With my body cleansed by the Yin-Yang holy milk. My future cultivation all the way up to Golden Core was going to be as smooth as melted butter. I would have zero bottlenecks in terms of body resistance to spiritual energy and channeling, unless I took a shortcut and used a lot of pills.
But with my perfect foundation, my already strong five elements spirit root, and my meridians/qi pathways completely cleared? I had zero reason to take any pills at all.
'Foundation Establishment Pill? Like the hell I need such a thing.' I thought smugly as I made my way towards home where I could find my senior in Yanyo Hanying so I could share the discovery.
And get both some more resources and also help her set her future right.
As she fucked up in not doing the secret two extra layers in the Foundation Establishment stage in that oppurtinunity timeline I saw her in. Which made her limited talent stagnate in the Nascent Souls ranks later in life.
Once I got home to my apartment sector, I went to her private estate that was at the end of the apartments, which was a privilege given to her higher status as a being close to being an Inner Disciple and helping newcomers to the sect.
'How do I... Oh, here is a bell?' I mused as I found what looked like a doorbell ringer or something at the front of the gate leading to the building.
I pushed the button and a soft buzzing rang out that made my face twitch at another reminder of how the cultivators of this world weren't actually without technology of the modern world.
But then a clatter rang out, followed by the soft voice of Yanyo ringing out as she stepped past her doorway and saw me down the way.
"Oh? Did you have something you wanted to speak with me about Jake?" She asked gently with her typical rather maternal energy.
I nodded and held back from looking around as that would be suspicious as hell. Instead I said. "Senior Yanyo, can I have a bit of your time, I was hoping to make a deal with you for a treasure I found."
She raised an eyebrow before she nodded and she waved a hand in front of herself and I could feel the inhibition in front of the gate fade away. "Come into the courtyard so we can talk privately then." She said simply.
I walked in carefully, though as I did so... I swear I could feel a burning gaze at my back and as I turned around, my face twitched as I saw a male disciple across the way glaring at me with anger and literal hate in his eyes at seeing me enter Yanyo's courtyard.
'The fuck did I do?' I thought blankly before it hit me that the dude was obviously an admirer of Yanyo Hanying, who was rejected.
At the realization, I just rolled my eyes and as I walked in, I said flatly. "Wow, sister, you have a rabid dog glaring at and baring it's teeth at anyone who walks up to your door."
My senior sister's expression darkened before she laughed rather awkwardly, before she said helplessly. "I am afraid it's my master's great-grandson. He is a troublemaker and I can't do anything about him sadly."
'If her teacher is old enough to have three generations of kids as a cultivator, that means there is a good deal of separation. Hell, that could be a good example of why she never learned about the secret levels in cultivation from her cheap master.' I mused to myself.
Still Yanyo gestured for me to sit at an ornate and beautiful stone table and chairs which I did and she said kindly. "Well, Jake, what treasure are you offering to sell me?"
I took a deep breath and then said firmly. "A path to Golden Core for you at least. I found a large pool of Yin-Yang Mountain Milk that has formed due to the Herb Graveyards' abundant Yin energy, creating a resulting nexus at an underground hot spring."
There was a pause as several expressions crossed by Yanyo's face before she said slowly. "That... Is quite the find indeed, how do you know that I wouldn't silence you to keep this secret, or just share it with the sect for merits?"
I smiled before I said with complete confidence. "I know you won't silence me, Yanyo, a woman who takes the thankless task of escorting and educating commoner new cultivators wouldn't kill another at the possibility of benefits. As for the second..."
I drew off and then said helplessly.
"You yourself can feel the stretches of time approaching as you are in the higher levels of Foundation Establishment. The question you have to ask yourself is this, if you share it with the sect. Will the rewards they give you even remotely match the rewards you would get from using it to perfect your foundation to enter Golden Core?"
There was a pause before Yanyo huffed and said with a slight pout. "You are no fun Jake... Well that's what I get for playing mind games with a commoner who had to work for his meals obviously."
She then smiled and said more casually. "Very well Jake, please enlighten me then as to what you want. Though I am curious as to why you decided to share it with me... Unless you have some other motive."
Though she said that casually, I knew she would lose all respect for her me if I admitted it was out of 'admiration' for the beautiful woman.
Instead, I said bluntly. "I am sharing it because I need resources, and I know you wouldn't silence me to keep all the benefits. I, after all, trust no one in the Sect."
Her face twitched at my brutal honesty, but still she took a breath and said. "Well then, in any case. Jake, what do you want for this opportunity?"
After a moment, I said firmly. "I want either a Beast Fire, a top-grade 1 or low-grade 2 alchemy furnace, or at least five different grade 2 alchemy recipes."
Those requests, although expensive. Were all things that Yanyo Hanying, as a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator, could easily get from the Sect's stores even if it would make her bleed a bit.
And Yanyo Hanying knew that too as her expression became a bit rueful as she said. "I expected a much more unreasonable demand, honestly. A tier three furnace or a beast fire from a Golden Core creature would also be possible but you didn't ask for it."
I shook my head and said with a smile. "Sure, I could... Or, I can ask for things that even now you can get without bleeding too much. And later on, when you are a glorious Golden Core cultivator, when I find a troublesome treasure or chance, you can suppress it for me and we can share it again haha!"
The woman's expression turned up into a smile before she chuckled and said easily. "Fine if you find other such chances. I can reluctantly make a move to help share the pressure haha."
Then her expression firmed and she said more cooly. "So, how do you want to do this deal then?"
To which I nodded and said. "You show me the items in question, and I will lead you to the Yin-Yang mountain milk in which you will give me the treasure you acquired."
She slowly nodded in approval as she should buy the items in question, so long as they weren't destroyed or used. With her status, she could easily return the objects to get her spirit stones back. "Very well Jake. Follow me to the marketplace then, I will buy that alchemy cauldron for you then."
I however held up a hand and said firmly. "Wait, before we go and do anything. Uhmm, do you know about the secret levels of genius levels of cultivation?"
She paused and gave me a weird look before she shook her head, so I continued. "Within the Qi Refinement and Foundation Building stages, there are the extra two stages past the tenth for true geniuses!"
"How would you know that as a commoner?" She demanded not in an insulting way but truly just confused and in her eye's I saw a flicker of... Hate in her eyes?
I then pulled out one of the cultivation method books I got from the demon I killed with Zhu Yuan, and I pushed it towards her whose eye's widened at seeing the Golden Core level method, which was to say the least, valuable outside of the sect.
"As you know, I was recruited into the sect by the Core Disciple Zhu Yuan and her master... I was forced into the sect, actually. But still Zhu Yuan told me especially to master those extra levels if I ever wanted to reach the Dao in this life."
As Yanyo Hanying scrolled through the book, I saw that hate flare up in her eyes all too clearly before she put down the book and pushed it towards me with her face a cold mask.
"I see... I- I will consider this Jake. But you are right, I need to do some research now obviously, as my path has been made."
And I realized what the problem was now, she realized that her master just... Never told her about those secret levels back, even in Qi Refinement so she was dealing with the realization that her foundation was already substandard from true geniuses.
I coughed and then said quietly. "With the Yin-Yang Mountain Milk, you might be able to fix your foundation, though Yanyo, it will make your cultivation fall a few levels, but you at the peak of Foundation Establishment, could hollow out those lost veins and restore your losses."
Yanyo's dull eyes gained a bit of light before she took a deep breath and nodded. "You are right, Jake. The heavens, however cruel, always have a path for those who search for it. But... I won't be able to find those veins so easily, especially as I am cleansing my body in the milk."
My face twitched as I realized I could actually help her with my Acupunction and Piercing the Heavens technique. And the reason my face twitched as I saw her halo turn from the strong blue, almost purple level, straight to a light purple halo, and my vision was filled with her next opportunity.
And the reason my expression twisted is because I WAS her opportunity with the Acupunction and Piercing the Heavens!
My face was so odd that even Yanyo looked at me oddly, and then she blinked before staring at me in complete confusion. "Wait... Jake, when you first joined the sect a couple of weeks ago, you were only at the third level of Qi Refining. How are you at what looks like the peak of the eighth level! Even if you used the Yin-Yang Mountain milk, it should have taken you months at least to find all of your Meridians!?"
I smiled wryly, and then I shrugged and said with a cough. "Yeah. About that, I have a method to find the meridians within myself and others to poke a hole in them to begin the unclogging process."
There was a pause as Yanyo's face twitched before she scowled, obviously thinking I was lying, then she paused and realized that I couldn't be lying with how I clearly cultivated so quickly.
Then Yanyo's face turned troubled as she said quietly. "I... I can only afford one of those things you requested previously. But I can't afford two of them to afford such a treatment."
I coughed and then said with a wry smile. "That is up to you. It's a bit of an invasive treatment, as you can imagine, unlocking someone's meridians can be."
She bit her lower lip, and then she said quietly but with cold steel in her tone. "Jake, how about I owe you? Either in favor, a debt or otherwise. I don't want my dao path to be cut off."
Knowing that refusing in this case would be... Very bad as she already put its importance at a level of her livelihood. I nodded slowly and said. "I can accept that. You go ahead and buy the furnace, and I will meet you in the herb graveyard in like six hours so you can have time to think and do some research."
I then left Yanyo thinking there as I made my way out of her courtyard, and as I did so. I saw the same youth across the way, scowling and looking at me in pure rage, making me roll my eyes.
'Damnit, the little bastard was just staring at her house from across the street like a weirdo.' I thought before I made my way quickly down the street to my quarters. As I was a hair away from reaching the eighth level of qi refinement and I could get there in the next six hours!