Chen Xianyan, always beautiful since childhood, had become even more radiant after reaching Foundation Establishment. She handed a storage bag to Elian with a charming smile and said, "Uncle Elian, the Green Yuan Ganoderma is too rare. I searched all over Yu County but couldn't find any. I only managed to gather these supplementary herbs."
Elian opened the storage bag and saw it was filled with herbs for refining Green Yuan Pills.
For years, he had been preparing for his breakthrough to late Foundation Establishment and had been searching for Green Yuan Ganoderma to refine a batch of Green Yuan Pills to assist in his progress.
A year ago, after reaching the sixth level of Foundation Establishment, he elevated the search for Green Yuan Ganoderma to the highest priority. However, as the Beast Tide approached, prices for magical treasures, talismans, and pills skyrocketed. Green Yuan Pills and Green Yuan Ganoderma became highly sought after, nearly impossible to procure.
Despite traveling throughout Yu County and the region, and even attending the barter fair in the borderlands years ago, Elian had not found a single Green Yuan Ganoderma.
Even Tianxu Pavilion, a prominent marketplace, had none. The last three Green Yuan Pills sold there had been offered over a decade ago by Su Mingwei during a trading fair before the opening of the Wood Vein.
Those three pills had long since been purchased and consumed by Tianxu Mountain cultivators. Even if any remained, they would have lost their potency by now.
Thinking of this, Elian closed the storage bag and asked calmly, "What about the Mu family?"
"The Mu family patriarch said that Green Yuan Ganoderma is too rare, and they don't have any either," Chen Xianyan replied, adding, "I heard they refined a batch of Green Yuan Pills a few years ago."
"It's said they produced two pills—one was consumed by Mu Xuande, and the other was sent to the Qingyang Sect."
"The Mu family has three Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Qingyang Sect, so that's not surprising," Elian said calmly. Unlike Lin Mohe, the Mu family's three Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Qingyang Sect owed much of their success to the Mu family's support and could still be considered semi-affiliated with the family.
Most importantly, one of the three had gained a powerful patron and was accepted as a personal disciple by Elder Mo, a late-stage Purple Mansion cultivator and one of the Qingyang Sect's core leaders.
Elder Mo, with a cultivation level of eight in the Purple Mansion stage, was a key figure in the Qingyang Sect and a close aide to Elder Xu, the sect's true authority. The Mu family's status was thus significantly bolstered by their connection to the Qingyang Sect.
This success came at a cost. Supporting three cultivators in the Qingyang Sect had drained considerable resources, leading to internal dissatisfaction. Had it not been for the high esteem in which Mu Clan Leader Mu Xuanming was held, such an endeavor might not have been possible.
The Mu family's holdings included over one hundred acres of spiritual fields. While not as wealthy as the Chen family, they were once the richest Foundation Establishment clan in Yu County.
However, they had only four Foundation Establishment cultivators, partly due to the resources diverted to support the three cultivators in the Qingyang Sect.
In contrast, the Lin family, despite having fewer resources than the Mu family, managed to produce seven Foundation Establishment cultivators within a century—an example of vastly different strategic priorities.
"It seems that Green Yuan Ganoderma and Green Yuan Pills cannot be obtained in the borderlands," Elian said, shaking his head helplessly.
If he possessed Green Yuan Pills himself, he would also be reluctant to sell them unless they were nearing expiration or he lacked suitable candidates for their use.
Chen Xianyan frowned and said, "Polishing spiritual energy takes so much time. Without Green Yuan Pills, I'm afraid you won't be able to reach late Foundation Establishment before the Beast Tide."
She had grown up beside Elian and understood that once he reached late Foundation Establishment, his power would increase dramatically.
Elian's spiritual energy was exceptionally strong and sharp. Breaking through to late Foundation Establishment would give him spiritual energy comparable to nearly half that of a Purple Mansion cultivator.
This would allow him to unleash 70-80% of the power of the Thunderfire Sword and upgrade the Fiery Void Sword to a lower-grade third-tier magical treasure.
These trump cards would double his combat strength, enabling him to contend with early-stage Purple Mansion cultivators. Against a Purple Mansion beast without a third-tier magical treasure, he might even have a slight edge or, at the very least, a fighting chance.
With the Beast Tide imminent, every ounce of strength Elian gained would mean greater security for the family and a higher chance of survival.
"Late Foundation Establishment…" Elian furrowed his brow. It was indeed a critical milestone.
The strength of Purple Mansion beasts was overwhelming. Even when heavily injured, the Thunder Roc had pushed their group to the brink during their last battle.
During the Beast Tied, Elian would undoubtedly encounter fully healthy Purple Mansion beasts, far stronger than the Thunder Roc. Without reaching late Foundation Establishment, he would be little more than prey to such creatures.
"I must break through to late Foundation Establishment before the Beast Tide."
Determined, Elian said, "I heard that a barter fair will be held in Jiaoyang County in Yang Region next month. I'll go to Yang Region and see if I can trade for Green Yuan Pills or Green Yuan Ganoderma."
"If possible, I'll also get some magical treasures for you."
Chen Xianyan, who had only recently reached Foundation Establishment with the help of a pill, still owed the family tens of thousands of merit points.
Her only second-tier flying sword had been borrowed from the clan treasury. Hearing Elian's promise to buy her a magical treasure, she excitedly hugged his arm and said playfully, "Uncle Elian, I want a defensive treasure."
"Alright, you little troublemaker," Elian replied with a smile, readily agreeing.
The next morning, Elian reviewed his storage bag and found he only had three thousand spirit stones. He decided to visit Qingyuan Mountain, where the surplus second-tier spiritual peaches were stored in the clan treasury. Over the years, Elian had accrued tens of thousands of merit points.
Though he had spent large amounts on refining his magical treasures, upgrading his abilities in alchemy, formations, weapons, and talismans, and purchasing five-element essences, he still had over twenty thousand merit points remaining.
The clan treasury held over ten thousand spirit stones in reserves. Elian withdrew ten thousand spirit stones and set out for Yang Region on his flying sword.
The Qingyang Sect oversaw three regions: Qingzhou, Yang, and Bianzhou, which included Yu County. Both Yang Region and Bianzhou bordered the demon beast territory of the Vast Marshlands.
The borderlands faced the Sky Python Lake beast clan, while Yang Region contended with the Earth Lion clan, both facing immense pressure during the Beast Tide.
Only Qingzhou, nestled deep within the Chu Kingdom, had remained unscathed by the Beast Tide for over five centuries.
This was Elian's first time leaving Bianzhou and entering Yang Region. As one of the Chu Kingdom's nine regions, Yang Region was divided into three counties: Boyang, Jiaoyang, and Yunyang.
...
46+ chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stones :D