Cultivation: Starting from a Fighting Cock

Chapter 17 Foundation Building Pill

Based on his intuition, Ji Cheng felt that since the masked raccoon was also known as the white-browed spirit cat, it should be easier for it to cultivate into a demon beast than other animals.

His questioning of the big yellow dog was also a way of finding out if the masked fox had any powerful backers.

Unfortunately, the big yellow dog didn't pay any attention to him, turned its head away, and fell fast asleep.

The next day.

Without the big red rooster, the task of crowing to announce the time fell to Ji Cheng.

"Oh oh oh-"

Ji Cheng's crow was louder than the big red rooster, as if it had torn apart the clouds that blocked the dawn.

The big red rooster disappeared, leaving behind a mess of blood and feathers.

The Zhao family didn't seem to care much, as if the chicken had never existed.

Madam Zhao told the servant to go and buy another big red rooster, but Second Master Zhao said no need, his Ever-Victorious General would be fine too.

Madam Zhao said nothing more. Given the current situation of the Zhao family, it would be great to reduce expenses.

……

Zishui City, Zhou Family.

"Ancestor, this is the longevity pill of the Zhao family of Wuzhen."

The Zhou family patriarch presented a small bottle of longevity pills to the Zhou family's ninth-level Qi Refining ancestor.

In the vast city of Zishui, the Zhou family was able to maintain its position as the head of the four major families entirely because their ancestor, who was at the ninth level of Qi Refining, was still alive.

This ancestor failed twice in his attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and these two failures nearly emptied the Zhou family's coffers.

However, in order to enable their ancestor to establish his foundation and lead the family to a higher level, the Zhou family risked everything.

The old ancestor had gray hair and beard, but was full of energy and had a body as strong as a lion.

He entered the path of immortality through martial arts, using internal energy to open up the meridians throughout his body, becoming an acquired spiritual body, and thus embarking on the path of Qi cultivation.

With a simple gesture, the small porcelain bottle flew into his hand.

He poured out the pill, smelled it, then crushed it with his fingers, carefully examining its internal components and structure.

"These pills are indeed a simplified version of alchemy techniques!" The patriarch raised an eyebrow, overjoyed. "It seems the Zhao family of Wuzhen really did have an alchemist among their ancestors!"

The Zhou family head exclaimed with delight, "That wandering Taoist priest was indeed true to my word!"

About twenty days ago, the Zhou family head encountered a charlatan who looked like a con artist.

After a conversation, he learned from the other party that the Zhao family of Wuzhen had a very famous alchemist as their ancestor.

After that alchemist passed away, he left his entire legacy and all his pills to his descendants. Among them, there might be one or two Foundation Establishment Pills.

This news naturally alerted the Zhou family patriarch.

However, this verification suggests that the wandering Taoist priest was not deceiving him; the Zhao family of Wuzhen truly had ancestors who were alchemists.

If the ancestor could obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, he would have another chance to establish his foundation.

This is naturally something the Zhou family should consider and plan.

……

Zishui City, City Lord's Mansion.

A dark figure knelt on one knee and reported to City Lord Yan Lu about the Zhou family's recent activities in Wuzhen.

"Very good, very good. The Zhou family is smarter than I thought; they didn't directly attack the Zhao family."

Yan Lu smiled. "Hmm, as expected of a family with a ninth-level Qi Refining ancestor, they know their limits when doing things."

"Everything is within the adults' calculations!"

The dark figure was filled with admiration.

Yan Lu was certain that the Zhao family of Wuzhen was a branch of the descendants of Zhao Chen, the Nascent Soul ancestor.

But is part of Zhao Chen's Nascent Soul Immortal Treasure Trove located in the Zhao family in Wuzhen?

It's uncertain, the probability is extremely small, roughly one in a thousand. Those who cultivate immortality try their best to avoid entanglement in karma.

Yan Lu naturally did not want to offend the main branch of the Zhao family for no reason. Therefore, he did not intend to get involved until he confirmed that the immortal treasure was in the Zhao family in Wuzhen.

Not only did he not get involved, he also tried to extricate himself from the situation, so that even if the Zhao family of Wuzhen were wiped out, the main branch of the Zhao family would not blame him.

That wandering Taoist priest was arranged by Yan Lu. He deliberately leaked the news that the Zhao family in Wuzhen had a treasure to the Zhou family, so that the Zhou family could investigate the truth first.

Interestingly, the Zhou family didn't intend to take matters into their own hands. Instead, they planned to have the Xiangshe Gang wipe out the Qingzhu Gang, then dominate Wuzhen and put pressure on the Zhao family.

Unexpectedly, the plan did not go smoothly.

The Zhou family had no choice but to hire people to rob the Zhao family of their medicinal herbs and money twice more.

"Wei Long, do you know what kind of words are most likely to deceive people?"

Yan Lu was in a good mood and spoke with a smile.

The one kneeling below was Wei Long, the chief constable of the county government. He cupped his hands and said, "This humble servant is unaware; please enlighten me, sir!"

"To fool people, it can't be too real or too fake; it needs to be nine parts real and one part fake to be the most deceptive!"

"My lord, I knew about nine shallow and one deep, but nine true and one false is something I've never heard of before."

Taking advantage of Yan Lu's good mood, Wei Long smiled innocently and made a joke.

Yan Lu pointed at Wei Long, laughed and scolded him a couple of times, but did not blame him.

He then continued, "The so-called 'nine truths and one falsehood' means mixing a small amount of false information into a large amount of true information in order to achieve a misleading purpose."

"Do you think what that wandering Taoist priest said is false? The Zhao family of Wuzhen did indeed have an ancestor who was a Foundation Establishment Realm alchemist. This can be verified."

The Zhao family lineage in Wuzhen separated from the main Zhao family branch long ago because their ancestors lacked spiritual roots.

After more than ten generations, a descendant with spiritual roots finally emerged, who also had a talent for alchemy.

This young man received cultivation from the main branch of the Zhao family and became a Foundation Establishment Realm alchemist, which was quite famous in the region.

He did indeed leave behind a legacy of alchemy, hoping that his descendants would inherit his mantle.

Unfortunately, from then until Zhao Qian and Zhao Kun's generation, no one in the Zhao family of Wuzhen had a descendant with spiritual roots.

Therefore, the information Yan Lu revealed to the Zhou family was not false, and the Zhou family could verify it through their own means. However, as for whether the Zhao family of Wuzhen had inherited one or two Foundation Establishment Pills, that was entirely fabricated by Yan Lu as bait to lure the Zhou family.

As for the Zhao family of Wuzhen being descendants of the Nascent Soul Ancestor Zhao Chen, and the secret of the Nascent Soul Immortal Treasury, only powerful figures in the cultivation world are qualified to know.

The cultivation world is strictly hierarchical. You are in a lower level, and the only information you can obtain is from within your own circle.

If you learn secrets that are beyond your level of access, be careful, as it may be a trap set for you.

Yan Lu could tell that even if the Zhou family were ten times stronger, they still wouldn't be able to trace the main lineage of the Zhao family, let alone the immortal treasure of the Nascent Soul ancestor Zhao Chen.

"My lord, that was a brilliant move of yours! No wonder the Zhou family took the bait so easily!"

Wei Long flattered him, saying, "What does it mean to be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?"

The Zhou family coveted the Foundation Establishment Pill, unaware that the city lord desired the Nascent Soul Immortal Treasure.

In reality, the Zhou family was willing to act as pawns whenever Yan Lu gave the order, since Yan Lu held absolute power in Zishui City.

Yan Lu went to such lengths precisely to absolve himself of any responsibility, so that no matter how dire the fate of the Zhao family in Wuzhen became, it would have nothing to do with him.

Yan Lu waved his hand, looking dejected, and said:

"This matter is mostly a waste of time. The possibility that the Nascent Soul Immortal is hiding in the Zhao family in Wuzhen is extremely small."

He's just taking a gamble without having to pay any stakes.

If he bets correctly, he will make a fortune and may even have the chance to change his fate; if he bets incorrectly, he will not lose anything.

"My lord, it's hard to say. What if this is an opportunity arranged for you by heaven?"

Despite being a burly man, Chief Constable Wei was just as skilled at flattery as those with pointed faces and monkey-like features.

Upon hearing this, Yan Lu smiled and said, "If that's really the case, do you know where the real fun lies?"

He asked himself and answered, "What would be most interesting is the identity with which our Nascent Soul Ancestor Zhao Chen would attempt to retrieve this immortal treasure!"

(End of this chapter)