Chapter 133: Hundreds of lives fused into one vessel; do you want Foundation Establishment Pills?

Inside the Wave-Swallowing Sea-Gathering Vessel, nearly a small basin of blood was stored!

It was human blood!

And it was the essence blood of cultivators!

Every drop contained immensely rich Qi, blood, spiritual power, and even the innate Qi brought about by the shedding of one's mortal frame as a cultivator continuously broke through realms.

Every drop was scarlet and translucent, appearing just like a blood bodhi.

Under normal circumstances, a loose Qi Refining cultivator could extract at most ten drops of essence blood.

Any more, and it would damage their foundation, leaving them unable to advance a single step for the rest of their lives.

If one disregarded the consequences and forcibly extracted it, this number would only increase to twenty or thirty drops at most.

But inside the Wave-Swallowing Sea-Gathering Vessel, there was a full small basin.

Luo Chen found it hard to imagine how many cultivators Wang Yuan had killed to gather this small basin of cultivator essence blood.

Facing Luo Chen’s shock, Wang Yuan merely smiled slightly.

"If Heaven gives but one does not take, one will surely suffer the consequences."

"If the time comes and one does not act, one will suffer the disaster instead."

"Having met the opportunity, some things must be done; otherwise, I might regret it for a lifetime."

The logic was indeed that logic.

But to actually do it, one would need to have a heart of stone.

Killing people and seizing treasures was nothing; such things happened every day in the Eastern Wasteland cultivation world.

But involving the extraction of cultivator essence blood, this was already a demonic method.

Once discovered, one would face the wanted notices and pursuit of righteous sects.

Moreover, to collect so much essence blood, how many battles would one have to go through, and how much risk would be involved?

"I know you have always wanted to improve that second-tier pill formula."

Wang Yuan stood up, his hands clasped behind his back.

"But you are currently only a first-tier alchemist; being able to derive the first-tier Blood-Burning Pill is already a sign of a heaven-sent talent. To improve a second-tier pill formula, how difficult that is!"

"In this vessel, there is the essence blood of over a hundred cultivators; some were killed by my own hands, and some I extracted from corpses."

"I have calculated that each drop can serve as a portion of raw material, which, added together, is enough to support you in opening the furnace thousands of times."

"I will also try my best to gather the other two main ingredients. When the time comes, you just need to focus on alchemy."

Speaking to the end, Wang Yuan paused.

Turning around, he looked at Luo Chen with burning eyes.

"That 'Spirit-Clearing Evil-Breaking' technique, you should be close to entering the threshold, right!"

Luo Chen was startled; he was indeed close to entering the threshold.

After months of effort, only the most critical and dangerous head acupoints remained of the thirty-six involved.

However, why was Wang Yuan saying this?

Facing Luo Chen’s puzzled gaze, Wang Yuan chuckled: "The Blood-Evil Pill belongs to the blood-path pills, but in fact, cultivators who do not cultivate the blood path can also use it, though they will endure immense pain."

"If you truly enter the threshold of 'Spirit-Clearing Evil-Breaking', then your willpower should be enough to withstand that kind of pain."

"Luo Chen, don't you want to possess a body capable of carrying the Dao?"

In the early stages, cultivators focus on Qi Refining, with Spirit Refining as a supplement.

They do not place much importance on the physical body.

But in reality, as long as one does not ascend to the Nascent Soul realm, a cultivator cannot abandon their physical shell.

If the physical shell is severely damaged, it can easily affect one's path to the Dao.

Figures like Zeng Wen and Gao Tingyuan were all victims of this.

Qin Liangchen once lost an arm, and in order not to affect his path to the Dao, he even gave up the inheritance of Bai Qi, insisting that the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect reattach a new limb for him.

Luo Chen was not a fool; he naturally realized that a sufficiently powerful body would be of great benefit to pursuing the Dao.

Under Wang Yuan’s words, Luo Chen felt a stir of temptation.

But looking at the Wave-Swallowing Sea-Gathering Vessel in his hand, which carried the lives of over a hundred cultivators, his stirring heart instantly calmed down.

A simple sentence directly questioned Wang Yuan.

"Even if I can refine the Blood-Evil Pill, how many pills can this amount of material produce? What realm can it support us to reach? When the essence blood runs out, what then?"

Amidst Wang Yuan’s hesitation, Luo Chen said in a low voice:

"Are we to engage in mass slaughter until we attract the attention of the major sects?"

……

……

Wang Yuan left, taking the Wave-Swallowing Sea-Gathering Vessel containing the cultivator essence blood with him.

It was not safe to keep this item with Luo Chen; it was better for him to keep it for now.

Regarding what Luo Chen said, he had not failed to consider it before.

It was just that in the environment of the Jin Dan ruins in the Ancient Plains Mountains, he couldn't help himself for a moment, so he collected a lot of cultivator essence blood.

Just as he said, if Heaven gives but one does not take, one will surely suffer the consequences. If the time comes and one does not act, one will suffer the disaster instead.

But he had gotten one thing wrong.

He thought that the essence blood of over a hundred cultivators would be enough to support Luo Chen in refining many Blood-Evil Pills.

But he did not understand alchemy, nor did he know what a heaven-defying thing it was for a first-tier alchemist to refine second-tier pills.

Even someone as strong as Qing Yuanzi, when cross-tier refining third-tier pills, used the Pill-Nurturing Technique to cultivate them.

Under Luo Chen’s explanation, he deeply realized that for an alchemist to refine pills of a corresponding tier, they had to go through countless failures before they could barely succeed once.

And even if they succeeded, if they wanted to replicate or improve later, they had to be prepared for the possibility of massive failure.

Not to mention, this was cross-tier refining.

The essence blood of over a hundred cultivators seemed like it could refine many Blood-Evil Pills, but in reality, the final number of successful pills would be countable on one's fingers!

It could not support Wang Yuan’s long-term cultivation at all, let alone let Luo Chen enjoy it as well.

It was precisely after this explanation that Wang Yuan completely calmed down.

He stated directly that he would consider this matter carefully.

Either wait until he possessed sufficiently high combat power to protect Luo Chen.

Or wait until Luo Chen ascended to a second-tier alchemist, and then see the specific situation.

In the end, he still did not give up on this matter.

However, before leaving, Wang Yuan told Luo Chen a very important piece of news.

"Mi Shuhua has returned early!"

This news made Luo Chen shudder in shock.

When did Mi Shuhua return?

And why did the other cultivators of the Mountain-Breaking Gang not know anything about it?

Now that the Mountain-Breaking Gang was suffering huge losses and was in a precarious situation, shouldn't he announce it to others to stabilize the morale of the troops upon his return?

Wang Yuan did not know the specific situation either.

He only told Luo Chen this news and mentioned that the formation of the Jin Dan ruins had dissipated, attracting quite a few second-tier demonic beasts at the time.

After a great battle, the human Foundation Establishment cultivators all used their own methods to scatter and flee like birds and beasts.

Luo Chen kept this news in his heart and did not tell anyone.

In the following days, he continued to refine pills and cultivate every day, acting as if nothing had happened.

It was not until three days later that Zhou Yuanli quietly found him with a sound-transmission jade slip.

"The Gang Leader requests your presence!"

……

This was Luo Chen’s first time coming to the Mi family territory.

Accompanied by Mi Junping and a man at the ninth level of Qi Refining, he stepped step by step toward the forbidden area within the Mi family territory.

Calling it a forbidden area, it was actually just Mi Shuhua’s personal place for secluded cultivation.

Walking along the way, Luo Chen also observed the mental state of the Mi family members.

He didn't see anything; everyone seemed to be in quite good spirits.

It seemed that with the Mountain-Breaking Gang, a loose cultivator gang, providing blood for the Mi family to suck, they had developed quite well over the years.

Just on this stretch of road, Luo Chen discovered many young clansmen at the middle and early stages of Qi Refining.

"We're here. Zifan, you go busy yourself; I'll take him in," Mi Junping said.

The man at the ninth level of Qi Refining who had accompanied them nodded.

However, before leaving, the look he gave Luo Chen held a hint of resentment.

Luo Chen’s observation skills were very keen; the Spirit Eye Technique rooted in his eyes allowed him to quickly detect that hint of resentment.

"Is this person Mi Zifan? The one who once ranked in the top ten on the Great River Heaven’s Pride List?" Luo Chen asked curiously, pretending not to know.

Mi Junping gave a hum and said with a tone of regret: "It’s just a pity that after losing to that person named Duan Feng once, his ranking dropped. Now that the Dao Discussion Platform is closed, he has even less chance to fight his way back up, which has caused my Mi family to lose face for nothing."

Speaking of Duan Feng, Mi Junping looked at Luo Chen with a half-smile.

"I remember it was you and Qin Liangchen who recommended Duan Feng to join the Poshan Gang, right?"

Luo Chen smiled slightly, "Yes, he is currently registered in the Pill Hall, but the gang hasn't given him a fixed salary, so he is doing a little business on his own now."

"Then you should be careful; maybe Mi Zifan will go to Duan Feng to seek revenge."

As she spoke, Mi Junping suddenly raised the corners of her mouth.

"Almost forgot, you and Mi Zifan already have a grudge. Now it can be considered new grudges added to old ones; he probably hates you even more!"

I have a grudge with Mi Zifan?

Luo Chen was startled.

For no reason, when did he form a grudge with a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator?

Seeing Luo Chen stunned, Mi Junping whispered three words.

"Spirit-Gathering Array."

Instantly, Luo Chen knew where the grudge came from.

Back then, when he was robbed and hunted by rogue cultivators from the Snow Lotus Workshop, he used this as leverage to hole up in the inner city and not go out.

To give him an explanation, Mi Shuhua specially sent someone to deliver a Small Spirit-Gathering Array.

It was precisely by relying on the Small Spirit-Gathering Array that he was able to increase his cultivation efficiency to the standard of a dual-spirit-root cultivator.

But one could imagine that a good thing like the Small Spirit-Gathering Array must also be highly respected in the Mi family.

How could it be an idle and useless object?

Now it seemed that the original owner of this Small Spirit-Gathering Array was Mi Zifan, this ninth-level Qi Refining expert.

This grudge, it wasn't wrongly placed!

Luo Chen gave a bitter smile.

Glancing at the corners of Mi Junping’s raised mouth from the corner of his eye, his heart suddenly stirred.

Why is she reminding me of these things for no reason?

Could it be that she doesn't get along with that Mi Zifan either?

But she is of the Mi family’s second generation, and Mi Zifan is only her nephew!

Neither a threat nor lacking a blood relationship.

No matter what, she should help her kin rather than reason.

Not to mention that his relationship with Mi Junping wasn't that good either?

While Luo Chen was deep in thought, Mi Junping led him forward continuously, and the direction they were walking was getting lower and lower.

It was as if they were heading underground.

Suddenly, the two stopped in front of a stone door.

"Go in; my father is waiting for you inside."

Luo Chen took a careful look at Mi Junping, and seeing her expression was calm, he took a deep breath and pushed open the stone door alone.

Just as he stepped inside, before he had time to check the specific situation, he heard the stone door close heavily.

Luo Chen’s heart jumped, and he subconsciously took a step back.

Only then did he realize that this small stone room, which was less than ten square meters, was exceptionally different.

Spiritual energy!

Spiritual energy, abundant to an unimaginable degree, was like a vast ocean.

Even just standing in it, Luo Chen felt his Everlasting Spring Technique wanting to operate automatically, as if it couldn't wait to absorb this rich spiritual energy.

"Second-tier spiritual vein!"

Luo Chen blurted out.

"Unfortunately, it is not."

From the center of the stone room came Mi Shuhua’s aged voice.

Aged and weary, no longer as full of vigor as in the past.

Luo Chen was startled, and with his spirit eyes constantly scanning, he discovered that Mi Shuhua’s face presented a sickly pale color.

He sat cross-legged on a prayer mat woven with gold and silver threads, and beside him were placed many bottles and jars.

Luo Chen could clearly perceive that beneath that prayer mat, there was an extremely rich source of spiritual energy.

It was very similar to the spiritual energy branch cave he had discovered under the Slanting Moon Valley, only it was a bit richer.

"Is there also a large piece of spirit stone raw ore underneath?"

"But even if it is a branch of a first-tier spiritual vein, it shouldn't be able to create such a vast and surging spiritual energy environment!"

Just as Luo Chen was puzzled, a crisp cracking sound reached his ears.

Luo Chen followed the sound and saw that in the southeast corner of the stone room, a pile of transparent, whitish rhombic crystals collapsed, turning into a pile of stone powder.

"Spirit stones, mid-grade spirit stones!"

Luo Chen could count that there were at least ten spirit stones in that pile just by a glance.

And this was just one corner.

The other eight corners of the stone room were all placed with the same number of mid-grade spirit stones.

This meant that there were eighty mid-grade spirit stones on the ground, equivalent to more than eight thousand low-grade spirit stones!

"This place was originally a branch of a spiritual vein, belonging to the first tier. Under my arrangement, no spiritual energy can leak out."

"Not only that, I used a second-tier Spirit-Gathering Array to draw in a large amount of spiritual energy from mid-grade spirit stones, mixed it with the spiritual energy here, and finally formed a second-tier spiritual vein environment suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators to cultivate."

"Luo Chen, do you think cultivating here would be better?"

Mi Shuhua stared at Luo Chen, his eyes burning.

Luo Chen immediately showed a smile of joy, "That is undoubtedly better. Gang Leader, you wouldn't be thinking of lending this place to me for cultivation, would you!"

"Hmm, that is not impossible. From now on, I will allow you to cultivate here once a month."

Mi Shuhua smiled slightly, "Moreover, besides accelerating cultivation, this place also has considerable benefits for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm."

Temptation!

This old guy is clearly tempting me!

From the moment Mi Shuhua introduced the cultivation environment here, Luo Chen had already realized this point.

Especially when he mentioned that this place helped with breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm, he was even more certain.

However, why is he using this to tempt me?

"Luo Chen, what are your thoughts on Foundation Establishment?"

Luo Chen said without hesitation: "I yearn for it, wishing I could become a true cultivator of the Dao!"

"A commendable ambition!" Mi Shuhua praised.

Luo Chen sighed and shook his head, showing a bitter expression, "It’s just a pity that the Dao is difficult to walk; my aptitude is inferior, and I fear that in my entire life, I will find it hard to even touch the door of Foundation Establishment."

"Oh, you are being too self-deprecating."

In Luo Chen’s astonished gaze, Mi Shuhua said with a chuckle: "The eighth level of Qi Refining is only one small realm away from Foundation Establishment; you have great prospects!"

He knows I’m at the eighth level of Qi Refining!

Can the Grandmaster-level Qi-Restraining Technique not block a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s investigation?

Or was it told to him by that Deacon Miao of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect?

Suddenly, Luo Chen thought of that trace of spiritual power on his shoulder that was pure to the extreme.

Damn it, a leaf blocking the eyes!

Others had left means on him; no matter how well he concealed it, it was just putting on makeup under someone else’s nose.

No matter how strange the makeup was, the other party could naturally recognize the original appearance at a glance.

Luo Chen squeezed out a smile with great difficulty and praised insincerely: "Gang Leader, your old self truly has eyes like torches."

He did not mention his motive for concealing his realm.

Mi Shuhua did not pursue it either.

Some things, everyone just needs to know in their hearts.

Exposing them would only make everyone look bad.

Not only that, Mi Shuhua instead brought out an even greater temptation that made Luo Chen’s heart beat wildly.

"At your pace, I fear you will have half a foot inside the threshold of Foundation Establishment within ten years. By then, what are your plans?"

Luo Chen was puzzled; what plans could he have?

It was nothing more than plotting for a Foundation Establishment Pill!

And then, a Foundation Establishment Pill was placed in front of Luo Chen.