Chapter 21: Time Waits for No One!

After a long while.

A hoarse voice finally emerged from Meng Guan's mouth.

"Ah, the Breakthrough Pill is hard to come by..." He sighed.

Meng Guan shook his head, casually picked up the teacup beside him but didn't drink, his brows furrowed as if he still didn't want to give up this opportunity.

Stuck at the sixth level of Qi Refinement for so long.

He knew full well that all he needed to do was slowly save up spirit stones to go to Green Wall Immortal City and buy a Breakthrough Pill.

But... for a lowly immortal market cultivator like him, going to Green Wall Immortal City would be no different from being an ordinary rogue cultivator.

Immortal market cultivators only had some privileges within their own immortal markets.

In a higher-level immortal city, compared to the disciples of a true Golden Core sect, what difference was there between an immortal market cultivator and an ordinary rogue cultivator?

At most, they just knew a bit more than rogue cultivators.

Had a fixed residence.

And a stable income.

But when it came to combat ability, immortal market cultivators were generally even worse than those rogue cultivators who lived by the sword.

Moreover.

The path to going to the immortal city to buy a Breakthrough Pill wasn't so smooth either.

Not to mention the various dangers on the way to Green Wall Immortal City.

Even if he managed to reach Green Wall Immortal City without any obstacles, would he have enough spirit stones to bid for a Breakthrough Pill?

Even if he was lucky enough to win a Breakthrough Pill, he would immediately be targeted.

With the Breakthrough Pill in hand, he would need to be careful on the way back.

However, there was a solution to this. He just needed to spend some more spirit stones to stay in an inn in the immortal city and take the Breakthrough Pill to break through, and the problem would be resolved.

But who could guarantee that after winning the Breakthrough Pill, he would still have enough spirit stones to stay in an inn?

If he wanted to be absolutely safe, the time needed to save up spirit stones would be extended again.

By then, even if he managed to break through to the late-Qi Refinement stage with the Breakthrough Pill, he wouldn't have time to touch the Foundation Establishment stage.

For ordinary cultivators.

The best time to reach Foundation Establishment was before the age of sixty.

From the age of sixty onward, the later it was, the more difficult it became to reach Foundation Establishment, and the lower the success rate.

If one couldn't reach the ninth level of Qi Refinement and obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill before the age of sixty.

It meant that there was almost no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment in this lifetime.

Unless one was extremely lucky, it was possible to succeed in Foundation Establishment after the age of sixty.

But that was a small probability event.

It was rare to see even one in a hundred years.

Meng Guan was now forty-three. With his savings, if he hurried and took a risk, he might still be able to touch the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

If he didn't take the risk and continued to struggle as he was now, it was likely that the late-Qi Refinement stage would be the limit of his life.

This was why Meng Guan was so conflicted.

The life in the immortal market, where he could see the end at a glance, had indeed placed a huge burden on his heart.

Beside him.

He Song and Wei Fan exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of helplessness in each other's eyes.

Having known each other for so many years, He Song and Wei Fan had a good understanding of Meng Guan.

Judging by Meng Guan's appearance now, it seemed that he was still in a state of indecision.

Although the two had already advised him, they also knew the dilemma Meng Guan was facing.

Should he strive for a chance at Foundation Establishment?

Or should he take it slow and stay in the late-Qi Refinement stage for the rest of his life?

This was indeed a very difficult question.

At the same time, He Song and Wei Fan couldn't advise him further.

Advice, once given, was enough. If he listened, he listened.

If they said too much, it would inevitably annoy him, and the gain wouldn't be worth the loss.

Moreover, blocking someone's path to cultivation was like killing their parents. It was only because the three of them had an extremely good relationship that they could advise him once.

If their relationship wasn't so good, just the words they had said earlier could have caused Meng Guan to turn against them.

Time passed bit by bit.

He Song poured another cup of tea for each of them.

Meng Guan still didn't drink, his brows furrowed as he remained immersed in his own world.

Wei Fan picked up his teacup and gestured to He Song, the helplessness in his eyes impossible to hide.

He Song also picked up his teacup and gestured to Wei Fan, the helplessness in his heart also quite strong.

He had advised, and Wei Fan had also advised, but unfortunately, Meng Guan's heart was still struggling.

At this point.

He Song could only wait for the result of Meng Guan's struggle.

Whether the result was good or bad, he could only offer his blessings, not forcefully advise.

Blocking someone's path to cultivation was no joke.

Even though he knew that the Crimson Spirit Gold Mine was a pit of fire, He Song couldn't use his own speculation to stop Meng Guan.

This was the path Meng Guan had chosen.

"Perhaps, with Meng Guan's sixth level of Qi Refinement, he could protect himself in the Crimson Spirit Gold Mine."

Such a thought flashed through He Song's mind.

His gaze met Wei Fan's slightly worried gaze.

For a moment, the two were silent, neither knowing what to do.

A period of silence.

After a while.

Meng Guan finally opened his eyes and poured the tea in his hand into his mouth.

With a gulp, he drank it all, then grinned.

"Hahaha, I, Meng Guan, possess the Five Spiritual Roots. I've been cultivating in the Thick Earth Branch Academy since I was a child, but unfortunately, my talent was lacking, and I couldn't enter the Thick Earth Sect's outer sect, so I was sent down to the Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market."

"I thought there was no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment in this lifetime, but I didn't expect to encounter a sliver of opportunity!" It was as if he was talking to himself, or stating a fact, Meng Guan's voice was filled with too many emotions.

At this moment, He Song's expression was grave, and he felt increasingly that something was wrong.

Wei Fan also seemed to want to say something but hesitated, his face full of unease.

"Time waits for no one! Rather than growing old here in a hurry, it's better to stride forward and seize the moment!" Finally, under the gazes of He Song and Wei Fan, Meng Guan spoke with determination.

At this moment, Meng Guan's face was filled with determination.

His right hand tightly gripped the teacup, even as the teacup began to crack into pieces, he didn't seem to notice.

A ray of sunlight shone in from the window, landing right on Meng Guan's hand.

As if he was holding the sunlight.

Silence.

He Song was silent.

Wei Fan was also silent.

For a moment, in the entire room, apart from the faint breathing sounds of the three, you could hear a pin drop.

After a while.

"Old Meng, after this parting, I don't know when we'll meet again. Is there anything you need to take care of?" Seeing that Meng Guan's resolve was firm, He Song knew that persuasion was useless, so he stopped trying to persuade and instead asked about other matters.

The Crimson Spirit Gold Mine was extremely dangerous, and Meng Guan's journey there was likely fraught with peril.

Even though his cultivation was at the sixth level of Qi Refinement, and he had been in the immortal market for many years, earning a lot of spirit stones, and had no shortage of magical tools and talismans.

He Song still couldn't be sure if he would return alive.

Rather than trying to persuade Meng Guan again and dampen his morale, it was better to ask if he needed any other help.

Beside him.

Hearing this, Wei Fan's face showed urgency, but then he seemed to think of something, and his whole body suddenly froze.

He opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, only a sigh came out.

He had also realized.

Persuading him now would only leave a shadow in Meng Guan's heart. It was better to clear his worries for him, which might increase his chances of survival.

(End of Chapter)