Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather Chapter 1251 - 819: Lotus Heart Valley (Part 2)

Initially, Yang Zhenshan seized control of the Ancient Relic Array and collected the essential herbs required for the Foundation Establishment Pill directly from within it.

In addition, he acquired the alchemy legacy embedded in the Ancient Relic Array, which originated from the Ancient Sun True Sect. Though it was only a Second-Order alchemy inheritance, it proved sufficient to transform Yang Zhenshan into a Second-Order Alchemist.

The final key element was the Golden Crow Eight Trigrams Furnace. Lacking this special furnace, Yang Zhenshan would have been unable to produce even a single Foundation Establishment Pill; he would have shattered at least several dozen furnaces in failed attempts before any success.

As a result, Yang Zhenshan felt no astonishment that a Foundation Establishment Pill commanded a price of tens of thousands of low-grade Spirit Stones.

In truth, what Yang Zhenshan remains unaware of at present is that the Foundation Establishment Pill holds not just immense value but also represents an utterly elusive treasure for Loose Cultivators.

Yang Zhenshan had only pondered the challenges involved in refining the Foundation Establishment Pill, overlooking the profound importance it symbolized.

Achieving foundation establishment propels one onto the immortal path, elevating them beyond mere mortals.

Foundation Establishment marks the initial major obstacle for Immortal Cultivators, and surpassing it confirms one's status as a genuine Immortal Cultivator.

Myriad Qi Refining Cultivators are prepared to sacrifice all they possess for just one Foundation Establishment Pill, yearning solely to embark on the road to immortality.

Danxuan Pavilion.

"Welcome, fellow cultivator!"

Upon entering Danxuan Pavilion with Yu Qingyi, Yang Zhenshan was approached by a young man in the mid-stage of Qi Refining who offered a greeting.

This individual donned a robe in black and blue, featuring the Wyrm emblem. The Wyrm appears as a tailless four-legged lizard with a dragon's head and a fish-like body, often placed on palace eaves, ridges, and rooftops. Within the Qingli Dynasty, it stands as the emblem of the imperial Lin family.

"I go by Lin Wanli. Might I inquire what items my fellow cultivators seek?"

Lin Wanli offered a cordial welcome while scrutinizing Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi.

Both Yang Zhenshan and Yu Qingyi sported plain black garments without embellishments, resembling Martial Artists more than Immortal Cultivators.

Yet, Lin Wanli picked up on certain hints, like the premium Snow Silkworm silk used in their attire, woven with precise, uniform stitches that revealed no flaws.

A mere glance at their outfits indicated their background was no ordinary one, and given that Snow Silkworm silk hails exclusively from the Sea of Spirit, Lin Wanli readily inferred their origin from that area.

It came as no surprise that Martial Artists and Cultivators from the Sea of Spirit visited Lotus Heart Valley; after all, the Three Sects of the Sea of Spirit ranked among the dominant powers in this territory.

"Are there elixirs available here that boost cultivation?" Yang Zhenshan glanced toward the counter's rear shelves, lined with numerous porcelain vials, each bearing a label.

"Could you specify the grade of elixir you're interested in?"

"Um, for late-stage Qi Refining!" Yang Zhenshan chose not to disclose his personal cultivation level.

Hearing this, Lin Wanli quickly retrieved a porcelain bottle. "This contains a First-Order Mid-grade Jade Marrow Pill, perfect for late-stage Qi Refining!"

Yang Zhenshan uncorked the bottle and inhaled deeply; it was certainly a Jade Marrow Pill, though merely of mid-grade quality.

"How much does it cost?"

"Forty-eight Spirit Stones for each pill!"

Yang Zhenshan gave a slight nod; this figure aligned closely with his own calculations.

"What about the high-grade version?"

"A high-grade one costs one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones per pill! That said, we're out of stock at the moment. If you need it, fellow cultivator, you'll have to wait about half a month!" Lin Wanli responded.

Yang Zhenshan had no intention of purchasing Jade Marrow Pills; his aim was simply to gauge the market rates for Immortal Cultivation elixirs.

The pricing for Jade Marrow Pills here deviated little from the evaluations provided in the Clan Hall.

Since Yang Zhenshan had added the Jade Marrow Pill to the merit exchange catalog, the Clan Hall had conducted an appraisal five years prior.

One merit point equates to one Spirit Stone.

Per the Clan Hall's evaluation, a low-grade Jade Marrow Pill merits twelve points, a mid-grade thirty-six, and a high-grade ninety-two.

The Clan Hall sets its values by doubling the ingredient costs for low-grade, multiplying by six for mid-grade, and by twelve for high-grade, with any surplus serving as Yang Zhenshan's alchemy compensation.

Yang Zhenshan claims none of these alchemy compensations; such pricing structures were established with an eye toward future developments.

At present, Yang Zhenshan stands as the sole Immortal Cultivation Alchemist in the Spirit Source Land, yet inevitably, more such Alchemists will arise in time.

Alchemists serving the Spirit Source Land ought not to labor without reward; the merits allocated must be generous enough to motivate them toward producing additional elixirs.

Danxuan Pavilion's rates exceed the Clan Hall's assessments by two or three times, though their margins are undoubtedly slimmer since Yang Zhenshan's success rate in pill refinement far outstrips that of their Alchemists.

An eighty percent overall yield, including a forty percent rate for high-grade pills, creates a significant gap.

Afterward, Yang Zhenshan sought prices for various other elixirs, acquired a handful of unfamiliar ones, and departed from Danxuan Pavilion.

Yang Zhenshan turned to Luo San and asked, "You spoke earlier of an auction in this area; how does one join it?"

Luo San answered, "White Cloud Commerce organizes the auction once every three years; the upcoming event is set for next spring. Fellow cultivator can register at the Feather Tower, an establishment under the White Cloud Commerce banner."

"White Cloud Commerce? Does it fall under your Qingli Dynasty's commercial entities?" Yang Zhenshan inquired.

"No, White Cloud Commerce is affiliated with White Cloud Immortal City. It's renowned as the premier Immortal City within the Wanhua Domain. Regrettably, I've never been there myself, being no Immortal Cultivator." Luo San clarified.

Yang Zhenshan fell into thought.

White Cloud Commerce, White Cloud Immortal City, Wanhua Domain—these were entirely new to his ears.

"Is there a shop nearby that sells maps?"

"Indeed, Mountains Building offers maps covering diverse areas across the Wanhua Domain."

"Let's head there to get a map." Yang Zhenshan decided he ought to familiarize himself with the Immortal Cultivation world via cartography first.

Before long, they reached Mountains Building, where a shop assistant assisted Yang Zhenshan, who then bought a full collection of Wanhua Domain maps—not on parchment, but inscribed upon a Jade Scroll.

True to his expectations, their locale was designated as the Wanhua Domain, though he hadn't anticipated its sheer immensity.

The Wanhua Domain, alternatively termed the Wanhua Mountain Domain, spans a colossal territory exceeding two hundred thousand miles east to west and surpassing four hundred thousand miles north to south. The Wanhua Mountain Range stretches longitudinally from north to south throughout the land, positioning the Yunxiao Mountains as merely one of its offshoots.

Yang Zhenshan also spotted the Stormy Sea Area on the map, along with the Ten Thousand Miles Sea Domain positioned to its west.

The whole ocean expanse westward from the Stormy Sea Area was labeled as the Spiritual Wilderness, lacking any in-depth mapping, clearly dismissed by Immortal Cultivators as desolate and insignificant.

Regarding White Cloud Immortal City, Yang Zhenshan pinpointed its location northeast of the Qingli Dynasty, situated some ten thousand miles distant.

"This realm is incredibly expansive?"

Gazing upon the Jade Scroll map, Yang Zhenshan sensed himself as a naive outsider.

He had believed relocating from the Ten Thousand Miles Sea Domain to the Sea of Spirit meant breaking free from limitations, yet within the Wanhua Domain, the Sea of Spirit amounted to little more than a remote fringe.

Nevertheless, such matters felt minor to him for now; he had yet to grasp the Sea of Spirit completely, let alone the vast Wanhua Domain as a whole.

This map offered tremendous utility; designed specifically for Immortal Cultivators, it emphasized their settlements and hazardous zones.

For example, Cangyu Mountain, nestled far within the Yunxiao Mountains, received thorough notes and depictions.

Cangyu Mountain serves as a stronghold of the Yun Que Clan, to whom the entirety of the Yunxiao Mountains belongs.

The larks, being diminutive yet masterful in manipulating winds and flight, glide high above the clouds.

The Yun Que Clan boasts more than a hundred Great Demons and three Demon Kings, establishing them as the supreme rulers of the Yunxiao Mountains.

Great Demons equate to Immortal Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage, while Demon Kings match those at the Golden Core stage.

With three Demon Kings in the Yunxiao Mountains, Yang Zhenshan experienced a twinge of alarm upon reading this.

Previously, he had considered establishing an external resource outpost for the Spirit Source Land in the depths of the Yunxiao Mountains; now, that plan struck him as far too reckless.

Thankfully, his journey to Lotus Heart Valley yielded this map, revealing the hidden truths of the Yunxiao Mountains and providing true insight into the region.

Beyond the Yunxiao Mountains, the map delineates the Nether Prison Sect and Hidden Sword Mountain with precise positions and details.

Knowledge deemed confidential in the Sea of Spirit flows freely in Lotus Heart Valley.