Chương 64: Seven Recipes

"Father, Grandfather… the medicinal essence of this Foundation Establishment Pill has already begun to dissipate." Zhang Huaijin's voice was taut with dismay.

"Even with the protection of the jade box, it's been far too long." His words struck Zhang Chongwen and Zhang Lixian like a bucket of ice water dashed against their hearts. The fiery hope that had burned within them just moments ago turned to cold ash.

"How much of the potency has been lost?" Zhang Lixian pressed, unwilling to let go so easily. If the loss was minimal, the pill might still be salvageable.

"About a quarter," Zhang Huaijin replied after a long moment of careful assessment. Zhang Chongwen's brow furrowed, then slowly relaxed.

"Three quarters of its power is still enough to drive any Qi Refining Realm cultivator to madness. For the family's needs, that should be sufficient." But Zhang Huaijin's expression had already darkened further. When he spoke again, his voice was heavy with grim tidings.

"Grandfather, Father… it's not just the loss of medicinal power. A trace of Baleful Tribulation Energy has taken root within the pill." He let that sink in before continuing.

"If someone were to take it recklessly, that wisp of baleful force would be more than enough to shatter their meridians from the inside out. Even if the pill's gentle power tried to protect them, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm would be harder than climbing the heavens barehanded." His judgment was almost certainly accurate. Baleful Tribulation Energy was a strange, malevolent force, classified as a type of calamitous energy. Such things arose in places soaked with violence and death.

A brutal battle must have raged within that immortal's cave years ago. Otherwise, how could a Foundation Establishment Pill have become tainted by such a thing? As if to confirm his reasoning, Zhang Huaijin brought out the Purple Gold Azure Armor. True to his fears, the spirit artifact also carried a faint trace of the same baleful residue. But a spirit artifact and a pill were fundamentally different. The stronger the Baleful tribulation Energy within a spirit artifact, the greater its power.

For a pill, however, that same energy steadily consumed the medicinal essence from within. Taking it would not grant strength, it would deliver a killing blow, accelerating the user's demise rather than delaying it.

"Baleful Tribulation Energy…" Zhang Lixian's face had gone pale. Zhang Chongwen's was no better. What a waste. This was a Foundation Establishment Pill, a treasure that could determine the rise or fall of an entire family. And now it was ruined.

"Baleful Tribulation Energy is a type of Fiendish energy," Zhang Lixian said slowly, forcing himself to think clearly.

"Ordinarily, it only manifests on battlefields soaked in blood and resentment. For it to be found inside an immortal's cave… just how brutal of a slaughter that took place there?"

"It seems my earlier guess was correct," Zhang Chongwen murmured, his aged eyes growing distant. For a moment, it seemed he could see ghosts, phantom images of a bloody storm that had swept through his youth decades ago. He shuddered faintly.

"The owner of that abode was truly bloodthirsty. Huaijin… you were incredibly lucky to escape with your life." Zhang Huaijin frowned slightly at that. He hadn't sensed anything particularly sinister about the place, aside from the Geng Metal Profound Light Formation, the cave had held no other lethal traps. Still, he did not argue.

"Father, Grandfather," he said instead, "it's true that the Baleful Energy is steadily consuming the pill's power. But, if the person who takes it possesses an unyielding Dao Heart, it is possible to master that energy and turn it to their advantage." Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Zhang Lixian and Zhang Chongwen exchanged a glance.

"The chance is slim," Zhang Huaijin admitted.

"Very slim. But it is not zero." The two older men fell silent. They knew he wasn't wrong. The cultivation world was full of legends and stories of monstrous geniuses who, through sheer willpower and talent, achieved the impossible. They bent rules that should have been unbreakable and survived trials that should have killed them a hundred times over. But those were legends. And the Zhang family was not made of legends.

Even Zhang Lixian, the family's strongest cultivator, could not say with certainty that he could withstand the assault of that baleful corruption. Perhaps Huaijin might have a chance. Perhaps. But that was a gamble no one was willing to name aloud.

"Enough," Zhang Lixian said at last, his voice weary.

"Let us set the pill aside for now. There are other matters to attend to. Let us see what is recorded on those two scrolls." And so the painful discussion ended. But the anguish lingered in all three hearts. A Foundation Establishment Pill, a treasure that could determine the rise or fall of a Foundation Establishment Realm family, let alone a mere Qi Refining Realm clan, and it had been reduced to this. Tainted. Corrupted. Worth less than the jade box it sat in.

Zhang Huaijin nodded and pushed aside his own disappointment. He reached for the first scroll and slowly unfurled it. The three leaned in to read. And then—light flashed in their eyes.

"A Tier 2 brewing legacy," Zhang Chongwen breathed. His voice cracked with wonder.

"Seven complete spirit brewing recipes. Hahaha! My brewing skills are about to reach new heights!" He laughed aloud, his earlier gloom banished in an instant. Time was running short for Zhang Chongwen, he had less than twenty years left before his lifespan expired. But he had never cared much for hoarding years. What he loved, what he had always loved, was the art of brewing. And Huaijin's older brother, Zhang Huairen, was cut from the same cloth.

Most of the Zhang family, raised in that tradition, were lovers of fine wine. In fact, Huaijin still carried a supply of spirit wine in his storage pouch at all times. These seven Tier 2 recipes represented something priceless, a potential source of endless Spirit Stones. Provided they could be brewed successfully, of course. But that success would mean a steady, growing stream of wealth. And now the Zhang family had a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator of their own.

They were strong enough to protect this newfound income.

"Vitality Wine," Zhang Lixian read aloud, his voice hushed with reverence.

"Calming Wine, Hundred Fruit Wine. Hundred Flower Wine…" All Tier 2, Low Grade recipes. The Vitality Wine, once consumed, could restore a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator's spiritual energy mid battle and replenish depleted vitality. The Calming Wine aided in meditation, helping a cultivator focus their mind and settle their spirit when cultivating. The Hundred Fruit Wine was made using three types of Tier 2 spirit fruits combined with dozens of Tier 1 fruits.

The rich, fruity brew contained pure, concentrated spiritual energy, enough to help a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator steadily advance their cultivation. More importantly, the recipe could be continuously improved. The higher the grade of spirit fruits used, the higher the quality and richer the aroma of the resulting wine. If a brewer could successfully modify the recipe over time, finding the perfect fruit ratios, they might one day produce Tier 3 or even Tier 4 wines.

The Hundred Flower Wine was made similarly, using three types of Tier 2 spirit flowers and dozens of Tier 1 varieties. The wine carried a delicate, lingering floral scent. Drinking it could lift a cultivator's mood, calm the heart, and speed the circulation of spiritual energy. Each recipe offered different benefits. Different advantages. If the Zhang family could brew them successfully, they could not only strengthen their own members but also sell the surplus for considerable income.

"Lixian," Zhang Chongwen said, his voice firm with authority, "starting now, open up the family's brewing legacy. Let everyone learn. No more restrictions."

"Agreed," Zhang Lixian said without hesitation. The brewing legacy was the very foundation of the Zhang family's survival. Even with Heart Demon Oaths sworn, only a handful had ever been permitted to study the deepest secrets. The old restrictions weren't because Zhang Chongwen hadn't wanted to train more people, it was because the family had been too weak. He had lived in constant fear that outsiders with ill intent would steal their heritage. But those days were over. Zhang Huaijin nodded in silent agreement.

In all of Langya County, the number of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators who could suppress him could be counted on one hand. The Zhang family no longer needed to cower in the shadows. Now, all they needed was time. Time for resources to accumulate. Time for their strength to grow. The three men memorized the seven recipes immediately. Zhang Chongwen carefully rolled the scroll back up and tucked it away, already planning which ingredients to purchase first.

And then their gazes fell upon the very last scroll. The one that had waited, patient and silent, at the bottom of the box. Zhang Huaijin reached for it. He slowly unrolled the brittle parchment. Zhang Lixian and Zhang Chongwen leaned in close, their breath held. The next moment… All three of them froze. Their eyes widened.

"This is…" Zhang Chongwen's voice came out as barely a whisper, thick with astonishment. He stared at the markings on the scroll.

"A new map…"