The status of that Wang Family’s Third Elder might be even more impressive than we imagined.
Never mind you all—even if the Ancestor himself came in person,
he would probably have to give him at least thirty percent face."
With that, Qin Liang turned around and stepped into the study.
He once again took out the Seven Illusions Cyan Spirit Pill, golden light flashing in his eyes: "A Top-grade Seven Illusions Cyan Spirit Pill—your average Second-grade Alchemist definitely couldn’t refine this. Only someone who’s on the verge of breaking through to a First-grade Alchemist could.
And if he’s about to break through to a First-grade Alchemist, that means behind Fellow Daoist Zheng Yi, this Wang Family’s Third Elder, at the very least there’s a senior expert at the Crystal Stage.
The Wang Shan Family Ancestor probably still doesn’t know this. But I’ve already found out first."
Pride flickered in Qin Liang’s eyes. He wished the Wang Family Ancestor would immediately fall out with Zheng Yi—then he’d have more chances to win Zheng Yi over.
"Wang Shan, don’t let your temper disappoint me."
With that said,
Qin Liang sent out a Communication Talisman.
...
The next day, daylight blazed, roosters crowed the dawn.
The Wang Family Ancestor Wang Shan was in seclusion when a streak of white light appeared.
It was precisely the message Qin Liang had sent him: "Wang Shan, your Wang Family sure went to great pains to keep this from me.
A Second-grade Alchemist, a large batch of Foundation Establishment Pills.
If I hadn’t deliberately sent people to inquire, I’d probably still be kept in the dark even now.
You and I have gone through nine deaths and one life together, how many times have we entrusted our lives to each other? And yet you still act like this. You’ve really let me down."
Qin Liang turned into a phantom and appeared in front of Wang Shan.
Wang Shan’s face was expressionless as he let out a cold snort: "For what purpose is Fellow Daoist Qin saying all this today?"
"Hehe, I’m just giving you a reminder, that’s all.
As for this Fellow Daoist Zheng Yi, Wang Family’s Third Elder, my Mortal World Quarter is very envious of him."
"Hehe."
Wang Shan’s expression didn’t change as he directly mocked, "The Mortal World Quarter, as a Demonic Forces faction, how could it possibly compare to the stability of this Celestial South Market and the Celestial Profound Sword Sect lineage?"
The two chatted for a while.
As Qin Liang’s phantom floating in the air gradually faded away, Wang Shan instantly lost all desire to continue his Cultivation.
He furrowed his thick brows and appeared in the ancestral hall, coming before the Great Elder.
"Greetings, Ancestor."
The Great Elder bowed.
Wang Shan shook his head and asked gravely, "Has something happened in the Wang Family recently?"
At these words, the Great Elder’s heart clenched, his face twisting into a grimace.
Seeing this, Wang Shan’s expression grew even heavier: "So it’s true.
No wonder Qin Liang of the Mortal World Quarter found a chance to take advantage.
What exactly happened?
Why aren’t you hurrying up and telling me!"
Wang Shan shouted in anger.
Knowing he could no longer hide it, the Great Elder hastily recounted in full the previous incident between the Wang Family’s Second Elder and his Granddaughter Wang Miaomiao.
With a boom, the Spiritual Pressure of a Peak of Foundation Establishment instantly erupted within the small ancestral hall.
The ground quaked, ripples spreading out in all directions, proof of how terrifying that power was.
"Unfilial descendants, throwing my Wang Family’s great plans into chaos!
Do they not know the people of the Mortal World Quarter have been watching us all this time?
In recent years, my Wang Family has had people breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm one after another. I thought the other factions didn’t know. If we hadn’t promptly attached ourselves to the Celestial Profound Sword Sect, that Alchemist Zheng Yi would probably have long since left our Wang Family."
Wang Shan berated the Great Elder nonstop.
The Great Elder lowered his head, at a complete loss.
Seeing this, Wang Shan quickly lost interest. He merely said, "The handling of the matter by your Great Elder lineage is still passable—consider it shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.
But from today on, there must never again be such incidents.
If there’s a next time, this Ancestor will personally deal with it."
With that, Wang Shan no longer felt like talking with the Great Elder. His figure flickered, and he soon arrived at Zheng Yi’s Alchemy Shop.
"Ancestor, what brings you here?"
Zheng Yi asked in puzzlement.
"Sigh."
Wang Shan sat upright in the Master’s Chair; the two of them faced each other in the small courtyard behind the shop.
Wang Shan sighed, clenching his wrist, "This matter has wronged Third Elder. It’s my Wang Family that failed to think things through. I ask Third Elder to forgive us."
Hearing this, Zheng Yi’s expression didn’t change.
But in his heart, his suspicions about Qin Liang, the Foundation Establishment Steward of the Mortal World Quarter, deepened. In a sense, this counted as Qin Liang returning his favor.
Zheng Yi pondered in secret.
"Ancestor, you jest. I’m quite satisfied with how the Wang Family handled it.
Please set your mind at ease.
The Wang Family has shown me kindness, so under normal circumstances I naturally won’t leave.
Given time, if Ancestor breaks through to the Crystal Stage, that will be a great achievement, and you’ll be able to continue sheltering a mere junior at Foundation Establishment like me, granting me a small patch of peaceful heaven and earth."
Only when the sun was high in the sky did the Wang Family Ancestor Wang Shan leave at last.
From Zheng Yi’s words, tone, and expression,
it was clear he was, on the whole, still rather satisfied with the Wang Family’s current situation.
Wenn Qing looked at that unfamiliar figure with a face full of confusion.
Zheng Yi explained, "That was the Wang Family Ancestor."
Wenn Qing could hardly believe it; her delicate brows lifted slightly, and her cherry lips formed an "O".
Worry surfaced on her face; she wanted to speak but held back.
Seeing what was on her mind, Zheng Yi comforted her, "Don’t worry. For me, the Wang Family is nothing more than a temporary resting place.
Even this Wang Family Ancestor has things to ask of me."
After consoling her for a while,
Zheng Yi also returned to his own Cultivation Courtyard.
...
Zheng Yi circulated the Nine Yin Circulating Yang Technique; Spiritual Power surged through his limbs and bones like a flood, roaring forth from his Dantian.
This Cultivation Technique refined the Divine Soul.
Already at the Early-stage Foundation Establishment, it had caused extraordinary changes throughout his entire body.
As one Spirit Pill after another was sent into his mouth, vast Spiritual Power continuously replenished his Dantian, driving the Grand Circulation of the Nine Yin Circulating Yang Technique.
This Cultivation Technique truly deserved to be one of Zheng Yi’s previous main Cultivation Techniques.
Even in Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivation within this world, his Cultivation speed could still advance by leaps and bounds.
Coupled with the support of abundant Cultivation resources,
three days later,
Zheng Yi’s eyes snapped open, his complexion utterly transformed as he felt the tide-like Spiritual Power flooding his body.
The corner of his mouth curved slightly in a hint of a smile—the Mid-stage Foundation Establishment was already not far off.
Then,
Zheng Yi stepped out, leaving the Cultivation Courtyard.
At the same time,
over on Piaomiao Mountain, Wang Manman had returned to the courtyard belonging to the Great Elder’s lineage, rather than heading to the Wang Family’s back mountain.
She sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, Arrays standing in profusion around her.
Spiritual Power churned within Wang Manman’s Dantian as she Cultivated the Celestial Cloud Technique, the Cultivation Technique shedding faint cyan light.
With each breath in and out, the Lower Grade Spirit Stones piled beside her like small hills burst into dazzling radiance, endlessly pouring into her body.
Gradually, the Spiritual Power of her Tenth-layer Qi Refining grew increasingly condensed, slowly solidifying into substance.
On this very day,
she planned to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Wang Manman placed a Foundation Establishment Pill into her mouth. The Elixir melted the instant it entered, transforming into a warm stream that flowed into her Divine Soul. Vast Spiritual Power surged forward, wave after wave impacting the barrier of Foundation Establishment.
However, the Spiritual Power gradually began to show signs of lacking afterstrength; the conversion efficiency of a Mid-grade Spirit Root was still too low—just a single Foundation Establishment Spirit Pill was far from enough.
Wang Manman steadied her mind, yet she secretly smiled bitterly inside. A Mid-grade Spirit Root ultimately couldn’t compare to a Top-grade Spirit Root; even though she had prepared in advance, the amount of Spiritual Power converted was still far short.
With a turn of thought,
Wang Manman unhesitatingly swallowed a second Foundation Establishment Pill.
In an instant, vast Spiritual Power directly made up for the lack of afterstrength from her earlier attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
"Boom, boom, boom."
Under another impact, the hurdle of complete Foundation Establishment Spiritual Power was successfully surmounted.
The remaining medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill all surged into the Divine Soul. In the place where the Divine Soul dwelled, streaks of white light flared up.
When the white light erupted in great quantity,
quantitative change would trigger qualitative change, giving birth to the Divine Sense required by the Foundation Establishment Realm.
But the medicinal power of the second Foundation Establishment Pill was still not enough to allow Divine Sense to emerge.
Immediately afterward, she unhesitatingly swallowed a third Foundation Establishment Pill.
In an instant, Divine Sense blazed with brilliance.
With the first hurdle and second hurdle already passed, the third hurdle followed naturally.
The effect of three Foundation Establishment Pills was indeed extraordinary.
At the same time,
outside the courtyard Arrays, many figures stood quietly.
Clan Leader Wang Xingyin, one of Zheng Yi’s wives Zhang Qingmiao, and several of the family’s Elders at Ninth-layer Qi Cultivation were all there as Protectors.