Chapter 491: Refining the Foundation-Building Pill

"Dad, Mom! You're back." Wang Qingqing's face lit up with joy when she saw Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan.

"Grandson greets Grandfather and Grandmother." Wang Qiuming bowed respectfully to Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan, speaking in a polite tone.

Wang Changsheng waved his hand, squatted down, picked up Zhao Ziyu, and kissed him.

"Ziyu, say 'Grandpa'!"

"G-Grandpa," Zhao Ziyu mumbled, his voice still very young.

"Good boy." Wang Changsheng smiled and kissed Zhao Ziyu again.

He now had both a grandson and a maternal grandson. In another ten years or so, he should have a great-grandson. Time truly flew!

After playfully teasing Zhao Ziyu for a while, Wang Changsheng's gaze fell upon Wang Qiuming. Wang Qiuming had already reached the ninth level of Qi Refining and could attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage if he had a Foundation Establishment Pill. Wang Changsheng inquired about Wang Qiuming's cultivation progress, and Wang Qiuming answered truthfully. He had accumulated a significant amount of merit points by hunting demonic beasts. Wang Qingzhi and Qi Shanshan had also amassed large amounts of merit points, but none of them had yet been able to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

"Good child, keep up the good work. Don't wander off during this time; I'll have something for you to do later."

Wang Ruyan had been stuck at her bottleneck for a long time and needed life-or-death training to overcome it. She planned to lead a group of clansmen to the Taiyi Mountain Range to hunt demonic beasts. With Wang Mingren at the Taiyi Immortal Sect, they would at least have some support. The South Sea was too chaotic, with even Core Formation evil cultivators appearing. It was better not to go there for now.

After chatting for a bit, Wang Changsheng left, while Wang Ruyan stayed behind to play with her maternal grandson.

Upon arriving at the discussion hall, Wang Changsheng asked Wang Qingkai about the family's recent situation. Over the past few years, no major incidents had occurred in the family. Wang Changsheng wasn't surprised. Aside from a third-tier spirit vein, the Wang family didn't possess anything else particularly remarkable. The family's income sources were limited, yet the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators and cultivators in general continued to increase. Wang Changsheng needed to find ways to boost the family's income to cultivate more Foundation Establishment cultivators; his relationship with the family was symbiotic. Wang Changsheng wanted to help Wang Ruyan advance to the Core Formation stage, but she had been stuck at her bottleneck for many years and could only resolve it herself. If Wang Changsheng continued to accompany her, it would only backfire.

"Qingkai, send someone to call Qingyuan and Qingqi. I have something to tell them."

Before long, Wang Qingyuan and Wang Qingqi appeared before Wang Changsheng. Wang Qingyuan was holding a small girl in his arms, dressed in blue, as exquisitely carved as a jade doll.

Wang Changsheng took out a greenish wooden box, opened it, revealing a pale green demonic core.

"Ninth Uncle, is this a third-tier demonic core?" Wang Qingshan and others had brought back many demonic cores from hunting demonic beasts, and Wang Qingqi had seen quite a few, but none were as large as this one.

"Yes! I recall our family having a recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill, right? The main ingredient is a third-tier demonic core. With this third-tier demonic core, Qingqi, how confident are you that you can refine a Foundation Establishment Pill?"

Wang Qingqi pondered for a moment, then replied seriously, "Ninth Uncle, I am only a mid-tier second-grade alchemist. I have never refined a Foundation Establishment Pill before, so I'm afraid I might not succeed." There was nothing he could do. The Wang family didn't have many usable second-tier pill recipes, and due to material constraints, Wang Qingqi could only refine a few types of second-tier pills. He had never refined a Foundation Establishment Pill, so it was impossible for him to feel no pressure.

"It's alright. Ninth Uncle believes in you. Even if you can't refine it, it's no big deal; consider it practice. If you can't refine the Foundation Establishment Pill, no one else in the clan will be able to. Qingqi, go for it! Ninth Uncle believes in you." Wang Changsheng encouraged him. If the Wang family could refine Foundation Establishment Pills themselves, they wouldn't have to spend a fortune buying them in the future.

"I will do my best, Ninth Uncle." Wang Qingqi nodded, agreeing.

"Ninth Uncle, this is Ping'an's granddaughter. She is seven years old and belongs to the 'Tian' generation. Her name is Wang Tianqi, she has three spirit roots, with water as her primary spirit root." Wang Qingyuan said, pointing to the blue-clad girl in his arms. At his suggestion, Wang Ping'an had taken many concubines, but none had given birth to children with spirit roots. Fortunately, Wang Ping'an had numerous offspring, and one of his daughters-in-law gave birth to a daughter with spirit roots. After her spirit roots were detected, she was immediately sent back to Qinglian Villa.

Wang Changsheng's eyes lit up, and he took Wang Tianqi from Wang Qingyuan's arms. He had always hoped that Wang Ping'an would have descendants with spirit roots, and after all these years, Wang Ping'an had finally given him a great-granddaughter with spirit roots.

"Granddaughter Wang Tianqi greets Great-Grandfather." Wang Tianqi smiled sweetly and greeted him.

"Good child. Your great-grandmother will be very happy when she hears this news. From now on, you will stay by Great-Grandfather's side." Wang Changsheng had always felt he owed Wang Ping'an. However, just as a nation has its laws, a family has its rules. Clansmen without spirit roots had to be sent to be raised among mortals, as there was a clear distinction between immortals and mortals. He couldn't be the one to break the rules. Wang Changsheng intended to nurture Wang Tianqi well. Conveniently, he had brought back a Profound-grade cultivation technique, the "Cold Moon Tide Origin Art." Since Wang Tianqi's primary spirit root was water, it was perfectly suited for her cultivation.

"How is Ping'an? Is he doing well?"

Wang Qingyuan quickly replied, "Thanks to Ninth Uncle's blessings, he is doing very well. He asked me to tell Ninth Uncle and Aunt to take care of yourselves, and he will strive to have more children with spirit roots."

Wang Changsheng nodded with satisfaction, saying, "This child is thoughtful. Just tell him to take good care of himself. All right, I'm going back to rest now. You all go about your business!" He carried Wang Tianqi and strode out.

Learning that Wang Tianqi was Wang Ping'an's granddaughter, Wang Ruyan was extremely pleased. Wang Tianqi had already begun cultivating at the first level of Qi Refining. Wang Changsheng instructed her to switch to cultivating the "Cold Moon Tide Origin Art."

In a certain secret chamber, Wang Qingqi sat cross-legged on a futon. Before him lay a large pile of alchemy materials, including a third-tier demonic core. He felt extremely excited. This was a third-tier demonic core; if he could refine Foundation Establishment Pills, the family wouldn't have to spend a fortune buying them anymore. Amidst his excitement, he also felt some apprehension. One third-tier demonic core could be used to refine three batches of Foundation Establishment Pills. The Wang family had already gathered all the other necessary materials. Wang Changsheng had told him not to feel any pressure, but the more Wang Changsheng said that, the greater Wang Qingqi's pressure became.

Wang Qingqi sat in meditation for a quarter of an hour, adjusting his state to its optimal level. With a raise of his hand, a palm-sized red mini-cauldron flew out. It spun rapidly and instantly expanded, transforming into a half-zhang tall red alchemic furnace that landed before him. The body of the cauldron was engraved with a lifelike firebird pattern. It was a high-grade alchemic furnace, which Wang Changsheng had specifically bought for Wang Qingqi's alchemy.

Wang Qingqi exhaled softly, his expression turning serious. He cast a spell onto the alchemic furnace. With a "bang," the lid flew up and landed steadily on the ground. Wang Qingqi tossed more than a dozen spirit herbs into the alchemic furnace. His spell changed, and the lid automatically flew back and closed. He opened his mouth and spat out a stream of crimson flame, which attached itself to the bottom of the alchemic furnace. Rolling flames engulfed the furnace. Without earth fire, he could only use innate true fire for alchemy. Innate true fire was not as good as earth fire, but it was much better than spirit charcoal fire.

Before long, the temperature inside the stone chamber rose considerably, and a faint fragrance wafted from the alchemic furnace. Wang Qingqi performed a hand seal, and the crimson flames immediately intensified, making the fragrance even stronger.