CHAPTER 66: CHAPTER 66: THE HARDSHIP OF FOUNDATION ESTABLISHMENT

In the days that followed, Shen Xuan lived quite leisurely.

Cultivating, making the Water Escape Talisman, and improving his skill level in the Water Spirit Gathering Essence Technique and Water Escape talent.

In his storage pouch, he still had over five thousand Spirit Stones.

As the Water Escape talent advanced, the skill in making Water Escape Talismans was also slowly improving.

A year later.

Shen Xuan was seventy-four years old!

[Talent: Water Escape Mastery (1/400)]

[Water Escape Talisman: Mastery (128/400)]

[Water Spirit Gathering Essence Technique: Mastery (2/400)]

With the increase in skill for Water Escape Talismans, his Talisman Success Rate was becoming higher, and the success rate for upper-grade Water Escape Talismans was increasing.

Shen Xuan calculated that just from Water Escape Talismans, he could earn about two hundred Spirit Stones per month.

An ordinary Cultivation Clan, a Late Stage of Qi Cultivation tributor’s salary is approximately three to four hundred Spirit Stones.

One person was the equivalent of five or six cultivators of the same Realm.

Even so.

"The speed of making money from talisman making is still too slow!"

With more than two thousand Spirit Stones income a year, it seemed like a lot.

After deducting rent, the Spirit Gathering Array, food, etc., a year’s savings wouldn’t reach a thousand Spirit Stones.

He was an Upper Grade Talisman Master!

Others could only imagine.

Of course, the Spirit Gathering Array cost over seven hundred Spirit Stones a year, which most cultivators don’t have this expense.

Shen Xuan was too old, needing to speed up cultivation by using the Spirit Gathering Array.

If he followed the normal path, waiting to reach perfection in Qi Cultivation, who knows how many years would pass!

He might even be over a hundred years old!

During this time, Shen Xuan visited Ruan Siting several times.

Inquired about some doubts in the cultivation of the Water Spirit Gathering Essence Technique.

More often, he guided him in the practice of the Condensed Water Blade Technique.

Helped him cultivate the Condensed Water Blade Technique to minor success.

Ruan Siting was quite grateful, aware in his heart.

With their coming and going, they gradually became friends.

Ruan Siting had completed Qi Cultivation and was planning his Foundation Establishment.

"How difficult it is to establish a Dao Foundation!" Ruan Siting remarked as he felt tipsy during a small drink.

He told Shen Xuan.

In the Bishui Sect, those who succeed in Foundation Establishment are one in a hundred.

That’s among the disciples of the Bishui Sect!

Wealth, companions, techniques, and place are indispensable.

A Foundation Establishment Pill requires ten thousand Sect Contribution Points.

Many disciples, in their lifetime, don’t exceed a thousand Contribution Points.

Moreover, even if they redeem a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Less than one-tenth successfully establish their Dao Foundation!

As for Loose Cultivators, it’s even harder!

Just the Foundation Establishment Pill can block their path tightly!

Without connections, even at Qi Cultivation perfection, with riches, they still can’t redeem a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Ordinary cultivators, without a Foundation Establishment Pill, it’s very difficult to succeed in Foundation Establishment!

Failure in Foundation Establishment leads either to death or severe injury, making the Dao path uncertain.

This was why he was stationed at the sect’s shop.

If he could introduce talents to the Sect, he could earn several hundred Sect Contribution Points for a good performance in tests.

Ruan Siting is now fifty-one years old, having completed Qi Cultivation.

He plans to gather enough Sect Contribution Points within seven years to redeem a Foundation Establishment Pill for his Foundation Establishment attempt.

Currently, besides cultivation to temper the body, divine sense spiritual power, and divine soul, he’s focusing on making money!

"Sect Contribution Points can be privately purchased with Spirit Stones. The exchange rate is about one to three."

Meaning, the price of a Foundation Establishment Pill is approximately thirty thousand Spirit Stones.

Moreover, this price is aimed at the disciples of the Bishui Sect.

"Can the redeemed Foundation Establishment Pill be transferred?" Shen Xuan asked with a sliver of hope.

"Of course not!"

Ruan Siting said, "Foundation Establishment Pills are strategic spiritual objects strictly controlled by the Sect and cannot be casually transferred!"

"Brother Shen, surely you’re not still holding onto fantasies about Foundation Establishment?"

"You’re joking, Steward Ruan. I’m already seventy-four, only at the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation, how could I possibly have a chance at Foundation Establishment!" Shen Xuan sighed wistfully.

"What a pity. Brother Shen, you have quite the talent in water techniques, but unfortunately went down the wrong path and realized it too late!"

Ruan Siting looked at Shen Xuan with sympathy.

In his eyes, Shen Xuan wasted years without guidance from a famous teacher.

"In future, I will have to ask Steward Ruan for more pointers!"

As a gesture of gratitude, Shen Xuan would always bring some gifts when visiting.

Some Spiritual Elixirs and Talismans worth about ten or so Spirit Stones.

In fact, these were all items he dug out from his stolen goods.

...

With the brisk sales of Water Escape Talismans in Zhao Chunsheng’s store, the name of Upper Grade Talisman Master Shen Xuan started to gain recognition.

This kind of thing couldn’t be hidden from those with a discerning eye.

Zhao Chunsheng tried his best to cover it up, but eventually, people found out.

Some Cultivation Clans near Yunyuan Immortal City sent representatives to recruit him.

To this, Shen Xuan politely declined with a smile.

Then one day, another representative from a Cultivation Clan came to visit.

They were two cultivators who had completed Qi Cultivation, one of whom had red pupils, possibly practicing some Pupil Technique.

Shen Xuan frowned slightly.

With the Insight Technique, he could sense the evil qi emanating from both individuals.

They claimed to be cultivators from the Zheng Clan on Mingyang Island, named Zheng Xiwen and Zheng Xiuwu.

Hoping to cooperate with Shen Xuan by ordering a batch of Water Escape Talismans.

For this, the Zheng Clan was willing to provide the equivalent high-grade talisman paper and beast blood cinnabar.

They only required thirty percent of the Water Escape Talismans, leaving the remainder entirely for Shen Xuan.

The conditions were good.

Yet Shen Xuan thought briefly and ultimately still politely declined.

He was somewhat uninterested in the profits from making Water Escape Talismans.

Moreover, these two gave him an unsettling feeling.

"I’m sorry to disappoint you two. My talisman crafting skills are still being honed and I can’t ensure even a thirty percent success rate."

Shen Xuan courteously saw them out.

Zheng Xiwen and Zheng Xiuwu looked back towards Shen Xuan’s residence after walking a few miles.

"Is it him?"

"It can’t be," Zheng Xiwen shook his head. "This person is at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer, a bona fide Talisman Master, unable to have the power to kill the Black Wind."

"It’s been over a year, and the person has yet to be found after searching over a hundred li. Is it even worth looking for them anymore?"

"We can’t give up! That person has the Water Mansion Secret Realm Treasure Map left by our Zheng Family ancestor!"

"It’s all that Black Wind’s fault! We’ll talk more about it when we get back, walls have ears!"

The two looked around, seeing no one, before casting a spell and quickly leaving.

Fortunately, Shen Xuan, utilizing his habitual Concealing Breath, was trailing them from ten zhang away, unbeknownst to them.

Through the Insight Technique, Shen Xuan overheard their conversation.

In the storage pouch of the Tribulation Cultivator Black Wind, there was indeed a Secret Realm Map.

Even if it’s real, I’m not going treasure hunting, Shen Xuan thought.

The world is vast and strange, Shen Xuan. Tread carefully and prioritize safety!"

Lately, many clan cultivators have been visiting his doorsteps.

Shen Xuan decided to hang a "Closed for business" sign.

An Upper Grade Talisman Master’s status was not at par with an Upper Grade Pill Master or Upper Grade Artifact Master.

The Cultivation Clans, seeing that Shen Xuan was not interested in their recruitment, gradually gave up.

Nobody knew he was quietly cultivating.

Then, Zhao Chunsheng came bearing explosive news for him.

"In the nearby sea area, a school of Black Jade Eels has appeared."

"""