Chapter 33: Foundational Treasures

"I am 57 this year, with three years left until the age of 60. Although I know the chances of Foundation Establishment are low, this is my only opportunity in this lifetime. I can't give up without trying." Chen Xinglan said with a look of regret at the dinner table.

In the Immortal Sect, every cultivator who breaks through to Qi Refining Level 9 before the age of 60 will basically try for Foundation Establishment.

"Dad, I hope to see you become a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator."

In the Immortal Sect, only after Foundation Establishment does one truly enter the threshold of cultivation, earning the title "True Cultivator."

"It's just a pity that your breakthrough to Qi Refining Level 9 came too late. If it had been a few years earlier, you might have been able to prepare more." Tang Pancui said, her face full of regret.

At Qi Refining Level 9, one can already trigger a breakthrough and attempt Foundation Establishment, but the success rate is definitely higher after reaching Qi Refining Level 9 Perfection.

"It's fine. I know my success rate is less than 10%, but I have to try. After breaking through yesterday, I already told my boss I'm resigning. For the next three years, I'll go into seclusion at Chixia Academy to use my opportunity for Foundation Establishment."

Chen Xinglan, however, was very open-minded about it. Chen Mobai and his mother Tang Pancui exchanged glances and could only nod. After all, this was Chen Xinglan's only chance for Foundation Establishment in his life, and they would certainly support him wholeheartedly.

"You've been graduated for almost thirty years; I wonder if Chixia Academy will still recognize you as a student!" Tang Pancui looked hesitant, somewhat anxious about personal gains and losses.

In the Immortal Sect, whether it's the Four Great Daoist Academies, the Ten Major Academies, or the hundred and twenty prefectural academies below them, any student who has been formally admitted will be offered one opportunity for Foundation Establishment. This opportunity, besides a Tier 3 Low-grade spiritual vein cave abode, also includes elixirs that can increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment.

In the Immortal Sect, although Foundation Establishment Pills are prohibited from being refined, a complete set of formulas has been developed to replace them. These are the Vein Guarding Pill, Spirit Ascension Powder, and Qi Condensation Liquid!

Among these, the Vein Guarding Pill can save the life of a cultivator who fails Foundation Establishment. After taking the Spirit Ascension Powder, a cultivator's spiritual sense will temporarily increase, allowing for easier control of surging spiritual power. And the Qi Condensation Liquid promotes the liquefaction of a cultivator's spiritual power. If all the spiritual power in the dantian liquefies, it signifies successful Foundation Establishment.

This complete set of elixirs is called the "Three Foundation Establishment Treasures"! Batches of these are released periodically in the Immortal Sect's official flagship store, available for free redemption with cultivation points. As for the online pharmacies of other academies, like Ju Mang Daoist Academy and Taiyi Medical Academy, they require good deeds points to purchase. Each item is valued at an average of 800,000 good deeds points. Even at such an exorbitant price, they are still in short supply and must be quickly snatched up.

This is because after each successful refinement of the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures, all academies and institutions within the Immortal Sect first take their allocated share. Only any remaining surplus then enters the market. After the academies take their share, they naturally distribute them to their own students.

Although Chen Xinglan graduated thirty years ago, because he never reached Qi Refining Level 9 before, this opportunity for Foundation Establishment has remained unused at the academy. If he never successfully breaks through in his lifetime, the opportunity will automatically expire. The academies do not allow descendants to inherit such opportunities. After all, resources in the Immortal Sect are scarce. Therefore, even based on the principle of not wasting, Chen Xinglan would certainly attempt Foundation Establishment.

"Among the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures, Dad, which one will you choose?" Chen Mobai asked, as Chixia Academy only provides one of the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures, and the choice is naturally up to the cultivator.

"Choose the Vein Guarding Pill," Tang Pancui spoke first. This was also the choice of ninety-nine percent of people. After all, given Chen Xinglan's situation, the likelihood of successful Foundation Establishment was indeed not high. In that case, the life-saving Vein Guarding Pill was definitely the top priority.

"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you." This was also Chen Xinglan's own thought; he truly had little confidence in himself.

"There's still nearly a million good deeds points in our family account. You should use them to buy a bottle of Qi Condensation Liquid from the academy. With that, you can at least reach the Foundation Establishment stage," Tang Pancui continued. This was the advantage of being a disciple of an academy: when attempting Foundation Establishment for the first time, if you had enough good deeds points, you could also use your own money to purchase the other two of the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures.

Of course, this opportunity is only available for the first attempt. If you fail Foundation Establishment later and wish to try again, the academies will not be responsible; you'd have to find a way to acquire them yourself from the market.

Chen Xinglan, however, shook his head. Although he and his wife had worked tirelessly their whole lives to accumulate good deeds points, intending to use them for Foundation Establishment, Tang Pancui had been stuck at Qi Refining Level 6 for over thirty years and had already given up. And while Chen Xinglan had now reached Qi Refining Level 9, his success rate for Foundation Establishment was also extremely slim. He simply didn't want to waste these savings.

"No need. Keep this money for our son's future Foundation Establishment. He's currently at Qi Refining Level 6, and he'll surely be able to enter an academy. If your mother and I work hard for another decade or so, we can gather 1.6 million good deeds points and get him a complete set of the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures. Maybe then, after a hundred years, our Old Chen family can produce another True Cultivator."

Chen Xinglan's words brought tears to Chen Mobai's eyes, but he immediately stood up and shook his head. "Dad, you should use it yourself. I'm going to get into a Daoist Academy. When the time comes, the Daoist Academy will provide the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures; you won't need to prepare them."

As the Immortal Sect's top and oldest universities, the Four Great Daoist Academies naturally offer the best student benefits, distributing a complete set of the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures. The Ten Major Academies, on the other hand, provide two of the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures. The hundred and twenty prefectural academies, such as the local Danzhu and Chixia Academies, only offer one. It is precisely for this reason that every student aims for the Four Great Daoist Academies as their goal.

According to samples taken by Taiyi Medical Academy, a cultivator who has reached Qi Refining Level 9 Perfection and takes a complete set of the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures has a 10% chance of successfully establishing Foundation.

After much persuasion, Chen Mobai finally convinced Chen Xinglan to use their savings to purchase the Qi Condensation Liquid.

"Alright, alright, since my son has such ambition, then I, his old father, won't decline."

Tang Pancui watched the deep affection between father and son, her eyes reddened with emotion, and she was on the verge of tears. Chen Mobai immediately changed the subject.

"So Dad, when will you go to Chixia Academy?"

During Foundation Establishment, the academy provides a Tier 3 Low-grade spiritual vein cave abode with two years of usage rights. Chen Xinglan certainly wouldn't waste these two years and likely wouldn't trigger Foundation Establishment until the very last day.

"The day after tomorrow, I suppose. I've also informed Baolan and Yulan; I need to say goodbye to them."

Chen Mobai's grandparents passed away early, but they had three children: Chen Xinglan, Chen Baolan, and Chen Yulan.