Inside the quiet room, Li An stared unblinkingly at the pill furnace.

Gusongxi was equally solemn. This alchemy practice had him wholly concentrated and fully committed, an effort so rare that even in his alchemy journey, moments like this were few and far between. Perhaps it was exhaustion, or perhaps nerves, that made his aged, bark-like hands tremble slightly...

The furnace lid was gently lifted.

An instant burst of dazzling white light emerged!

In that moment, the Spiritual Qi within the quiet room inexplicably surged towards the white light of the furnace.

Even the Spiritual Qi from the Spirit Stones that Li An had used to maintain the array was subtly being absorbed by that white light.

The entire room was filled with a heady aroma of medicinal herbs, with the scent of the pills seemingly forming a peculiar, fluctuating cloud.

"Is this... a Top Grade Pill?!"

Gusongxi's face was filled with shock, his voice carrying immense joy.

"It's actually a Top Grade..."

Even Li An was taken aback. He had never witnessed such a pill in his past life, only heard of them.

Top Grade Pills are extremely rare; each one attracts Spiritual Qi upon creation.

There's even a legend that Top Grade Pills of Third Grade or above possess a vague consciousness from birth, capable of seeking benefit and avoiding harm. They would fly away upon creation to avoid being consumed by humans. If fate permits, these pills could eventually cultivate like humans and achieve the status of 'Pill Spirit Immortal'!

Thankfully, the Foundation Establishment Pill was only a Second Grade Pill and didn't have the legendary effects. Otherwise, Li An would only be able to watch helplessly as the Spirit Pill flew away.

But a Second Grade Top Grade Pill would still absorb a lot of Spiritual Qi to reach its perfect form.

As soon as his heart was shocked, Li An reacted swiftly, quickly throwing out three thousand Spirit Stones to encircle the pill furnace, with massive Spiritual Qi frantically pouring into the furnace.

This was necessary!

After the Spiritual Qi in the room was drained, it would immediately affect other areas, and the Spiritual Qi fluctuations triggered by the Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill would be noticed by others instantly.

That would cause major trouble.

"Haha... a Top Grade, Top Grade!"

Gusongxi stared at the pill furnace, almost appearing deranged.

Top Grade Pills are the lifelong pursuit of all alchemists!

He was considered a genius in the field of alchemy, and before this, he had never crafted such a pill.

In truth, being able to craft it this time was a fortuitous coincidence.

He was gravely injured and nearing his end, no longer making pills but focusing on self-care. For four years, he had been waiting and adjusting to ensure the success of this batch of Foundation Establishment Pills, putting in far more effort than usual!

In his lifetime, he had never been this devoted.

Thus, he achieved the Top Grade.

Meanwhile, Li An stepped forward, and with a casual wave, the white spiritual light exploding upon the Top Grade Pill's creation dissipated, revealing three pills within the furnace!

One of them appeared as if crafted from fine mutton fat jade, translucent throughout, with mysterious patterns evolving on its surface.

It was indeed the Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill!

The other two were different: one was pale yellow and smooth, merely a regular Foundation Establishment Pill, and the second bore cracks on its surface, marking it as a flawed pill.

Three pills emerged from this batch.

Li An fixated on the Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill, his entire aura and state already tense, his mind racing.

According to his prior plan, upon obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill, he would immediately leave the city, find a secluded place like Moon Tempering Valley, and slowly break through.

But the appearance of a Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill disrupted his plan!

The location was shielded by eight layers of array protections, and he had also used three thousand Spirit Stones to set up a simple Spirit Gathering Array to conceal the existence of the Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill.

If he left, the Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill would immediately be discovered.

And the pill was too precious; a regular Foundation Establishment Pill only increased the establishment probability by forty percent, while a Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill raised it to seventy percent!

Furthermore, the foundational strength post-establishment would far exceed average, profoundly enhancing a cultivator's potential at the Foundation Establishment level.

Such a thing could be said to change one's fate to some extent.

Once exposed, Li An absolutely could not keep it!

Even if a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator held such an item, they would invite disaster.

"I'll have to take the risk—"

Li An had already made up his mind.

He did not wait for the Foundation Establishment Pill to continue absorbing Spiritual Qi but swiftly grabbed it. The other two pills were placed in a storage bag, while the Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill was swallowed directly.

"You!"

Gusongxi was still elated from crafting the Top Grade Pill, but seeing Li An suddenly swallow it, his face turned anxious, exclaiming, "Return my Top Grade Pill!"

In his urgency, he even forgot that this batch of pills was meant for Li An.

But Li An quickly seized Gusongxi's throat, his five fingers turning bright blue.

Gusongxi was unprepared for Li An's sudden move, and being an alchemist, he was not skilled in combat. The toxins in Li An's fingers mixed with the aura of a Life Seed, swiftly injected into Gusongxi's arterial veins, spreading through his body, causing him to become rigid and fall down.

Li An did not kill him, but he had to restrain his actions.

"Fellow Daoist Yuan, what happened? There seemed to be some fluctuation of Spiritual Qi earlier?"

Outside the door, Gu Hong's voice was heard.

"Please, Fellow Daoist Gu, guard me! I'm about to break through to Foundation Establishment—"

Li An promptly spoke; he could already feel the intense medicinal power of the Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill dissolving within him, on the verge of being uncontrollable.

"Alright!"

Gu Hong's voice was filled with surprise and delight outside the door.

Li An sat cross-legged, madly circulating the Life Nourishing Immortal Skill, beginning to guide the medicinal power of the Top Grade Foundation Establishment Pill throughout his body...

...

By the next morning, Li An still hadn't completed his breakthrough.

Gu Hong nonchalantly closed the door, hanging a 'Closed for Outing' sign, guarding the quiet room without moving.

An instant.

The third day.

In the dead of night.

Bang!

In White Tiger City, within the Tier Two area, a massive surge of Spiritual Qi suddenly rushed towards a certain direction, creating fluctuations in the Great Dao, felt by cultivators within several miles.

"Someone is attempting a Foundation Establishment?!"

"Who is it?"

"For several years, Foundation Establishment Pills have not appeared in White Tiger City, halting the paths of many Qi Refining Stage cultivators. Who has broken through this step?"

Every faction was abuzz with speculation, many Qi Refining Stage cultivators filled with envy.

For Qi Refining Stage cultivators, Foundation Establishment is a great chasm, and those who manage to cross it are considered the lucky ones.

Especially in recent years, as White Tiger Mountain has been collecting numerous soul-nurturing herbs, like Purple Soul Herbs, few Foundation Establishment Pills have emerged, drawing considerable attention to this breakthrough.

Many directly headed towards the epicenter of the Spiritual Qi riot.

"Spirit Pill Shop!?"

"The Spirit Pill Shop is run by Gusongxi and Gu Hong, both of whom are already Foundation Establishment cultivators..."

"Did someone hire them to craft Foundation Establishment Pills and break through here?"

Many whispered!

Meanwhile, a radiant woman also approached gracefully, clutching a sword in her hand, a hint of contemplation in her gaze.

She was the overseer of this area, Xu Qiuhui, the seventeenth disciple of White Tiger Master.

Her jurisdiction experiencing someone achieving Foundation Establishment naturally warranted her attention.

......

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