Chapter 170

How could this be?

He Pingsheng held the damaged array disc, stunned.

He did not believe the problem lay with his Treasure Basin.

Because the Treasure Basin had never failed before.

"I understand…"

He Pingsheng took a deep breath.

It wasn't hard to guess.

The only reason the Treasure Basin failed to enhance this item is that the item's rank is too high.

It cannot be enhanced yet.

The Treasure Basin can currently enhance only items up to third-rank; this array disc, then, is likely fourth-rank or higher.

"Hehehe…" He Pingsheng chuckled: "I've hit the jackpot!"

If it can't be enhanced now, that's fine—eventually, as my cultivation advances, I'll be able to enhance it, right?

He Pingsheng put away all the items, then stepped out of the hall in one stride.

He rode his sword through the air, arriving directly at Xiuzhu Peak.

The old man is dead; the Jin Dan cultivators in the sect still respect him only because they believe he's still alive.

Grand Void is He Pingsheng's backing.

But what would happen if they learned Grand Void was already dead?

Unimaginable!

Perhaps Wuwei and Jianzhu would strike directly.

Compared to them, He Pingsheng knew his own strength was still far too weak.

What to do?

Improve!

Since my own cultivation can't rise quickly, I'll strengthen my backing instead.

Yu Ning's cultivation has already reached Foundation Establishment's peak; for years she's been unable to break into Jin Dan, and He Pingsheng suspected it was because she lacked Chaoyuan Pills.

Now that he had two supreme Chaoyuan Pills, he must deliver them to his Master immediately.

Once Yu Ning breaks into Jin Dan, my own power will grow substantially, invisibly.

He Pingsheng landed before Yu Ning's palace gate.

The gate and array of Yu Ning Palace opened automatically.

Yu Ning stepped out of the hall herself, smiling at He Pingsheng: "So you've come… Should I call you my disciple, or my junior?"

He Pingsheng smiled: "Master, don't tease your disciple—I'll always be your student!"

"Good, good, good!" Yu Ning beamed. "Come inside and talk!"

The two entered Yu Ning Palace; the outer array sealed shut behind them.

He Pingsheng couldn't help but sweep his spiritual sense over his Master, curious to gauge her cultivation.

He couldn't see through it.

His spiritual sense was still too weak—he could now perceive Foundation Establishment levels up to seventh or eighth, but nothing higher.

"What are you doing?" Yu Ning asked, pouring tea for him.

He Pingsheng said: "I wanted to check your cultivation, Master, but I couldn't see through it."

"Heh…" Yu Ning said. "If anyone else dared such impudence, I'd have thrown them out of Yu Ning Palace long ago!"

"How have you been these years? You never come to visit your Master!"

He Pingsheng didn't answer, only asked: "Why haven't you formed your Jin Dan yet?"

Yu Ning immediately forgot her complaint: "Perhaps it's my lack of talent. I've swallowed two Chaoyuan Pills before, but still couldn't break through."

"Breaking from Foundation Establishment to Jin Dan is many times harder than breaking from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment!"

"Many Foundation Establishment disciples remain stuck at the peak their whole lives—it's not unusual!"

"We have several in Grand Void Gate just like me!"

"Heh… I've made my peace with it. To reach Foundation Establishment is already a hundred years more than ordinary people—more than enough!"

He Pingsheng quietly pulled out a jade vial and placed it before his Master.

Yu Ning asked: "What's this?"

He Pingsheng smiled: "Open it and see for yourself!"

Yu Ning rolled her eyes: "Brat, still playing games with me?" She reached for the vial, snapped open the lid, and instantly extended her spiritual sense inside.

Then, her expression froze.

"This… this…" Her entire body trembled, her voice quivering: "My beloved disciple—these are Chaoyuan Pills… supreme Chaoyuan Pills…"

"Where did you get these?" After her excitement, Yu Ning quickly regained composure, fixing him with a sharp gaze.

He Pingsheng said: "The Supreme Elder gave them to me."

Now that Grand Void was his backing, he could blame everything on him.

Yu Ning's face turned serious: "You mean… the Supreme Elder gave these to you so you can form your Jin Dan smoothly later, right?"

"I knew it—you little rascal!"

Before He Pingsheng could explain, Yu Ning scolded sharply: "How could you be so foolish?"

"My good disciple, I know you're kind-hearted, but you can't just hand out precious things like this!"

"If I take this and form my Jin Dan, what will you do when it's your turn?"

Uh…

He Pingsheng hadn't expected his Master to misunderstand.

"No—" he hurried to explain. "Master, I don't have just one. The Supreme Elder has many such Chaoyuan Pills—I'm not short of them!"

Yu Ning said: "That won't do!"

"You're lying to me. What are Chaoyuan Pills? What are supreme Chaoyuan Pills?"

"One of these guarantees Jin Dan formation!"

"How could there be many?"

"I won't take it! Put it away!" She capped the vial and pushed it back.

He Pingsheng had no choice but to pull out the second supreme Chaoyuan Pill. "Master, see for yourself—am I lying?"

"There really are many more!"

Only after seeing the second supreme Chaoyuan Pill did Yu Ning, stunned yet delighted, take back the vial.

Good heavens!

This boy actually has many of these?

Unbelievable.

"Don't tell anyone else besides me!" Yu Ning warned, still uneasy.

He Pingsheng said: "Don't worry, Master. By the way… I'd like to ask you about Yu Xuan Shibo—what kind of person is he?"

"Is he trustworthy?"

With two pills in hand, He Pingsheng naturally wanted to forge two major Jin Dan cultivators.

Yu Xuan was a good candidate.

But as for Yu Xuan's character, He Pingsheng didn't know.

Yet when he learned of He Pingsheng's origins, he once warned him not to speak of them—so he wasn't like Yu De, that cruel man.

But how exactly was he? Was he reliable? He Pingsheng didn't know.

"Your Yu Xuan Shibo is quite good," Yu Ning said. "He's our senior; since joining the sect, he's always looked after us. He's kind, reliable, and his character is pure."

"He's utterly loyal to our Master—unlike your dead Yu De Shibo, who was the polar opposite!"

He Pingsheng nodded.

If that's true, then turning Yu Xuan into a Jin Dan would further strengthen my power.

"Then…" he asked again. "Master, what realm is Shibo in now? Has he reached Foundation Establishment's peak?"