Chapter 46: Protector Zhou’s Sudden Inspiration

Fang Baiyu looked at Cao Xuan, asking despondently, “Cao Xuan, do you think I’m ridiculous?”

Cao Xuan silently mused, 'Don’t you know yourself whether you are ridiculous or not?'

'The world of cultivation isn’t just about fighting and killing, but about understanding human relationships. With your temperament, offending others and getting eliminated wouldn’t be surprising.'

Of course, Cao Xuan wasn’t Fang Baiyu’s father, so he had no intention of teaching him such lessons and said nothing.

Seeing Cao Xuan’s silence, Fang Baiyu gave a bitter smile. “I understand!”

Cao Xuan thought, What do you understand exactly?

Fang Baiyu pointed his sword at Cao Xuan. “Rest assured, I won’t target you anymore. I know you find me immature.”

“But as the eldest son of the Fang family, I must set an example.”

“You, a mere branch member of the Cao family—I have no reason to lose to you!”

“From now on, I will devote myself to cultivation. When we are at the same stage, I will challenge you again, and then, we shall fight fairly!”

With that, Fang Baiyu leapt off the stage, withdrawing from the Ladder Tournament.

The pill reward in his arms—he was eager to use it for cultivation.

Half a year ago, because of Cao Xuan, he had rigorously trained in combat techniques. Now, again because of Cao Xuan, he began to cultivate with renewed determination.

Cao Xuan shrugged. Truth be told, as someone who had traversed worlds, he never intended to offend anyone.

Only Fang Baiyu clung to him relentlessly; now the issue was finally resolved.

As for the harsh words Fang Baiyu had spoken, Cao Xuan didn’t take them to heart.

It was laughable. He was someone seeking immortality, yearning only to say, “Fairy, please stay.” He had no desire to engage in any passionate rivalry with male cultivators.

For Cao Xuan, a century of life in the Qi Refining stage was no different from dying tomorrow; he needed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible.

With this in mind, Cao Xuan turned to the referee. “Where is the area for the Inner Sect disciples’ Ladder Tournament?”

The referee was about to speak but suddenly remembered something. “You’ve reached the peak of Qi Refining stage nine, preparing to use a Foundation Establishment Pill and attempt breaking through?”

The word "attempt" was well chosen; Cao Xuan felt nothing amiss and nodded in affirmation.

The Ladder Tournament was organized by the Hall of Enforcement, and the referee before him was naturally one of its guardians.

He noticed the pill furnace token hanging from Cao Xuan’s waist and instantly understood—Cao Xuan was an alchemist from the Pill Refining Peak.

But he guessed that Cao Xuan couldn’t afford the five hundred spirit stone recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill. After all, alchemists were wealthy, but their expenses were equally high; daily cultivation required spirit stones. Without deliberate saving, five hundred was no small sum.

In his view, as an alchemist, Cao Xuan would not choose to join the Hall of Enforcement. His participation in the Ladder Tournament was simply to win a Foundation Establishment Pill.

He pondered briefly, then waved his hand, instantly conjuring a restriction.

“You’re Cao Xuan, correct?”

Cao Xuan wondered why the rules required a restriction, but replied respectfully, “Disciple present!”

The guardian continued, “My name is Zhou Ge. You may call me Guardian Zhou or Uncle Zhou. How skilled are you at alchemy?”

Hearing this, Cao Xuan’s eyes flickered with understanding. Calling him "Uncle" showed closeness; naturally, he would not miss the cue.

“Reporting to Uncle Zhou, my alchemy skills are decent!”

“If you’re given the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe, can you produce it?”

Cao Xuan’s heart skipped, but he answered truthfully, “I have never refined a Foundation Establishment Pill, so I can’t guarantee it, but I am confident in my skills.”

Now was not the time for modesty. With the perfect comprehension of alchemy he possessed, having successfully crafted even the difficult Spirit Cleansing Pill, the Foundation Establishment Pill would pose no real challenge.

From their earlier conversation, Zhou Ge could tell Cao Xuan wasn’t a reckless youth. If he dared make such promises, he must have real ability.

Zhou Ge pondered for a moment before saying to Cao Xuan:

“Let me be frank: Foundation Establishment Pills are strategic resources in every sect.”

“Although your Pill Refining Peak has the recipe, the three most crucial ingredients—Long-lasting Immortal Dew, Jialan Flower, and No-Second Orchid—are controlled by the sect.”

“Even if you obtain the recipe, you wouldn’t have the chance to refine it!”

“To be precise, only the guardians and elders of Pill Refining Peak, when the sect requires it, are allowed to craft it.”

Cao Xuan nodded; Zhou Ge’s words clearly indicated he had a request.

After a brief pause, Zhou Ge seemed to wrestle with himself, but soon continued, “I have the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe!”

“Moreover, during my Demon-cleansing mission in Yunzhou, I was fortunate enough to acquire some Long-lasting Immortal Dew, Jialan Flower, and No-Second Orchid…”

“And coincidentally, my Zhou family has two less accomplished juniors, both at the ninth stage of Qi Refining, currently lacking Foundation Establishment Pills…”

Cao Xuan immediately understood. When Zhou Ge called his juniors "less accomplished," pride was evident on his face.

From his words, it was clear Foundation Establishment Pills were strategic resources, and these three ingredients likely needed to be handed over to the sect.

He hesitated for a moment before saying, “Uncle Zhou, if I have the recipe and the ingredients, I believe the chances of successfully crafting Foundation Establishment Pills are high.”

“But since you said these pills are strategic resources, would privately refining them cause trouble?”

Elder Zhou laughed heartily, “Over the years, the sect has rewarded or granted plenty of Foundation Establishment Pills.”

“As long as you don’t publicize it and use them in a small circle, there won’t be any issue.”

“Also, I only need ten Foundation Establishment Pills; the rest you may keep.”

“If you’re lucky enough to break through to Foundation Establishment, and anyone asks about the pills’ origin, you can simply say they were given by Zhou Ge of the Hall of Enforcement!”

Zhou Ge patted his chest in reassurance. He had acquired many ingredients on his last mission. If he handed them over officially, he’d only get two pills at most.

Giving them to another alchemist to craft privately would result in many being taken as commission, leaving only a few for his juniors.

Since breaking through to Foundation Establishment was no easy feat, for the sake of his juniors’ future, Zhou Ge had come up with this clever solution.

“Rest assured, I have ten sets of ingredients: five for you to familiarize yourself with the recipe.”

“The remaining five sets, with three pills per batch, would yield fifteen Foundation Establishment Pills, of which you’d earn five as payment!”

Zhou Ge felt this was fair. Typically, when hiring an alchemist, one provides ten sets of ingredients and expects ten pills in return.

For strategic resources like Foundation Establishment Pills, the expected yield was halved; five pills was about right.

Cao Xuan, inexperienced, was unaware of Zhou Ge’s little scheme.

Frankly, Zhou Ge’s minimum expectation was eight pills—four for each of his juniors, giving them four chances to break through, with a seventy percent likelihood of success.

Whether Cao Xuan could produce more than ten pills and keep some as commission was not Zhou Ge’s concern.