Mortal Alchemy

Before Chen Ping could explain, Li Erniu had already left with his wine glass and entourage.

A hint of apology appeared in Mu Luofei's eyes.

Fang Xing, Luo Chongzhi, and the others looked at them with surprise and ambiguous expressions: "How is this possible... but Uncle Li wouldn't lie..."

Chen Ping smiled bitterly to himself. He owed Mu Luofei a big favor back then, but now he was suffering because of her. This favor was indeed repaid.

He couldn't defend himself either. To repay the favor, regardless of what others thought, Chen Ping could only accept it.

At this moment, a middle-aged couple walked towards Mu Luofei with cold expressions and gloomy eyes.

Mu Luofei stood up and gave a graceful bow: "Father, Mother."

The middle-aged man coldly rebuked: "Young Master Li has proposed to you twice, and you refused both times. I thought you had taken a fancy to some outstanding talent, but I didn't expect it to be a family slave of my Mu family! You have truly made us lose all face!"

A family slave?!

Hearing this, Chen Ping's expression didn't change; he remained calm. The hand in his sleeve under the table was clenched tightly.

Without Foundation Establishment, there is no freedom, no dignity!

Even if it means being crushed to pieces, he will achieve Foundation Establishment! Golden Core!

All the humiliations he has suffered today will be repaid!

The middle-aged woman said, "Luofei, this matter has reached the ears of the two family ancestors. We originally thought the Mu and Li families would become even closer through marriage, but now you have caused your father and me to be reprimanded. You better be careful in the future."

Chen Ping felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave. This matter had reached the ears of the Golden Core ancestors?

She glanced at Chen Ping with cold eyes and said in a frigid voice: "You look presentable, but you have no ability. You have plenty of crooked ideas."

After saying this, the middle-aged couple left.

From beginning to end, Mu Luofei maintained a gentle smile, never changing.

Are the women of the Mu family all so good at scheming?

Chen Ping's expression also never changed.

He didn't blame Mu Luofei in his heart either. If Mu Luofei hadn't helped him find materials back then, Chen Ping would still be guarding that broken pill furnace in the Pill Hall, unable to even afford cultivation resources, let alone dreaming of Foundation Establishment.

After eating and drinking well, Chen Ping stood up and took his leave first, summoning his flying gourd worth sixty spirit stones and leaving the Li family on Cloud Cliff Island.

Two hours later, Mu Luofei drove her white jade flying boat to catch up with Chen Ping, keeping pace with him. Mu Luofei had a faint smile on her face as she said:

"Junior Brother Chen, it's faster to return to the Mu family on my flying boat. Come over here."

"Alright." Chen Ping nodded and lightly jumped onto Mu Luofei's flying boat, retracting his flying gourd.

Mu Luofei only asked one question: "Junior Brother Chen, do you still remember my ambition back then?"

Chen Ping nodded:

"I remember. Senior Sister Luofei said that she wouldn't consider matters of love until she reached Foundation Establishment."

Just this one sentence was enough to avoid mutual resentment.

Mu Luofei said: "It seems that only you and I remember the spirited words from the Jiazi Academy."

Chen Ping was surprised. Mu Luofei's dedication to the Dao was truly firm.

Ignoring everything else, refusing Li Erniu's proposal was admirable.

Mu Luofei's beautiful eyes looked towards the vast world, and she suddenly said: "...Junior Brother Chen, have you ever thought about your plans after failing Foundation Establishment?"

Chen Ping was stunned, meeting Mu Luofei's eyes: "Senior Sister Luofei, you, me?"

A blush climbed onto Mu Luofei's exquisite face, and she said in a somewhat flustered tone: "Junior Brother Chen, I, I don't mean it that way."

Chen Ping laughed: "I understand."

Mu Luofei was high above, and even Li Erniu, the direct grandson of a Golden Core cultivator, couldn't subdue her. How could he, Chen Ping, a cowherd, dare to dream?

He had never had such thoughts about Mu Luofei.

Mu Luofei gently brushed aside the blue silk that was ruffled by the wind, and then smiled sweetly, as if talking to herself:

"If Foundation Establishment fails, Junior Brother Chen is indeed a good choice."

No matter how beautiful the face, without Foundation Establishment, it's just a fleeting few decades. The beauty will age and become meaningless.

Only the Great Dao and longevity are true.

Chen Ping slowly shook his head and said with a smile: "Senior Sister Luofei, you and I have a firm dedication to the Dao. We will definitely achieve Foundation Establishment."

He felt bitter inside. His innocence and yang energy had already been lost to Mu Xingling.

He was a traditional person.

Even if Mu Luofei was interested...

Alas...

Chen Ping's mind was also in a mess. He didn't know what to think, so he simply stopped thinking about it.

Mu Luofei smiled gently: "Foundation Establishment isn't that easy."

"It's precisely because it's not easy," Chen Ping said seriously, "that we must work hard and succeed regardless of the means or cost."

Mu Luofei nodded slightly, agreeing with this statement.

She said:

"Junior Brother Luo, Junior Brother Han, and Junior Brother Lin have already pawned their ancestral properties, but they still owe a lot of money to the loan sharks. Although they are working desperately every day, maintaining their cultivation progress is already extremely difficult."

"They are in their respective positions, and their monthly salary is only two spirit stones. They can only take on some slightly profitable jobs in the Deacon Hall or outside."

Chen Ping was shocked and couldn't help but sigh: "...For resources and gifts."

If they stopped dreaming of Foundation Establishment now and focused on repaying their debts, they would still have a chance to marry, leave descendants, and make a comeback in the future.

But if they failed in their attempt, they might not leave anything behind in this life, being exploited and drained dry by the cultivation world.

He made up his mind that he should go out and collect materials for Foundation Establishment pills.

Chen Ping said, "Senior Sister Luofei, please take me to White Sand Market."

"Okay." Mu Luofei agreed, "I also need to go to the market to buy some things."

In the evening, they arrived at White Sand Market and separated.

Even at night, White Sand Market was still bustling with activity, with shops open and people flowing in and out.

As for places like Heavenly Music Tower and brothels, it was the time when they were working hard to please their customers.

Chen Ping went to Myriad Treasures Pavilion, wanting to find Old Guo, but was told that Old Guo was about to pass away and had left to prepare to bring his successor to take over.

Helpless, Chen Ping could only wander around the market. This time, he mainly wanted to buy a better set of robes.

Chen Ping walked into a formation shop. The interior was deserted, with no customers. There was only a woman sitting behind the counter. The shop was filled with various immortal items related to formations.

Chen Ping took a closer look and saw that the woman sitting behind the counter guarding the shop was actually Madam Huadie.

Several years had passed, and Madam Huadie was as sexy and alluring as ever, but she had a bit more desolation and loneliness.

But as Chen Ping's age and experience grew, the goddess in his dreams no longer interested him, and she was as ordinary as other female cultivators.

This was mainly because of the Mu Xingling incident.

Chen Ping walked forward and greeted with a smile: "Senior Sister Huadie."

He knew the reason why Madam Huadie was here. Xu Fengshan had mentioned it during dinner before. The Foundation Establishment Elder of the Formation Department was fickle and soon got tired of Madam Huadie, and additionally married several concubines.

Only a few years had passed, and everything had changed.

Madam Huadie looked at the tall, handsome, and charming Chen Ping, and was somewhat surprised and unsure:

"...Are you, Junior Brother Chen?"

"It's me."

Madam Huadie then covered her small mouth in surprise.