Family Rise: Beginning with Grandfather.

Chapter 896 Foundation Establishment Pills for Contribution Points

After only looking at the first few spiritual materials, Yang Zhengshan couldn't resist the urge to stuff them all into his pocket.

Banyan heartwood and sandalwood heartwood can both be used to forge the Divine Wood Cauldron, while thunder-patterned locust wood can be used to forge the Green Wood Purple Lightning Sword.

He resisted the urge to make a decision right now and continued browsing information on other spiritual materials. The more he read, the happier he became, and the thought of robbing this treasure trove even sprouted in his mind.

After a long while, he reluctantly looked up at the old man in front of him and said, "Senior, this junior wants banyan heartwood."

The heartwood crystal of the thousand-year-old rejuvenating banyan tree contains the "banyan tree essence," which can accelerate the process of nurturing a spirit within a magical artifact.

The Divine Wood Cauldron that Yang Zhengshan wanted to refine was only a natal magic weapon and had not yet reached the level of a spiritual artifact, but this did not prevent him from having expectations for the future of the Divine Wood Cauldron.

Using banyan heartwood as the main material, the Divine Wood Cauldron can be upgraded into a spiritual artifact more quickly, and such temptation is still very great for Yang Zhengshan.

The Thousand-Year-Old Rejuvenating Purple Banyan is also a spiritual tree with strong vitality. Using it to refine the Divine Wood Cauldron can also enhance the cauldron's restorative and healing functions.

"Hmm, Banyan Heartwood, a top-grade third-tier spiritual material." The old man merely raised his eyelids to glance at it, then waved his hand and retrieved a purple crystal the size of a washbasin.

As soon as the purple crystal appeared, Yang Zhengshan felt a strong vitality.

As expected of the banyan heartwood, the vitality it contained surpassed that of any spiritual object Yang Zhengshan had ever seen before.

"Put it away! You can leave now!"

Yang Zhengshan quickly put away the banyan heartwood, stood up and bowed, "Thank you, senior!"

……

Emerging from the treasure vault, Yang Zhengshan was filled with joy.

"It looks like you've had a great haul!" Zhong Lixia said, looking at the smile on his face.

"Hehe, I have to thank you, Fairy!" Yang Zhengshan bowed again to express his gratitude.

Zhong Lixia waved her hand, "If you want to thank me, then refine more pills for Wanbaoxing!"

"no problem!"

Yang Zhengshan said without hesitation.

The two left the treasure vault side by side. Zhongli Xiayi then introduced him to the various facilities of Wanbaohang before finally sending him back to the cave dwelling that had just been assigned to him.

It was just an ordinary courtyard house, but the spiritual energy concentration in this cave was much higher than that in the cave he and Yunxiao rented.

Yang Zhengshan tidied up the cave dwelling, then took out his identity token and activated the communication array on it.

Wanbaohang's identity token is not only used to represent identity, but also has many other functions, such as communication, recording, and location tracking.

The magic circle on the token can connect to the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion and receive the task catalog issued by the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion.

As a ninth-rank guest of Wanbaohang, Yang Zhengshan is skilled in alchemy, so Wanxianglou will recommend some alchemy tasks to him.

Looking at the list of tasks, Yang Zhengshan couldn't help but marvel once again at Wanbaohang's financial strength.

Every task listed here involves refining second-tier pills, and each task requires refining hundreds or even thousands of pills.

Different types of elixirs have different requirements for the success rate of elixir formation.

For example, the success rate of Foundation Building Pills needs to be above 40% for Yang Zhengshan to make a profit.

The success rate of Illusionary God Pills must be above 30%, and that of Spirit Gathering Pills must be above 60%.

The Demon Essence Pill is quite special; the success rate of its completion needs to reach about 30% to be profitable.

When refining pills at Wanbaohang, the materials are not provided by Wanbaohang. Instead, you first buy the materials with contribution points, and then refine the materials into pills to earn contribution points.

This means you can directly exchange pills for contribution points at Wanbaohang, and Wanbaohang won't care where the materials you use to refine the pills come from.

Yang Zhengshan secretly calculated in his mind and found that the contribution points of Wanbaoge could be directly linked to spirit stones. One point of contribution points was roughly equivalent to ten mid-grade spirit stones, or one thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Looking at the contribution points required to exchange for materials, they are about 20% lower than the market price.

When exchanging pills for contribution points, the price will be 20% lower than the market price.

There seems to be a price difference to make. If you use contribution points to exchange for materials from Wanbaohang and then sell them, wouldn't you be able to get a 20% profit?

However, Wanbaoge had already taken precautions against this kind of exploitation.

All materials obtained from Wanbaohang must be accompanied by a sufficient supply of pills, which is the pill-forming rate requirement mentioned earlier.

For example, if you exchange ten sets of materials from Wanbaohang for Foundation Establishment Pills, you must give Wanbaohang four low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills in return.

With this in-and-out process, your contribution level remains unchanged, which is a complete waste of time and energy.

However, if your success rate in refining a Foundation Establishment Pill exceeds 40%, or if you successfully refine a mid-grade or high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, you will earn a large amount of contribution points.

Yang Zhengshan's eyes grew brighter as he looked at the information displayed on the token.

"Damn, I think I've found a way to make a fortune!"

The success rate requirement for Foundation Establishment Pills is only 40%!
What is his success rate in refining Foundation Establishment Pills?

It's been a long time since I've refined Foundation Establishment Pills, so I estimate the success rate will be lower, but it should still be over 50%.

More importantly, he can refine mid-grade and high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills.

Moreover, he still had more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Pills. He was reluctant to sell them because collecting the materials for Foundation Establishment Pills was very troublesome, especially the Azure Profound Fruit kernels, which were impossible to buy.

But things are different now. With Wanbaohang as a channel, he can obtain a large number of Qingxuan Fruit kernels.

For other forces, the Azure Profound Fruit core is extremely rare, but for Wanbaohang, it is merely a second-tier spiritual medicine.

Similarly, the Foundation Establishment Pill is not considered a rare elixir in Wanbaohang.

Of course, scarcity does not mean cheapness. Wanbaohang has enough materials and many alchemists who can refine Foundation Establishment Pills, so it can obtain Foundation Establishment Pills in a continuous manner. However, the price of Foundation Establishment Pills in Wanbaohang is actually similar to that in other places, and may even be 10% higher.

After thinking for a moment, Yang Zhengshan decided to go out and once again come to the Guest Hall of Wanxiang Tower.

He found Li Deming, the manager whom Zhong Lixia had introduced to him earlier.

The managers of Wanbaohang are also divided into nine ranks, based on their cultivation level, contribution, and merit. They are roughly the same as the guests. However, the guests are contract workers outside the official establishment, while the managers are contract workers with official positions. They are guaranteed a stable income, receive generous benefits, and are rewarded according to their merits.

Guest servants are paid according to the amount of work they do.

The manager receives a basic salary regardless of whether they do any work.

Of course, if the person in charge wants to get more rewards, they also have to work hard.

The reason why Zhong Lixia was so eager to invite Yang Zhengshan to join Wanbaohang was because she could gain contribution points from Yang Zhengshan after he joined Wanbaohang.

The more contribution points Yang Zhengshan receives in Wanbaohang, the more contribution points she will receive.

That's why she was willing to spend a third-tier spiritual material to bring Yang Zhengshan into Wanbaohang.

Zhong Lixia has the cultivation level of the late Foundation Establishment stage and is a seventh-rank manager of Wanbaoge, mainly responsible for the reception work of the front shops.

Li Deming, with his mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation, was an eighth-rank steward of Wanbaoge, responsible for all the miscellaneous affairs of the Guest Hall.

"Hehe, Master Yang is here. Please come in. Little Ye, why don't you serve Master Yang some tea!"

Li Deming is slightly overweight with a round face and smiling eyes, exuding a festive aura.

"Manager Li, I apologize for disturbing you!"

Yang Zhengshan bowed slightly and followed Li Deming into the inner hall. Tea was served, and Li Deming asked with a smile, "Master Yang, is there anything you wish to tell me?"

"No, I just have a few Foundation Establishment Pills that I want to exchange for contribution points so I can take on the task of refining Foundation Establishment Pills!" Yang Zhengshan said.

"Haha, this is easy! Master Yang just needs to give the Foundation Establishment Pill to Xiao Ye, and Xiao Ye will have someone appraise it and confirm the contribution level!" Li Deming looked at the young man beside him.

Actually, he's not exactly young. With a cultivation level of the ninth stage of Qi Refining, he's at least forty or fifty years old. He just looks younger than his age.

Xiao Ye stepped forward and said respectfully, "Please hand over the Foundation Establishment Pill to me, Master!"

Yang Zhengshan nodded slightly, and then took out ten porcelain bottles containing Foundation Establishment Pills, including four mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pills and six low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills.

He previously had fourteen Foundation Establishment Pills, three of which were high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills. Yang Jizhen used one, and gave the other two to Ma Qiuyan and Cui Yang.

He now has eleven mid-grade and low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills left. He will keep one mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pill for future use, and plans to sell the remaining ten to Wanbaohang.

"Please wait a moment, Master!" Xiao Ye took the porcelain bottle, bowed, and left the inner hall.

Li Deming asked, "Is Master Yang skilled in refining Foundation Establishment Pills?"

"I wouldn't call myself an expert, I'd just say I'm fairly familiar with refining Foundation Establishment Pills!" Yang Zhengshan said modestly.

"Oh! I have a question, but I'm not sure if I should ask it?" Li Deming looked at him with a somewhat puzzled expression.

"Manager Li, please speak frankly!" Yang Zhengshan said.

He wasn't very familiar with Wanbaohang's internal affairs yet; he had only known Zhongli Xiayi for two days.

To be honest, his joining Wanbaohang was somewhat rushed.

However, he had to make a decision quickly because of the threat from the Cloud Wild Alliance.

"Why did Steward Zhongli invite Master Yang to join Wanbao Bank?"

Li Deming was actually quite curious about Yang Zhengshan; not just anyone could be a guest advisor at Wanbaohang.

There are more than two thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators in the entire Baiyun Immortal City, but Wanbaohang only has thirty-two guest elders. No, now that we include Yang Zhengshan, there are thirty-three.

This shows just how difficult it is to become a guest retainer of Wanbaohang.

Li Deming knew that Yang Zhengshan was a second-level alchemist, but ordinary second-level alchemists were not qualified to join Wanbaohang, so he was very curious about how Yang Zhengshan had gained Zhongli Xiayi's favor.

Yang Zhengshan did not hide anything from this, saying, "I can refine Demon Essence Pills!"

"Demon Essence Pill!" Li Deming's eyes lit up. "Haha, so that's how it is! I didn't expect Master Yang to be a master of alchemy!"

"Master of Alchemy?" Yang Zhengshan found the title rather strange.

Li Deming explained, "To refine Demon Essence Pills, one must have a high level of understanding of pharmacology and medicinal properties. Alchemists who can refine Demon Essence Pills are all respectfully called Pill Masters. If one can refine top-grade Demon Essence Pills, then one is a Pill Grandmaster!"

Yang Zhengshan suddenly realized that the key to this title was not "elixir" but "medicine".

The properties and pharmacology of medicines are the foundation of alchemy. Without medicines, there would be no elixir. Therefore, the title of "master of alchemy" is quite appropriate.

"I hope Master Yang will take good care of me in the future!" Li Deming's attitude became even more enthusiastic.

"Easy to say, easy to say!"

Yang Zhengshan chuckled.

If you're capable, you'll be respected wherever you go.

A skilled alchemist will be respected and revered wherever he/she goes.

Just then, the shop assistant named Xiao Ye returned. "Sir, ten Foundation Establishment Pills, four mid-grade and six low-grade, have been priced at 600 contribution points by Manager Lin of the Treasure Appraisal Hall!"

Li Deming looked at Yang Zhengshan, "What does Master Yang think?"

"Please replace all the ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills for me!" Yang Zhengshan had no objection to the price, which was similar to what he had expected, 20% lower than the outside price.

"That's good!"

Li Deming efficiently prepared the medicinal materials for Yang Zhengshan's Foundation Building Pill.

He gave Yang Zhengshan thirty-five portions of the ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pills, and he also had several dozen contribution points left.

With 35 portions of medicinal herbs, Yang Zhengshan will need to hand over at least 14 Foundation Establishment Pills, requiring a 40% success rate.

If Yang Zhengshan's success rate in obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills is 50%, that would be 17 Foundation Establishment Pills. Even if they are all low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, he could still earn 3 Foundation Establishment Pills.

If Yang Zhengshan could refine a few more high-grade and mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, he would earn even more.

Unfortunately, Foundation Establishment Pills don't yield many contribution points. A low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill can only be exchanged for forty contribution points, while a third-grade spiritual material costs at least tens of thousands of contribution points.

In other words, he would need to refine hundreds of Foundation Establishment Pills to exchange for a third-tier spiritual material.

Yang Zhengshan silently estimated that if he only refined Foundation Establishment Pills and it affected his cultivation, he could exchange them for a third-tier spiritual material in three to five years.

This timeframe is still acceptable to him.

Having obtained the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill, Yang Zhengshan left Wanxiang Tower. He did not return to Wanbaohang's cave dwelling, but instead returned to Chunqiufang's cave dwelling.

"How about it?"

As soon as Yang Zhengshan returned, Yunxiao couldn't wait to ask.

"Hehe, I've joined Wanbaohang and am now a ninth-rank guest elder!"

"That's good, that's good!"

Yunxiao was overjoyed; he was genuinely happy that Yang Zhengshan had joined Wanbaohang, which was also a good thing for him.

With Yang Zhengshan as a friend of Wanbaoxing, he will have something to rely on in Baiyun Immortal City. If he encounters trouble, Yang Zhengshan can help him out.

But then he became envious, "Alchemists are so much better, it's a pity I have no talent for alchemy!"

Yang Zhengshan smiled.

Alchemists really need talent.

Talented alchemists can achieve twice the results with half the effort when learning alchemy, while those with poor talent simply cannot even get started.

Yunxiao was only envious for a moment. He knew his own situation. Alchemists didn't just look at talent, but also at resources.

Even if he is talented, it would be difficult for him to become a second-tier alchemist like Yang Zhengshan.

The Xuanqing Sect would not expend a lot of resources to train him to become an alchemist.

This is not to say that the Xuanqing Sect is short-sighted; it's just that training alchemists is extremely difficult.

Although the Xuanqing Sect is large and powerful, it has so many disciples, so many Golden Body Realm warriors, and Lin Daoyuan, a Divine Soul Realm warrior. Each of them requires resources.

Especially Lin Daoyuan, as a martial artist in the Divine Soul Realm, requires a lot of resources for cultivation.

If training alchemists would delay his own cultivation, would Lin Daoyuan be willing to do so?

This is also the dilemma of the three Lingxiu sects: they need immortal cultivators, but due to their own circumstances, they cannot provide more resources for them.

Training a few Foundation Establishment stage cultivators is already their limit. As for alchemy, artifact crafting, talisman arrays, they can only provide cultivators with a small amount of resources.

(End of this chapter)