Clan Rise: Starting as a Grandfather

Chapter 1416: Chapter 897: Exchanging Foundation Establishment Pills for Contribution Points (2)

To other forces, Qingxuan fruit core is very rare, but to Ten Thousand Treasures Store, it’s just a second-order spiritual medicine.

Similarly, Foundation Establishment Pill is not considered a scarce elixir in Ten Thousand Treasures Store.

Of course, not scarce doesn’t mean cheap. Ten Thousand Treasures Store has sufficient materials and many alchemists who can refine Foundation Establishment Pills, so they can continuously obtain these pills. However, the price of Foundation Establishment Pills in Ten Thousand Treasures Store is actually similar to other places, and it might even be ten percent higher.

Yang Zhenshan pondered for a moment and decided to head out again to the Guest Elder Hall of Wanxiang Building.

He found the manager Li Deming who Zhongli Xiayi had introduced to him earlier.

The managers in Ten Thousand Treasures Store, like guest elders, are divided into nine grades, classified based on cultivation level, contribution points, and merit, resembling the grading of guest elders. However, guest elders are external contractors, while managers are formal contractors, secure in all weather, with generous treatment, and can be rewarded according to merit.

As a guest elder, the more work you do, the more money you earn.

Managers receive a basic salary regardless of whether they work or not.

Of course, if managers wish to receive more rewards, they still need to put in the effort.

Zhongli Xiayi was eager to invite Yang Zhenshan to join Ten Thousand Treasures Store because she can gain contribution points from Yang Zhenshan once he joins.

In the future, the more contribution points Yang Zhenshan earns in Ten Thousand Treasures Store, the more she can share.

Therefore, she didn’t mind spending a third-rank spiritual material to bring Yang Zhenshan into Ten Thousand Treasures Store.

Zhongli Xiayi has late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and is a seventh-ranked manager responsible for reception work at the front shops of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.

Li Deming has mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and is an eighth-ranked manager responsible for the miscellaneous duties in the Guest Elder Hall.

"Haha, Master Yang is here, please come in, Xiaoye, why haven’t you served tea to Master Yang yet?"

Li Deming is slightly chubby, with a round face, squinty eyes, exuding an aura of festivity.

"Manager Li, excuse me for intruding!"

Yang Zhenshan slightly cupped his hands and followed Li Deming into the inner hall.

After the tea was served, Li Deming asked with a smile, "Is there anything Master Yang wants to instruct?"

"No, it’s just that I have a few Foundation Establishment Pills that I want to exchange for contribution points. Then I want to receive the task of refining Foundation Establishment Pills!" replied Yang Zhenshan.

"Haha, that’s simple! Master Yang can hand the Foundation Establishment Pills to Xiaoye. He will arrange for someone to appraise and confirm the contribution points!" Li Deming looked at the young man beside him.

Though he looked young, being at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivation would mean he is at least forty or fifty years old, but he merely appears a bit youthful.

Xiaoye stepped forward respectfully and said, "Master, please hand the Foundation Establishment Pills to me!"

Yang Zhenshan nodded slightly, then handed over ten porcelain bottles containing Foundation Establishment Pills, including four mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pills and six low-grade ones.

Previously, Yang Zhenshan had fourteen Foundation Establishment Pills, three of which were top-grade; Yang Jizhen used one, and the other two were given to Ma Qiuyan and Cui Yang.

Now, he has only eleven mid-grade and low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills left, retaining one mid-grade for future use, and plans to sell the remaining ten to Ten Thousand Treasures Store.

"Please wait a moment!" Xiaoye accepted the porcelain bottles, bowed, and left the inner hall.

Li Deming asked, "Is Master Yang skilled in refining Foundation Establishment Pills?"

"Not particularly skilled, but rather familiar with the refinement process," Yang Zhenshan humbly replied.

"Oh, I have a question, but I’m unsure if I should ask?" Li Deming looked at him with a somewhat puzzled expression.

"Manager Li, feel free to speak your mind!" Yang Zhenshan replied.

He was still unfamiliar with the internal workings of Ten Thousand Treasures Store, having known Zhongli Xiayi for only two days.

Truth be told, his entry into Ten Thousand Treasures Store was quite rushed.

It was due to the threat from the Cloud Wild Alliance that he had to quickly make a decision.

"Well, why did Manager Zhongli invite Master Yang to join Ten Thousand Treasures Store?"

Li Deming was curious about Yang Zhenshan, as it wasn’t just anyone who could become a guest elder at Ten Thousand Treasures Store.

Throughout White Cloud Immortal City, there were over two thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet Ten Thousand Treasures Store only had thirty-two guest elders—not correct, now including Yang Zhenshan, there are thirty-three.

This shows how difficult it is to become a guest elder at Ten Thousand Treasures Store.

Although Li Deming knew Yang Zhenshan was a second-rank alchemist, generally, a second-rank alchemist would not be qualified to join Ten Thousand Treasures Store, so he was curious about what attracted Zhongli Xiayi’s favor.

Yang Zhenshan didn’t hide it, saying: "I can refine Demon Essence Pills!"

"Demon Essence Pills!" Li Deming’s eyes lit up. "Haha, so that’s it. I didn’t expect Master Yang to be a Pill Master!"

"Pill Master?" Yang Zhenshan felt a bit strange about this title.

Li Deming explained: "Refining Demon Essence Pills requires a deep understanding of pharmacology and medicinal properties. Any alchemist capable of refining Demon Essence Pills is respected as a Pill Master. If one can refine top-grade Demon Essence Pills, then they are deemed Pill Master!"

Yang Zhenshan suddenly understood the key to this title was ’medicine,’ not ’pill.’

Medicinal properties and pharmacology are the foundation of alchemy. Without medicine, there’s no pill, so the title Pill Master is quite appropriate.

"Please look after me in the future, Master Yang!" Li Deming’s attitude became even more enthusiastic.

"Of course, of course!"

Yang Zhenshan chuckled.

With skills, one is esteemed wherever they go.

And a powerful alchemist is welcomed and respected everywhere.

At this time, the assistant named Xiaoye returned, "Sir, ten Foundation Establishment Pills, four mid-grade, six low-grade ones, Manager Lin from the Treasure Appraisal Hall has valued them at six hundred contribution points!"

Li Deming looked at Yang Zhenshan, "How does Master Yang feel about this?"

"Exchange all of them for the materials needed for Foundation Establishment Pills!" Yang Zhenshan had no objection to the valuation; it was about what he expected, twenty percent lower than the outside world.

"As you wish!"

Li Deming readily prepared the materials for Foundation Establishment Pills for Yang Zhenshan.

He gave Yang Zhenshan thirty-five sets of materials for Foundation Establishment Pills, with several dozen contribution points left over.

For thirty-five sets of materials, Yang Zhenshan is required to submit at least fourteen Foundation Establishment Pills, with a required pill success rate of forty percent.

If Yang Zhenshan’s pill success rate is fifty percent, that equates to seventeen Foundation Establishment Pills, even if all are low-grade, he will earn three Foundation Establishment Pills.

If Yang Zhenshan manages to refine some top-grade and mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, then his gains would be even more substantial.

Unfortunately, exchanging Foundation Establishment Pills for contribution points is not very profitable; one low-grade pill can only be exchanged for forty contribution points, whereas one third-rank spiritual material requires at least ten thousand contribution points.

This means he must refine several hundred Foundation Establishment Pills to exchange for a single third-rank spiritual material.

Yang Zhenshan silently estimated that if he solely focused on refining Foundation Establishment Pills, without affecting his cultivation, he could exchange for a third-rank spiritual material in three to five years.

This time frame was still acceptable to him.

Having obtained the materials for Foundation Establishment Pills, Yang Zhenshan left Wanxiang Building, not returning to Ten Thousand Treasures Store’s residence, but instead returning to Spring and Summer Square’s residence.

"How did it go?"

As soon as Yang Zhenshan returned, Yun Xiao eagerly asked.

"Haha, I have joined Ten Thousand Treasures Store now as a ninth-grade guest elder!"

"That’s good, that’s good!"

Yun Xiao was elated, genuinely happy. Having Yang Zhenshan join Ten Thousand Treasures Store was beneficial to him, too.

With a friend like Yang Zhenshan, a guest elder at Ten Thousand Treasures Store, he would have a backup in White Cloud Immortal City. If he encountered trouble, Yang Zhenshan could help solve it.

He then expressed his envy: "It’s good to be an alchemist; alas, I have no talent in alchemy!"

Yang Zhenshan smiled.

Being an alchemist indeed requires talent.

An alchemist with talent practices alchemy with half the effort and double the results, while those with little talent cannot even start.

Yun Xiao was only envious for a moment, knowing his own limitations. Being an alchemist not only requires talent but also resources.

Even if he had talent, it would be difficult for him to become a second-rank alchemist like Yang Zhenshan.

Xuanqing Sect wouldn’t invest substantial resources to train him as an alchemist.

This isn’t because Xuanqing Sect is shortsighted, but because training an alchemist is extremely costly.

Though Xuanqing Sect is large and prosperous, the sect has numerous disciples, many Golden Body Realm Martial Artists, and Lin Daoyuan, a Divine Soul Realm Martial Artist—each requiring vast resources.

Especially Lin Daoyuan, his cultivation demands substantial resources.

If training alchemists delays his cultivation, Lin Daoyuan certainly wouldn’t agree.

This is the dilemma faced by the Three Sects; they need Immortal Cultivators but due to their circumstances, cannot provide enough resources for them.

Training a few Foundation Establishment Stage Immortal Cultivators is their limit; as for pill, artifact, and talisman array, they can only offer limited resources.