Chapter 27

"Not being poisoned is the best; why does senior sister apologize?" Jiang Yu was still relieved for her, and was also very happy for Senior Sister Wan, who had advanced to the ninth layer of Refining Qi in just two years.

So she took some snacks from the storage bag, brewed tea, and said, "I made these myself, senior sister, try them."

Can you directly establish the foundation within the next two years?

Wan Xiyue sat down with her to taste the snacks; many things could not be spoken at this moment, as their cultivation was low and their transmitted words could be overheard by passing high‑level cultivators, "My master wants me to cultivate to the great perfection of Refining Qi.

"It would be best to avoid taking the Foundation‑Establishing Pill and achieve the legendary perfect foundation establishment."

A cultivator who reaches the ninth layer of Refining Qi can already perform foundation establishment with the aid of a Foundation‑Establishing Pill.

If unsuccessful, the pill's potency is converted into cultivation, reaching the tenth layer of Refining Qi, i. e., the so‑called Refining Qi Great Perfection.

Yet some cultivators choose to first cultivate to Great Perfection on their own, then take the Foundation‑Establishing Pill to establish the foundation, with a success rate that may reach seventy percent.

If one can establish the foundation without any pill, that is the pinnacle of beauty, namely a perfect foundation establishment.

Unfortunately, many cultivators cannot achieve perfect foundation establishment, and even the Foundation‑Establishing Pill is hard to obtain.

Because of past over‑harvesting, for nearly ten thousand years the main ingredients of this pill have existed only in the major sects' medicinal gardens.

Why do unaffiliated cultivators scramble to join sects? Isn't it for these resources? After all, a top‑grade Foundation‑Establishing Pill without residual toxin costs eighty to ninety thousand low‑grade spirit stones.

Even low‑grade ones sell for twenty to thirty thousand low‑grade spirit stones elsewhere; unaffiliated cultivators must save for many years to afford them, while sect disciples receive them free according to their cultivation level.

And Jiang Yu now has one; she doesn't pursue perfection—eating a boiled egg is fine—"Senior sister is only sixteen; cultivating an extra one or two years is quite good.

"Also let me chase you more closely."

"We'll definitely catch up; I'll further improve the flesh‑nourishing ointment, and later when I refine a top‑grade Fixed‑Face Pill, I'll send it to you.

"By the way, the formation disc is the high‑grade one I chose for you; it is said to be modeled after the Celestial Cycle Star Array and the Dual‑Principle Life‑Death Array, and its name is the Huangquan Guest‑Reception Formation."

It means that the flag‑wielder can arbitrarily decide the life or death of those who enter the formation.

It does not require top‑grade spirit stones; activating it with a medium‑grade stone already achieves optimal effect.

"It integrates defense, entrapment, killing, and concealment into one, very useful; this is my experience with the formation, take a look." When Wan Xiyue handed her the jade tablet, she used a secret code understood only by the two of them to caution "don't be startled."

"Great, I'm not good at formation arts.

"I can only copy by imitation; I'll look at it now, and senior sister can explain the parts I don't understand." Jiang Yu immediately took it, scanning with her divine sense.

The beginning indeed states who forged the formation disc and the key points of arranging and controlling the formation.

But later it writes that since the Dao‑Demon ceasefire two years ago, the Heaven Demon Sect has wiped out several demon sects in one stroke, and has recently become the head of the demonic path.

They intend to destroy the agreement and monopolize the secret realm discovered on the western front of the Dao‑Demon battlefield that year.

At the beginning of the year, they launched a surprise attack on several Dao sect Nascent Soul True Lords who were jointly defending that area.

After three days of battle, the entrance of the secret realm that had remained sealed actually sucked in many people.

It is said that those inside spent three months there, encountering powerful high‑level Yao beasts that hunted them, causing several Nascent Souls to either form a core, be severely injured, become poisoned, or even fall, before a way out was discovered.

Demonic cultivators suffered similarly massive casualties; some had their mortal bodies collapse, with only their Nascent Soul escaping.

Such a disgraceful matter, both sides naturally do not wish to publicize.

Therefore, Yuan Hu Zhenjun and other poisoned individuals claim other causes of poisoning to the outside.

And Wan Xiyue can only maintain the same statement as her master; moreover, she and Second Senior Brother were busy helping the master and the eldest senior brother stop the spread of toxic gas, and indeed had no time to specially refine pills and send them to Jiang Yu.

Using the few spirit herbs Jiang Yu sent as a catalyst, the two poisoned Nascent Souls and three core‑forming cultivators of the Taiyi Sect were all detoxified and restored to their original state.

The dozens of thousands of items sent over were of no significance to the Taiyi Sect at all.

But the similarly poisoned Nascent Soul of the Wan Sword Sect, upon receiving the news, came to request medicine; unfortunately there was none, and they quickly investigated who had supplied the Dragon‑Scented Herb.

Send a Nascent Soul to handle it; at the Grand Void Gate, one Nascent Soul has been traveling outside for a hundred years without returning, another Nascent Soul is recuperating near the secret realm, and Sect Master Lin Quan is even in seclusion, striking at mid‑stage Nascent Souls and seeing no visitors.

Only then did the Cloud Brocade occur, followed by the incident where Du Heng and two others came to the gate together.

It also notes that at that time the Grand Void Gate's Nascent Soul True Lord and three core‑forming Real Persons were present, but they were far from the entrance and were not sucked into the secret realm.

However, they were also injured during the duel with demonic cultivators.

A segment that Wan Xiyue underlined later: It is recently heard that two years ago the major sects jointly recruited disciples because of that new secret realm; initially it manifested a state accessible to Refining Qi cultivators.

And as each sect's personnel sharply declined during several years of great wars, they were worried that sending explorers would incur many casualties, reluctant to part with their battle‑hardened Refining Qi disciples.

Thus the Profound Heaven Sect proposed broadly accepting unaffiliated cultivators, sending them in.

"Alas, Jiang Yu, we almost became the cannon fodder you mentioned on the road.

"It is said that just as the trial ended, the secret realm's entrance underwent a massive change, and that's why we didn't set out.

"Now it has suddenly vanished, leaving no trace.

Finally, Senior Sister Wan instructed her to destroy the jade tablet's contents after reading.

Jiang Yu prepared to return to her cave residence and did so; she calmed her mind and said, "The Huangquan Formation is truly marvelous; I'll need to practice more later."

"Senior sister, the Wind‑Spiral Gate mentioned above…

They formally discussed the formation until the meeting concluded in the main hall.

And Wan Xiyue had to hurry back, and did not go together with Jiang Yu.

After seeing off the guests, Master Hu said to her, "Two Dragon‑Scented Herbs, the sect exchanged for three slots to go to the Wan Sword Sect's sword pool to select famous swords.

According to the rules, the sect receives one slot, and the other two are yours; you decide whom to accompany you.

"Wait until they find more spirit herbs before going?" Jiang Yu thought this deal was really good; the swords in the Wan Sword Sect's sword‑washing pool, even the lowest level, are also treasure‑level.

One should know that cultivators' weapons are ranked from low to high as: magical implements, treasure artifacts, spirit treasures, celestial implements.

"No, wait until after your major exam next year." Master Hu sized up the tall, pale young lady, laughing: "Junior Brother Lin of Immortal Spring Valley has been a bother to you; go to his place later for a quick visit."

Jiang Yu was just about to respond when Master De Zhang hurried out of the main hall, "Jiang Yu, the Dragon Court has suddenly singled you out."

"What does that mean? They want to …"

"Others have goods to sell, yet they come knocking on the door—where's the decency?" Master Hu instantly wore a cold expression.

Master De Zhang sighed, "What sense of face does the Yao Race have."

Now two Ninth‑Rank Dragon Kings have arrived, and they met Daoist companion Du Heng and others at the mountain gate.

Right now, Yun Jin is discussing the medicine purchase terms with them.

We need to make a trip; Jiang Yu will stay first at Tai'a Feng.

Before he even finished speaking, a transmission talisman shot straight to Jiang Yu.

Upon opening it, Senior Sister Wan informed that the Dragon King had come looking for you, and said: "I gather you want to ask where the dragon saliva grass was harvested."

Jiang Yu, Lady Ao looks quite anxious, just like when I couldn't find my younger brother with my mother, and she's unwilling to discuss trade, seeming ready to storm the mountain gate.

"You say, could they have lost a little dragon cub?"

"Eh, that's quite possible, Senior Brother; let's go down and meet the Dragon King." As True Person Hu spoke, he already took off on his escape light, with True Person Dezhang following closely.

On the square, only Jiang Yu stood there foolishly; she looked left and right, the steward disciples were each busy, so she had to go into the tea house by herself.

Opening the mouth of the spirit beast bag, I sent a sound transmission to Little Black Turtle Jiang Tu, and said: "I just forgot to let you meet Senior Sister Wan."

"If we get a chance to meet, quickly seal the spirit beast bag—I don't want the dragon clan to catch my scent." The little black turtle swooped back into the spirit beast bag.

Jiang Yu: ……