Chapter 279 - 197: Another Venerable Soul Banner, Demon Vine

Xu Fugui knew where he stood.

His aptitude was too poor. He considered it a stroke of luck that he had even reached Foundation Establishment and didn’t dare hope for any further advancement.

From now on.

He planned to focus his energy on running the restaurant and on his personal family.

"A family?"

Li Chang’an wasn’t surprised. His old friend had finally decided to walk the path of establishing a family clan.

As he spoke, Xu Fugui suddenly sighed.

"Big Brother, you should start making plans too. The path to the Golden Core is simply too difficult. It might be better to let your descendants walk it for you."

He had once believed that Li Chang’an had a chance at reaching the Golden Core.

But now...

...having reached Foundation Establishment himself, he finally understood just how arduous the path to the Golden Core truly was.

For someone with a Low Grade Spirit Root, aspiring to form a Golden Core was nothing short of a fool’s dream!

"I understand. As for starting a family, let’s talk about it some other time."

Li Chang’an smiled, not wishing to dwell on the topic.

For the next two days.

He stayed at the Yuelai Restaurant.

With him there, Xu Fugui could face the various major powers with more confidence.

Two evenings later.

Chu Daniu suddenly appeared. He carried a congratulatory gift and looked travel-worn, as if he had just rushed back from a faraway place.

"Fugui, the moment I heard you’d reached Foundation Establishment, I rushed straight to the Immortal City. I’m not too late, am I? Has your Foundation Establishment Ceremony started yet?"

"It hasn’t started yet. Big Bull, you’ve come at the perfect time!"

Xu Fugui greeted him with a smile.

Soon.

He was surprised to discover...

...that Chu Daniu had also reached Foundation Establishment!

Li Chang’an noticed as well and asked, "Big Bull, when did you reach Foundation Establishment?"

"It’s been over half a year."

Chu Daniu seemed a bit embarrassed. He had been away and hadn’t had the chance to tell them.

He admitted that he had failed Foundation Establishment once.

He only succeeded on his second try.

A moment later.

The three of them gathered in a room on the second floor, drinking and chatting happily.

"Back then, those Elders from the Cyan Cloud Sect thought our talent was poor and our chances of reaching Foundation Establishment were slim, so they wouldn’t let us into the Immortal Sect."

"But now, all three of us brothers have reached Foundation Establishment!"

Chu Daniu and Xu Fugui were both filled with emotion as they recalled the old days.

Back when they were still struggling in the Qinghe Marketplace.

How could they ever have imagined a day like this?

Li Chang’an was also feeling sentimental.

’Actually, it’s not just the three of us who’ve reached Foundation Establishment,’ he thought. ’There’s also Ye Hao, who’s out there as a Tribulation Cultivator.’

Now, Ye Hao had founded the Huanghe Alliance, dedicated to opposing Yellow Crane Immortal City. He’d done quite well for himself these past few years and had already made a small name for himself in this region.

Speaking of which.

Ye Hao’s path had been even harder than theirs.

Li Chang’an had his Divination, while Xu Fugui and Chu Daniu had masters.

But Ye Hao could only rely on himself and his own ethereal luck.

After a few rounds of drinks.

The three began to talk about Huang He Master.

"Big Bull, was it your master who ambushed Huang He Master deep in the Black Dragon Mountain Range?"

"It was!"

Chu Daniu didn’t hide anything, telling them everything without reservation.

His master had chosen the perfect moment, managing to heavily injure Huang He Master.

However, his master was also wounded by the combined attack of Huang He Master and that Tier Three Spiritual Crane. He was now recuperating in a cave-dwelling deep within the Ancient Wood Secret Realm.

Hearing this...

...Li Chang’an felt a sense of relief.

’It’s good that Black Crow Master didn’t die,’ he thought. ’He’ll be able to fight again in the future.’

Since they were in Yellow Crane Immortal City, the three of them didn’t continue this topic and instead started discussing the path forward after Foundation Establishment.

Chu Daniu had no plans to start a family clan for the time being.

He wanted to continue looking after the heavily injured Black Crow Master until the master finally settled his grudge with Huang He Master.

The three of them continued to drink and chat.

Before they knew it, it was late at night.

Just after Midnight.

A golden light appeared before Li Chang’an’s eyes.

[Divination has been refreshed]

[Today’s Divination: Auspicious]

[You will go to the Black Market, where you will meet the Withered Wood Cliff Master, Wu Ming, and the mutated Heaven and Earth Spirit Root, the Eternal Green Vine. You will ultimately move the Eternal Green Vine with your own conviction, causing it to acknowledge you as its master.]

"Eternal Green Vine!"

Li Chang’an’s entire body trembled when he saw those three words.

When he dreamed of ancient times, he had also seen an Eternal Green Vine.

That Evergreen Vine’s power had been especially terrifying. Each of its vines was ten thousand zhang long, like a legion of cyan pythons, capable of matching a Divinity Transformation Celestial Monarch!

He never would have imagined that he would have the good fortune to obtain one himself!

’Once I obtain this Evergreen Vine, I can cultivate the Spirit Ascension Technique!’

Even with Li Chang’an’s composed temperament, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.

Finally, he would no longer have to endure the sluggish cultivation speed of a Low Grade Spirit Root!

After a moment.

He took a deep breath, barely managing to suppress his excitement.

’The Heaven and Earth Spirit Root isn’t in my hands yet. Anything could happen before then. I can’t celebrate too early.’

"Big Brother, what’s wrong?"

Both Xu Fugui and Chu Daniu had noticed the shift in Li Chang’an’s mood.

Li Chang’an smiled.

"It’s nothing. I just thought of something happy. Let’s keep drinking!"

He was in high spirits, so he raised his cup and continued drinking with the two of them.

...

「The next day, at the first light of dawn.」

Li Chang’an left Yellow Crane Immortal City and, changing into his identity as Li Fan, went to the Black Market.

This time.

He successfully met the Withered Wood Cliff Master, Wu Ming.

"Haha, Daoist Li, I have long heard of your great name!"

Wu Ming was all smiles as he personally came out to greet him.

He had indeed reached Foundation Establishment.

However, his aura was somewhat weak, and his face was a sallow yellow. He looked sickly and listless.

He didn’t look like a Foundation Establishment Great Cultivator at all. Instead, he resembled a terminally ill patient who had suffered from a chronic illness for years.

"Daoist Wu, your aura seems... off," Li Chang’an said in a low voice.

Wu Ming gave a bitter smile and sighed deeply.

"Indeed. I was too greedy back then. I knew I couldn’t suppress that Demon Vine, yet I still allowed it to grow to Tier Two, simply because I coveted its Tier Two combat strength."

With that, he led Li Chang’an into a secret chamber.

Inside this secret chamber.