"I am Danqing, the guardian of the Eight Gates Secret Realm."

The female voice continued, "Time flows faster within the Eight Gates Secret Realm than outside. One day outside is equal to ten days within the secret realm. There are eight levels within the secret realm. Those who clear all of them will receive the divine-level body-refining technique left behind by Venerable Wei Yan."

"The first level, the Gate of Life - Spiritual Medicine Garden, you must refine the Xuan-level lower-grade spiritual elixir Baicao Dan within 12 hours. Otherwise, it will be considered a failure and you will be immediately expelled from the secret realm!"

As he finished speaking, the fog in the distance dissipated, revealing a high platform made of white stone.

A huge alchemy furnace stood on the high platform, and on top of it was an elixir recipe written with spiritual power. The content on it was densely packed, with the names of hundreds of spiritual medicines!

"It's actually the Hundred Herb Pill!"

"Although the Hundred Herb Pill is only a low-grade Xuan-level pill, the amount of spiritual herbs required to refine it and the complicated process have led to the recipe being lost. I never expected to see the recipe for the Hundred Herb Pill here!"

"The key is to take one Hundred Herb Pill, and you can completely restore the spiritual power of the late Jindan realm. This pill is truly amazing!"

…

Jiang Deng didn't have time to sigh with everyone else. She hurried to the platform and looked at the contents of the pill recipe.

Wow, it actually requires a hundred kinds of elixirs!

I have to say, seeing so many names of elixirs piled together really makes me dizzy.

Considering the time constraints and the lack of time to waste, Jiang Deng surveyed the crowd below and asked, "Who among you knows how to make pills?"

Everyone looked at each other.

The martial arts skills of Danfeng disciples are generally not very high, so among the thirty people on the sect's competition list, there are only a few Danfeng disciples.

Jiang Zhi was a disciple of Danfeng. Under the gaze of everyone, he coughed lightly and said with a smile: "Although I am the true disciple of Master Yanfeng, I don't know how to make pills."

“…”

So useless!

Jiang Zhiling on the side couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Well……"

Meeting Jiang Zhiling's disdainful eyes, Jiang Zhi touched his nose and regretted very much that he had not learned alchemy before. If he were given another chance, he would definitely learn how to make alchemy seriously from his master.

Then, a young man in his mid-twenties raised his hand in the crowd and said, "I can refine low-grade Xuan-level elixirs."

Everyone's eyes lit up instantly, and Jiang Deng also looked at the other party with joy.

She was not very familiar with this person, but she knew that he was a cultivator in the Jindan realm.

Feng Jiuyou saw this and quickly flattered him, "Senior Brother Zhang Quan is the direct disciple of Elder Zhang of Danfeng. He's able to refine a low-grade Xuan-level elixir at such a young age. Refining the Hundred Herb Pill this time will definitely be no problem for him!"

Under the admiring gaze of everyone, Zhang Quan smiled proudly, seeming to enjoy everyone's compliments.

Jiang Deng ignored this and said impatiently, "Zhang Quan, right? What are you still standing there for? Come up and make the elixir!"

Seeing that Jiang Deng didn't care about him at all, Zhang Quan's eyes flashed with dissatisfaction, and he said pretentiously: "You can ask me to make the elixir, but I have one condition!"

Jiang Deng frowned slightly.

She hated being asked to make conditions the most in her life, especially since this was the right time to do so.

Zhang Quan didn't make the elixir for them, but for everyone to work together to pass the level. Why are they still talking about conditions?

Jiang Deng didn't want to respond, but Xia Chenqing hurriedly asked, "What are the conditions?"

Zhang Quan pointed at Feng Qing, his eyes gleaming with determination. "The prize she gets for winning is a Heavenly Grade Alchemy Furnace. I want her to give me the furnace for a year!"

Everyone: “…”

Isn't this taking advantage of the situation?

Jiang Deng was even more angry and said, "That's someone else's thing. If you want it so much, why don't you win the first prize yourself and earn the prize?"

Zhang Quan shrugged and said with a pout, "Then I can't help you. I'm an alchemy practitioner, and I don't want that body refining technique. Anyway, there are a lot of spiritual herbs here, and I'll be satisfied if I can just collect some and bring them back."

"Junior Brother Zhang!"

Even Xia Chenqing, who had a relatively good temper, couldn't help but show a hint of anger between his brows. "Sect Master, if you disobey orders like this, aren't you afraid that you will be punished when you return to the sect?"

"We'll talk about it when the time comes." Zhang Quan was like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water, and he remained unmoved no matter what.

It's not that he wasn't afraid of the sect leader's punishment, but he was very sure that everyone would force Feng Qing to lend him the alchemy furnace in order to pass the level.

As for... should I return the alchemy furnace to Feng Qing after a year?

He has been using it for a year, so of course it belongs to him!

Seeing that Zhang Quan was determined not to work for nothing, everyone had to try to persuade Feng Qing, who seemed easier to talk to.

"Junior Sister Feng, please lend your alchemy furnace to Senior Brother Zhang!"

"Yes! Anyway, Junior Sister Feng, you are still only in the Qi Refining Stage. At best, you can only refine Yellow-grade pills. You don't need such a good alchemy furnace at all."

"Yes, Junior Sister Feng, you have to consider the overall situation. The most important thing is to get through the current level first."

…

The more Feng Qing listened to the advice of the people around her, the more uncomfortable she felt.

These people keep saying that they are doing this for her own good, but they force her to sacrifice her own interests. How can this be considered doing this for her own good?

What's more, she lent out the alchemy furnace. Could Zhang Quan return it to her in a year?

Not necessarily!

She couldn't trust her father, the emperor, and mother, so how could she trust a fellow disciple whom she had only met a few times?

Feng Qing's face was cold, "I won't lend it! Isn't there an alchemy furnace on the stage? Brother Zhang, why don't you use the alchemy furnace on the stage and insist on using mine."

Zhang Quan sneered, "You've seen the alchemy furnace up there. It's covered in dust, as if it hasn't been used for eight hundred years. You can't even tell what rank it is. How can you use it to make elixirs? It's safest to use your Heavenly Rank Alchemy Furnace."

Feng Qing pursed her thin lips, looking unconvinced.

Zhang Quan continued with a smile, "Of course, I'm not taking your alchemy furnace for nothing. I will help you refine the Vision Restoring Pill you need."

"I don't!"

Feng Qing used all his strength to say this refusal.

Now everyone looked at Feng Qing with an unhappy look in their eyes, "Junior Sister Feng, we've tried to talk you out of it, why are you still so selfish!"

Feng Jiuyou also accused him, "If it's because of you that Senior Brother Zhang can't refine the Hundred Herb Pill, and we all fail to pass the level, can you bear the responsibility?!"

Feng Qing pursed her lips tightly, tears of grievance welling up in her eyes.

"stop!"

Seeing that everyone was still blaming Feng Qing, Jiang Deng couldn't stand it any longer. He looked at Feng Jiuyou and asked, "Feng Qing is selfish for not lending her alchemy furnace. Why don't you lend it to her?"

Feng Jiuyou spread his hands and said, "I would like to borrow it, but I don't have a Heavenly Grade Alchemy Furnace."

Jiang Deng's gaze fell on the spiritual sword carried on Feng Jiuyou's back. "Okay, since you seem so generous, just lend me your mid-grade Heavenly Grade natal sword! I won't need it for a long time, just one or two hundred years will be enough. Don't worry, I will definitely return it to you before you die."

"I..." Feng Jiuyou was speechless and didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Oh!"

Jiang Deng sneered, "You don't have a Heavenly Grade Alchemy Furnace, but you do have a Heavenly Grade Destiny Sword, right? You're quite good at using other people's money!"