CHAPTER 7: FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT SPIRIT ITEM

Qi Yuan's eyes could perceive hidden information. He instantly saw the flaws and the method to improve the pill formula.

However, he knew it could still be improved. He could only view the same item’s hidden information once per day, but if he checked the pill formula again tomorrow, he'd see a better formula. Even the Seven-Colored Flame Refinement Sutra he was working on had gone through numerous modifications, yet it still had flaws.

Qi Yuan outrightly declared, "There are quite a few problems with this pill's formula."

Zhuge Miao's eyes shone expectantly. "What would those be, Junior Brother?"

"Change cinnabar to privet."

Zhuge Miao was a little puzzled. "Privet?”

He had been hoping to figure out the missing ingredients, but Qi Yuan altered the formula instead. Then again, he recalled how astonishing Qi Yuan’s unconstrained and imaginative thinking were during their last exchange.

Qi Yuan had helped him quite a bit back then. Furthermore, as the one who had sought Qi Yuan’s help, he had no right to complain.

Just then, Zhuge Miao sensed something. “Please give me a moment, Junior Brother. I have a call coming through.”

Qi Yuan didn’t mind. “Go ahead.”

Even though telephones hadn’t been invented in this world yet, this world did have messaging techniques. Cultivators could contact each other via transmission talismans. However, they had distance limitations. The farther the recipient, the more expensive it became. They were also useless in some secret realms. Hence, not all cultivators could afford to use them.

Zhuge Miao lowered his voice. “What is it, Junior Brother? “Have you found a complete version of the formula?”

“There's no need for you to be concerned about this. Stay out of this matter.”

Zhuge Miao, who initially seemed pleased, became angry upon hearing his junior’s warning. Ending the call, he turned to Qi Yuan and composed himself.. “Please continue, Junior Brother.”

“The missing ingredient is goat drum, which has a yang nature and causes some conflicts. It can be replaced with Little Taihua, though. It's more effective,” Qi Yuan said, then extended his hand. “Where is the spirit item?”

Zhuge Miao, who was still digesting Qi Yuan’s explanation, quickly took out a piece of jade bamboo. It was amethyst purple, with faint white streaks at the joints.

“This is an Amethyst Jade Bamboo, a level 8 spirit item.”

Foundation Establishment spirit items were categorized as low, middle, and high grade. However, rumors claimed there were levels even higher than the highest grade. The higher the grade, the better the Foundation Establishment effect, and the greater the potential.

Of course, nothing was absolute. The cultivation world was full of miracles and fortuitous encounters. No rule stated that using a low-grade item would trap one permanently at a certain level.

Even if a level 8 item belonged to the low grade, every spirit item was extremely valuable. Besides, the average Qi Refinement realm disciple of the Divine Radiance Sect couldn’t afford Amethyst Jade Bamboo even if they sold everything they owned.

The fact that Zhuge Miao offered it as payment showed his wealth. Such was the difference between a chief disciple and an ordinary one.

Even so, Zhuge Miao still felt the pain of giving up the jade bamboo. “Amethyst Jade Bamboo is a bit low in grade. If you aren’t in a rush, you could save more spiritual stones and use them with this jade bamboo to exchange for a higher-grade spirit item.”

The jade bamboo was a treasure to the average disciple. They’d use it to establish their foundation once they reached the peak of Qi Refinement. However, the chief disciples of each peak considered it beneath them to use a low-grade spirit item.

Zhuge Miao himself had used a level 5 middle-grade spirit item, the Dragon-Seeking Ruler, to reach the Foundation Establishment realm.

Qi Yuan took the jade bamboo and nodded. “Alright.”

The Amethyst Jade Bamboo wouldn’t be his first choice for a spirit item either. Still, even if he couldn’t use it, he could exchange it for spiritual stones.

After all, despite being the chief senior disciple of the Seven-Colored Peak, Qi Yuan was completely broke. He was nothing like the chief senior disciples of other peaks.

“Haa...” With a hint of regret, Zhuge Miao uttered, “If you hadn’t offended your master, you might already have a middle-grade or even high-grade spirit item and entered the Foundation Establishment realm.”

He thought Qi Yuan was extremely bold. The man even dared to offend the master of Seven-Colored Peak, whom the Divine Radiance Sect’s master held in the highest regard.

From his own master, Zhuge Miao had heard that the Divine Radiance Sect originally had four peaks. The fifth peak, the Seven-Colored Peak, was only added after Ruan Yixi arrived.

This peak had stood for a thousand years, which meant Ruan Yixi had likely lived just as long. To endure for a millennium, she had to be at least at the Nascent Soul realm. A cultivator of that caliber could dominate anyone in the Great Shang. With Ruan Yixi as his master, Qi Yuan had essentially gained a golden support pillar. Yet, he somehow managed to piss her off enough to have all his resources cut off, leaving him in shambles.

If Zhuge Miao were in his shoes, he would’ve prostrated himself a long time ago, begging for forgiveness. Qi Yuan clearly had no intention of stooping that low, though.

Then again, Qi Yuan was an Obsession cultivator, known for their unruly nature and eccentric minds.

Qi Yuan’s gaze softened. “I didn’t say anything wrong. Why should I apologize?”

Cold sweat trickled down Zhuge Miao’s back. “Let’s drop this, Junior Brother Qi Yuan!”

He was afraid that Qi Yuan would say something outrageous again and offend the icy fairy atop the Seven-Colored Peak. It’d be a disaster if he got dragged into it!

Qi Yuan smiled. “You’re all afraid of Ruan Yixi. I’m not, because she’s my—”

“Don’t say it!” Zhuge Miao interjected in a panic.

If the Seven-Colored Peak Master got angry, it wouldn’t end well for him.

Qi Yuan said nothing more. After bidding Zhuge Miao farewell, he strolled off with his vegetable knife in tow.

Zhuge Miao breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, nothing happened.

Just then, someone anxiously asked, “Senior Brother, did you trade it away?”

Xu Langhu rushed over in a simple outfit with a gourd hanging at his waist. He pulled out a yellowed sheet of paper. “I found this pill formula in the marketplace today. It’s identical to the Essence-Nourishing Pill formula you found in the secret realm, so I quickly came to inform you!”

After handing the formula to Zhuge Miao, he discovered that the jade bamboo on the latter’s belt was gone. Distressed, he questioned, “Senior Brother, why would you trade with Qi Yuan when we already have the formula? He’s not even from the Divine Medicine Peak. What qualifications does he have to help you with a pill formula? He probably hasn’t gone far. I’ll go find him and get the Amethyst Jade Bamboo back!”

Xu Langhu rattled on, unaware that Zhuge Miao’s face had darkened. “What right do you have to criticize my dealings with Junior Brother Qi Yuan? Even if he ends up being unable to help, so what? I am willing to give him that favor.”

Earlier, Xu Langhu had messaged Zhuge Miao about the complete formula. Nevertheless, Zhuge Miao didn’t cancel the trade.

“Senior Brother...” Xu Langhu said more timidly. “I was just worried you’d return empty-handed. Luckily, I obtained the complete formula. You once saved my life, so I’m offering this formula to you.”

Xu Langhu no longer mentioned Qi Yuan. Considering ten years of study on Divine Medicine Peak hadn’t been enough for him to complete the formula, what chance did Qi Yuan have?

Zhuge Miao took the formula. “I’ll compare it with Junior Brother Qi Yuan’s version and refine a few batches of Essence-Nourishing Pills.”

“What a waste of materials,” Xu Langhu muttered, clearly skeptical that anything good would come from Qi Yuan’s method.