17: Get rich quick, consider Foundation Building

"Thanks to that black-clothed Senior who suddenly appeared just now..." Liu Rumei briefly explained, her gaze then turning cold.

She looked at the bandit chief Sun Badao, who was slumped on the ground, having witnessed Wu Huan's death and already scared to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering!

"Martial Uncle Yao, leave this person to me!" Liu Rumei stepped forward with her sword, her voice icy.

Where was Sun Badao's previous ferocity now?

Watching Liu Rumei approach with Killing Intent, he was scared out of his wits and tried to crawl away to escape.

Pfft!

A flash of sword light sent a terrified head flying!

Liu Rumei and Bai Xiaoqiao began to collect Tang Er's body and check Meng Hu's injuries; his arm was broken and he was heavily wounded and unconscious, but he was still breathing.

Seeing that Meng Hu was not in mortal danger, they began to clean up the battlefield.

Later, inside the main tent in the center of the camp,

they discovered two sandalwood chests filled with Low-Grade Spirit Stones and Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

As the morning light shone faintly, the villagers of Desolate Earth Village bid a grateful farewell to the Immortals of the Yin Yang Sect.

The spirit boat carried the unconscious Fierce Tiger, Tang Er's body, and the three exhausted survivors,

streaking across the sky like a green rainbow in the dawn light, speeding toward the Yin Yang Sect.

The atmosphere inside the spirit boat's cabin was heavy. Bai Xiaoqiao looked after the unconscious Fierce Tiger,

while Liu Rumei looked at Tang Er's cold corpse, her beautiful eyes filled with sorrow.

Yao Delong sat silently in a corner, eyes closed as he regulated his breathing, looking shaken and as if his Origin Qi was greatly depleted.

Halfway through, Fierce Tiger finally woke up amidst a piercing pain.

The tearing sensation from his severed arm and the strong backlash from the Blood Burning Pill made his whole body twitch, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

He struggled to open his eyes, his blurred vision scanning the cabin, seeing Liu Rumei and Bai Xiaoqiao,

and finally landing on Yao Delong, who was in the corner, seemingly unharmed but with a pale face.

An indescribable anger and sense of imbalance instantly overwhelmed the pain! He rasped, like a wounded beast;

"Heh... heh... that old waste... why... why is he fine?!"

His voice was full of deep-seated hatred and resentment.

Liu Rumei frowned. Although she had been dissatisfied with Meng Hu's previous arrogance, seeing his miserable state now,

she patiently recounted how the mysterious black-robed Sword Cultivator had appeared last night to kill Wu Huan and save everyone,

and briefly mentioned Yao Delong "intercepting" the stragglers on the perimeter.

"Black-robed... Sword Cultivator?" Meng Hu panted, his expression shifting. He seemed to have seen a flash of sword light before he lost consciousness.

As for Yao Delong intercepting the bandits? He didn't believe a single word!

This old thing must have hidden in some corner shivering, only coming out to take advantage once the dust had settled!

Looking at Yao Delong's "weak" appearance, Meng Hu found it incredibly eyesore and disgusting, and the hatred in his heart deepened.

Upon returning to the Yin Yang Sect, Liu Rumei immediately arranged for people to send the heavily injured Meng Hu to Pill Cloud Peak for treatment; whether his severed arm could be reattached was still unknown.

She then personally sent Tang Er's remains back to Tuyao Peak.

After handling these chores, she went with Bai Xiaoqiao and Yao Delong to the Mission Hall to turn in the mission.

The Mission Hall Deacon verified the token of the bandit chief Sun Badao's identity (his head) and the thumbprint certification from the Desolate Earth Village chief, confirming the mission was completed to Perfection.

After collecting the rewards, Liu Rumei distributed the shares belonging to her, Bai Xiaoqiao, and Yao Delong on the spot.

Without the slightest hesitation,

she divided the 6,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones and 100 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones (equivalent in value to 10,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones) found in the bandit stronghold's treasury

equally into four shares! Each person received 1,500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones plus 25 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones (worth 2,500 Low-Grade Spirit Stones).

"Martial Uncle Yao, this is your share." Liu Rumei handed a heavy Storage Pouch filled with Spirit Stones to Yao Delong,

her attitude still carrying the respect due to an elder,

"If Martial Uncle hadn't been there to provide support, some stragglers might have escaped and disturbed the villagers."

A faint, imperceptible flash of surprise crossed Yao Delong's cloudy eyes, which then turned into a "grateful" smile as he took it tremblingly;

"Thank you, Martial Niece Liu... thank you... this old man... is ashamed, truly ashamed..."

He knew that on the surface, he hadn't really contributed much.

Liu Rumei's action was out of respect for his "Junior Martial Uncle" status and her own sense of fairness.

After turning in the mission, the three parted in front of the hall.

Liu Rumei and Bai Xiaoqiao still needed to report back to Heavenly Sword Peak, while Yao Delong hunched his back

and walked with unsteady steps toward Luoxia Peak.

After returning to his wooden hut and carefully observing that no one was around, Yao Delong closed the door,

and sent his spiritual power inside!

Crash!

A wave of brilliance flowed out!

Neatly stacked Low-Grade Spirit Stones, like a small mountain, were roughly estimated to be ten thousand!

Beside them was a smaller jade box; upon opening it,

inside were neatly arranged milky-white crystals emitting ten times the concentration of Spiritual Qi—

a full two hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!

In addition, there were several bottles of Medicinal Pills for healing and restoring Spiritual Qi, of decent quality;

a scroll made of animal hide emitting a dark glow, with "Waning Moon Blade Technique" (Profound Rank Intermediate) written on the cover;

and some miscellaneous Ores and Materials.

"Hiss—" Even though Yao Delong was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but gasp!

Ten thousand Low Grade! Two hundred Medium Grade!

A huge sum totaling over thirty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones! And that wasn't even counting those Medicinal Pills and Cultivation Techniques!

Yao Delong's current net worth far exceeded that of ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators!

Even some Cultivators who had just entered the Golden Core stage might not be as wealthy as him!

"Foundation Establishment! It's time to plan for Foundation Establishment!"

After seeing the immense wealth he possessed, an even stronger thought occupied Yao Delong's mind!

He had already reached Perfection in the Qi Refining realm, and the urgency of his nearing Lifespan was constantly pushing him forward!

The next morning, a refreshed Yao Delong went down the mountain again and walked into the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, a place he knew well.

"Oh! Brother Yao! Have you brought another surprise for me today?"

Seeing him, Luo Yan's eyes were like silk, and she swayed her water-snake waist as she approached, her full bosom almost bumping into Yao Delong's chest.

After that night's hearty "battle" and the slight increase in her cultivation,

she had become increasingly curious and... infatuated with this mysterious old man.

Yao Delong went straight to the point, "Sister, I've come today to ask... does your shop have any foundation establishment pills for sale?"

"foundation establishment pills?" A flash of understanding crossed Luo Yan's eyes, followed by a professional, warm smile appearing on her face,

"Of course we do! Brother Yao is going to attempt Foundation Establishment, which is a major event! How could I not do my best?"

She led Yao Delong to a more elegant counter, where various Medicinal Pills were displayed inside a crystal case.

"Please look, Brother Yao. This foundation establishment pill is the stepping stone for a Cultivator to knock on the door of the Great Dao of Longevity, and it is of utmost importance!

Its quality is divided by the number of 'Revolutions,' which represents the pill's grade and medicinal potential."

"First Revolution Foundation Establishment Pill: The most common type, with relatively crude medicinal power. It can help a Cultivator forcibly break through,

with a success rate of about fifty percent. Once successful, one's Lifespan can increase by a hundred years."

"Second to Sixth Revolution: The quality improves sequentially, and the purity of the medicinal power and the success rate increase accordingly.

With each additional Revolution, the Lifespan after a successful Foundation Establishment increases by ten years. For example, the Second Revolution can increase it by one hundred and ten years, and the Sixth Revolution by one hundred and fifty years."

"Seventh Revolution Foundation Establishment Pill: This is already a rare treasure! Its medicinal power is pure and vast, containing a hint of heaven and earth's dao rhyme, and the success rate can reach over ninety percent!

The successful candidate's Lifespan will be one hundred and seventy years!"

"Eighth Revolution, Ninth Revolution..." Luo Yan's voice carried a hint of longing,

"Those are legendary existences! Not only is the success rate infinitely close to a hundred percent, but they can also greatly improve the grade of the Foundation Establishment Dao Platform,

significantly increasing the probability of future Core Formation! A Nine Revolutions Foundation Establishment Pill is said to increase Lifespan by two hundred and twenty years once successful!

However, such Divine Pills are rare even in the large auction houses of the entire Ba Xia Dynasty, let alone the Myriad Medicine Pavilion. They are priceless and hard to find even in a hundred years!"

Yao Delong's heart surged with excitement!

Especially when he heard that the Nine Revolutions Foundation Establishment Pill could increase Lifespan by a full two hundred and twenty years, he was momentarily stunned!