endured humiliation.
But seven years had passed, and the cost of Foundation Establishment resources had risen from forty thousand spirit stones to eighty thousand, yet Wang Xianmao had never once discussed his Foundation Establishment.
How could Hongmei not be worried?
"Master, I fell into an epiphany during the refinement process today, which is how I forged the Purple Copper Dharma Sword with thirteen restrictions. As your disciple, there is still much I need to learn from you. It is still too early for me to graduate," Yulou replied modestly.
With the enhancement of a full vial of Ruyi Golden Radiance, his skill in the artificing path had temporarily increased significantly, roughly jumping straight from the level of ten restrictions to thirteen.
This wasn't a thirty percent increase, but at least a fifty percent increase, because the difficulty grew higher the further one progressed.
Hongmei didn't care about Yulou's attainments on the artificing path. He nodded and said, "An epiphany can temporarily raise your skill in the artificing path, but Yulou, the fact that you could enter an epiphany only proves that you have accumulated enough beforehand.
"I want to find an opportunity to visit the clan and pay my respects to the Patriarch. I wonder if you or Fellow Daoist Rongsheng could ask for instructions on my behalf?"
Child, say no more. Your level in the artificing path is truly sufficient.
I have taught you all the restrictions I have mastered, and you have grasped all the other corresponding methods.
It's merely that your cultivation base is a bit low. If you had a Qi Refining stage cultivation base, refining a high-grade magical artifact wouldn't be difficult at all.
"Master, you also know the situation of our Wang Clan. Uncle Rongjiang is currently in his second secluded cultivation attempting to break through to Foundation Establishment. Ancestor Tie Qinhuo achieved Foundation Establishment early on, but Uncle Rongyuan and Uncle Rongwen might still be a few years away. If clan uncle Rongjiang's advancement goes smoothly this time, the Wang Clan will have four Foundation Establishment cultivators.
"Ancestor Jingyi and Ancestor Tie both have outside surnames, while the Patriarch and Uncle Rongjiang belong to the direct lineage. It's two against two. If you want to reach Foundation Establishment, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until Uncle Rongyuan or Uncle Rongwen achieves Foundation Establishment before you have a chance."
Although the news Yulou gave was clearly not good, Hongmei's mind actually settled down.
Filled with anticipation, he spoke nervously, "So, the clan will still give me a chance at Foundation Establishment, right?"
In his view, he had only made a minor mistake back then, and after enduring humiliation for so many years, he had played his part quite well.
Therefore, as long as he made amends for his past faults, it was still possible for the Wang Clan to give him a chance at Foundation Establishment.
"That was just my analysis. You should ask the Patriarch for his intentions yourself. I will ask for his instructions on your behalf. Furthermore, whether Yu'an and my studies in the artificing path are sufficient will also require the Patriarch or other elders to assess."
Yulou's words doused Hongmei's newly ignited hopes with cold water.
He stood blankly for a long time before speaking calmly, "I don't need the clan's support. I can treat all those resources and spirit stones from back then as an apology gift. Yulou, you also know that over these years, I have done my utmost, holding nothing back in teaching you and Yu'an."
He was laying his cards on the table, still playing the emotional blackmail card.
Hongmei admitted to the past; he wanted to talk about his future.
Yulou, I was wrong, but I haven't treated you poorly since then!
The artifact refining room in Forge Peak Residence was incredibly quiet. Cooling water dripped from the artifact refining furnace with a steady tick-tock, each sound hammering heavily against their hearts.
Looking uneasily at Yulou, Hongmei felt his heart in turmoil.
Yulou, do you think I still have a chance?
"Master, how old are you this year?"
Yulou's question was interesting, very interesting. Hongmei understood his meaning, or at least part of it.
His yearning for Foundation Establishment began to pulse once more. The expectations that had cooled time and time again took flight, filling Hongmei's eyes.
He pretended to look disappointed, trying to win Yulou's sympathy. "Eighty-nine. It sounds young, but Foundation Establishment isn't guaranteed to succeed on the first try. If I fail, I'll need to recuperate for at least three to five years. The time will be wasted, and I can't afford to wait."
Yulou and Hongmei were shifting from probing each other toward a mutual understanding.
The Wang Clan had three Foundation Establishment Seeds in the Rong generation, including Wang Rongwen and Wang Rongyuan. Wang Rongjiang had taken the lead, and in the Patriarch's arrangements, Rongyuan and Rongwen followed closely behind.
These three had excellent talent and accumulation. Given sufficient resources, at least two of them could succeed.
As for people like Wang Rongsheng—senior Qi Refining cultivators of the direct lineage whose path to Foundation Establishment was arduous but still held some promise—the Wang Clan had seven or eight of them.
If one of them could also succeed, the direct lineage would have four Foundation Establishment cultivators.
But Hongmei was eighty-nine years old. This was an awkward age; he had time to wait, yet he didn't.
"Master, you should have noticed. These years, the Red Lantern Illumination Sect has sold a pile of methods to rogue cultivators, and Wondrous Peak Mountain and Valley Spirit Sect are fighting fiercely.
"Those powerful rogue cultivators haven't missed the chance to jump between both sides to earn mercenary fees, and the price for Foundation Establishment resources has been driven higher and higher. I remember during the Qingxi Grand Assembly, forty thousand spirit stones could secure a set of Foundation Establishment resources. Now, that same set of resources requires eighty thousand spirit stones.
"I cannot give you a definitive timeline on when the clan will agree to let you attempt Foundation Establishment. But my advice is that you might as well start accumulating Foundation Establishment resources first."
It would have been better if Yulou hadn't brought this up; the moment he did, Hongmei felt even more bitter.
Why had he been so possessed back then to want to kill these two disciples?
If he had simply joined the Wang Clan as a guest elder, the resources he had painstakingly accumulated back then wouldn't have been stripped clean by Wang Xianmao.
He might have successfully reached Foundation Establishment long ago.
But now, one wrong step had led to another.
"Furthermore, Master, one can actually attempt Foundation Establishment without resources; it's merely that the risks are greater and the success rate is lower. You can adopt the same strategy as Ancestor Tie, only buying half a portion of pills to protect your life and Dao foundation before making the attempt. This way, even if you fail, the time won't be wasted. As long as you don't suffer any backlash or injuries, the more you attempt Foundation Establishment, the higher the success rate."
Hongmei looked at Yulou in disbelief, unsure if this was a new trap.
Did the Wang Clan want him to work like a mule, accumulate more precious pills and spiritual herbs for Foundation Establishment, just so they could snatch them away again?
He was just acting, wasn't he?
Yes, that must be it.
"It's true that time waits for no man. In recent years, anything related to Foundation Establishment has more than doubled in price, and some items are even becoming priceless without a market. Who knows when prices will drop in the future. Sigh."
Hongmei didn't believe Yulou's nonsense, so he chose to change the subject. "They won't drop. Five years ago, many people still shipped goods from various places to sell here in Red Lantern Illumination Sect territory. Later, it evolved to the point where cultivators nearing Foundation Establishment would travel abroad and buy the necessary resources along the way. Now, everything within Wunan is terrifyingly expensive.
"The closed systems of the major sects don't open up to small families and rogue cultivators, so the circulation of Foundation Establishment resources is dwindling. That's why the prices have skyrocketed. Once this trend begins, it's hard to stop. After all, everyone wants to earn a bit more."
After Yulou finished speaking, he prepared to leave.
He still had to go to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to reprice their vast array of goods.
As the war along the Hidden Dragon River front grew increasingly intense, critical war materials changed in price daily—sometimes the price in the morning was completely different from the afternoon.
"Yulou, are you willing to let me attempt Foundation Establishment?" Hongmei finally called out to Yulou, voicing the doubt in his heart.
Because earlier, both explicitly and implicitly, Yulou had implied as much.
"Our Wang Clan has always been kind to others. But when facing enemies, we believe in either not acting at all, or acting to cut the grass and pull out the roots. Master, I believe you are a smart person who won't give us an excuse to cut the grass and pull out the roots. Moreover, Yu'an likes Senior Martial Sister, and he is, after all, my younger brother."
Yulou's attitude wasn't actually strange. In his view, Hongmei could attempt Foundation Establishment, but there were many prerequisites.
Among these prerequisites were the Patriarch's bottom line and Yulou's own demands; it all depended on whether Hongmei was willing to accept them.
The timing had to be after the direct lineage of the Wang Clan had enough Foundation Establishment cultivators; this was the Patriarch's bottom line, otherwise, he would be difficult to control.
Yu'an and Ningyao becoming Dao Companions was one of Yulou's demands. Yu'an was, after all, his blood brother whom he had watched grow up; he couldn't just ignore him.
And if Yu'an and Ningyao became Dao Companions, Hongmei would naturally draw closer to the Wang Clan. In the future, this cheap master could, in a sense, become Yulou's support—this was the unspoken demand Yulou kept to himself.
Cultivators capable of Foundation Establishment were mostly well aware of whether they had any chance of proving their Dao to the Purple Palace realm.
Under the Wang Clan's suppression, it was impossible for Hongmei to reach the Purple Palace realm. Even if he wanted to stir up trouble, he would merely be gambling with his life.
Under these circumstances, drawing closer to the Wang Clan had become his only option in the short term.
Yulou taking the initiative to show closeness was actually him gathering momentum for himself.
Relying on the advantages of rules and strength, great cultivators could easily snatch away the production of bottom-tier cultivators and even families like the Wang Clan.
If Yulou wanted to go further, he had to learn to band together with others for warmth.
Just as he had told Yu'an, no matter how cruel reality was, one always had to start by accepting it, or at least accepting a part of it, to find a way to break the deadlock.
As for whether Hongmei would stir up trouble in the future, Yulou wasn't afraid in the slightest.
Because the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Wang Clan would begin springing up like bamboo shoots after a rain.
This family was heading toward a new era.
"These matters are easy to discuss, but the Black Vine Soul-Locking Art on my body..."
As for his daughter, Hongmei actually didn't care too much; he had once entertained the idea of using her to win over Yu'an, Wang Rongwen, and others.
But the Black Vine Soul-Locking Art on his body was different. If this thing wasn't dispelled, he would be cut off from Foundation Establishment for the rest of his life.
"Master, my attitude is useless. You need to convince the Patriarch."
Yulou smiled, indicating that he was just playing the good cop, and his part was mostly done; the rest required Wang Xianmao to name his price.
Having said that, he left Forge Peak Residence. This time, Hongmei didn't stop him.
Yulou painted a beautiful pie in the sky and drifted away.
But this pie—like flowers in a mirror, moon in water—truly captivated Hongmei.
He understood. After living in fear and worry for so many years, how could he not understand?
Hongmei understood everything.
The three-hundred-pound Householder Redbrow looked at the empty artifact refining room, summoned a chair, and slumped into it weakly.
How had he, step by step, driven himself into a dead end?
Master, Master. Was Hongmei a qualified master?
He had taught Yulou and Yu'an the knowledge of the artificing path, but he had also truly harbored killing intent toward the two brothers several times.
It was hard to say.
"Those powerful rogue cultivators haven't shied away from jumping between both sides to earn mercenary fees, and speculation has driven the price of Foundation Establishment resources increasingly higher.
"I remember during the Qingxi Grand Assembly, forty thousand spirit stones were enough to secure a set of Foundation Establishment resources.
"Now, that exact same set of resources requires eighty thousand spirit stones.
"I cannot give you a definite timeline on when the clan will agree to let you attempt Foundation Establishment.
"But I suggest you start accumulating your Foundation Establishment resources now."
It would have been fine if Yulou hadn't brought this up, but the moment he did, Hongmei felt even more bitter.
Back then, what had possessed him to try and kill his two disciples?
If he had simply joined the Wang Clan as a guest elder, the resources he had painstakingly accumulated wouldn't have been swept completely clean by Wang Xianmao.
He might have already successfully reached Foundation Establishment by now.
Instead, one wrong step had led to another.
"Moreover, Master, one can actually attempt Foundation Establishment without Foundation Establishment resources. The risks are just greater, and the success rate is lower.
"You could adopt the same strategy as Ancestor Tie: just buy half a portion of life-saving and Dao-foundation-protecting pills, and then try to reach Foundation Establishment.
"This way, even if you fail, the time won't be wasted. As long as you don't suffer from a backlash injury, the more times you attempt Foundation Establishment, the higher your success rate will be."
Hongmei looked at Yulou in disbelief, unsure if this was just another trap.
'Does the Wang Clan expect me to act as a draft animal, grinding away to accumulate more precious pills and spirit medicines for Foundation Establishment, just so they can snatch them away again?'
'He's just putting on an act, right?'
'Yes, that must be it.'
"It's true that time waits for no man. Over the years, items related to Foundation Establishment have more than doubled in price. Some have even become priceless, impossible to buy even if you have the money.
"I don't know when the prices will drop in the future. Sigh."
Hongmei didn't buy Yulou's nonsense, choosing to change the subject instead.
"They won't drop. Five years ago, there were still plenty of merchants transferring goods from other regions to sell here at the Red Lantern Illumination Sect.
"Later, it evolved to the point where cultivators nearing Foundation Establishment would travel abroad themselves to buy the required Foundation Establishment resources.
"Now, things have reached a point where everything is terribly expensive everywhere within the Wunan region.
"The closed systems of the large sects don't open up to small families and rogue cultivators. As the circulation of Foundation Establishment resources dwindles, prices rise rapidly.
"Once a trend like this starts, it's hard to stop. After all, everyone wants to earn a bit more."
After Yulou finished speaking, he prepared to leave.
He still had to go to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to reprice their vast array of goods.
As the battles along the Hidden Dragon River front grew increasingly fierce, the prices of scarce war materials fluctuated daily; even the morning and afternoon prices differed.
"Yulou, are you willing to let me attempt Foundation Establishment?"
Hongmei ultimately stopped Yulou, voicing the doubt in his heart.
Explicitly and implicitly, Yulou's words just now had carried that very implication.
"Our Wang Clan has always been kind to others.
"But when dealing with enemies, we believe in remaining still until it's time to act. And when we do act, we must cut the grass and pull out the roots.
"Master, I believe you are a smart man and wouldn't give us an excuse to cut the grass and pull out the roots.
"Furthermore, Yu'an likes senior martial sister. He is my younger brother, after all."
Yulou's attitude wasn't actually strange. In his view, Hongmei could attempt Foundation Establishment, but there were many prerequisites.
Among those prerequisites were the Patriarch's bottom line and Yulou's own demands. It simply depended on whether Hongmei was willing to accept them.
For one, the timing had to be after a sufficient number of the Wang Clan's direct lineage had reached Foundation Establishment. This was the Patriarch's bottom line; otherwise, Hongmei would be too hard to control.
Yu'an and Ningyao becoming Dao Companions was one of Yulou's demands. After all, Yu'an was his blood brother whom he had watched grow up; it was impossible for him not to care.
Once Yu'an and Ningyao became Dao Companions, Hongmei would naturally be drawn closer to the Wang Clan. In the future, this master of convenience could, in a sense, become Yulou's right-hand man—this was the demand Yulou didn't voice aloud.
Cultivators capable of reaching Foundation Establishment were mostly crystal clear in their hearts about whether they had a chance to attain the Purple Palace realm.
Under the Wang Clan's suppression, it was impossible for Hongmei to reach the Purple Palace realm. Even if he wanted to stir up trouble, he would merely be gambling with his life.
Given these circumstances, drawing closer to the Wang Clan became Hongmei's only choice in the short term.
Yulou's proactive display of closeness was actually an attempt to gather momentum for himself.
By leveraging the advantages of rules and strength, major cultivators could easily snatch away the resources of bottom-tier cultivators, and even families like the Wang Clan.
If Yulou wanted to go further, he had to learn to band together with others for warmth.
Just as he had told Yu'an: no matter how cruel reality was, one always had to start by accepting it—or at least a part of it—to search for a way out of the predicament.
As for whether Hongmei would stir up trouble in the future, Yulou wasn't afraid at all.
Because the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Wang Clan would soon spring up one after another, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.
This clan was marching toward a new era.
"These matters are all easy to discuss, but the Black Vine Soul-Locking Art on my body..."
As for his daughter, Hongmei didn't actually care too much. He had previously harbored intentions of using her to win over Yu'an, Wang Rongwen, and the others anyway.
But the Black Vine Soul-Locking Art on his body was different. If this wasn't dispelled, he would be cut off from Foundation Establishment for the rest of his life.
"Master, my attitude is useless. You need to persuade the Patriarch."
Yulou smiled, making it clear that he was just playing the good cop. Now that he had played his part well enough, the rest required Wang Xianmao to name his price.
With that said, he left Forge Peak Residence. This time, Hongmei didn't stop him.
Yulou had painted a beautiful pie in the sky and then drifted away lightly.
However, this promise—like flowers in a mirror, moon in water—had truly mesmerized Hongmei.
He understood. After being terrified and worried for so many years, how could he not understand?
Hongmei understood everything.
The three-hundred-catty Householder Redbrow looked at the empty artifact refining room, pulled up a chair, and leaned back weakly.
How had he walked himself into a dead end, step by step?
Master, master... was he a qualified master?
He had taught Yulou and Yu'an the knowledge of the artificing path, but it was equally true that he had harbored murderous intent toward the two brothers on several occasions.
It was hard to say.
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