Chapter 48 Free Alchemy Adventure: Refining Grade Three Pills
"Senpei-kun, the pursuers have been caught. Shall we go and take a look?"
Qi Zibo's expression was indifferent, and his thoughts were hard to fathom. With just a casual glance from him, the city lord felt a chill run down his spine.
Those with cultivation levels of Nascent Soul or higher are all arrogant and haughty, and one can easily run into trouble if one is not careful. In the cultivation world, whether you are a rogue cultivator or backed by a sect, as long as your cultivation reaches Nascent Soul or higher, none of you are simple characters.
The city lord's cultivation level is at the late Golden Core stage, but he has subordinates with even higher cultivation levels who are stationed in Nine Star City.
"lead the way."
The city lord composed himself and immediately led Qi Zibo to the courtyard where the people were being held.
There was no other way; the person they captured was a Nascent Soul cultivator, and it wouldn't be good to imprison him, lest he hold a grudge.
Qi Zibo followed them out of the building and left the stadium. After turning a few corners, they arrived at a small courtyard.
The city lord pushed open the door, turned to the side, and gestured for them to enter.
Besides those arrested, there were two Nascent Soul stage cultivators in the courtyard, both sword cultivators. This otherwise unremarkable courtyard contained one Golden Core stage cultivator, three Nascent Soul stage cultivators, and one Deity Transformation stage cultivator.
"Greetings, Lord Shanyuan." The two Nascent Soul cultivators bowed and greeted him.
Qi Zibo nodded in acknowledgment, and then the door to the house was opened.
When the city lord saw Qi Zibo enter the house, he went to his men and asked how things were going.
One of the sword cultivators said, "City Lord, there's no need to worry. The target is a Dan cultivator, while we are all Nascent Soul stage sword cultivators. As everyone knows, sword cultivators have the ability to challenge those of higher levels, so we captured him without much effort."
The city lord nodded, then suddenly asked, "Did you find out his willingness or purpose regarding the Alchemist Conference?"
"He seems to be targeting that Foundation Establishment junior." The sword cultivator's expression was subtle as he said this. He thought the reason was absurd, but the other party practically had a vow to the Heavenly Dao written all over his face. "He also said that he was targeting the contestant only because the other party was Shanyuanjun's disciple, and that he had no intention of disrupting the Alchemist Conference."
The city lord, though eager to speak, found it difficult to do so and could only respond with silence.
Inside the room, Wu Sheng's movements were restricted by the magical artifact, but he remained calm.
Wu Sheng: "You've come. I didn't expect you to have taken on an apprentice as well."
Qi Zibo sat in a chair inside the room, leaning back. "You've already been expelled from the sect, and now you're deliberately causing trouble again. Aren't you afraid the sect will take you back?"
Wu Sheng was once a disciple of the Immortal Firmament Sect, but was expelled for committing a crime. The good news was that the sect did not abolish his innate talent or cultivation. He had just broken through to the Golden Core stage when he was expelled, and spent many years as a rogue cultivator, enduring much hardship before finally breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage. Cultivators' appearances do not age like ordinary people; they look the same as they did back then.
Wu Sheng sneered: "I actually hope the sect can capture me and take me back. After being away for a thousand years, I have been thinking about the sect and reminiscing about my life there."
Qi Zibo: "Since you enjoy sect life, why did you kill your fellow disciples back then? If they hadn't been rescued, you would have had your innate talent and cultivation destroyed."
Wu Sheng: "Would you believe me if I said it was an accident?"
Qi Zibo leaned forward, staring at Wu Sheng. "A habitual liar, do you think I should believe him?" Seeing Wu Sheng remain silent, Qi Zibo leaned back in his chair. "Speak, what is your purpose in targeting my child?"
Wu Sheng: "In order to get in touch with you, and by the way, to atone for my sins and hope that the sect will recognize me."
In reality, he was away from home and had the idea of taking on a disciple. He thought he would find a good prospect in the Foundation Establishment group competition, but when he went there, he found out that it was Qi Zibo's disciple. He felt as uncomfortable as if he had eaten a pile of dog shit.
Qi Zibo didn't believe his explanation: "You can come directly to me instead of following a child."
Wu Sheng: "..."
Qi Zibo: "If you're still not going to tell me, then I'm leaving."
Wu Sheng glanced outside the door: "My spiritual energy is sealed by the magic artifact and I can't use it. You should set up a soundproof barrier first."
Qi Zibo flicked his finger to set up a barrier, "All done."
Wu Sheng: "I know that many people are currently struggling with the depletion of spiritual veins, but what if I said that a new spiritual vein will appear in the future? Would this news be enough for me to atone for my sins? In the future, I could also use it as an aid in the competition for spiritual veins."
"Is it so strange that an old spiritual vein has dried up and a new one has emerged?" Qi Zibo's voice was icy. "If you truly repent, you should go directly to the sect's Discipline Hall and find the sect leader, instead of coming to me."
Wu Sheng: "I am stating the facts. The other five major sects have already taken action."
"You've underestimated the Immortal Cloud Sect. I'll say it again: if you want to return to the sect, go find the sect leader, not me." Qi Zibo's tone remained unchanged. Talking to the person in front of him was a waste of time; he'd rather go back and watch Song Yin's competition.
"What happened back then was truly an accident!" Wu Sheng was anxious. Although Qi Zibo hadn't made a move, it was even more painful for him than if he had. He needed Qi Zibo's permission to return to the sect; otherwise, no matter how hard he tried, it would be in vain.
Qi Zibo turned his head and looked back. "But it's a fact that I almost died back then. Why do you think I would forgive you and let you into the sect? I didn't lay a hand on you today because the sect punished you back then, and because you have been on the righteous path for a thousand years and have not fallen into evil cultivation. When we meet again, I can't guarantee that I can speak to you as calmly as I can today."
When the city lord and his companions saw Qi Zibo come out, they went up to him and asked about the next course of action against Wu Sheng.
Qi Zibo: "Although I have a grudge against him, it has long been settled. Whether you want to send him away or recruit him is up to you, City Lord. Alchemy takes time. After the Alchemist Conference, I will give you the high-grade pills you need."
City Lord: "Thank you, Lord Shanyuan."
Qi Zibo flew back to the competition venue.
He sat back down and saw that only four contestants remained in the competition: Song Yin, Shao Yangtian, Bai Yuqing, and Li Fu.
Qi Zibo: "The results are still pending. I thought we'd find out who came in first place once we got back."
Dan Huajun: "You've come at the right time. The four of them have already finished their round, and all four have successfully advanced. If this continues, it will probably just be a competition of who can refine pills faster and produce better quality pills."
The four judges on stage were also waiting for the results. Unfortunately, the questions were already the most difficult, and all four of them successfully advanced. It's impossible for there to be four champions this year.
The four of them discussed in hushed tones.
Song Yin and the other contestants didn't understand what they were talking about. They only saw someone's expression change immediately, but then they were calmed down by their companions. Finally, they sent out a cultivator to ask questions, and when the cultivator returned, he brought the questions for the next round of the competition.
"After discussion, we have decided that your final test will be to refine pills on your own. You can confidently and boldly refine the pills that you are best at or the most difficult to refine. The winner will be selected based on the quality and difficulty of the pills."
"This..." Shao Yangtian looked towards the audience. He had many kinds of pills he was good at, but he didn't know which one was more suitable. He wanted to ask his master for guidance, but unfortunately this was a competition, and his master wouldn't help him.
So what kind of pill should he refine to win? It would definitely be a grade three pill, but he has never successfully refined a grade three pill before. Should he take the risk and try?
Bai Yuqing had already refined her best pills before, so to win, she had to refine a pill of similar difficulty that she hadn't tried before. After much thought, she finally chose to refine a Grade Two Zheng Yang Pill.
When Dan Huajun saw the spiritual herb Bai Yuqing chose, he knew that his little disciple wanted to challenge the Zheng Yang Dan. He inwardly approved, thinking that the Zheng Yang Dan was a good choice.
Li Fu was caught in a dilemma. Several names of second-grade pills flashed through his mind, but he rejected them one by one. He would have to rely on a miracle to win.
He placed his hands on the table, staring at the spiritual herbs on it, when suddenly a secret recipe he had seen before flashed through his mind: the Azure Nether Pill!
These rare pills represent a grade with each revolution, a second revolution with a grade two, and can reach a maximum of nine revolutions with a grade nine.
It's decided to use the second-stage Azure Nether Pill!
Song Yin remained still, observing the three men's choices with her arms crossed. She needed to confirm which pills they were refining before deciding what pills she would refine herself. Currently, Li Fu and Bai Yuqing had made their choices, leaving only Shao Yangtian unmoved.
Shao Yangtian recognized the pills that Bai Yuqing and Li Fu had refined. Zheng Yang Pills were not unusual, but the Second-Rank Azure Nether Pill was different. He even spent a while trying to discern it before confirming that Li Fu was going to refine the Second-Rank Azure Nether Pill.
Once the Second-Rank Azure Nether Pill is produced, other second-grade pills will find it difficult to compete, unless they are also made into extraordinary pills. No, there is another possibility, and that is a third-grade pill.
The atmosphere was tense as time ticked by. Finally, Shao Yangtian made up his mind to fight a desperate battle and risk refining a Grade 3 elixir, the Great Rejuvenation Pill, which he had failed to refine countless times.
Whispers took place on stage.
"What's going on? Why aren't those two moving?"
"Are they all disciples of the Immortal Firmament Sect?"
"Could it be that they're afraid? Or perhaps they can't think of an even more powerful pill to refine?"
On the other side, Dan Huajun asked Xin Huailiang, who was leading the team, "Why aren't the two from your Xianxiao Sect moving? Yu Qing and Li Fu have already started processing the spiritual herbs. If they don't act soon, they'll fall behind."
Xin Huailiang: "No rush." Shao Yangtian should be struggling with whether or not to refine a third-grade pill, but what is Song Yin waiting for?
Dan Huajun scoffed. Yu Qing was refining the Zheng Yang Pill, and although it was her first time, she had a 70-80% chance of success. That brat Li Fu actually risked refining the Second-Rank Azure Nether Pill. Rare pills are not easy to refine; otherwise, they wouldn't be called rare pills.
Finally, the sky over Shaoyang moved!
Song Yin's eyes flickered slightly as she watched Shao Yangtian's actions, observing him select the spiritual herbs and confirm that he intended to refine a Grade 3 Great Rejuvenation Pill.
The Third-Grade Great Rejuvenation Pill is a relatively simple formula among the third-grade pills.
Fortunately, she was smart and didn't act immediately. Knowing that Shao Yangtian was going to refine the Great Rejuvenation Pill, she naturally wanted to refine a pill that was even more difficult to refine than the Great Rejuvenation Pill.
Dan Huajun nearly plucked out several hairs from his beard. He turned to Xin Huailiang in shock, "Your disciple is actually going to refine the Great Rejuvenation Pill? He's only at the Foundation Establishment stage, and that's a third-grade pill!"
Xin Huailiang smirked. "Shao Yangtian has been challenging himself with third-grade pills for a long time because he mastered the refining of most second-grade pills many years ago. For him, third-grade pills are difficult to refine, so it doesn't matter if he fails this time." He glanced at Qi Zibo out of the corner of his eye. "Song Yin hasn't made a move yet. Could it be that she's been scared off by the others?"
Qi Zibo smiled but remained silent.
After a moment's thought, Song Yin identified the most difficult-to-obtain pill among the three grades: the Tai Su Tong Xin Pill.
She quickly selected the medicinal herbs she needed and began processing them.
Dan Huajun's eyes widened and her voice rose: "She's going to refine the Tai Su Tong Xin Pill?!"
His shout was heard by many people around him.
Xin Huailiang stood up abruptly, his gaze fixed on Song Yin. "The Tai Su Tong Xin Dan is considered a relatively difficult pill to make even among Golden Core cultivators. Has she gone mad?"
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Author's Note: Song Yin: Losing to me doesn't make you feel inferior [sunglasses]
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[Empty bowl]
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