Chapter 149: Opinionated

’Withered Earth Root? Devouring a Spirit Beast?’

The sudden, evil trigram left Li Chang’an stunned.

He knew of a treasure like the Withered Earth Root.

It was recorded in his Spirit Doctor inheritance.

Outwardly, it was just a seemingly withered, ordinary root.

’Logically, a treasure like this shouldn’t be able to develop sentience,’ he thought. ’How could it suddenly erupt and devour a Spirit Beast?’

Li Chang’an frowned, pondering for a long while.

’A withered root devouring Dahuang?’

He thought it over, and the mental image was just too bizarre.

After all,

Dahuang was already a Tier One Peak Spirit Beast.

The fact that the Withered Earth Root could devour him meant its power had already surpassed the limits of Tier One.

Even if it hadn’t reached Tier Two, it had to be close.

’I can’t be careless about this.’

Li Chang’an thought for a moment.

To be safe,

he couldn’t accept this Treasure.

...

「The next day, around noon.」

Zhou Yu arrived outside Li Chang’an’s courtyard.

Beside her,

was a member of the Zhou Clan, a stout man of about thirty dressed in a brocade robe.

He was none other than her cousin, Zhou Chuan.

"Ah Yu, this Li Chang’an is just a Loose Cultivator at the Middle Stage of Qi Refining. Can he really afford my Withered Earth Root?"

Zhou Chuan was skeptical, suspecting that Li Chang’an was a fraud.

Zhou Yu didn’t bother to explain.

After all, as long as the transaction went through, she would get paid.

"Is Daoist Li in?"

Zhou Yu knocked on the courtyard gate.

A moment later,

Li Chang’an opened the gate, invited the pair into the courtyard, and brewed them some high-quality tea.

"This must be Daoist Zhou Chuan?"

"That’s right!"

Zhou Chuan took a sip of tea and nodded slightly.

He got straight to the point.

From his Storage Pouch, he took out a Jade Box.

"Daoist Li, this is the ’Withered Earth Root,’ an extremely precious Earth Element Treasure. It can increase the success rate of advancement by ten percent, and its effect can be stacked with other treasures!"

After speaking,

he opened the Jade Box.

Inside the box was a pitch-black, somewhat withered-looking root.

Judging by its appearance, it was indeed a Withered Earth Root.

"Daoist Li, you can inspect it if you have any concerns."

Zhou Chuan handed the Jade Box to Li Chang’an.

But Li Chang’an didn’t take it.

His real body had already quietly retreated deep into the Array, leaving only an Illusion Body behind while he pushed the Array to its limit.

"Daoist Li, what’s the matter?"

Noticing Li Chang’an’s odd expression, Zhou Chuan asked.

Li Chang’an frowned slightly, pretending to be observing it carefully. After a moment, he replied.

"Daoist Zhou, what’s inside your Jade Box doesn’t seem to be a Withered Earth Root."

"How is that possible?"

Zhou Chuan’s expression flickered as he immediately picked up the Withered Earth Root to inspect it.

After inspecting it carefully,

he set it down and said solemnly,

"Daoist Li, this is the Withered Earth Root. There’s no mistake. You can examine it yourself!"

"That won’t be necessary!"

Li Chang’an waved his hand, his mind on the strange divination.

He had no desire to touch the thing.

"Daoist Zhou, I’m truly sorry, but I don’t intend to buy this item."

"Well..."

Zhou Chuan was displeased, but he didn’t let it show.

Since the transaction had failed, there was no reason for him to stay. He promptly took his leave.

Behind him, Zhou Yu looked puzzled.

She quietly sent a Sound Transmission to Li Chang’an.

"Daoist Li, that should be the Withered Earth Root. Don’t you need this kind of Treasure?"

"Daoist Zhou, there’s something wrong with that Withered Earth Root. I had a bad feeling when I was about to examine it."

"How could that be?"

Zhou Yu couldn’t understand.

The Withered Earth Root was a Treasure; what kind of Treasure could possibly give someone a bad feeling?

Li Chang’an sent back a Sound Transmission: "Daoist Zhou, you should advise your cousin to dispose of that Withered Earth Root."

"Alright, I’ll let him know."

Filled with doubt, Zhou Yu hurried away.

...

Outside the courtyard,

Zhou Yu caught up with Zhou Chuan and told him what Li Chang’an had just said.

When he heard, Zhou Chuan’s brow furrowed, and his expression soured.

"Hmph! I think that Li Chang’an just couldn’t produce the Spirit Stones and deliberately said there’s a problem with my Treasure to give himself a way out!"

"I don’t think Daoist Li is that kind of person."

"Ah Yu, how many times have you even met him? Don’t be fooled by his appearance!"

Zhou Chuan stuck to his own opinion.

From the beginning, he didn’t believe that a Loose Cultivator like Li Chang’an could produce so many Spirit Stones.

Therefore,

he didn’t take the advice.

How could he just casually dispose of such an expensive Treasure?

A few days later,

another person came to him for a trade.

The newcomer’s identity and status were quite impressive; it was none other than Huang He Master’s eighth disciple, Bai Hao!

This was an expert at the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment!

"Elder Bai, please sit!"

Zhou Chuan was thrilled, overjoyed.

’It’s a good thing I didn’t trade with Li Chang’an or listen to his advice,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, I never would have had the chance to meet Bai Hao.’

Bai Hao smiled and asked amiably, "Zhou, is your Withered Earth Root still available?"

"It is! Elder Bai, please have a look!"

Zhou Chuan immediately took out the Jade Box and opened it.

Bai Hao took out the Withered Earth Root, inspected it carefully, and nodded slightly, quite satisfied with its quality.

"Not bad. If I can gather a few more Earth Element Treasures, my Gray Rock Rat will have a good chance of advancing."

Soon,

the two signed a Spirit Contract.

Bai Hao didn’t linger and left with the Withered Earth Root.

...

Time flies in cultivation.

More than half a year passed in a flash.

During this time,

Li Chang’an acquired another Earth Element Treasure, which could increase the success rate of advancement by five percent.

At this point, all the advancement treasures in his possession, when added together, increased the success rate by more than twenty percent!

However, there was still little news about the treasures he needed for his own Foundation Establishment.

Not long after,

he went to visit Zheng Qingqing.

After all, Zheng Qingqing wanted to nurture another Foundation Establishment Cultivator for the Zheng Family, so she was always keeping an eye out for relevant news.

"Young Mistress, you are now a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator and an esteemed Honored Guest Elder of the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower. Is there a way to directly buy a Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"No."

Zheng Qingqing sounded somewhat helpless.

After reaching Foundation Establishment, her access to information and treasures had indeed expanded compared to her time in Qi Refining.

But the Foundation Establishment Pill was still very difficult to obtain.

"If it were easy to obtain, then not so many Foundation Establishment Families would have fallen into decline."

Zheng Qingqing sighed softly.

Right now, she was also worrying about a Tier Two Demon Core.

The Zheng Family had one, but it was used for her own Foundation Establishment.

During that alchemy session, the Zheng Family’s old Tier Two Alchemist lacked the necessary stamina. A problem occurred midway through the refining, creating only one Formed Pill. The other two were Wasted Pills.

In other words, she only had one chance at Foundation Establishment.

Fortunately, she succeeded.

Zheng Qingqing said bluntly that if she ultimately couldn’t get a Tier Two Demon Core, she would go directly into the depths of the Black Dragon Mountain Range and try to kill a Tier Two Great Demon!

’Go into the mountains to kill a demon!’

Li Chang’an was secretly surprised.

Zheng Qingqing was as bold as ever.

Back in Qinghe, she had frequently ventured into dangerous Secret Realms to build the foundation for her breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.

The danger level of the Black Dragon Mountain Range was no lower than that of the Secret Realms. Countless Qi Refining Cultivators had died there, and quite a few Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators had perished as well.

According to rumor, in the depths of the Black Dragon Mountain Range, there even existed a Tier Three Demon King!