A Mortal’s Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu’s Rebirth as the Reincarnation Dao Ancestor - Chapter 29

Chapter 29 Unseemly Eating Habits

“I, Xu, can offer eight mid-grade spirit stones, three high-grade magic artifacts, one top-grade magic artifact, ten low-grade high-grade talismans, thirty mid-grade talismans, and forty bottles of pills perfectly suited for the early and mid-stages of Qi Refining. Furthermore, I can arrange for my nephew to work at the Qilin Pavilion, ensuring him a substantial and stable monthly income. What do you think, Nephew Han?”

The old man finished speaking, stroking his beard and smiling.

He thought his offer was quite high.

After all, how could a novice cultivator like him know the internal price of Foundation Establishment Pills?

Besides, he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator; offering such a price was already an act of great kindness and generosity.

“Eight mid-grade spirit stones…” That’s over eight hundred spirit stones.

“Three high-grade magic artifacts…” That’s two or three hundred spirit stones. The exact value depends on the type and quality of the high-grade magic artifacts offered: a good high-grade magic artifact could be worth a hundred or so low-grade spirit stones each. The inferior ones might only be worth forty or fifty low-grade spirit stones each. The

value fluctuates greatly.

“A top-tier magic artifact…” The price also depends on its quality.

Top-tier magic artifacts are divided into four grades from highest to lowest: excellent, rare, fine, and ordinary.

An excellent top-tier magic artifact starts at 1500 spirit stones. The very best of the excellent can even be worth three or four thousand, such as the [Azure Condensation Mirror] of the Hidden Moon Sect’s Treasure Maiden.

A rare top-tier magic artifact costs eight or nine hundred spirit stones or more.

A fine top-tier magic artifact is usually five or six hundred, but can sometimes be seven or eight hundred. An

ordinary top-tier magic artifact is about three hundred spirit stones.

Let’s assume this Foundation Establishment senior uncle is kind enough to give him a fine top-tier magic artifact, then let’s say it’s worth 600 spirit stones. If the Foundation Establishment elder only offers an ordinary top-tier magic artifact, then its value is only 300 spirit stones.

“Elementary high-grade talismans…” The average price is forty spirit stones. Inferior ones are thirty spirit stones each, and better ones are fifty spirit stones each. Ten talismans, let’s say 500 spirit stones.

“Elementary to mid-level talismans…” The price fluctuates between six and ten spirit stones. Thirty elementary to mid-level talismans, let’s say 300 spirit stones.

“Early to mid-stage Qi Refining pills…” That’s about the level of the Yellow Dragon Pill and Golden Marrow Pill.

Ten pills per bottle, averaging four or five spirit stones per bottle.

Forty bottles, at most 200 spirit stones.

Finally: “A high-paying job at the Qilin Pavilion…”

Even though the salary is 5 spirit stones per month, two or three times the normal income of Qi Refining disciples in Yellow Maple Valley who earn only one or two spirit stones per month, a year of hard work only yields 60 spirit stones.

800 + 300 + 600 + 500 + 300 + 200 + a so-called high-paying job that takes ten years to earn 600 spirit stones.

Without considering income from the job, this Foundation Establishment Pill can only be sold for a maximum of 2700 spirit stones.

The internal price of a Foundation Establishment Pill is at least 3,500 spirit stones.

The external price can fetch over 4,000 at auction, with no upper limit.

In other words, if he sells the Foundation Establishment Pill to this person, he’ll have to work for them for 15 years to get his due profit?

“This senior uncle’s heart is a bit black,”

Han Li thought to himself.

He felt it was even blacker than a certain Senior Uncle Ye’s. After all

, although that Senior Uncle Ye in the original timeline manipulated the final payment and wasn’t going to pay it, his asking price was still higher than 3,500 spirit stones—it was the true market price.

Of course, he couldn’t voice his disrespect for the senior expert; he could only grumble inwardly. Now, all he could utter were respectful words:

“Senior Uncle, if we reach this deal, will the transaction be settled in one lump sum?”

A one-time buyout where you get what you pay for is completely different from monthly or annual mortgage payments.

These days, those who can afford to owe money are the ones in charge.

He was worried that this Foundation Establishment Uncle, like that Uncle Ye, would use delaying tactics to drag things out until the family members had used up their Foundation Establishment Pills and the results were in. If the family members who took the pills failed to establish their foundation, he could forget about getting the final payment.

If he dared to bring it up, the man would dare to turn against him.

“Ahem…”

The old man surnamed Xu’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

After pondering for a

while, he smiled and said, “Nephew Han, materials worth several thousand spirit stones are not so easy to gather. I collected a batch of pills some time ago, and my spirit stones have dwindled to almost nothing. I can’t come up with so many things right now. Therefore, let’s set a time and a rule. When the time comes, no matter what, I, your uncle, will make up the shortfall for you. What do you think?”

Not good!

Han Li smiled sheepishly and didn’t reply.

This old geezer was actually planning to use the same delaying tactic as him. He was indeed as ruthless as that Uncle Ye.

No, this guy was probably even more ruthless than that Uncle Ye. They’re utterly

ruthless.

If he agrees now, his Foundation Establishment Pill will likely only fetch a little over a thousand spirit stones, or even just enough for supplies worth seven or eight hundred low-grade spirit stones. The

more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

The angrier he got, the more he thought about it.

Damn it, these dogs from cultivation families, they’re inhuman!

“Senior Brother Xu, what a shrewd scheme! For a Foundation Establishment Pill, for the sake of your family’s disciples, you’re really willing to sacrifice your old face…”

“Hehe, the internal price for a Foundation Establishment Pill is 3800 spirit stones, Junior Brother Xu, you not only managed to bargain it down to over two thousand spirit stones, but you’re also planning to delay the payment. I’ve truly seen something amazing today.”

“Old Xu, you’re something else! A dignified mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, over a hundred years old, and all you know how to do is bully these teenagers.”

“I’ve never seen such a shameless person…”

“…”

The secret whispers were all accepted by Master Xu. He

let them go in one ear and out the other.

He didn’t care about his fellow disciples’ opinions.

Were they all truly innocent and pure?

Every single one of the dozen or so people present was just spitting sour grapes at his impending success. They

were purely jealous that he had seized this huge advantage first.

Inside the main hall,

the many Foundation Establishment stage managers looked at Han Li with a hint of sympathy and pity in their eyes. Some even flashed a hint of regret and remorse for missing the opportunity.

Han Li, with his keen senses and constant awareness of his surroundings, clearly noticed the subtle changes in each face out of the corner of his eye. He secretly sighed:

Normally, if he refused at this moment, he would be considered ungrateful. He would likely face countless troubles later. But if he didn’t refuse, he would have to swallow this bitter pill, a truly unbearable situation. Anyway, no matter how you look at it, he’s losing big.

Fortunately, he had anticipated this and taken precautions.

“Sect Leader, esteemed Uncles, I am truly terrified. I initially thought the Foundation Establishment Pills were worth at most half the wealth Uncle Xu mentioned, but Uncle Xu’s generosity far exceeded my expectations, leaving me overwhelmed with gratitude. However, I cannot trade with you, Uncle. Because I have already traded my Foundation Establishment Pills with someone else…”

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at him with strange expressions.

The group that had initially thought Han Li was forced to flatter the Xu family elder now wore knowing smiles:

“Looks like this kid knows the market price of Foundation Establishment Pills…”

“Junior Brother Xu is indeed forcing people, his behavior is rather unseemly.”

“But offending Junior Brother Xu like this, this newly entered disciple’s future days won’t be easy. The Xu family has six Foundation Establishment cultivators and dozens of Qi Refining cultivators who have joined the sect; they’re involved in quite a few internal sect affairs…”

“Hey, what do you think? Is this kid telling the truth? Has he really already promised the Foundation Establishment Pills to someone else in the sect?”

Various whispers echoed in everyone’s ears.

“It’s definitely fake. He’s just a lowly cultivator with no foundation, he’s only been here for two hours, how could he possibly find someone to trade Foundation Establishment Pills with? Senior Brother Wu, what do you think?” Someone looked at the middle-aged scholar who had led Han Li there.

The only suspect was him.

But if he had already preemptively intercepted the pills, he should have shown some reaction beforehand.

“My Wu family hasn’t had any suitable disciples for Foundation Establishment recently, so naturally we don’t need this Foundation Establishment Pill…” The middle-aged scholar shook his head, denying some people’s speculations and distancing himself and his family from the matter.

The old man surnamed Xu nodded, then looked at Han Li with a gloomy expression:

“Nephew Han, are you sure you’ve made a deal with someone? Ha, do you look down on me, and on my Xu family?”

Old Man Xu felt he had been thoroughly humiliated, and a surge of anger was rising within him.

His gaze was no longer as friendly as before.

“Uncle-Master, this disciple did indeed make a deal with someone.”

He wore a simple, bitter face,

full of the simple helplessness of a peasant boy.

Upon hearing this, the old man surnamed Xu’s eyes grew even more unfriendly.

He thought to himself that Han Li was ungrateful.

‘You think you can keep that Foundation Establishment Pill just because you’re unwilling to give me any benefit?’

Hmph, naive.

Scanning the Foundation Establishment cultivators present, their lips barely moving as if they were secretly communicating, he suppressed his anger and turned to Zhong Ling, saying,

“Sect Leader, I think this boy’s origins are unclear and his identity suspicious. His Ascension Token was probably obtained improperly! Whether or not to issue the Foundation Establishment Pill needs further consideration! We should first thoroughly investigate his background and confirm things before issuing the Foundation Establishment Pill!”

Clearly, he was furious.

Han Li’s eyelids twitched violently upon seeing this.

Meeting those cold, sharp eyes, his heart sank even further.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but curse inwardly.

Just then, two graceful figures entered the main hall with light, lotus-like steps.

“Oh? A group of Foundation Establishment cultivators bullying a newly entered low-level Qi Refining disciple? Very well, very well, very well bullying the weak, very well infighting! When did my Yellow Maple Valley become such a filthy place where petty people congregate? You all have quite the nerve, quite the nerve.”

The newcomers were one tall and one short.

The younger one, appearing to be fourteen or fifteen, dressed in red and green, was charming and mischievous, with a subtle allure in her eyes.

The older one, a beautiful woman in a red Taoist robe, was graceful and elegant. It was this older woman who immediately began mocking those present upon entering. Strangely enough, despite her short stature, she exuded an air of domineering authority.

Hearing her mockery, the others were enraged.

Who dared to be so noisy?

But upon turning to see who it was, they all shuddered, some even breaking out in a cold sweat. They quickly rose and bowed:

“Greetings, Senior Sister Hongfu!”

Indeed, the newcomer was one of the eight Core Formation elders of Huangfeng Valley,

a figure these so-called sect management members looked up to.

The beautiful woman ignored the others and looked directly at the middle-aged man with a three-foot-long beard sitting at the sect leader’s seat. Her voice was clear, cold, and serious:

“Zhong Lingdao, is this Huangfeng Valley under your management?”

Zhong Lingdao’s heart leaped into his throat upon hearing this.

(End of Chapter)