I Am Zeng Wen, and Today I'll Take On Ten!

Zeng Wen was a cultivator at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement and a long-time resident of the inner city. He had once held high hopes for the path of Foundation Establishment. Regrettably, he had suffered damage to his foundation during a fight in his earlier years, leaving him with no hope of ever reaching Foundation Establishment in this life. Yet even with an injured foundation, his battle prowess remained intact. He was in the prime of his strength and vigor, so he was rarely strapped for spending money. Even when he ran out of spirit stones, a trip into the Million Mountains—so long as he stayed out of the interior and only circled the outer rim to hunt down a Rank 1 demon beast or two—was more than enough to earn him a tidy sum. As for what he spent the money on? Whor—ahem, enjoying fine food, fine wine, and beautiful women, of course! Lately, he had been feeling a bit short on funds and was planning a trip into the mountains. That was why he was rummaging through roadside stalls, looking to pick up a few talismans, purchase a few bottles of pills, and grab one or two handy dharma artifacts. It had to be said that although a trek into the mountains offered a strong chance of earning good money, the wear and tear each time was heavy. Those demon beasts were exceedingly crude, their hides thick and coarse, and they constantly damaged his dharma artifacts. They were nothing like the beauties of Tianxiang Pavilion, who polished his artifact until it gleamed sleek and bright every single time. Still, his luck was fairly good today. He had snagged a Qi-Concealing Talisman, and while he had previously looked down his nose at the Fasting Powder made by the kid next to Old Daoist Chen, the quality this time seemed no worse than what the Spirit Herb Pavilion offered. Consequently, he bought five bottles to give them a try. Just as he was about to leave, however, the kid called out to him. "Fellow Daoist, would you care to learn about the Myriad Wonders Pill?" "The Myriad Wonders Pill? What's that?" In a hushed whisper, Luo Chen said, "'The Dao that can be spoken of is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth; the named is the mother of all things.'" The plump cultivator Zeng Wen was utterly bewildered. What did that even mean? *Are you playing tongue twisters with me?* Taking a deep breath, Luo Chen adopted the solemn tone of someone passing down secret esoteric lore. "'Therefore, ever desireless, one may contemplate its subtle wonders; ever desiring, one may behold its manifestations. These two spring from the same source but differ in name; both are called mystery. Mystery upon mystery, the gateway to myriad wonders.'" Having recited this, he fixed his eyes on Zeng Wen. "Fellow Daoist, do you comprehend the meaning behind these words?" Zeng Wen nodded hesitantly, then shook his head. "I don't understand, but it sounds terribly profound." Luo Chen could not help giving him a thumbs-up! "As expected of a great senior cultivator at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, far beyond my humble realm! Hearing it for the very first time, you already sensed its profound depth." Zeng Wen blinked. *Did I?* Well, that made sense. This kid was only at the third layer of Qi Refinement; how could he possibly understand verses that sounded so immensely powerful? "Still, what does any of this have to do with the Myriad Wonders Pill you mentioned?" Luo Chen pursed his lips and lowered his voice further. "Fellow Daoist, are you familiar with the tale of that giant of the Hehuan Sect, Mister Yun Zhonghe?" "Oh, you mean Master Yunhe, right?" "No, it is Yun Zhonghe!" "Huh?" "A Master's sacred title cannot be lightly uttered or disrespected. You and I need only refer to him as Yun Zhonghe." "Got it. Go on!" "Back then, he cultivated the core art of the Hehuan Sect to its absolute pinnacle, and while only at early Core Formation, he overpowered a Rank 4 Beast Emperor. Surely you know that tale like the back of your hand?" Zeng Wen nodded. Who didn't know that story? Especially a seasoned brothel patron like him, who practically lived at Tianxiang Pavilion. Whenever he chatted with the ladies, conversations like this were bound to crop up every two or three visits: "Where are you from, miss?" "The outer sect of the Hehuan Sect?" "I know that place! Your sect had a Master Yunhe, right? Utterly legendary! Hailed as the number one cultivator beneath the Nascent Soul realm!" "A pity that as magnificent as he was, the Hehuan Sect isn't a wholesome place after all. Since you're trapped in this predicament, miss, why not free yourself from this sea of bitterness sooner rather than later?" Whenever the sentiment ran deep, they would inevitably end up weeping in each other's arms, lamenting the grueling hardships of the immortal path. Unaware of the rich inner drama playing out in the senior's head, Luo Chen pressed forward with his sales pitch. "To overpower a Rank 4 Beast Emperor with a mere Core Formation body—what a glorious feat! From this alone, one can see what earth-shattering divine abilities he comprehended from the core art of the Hehuan Sect!" "Indeed. Who wouldn't have wanted to witness such splendor? Alas, I, Zeng Wen, was born two hundred years too late." Zeng Wen sighed, his tone desolate. "Though you cannot witness the majesty of Mister Yun Zhonghe in person, you can still experience a glimmer of it." "Oh? How so?" "That verse of extraordinary profundity and inexplicable might I just recited is rumored to be one of Mister Yun Zhonghe's personal insights." "Is that real or fake?" "This junior cannot say for sure either. However, many years ago, I acquired a fragment of an incomplete pill recipe in the market, reputedly originating from Heavenly Blade Peak!" Zeng Wen's eyes widened, his lips trembling slightly. "The very place where that Rank 4 Demon Crane Emperor made its nest back then?" "Perhaps! Sadly, the recipe was far too degraded and vanished into smoke after a single viewing. Pressed for time, this junior managed to commit only a tiny fraction to memory, from which I painstakingly developed a Rank 1 pill." Luo Chen looked slightly downcast, his expression brimming with unavoidable regret. Zeng Wen grew excited. "If that's true, even a mere sliver of its essence must be extraordinary! What does this Myriad Wonders Pill do?" Luo Chen tilted his head downward, a bashful look on his face. "Truth be told, I am ashamed to say that the Myriad Wonders Pill possesses no grand miraculous function. It merely offers a slight potency for invigorating vigor, enhancing pleasure, and fortifying one's foundation." It could enhance pleasure *and* fortify one's foundation! Could such a miraculous spirit pill truly exist in this world? Lately, Zeng Wen had already been feeling somewhat inadequate during his battles between the sheets. He felt as though he had just stumbled upon the supreme treasure of his life. With Foundation Establishment out of reach, perhaps the Myriad Wonders Pill could serve as the sanctuary for the rest of his days! "Is it this one?" Zeng Wen pointed toward the innermost corner of the stall, at an exquisitely crafted jade bottle that clearly stood apart from the rest. Luo Chen nodded. "This junior is dull of wit. Putting all my life's learning on the line, I barely managed to concoct a single bottle. If Senior wishes to experience the barest fraction of Mister Yun Zhonghe's Grand Dao, I am willing to part with it at a low price. Eight low-grade spirit stones... No, Senior and I feel like old friends at first sight—let us say five!" Without the slightest hesitation, Zeng Wen picked up the jade bottle and pulled open the soft stopper. A refreshing, soul-stirring fragrance drifted out. At the very first whiff, a restless heat stirred in his lower abdomen. Taking another breath, pure spiritual energy rushed into his nostrils. Faintly, it felt as though surging ocean waves were crashing against the shore, standing proud and defiant against a blazing sun in the sky. Peering closely with the sharp eyesight of a cultivator at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, he saw a dark-crimson pill the size of a longan fruit, wobbling and rolling like set jelly. "The harmony of yin and yang, the blending of water and fire... It truly carries a hint of what Lady Yuxiang of Tianxiang Pavilion spoke of—the aura of the dragon and tiger converging when the Hehuan Sect's core art reaches the Core Formation stage!" "Done! This elder brother feels like an old friend of yours too. I'm taking this bottle!" "Five spirit stones, right? Take them!" Flattered and overwhelmed, Luo Chen tucked the spirit stones securely into his robe. "Take care on your way, Senior! I'll still be right here next month. If you ever have need of it, please feel free to look for me. And if there is anything unsatisfactory about the Myriad Wonders Pill, do speak frankly—this junior will do everything in his power to refine it for you!" With eyes full of tender warmth, Luo Chen watched the great ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator Zeng Wen recede into the distance until he vanished from sight. Luo Chen let out a long breath of relief. The very first sale of the new product was finally closed. Once a stranger, twice an acquaintance—the next customer surely wouldn't be far off. He rolled his neck, feeling a bit stiff in the shoulders. Casting a sideways glance, he found Old Daoist Chen Xiuping staring at him, utterly dumbfounded. Chen's beard trembled, his lips quivered, and at last he ground out through clenched teeth: "Never in all my days have I witnessed someone so brazenly shameless!" Heh heh! Luo Chen cupped his hands with a grin. Reaching into his robes, he produced another exquisite jade bottle and set it neatly among the remaining fifteen bottles of Fasting Powder. Old Daoist Chen drew in a sharp hiss, as though air were whistling through his teeth. "Didn't you say you only refined one bottle?" "It *was* one batch! Ten pills to a batch, and I divided them into ten bottles to sell. That's called small profits and quick returns!" Clenched! His fists were clenched rock-hard! Old Daoist Chen felt as if he had met the rarest adversary of his entire life! *** At noon that very day, Zeng Wen channeled the Wind Riding Technique, transforming into a streak of azure light that charged straight into Tianxiang Pavilion. A female cultivator at Foundation Establishment stepped out to bar his way, stating flatly that the ladies were resting and that they were not receiving guests for the moment. Exuding the full, towering presence of a peak ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator, Zeng Wen glared straight at the mighty Foundation Establishment senior and roared: "I am Zeng Wen, and today I shall take on ten!"