Chapter 52 - 51: Foundation Establishment

Chapter 52: Chapter 51: Foundation Establishment

Chen Jianghe flew over Port No.1 and slowly descended, drawing envious gazes from the Basic-Level Fishermen and Farmers.

This time, he had not come by boat. Cultivators at the Mid-Stage of Qi Refining could already use Qi Manipulation Flight.

Besides, he hadn’t come to buy daily necessities this time, but rather Talisman-Making Materials. There was no need to take a boat.

Qi Manipulation Flight was much faster than rowing a boat.

"Brother Chen."

Wang Kui, who was searching for a target at the port, spotted Chen Jianghe and approached with a smile. However, his appearance now was that of a man who had fully entered his middle-to-late years.

"Teaching people again, Brother Wang?"

"Haha, life’s tough, and this is the only skill I’ve got." Wang Kui let out a loud laugh.

Chen Jianghe’s tactful phrasing pleased him greatly, easing some of the burden on his conscience.

’That’s right, I’m just teaching these newcomers how to conduct themselves, letting them know the dangers of the Cultivation Realm. They ought to thank me. Otherwise, they’re bound to suffer a great loss sooner or later.’

So Wang Kui thought to himself.

Unaware of what Wang Kui was thinking, Chen Jianghe exchanged a few brief words with him before leaving the port and heading toward the Workshop Association.

He strolled around the Workshop Association to see if anything had changed, but he noticed the old woman who ran the Elixir stall wasn’t there.

The stall was still there, but the proprietor was now a young, beautiful woman.

’Probably the old woman’s daughter or daughter-in-law.’

He didn’t linger at the Elixir stall, heading directly to the Talisman-Making Materials stall he always patronized.

"Thirty sheets of High-Quality Yellow Paper and two boxes of Spiritual Ink."

"I always see you buying materials, but I rarely see you selling any Spirit Talismans!"

The middle-aged stall owner commented casually as he packed the High-Quality Yellow Paper and Spiritual Ink. His meaning was clear: he’d never seen Chen Jianghe sell Spirit Talismans at his stall.

"Heh."

Chen Jianghe gave a light chuckle without responding. After handing over the Spirit Stones, he took the wrapped High-Quality Yellow Paper and Spiritual Ink and departed.

’Even now, the Yun Family is still playing the saint,’ the middle-aged stall owner cursed inwardly.

He had obviously guessed that Chen Jianghe was going to Huxing Island to sell his Spirit Talismans.

The Yun Family’s acquisition price for Spirit Talismans was five percent higher than what itinerant stall owners like him offered. Any Talisman Master who knew this would naturally go to Huxing Island.

As a result, these stall owners could only earn a meager profit from selling materials.

’I really can’t stay at the Yun Family’s port any longer. I’ll starve to death here sooner or later.’

—

Chen Jianghe returned to his fishing boat. Just as he was preparing to cut the High-Quality Yellow Paper, he heard the duck-like cry of a White Egret from outside.

Walking to the bow of the boat, he removed the message tube.

’A letter from Daniu.’

Chen Jianghe opened the letter and glanced through it. Its contents were brief but deeply alarming.

The letter contained two pieces of information. First, Yun Bufan had emerged from his seclusion in the ancestral hall. The word was that he would attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage at the end of next year.

Yu Daniu was telling Chen Jianghe to prepare to go into hiding.

He had gotten word that when Yun Bufan attempted his breakthrough, Foundation Establishment Ancestors from other powers would arrive to obstruct him.

The Yun Family Ancestor was hanging on by a thread for the sole purpose of acting as Yun Bufan’s Guardian.

The second piece of news concerned Lann Tianxiang, a remnant of the Lann Family.

The Yun Family had received reliable intelligence: six months ago, Lann Tianxiang had stolen a Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pill outside Qinghe Marketplace and successfully reached the Foundation Establishment Stage.

One month ago, Lann Tianxiang had sacked the Bai Family’s Qiyun Marketplace, plundering assets worth no less than three thousand Spirit Stones.

Yu Daniu urged Chen Jianghe to avoid Port No.1 as much as possible, fearing Lann Tianxiang might attack it.

He even suggested that Chen Jianghe buy Fasting Pills, offering to help with the cost if he was short on Spirit Stones.

Chen Jianghe frowned as he finished reading Yu Daniu’s letter.

Yun Bufan’s attempt at Foundation Establishment was set in stone. It was something he would have to face sooner or later.

When that time came, Jingyue Lake would likely descend into a brief period of chaos.

However, the chaos could only end in one of two ways.

If Yun Bufan succeeded in his Foundation Establishment, the Foundation Establishment Ancestors from other powers would offer their congratulations and then withdraw.

If Yun Bufan’s Foundation Establishment failed, the other Foundation Establishment Ancestors would also withdraw, but they would wait until the Yun Family Ancestor died before carving up the Yun Family’s assets.

Chen Jianghe was already prepared for this. When the time came, he would hide at the bottom of the lake and quietly wait and see. If Yun Bufan failed, he would leave the Yun Family’s territory ahead of schedule.

If Yun Bufan succeeded, he would continue to stay in the Yun Family’s domain for another ten or twenty years, building up his own resources.

Therefore, while Yun Bufan’s attempt at Foundation Establishment seemed perilous, the actual risk to Chen Jianghe wasn’t that great. After all, the Foundation Establishment Ancestors from the other powers were no fools.

The Yun Family Ancestor was only nearing the end of his lifespan; he wasn’t dead yet. Who would dare be the first to obstruct Yun Bufan’s breakthrough at a time like this?

It was highly likely they would force their way onto Huxing Island simply to watch Yun Bufan’s attempt and see if he would succeed.

If he succeeded, all would be well.

If he failed, they would wait until the Yun Family Ancestor was dead to make their move.

To trade one’s life for that of a Foundation Establishment Ancestor at death’s door would be a terrible bargain.

Even a serious injury was unacceptable; the other Foundation Establishment Ancestors would likely seize the first opportunity to kick them while they were down.

Anyone could figure out the difference between the spoils from carving up one major power versus carving up two!

However, Lann Tianxiang’s successful Foundation Establishment had caught Chen Jianghe somewhat off guard. He had not yet reached the Realm where he could survive without food.

He still needed to go to Port No.1 to buy living supplies.

Just as Yu Daniu had worried in his letter, Lann Tianxiang could attack Port No.1 any day now.

If the Foundation Establishment Stage Lann Tianxiang were to attack the port, the Yun Family would be powerless to respond and could only watch.

The Yun Family’s Foundation Establishment Ancestor certainly wouldn’t intervene. He had to conserve his remaining strength to act as Yun Bufan’s Guardian during his breakthrough.

’That bastard actually went to Qinghe Marketplace to steal a Foundation Establishment Pill? But didn’t the rumors say a Foundation Establishment Ancestor slapped him to death on the spot?’

Chen Jianghe recalled the gossip he’d heard previously at the Workshop Association. He had assumed it was false, but it turned out to be half-true.

Lann Tianxiang hadn’t made his move during the auction itself, but outside the Marketplace. And he had even succeeded in stealing the Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pill.

Most importantly, the bastard had actually managed to reach the Foundation Establishment Stage with a Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pill.

That was just absurd.

’The Bai Family’s Qiyun Marketplace has become Lann Tianxiang’s personal piggy bank.’

Chen Jianghe mentally tallied the reports of Lann Tianxiang’s activities. If they were all his doing, then Lann Tianxiang had already withdrawn resources worth nearly five thousand Spirit Stones from Qiyun Marketplace.

’They say Demon Cultivators advance quickly and never lack for resources. It seems there’s a reason for that.’

Chen Jianghe lamented.

Crime really does pay. Before he had Fallen into Demon, Lann Tianxiang worried about Spirit Stones and fretted over Foundation Establishment.

After he had Fallen into Demon, all his worries vanished.

Now it was the Bai Family of Qiyun Mountain’s turn to worry.

After all, the Bai Family of Qiyun Mountain had gotten its start as Tribulation Cultivators, and their Qiyun Marketplace was even open to them!

’I need to hurry and make more Spirit Talismans, save up as many Spirit Stones as I can, and buy a gourd of Fasting Pills. Next year is bound to be turbulent; I can’t keep going to the port.’

There were still more than three months until the new year. If he was frugal with his current supplies, he could just barely make them last until New Year’s Eve.

At that point, he could head to Huxing Island to buy a gourd of Fasting Pills. Then he could stay within his own aquaculture area for a full year without needing to go out.