The night grew deep, and dots of light dotted East Street of the marketplace.

  The Hidden Moon Pavilion was situated in a corner at the end of the street. Two spirit-lanterns hung before its entrance, their soft glow like moonlight, faintly illuminating the furnishings inside.

  The pavilion mostly sold enchanted robes, hair ornaments, and accessories, catering specifically to female cultivators. A faint fragrance of orchids and musk lingered in the air.

  Lu Chi stood in the shadows across the street, surveying the two spirit-lanterns from afar, yet his feet hesitated to move.

  After learning of the Mistvale Sect Master's fall, he had initially felt like withdrawing.

  A small Qi Refinement sect like this, once it lost its pillar, was like duckweed without roots—a single gust of wind would scatter it.

  Still, he ultimately decided to come and see.

  What he lacked most now was a stable sales channel.

  A talisman shop backed by a sect, even if only through a profit-sharing partnership, was a hundred times better than waiting alone in his small courtyard for the occasional customer.

  Lu Chi took a deep breath, suppressed the thoughts in his eyes, and strode across the street, heading straight for the Hidden Moon Pavilion.

  Pushing the door open, a shop attendant came forward to greet him.

  Seeing he was unfamiliar, yet seeming to have been briefed, the attendant asked politely, "Are you Talisman Master Lu? Manager Qin is waiting in the private room upstairs. Please follow me."

  Lu Chi gave a slight nod and followed the attendant up the stairs.

  The door to the private room on the second floor was half open. Inside, the lamplight was warm and gentle.

  Qin Suniang and Cao Zhen sat facing each other, conversing in low voices.

  She had changed into a moon-white gauze dress, draped with a light crimson gossamer shawl. A belt woven with silver threads and tassels cinched her waist, subtly hinting at a lazy, delicate charm.

  It made her appear even more elegant, yet carried an indescribable allure.

  Seeing Lu Chi enter, Qin Suniang rose to greet him, her smile warm. "Talisman Master Lu, your timing is perfect. Please, have a seat."

  She gestured gracefully with her hand. Her gauzy sleeve slipped down half an inch, revealing a section of fair wrist. The thin silver bracelet on her wrist swayed slightly in the lamplight, making the light and shadows in the room appear even softer.

  She changed clothes so quickly... And where exactly is Cao's gaze wandering...Lu Chi calmly took his seat, his expression unruffled, though a ripple of strangeness passed through his heart.

  The attendant served spirit tea, then quietly withdrew.

  Qin Suniang got straight to the point. "What I mentioned during the banquet was my sincere intention. Although the Mistvale Sect is small, it has been established in Dongyue County for many years and has a decent foundation."

  "If Talisman Master Lu is willing to cooperate with our sect, the matter of the talisman shop will be fully undertaken by the Mistvale Sect. Talisman Master Lu need only focus on drawing talismans."

  Lu Chi did not rush to agree. "Sect Master Qin's generous offer is appreciated, and I am aware of it. However, I have also heard about the recent situation of the Mistvale Sect."

  "With the sect master fallen, the sect may be unstable. I am but a lone cultivator and fear I may be of little help to the overall situation."

  Qin Suniang's expression remained unchanged. She smiled faintly and said, "Talisman Master Lu is quick with news. It is true that my husband has fallen, but it was due to his lifespan reaching its end—he passed peacefully in his sleep. There was no ambush by some great enemy."

  "Within the Mistvale Sect, there is still an Elder at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement overseeing matters. I am temporarily acting in charge. Although many outsiders covet what we have, they cannot do anything to us."

  "If Talisman Master Lu joins, it may very well be a mutually beneficial arrangement."

  She paused, then added, "Talisman Master Lu became a master at a young age with a limitless future. If you are willing to join our sect, the Mistvale Sect can offer the Foundation Establishment Pill formula as a token of sincerity. In the future, cultivation resources can also be prioritized for your supply."

  There's still an Elder at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement overseeing things... That indeed can stabilize the situation...Lu Chi lowered his head and took a sip of spirit tea, using the teacup to conceal his rapidly whirling thoughts.

  The eighth layer of Qi Refinement, in a place like Dongyue County where cultivators gather like clouds, already counts as a core strength.

  If an ordinary small sect has such a person holding the fort, external enemies would not dare act lightly.

  Although the Mistvale Sect lost its sect master, it is not completely leaderless. This is somewhat better than he had imagined.

  Wait... What did she just say? The Foundation Establishment Pill formula!

  Lu Chi stole a glance at the beautiful woman opposite him without changing his expression.

  She was still smiling as she looked at him, her gaze soft, the corner of her mouth slightly upturned, appearing utterly confident that he would be tempted.

  The reality was indeed so.

  For Qi Refinement stage cultivators, it is ultimately just the introductory phase of drawing qi into the body and nurturing the meridians.

  Their lifespan is merely a little over a hundred years. In combat, they rely on stacking talismans, magical artifacts, and elixirs. The slightest misstep can mean death and the dissipation of their Dao.

  However, once Foundation Establishment is successfully achieved, one truly steps through the gate of cultivation!

  Spiritual power liquefies, lifespan increases to two to three hundred years, spiritual sense can extend outward for dozens of feet, and the physical body becomes so tough it can withstand low-grade magical artifacts. Soaring through the skies, burrowing into the earth, and flying on a sword for a thousand miles—all become possible.

  In Dongyue City, Foundation Establishment cultivators are already figures whom all factions vie to befriend. Ordinary rogue cultivators, even after exhausting their entire lives, can hardly catch a glimpse of its threshold.

  Those old monsters at the late Qi Refinement stage in the market district, who usually act arrogantly and look down on everyone—when the words "Foundation Establishment" are mentioned, which of them doesn’t burn with envy and grind their teeth in frustration?

  If this were still the Lu Chi who repaired broken talismans day after day at the Luo Family Talisman Shop, so-called Foundation Establishment would be nothing more than the most distant yearning in his heart.

  With a lower-grade spiritual root, mediocre aptitude, insufficient spirit stones, and slim chances of opportunity, reaching the peak of the ninth layer of Qi Refinement in a lifetime would already be an extraordinary stroke of luck from his ancestors.

  But now, things are different.

  On the path of a Talisman Master, as long as one steadily advances in level, accumulates proficiency, and unlocks talents, output can gradually increase. Spirit stones, resources, opportunities… everything can progress step by step.

  But even so, the disadvantage of a lower-grade spiritual root still shadows him like a lingering ghost.

  Throughout the ages, how many people have stumbled and fallen before this hurdle of Foundation Establishment?

  The bottleneck is like a chasm. Liquefying spiritual power, transforming the soul, reshaping the body—all three barriers must be overcome. The slightest misstep means exploding and perishing.

  How many have been stuck at Qi Refinement perfection for decades, only to eventually breed inner demons, exhaust their lifespan, and turn into a handful of yellow earth?

  And the Foundation Establishment Pill is precisely the best choice to assist cultivators in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage!

  This pill can stabilize the Qi Sea, warm and nourish the soul, clear the meridians, greatly reduce the risk of bodily explosion during the breakthrough, and increase the success rate by over thirty percent.

  The Foundation Establishment Pills circulating on the market are already exorbitantly priced, and most are incomplete versions. A truly complete Foundation Establishment Pill formula is a secret closely guarded by major sects and clans, never lightly disclosed.

  For the Mistvale Sect, though small, to be willing to offer the Foundation Establishment Pill formula as a gesture of sincerity… this move far exceeds ordinary recruitment.

  Lu Chi lightly tapped the teacup with his fingertip. He did not let his guard down, and his gaze remained calm yet carried a hint of scrutiny. “Sect Master Qin, the Foundation Establishment Pill formula is incomparably precious. I am well aware of its value.”

  “May I ask, how did the Mistvale Sect obtain this pill formula? Since you possess the formula, why has there not yet been a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator within the sect?”

  Qin Suniang showed not the slightest displeasure. Instead, she smiled lightly, as if she had long expected this question.

  “Talisman Master Lu asks well. To be frank, this pill formula was obtained by my late husband during his lifetime.”

  “He was a peak Qi Refinement cultivator back then. In order to attempt a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, he had long been searching everywhere for related pill formulas, spiritual materials, and opportunities.”

  “The Foundation Establishment Pill formula was something he obtained from an ancient cultivator’s ruin after decades of painstaking effort.”

  “Before the ruin collapsed, he luckily brought out the complete formula, but was also severely injured in the process, greatly diminishing his lifespan.”

  “As for why he never managed to break through…”

  Qin Suniang paused briefly, a flicker of sorrow passing through her eyes, but she quickly concealed it.

  “Firstly, when he sought the pill formula back then, he forced his way into the ruin and damaged his foundation. Secondly, the main ingredients required to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill—‘Purple Marrow Fungus’ and ‘Mind?Condensing Fruit’—are both items rarely seen even in a century.”

  “He searched for over a decade and obtained only one of them, always lacking that final key spiritual material. By the time he finally gathered them all, his lifespan was nearly exhausted, and he could no longer bear the risks of a breakthrough.”

  “Foundation Establishment Pill formulas are also divided into ancient formulas and modern formulas. The ancient formulas were developed through exploration by cultivators of antiquity. Although their effects are powerful, their material requirements are extremely strict; the slightest deviation means complete failure.”

  “Modern formulas are versions improved by later alchemists. Their efficacy is largely similar, but they are easier to refine, and the materials are relatively more common. What my husband obtained was an ancient formula.”

  “After I took charge of the sect, I decided to use this pill formula as a gesture of sincerity to recruit promising young cultivators.”

  “If Talisman Master Lu is interested, you may first examine a copy of the ancient formula in the future. When the time truly comes for Foundation Establishment, the complete refining method and insights from the improvements will be passed on.”

  After listening, Lu Chi nodded slightly, and the trace of doubt in his heart lessened somewhat.

  Ancient formulas and modern formulas… So that’s how it is… He pondered inwardly. In the novels he read in his past life, it was always “ancient methods are purer” and “ancient pill formulas are unparalleled in the present era.”

  But now, hearing this, it seems the ancient formulas actually have stricter material requirements and are more difficult to refine, while modern formulas are more practical and easier to handle.

  It appears the cultivation world doesn’t blindly worship the ancient ways. Each era brings its improvements—there is logic in that.