Dawn broke on the fourth floor of Longzhi Pavilion after a full night had passed. Another explosion rocked the alchemy room as Mu Zhanting emerged, covered in soot and dust.
The alchemists outside, their expressions contorted, kept their distance and asked, “Prince, are you… brewing explosives?”
“I was so close! I felt it – just a bit more and I would’ve condensed the pill!” Mu Zhanting, new to alchemy, had become addicted after trying it. Excitedly, he called for another furnace, ignoring his battered body as he plunged back into the room.
Soon, dejected alchemists began exiting their rooms, especially those from Hai State, all looking disgruntled.
“Are you doing this on purpose? One or two explosions are understandable, but eight times? If he hadn’t been interfering, I would’ve succeeded in refining the pill base long ago!”
Alchemists not involved in crafting the ninth-grade pill looked perplexed. This pill required nine refinements of the base and nine compressions, hence its name. Even the highest-ranked seventh-grade alchemists hadn’t succeeded in refining the base.
Yet, from Mu Zhanting’s words… had he succeeded and was close to pill formation?
Bewildered, all the Hai State alchemists except the Pill King left their rooms, pale from excessive use of pill fire.
Though they had failed, they refused to admit it. They shouted angrily, “Do you think causing explosions to disrupt us will help you succeed? The Immortality Spirit Pill requires near-nascent Soul-level true fire. How could a mere Core Formation cultivator compete with the Pill King? It’s laughable!”
“Watch your words, friend. The Pill King agreed to this, so why the hostility?” someone cautioned.
The Hai State alchemist sneered, “I’m just stating facts. With the Sea Ban Decision approaching, changing the prince now would be truly embarrassing!”
A colleague chimed in, “We must assist the Pill King. If he fails again, he shouldn’t be allowed to continue. We can’t let these explosions disturb our Pill King.”
With that, seven or eight alchemists surrounded Mu Zhanting’s room, refusing to leave.
Meanwhile, in a quiet room next door, the atmosphere was strange.
Nan Yan, eyes closed, her face gradually showing restrained anger, asked, “Can I remove the talisman you put on my forehead now?”
She looked like a talisman-bound zombie, her wrist pulses gently pressed. After her complaint, the other person laughed, “The Fat Jade Flower has been in your system for years, its properties deep in your bones. Just ten more breaths.”
Nan Yan: “You’re not tricking me, are you?”
Ji Yang: “How could I deceive you, Ah Yan? If I had such intentions, may I—”
Before he could finish, a thunderous explosion from outside interrupted, followed by a commotion.
“…”
Nan Yan: “What were you going to say? If you’re lying, may thunder strike you?”
Ji Yang glanced at the door: “A ninth-grade pill is indeed challenging for Zhanting…”
Nan Yan: “Don’t change the subject. I’m telling you…”
Suddenly, her expression changed. She felt countless strands of spiritual energy penetrating her consciousness, probing past the sea of qi below her golden core to her spiritual roots.
If the golden core was the trunk, the spiritual roots were the roots of a tree. The stronger the roots, the more spiritual energy is absorbed, benefiting cultivation.
This intrusion felt like having her deepest secrets exposed, causing an indescribable sense of shame.
“Relax, I’ll try to… be respectful,” Ji Yang’s soothing voice came.
As the spiritual strands probed deeper, Ji Yang’s expression gradually became peculiar. He tried to reveal Nan Yan’s true spiritual roots, but just as they began to show, her spiritual power suddenly surged, severing all the probing strands.
“Eh?” Nan Yan noticed it too. Her Seven Buddha Karma Scripture had automatically repelled all external spiritual power.
Ji Yang gently released Nan Yan’s hands, saying, “Your spiritual power seems to dislike interference from others.”
Nan Yan found it strange too. After a moment of introspection, she said, “I still can’t tell. It just feels like a simple five-element root. Did you see mine?”
A look of understanding flashed in Ji Yang’s eyes. After a while, he slowly said, “Indeed, it’s unmistakably a five-element root of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. As far as I know, the Red Emperor’s lineage all have fire roots, and Lady Nan should be the same. Your five-element root must come from your birth father.”
After long uncertainty, and finally receiving a valuable clue, Nan Yan felt satisfied.
Just then, a fragrant aroma seeped from the furnace behind them. Upon opening it, three red-skinned pills the size of fingernails lay inside.
Looking at the pills, Nan Yan realized they were superior in both appearance and quality to those Mo Xingzhi had given her. She said, “Your pill-making skills are impressive. Why not compete for Sun’s precious pill recipe?”
“I’ve only cultivated alchemy, tool refining, and formations to a barely usable level. I have more important matters at hand.”
“Such as?”
Ji Yang shook his head, then unexpectedly pressed the pills to her lips, drawing close with dark eyes, “Such as… lifelong commitments.”
“…”
Moments later, Nan Yan burst out of the alchemy room, immediately encountering a group surrounding Mu Zhanting’s room, each with a defensive treasure floating before them.
“The materials for the Immortality Spirit Pill are worth a fortune each time they’re consumed. Long City is certainly generous!”
“Three to five attempts are understandable, but this is the tenth time. If he keeps straining his Core Formation true fire, the Dragon Court might be collecting a corpse when they arrive!”
“Our Hai State alchemists will take over this Longzhi Pavilion in the future. How can we allow such waste of precious herbs? I say we break in and stop him from continuing!”
Amidst the chaos, another wave of scorching energy emanated from Mu Zhanting’s room.
“Oh no, another explosion!” someone cried out.
Instantly, all the alchemists activated their treasures for protection. However, the heat didn’t explode but began to condense. As the extreme heat passed its peak, a layer of cold energy leaked from the room.
The Hai State alchemists looked shocked: “This… the true fire retracting, cold emerging from heat – it’s a sign of pill condensation!”
“He refined the pill base nine times and entered the condensation stage?!”
The Hai State alchemists turned pale, suspecting foul play from Chen State. As they contemplated how to interrupt Mu Zhanting’s process, a genuine thunder rumbled outside Longzhi Pavilion, seemingly brewing a heavenly tribulation.
“Ninth-grade pills attract heavenly thunder! The Pill King has succeeded!”
From the highest alchemy room came Jiang Daoyu’s triumphant laughter: “The pill thunder came first, Master Sun. This junior has formed the pill before you!”
As thunder rolled and purple lightning flashed, a pure medicinal fragrance filled the entire Longzhi Pavilion. Then, Jiang Daoyu emerged, his right hand holding a massive pill furnace, laughing heartily.
“Even in private, I succeed only once in ten attempts with this Immortality Spirit Pill. Today, I succeeded on the third try. It seems the heavens want me to surpass you, Sun Baishu!”
As he spoke, the Hai State alchemists gathered around him, exclaiming in admiration.
“Congratulations, Master Jiang! This pill is extremely difficult to refine. Once the final thunder forms the lightning pattern, it will become a top-grade ninth-rank pill!”
Among ninth-rank pills, there were hardly any low-grade ones. The initial quality upon completion was merely the starting point. After attracting heavenly thunder, the pill would naturally be refined into a top-grade product.
Jiang Daoyu appeared outside Longzhi Pavilion in a flash, raising the furnace towards the thunderclouds.
Above, dense clouds swirled. A lightning bolt snaked through the layers. Under Jiang Daoyu’s fervent gaze, it emerged and struck towards his furnace.
“Ninth-rank pill tribulation, descend!” Jiang Daoyu laughed.
Just as the lightning was about to strike, a burst of flame scattered from the fourth floor of Longzhi Pavilion. The tribulation lightning, meant for Jiang Daoyu’s furnace, suddenly veered towards the fourth floor.
Jiang Daoyu’s smile froze. He looked down and heard Mu Zhanting’s angry voice from the fourth-floor alchemy room.
“What’s this? Why is there thunder while refining a pill?!”
All fell silent, save for the thunder and lightning on the fourth floor. Moments later, a medicinal fragrance a hundred times more potent than Jiang Daoyu’s pill wafted out.
“Impossible!” Jiang Daoyu roared. He raised his furnace again, this time blasting open the lid. Using a secret technique to activate the pill’s power, he shouted, “Pill tribulation, descend again!”
This time, the tribulation resembled a python, striking down with immense power. Yet, strangely, it swerved away from Jiang Daoyu’s pill at the last moment, entering the fourth floor once more.
“When will this end?!” Mu Zhanting struck directly and emerged from the alchemy room covered in soot, carrying his furnace. Looking up at Jiang Daoyu in the air, he cursed, “You old fool, can’t you refine your pill properly instead of drawing lightning to strike me?”
At this moment, Master Sun strolled out from the top floor of Longzhi Pavilion, holding a cup of fragrant tea. He looked refreshed as if he hadn’t been refining pills at all.
“Our Chen State’s prince is often mischievous. This is his first time refining pills, and he’s already attempting a ninth-rank pill without recognizing the tribulation. My apologies for the embarrassment, friend Jiang.”
First time refining pills! Stealing a ninth-rank Pill King’s tribulation?!
Jiang Daoyu, a Pill King himself, had never faced such humiliation. He snarled, “A mere child without rank dares to steal my pill tribulation?! I don’t believe it!”
He slapped his storage pouch, producing a dark blue talisman emanating a terrifying aura.
“Ninth-rank Thunder Summoning Talisman! Go!”
The talisman attached to his furnace instantly flashed with electricity. The sky, which should have cleared, churned with tribulation clouds again, brewing a lightning bolt several times larger than before.
This time, Jiang Daoyu dared not receive it directly. He raised the furnace high and summoned a small silver shield to protect himself, his eyes fierce.
“Descend!”
As he activated the ninth-rank Thunder Summoning Talisman, Ji Yang, watching from behind the crowd at Longzhi Pavilion’s windows, subtly moved his gaze. His right hand, which had been tracing patterns in the air, brought two fingers together as he murmured.
“A ninth-rank Thunder Summoning Talisman… quite generous.”
Nan Yan, engrossed in the spectacle, suddenly turned back, her eyes bright. “What did you do?”
Ji Yang, leaning against the wall, said, “Nothing much. I just planted Thunder Summoning Talismans in all of Zhanting’s pill bases during preparation.”
Nan Yan was stunned. “But that’s a ninth-rank talisman. Surely it can’t intercept his tribulation this time?”
“Oh? Didn’t I tell you?” Ji Yang traced a few patterns in the air, forming a talisman as potent as the ninth-rank one. As it vanished, the tribulation Jiang Daoyu had summoned once again veered towards Mu Zhanting.
Mu Zhanting’s agonized screams were so intense that Nan Yan had to cover her ears. After the final tribulation passed, Ji Yang slowly added.
“It’s my specialty, after all. My skills in alchemy, tool refining, and formations are mediocre, but my talisman craft is ninth-rank.”
As the last tribulation passed, Mu Zhanting’s furnace shattered. A pill emitting three circles of precious light floated in the air – the Immortality Spirit Pill.
Someone exclaimed in shock, “Refined by three tribulations, this pill… it must surpass top-grade and reach premium quality!”
Master Sun’s eyes gleamed with delight. “Zhanting, I wasn’t wrong. You truly have talent.”
Jiang Daoyu, staring at his own low-grade Immortality Spirit Pill that hadn’t undergone tribulation, was enraged. He reached out to grab Mu Zhanting.
“You must have cheated! I don’t believe it!”
The onlookers were shocked that a Pill King would attack a Core Formation cultivator, but it was too late to intervene. Mu Zhanting, weakened by the tribulation’s aftereffects, prepared to endure the attack. Suddenly, Jiang Daoyu let out a painful cry, as if an invisible hand had grabbed his throat, suspending him in mid-air.
A cold voice emanated from a spatial rift that opened before him.
“I invited people, not wild dogs that bite indiscriminately. Our state’s prince is not for a wild dog to discipline. Get out of Chen State!”
With those words, Jiang Daoyu was flung out like a withered leaf in the wind, flying beyond Long City’s borders.
Even Master Sun was startled by this turn of events. He bowed, saying, “Dragon Lord.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Master Sun. This matter ends here. We’ll find a more discerning Pill King another day,” Ao Guanghan said. “Zhanting, and… you, come with me.”
As he finished speaking, Mu Zhanting was bewilderedly drawn into the spatial rift by an unseen force. Nan Yan, watching from the side, realized the second person mentioned was herself. Before she could react, she too was being pulled towards the void.
Just as she was about to be drawn away from Longzhi Pavilion, she felt a tight grip on her hand. Ji Yang quickly said,
“Ah Yan, no matter what happens, don’t argue about your origins with anyone.” He slowly released her hand. “And… I’ll wait for you.”
Nan Yan couldn’t hear the rest as she was pulled into the spatial rift. Countless bizarre images flashed before her eyes. When she opened them again, she found herself in a grand hall. Every seat around her was occupied by individuals whose auras were powerful enough to crush her soul.
… Half of the cultivation world’s bigwigs seemed to be here.
“Ah Yan, come here.”
Fortunately, Nan Yi was present. Hearing him, Nan Yan quickly ran to sit beside her uncle, quietly asking, “Uncle, what’s happening?”
“There’s been some trouble. Don’t say anything for now. I’ll handle everything,” Nan Yi replied.