Mortal Alchemy

Chen Ping's last meeting with Li Erniu was about twenty years ago, during the beast tide in the Eastern Wasteland.

Twenty years of wind and rain, spring, summer, autumn, and winter have passed, and Li Erniu is still in the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

But Chen Ping had already been promoted to the Golden Core stage.

Their status, future prospects, were worlds apart.

Now, Li Erniu stood before Chen Ping, looking restrained and respectful.

Back then, Li Erniu relied on his grandfather and had a smooth journey in the Qi Refining stage and the early Foundation Establishment stage. Establishing his foundation at a young age and marrying a beautiful wife made him the envy and aspiration of Chen Ping and others.

Now, the opposite was true. Chen Ping had advanced to the Golden Core stage, surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines, and had become famous in the Eastern Domain's cultivation world.

Although Li Erniu was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his Dao foundation was damaged, and he was implicated by his grandfather, making his life extremely difficult.

The young man behind him resembled him by sixty percent and appeared to be in his thirties, his aura lingering at the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Clearly, he had failed to establish his foundation.

Mu Luofei smiled faintly and sat down beside Chen Ping:

"I ran into Junior Brother Li on the road. It's been many years since we last met, so I brought him along to catch up."

Chen Ping thought to himself, "Senior Sister Luofei is really petty, still holding grudges from back then."

Li Erniu had pursued Mu Luofei since he was young, but Mu Luofei repeatedly refused him and even publicly humiliated Chen Ping.

At first, Li Erniu was unconvinced, resenting why Mu Luofei would choose Chen Ping.

Now it seemed, her vision was truly excellent.

Chen Ping nodded slightly:

"That's good. It's been over twenty years since the few of us from the Jiazi Courtyard have gathered. Since Junior Nephew Li Erniu is here, we should have a few drinks together."

Li Erniu's lips moved, but he finally cupped his fist in salute:

"Then I'll be bothering Uncle Chen."

"This is my son, Li Jijiia. Son, greet your Uncle Chen and Aunt Mu."

Li Jijiia's appearance still had some sharpness, and he clearly wanted to try again to establish his foundation. Even if he couldn't enter the Four Great Sects, becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator would allow him to live to two hundred years old like his father.

"Ying'er, go and arrange a good feast."

"This concubine obeys."

Zhou Ying gave a graceful bow.

Meng Huang'er and Nan Yun were also perceptive, and the two women offered to help Zhou Ying.

Mu Luofei, however, said, "Sister Yun'er, stay and pour some tea."

"Yes, Sister Luofei."

Nan Yun gave a graceful bow.

She stayed behind to serve tea and water, replacing Meng Huang'er's usual role.

Seeing this scene, Li Erniu felt even more bitter inside.

Chen Ping had not yet married a formal Dao companion, but he already had three beautiful Foundation Establishment concubines attending to him.

In recent years, he had also considered marrying a few more wives to have more offspring, but supporting his son's cultivation had already drained him.

Even if he occasionally had needs after drinking, he would solve them with some Qi Refining prostitutes in the Eastern Wasteland Immortal City, which were not presentable.

Before long, Luo Chongzhi, Fang Xing, Han Tongbao, and others returned.

The contrast was even stronger when they met.

It had been about forty years since they last saw Li Erniu. The last time they met was at Chen Ping's Foundation Establishment banquet.

Li Erniu was shocked:

"Junior Brother Luo, Junior Brother Fang, you've already established your foundations?" And they were already in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment!

Even Han Tongbao was a second-level body cultivator. The three of them had beards and looked ruddy, indicating that they were living well.

Seeing Li Erniu so down and out, they felt somewhat emotional, but they didn't have the heart to humiliate him.

The grudges from the past seemed insignificant now. Only Mu Luofei hadn't completely vented her anger.

Luo Chongzhi said with a smile:

"Following Senior Brother Chen, we had some fortuitous encounters and were lucky enough to establish our foundations."

Mu Luofei sipped her tea and said with a smile:

"Now that everyone is here, let's move to our seats."

They dined at the same table, the last time being forty years ago at Chen Ping's Foundation Establishment banquet.

During the banquet, Nan Yun acted as a tea-pouring servant, making Li Erniu feel uneasy.

Li Erniu's heart was filled with bitterness. If he hadn't been so arrogant when he was in high spirits, their relationship might have been better if they met again today.

Fang Xing asked, "How has Senior Brother Li been in the Eastern Wasteland Immortal City these years?"

Li Erniu forced a smile:

"I'm in the patrol team, with a little authority. I'm doing so-so, but I'm always worried about my child's affairs."

The Eastern Wasteland Immortal City patrol team only offered two thousand low-grade spirit stones a year for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Fang Xing and the others earned more than that in one trip to the Haoyu Sea, with a monthly profit of at least three thousand spirit stones.

"This child is ashamed,"

Li Jijiia's face flushed red.

He was already over thirty years old.

Han Tongbao said with a smile, "Why should Senior Brother Li work so hard? Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes."

"My few boys are also useless. In our path of cultivation, everything must prioritize our own immortal path."

"Senior Brother Li has wasted many years, but there is still a chance to take another step towards the Great Dao."

Li Erniu was only a year older than them.

They were all in their seventies.

Foundation Establishment cultivators lived to two hundred years old, leaving them with one hundred and thirty years to live. Even if they couldn't reach the Golden Core stage, they could strive for a third-level body cultivation to extend their lifespan, although the path of body cultivation was looked down upon.

With enough resources, Li Erniu might be able to take another step forward.

Upon hearing this, Li Erniu drank a cup of wine, his face flushed slightly:

"Junior Brother Han is right."

"If I can get another Foundation Establishment Pill for this child, I can focus my energy on my own cultivation. Otherwise, after a hundred years, I won't have the face to face his mother in the afterlife."

"Father,"

Li Jijiia's eyes were a little red.

The others sighed inwardly. This Li Erniu was indeed old, his Dao heart was not firm enough.

A Foundation Establishment Pill used to cost three thousand five hundred spirit stones, but according to the current market, it would cost about six thousand spirit stones. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, saving up this money would be extremely difficult.

Seeing Chen Ping advance to the Golden Core stage, a hint of attachment welled up in Li Erniu's heart. He wanted to cast aside his old face and beg Chen Ping, but the words reached his lips and he couldn't say them, so he could only sullenly gulp down wine.

After they had their fill of food and wine, everyone dispersed.

Li Erniu and Li Jijiia supported each other as they left. Li Erniu drunkenly said:

"Son, your father is incompetent. Whatever you do, don't be like your father."

"It's this child who is incompetent,"

Li Jijiia wiped away tears.

By the window, Chen Ping watched the father and son support each other as they left, and sighed softly, looking at the beautiful woman beside him:

"Senior Sister, did you vent your anger?"

Mu Luofei gently took Chen Ping's arm, her jade face calm, her voice sweet and gentle:

"Almost."

"Junior Brother, even if he begs you, you must not help him!"

The events of that year were still vivid in her mind.

For Chen Ping today, changing Li Erniu's situation was truly just a matter of a word.

Chen Ping withdrew his gaze, gently hugged her slender, soft, and well-shaped waist:

"I'm just envious that his child is so old."

"Senior Sister, when can we hold our Dao Companion ceremony?"