"Do you have the ambition to achieve Foundation Establishment?"

Yu Hui looked at Li An indifferently.

Li An was momentarily startled, then nodded and said, "Achieving Foundation Establishment is a lifelong wish. Naturally, I desire it."

Two days ago, Xu Qiuhui had given him a piece of advice, urging him to think about how to handle the Foundation Establishment Pill.

He already understood that this reward from the sect... would not be easy to obtain.

Especially a treasure like the Foundation Establishment Pill.

There must be someone else in the sect who has their eye on it.

He had already devised two scenarios: if the person who came had a relatively ordinary status, such as a disciple like Xu Qiuhui, he would try to hold onto the Foundation Establishment Pill.

After all, the Foundation Establishment Pill could increase the chance of achieving Foundation Establishment by thirty percent, which was extremely important for a cultivator with Li An's somewhat ordinary aptitude.

If he missed this opportunity, he could not fathom how many difficulties he would have to go through in the future to obtain another Foundation Establishment Pill.

But if the person who came held significant status and was clearly someone he could not afford to provoke, he would not forcibly keep it.

Otherwise, it would only bring disaster upon himself.

And now, it was clearly the latter who had come.

Yu Hui, one of the four Fake Pill Elders...

But he would not let it go easily; bargaining and securing enough benefits for himself was the best strategy.

"Your aptitude is merely a Yellow Rank Low Grade Spirit Root,"

Yu Hui said indifferently, "Forgive my straightforwardness, but with your aptitude, aiming to reach the peak of Qi Cultivation before the age of sixty is nothing but a fool's dream."

"You may not even reach that stage in your lifetime."

"So, Foundation Establishment for you is nothing but an illusion, a mirage."

Li An's face immediately turned incredibly unpleasant.

"Don't blame me for speaking harshly; I am only considering your future, to prevent you from missing out on opportunities."

Yu Hui said, "This time you've made a great contribution, and the sect will give you a Foundation Establishment Pill and a Yellow Rank High Grade cultivation technique. In fact, I can secure another opportunity for you..."

Li An knew this was the other party's terms of exchange, and immediately said, "Please, Elder, make it clear!"

"The status of an Inner Sect Disciple, and you may enter my tutelage, receiving my direct teachings."

Yu Hui looked at Li An indifferently, waiting for his response.

Li An started to think.

This old thing... is really stingy.

Taking Li An as an Inner Sect Disciple? It seemed like a leap over the dragon gate, but compared to the Foundation Establishment Pill, it was not worth mentioning, just empty fame!

As for her direct teachings... Li An did not expect much, just a false promise, and he did not really care.

Of course, this empty fame was not entirely useless. For others, having the status of an Inner Sect Disciple and a direct disciple of Yu Hui would indeed allow them to walk freely within the sect.

"This is also for your consideration. Without a background, holding onto a Foundation Establishment Pill is nothing but a Life-Ending Talisman for you, young man. You need to think more long-term..."

Yu Hui suddenly added with a smile.

Li An's heart sneered... tempting with benefits and threatening at the same time.

If Li An did not agree, he might not even know how he ended up dead...

"Reporting to the elder, entering the Inner Sect and becoming your disciple, I dare not aspire."

After thinking, Li An said, "After experiencing such a battle, I am financially depleted and extremely poor... If I cannot aspire to the path of Foundation Establishment, stability and wealth are enough for me!"

Hearing this, Yu Hui was momentarily surprised. This kid... actually wants money??

Even Xu Qiuhui beside him was stunned. Has he gone mad from poverty? Isn't becoming an Inner Sect Disciple and receiving direct teachings from Yu Hui more appealing than Spirit Stones?

"Li An, think carefully. Not for yourself, but consider Qingxue as well. If you enter the Inner Sect, her life will also be much better!"

She couldn't help but remind him!

At that time, even Tan Qingxue could return to the sect and wouldn't have to be in the market.

Li An sighed, "After this battle, I really seek nothing else, only wealth."

Xu Qiuhui's beautiful eyes showed some disappointment.

Yu Hui, however, laughed, it seemed this little talisman master indeed lacked ambition.

Which made things easier and simpler, as she did not lack Spirit Stones at all.

"How many Spirit Stones do you think would suffice for wealth in life?" she asked immediately.

Li An replied, "I dare not think too much, three thousand Spirit Stones will suffice!"

Yu Hui nodded, the price was somewhat expensive but acceptable.

"Hmm, having your own thoughts is certainly good."

Yu Hui immediately stood up, "By the way, my grandson's wife entered Profound Yang Sect with you, and she always wanted to visit you, but considering your ill health, I asked her to come in a few days."

"I'll be leaving first."

Saying this, she got up and left.

Li An frowned slightly, this old thing didn't directly hand over the Spirit Stones??

After Yu Hui left, Xu Qiuhui couldn't help but sigh, "Li An, you really make it hard for me to understand. You are a smart person, so why give up such a great opportunity?"

"If you can't hold onto the Foundation Establishment Pill, entering the Inner Sect would have been great, living safely, having children with Qingxue, and staying securely in Profound Yang Sect. This is the life that many people strive for but can't get."

Li An replied, "Thank you, Sister Xu, but everyone has their own aspirations."

"Alright." Xu Qiuhui didn't say much more.

"Sister Xu, I do have some doubts..."

Li An asked, "How could Elder Yu Hui lack my single Foundation Establishment Pill?"

A strong cultivator at the Fake Pill stage, even if they cannot refine it themselves, can easily buy or find someone to refine it!

Xu Qiuhui said, "Elder Xu has a grandson you know, Chen Cheng."

"Junior Brother Chen Cheng has weaker aptitude and has already taken two Foundation Establishment Pills, but has not succeeded in establishing a foundation."

"He is forty-nine now. After two failed attempts, his vitality is waning, and he wants to make one last attempt before turning fifty, so he urgently needs the pill you have."

"Time waits for no one."

Li An understood immediately.

Generally, under sixty is the best age to attack the Foundation Establishment. After sixty, as vitality declines, it's rare to succeed in establishing a foundation.

Even though Chen Cheng is only forty-nine, his two failed attempts have shown signs of declining vitality, which is why he's in such a hurry to try again.

Yu Hui, despite having the ability and resources to gather Spirit Medicine, commission a refiner, or purchase, all require time; none are as fast as the one Li An has!

But Li An knew well about the challenge of Foundation Establishment. Having failed twice, the chance of succeeding on the third try… is negligible, almost impossible!

Yet, some people, with background and resources, can afford to keep trying.

This is reality: with background, even if one has poor aptitude like Chen Cheng, someone can pave the way—seek the most talented woman to improve the Spirit Root, and gamble with several Foundation Establishment Pills.

Whereas Li An, lacking status or power, even if he gains a treasure… can only relinquish it!

This was still due to his merit; after all, because of his achievements, Yu Hui, considering the reputation of Profound Yang Sect, could not openly take it by force.

Otherwise, even imagining three thousand Spirit Stones… would be futile!

...

An additional day passed.

Li An's condition improved.

The sect issued an order to reward Li An heavily and held a ceremony to present him with the Foundation Establishment Pill and a volume of Yellow Rank Upper Grade cultivation technique—marking a smooth closure for Li An, free from suspicion.

After the ceremony ended.

Many acquaintances came to visit and congratulate Li An.

"Brother An, you're really amazing!"

Wang Dazhu was incredibly excited. Over these past years, nearing his forties, he had become a first-tier Artifact Refiner in the Artifact Refining Hall, extremely robust, and his cultivation nearing the Qi Refining Seventh Layer—his future is very promising!

"Brother Li, having achieved such a great deed, your future is boundless from now on!"

Zhao Xian's Story looked on with envy, already middle-aged, accompanied by a beautiful woman, his wife Wang Yuezhu.

Wang Yuezhu, having borne Zhao Xian's Story a son, held a keen excitement—having her husband connected with a promising friend like Li An is very beneficial for their future.

"Brother Li, congratulations!"

Just then, a joyful voice sounded; a man and woman arrived together—the man was none other than Chen Cheng, whom Li An had met before, and the woman was naturally Mu Qingwan.

After many years, Chen Cheng's temples had strands of gray, while Mu Qingwan was pregnant with a big belly.

Li An was quite surprised, as when Mu Qingwan married Chen Cheng back then, she wore the chastity bracelet, used as a furnace. He had thought Mu Qingwan would die young.

But now, she seemed to live well.

Seeing these two arrive, Zhao Xian's Story, Wang Dazhu, and others remained calm, saying nothing.

"Brother Li, congratulations on your major contribution to the sect, now you can soar high."

Chen Cheng was exceedingly sociable, "In this period, you were recovering, so I haven't come to visit, please don't mind!"

Li An smiled and replied, "Not at all, not at all."

"Your wife is pregnant and you came here... I am truly honored, and feel quite uneasy!"

He glanced at Mu Qingwan.

Mu Qingwan's beautiful eyes showed a complicated expression.

She recalled the past when they entered Profound Yang Sect together…

In the blink of an eye, decades had passed, with different destinies.

"What is Brother Li saying!"

Chen Cheng urged, "Qingwan, quickly, bring out our gift for Brother Li!"

Mu Qingwan immediately handed over a storage bag, Chen Cheng took it and offered it to Li An, smiling, "A small gesture, nothing worthy."

Li An accepted, glanced inside, and realized clearly!

"Three thousand five hundred Spirit Stones… such a generous gift, thank you, thank you!"

He spoke.

Five hundred more than he and Yu Hui had negotiated, a profit!

Beside him, Wang Dazhu, Zhao Xian's Story, and others were visibly shocked.

Chen Cheng actually gave Li An so many Spirit Stones??

The two had no real ties!

"Now that Daoist Mu is pregnant, Li An has nothing for the occasion; this Foundation Establishment Pill will serve as a gift—please, Brother Chen, don't refuse!"

Li An took out the Foundation Establishment Pill, smiling broadly as he handed it to Chen Cheng!

"Brother An, you..."

Wang Dazhu's face looked unsightly, that was a Foundation Establishment Pill!

"Ah..."

But Zhao Xian's Story just sighed, while he didn't know the full story, he speculated that there must be some insider knowledge…

Foundation Establishment Pill, ultimately, Li An couldn't keep it!

...

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