Translator: AnubisTL
Lu Fan almost thought he was hallucinating. How could anyone offer him a foundation establishment pill when his Dao path had sunk to its lowest point?
This was a foundation establishment pill, not some roadside cabbage. How could someone casually promise to give one away?
No!
He wasn't hallucinating. He recognized that gentle voice—a voice he could never forget!
Just recently, at the ascension conference, when the Tang Clan Patriarch was about to strike him dead with a single palm strike, the owner of this voice had appeared and saved his life from certain doom.
"Elder Li?! Is that you, Elder Li?!" Lu Fan's body trembled slightly, his voice hoarse.
Soon, a tall, dignified figure strode into Lu Fan's courtyard, hands clasped behind his back.
"To risk everything in such dire straits, to attempt foundation establishment without a pill, to force your way through... I must commend your courage. At least, I myself could never attempt such a reckless, daring feat."
Once Lu Fan recognized Li Qing's face, he immediately knelt and pleaded, "Elder Li, I've been framed! In the Ice Prison, they made me guard a deranged old senior alone for an entire day. If this continues, I'll likely go mad myself within a month."
"I had no choice! I had no choice!"
Li Qing had heard rumors about the deranged old man in the Ice Prison.
Legend had it that the elder had once been a sect elder with unfathomable power. In his pursuit of core formation, he had cultivated a secret technique that backfired, driving him completely insane.
With no other option, the sect had summoned the supreme elder to suppress him within the Ice Prison.
Li Qing sighed deeply. "So you recklessly risked your life to force a breakthrough? Do you realize how irresponsible that was?"
"You might think death is the worst that could happen, but have you considered how your family and friends would view this?"
"The sect invested a foundation establishment pill to nurture you. How can you repay that by simply dying?"
"Even setting all that aside for now, consider this: the person who drove you to this desperate situation—do you think they would feel even a shred of remorse upon hearing of your death?"
These words struck Lu Fan like a thunderbolt, leaving him frozen in place.
Thud!
In the next instant, Lu Fan slammed his forehead against the ground, performing a deep and resounding kowtow to Li Qing.
Only a body cultivator would dare such a gesture; an ordinary cultivator would likely end up with a bloody head.
"Elder Li, please instruct me!"
Seeing Lu Fan prostrate himself in complete submission, Li Qing smiled faintly and withdrew a foundation establishment pill from his robes.
The pill's clear, medicinal fragrance diffused into the air. Almost instantly, Lu Fan recognized the familiar scent.
Swish!
Lu Fan's head snapped up, his gaze burning with intense desire. His eyes held an overwhelming thirst.
Yes, it was a foundation establishment pill—identical to the one he had consumed before.
"I happen to have another foundation establishment pill. At this point, it holds little significance for me—merely a means to exchange for more spirit stones."
Gulp!
Lu Fan swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he asked, "Elder Li, how can I obtain this foundation establishment pill?!"
At this point, Lu Fan had abandoned all caution. For this pill, Li Qing was certain he would risk his very life.
"Heh, everything in this world comes at a price. I won't bore you with empty platitudes."
"To be frank, I'm interested in the body refinement technique you cultivate."
Lu Fan froze for a moment, then without another word, he retrieved a dark golden bamboo slip from his storage pouch.
"Elder Li, you saved my life at the ascension conference—a debt I can never repay!"
"If Elder Li desires this Brahma King True Body technique, it would be my honor for you to take it!"
Lu Fan's eagerness made the transaction unexpectedly smooth, even Li Qing found it amusing.
But upon reflection, Li Qing realized the man had recently experienced the harsh realities of the world. Once a promising immortal seed, he had been abruptly cast into the depths of despair. After enduring such immense pressure, he would naturally seize any lifeline with desperate fervor.
This was the difference between adding flowers to brocade and offering charcoal in the snow.
Li Qing had waited patiently for days, all for this very moment.
"I am not a greedy or unscrupulous man," he said. "Having agreed to a trade, I would never exploit your gratitude for personal gain."
"My intervention at the ascension conference was merely my duty. I would have rescued any disciple threatened by Tang Lushan, regardless of who it was."
"I accept this body refinement technique. Take this foundation establishment pill."
With these words, Li Qing accepted the dark golden bamboo slip and handed the round, lustrous foundation establishment pill to Lu Fan.
Feeling the pill in his hand, Lu Fan's massive frame trembled slightly again, his face a complex mix of emotions. He looked as if he might immediately declare Li Qing his adoptive father.
However, instead of saying something like "If you would not abandon me," Lu Fan spoke with a hint of panic:
"Elder Li, this body refinement technique is actually incomplete. I only possess the First-Tier, Second-Tier, and a portion of the Third-Tier!"
"The manual's origins are mysterious. I discovered it in a cave abode I stumbled upon years ago. It's incredibly violent, unlike anything created by humans."
As Lu Fan explained, Li Qing carefully reviewed the summarized content of the cultivation manual.
"Hmm, this truly doesn't seem like a body refinement secret technique suitable for humans," Li Qing muttered to himself, startled by the Third-Tier body refinement process. "Reaching the Third-Tier and becoming so domineering..."
The first two tiers were relatively normal, requiring the use of various spiritually potent objects to nourish the physical body.
But the Third-Tier involved refining the body with the Thunder Gang Force—hardly a typical human body refinement technique.
It resembled the inheritance secret techniques of Demon beasts, which typically only needed to undergo thunder tribulation upon reaching the Third-Tier.
This manual, too, required refining the body with the Thunder Gang Force precisely at the Third-Tier.
"This technique is so violent," Li Qing murmured, "I fear that cultivating to the Third-Tier might even damage one's vital essence."
Hearing this, Lu Fan grew visibly uneasy. He stammered, "Disciple Li Qing also plans to stop at the Second-Tier. Elder Li, if you need anything else, just instruct me. I'll handle it!"
Lu Fan was anxious, worried that Li Qing might reconsider the trade after reviewing the manual.
Li Qing had only sought a Second-Tier body refinement secret technique. Having obtained it, he had no intention of going back on his word.
To be fair, he was quite satisfied with the Second-Tier body refinement section of the Brahma King True Body.
As for the incomplete Third-Tier portion, since it was already incomplete, he naturally wouldn't dwell on it.
Stowing away the dark golden bamboo slip, Li Qing shook his head. "No need. Keep the foundation establishment pill. Whether you succeed in achieving foundation establishment with it depends on your good fortune."
With these words, Li Qing turned to leave.
But after a moment's thought, he turned back and added, "Oh, one more thing. The person who deliberately made things difficult for you is named Zheng Donghe. You should be familiar with him. He was the one who instigated today's events."
"I'm telling you this so you have something to look forward to. Don't let these matters cloud your judgment. If you seek revenge, your own strength is the key."
Leaving these words behind, Li Qing vanished into the night, concealing his presence and aura as he slipped away unnoticed from the qi refining disciple's quarters.
Lu Fan stood rooted to the spot, muttering to himself as he watched Li Qing's figure disappear. Then, gritting his teeth, he vowed:
"So it was you, senior brother Zheng! How dare you act so righteous in front of me all this time, when you're such a despicable person!"
"Just because I refused to trade you the foundation establishment pill, you'd go this far to ruin me!"
In an instant, Lu Fan's eyes turned bloodshot, his teeth clenched tight, his voice dripping with hatred.
If Elder Li hadn't intervened today, he might still be in the dark, never discovering who had been plotting against him behind his back.
"Breathe! Stay calm! Don't lose your composure! Remember Elder Li's words!"
Lu Fan took deep, steadying breaths, forcibly suppressing the rage boiling within him.
If not for Li Qing's final warning, he might have lost control completely, storming Zheng Donghe's doorstep for a desperate showdown.
"This time, I must succeed in foundation establishment! I can't let Elder Li down!"
With that, Lu Fan sat down cross-legged, focusing on adjusting his state of mind and preparing for his second attempt at foundation establishment.
Meanwhile, Li Qing flew back to his cave abode at a measured pace.
Whether Lu Fan could change his fate with this foundation establishment pill no longer concerned him.
As for his final words to Lu Fan, they were merely a small act of revenge against Zheng Donghe.
Zheng Donghe had once suggested to Li Qing that he purchase a foundation establishment pill, but Li Qing had naturally refused.
After successfully establishing his foundation, Li Qing had completely forgotten about such trivial matters, never giving them another thought.
Now, witnessing Lu Fan's plight, he recalled Zheng Donghe's actions.
"If I had failed to establish my foundation back then, my fate might not have been much better than Lu Fan's," he mused.
"Consider this a minor act of retribution. I won't bother settling scores with Zheng Donghe over such petty grievances in the future."
It was clear that regardless of whether Lu Fan succeeded in establishing his foundation, Zheng Donghe would now face Lu Fan's hatred.
And all this was merely a minor punishment.
As an elder of the sect, Li Qing would never stoop to personally retaliating against Zheng Donghe. Such direct action would be beneath him and could tarnish his reputation.
What would the other elders and disciples think if word got out?
Petty and vindictive? Bullying the weak?
Reputation might seem inconsequential on ordinary days, but a good reputation was always preferable to a bad one.
This method of revenge suited him perfectly—it kept him removed from the conflict while successfully drawing Lu Fan's hatred toward Zheng Donghe.
Such tactics flowed as smoothly as clouds and rain, as gentle as a spring breeze. Being the hidden mastermind behind the scenes was Li Qing's preferred role.
(End of the Chapter)
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