Chapter 58: Chapter 56: Two Years Time flies like a fleeting horse, and two years passed in a blink. Zhang Fan stood with his hands behind his back, his wide sleeves fluttering in the wind: "In five years of joining the sect, you’ve reached the Eighth-Layer Qi Refining and own several acres of Tier One spirit fields. I’ve overseen the eastern area of Jade Water Lake for decades and have never seen such an outstanding spirit farmer like you." He gazed at the rolling emerald waves and the slightly withered talisman grass spirit field beside him, roughly calculating how many crystal stones this disciple could earn, sighing in his heart. If he had been half as excellent back then, he wouldn’t have taken so many years to succeed in foundation establishment. The most important thing at the Qi Refining Stage is the nourishment of the Immortal Vein and the accumulation of magical power; if resources were abundant, why waste so much time! Ji An smiled humbly with a trace of pride: "It’s all thanks to Junior Martial Uncle’s good teaching." This Junior Martial Uncle would stroll by every few months, sharing cultivation insights and interesting anecdotes, from which he benefited greatly and broadened his horizons. Under his meticulous care, a year ago, five acres of spirit fields became Tier One Lower Grade spirit fields, all planted with jade corn. Jade corn ripens every six months, and under the dual enhancement of the perfection level Small Cloud Rain Technique and Thick Earth Technique, the average yield was 30% higher than when Old Huang planted it, and the maturity time was about twenty days shorter. Now his meals had all been replaced with jade corn, and the Spirit-Seeking Rat had been fed to a plump state, currently reaching the Fifth-Layer Qi Refining. When the jade corn hadn’t yet spiked, he practiced magic techniques daily, drawing Water Curtain Talismans and Geng Metal Talismans, and in busy farming times, he performed rain magic and aligned earth qi. Although the cost of cultivation was large, seeing the constant progress in cultivation, the sense of satisfaction was immeasurable. "No need for flattery; it’s all the result of your own hard work." Zhang Fan smiled kindly, then his expression turned serious: "Even though you usually have plentiful harvests, you should save more crystal stones to prepare for exchanging for a Foundation Establishment Pill." "Thank you, Junior Martial Uncle, for the reminder. I plan to prepare for it when I break through to the Ninth-Layer Qi Refining." Zhang Fan shook his head, his gray-white hair tousled by the wind. "I have heard of your skill in talisman making. If this were ten years ago, it wouldn’t be difficult to accumulate enough contribution points to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill with your talisman-making and spirit farming abilities. But today is not as before. The sect has been repeatedly establishing outposts externally, and many disciples’ storage bags have swelled. Many more disciples are now capable of exchanging for a Foundation Establishment Pill. Moreover, the proportion of family disciples exchanging for Foundation Establishment Pills has significantly increased. Even if the sect refines more Foundation Establishment Pills than before, there are still too many competitors and not enough Pills." This year is the time when the sect is refining Foundation Establishment Pills. A martial brother I know said that the distribution of Foundation Establishment Pills has already been scheduled for ten years ahead! Time waits for no one." Ji An’s pupils shrank abruptly. How did the competition suddenly become so intense! The sect refines a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills every five years. He had inquired before, and usually, receiving the Pills after exchanging meant the next round would be ready. Now it has already queued for two rounds. How long will it take to get the Pills after he can exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill? "Nephew, plan early; I’m leaving now." Seeing his expression, Zhang Fan understood that he had realized the severity of the situation and thus said no more. "Thank you, Junior Martial Uncle, for the reminder. Farewell, Junior Martial Uncle." Ji An watched him leave, recalling a conversation with Zhao Mengyao a few days earlier. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦 "The family issued a new regulation offering more crystal stones for sect disciples who are under forty and at the Ninth-Layer Qi Refining to buy Foundation Establishment Pills. If only this regulation had been issued earlier, I could have gotten the Foundation Establishment Pill years ahead!" At that time, he didn’t take it seriously, but now, with Junior Martial Uncle Zhang’s clear indication, he suddenly realized. The leisurely days had dulled his sharp insight into matters. Before the golden wind stirs, the cicada already senses it. Over the past few years, the three sects have been seizing more territories, and other families should also have detected the sect’s intentions. Each sect, unusually, demarcates a marketplace in new outposts for everyone to supply and trade, and many loose cultivators have flooded in. This is very unusual. Even though he doesn’t know the sect’s objective, he should foresee the impacts of such actions. More loose cultivators capable of foundation establishment will inevitably emerge! Ji An pondered deeply, considering his current speed of earning spirit stones. Even if he reduced the supply of pills for cultivation, it would still take years to accumulate enough contribution points to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill. Under the present situation, after years when he can exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill, it will still take at least fifteen more years to get the Pills. ... A few days later, Ji An used up all the blank talisman paper on hand and tucked the dozens of talismans he had accumulated into his bosom, and rode the talisman bird toward the Jade Water Marketplace. Upon nearing the marketplace, Ji An saw a familiar figure flying from the horizon, and he approached, smiling: "Senior Brother looks so radiant, what happy event did you encounter?" From a distance, he could sense the air of triumph emanating from the other party. "Haha, I’m treating today. Let’s go to the Hundred Flavors Pavilion for a few drinks and talk slowly." Wei Songnian patted his chest, the fat rippling like waves. The two arrived at the Hundred Flavors Pavilion, found a private room, and ordered two bottles of spirit wine and a few small dishes. Ji An rose to fill the drinks, and they toasted and drank two cups before Wei Songnian began his tale. "Just now, I went to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall, paid a sum of crystal stones, and finally managed to gather sixty thousand contribution points. Ten years from now, I’ll get a Foundation Establishment Pill." Leaning forward, he lowered his voice: "Junior Brother, word has it that the sect plans to choose another demon beast territory to attack. Every time a new outpost is established, a batch of disciples and loose cultivators earn great rewards. I think the competition for Foundation Establishment Pills will only become more intense, and Junior Brother should accumulate crystal stones quickly; time waits for no one." "I too heard about this news a few days ago and have been troubled by it. I must now both improve my cultivation to break through to the Ninth-Layer Qi Refining and accumulate crystal stones, which isn’t easy. Without windfall, wealth doesn’t grow. I also want to take a trip to the Ten Thousand Mountains." Ji An said, pulling out the talismans and slapping them on the table. In the past two years, talisman consumption had been high. Through talisman making, he had earned a lot of crystal stones, but he invested them all in daily cultivation and nurturing the Spirit-Seeking Rat, consequently having few crystal stones left. Without such costless efforts to enhance cultivation, with his middle-grade talent and Stone Turtle Plucking Feathers from Geese characteristics, breaking through the eighth tier wouldn’t have been so quick. Because of magical power limitations and insufficient raw materials, the number of talismans he could draw each month wasn’t that large. Relying on talismans to quickly accumulate a large number of crystal stones is not realistic unless he stops cultivating and plants more talisman grass, but doing so would be missing the point. Wei Songnian’s gaze drifted from the talismans glowing with blue and golden spirit light, cautiously saying: "Junior Brother, have you thought it through? Demon hunting, although it might yield great rewards, is far less safe than staying in the sect to accumulate contribution points. Especially for you."