### **Chapter 99: The Second Path to Foundation Establishment**
"If it's Four Spiritual Roots, one can still gamble with a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill. But with Five Spiritual Roots aptitude, achieving Foundation Establishment in this lifetime will be extremely difficult."
Wang Yu was already well aware of these principles and said impatiently,
"Get to the point."
The person started, then sped up his speech.
"Senior Brother, do you know that besides the Foundation Establishment Pill, cultivators can also attempt Foundation Establishment on their own? This requires an extremely solid foundation to succeed. Ancient cultivators often did this, though few succeeded."
"Besides that, there's also a method using Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects to build the foundation..."
Heaven and Earth Spiritual Objects?
Wang Yu was taken aback. This he truly didn't know. He only knew of Golden Core spiritual objects, not that there were ones for Foundation Establishment.
"Explain."
The unfamiliar junior brother showed delight upon hearing this. Since Wang Yu didn't know, his attempt to trade the secret for Ghost Eyes was already more than half successful.
"The so-called Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects actually have effects quite similar to the Foundation Establishment Pill, but they are nurtured by Heaven and Earth, are rare in number, and also have attribute requirements."
"From what I know, among second-grade spiritual objects, there aren't many suitable for your use, Senior Brother. Only a few types."
"For example: Frigid Ice Spirit Spring, Netherworld Yin Flower, Heavenly Frost Cold Qi, these few."
"Oh?"
Seeing Wang Yu raise an eyebrow, he quickly took out a jade slip and handed it over.
"The records about Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects inside are very detailed. Please take a look, Senior Brother."
Wang Yu took it and quickly skimmed a small part. After a moment's contemplation, he handed six top-grade Ghost Eyes to the person. The existence of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects was quite important to him.
If his optimal plan couldn't be executed, this would be his second path. After all, if he waited until seventy for Foundation Establishment, he'd only have one chance; success was almost impossible without a top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.
Once he failed, and his cultivation fell several layers, he could forget about attempting a second time in this lifetime.
A Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object was equivalent to a top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, serving as an insurance for him. Even if his plan to improve his aptitude succeeded, this information was still very valuable.
Repaying with six top-grade Ghost Eyes was already precious enough for this junior brother.
"Thank you for the reward, Senior Brother."
Overjoyed, the person was about to leave when, as if remembering something, he pulled out an old, worn scroll from his sleeve and said mysteriously,
"There aren't many principled people like you in the sect, Senior Brother. This junior will also return the favor. This fragmentary map records the location of an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling, rumored to contain a 〈Frigid Ice Spirit Spring〉."
After speaking, he hurried away.
Wang Yu watched his retreating back, sneering repeatedly. He initially thought he was an honest fellow, but now it seemed his scheming ran deep.
Who would believe such unverified rumors? Glancing at the fragmentary map in his hand, he directly tossed it into the Spiderheart Grass field, treating it as trash.
"Idiot."
At the same time.
Not long after leaving Wang Yu's stone house, just as the dispersed blood mist closed up, the junior brother who had just spoken with him arrived at a stone house on the opposite bank of the spirit fields.
Seven or eight people were gathered inside.
"Mu Xiao, how did it go?"
"Succeeded." The rather innocent-looking cultivator still maintained clear eyes. He said,
"I sprinkled Blood Leech Insect powder on the secret scroll I gave him. We have Human-Face Ghost Moths; they can lock onto his location within a five-mile radius even through a storage pouch."
"However, the other party seemed somewhat alert and didn't plan to go to the trap marked on the fragmentary map. Our setup was wasted."
"No matter."
At this moment, a burly man with a full beard, who had reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining—almost the peak among regular disciples—stood up abruptly.
Despite his vigorous appearance, it was actually because he consumed a Youth Preservation Pill when young, allowing him to live into his nineties with an unaging face. He hadn't been in the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect for long.
He originally came seeking an opportunity to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill. After all, such a large Nascent Soul sect should have ample second-grade resources.
However, the low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills (Reverse Blood Pills) sold externally by the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect typically cost around twelve thousand spirit stones and only appeared in major trading cities in limited quantities.
Given his status and position, he simply couldn't buy one.
But after arriving at the sect and asking a few senior disciples, he learned that the internal price was actually higher than the external one—twenty thousand spirit stones, firm price for all, guaranteed availability if you paid.
Meanwhile, disciples like Wang Yu, associated with True Disciple establishments, exchanged thirty thousand spirit stones for a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, which was completely different from the low-grade ones.
It was all about status and background.
He had no choice but to accept it. After all, outside, he didn't even have the qualification to participate in the lowest-tier auctions and had no channels to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill.
He had been eyeing Wang Yu for some time. Now, his expression turned somewhat ferocious.
"This guy named Wang Yu has earned at least ten thousand spirit stones in the past year by selling Ghost Eyes. Deducting his daily cultivation and expenses, he should still have at least five or six thousand left."
"This one job, and your big brother will be able to exchange for a genuine Foundation Establishment Pill. Once I break through to Foundation Establishment, I'll pull you all up too."
"Good."
"Listen to Big Brother."
"We're not in a hurry."
"I'm only at the fifth layer of Qi Refining; Big Brother's advancement comes first."
Everyone expressed agreement. These seven or eight people were all from the Coldblood Peak outer sect, and they carried a bandit-like air, slightly different from the orthodox demeanor of demonic path cultivators.
They seemed like a degraded version, not fit for proper society!
"Then get ready. Find an opportunity to kill him outright."
......
......
As for being targeted, Wang Yu had long anticipated it.
After all, he hadn't hidden his activities. Due to his hunting volume far exceeding others and his massive sales of Ghost Eyes, he had madly earned twenty thousand spirit stones in just one year.
Huge profits!
It was practically like picking up money. Spider Mountain was like a money-printing machine; he was a component inside it, and how much he could sneak out depended on his ability.
In essence, this was snatching food from the Reverse Spirit Blood Sect's resource pool and was also against the rules. But as an established, unspoken rule here, anyone who exposed it would be opposing everyone's interests.
Even the two Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn't allow such a fool to live.
He and Si Tu Hong had entered the Ghost-Eye Caves many times and had seen the Ghost-Eye Spider Queens. Those glaringly empty eye sockets—who else could have done it?
No wonder Spider Mountain was always wild and turbulent... hard to tame.
The Spider Queens were truly miserable. Every time they recovered, their eyes were plucked out again. If the Ferocious Nether Peak disciples didn't come to pacify them, a rebellion was inevitable.
Earning more naturally attracted envy.
The harsh environment inside the Ghost-Eye Caves wasn't something everyone could navigate as freely as Wang Yu, who could move in and out at will and pinpoint high-quality Ghost Spiders to hunt.
He estimated that not only people from Coldblood Peak, but also many from the Five Yin Peak side had their eyes on him. They just hadn't made a move yet, likely due to his relationship with Si Tu Hong.
Cultivating in the Demonic Path, he was always well-prepared in this regard.
However, his focus wasn't on these people for the moment.
Laying low for now and dealing with several groups at once would be more convenient and have a greater deterrent effect.
As for the claim about 〈Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects〉, Wang Yu planned to investigate. The Frigid Ice Spirit Spring matter was undoubtedly false, but such treasures weren't entirely fabricated.
That day.
Just after fertilizing the spirit fields and preparing to practice the Invisibility Art, Si Tu Hong came to find him, looking excited.
"Big trouble! Big trouble has happened!"
**(End of Chapter)**