txolops Chapter 152 Calling Him Uncle
Chapter 152 Calling Him Uncle
According to Ji Shuwen's detailed account.
Li Ping quickly got a general idea of what had happened.
It turns out that after joining the Crimson Flame Sect, Ji Shuwen devoted herself to diligent cultivation and finally broke through to the ninth level of Qi Refining last year.
Reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining means you're only one step away from Foundation Establishment.
Naturally, she began preparing for her own foundation building.
The most crucial element among these is the Foundation Establishment Pill!
The Crimson Flame Sect is a sect with a Core Formation cultivator in charge, and it has no shortage of Foundation Establishment Pills.
According to the rules of the Crimson Flame Sect, all disciples are divided into different levels based on their individual aptitudes.
Disciples with extraordinary spiritual roots or higher are considered true disciples. They do not need to make contributions and can receive a Foundation Establishment Pill from the sect free of charge after reaching the peak of Qi Refining.
Disciples with two spiritual roots, being inner disciples, cannot receive Foundation Establishment Pills for free; they must pay a certain price to obtain them. Specifically, one Foundation Establishment Pill can be exchanged for 3,000 sect contribution points.
A disciple with three spiritual roots is an outer disciple, and can exchange 5,000 contribution points for one Foundation Establishment Pill.
Disciples with four spiritual roots or below are considered menial disciples, and can exchange 10,000 contribution points for one Foundation Establishment Pill.
In short, as a sect cultivator, Ji Shuwen had a much easier time obtaining Foundation Establishment Pills than a rogue cultivator.
As long as you accumulate enough sect contribution points, you can directly exchange them for Foundation Establishment Pills within the sect without having to rack your brains.
However, sect contributions are not easy to obtain. Ji Shuwen has been diligently doing various sect tasks since she joined the sect, but so far, she has only accumulated less than a thousand.
She has a large shortfall in Foundation Establishment Pills, but her Foundation Establishment master has personally promised to give her 1,000 sect contribution points as assistance when she needs them.
In this way, Ji Shuwen is still about a thousand sect contribution points short of collecting enough for a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Originally, she hoped that the Ji family cultivators could take the time to help her complete the sect's mission and make up for the shortfall.
However, the Ji family was just a small Qi Refining family with only a few cultivators, all of whom were at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. They didn't have a single cultivator at the late-stage of Qi Refining, so they couldn't spare any resources to help her.
That's why Master Ji brought her to visit Li Ping, hoping to get help from him.
After speaking, Ji Shuwen looked at Li Ping calmly, her gaze very serene.
"So that's what it is." Li Ping suddenly realized what was going on. He shook his head helplessly and said, "Brother Ji, why bother you to make such a trip for such a small matter? You could have just sent a messenger to tell me."
Upon hearing Li Ping's words, Master Ji smiled but remained silent.
He was asking Li Ping for help. No matter how good their relationship was, you still had to act like you were asking for a favor.
Moreover, this matter involves his granddaughter's foundation building, which is no small matter. How could he dare to be negligent?
Li Ping then looked at Ji Shuwen: "So, Shuwen, if you want to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills, you're still about a thousand sect contribution points short?"
"Perhaps it won't take that long." Ji Shuwen pondered for a moment and then explained, "I broke through to the ninth level of Qi Refining last year. If I want to cultivate to the peak of Qi Refining, it will take another year or two. During this time, I can also carry out sect missions and earn contribution points."
Hearing her earnest explanation, Li Ping smiled and waved his hand, "There's no need for that. You don't need to do any more missions. Focus on your cultivation and try to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage as soon as possible!"
In Li Ping's view, Master Ji wouldn't live for many more years. If he could witness Ji Shuwen successfully establish her foundation before he passed away, he would have no regrets in this life.
Li Ping, of course, wanted to fulfill his little wish.
After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Can the sect contribution points of the Crimson Flame Sect be bought and sold?"
Ji Shuwen shook her head: "No, it can only be given by the master to the disciple."
"Oh?"
Upon hearing that he couldn't directly buy sect contribution points, Li Ping frowned slightly. If he had to complete tasks to obtain sect contribution points, would he have to go to the Crimson Flame Sect?
The round trip, plus the tasks, will probably take several years.
He would rather spend more spirit stones to help this junior than delay his own cultivation.
After thinking for a moment, he asked again, "Your sect... must have a business where people hire others to complete tasks for you in exchange for sect contributions, right?"
"Yes, there is..." Ji Shuwen hesitated for a moment, but in the end she explained straightforwardly, "In this case, the price to pay is relatively high, and it is not worth it. Usually, it takes thirteen spirit stones to obtain ten sect contribution points."
Under normal circumstances, a small contribution to the sect is worth only one spirit stone.
If a servant is hired to perform a task, it costs thirteen spirit stones to earn ten contribution points, resulting in a net loss of three spirit stones.
Upon hearing this, Li Ping's brows relaxed.
He took out 1,500 spirit stones directly from his storage bag and placed them on the table in front of him. The colorful spirit stones were piled up almost like a small mountain.
"This...this?" Ji Shuwen, who had remained calm throughout, finally stared wide-eyed in shock. She couldn't believe it: "Could it be that all these spirit stones are for me?"
Li Ping's next words confirmed her guess: "Shuwen, I can't leave Immortal City for long, so I can't go to the Crimson Flame Sect to help you with sect missions. Here are 1,500 spirit stones. Take them back to the sect and hire people to help you with missions to earn sect contribution points. As for yourself, just focus on your cultivation and get to Foundation Establishment as soon as possible."
With a "whoosh!" sound.
Ji Shuwen stood up immediately, and said excitedly, "Thank you so much, Uncle Li, for helping me! I am deeply grateful!"
Master Ji, standing to the side, remained silent and smiled.
He had already guessed the outcome before he came. After all, how could the relationship between him and Li Ping be measured by mere spirit stones?
"Sit down!" Li Ping smiled and waved his hand, indicating that Ji Shuwen didn't need to be so polite.
At the same time, he also noticed the change in how the other party addressed him. Previously, Ji Shuwen addressed him as "senior," which was based on Li Ping's Foundation Establishment stage cultivation.
There is only respect, not reverence. If one day she also successfully establishes her foundation, then the title will naturally change to "fellow Daoist".
But now, she calls Li Ping Uncle Li.
This is treating him as an elder. Since he is an elder, even if she reaches the Foundation Establishment stage or even surpasses Li Ping in cultivation in the future, she will still call him Uncle Li when they meet again.
Clearly, the 1,500 spirit stones that Li Ping gave her were of great help to her, serving as a crucial stepping stone for advancement!
Thinking of this, Li Ping smiled and said, "Put the spirit stones away."
"Yes, Uncle Li!" Ji Shuwen did as she was told and put the spirit stones into her storage bag, her eyes filled with uncontainable joy.
At this moment, Master Ji spoke up, coughing twice: "Ahem... Shuwen, go find Shuxuan. I have some things to discuss with Brother Li."
With the spirit stones in hand and the Foundation Establishment Pill within reach, Ji Shuwen was filled with joy. Upon hearing her grandfather's instructions, she quickly nodded in agreement and left Immortal Peach Mountain to find Ji Shuxuan, who was cultivating in Immortal City.
After sending Ji Shuwen away, Master Ji smiled and said, "Brother Li, I really have to thank you this time."
"Brother Ji, what are you saying? If you hadn't guided me onto the path of immortality, I might still be honing my skills in the mortal world." Li Ping said with a smile, "With our relationship, what are mere spirit stones?"
After exchanging a few polite words, Master Ji spoke seriously about another matter: "Brother Li, regarding the spiritual vein beneath Xiaomei Mountain, I have entrusted everything to the child Shuchen. After I leave, he will inherit the position of clan leader. I hope you can take care of him for my sake."
Li Ping sensed that Master Ji was entrusting his affairs to him, and sighed inwardly, but readily agreed: "Brother Ji, don't worry. I've met Shuchen; he's a capable person who can shoulder responsibilities. I believe he can lead the Ji family to prosperity."
Master Ji smiled and nodded: "Then I am relieved."
The reason he specifically sent Ji Shuwen away before bringing up this matter was that he didn't want Ji Shuwen to know about the underground spiritual vein of Xiaomei Mountain.
After all, Ji Shuwen is a sect cultivator and a female cultivator. If she becomes a Daoist partner in the future, she may not necessarily put the interests of the Ji family first.
The underground spiritual vein is of great importance, and to avoid any mishaps, she naturally cannot be informed.
Originally, only he, Li Ping, and Ji Shuchen, who accidentally discovered the passage, knew about the underground spiritual veins. Once he passed away, only Li Ping and Ji Shuchen would know about it.
Now the Ji family and the Yan family have intermarried and are as close as family.
Although Li Ping's surname is not Yan, he is a member of the Yan family, both emotionally and in terms of interests.
Master Ji believed that even after he passed away, Brother Li would not mistreat the Ji and Yan families, so he could rest assured about his affairs after his death.
……
Master Ji arrived suddenly and left in a hurry.
A few days later, he left the Immortal City with his granddaughter.
Li Ping's life returned to normal.
Not long after, after several years of arduous training, Bai Lin finally reached the peak of the sixth level of Qi Refining and could attempt to break through to the later stage of Qi Refining.
However, as a cultivator with four spiritual roots, breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining is not so easy.
Fortunately, Li Ping noticed this matter early on. Considering that he had a lot of inferior spiritual roots around him, he had been collecting spiritual herbs needed to refine Qi Condensation Pills.
Last year, he finally gathered enough medicinal herbs and successfully refined a batch of Qi Condensation Pills.
When Master Ji left the Immortal City, Li Ping specially gave him a Qi Condensation Pill to take back to Ji Shuchen.
With the aid of Qi Condensation Pills, the probability of cultivators with four spiritual roots breaking through to the late stage of Qi Refining is greatly increased.
Having received the Qi Condensation Pill from Li Ping, Bai Lin obediently returned to her room to diligently cultivate and break through her cultivation barrier.
A month later, with the help of the Qi Condensation Pill, she successfully broke through to the late stage of Qi Refining.
That year, Bai Lin was thirty-six years old.
At this rate of cultivation, she should be able to reach the peak of Qi Refining before the age of fifty and attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment.
At this age, attempting to reach the Foundation Establishment stage is certainly a bit late.
However, Li Ping planned to use dual cultivation techniques as a cover-up, and use the power of the Nourishing Life Technique to regulate her essence.
In this way, her physical functions can be restored to their peak, allowing her to break through the bottleneck in her prime.
Even for cultivators with four spiritual roots, as long as they are well-prepared, there is still a chance of success.
Not long after Bai Lin advanced to the late stage of Qi Refining, Li Ping's spirit beast, the Wildfire Sparrow, which had been drowsy for several years, finally began to advance!