"Your foundation is damaged. You won't be able to achieve Foundation Establishment. Keeping the Foundation Establishment Pill is useless, so why not exchange it for a better future?"

"You've offended someone you can't afford to provoke. Life will only get harder, so why insist on seeking misery?"

Inside the Law Enforcement Office of the Five Elements Marketplace, Yang Bingzhi appeared disheveled and dispirited.

When he attempted to break through to Foundation Establishment, something went wrong at the Gathering Yuan Pass. His Spiritual Power went berserk and damaged his foundation—a condition ordinary Elixirs couldn't heal.

His Cultivation Level not only failed to progress but was even regressing day by day. Diligent Cultivation couldn't solve the issue, and he could only watch as his Realm slipped down to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.

Elixirs capable of restoring the foundation of his Dantian were nowhere to be found in the Market, nor were they on the Sect's exchange list.

He had no chance to start over...

Yang Bingzhi took out a flask, gulped down a mouthful, and let out a burp.

"I've said it before, the Foundation Establishment Pill has already been given away. You just wouldn't believe it," he said.

With no hope for Cultivation, Yang Bingzhi spent his days drowning his sorrows in alcohol, living a life of inebriated oblivion.

"The Foundation Establishment Pill was given away? Why didn't you give me one? Go fool someone else!"

"Senior Martial Brother Chen asked me to pass on a message to you, don't be ungrateful!"

The Enforcement Division Cultivator's face was impassive, his voice dropping three degrees colder.

The Foundation Establishment Pill given to someone else? Spouting lies without blinking an eye? Who would ever willingly gift such a treasure to another?

No one was willing to believe Yang Bingzhi's words.

They judged others by their own standards; if they wouldn't do such a thing, how could anyone else?

"Believe it or not, that's up to you!" Yang Bingzhi retorted. "As if I haven't offended enough people already, I don't mind adding one more!"

In recent years, many Cultivators seeking Foundation Establishment Pills had sought him out, both openly and covertly. Some offered treasures, Spirit Stones, and positions in exchange for the Foundation Establishment Pill. When these attempts failed, they resorted to underhanded tactics.

The protective seals on his residence had been secretly breached and searched several times. Some laid traps, using theft as an excuse to inspect his Storage Bag. He was assigned missions that required leaving the Five Elements Sect, with some attempting to forcefully seize what they wanted from him. Open and hidden dangers lurked everywhere, impossible to guard against completely.

Yang Bingzhi had narrowly escaped death and become wiser. He steadfastly refused to leave the Sect or Market alone, thereby avoiding a lot of trouble.

"A hopeless case!" the man sneered before leaving with a flick of his sleeve.

It had been three years since Yang Bingzhi's failed breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. His living quarters and Storage Bag had been thoroughly searched multiple times, but the whereabouts of another Foundation Establishment Pill never surfaced. Many believed that the Foundation Establishment Pill was gone, and the number of people causing him trouble gradually decreased. However, some still refused to give up. After all, this was the easiest way to get a Foundation Establishment Pill.

"There's trouble on North Street. Would Senior Martial Brother Yang mind personally taking a look?" a familiar acquaintance from the Law Enforcement Office reminded him.

North Street in the Five Elements Sect was precisely the area under Yang Bingzhi's jurisdiction. The Law Enforcement Office was responsible for handling internal affairs within the Five Elements Marketplace, with its internal departments each having specific duties. The Peacekeeping Department primarily dealt with major incidents such as Bizarre Cultivators, Demon Cultivators, and disturbances in the Market, boasting strong combat capabilities. The External Affairs Department handled all sorts of minor and major issues, such as fraud, theft, and patrolling the Marketplace. Its affairs were numerous and complicated.

Yang Bingzhi initially served in the Peacekeeping Department. However, after being framed once and nearly losing his life, he was transferred to the External Affairs Department. The External Affairs Department was the most notorious place within the Law Enforcement Office. They faced a daily routine of trivial matters with little to no profit. Without extra income, they looked for ways to create it. Once brought into the Law Enforcement Office by Cultivators from the External Affairs Department, even a stone would be squeezed for three taels of oil. The higher-ups wouldn't interfere much. After all, the largest share of the acquired Spirit Stones ended up in their pockets. And who would turn their nose up at Spirit Stones?

Yang Bingzhi, not wanting to be ostracized and make his life even more difficult, inevitably went along with the corruption.

Unconsciously, I ended up becoming the very person I despised the most.

Yang Bingzhi took another fierce gulp of his Drunken Heart Brew and staggered toward North Street of the Five Elements Sect. Since his Cultivation became hopeless, he had spent most of his Spirit Stones on spiritual liquors.

"Yang Daoyou, it's been a long time."

Yang Bingzhi felt someone pat his shoulder.

Yang Daoyou? he thought. It had been too long since he'd heard such a title. Within the Sect, he was more accustomed to being addressed as Senior Martial Brother, Junior Martial Brother, or Martial Nephew by fellow disciples.

The voice was incredibly familiar. Jia...

He turned his head, hoping to see a familiar face.

That's not right, Jia Ren died in the Great Wilderness Market...

After the death of the Five Elements Ancestor, all the Great Sects withdrew immediately, fleeing the Great Wilderness overnight. The merchant caravans that were slower to act were all intercepted by the Black Blood Bizarre and trapped within the Great Wilderness. Their ultimate fate was death at the hands of Bizarre Demons, with not a single survivor...

Never mind Jia Ren being just a Qi Refinement Realm Cultivator; even if he had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, it would have been impossible to escape the clutches of the Black Blood Bizarre.

Despite knowing his old friend was dead, he couldn't help but turn around. What if... there was an exception?

Yang Bingzhi turned his head, and his gaze froze.

"Jia... Daoyou? You're still alive?" he stammered. "Is this real?"

The flask in his hand fell to the ground. He paid no mind to his cherished Drunken Heart Brew, immediately rubbing his eyes instead.

I must have drunk too much counterfeit liquor and started hallucinating.

Jia Ren looked at Yang Bingzhi's disheveled appearance and sighed inwardly. He remembered Yang Bingzhi once boldly proclaiming he would become the Sect Master of the Five Elements Sect. However, fate's cruel twists had reduced him to such a state.

"Let's find a place to talk!" Jia Ren said.

Yang Bingzhi came to his senses. Feeling Jia Ren's aura, his expression became complex. Although he didn't know why, the fact that his old friend was alive was indeed wonderful news. This should have been a joyous occasion. However, sensing the fluctuations of Jia Ren's Foundation Establishment aura made his heart sour. Both of them had taken Foundation Establishment Pills, yet their fates were as different as heaven and earth. He himself had failed at Foundation Establishment, damaging his foundation with no hope for the Great Dao. Jia Ren, on the other hand, had become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator with a bright future ahead. It wasn't that he was jealous of Jia Ren; rather, the stark contrast left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Let's find a place where we can talk properly," Yang Bingzhi said, collecting himself.

Jia Ren looked around and led Yang Bingzhi to a private room in a teahouse, where he set up a sound-isolating restriction.

Old friends reunited, their circumstances now worlds apart.

"I haven't yet congratulated Dao... Senior Jia on your Foundation Establishment. This is truly a joyous occasion! Please take this Sky Thunder Seed as a congratulatory gift for your achievement."

Yang Bingzhi rummaged through his Storage Bag but found few valuables left; he had spent most of his Spirit Stones on alcohol. The only gift-worthy item he had was a Sky Thunder Seed he had exchanged for with Sect contribution points. This item was an advanced version of the Concealed Thunder Pellets. Its explosive power surpassed that of an ordinary Middle-Order Talisman Scroll and was capable of injuring a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.

In his younger, ambitious years, he had dreamed that after achieving Foundation Establishment, he would hunt Second-Order Monsters and become one of the Five Elements Sect's Foundation Establishment Elders, eventually aiming for the position of Sect Master. But his aspirations were cut short when he failed on the path to Foundation Establishment. The Sky Thunder Seed was his greatest deterrent; he had used it to save his life on several occasions. In a few more years, when his Spiritual Power was completely depleted, he would become a mortal, and this item would be useless to him.

"There's no need to call me 'Senior.' Such formalities are unnecessary between us, wouldn't you agree?" Jia Ren said with a smile. He then accepted the Sky Thunder Seed Yang Bingzhi offered with a wave of his hand. "I won't be polite about accepting your gift then. And I have a return gift for you, which might be helpful."

Jia Ren then pushed two boxes towards Yang Bingzhi.

"Daoist Jia, my foundation is destroyed. Cultivation treasures are useless to me. Please don't waste them."

Yang Bingzhi didn't open the boxes and pushed them back toward Jia Ren.

Jia Ren chuckled, a teasing look in his eyes. "Why don't you open them and see? Perhaps they can help repair your damaged foundation."

Yang Bingzhi froze. His palms trembled, and his mouth opened and closed several times, but ultimately, he couldn't bring himself to refuse. The reason he had become so despondent was precisely because his Cultivation was hopeless. Forget Foundation Establishment or even consolidating his Cultivation Level; it was a struggle just to prevent it from declining further. No matter what methods he tried, he couldn't stop the decline of his internal Spiritual Power.

Perhaps… in a few more years, my Cultivation Level will drop back to the First Layer of Qi Refinement, and I'll become a mortal forever. If there had been even a glimmer of hope for the future, I wouldn't have ended up like this.

He opened the first box. Inside lay a Pill sealed with a restriction. Although he didn't know if it could solve his problem, he understood that this Pill was incredibly precious.

"This Pill is called the Third Turn Resurrection Pill. It's a Second Order, Superior Grade item, and it can repair your foundation," Jia Ren explained.

It was quite a coincidence. If he hadn't accepted Luo Yuzhu's commission to refine Third Turn Resurrection Pills, he wouldn't have been able to solve Yang Bingzhi's problem.

Indeed, every peck and drink is predestined.

"Thank you, Daoist Jia! I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life!"

Yang Bingzhi clutched the box containing the Third Turn Resurrection Pill, his eyes blurring with tears. Three years of despair and helplessness had finally given way to a spark of hope at this moment. He had thought his path of Cultivation was severed in this life, but at this very moment, the Great Dao had reconnected for him. Once again, Jia Ren had changed his fate.

The first box contained an Elixir to restore his foundation. And the second box...

Yang Bingzhi had an inkling, but he still couldn't help but reach out and open it. Inside the box lay an incredibly familiar Pill: a Foundation Establishment Pill.

"I can't accept this! It's too precious!" Yang Bingzhi exclaimed. "You can use this to exchange for Cultivation resources for the Foundation Establishment Stage. I cannot accept it."

Yang Bingzhi firmly pushed the box containing the Foundation Establishment Pill back to Jia Ren. Every Qi Refining Cultivator knew the value of a Foundation Establishment Pill; even ten thousand Spirit Stones couldn't buy one. Over the past few years, he had witnessed too many Cultivators scheming for Foundation Establishment Pills. For a Foundation Establishment Pill, people became no different from demons. After the decline of the Five Elements Sect, Foundation Establishment Pills had become even rarer. The next refining of Foundation Establishment Pills was still five years away, and the number of pills produced would not exceed twenty. The number of Foundation Establishment Pills was negligible when compared to the tens of thousands of Qi Refinement disciples.

"Without the Foundation Establishment Pill you gave me, I don't know when I would have been able to achieve Foundation Establishment," Jia Ren said. "Foundation Establishment Pills may be precious to others, but they don't mean that much to me."

Jia Ren had obtained Spiritual Medicine for Foundation Establishment from the Blood Demon Sect, giving him over thirty Foundation Establishment Pills in total. Their greatest value to him now was for resource exchange.

"The Foundation Establishment Pill I gave you was in gratitude for the Spirit Stone Vein; you deserved a share of it to begin with... I cannot accept this Pill."

Although Yang Bingzhi was tempted, he remained firm in his refusal. He already owed an unrepayable debt of gratitude. A single Third Turn Resurrection Pill, allowing him to resume his path on the Great Dao, was far beyond his wildest expectations. How could I dare ask for more? One must not be insatiable.

"Actually, I do have a matter for which I need your help," Jia Ren said. "Once it's resolved, how about you accept the Foundation Establishment Pill as a token of gratitude?"

Jia Ren had sought out Yang Bingzhi not only with the intention of helping him but also because he genuinely needed his assistance with something. He had come to the Five Elements Sect solely to acquire certain useful items: Golden Core Formation Pill Spiritual Medicine, Second-order Pill Recipes, and secret techniques from the Five Elements Sect's records... He hoped he might find items that could offer insights or inspiration for creating the Everlasting Dynamic Artifact of Bizarre-Suppressing and other Magical Treasures.

As the largest Sect in the Barren Extreme Land, the Five Elements Sect possessed abundant resources and numerous secret techniques. Although the Five Elements Ancestor was dead, the Sect's underlying foundation remained. It was the most likely place for Jia Ren to find everything he needed. The Five Elements Sect was in decline and had many enemies. Numerous forces were secretly coveting its resources, eager to take a bite out of the former behemoth and claim a share of the spoils. This was a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity. If he missed it, such a chance might never come again.

"Regarding Daoist Jia's matter, I will naturally do my utmost!"

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