Chapter 103: Chapter 11: This Is the Surprise

Outside the dojo, Steward Chen saw the Spiritual Qi above Li Jizhou’s cave finally stabilize, marking the final step of Foundation Establishment with the completion of the Condensed Liquid stage.

Foundation Establishment accomplished!

“Hoo~” He finally let out a long breath and sent a message to Elder Xu.

Three days later, Li Jizhou stabilized his state, storing seventy percent of the Dharma Liquid with the annual cycle, leaving only thirty percent in the Dantian.

When outsiders sense his Magical Power, they will feel the fluctuation of the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, but his Magical Power is relatively thin, likely not good at offense.

Then once again, he used his Divine Sense to touch the statue of the second life in the Sea of Consciousness within the Reincarnation Treasure Mirror.

Lifespan: “40/310.”

“Three hundred and one!” A slight smile appeared at the corner of Li Jizhou’s mouth.

Very satisfied!

In this realm, Qi Cultivation practitioners, when reaching perfection and without hidden injuries or damaged foundations, have a lifespan of around one hundred and twenty.

Once Foundation Establishment is achieved, the basic lifespan exceeds two hundred, with minor increases in the middle and late stages, the lifespan of complete Foundation Establishment reaches only two hundred thirty or forty.

In his previous life, Li Jizhou had numerous hidden ailments and ultimately failed to reach Core Formation, living only up to two hundred eighteen years.

The Evergreen Skill’s fifty percent lifespan enhancement allowed him, upon reaching Foundation Establishment, to have a lifespan of three hundred and ten years!

“Three hundred and ten years… If I stop here in this life, dying naturally… adding another three hundred ten points of Spirit Root next life still wouldn’t reach Top-Grade.”

“Heh~ There’s still two hundred seventy years in this life; how could I stop at Core Formation?” With a carefree laugh, Li Jizhou walked out of the Foundation Establishment cave.

“Congratulations to the elder for establishing Dao Foundation, advancing further on the Immortal Dao!”

“Congratulations to the elder for successfully achieving Foundation Establishment, that’s delightful!”

…

Once stepping out of the cave, two disciples from the Golden Sun Sect were already standing respectfully, arms folded, congratulating Li Jizhou.

“Here, a reward!” Li Jizhou casually took out two Tier One pills and tossed them over.

“Thank you, elder, may your Immortal Dao thrive, evergreen through the ages!”

The two disciples were overjoyed and once again congratulated Li Jizhou.

Having reached the stage where younger practitioners call him elder again.

Li Jizhou was in a good mood, summoned his Dharma Sword, donned in white, flying like snow, in an instant, towards the Immortal City.

Not to show off the descent of a Sword Immortal, but the Immortal City was very close, no need to summon the Flying Ship.

In no time, inside Miaodan Tower.

“Congratulations, Pill Master Li, for establishing Foundation at forty, with potential for Core Formation! Delightful!” Steward Chen laughed, coming up to greet.

“Thanks to Steward Chen’s kindness, Elder Xu’s grace, and Miaodan Tower’s nurturing. But, Steward Chen’s joking; how challenging Core Formation is, I dare not hope.” Li Jizhou smiled slightly.

“Pill Master Li is modest!” Steward Chen casually remarked, without correcting Li Jizhou’s words.

In this realm of cultivation, talent determines the limit!

With Lower-grade Spirit Root, unless consuming significant medicine, it’s hard to establish Foundation before forty; achieving Foundation in this life is the limit.

Li Jizhou, due to consuming significant medicine, could establish Foundation before forty, but it’s not his merit, rather the merit of Miaodan Tower’s significant medicine.

“Pill Master Li, today’s special meeting is to give you a surprise, please look!”

With the words ending, Steward Chen had already laid a contract in front of Li Jizhou.

So this was the so-called surprise?

Li Jizhou looked at the second-grade Honored Guest Elder contract in front, feeling quite surprised.

The normal requirement for second-grade Honored Guest Elder is a Tier Two advanced Pill Master who can refine Foundation Establishment Pills without incurring losses!

A Tier Two advanced Pill Master must have a Divine Soul strength at least at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment, and a realm minimum of the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment.

And being able to refine Foundation Establishment Pills without financial losses.

Foundation Establishment Pill is merely a Tier Two middle-level pill, theoretically speaking, a Tier Two middle-level Pill Master can refine it.

However, most Pill Masters suffer losses when refining Foundation Establishment Pills, and even Tier Three Pill Masters may not guarantee consistent success.

This requirement is quite challenging.

At least, Li Jizhou had no plans within ten years.

Yet unexpectedly, Miaodan Tower outright presented it.

“Steward Chen, you… make Li Jizhou uneasy!” Li Jizhou showed a startled expression.

“Haha, Pill Master Li, rest assured!”

“Please, Steward Chen, speak clearly about what exactly Li needs to do?” Li Jizhou straightforwardly revealed.

Steward Chen smiled faintly, immediately leading Li Jizhou into the private room.

Then, he flicked his hand towards the wall.

“Whoosh~”

A magical power poster appeared before them.

The moment the poster unfolded, a pill appeared within.

Immediately, the introduction of this pill emerged.

It was the powerful pill that Li Jizhou had previously been repeatedly endorsed by Shopkeeper Wang in the Spirit Pearl Mountain market division, forcibly enhancing cultivation through his Dantian!

“This…” After browsing through the poster’s introduction, Li Jizhou suddenly realized.

Not waiting for Steward Chen to speak, he had already understood.

No wonder the other party always said there would be a surprise once he succeeded in Foundation Establishment!

It turned out they wanted him to be an endorser for their powerful pill!

And the contract of a Tier Two Honored Guest Elder was the exchange condition.

“Pill Master Li, I mentioned I’d give you a surprise, right?”

“On one hand, it could make you famous across the cultivation world of Qi Kingdom; on the other hand, the status of a Tier Two Honored Guest Elder at Miaodan Tower is incredibly prestigious. Internally, you enjoy middle-level treatment of the sect, and externally, you bear the title of an honorary elder of my Golden Sun Sect…” Steward Chen said with a smile.

Li Jizhou quietly stared at the poster, not responding.

However, in his mind, the relevant connections were quickly sorted out.

“It seems that Miaodan Tower has severely stocked up on those powerful pills, and it probably relates to its status within the sect, perhaps because of this, facing accusations from others within the sect.”

“That Shopkeeper Wang in the Spirit Pearl Mountain market division likely has the same performance metrics to sell these kinds of powerful pills as everyone else.”

“At that time, to cover up the issue with the Evergreen Skill’s level, I inadvertently aligned with them.”

He needed the pill to explain why his practice of the Evergreen Skill, which progressed slowly, still allowed for such rapid advancement.

And Miaodan Tower needed him to prove to a wide range of loose cultivators that the pill could allow a cultivator to advance while achieving a successful Foundation Establishment.

Just at this moment, the poster changed again, starting to show a familiar scene.

In the scene, it was the moment at the Spirit Pearl Mountain market division when Shopkeeper Wang introduced the pill’s purpose to Li Jizhou and persuaded him to use the pill for enhancing his cultivation, recorded as an image.

This record Li Jizhou was aware of, as Shopkeeper Wang had previously informed him, gaining his consent.

“Pill Master Li, how is it? If you are willing, then please write a relatively real and tragic experience yourself, then focus on describing the psychological activities before and after taking the pill, finally, narrate the psychological activities after successfully establishing the Foundation. Oh, yes, a description of the situation during the Foundation Establishment is also needed.”

“Additionally, we’ll need a portrait image of you!”

Li Jizhou smiled wryly and said, “Steward Chen, wouldn’t this expose that Li’s cultivation level was increased by taking pills to everyone?”

“Furthermore, there’s the perception among everyone that increasing cultivation through pills almost leaves no future potential… wouldn’t this make Li a laughingstock within the cultivation community?”

Just as Li Jizhou had said, human nature is such that there are people who, upon seeing someone starting from a similar point, or even a lower point than themselves, achieve greater success, will subconsciously seek their bad points,

things like relying on connections, sacrificing dignity, relying on luck, being ruthless… etc., simply to prove to themselves that it’s not their lack of ability, but rather some virtue they possess.

With Li Jizhou’s experience, it’s predictable that once shared, it’s bound to receive disdain from a large group of people.

“Humph~ relying on pills? Insulting the Dao!”

“Path forward cut off!”

…

Of course, this is only a part of those making excuses for their own failures, while those with confidence and tenacity, those who have their own path, or those rational enough to see that Li Jizhou’s pill reliance was supported by financial power and alchemy skill, will neither think this way nor have admiration.

However, for Li Jizhou,

others’ opinions don’t matter at all.

Moreover, this aligns perfectly with the persona he maintains.

A craftsman who ascended to Foundation Establishment relying on pills, with modest power, limited potential, yet extraordinary Pill Skills.

Such a person would naturally be overlooked by those in Golden Core grand cultivation.

And for ordinary individuals, there wouldn’t be deliberate grievances with this kind of person, not to mention this person has Pill Skills, even if he had nothing, bullying a weak group often leads to disdain.

If he becomes a Tier Two Honored Guest Elder, he would also gain the honorary elder title of the Golden Sun Sect.

If it’s within Golden Sun Sect territory, there would be fewer needless troubles!

At least families within the territory would need to respectfully call him Elder Li upon meeting him.

“This… I did not fully consider, then… if we cover your face with magical power, so others can’t recognize you, how about that?” Steward Chen, hearing Li Jizhou’s words, was also slightly stunned, then gave a solution.

“Isn’t this akin to covering one’s ears to steal a bell? My trajectory over the years has been open and aboveboard, without concealment, once the poster is released, those with intent should soon uncover the details about me.” Li Jizhou replied helplessly again.

He didn’t refuse, nor did he rush to agree.

“Then what do you mean, Pill Master Li?” Steward Chen looked at Li Jizhou with a troubled expression.

“My intention is, if this poster were to become a joke as expected, then staying in the Immortal City regularly meeting people would be somewhat uncomfortable… is it possible for your division to find a place for me with sparse population, but with Spirit Veins not lower than this place?”

Li Jizhou said opportunely.

Now with Bai Yi and Black Xuan refining pills daily, staying in the Upper City District where people gather is somewhat inappropriate.

Especially after visiting the Golden Sun Sect’s Foundation Establishment Dojo and seeing that Outer Peak, the kind of sparsely populated yet within the Golden Sun Sect’s protective range with Spirit Veins even superior to the current Upper City District’s Spirit Veins, and independent Dojo that can go to Immortal City anytime for purchases is highly appealing.

“Oh? Does Pill Master Li have such concerns? Indeed, people’s words are fearsome, my considerations weren’t comprehensive enough, please wait, I’ll go consult Elder Xu.” Steward Chen nodded, quickly turned, and headed towards the backyard.

Watching Steward Chen’s departing figure, Li Jizhou smiled slightly.

The reason he just proposed the residence is because within the Tier Two Honored Guest Elder terms, there’s an option to reside in the Golden Sun Sect.

But that’s at Miaodan Peak in Golden Sun Sect.

The place is crowded and frequently under the watchful eyes of Golden Core Supreme Elders, and he wouldn’t dare to go there.

But the Outer Peak would be very suitable.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep