A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu Transmigrates into a Book, the Dao Ancestor of Rein

Chapter 28 Transaction?

"Disciple Han Li greets Sect Leader."

Upon seeing Sect Leader Zhong, who was in the late Foundation Establishment stage, Han Li bowed respectfully.

Sect Leader Zhong and the others then began to use their various secret techniques to observe Han Li.

Seeing that Han Li only had a low-level cultivation of the fourth level of Qi Refining, everyone showed surprise.

"Young friend Han, where is the Ascension Token?"

Sect Leader Zhong was the first to speak and ask the question.

"here."

Han Li deftly took out the specially made token that Huangfeng Valley had issued two or three hundred years ago from his pocket.

Having obtained the Ascension Token propelled by magical power, Sect Leader Zhong examined it and immediately nodded:
"It is indeed the Ascension Order from our Yellow Maple Valley."

Upon hearing this, the dozen or so Foundation Establishment stage cultivators in the arena all turned to look at this side with surprise and suspicion.

Although they already knew that a rogue cultivator had come to pay homage with an Ascension Token, they were still tempted when it came to the ownership of a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Cultivation levels for immortals range from low to high: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation…

Foundation Establishment Pill, as the name suggests, is related to foundation establishment. It is used to help cultivators at the peak of Qi Refining establish their foundation. Apart from geniuses with Heavenly Spiritual Roots who are rare to find even once in a century, few cultivators with other spiritual root physiques can establish their foundation without the help of Foundation Establishment Pill.

For this reason, Foundation Establishment Pills, which are not high-grade pills, are often one of the essential resources of large sects.

Its market price is even more precious than higher-grade Foundation Establishment stage pills.

In recent years, the number of Foundation Establishment Pills distributed by Huangfeng Valley has been decreasing. Even though they are distributed twice every ten years, only about a hundred pills are given out each time. The ownership of this single Foundation Establishment Pill may seem insignificant, but those hundred or so pills are divided among Nascent Soul families like the Linghu family, the Chen family, the Lei family, and the Feng family, as well as nearly a hundred Foundation Establishment families. Often, some Foundation Establishment families struggle to receive even a single Foundation Establishment Pill after several rounds.

Moreover, behind every hundred or so Foundation Establishment Pills lies the eager anticipation of thousands upon thousands of Qi Refining cultivators in Huangfeng Valley.

There are truly too many wolves and not enough meat.

Therefore, although the Ascension Order only involves the ownership of a single Foundation Establishment Pill, its impact extends far beyond just one or two individuals. Often, it means affecting several Foundation Establishment families.

Imagine, the profits that have been painstakingly distributed are suddenly taken by an outsider with no connections who wants a share. Would the party whose cake has been taken be happy?
Furthermore, the nature of a young person's attempt to establish their foundation a few years earlier or a few years later can be vastly different.

Therefore, few of the people present were willing to let Han Li, an "outsider," easily snatch away a Foundation Establishment Pill that was priceless.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the dignified and otherworldly Sect Leader Zhong, when he looked up again, his smile was even wider:

"Young friend Han, to enter my sect, one must have one's spiritual root tested. Do you know what your spiritual root is?"

Upon hearing this, Han Li's heart tightened immediately:
coming!

"hateful!"

"If you asked me in a different place or at a different time, I wouldn't have any problem answering. But asking me now is clearly an attempt to put me on the spot."

"Heh, this seemingly kind Sect Leader Zhong is probably a wolf in sheep's clothing."

Han Li pondered to himself.

Of course, it's not that these people will do anything to him if he reveals the quality of his spiritual root. It's just that his cultivation level is already quite low, and if the quality of his spiritual root is also low, his plan to smoothly obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill through the Ascension Token will likely fall through, and he will probably face many setbacks afterward.

Han Li's mind raced, but it didn't stop him from answering truthfully:
"The disciple's spiritual roots are pseudo-spiritual roots of the four elements: wood, water, fire, and earth."

These words intensified the contempt on the faces of many Foundation Establishment cultivators present. Some Foundation Establishment cultivators' eyes flickered, and they began to have other plans. Others glanced at Han Li a few more times, and after sizing him up for a moment, they shook their heads and sighed, a hint of regret flashing between their brows.

"Is it just a pseudo-spiritual root of four elements? Does it have a special physique?" Sect Leader Zhong frowned slightly.

"This disciple is indeed only a four-elemental root, and no special physique has been found so far."

If he had a special physique to back him up, why would his cultivation speed be so slow?
"Nephew Han, do you know the purpose of the Ascension Token?"

Although Master Zhong's smile remained unchanged and his attitude remained kind, even modifying his form of address, the underlying feeling he evoked had subtly shifted.

If before this person was sincere and genuinely intended to befriend Han Li, then this smile was merely a professional facade, conveying a sense of distance. Han Li, with his keen senses, could discern this from the subtle changes in his tone.

"This disciple naturally understands the function of the Ascension Token." Han Li bowed again: "The person carrying this token can enter Yellow Maple Valley and receive a Foundation Establishment Pill, enjoying the same treatment as the top ten winners of the Ascension Tournament..."

However, just as Han Li finished speaking, an old man in the hall suddenly spoke up:
"Han Li, I'm not mistaken, you're only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, right?" The old man asked, his eyes gleaming.

Han Li nodded: "Exactly."

"Have you noticed that your magical cultivation has become increasingly difficult to improve?"

"I had already noticed."

"It's good that you've noticed. Then let me tell you, with your four pseudo-spiritual roots, if you don't have a lot of cultivation resources to help you later, and you only rely on your daily hard work to hone your skills, your cultivation level in this life will at most reach the sixth level of Qi Refining, and at most, you might reach the seventh level of Qi Refining by luck." The old man stroked his beard, his face full of certainty.

Han Li was also frustrated by this.

How could he not know these things? After all, these were the rules of the spiritual root system that he had originally set. In other words, the bullet he fired many years ago struck him squarely between the eyebrows many years later when the book was completed.

It made him feel suffocated for a time.

Seeing Han Li remain silent, the old man did not shut up, but continued, "Han Li, do you know what level of cultivation is required for a Qi Refining cultivator to take a Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"It's said to be the seventh level of Qi Refining?"

"At the seventh level of Qi Refining, one can indeed gamble with luck, but there is a risk of tearing one's meridians. It's like a torrential downpour flooding a stream; the stream cannot withstand the sudden impact of the torrential downpour, and when the flood recedes, it will be completely unrecognizable." The old man was not exaggerating; this analogy was very apt.

"To avoid taking risks and damaging your meridians after taking the Foundation Establishment Pill, it is best to have a cultivation level of at least the ninth level of Qi Refining."

"Furthermore, the Foundation Establishment process must be completed before the age of sixty. After sixty, the body accumulates a great deal of impurities, and a single Foundation Establishment Pill is simply not enough to cleanse the marrow and transform the body. The Ascension Conference set up by the seven sects of Yue Kingdom requires that the bone age of participants not exceed 40 years old, which is also based on this consideration."

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle."

Han Li clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, intending to let the matter drop.

He knew he had reached his first hurdle in his journey into the mountains. If he could overcome it, he could find a way to exchange a Foundation Establishment Pill for a large amount of cultivation resources to improve his cultivation level. If he couldn't, his future path would be much more difficult. For example, it would be uncertain whether he could even venture into the Crimson Forbidden Land to obtain the precious herbs within.

Therefore, he wanted to move on from the topic and didn't want to put himself in a passive position surrounded by wolves.

But this old man was not so easily dealt with:
"Han Li, don't rush. I actually want to make a deal with you."

"trade?"

At this moment, not only Han Li tensed up, but many Foundation Establishment cultivators present also raised their eyebrows.

When they looked at the elders in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, some of them had an angry and irritable expression.

The man's lips moved slightly, as if he were talking to someone, but in reality he was using a secret technique to transmit his voice.

A single Foundation Establishment Pill involves many interests. However, these people are all mid-level figures in the sect, Foundation Establishment cultivators who need to maintain their dignity. How could they start arguing in front of a low-level Qi Refining cultivator at the fourth level?
Transmitting sound secretly is the most suitable method.

"Junior Brother Xu, what do you mean by this?"

"Hmph, Senior Brother Xu, you're pretending to want to make a deal with this unknown brat, but you really want the Foundation Establishment Pill represented by the Ascension Token, aren't you?"

"Junior Brother Xu, two members of your clan already benefited from the last distribution of Foundation Establishment Pills. Do you intend to take advantage again this time?"

"... "

A series of telepathic messages swirled around his ears, keeping the old man's face expressionless, though his eyelids twitched violently.

But for the sake of his family, and for the younger generation he liked, he didn't mind being a little shameless, and was even prepared to throw away all his pride.

"Nephew Han, your spiritual root quality is too poor. It'll be a long time before you can use the Foundation Establishment Pill to reach the late Qi Refining stage. Furthermore, without other cultivation resources, your cultivation progress will be incredibly slow. By then, you'll be like someone guarding a treasure mountain, unable to use it. Therefore, I suggest you trade with me. I will use a large amount of Qi Refining stage cultivation resources, magic tools, talismans, spirit stones, and so on to buy your Foundation Establishment Pill..."

"Trading with cultivation resources from the Qi Refining stage?" Han Li's eyes lit up.

This coincided with his initial idea.

"May I ask, Uncle-Master, what specific items can you offer?"

If it's suitable and they're sincere, they'll make the deal.

If it doesn't work out, then proceed according to the original plan.

In any case, he had already prepared a plan for this trip.

(End of this chapter)