Chapter 144 - 114: Daniu’s Choice

Chapter 144: Chapter 114: Daniu’s Choice

Holding the letter written by Yu Daniu and reading its contents made Chen Jianghe feel heavy-hearted.

Yun Yixuan—Yun Bufan’s biological cousin and an Elder of the Patriarch’s faction—had a ten percent higher success rate than Yu Daniu. In order for him to smoothly reach Foundation Establishment, the Yun Family had not only utilized a Tier Two High-Grade Gathering Spirit Array but had also fully activated the Jingyue Marketplace’s Tier Two Large-Scale Defense Formation. This was to ensure Yun Yixuan wouldn’t face any external interference during his breakthrough. The Yun Family Ancestor and Yun Bufan even came out of seclusion to act as his Guardians together.

However, the result was deeply disappointing.

He failed.

It was a clean and absolute failure. Only half an incense stick of time after attempting Foundation Establishment, his Qi Sea exploded, his Dantian shattered, and he died.

"I was wrong," Chen Jianghe murmured as he looked at the letter, realizing his previous thoughts had been somewhat ridiculous.

If a guaranteed Foundation Establishment had a one hundred percent success rate, each of the five necessary conditions would account for twenty percent: a Three-Element True Spirit Root, Body Refining Perfection, Spiritual Perfection, a Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill, and a Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Vein.

The Three-Element True Spirit Root could not be compromised. This meant a Five-Element Mixed Spirit Root and a Four-Element Pseudo Spirit Root couldn’t even account for ten percent; they simply counted as zero. In other words, Yun Yixuan’s success rate was only twenty percent, solely because of the Tier Two High-Grade Gathering Spirit Array. As for the other conditions, he possessed none of them.

Previously, Chen Jianghe had laughably believed that a Five-Element Mixed Spirit Root and a Four-Element Pseudo Spirit Root could count for ten percent of the Foundation Establishment conditions.

"Yun Bufan’s success rate when he attempted Foundation Establishment must have been over seventy percent," he deduced.

Yun Bufan’s talent was a Three-Element True Spirit Root, giving him a base twenty percent success rate. Adding a Genuine Foundation Establishment Pill and a Spiritual Qi Vortex gathered by a Tier Two High-Grade Gathering Spirit Array—which could substitute for a Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Vein—his odds increased significantly. As long as he achieved Perfection in either Body Refining or his Spirit, Yun Bufan’s success rate at the time could have reached eighty percent.

No wonder the Yun Family Ancestor called him Master Qilin.

Chen Jianghe continued reading the letter.

Yun Yixuan’s Foundation Establishment Failure dealt a heavy blow to the Patriarch’s faction, allowing Yun Huizhen’s faction to gain direct control over two more Cultivation Towns. The Yun Family’s decision-making circle was now down to five people: Patriarch Yun Xiaotian and four Elders, including Yun Xiaoqian and his son-in-law.

As for the Yun Family Ancestor and Yun Bufan—the two Supreme Elders—they were not allowed to directly interfere in family affairs. If they did, it would mean the Yun Family was facing a massive crisis where they needed to dictate everything. There was another reason why they couldn’t intervene directly: Yun Bufan was the Patriarch’s son, so he would definitely favor his father’s faction. The Yun Family Ancestor, however, was different. Yun Xiaotian, Yun Xiaoqian, and the other two Elders were all his direct descendants. He could only watch, unable to take sides.

Witnessing the consequences of Yun Yixuan’s failure made Yu Daniu hesitate. His own success rate was even lower. Because he had relied on a Misfortune-Breaking Pill to break through to Late-Stage Qi Refining, his Foundation Establishment success rate had to be reduced by another ten percent. This left him with a mere ten percent chance of success.

If he failed, Yun Huizhen’s faction would have to surrender control of at least eight Cultivation Towns from everything they currently managed. A Foundation Establishment Failure meant losing not just one’s life, but also all the resources the family had already invested. Nurturing a cultivator from the very bottom to Ninth-Layer Qi Refining Perfection required a massive amount of resources. The Yun Family had already exhausted its entire foundation to establish the Jingyue Marketplace. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have only four Elders.

"Patriarch Yun Xiaotian doesn’t support it, Great Elder Yun Xiaoqian doesn’t support it, and even Yun Huizhen and Yun Xiaoniu are against it," Chen Jianghe murmured to himself. "Coupled with Daniu’s own abysmal success rate, he has probably given up the idea. The Qi Refining Stage grants a lifespan of one hundred and twenty years, and he is just past the halfway mark. By staying alive, Daniu can better secure resources for Xiaoniu."

Yu Daniu’s hopes for Foundation Establishment were dashed, but Yun Xiaoniu was full of promise. As long as the boy achieved Body Refining Perfection, he would have a forty percent success rate for Foundation Establishment in the future. By then, Yu Daniu would also have more authority in the Yun Family, and the Jingyue Marketplace would become even more prosperous. It wasn’t impossible to plot a way to secure a Foundation Establishment Pill for Yun Xiaoniu.

After finishing Yu Daniu’s letter, Chen Jianghe prepared to write a reply, intending to advise him to think twice and consider things carefully. Previously, there had been no way to persuade him. But now that Foundation Establishment was hopeless for him, Chen Jianghe could finally write back.

However, at that very moment, the post box in the courtyard flickered with a faint light. Another letter had arrived.

He had Fur Ball retrieve the letter. Surprisingly, it was another one from Yu Daniu.

Two letters in a row made Chen Jianghe feel puzzled. He quickly opened it to read and immediately smiled.

The contents of this letter were much simpler, expressing only one sentiment: Yu Daniu had thought things through. He would no longer pursue the illusory Immortal Dao, nor did he want to risk his life for a mere ten percent chance of Foundation Establishment. He had a wife who respected him and five children. That was enough for this life. Moreover, he still had sixty years of lifespan left to see Yun Xiaoniu reach Foundation Establishment in the future.

It was evident that Yu Daniu had entrusted his hopes for Foundation Establishment to Yun Xiaoniu. For the rest of his life, he only had one priority left: a warm hearth, his wife, and his children.

Chen Jianghe was delighted that Yu Daniu had come to this realization. He immediately wrote a reply, praising his clear and open mind and wishing him a house full of children and grandchildren. He also included a few words expressing his high expectations for Yun Xiaoniu.

Then, he walked straight outside, instructing Little Black and Fur Ball to hide in the pool first before he opened the courtyard door. He placed the letter into the post box and immediately returned to the courtyard.

He hung up a sign that read, "In Seclusion."

With Yu Daniu’s Foundation Establishment matters settled, he could finally go into seclusion with peace of mind.