When Qin Ruqing found her father, Qin Deming, he was in an exceptionally good mood because he had found a spirit stone while out today.

Yes, a spirit stone! Not just any spirit gold, but a spirit stone.

A single spirit stone is worth a thousand spirit golds.

Qin Deming had never encountered such good fortune before.

To be honest, he usually had to be very careful when he went out, as he might step in dog poop or get bird droppings on his head…

Of course, as the head of the Qin family, he would never tell anyone about these incidents, not even his partner, Luo Xian.

His wife would laugh at him for years if she knew.

Every time Qin Deming stepped in poop, a puddle, or some unidentified black liquid, he would calmly cast a cleansing spell on himself.

It didn’t bother him anymore; he was used to it.

But today was different! He had found money!

So, when Qin Ruqing rushed in, she saw Qin Deming beaming with joy.

Seeing her, Qin Deming enthusiastically waved, “Dear daughter, come over here.”

Wow, Dad is really cheerful today.

What happened to make him so happy?

Qin Deming excitedly said, “Qingqing, I went out today and found a spirit stone.”

He couldn’t wait to share the news with his beloved daughter.

Qin Ruqing was astonished.

Wow, it’s like finding a thousand dollars! Dad’s luck really is good today; Cheng Yiming’s eyes didn’t deceive her.

Qin Ruqing didn’t hesitate any longer.

She took out a small black wooden box and handed it to Qin Deming. “Dad, look at this.”

Qin Deming was puzzled. “What is it?”

He opened it to see a gray-brown pill inside, faintly emitting the smell of bitter ginseng.

Qin Deming picked it up and sniffed it, immediately widening his eyes.

“It’s the Small Breakthrough Pill!”

As the head of a family renowned for alchemy, Qin Deming not only had knowledge of alchemy techniques but also had a basic skill in identifying pills.

It was part of the essential qualities of being the family head.

As soon as the pill was in his hands, he recognized it within moments—it was none other than the famous Small Breakthrough Pill.

This pill was renowned for its ability to occasionally assist in foundation building.

While many sought after Foundation Establishment Pills with no success, some opted to take a chance with the Small Breakthrough Pill due to its reputation.

However, the probability of it actually working was extremely low.

Qin Deming had lived long enough to have only heard of one successful case from the Western Regions.

“Daughter, where did you get this?” Qin Ruqing remained composed and calmly replied, “I found it.”

“Found it?!” Qin Deming raised his voice.

“Yes,” Qin Ruqing nodded.

This was the reason she had come up with over the past few days.

She wasn’t making excuses.

In fact, she had considered many explanations.

Perhaps she found a mysterious little shop on the roadside selling Small Breakthrough Pills.

Or maybe she got wind of an auction and bought it early.

It could also be that she met an alchemy expert during her travels in the Southern Ridge who gifted her the pill.

The last reason was plausible, but Qin Ruqing thought better of using it.

Sometimes, adding too many details made a story sound more fabricated.

In reality, many things happened without clear reasons but were still natural occurrences.

Qin Ruqing felt she had overcomplicated things. Why couldn’t it just be that she found it?

Honestly, she believed that if she told this reason to her ancestor, he might genuinely believe it.

Qin Ruqing believed that if her ancestor could trust her explanation, her father could too.

She saw the surprise in Qin Deming’s eyes, followed by thoughtful consideration, and eventually, a nod.

Given his luck in finding a spirit stone today, it wasn’t unreasonable to believe that his daughter could find a Small Breakthrough Pill.

Qin Deming was still processing this shocking news when Qin Ruqing grabbed his arm, eyes sparkling. “Dad, use this pill today! I’ve heard that the Small Breakthrough Pill has a chance to assist in Foundation Establishment. If you use it, you might be able to start your foundation directly!”

Qin Deming was taken aback by his daughter’s urgency and found himself at a loss for words.

In her eyes, starting foundational cultivation seemed as simple as eating or drinking—well, perhaps for her it was, but not for him!

Even with the Small Breakthrough Pill, it wasn’t that straightforward.

Shaking his head, Qin Deming tried to explain patiently, “My dear daughter, cultivating foundations isn’t a simple matter. Even with the Small Breakthrough Pill, one must choose the right moment, consult with the family, and…”

He was interrupted by Qin Ruqing’s anxious plea, “Dad! You don’t need to consult with the family about your cultivation plans. Not everyone in the family would genuinely want you to succeed and become Foundation Establishment Stage. Some might even cause trouble, insisting that you hand over this pill!”

“I understand your concerns, but the most valuable aspect of the Small Breakthrough Pill is its chance to assist in Foundation Establishment. Since it relies on probability, it’s a matter of luck.

Dad, you found a spirit stone today—what are the odds? Maybe you won’t have such luck for a whole year. If you don’t take it today, do you have to wait until your luck turns bad, like stepping in dog poop? Would you only then think about using this pill?”

Qin Deming felt slightly embarrassed by his daughter’s words.

Aside from the stepping-in-poop part…

Well, maybe he did step in poop almost every day.

Wait a minute, today he didn’t step in poop but found a spirit stone!

It truly was his luckiest day in years!

Could this really trigger the Small Breaking Pills effect?

Qin Deming was swayed by his daughter’s words.

Qin Ruqing’s sharp eyes directly pushed him towards the secret room, saying as she pushed, “Dad, calm down and take this pill now. Start breaking through the Foundation Establishment today. Don’t procrastinate!”

Sometimes her father’s leisurely nature was indeed frustrating.

Qin Ruqing pushed him into the secret room, closed the door behind him, and shouted one last thing:

“Remember, start breaking through today! It’s fine to consolidate and maintain afterward!”

Seeing Qin Deming nod, the door closed, and Qin Ruqing activated the protective array, anxiously waiting inside.

It had to succeed!

From late morning to early afternoon, Qin Ruqing paced anxiously inside the house, with even Luo Xian noticing her agitation and coming over to inquire.

“Why are you pacing around near your father’s cultivation room today?”

“Have you been wandering around all day and not seen anyone?” Luo Xian asked with confusion.

Qin Ruqing nodded towards the direction of the secret chamber. “Father is in there.”

Luo Xian was puzzled. “What’s he doing in the secret chamber? It’s not his usual time for cultivation.”

Qin Ruqing chuckled and said, “He’s there trying to breakthrough Foundation Establishment .”

Luo Xian raised an eyebrow in disbelief just as suddenly, a commotion came from the chamber.

A mysterious ripple spread, followed by a powerful suction drawing spiritual energy from all around into the chamber.

Could this commotion be…?

Qin Ruqing and Luo Xian exchanged a glance, both seeing shock and excitement reflected in each other’s eyes.

The disturbance in the Clan Leader’s courtyard naturally drew attention from others within the Qin family’s territory.

Located at the core of the territory, densely populated, it was impossible for others not to notice the impact of the ripple just now.

People emerged to look, and on the sky above the Clan Leader’s courtyard, various sizes of alchemy furnaces were suspended, each with a person seated atop.

“What has the Clan Leader done to cause such a commotion?”

Someone hesitated, “Judging by the scene, could it be he’s about to build his foundation?”

At the mention of foundation building, the first reaction of the Qin family members was disbelief.

It wasn’t that they found it unbelievable that their Clan Leader could build his foundation; it was mainly because it was so sudden.

There had been no signs beforehand.

Just yesterday, he had been in a meeting with them, no mention of intensifying cultivation recently or any seclusion.

And now he’s building his foundation? Surely not.

Someone shook their head in denial, “Without Foundation-building pills, how could he build his foundation? The Clan Leader’s talent isn’t at the level where he can build it on his own. It must be a breakthrough.”

That seemed quite plausible, and the crowd nodded in agreement.

Still, the disturbance from this breakthrough seemed unusually large.

Outside the courtyard, discussions were buzzing, and Qin Ruqing and Luo Xian naturally took notice.

Qin Ruqing hurriedly said, “Mother, you go outside and stabilize these people. Tell them not to disturb Father. I’ve already activated the protective formation. To outsiders, just say you don’t know what’s going on inside and don’t mention the words ‘foundation building.'”

Luo Xian understood the urgency of the situation and nodded immediately, without further ado, she went straight out.

Sure enough, there was a crowd outside, some flying in the sky, others standing at the entrance.

Her eyebrows furrowed in anger. “What’s all this noise at the entrance? Even the Clan Leader’s courtyard can’t be disturbed by your loud chatter!”

Luo Xian had a fiery temper, renowned for her sharp tongue in her younger years.

It was only in recent years, with her children grown and settled, that she had mellowed somewhat.

Yet, the authority of her longstanding reputation remained, and her shout silenced the others.

One elder stepped forward, bowing respectfully. “Madam, we wonder if the Clan Leader is cultivating or… why such a big commotion?”

Luo Xian replied curtly, “I don’t know either. He hasn’t told me anything. It seems he’s had a sudden breakthrough or comprehended some new technique.”

What… even Clan Leader’s Wife doesn’t know?

Before anyone could say more, a powerful presence streaked across the sky.

“That’s… the Clan Leader?”

Someone exclaimed, “The Clan Leader has emerged from seclusion!”