Chapter 101: Quanshan Opportunity, The Secret of the Dao Foundation

The world is full of strange and bizarre techniques, countless in number; especially those passed down by miscellaneous rogue cultivators, which may be of no benefit to one's Daoist cultivation, but given the sheer number of cultivators in the world, there is always a flash of inspiration to be found.

This flash of inspiration, or perhaps a certain line of thought, may actually hold some value for some high-level cultivators, allowing their own Daoist path to develop more variations.

However, this sort of thing, how should I put it, is no different from panning for gold in excrement.

The fees for those Scripture Pavilions that interpret scriptures are quite steep; not to mention starting at ten Spirit Pearls, they only return the appraisal fee and give you a sum of Spirit Pearls if they deem it to have some value. Such transactions, maintained entirely by the other party's credit and character, naturally attract very few people.

Chen Ci certainly wouldn't go; he does indeed have a remnant Dao Tome that could be sold for money, but this thing truly cannot see the light of day, so it is better not to even think about it.

Profiteer.

Chen Ci spat quietly, thought for a moment, and then continued to ask: "What exactly is the situation on the Liuyun River? What is the background of that Waterway Superintendent? Why are grain prices soaring everywhere in Xishan Prefecture, to the point of inciting civil unrest, yet neither the Liang Kingdom officials nor the high cultivators of Longhu Mountain have come out to resolve it?"

"Heh, you ask quite a lot. By the way, I remember you are still an Apprentice of the He Mountain Sect."

The shopkeeper thought for a moment and held up three fingers: "Three bottles."

Chen Ci: "."

With a bitter face, he handed over three bottles of Health-Preserving Pills. The shopkeeper took them, but didn't take them all at once, and immediately chuckled: "Look at that stingy look of yours, no ambition. If you are still alive in a hundred years, this matter might have something to do with you. Better to know early, better to prepare early."

"What do you mean?"

Chen Ci was stunned, his hand loosening subconsciously.

"I dare not speak too definitively, but the matter on the Liuyun River, hehe, has an eighty percent chance of being aimed at Quanshan."

The shopkeeper said while checking the Health-Preserving Pills: "On Quanshan, there is an opportunity for Golden Core formation."

"Golden Core? Shopkeeper, isn't that stretching it a bit too far?"

Chen Ci's eyes narrowed slightly: "Don't try to swindle me for food and drink."

"Pah!"

The shopkeeper spat and laughed mockingly: "My Baibao Pavilion is renowned for its reputation. This matter isn't some secret; if you go and ask around... cough, others certainly won't have the details I do."

Seeming to have let something slip, the shopkeeper coughed lightly and quickly said: "Do you think Longhu Mountain just picked any random mountain to establish their orthodoxy? Let me tell you this: it is because of the Quanshan Nine Springs Temple that Quanzhou exists. The fact that there is an opportunity for Golden Core formation on Quanshan is a secret that has already spread among the upper echelons of Quanzhou, though what exactly it is, outsiders cannot know."

"However, Lin Qinhu of your He Mountain Sect certainly knows; after all, Quanshan also has a share belonging to your He Mountain Sect."

The shopkeeper smiled slyly: "That so-called Waterway Superintendent is likely aiming for the opportunity on Quanshan. As it stands, it seems they might just have to contend with Lin Qinhu. With these three parties competing, naturally, no one is willing to be the first to step forward."

"Shopkeeper, rein it in; the vinegar jar has been knocked over."

Chen Ci twitched the corner of his mouth. Although the shopkeeper was gloating, the sourness in his tone could not be hidden at all.

Judging by his age, this shopkeeper was probably not much different from his own cheap senior brother Hutou, and they might have even dealt with each other before.

It's just that their current achievements are worlds apart: one is charging toward the Upper Grade Dao Foundation, preparing to reach the pinnacle of life, and even has an opportunity for Golden Core formation; the other is running a general store in a red-light district, bragging to a junior, swindling food and drink, tsk.

However, in terms of cultivation, although Chen Ci has made significant progress, he still feels that this lecherous old man's True Qi is more than twice his own, likely around the Hundred Apertures, and he might even be an expert with a chance to charge at the Dao Foundation.

"Is there? Nonsense!"

The shopkeeper curled his lips, but didn't say much else: "As for the background of the Waterway Superintendent, opinions vary. Some say it is a dragon-kin, but in the Liang Kingdom, the only one capable of contending with Longhu Mountain and the He Mountain Sect is the Liuyun Water Mansion."

After a pause, without waiting for Chen Ci to ask, the shopkeeper explained directly: "The Liuyun Water Mansion is not within the borders of the Liang Kingdom; it is in the sea. As for how this monster got involved with Quanzhou and the Liuyun Palace, that is truly unknown."

In the sea, the East Sea? Dragon-kin?

Chen Ci's heart stirred. He didn't pursue the matter, but asked a somewhat distant question: "Do Dao Foundation High Cultivators need the opportunity at Quanshan to form a Golden Core?"

The shopkeeper couldn't help but roll his eyes: "How would I know? Ask me after you reach Foundation Establishment. If I'm still alive, remember to come back and tell me about it."

"For just this bit of common knowledge, you charged me three bottles of Health-Preserving Pills, isn't that a bit too dark?"

Chen Ci complained nonchalantly: "Dark, too dark. Give me another piece of information?"

"Heh."

The shopkeeper leaned back, neither agreeing nor refusing.

"Shopkeeper, cough, Senior."

Chen Ci smiled shamelessly: "What exactly is the situation with the Dao Foundation? I thought it would be enough once my True Qi cultivation reached a certain level, but it seems that's not the case."

The shopkeeper glanced at Chen Ci with some surprise: "You don't have a teacher to explain... eh, with your stingy nature, you probably aren't well-liked. I'll tell you then; you'd know once your cultivation reaches that point anyway."

"Martial artists cultivate blood and Qi, Qi-refiners cultivate True Qi, and the Dao Foundation is for cultivating Dharma Power."

The shopkeeper said indifferently: "Cultivating the one hundred and eight apertures, the True Qi in the dantian fuses to generate low-grade Dharma Power. Although it becomes a Dao Foundation, without the formation of Dharma Power talismans, the foundation is of the lowest grade. If one pushes their cultivation higher and is granted a Dao Foundation Atlas by their sect to weave the True Qi in the dantian into corresponding Dharma Power talismans, only then can it be considered a true Dao Foundation. For every thirty-six additional apertures opened, the quality of the Dharma Power talismans can be raised by one level, and the possibility of forming a Golden Core later will be one point higher."

Combining this with what Hutou Daoren said, this Dao Foundation Atlas is likely the trick for refining Dharma Power that he mentioned.

It is also the means by which the He Mountain Sect restricts its high-level Qi-refining Apprentices.

"Are there Zhuji Pills in this world?"

Chen Ci couldn't help but ask a question that had been hidden in his heart for a long time.

"Zhuji Pills?"

The shopkeeper looked at Chen Ci with disdain: "The world is vast; there might be such things in alchemy immortal sects like the Eight Views Palace. Anyway, I've never heard of them. However, if one cannot even subdue their own True Qi and weave Dharma Power talismans, just fusing the True Qi directly to form a Lower Grade Dao Foundation is fine. Why waste pills? No sect would cultivate such useless Apprentices."

Chen Ci: "." Han Tianzun feels offended.

"Don't ask anymore; asking more will cost extra."

The shopkeeper waved his hand: "Doing business with you is truly difficult. Three bottles of unranked pills, I can't even earn back the cost of my saliva."

"Don't be like that. I'll pay extra, I'll pay extra. I was just planning to hunt for a pill recipe from you."

Chen Ci chuckled: "Shopkeeper, sell me a cheap pill recipe. Once I refine the pills, I'll sell them back to you to eat."

"Heh, I told you that alchemy is a dead end, and you still don't believe me."

The shopkeeper sneered: "Xiaohuan Dan, Yellow Sprout Pill, Jingxin Pill, Humai Pill—these are the only common low-grade Spirit Pills on the market. Six bottles of Health-Preserving Pills, and I'll allow you to pick one."

Six bottles of Health-Preserving Pills, even if Chen Ci raised the price, would probably only be worth around five Spirit Pearls.

So cheap?

Chen Ci was somewhat tempted. In the neighboring Fuyun Market, any random pill recipe would cost at least thirty Spirit Pearls. Although these low-grade Spirit Pill recipes aren't that precious, they usually come with a lot of alchemy insights, techniques, and tips, and most importantly, they are guaranteed to be authentic.

"Of course, regarding the three methods of the pill recipe, I can only guarantee that the types of pill ingredients and the method of taking the pill are correct."

The shopkeeper said leisurely: "The dosage of each ingredient varies from recipe to recipe. My recipe can only be said to be correct; as for whether the alchemy succeeds or not... that certainly has nothing to do with the recipe."

Chen Ci: "."

"Besides, haven't you inquired about the selling price of low-grade Spirit Pills in the market?"

The shopkeeper straightened his back and added, "Of course, I am referring to Xishan Market, not Fuyun Market."

(End of chapter)