A light snow fluttered over Crescent Moon Valley.
Inside the Pill Hall, the fragrance of tea curled through the air. Luo Chen held a book in his hands, reading with keen interest.
Footsteps sounded nearby, followed by a weary sigh.
Without looking up, he asked, "Failed again?"
"Yeah."
A muffled response came from Tang Quan, who looked thoroughly drained.
His lack of spirit stemmed partly from failing to concoct the Myriad Wonders Pill and partly from his low cultivation realm, which left his mind and spirit heavily depleted by the refinement process.
"Failure is normal. The birth of any low-grade pill is accompanied by hundreds, even thousands, of failed attempts."
Hearing Luo Chen's calm, completely unruffled tone, Tang Quan sighed again.
He had thought that because Luo Chen valued him enough to put him in charge of concocting the Myriad Wonders Pill, it proved he possessed some talent.
Yet over this past month, brewing one batch a day, every single attempt had failed.
The closest he had come to success was producing an unfinished half-product.
Looking at Luo Chen's breezy, nonchalant expression, Tang Quan couldn't help but wonder: could the gap between two people really be this vast?
Back then, Luo Chen had merely been a rogue cultivator with no master to instruct him and no gang to support him.
He had to gather every single medicinal ingredient himself.
Even so, he had managed to produce a graded pill like the Myriad Wonders Pill.
Compared to him, Tang Quan felt like complete trash.
He had even begun to doubt whether he had any talent for alchemy at all.
*Perhaps the Hall Master truly is a peerless alchemy genius rarely seen in hundreds or thousands of years. Otherwise, how could he have concocted mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills so quickly?*
Just as he turned to leave, his eyes caught the cover of the book Luo Chen was reading.
*The Dahe Prodigy Record*?
Tang Quan's curiosity was piqued at once. "Hall Master, are you interested in the Dao Discussion Platform fights?"
Luo Chen gave an affirmative hum. "A bit."
He had bought the book from a rogue cultivator on White Stone Square who went by the moniker "Dahe Know-It-All."
It compiled combat records, signature techniques, and other information on many cultivators listed on the Dahe Market Prodigy Roll.
"You won't find anything real in leisure books written from hearsay like that."
This time, Luo Chen looked up.
Tang Quan grinned. "For things like this, you have to talk to my uncle, Zeng Wen."
Luo Chen's eyes lit up!
Indeed, these leisure books were filled with wild exaggerations. According to their descriptions, mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators were invincible, while late-stage Qi Refining cultivators could tear the world apart.
Fellow Daoist Zeng Wen, however, was a regular on the Dao Discussion Platform!
Wouldn't it be far better to just ask him?
***
Five days later!
Beneath the jade wall of Fallen Phoenix Mountain, Luo Chen and Zeng Wen arrived side by side.
Well, not just the two of them—there was also a woman.
She leaned close to Zeng Wen, delicate and petite, with alluring peach-blossom eyes that crinkled charmingly when she smiled.
This was Zeng Wen's new partner. Supposedly, she came from an impoverished cultivation clan and possessed an untarnished background.
Due to the scarcity of Myriad Wonders Pills and his duties in the War Hall, Fellow Daoist Zeng Wen rarely visited Tianxiang Pavilion anymore.
Perhaps having turned over a new leaf, he now intended to settle down and start a family.
A ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivation was more than enough to make many helpless female cultivators view him favorably.
The woman's clan had also welcomed Zeng Wen warmly.
As a result, things were heating up rapidly between the two, with every indication that they would formally become Dao companions.
Seeing Luo Chen looking up at the information inscribed on the jade wall, Zeng Wen laughed heartily.
"Don't worry. I've watched that fellow take the platform several times. Although he's at the eighth layer of Qi Refining, he lacks artifacts. The only decent piece he can show off is a single high-grade flying sword."
"With your strength, little brother, as long as you handle it properly, taking him down won't be an issue at all!"
Luo Chen drew back his gaze, eager to test himself.
After signing up two days ago, his turn to compete had arrived today.
Before this, Zeng Wen—and even Duan Feng—had carefully selected an opponent for him and brainstormed ways to defeat him.
Considering that Luo Chen had put up a low-grade artifact as a stake and was only at the seventh layer of Qi Refining, the opponent, named Huang Bin, had accepted the challenge without hesitation.
Following the scheduling arranged by the cultivators of the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion, the match was set as the first bout of the afternoon.
"Let's head in!"
Luo Chen waved his hand, about to enter the passage.
Zeng Wen, however, told him to hold on.
Then, Zeng Wen began bustling about nearby.
First, he went to the Chenyue Snack Stall to buy a bag of popcorn, a bag of immortal beans, and a bottle of yellow pear wine, then hurried over to Mixue Bingcheng to purchase a cup of milk tea.
Handing the snacks and milk tea to the woman with peach-blossom eyes, Zeng Wen grinned at Luo Chen and slipped into a nearby gambling booth.
"Boss, ten spirit stones on Luo—"
He paused and looked back at Luo Chen.
Luo Chen sighed helplessly. If he wasn't chasing skirts, he was gambling now!
"Murong Yuan."
Zeng Wen chuckled. "Ten spirit stones on Murong Yuan to win. By the way, what are his odds against Huang Bin?"
The cultivator running the booth curled his lip. "You dare place a bet without even checking that?"
"Just supporting a brother, a token gesture!"
The booth keeper glanced at Luo Chen standing behind him and sneered. "Huang Bin is a veteran of the Dao Discussion Platform and has fought many matches. While he loses more often than he wins, he's experienced. This newcomer Murong Yuan can't compare to him in either realm or reputation."
"Because of that, the odds are skewed. Currently, it's five to one."
"Are you sure you want to back him?"
Needless to say, Zeng Wen placed the bet decisively.
Then, under Luo Chen's rolled eyes, they bought tickets and entered the passage together.
Zeng Wen and his female companion had to buy tickets, but Luo Chen didn't.
Once inside, Zeng Wen asked curiously, "Why pick an alias like Murong Yuan?"
"Isn't it to keep a low profile? What if I end up ranking first among Qi Refining cultivators someday?"
"Not that. I mean, where did the name come from? Murong..."
"Right, it's my sister-in-law Murong Qinglian's surname. Compound surnames sound elegant and classy! Besides, she usually treats me like a younger brother anyway and even wants to introduce me to a Dao companion."
Luo Chen casually explained the origin of his persona.
As for the "Yuan" in the name, that had also been borrowed from someone around him—the Yuan in Wang Yuan's name.
After chatting a bit, they parted ways as they approached the Dao Discussion Platform.
Luo Chen needed to enter the competitor waiting area.
Following a long passage and presenting his participant jade token, Luo Chen arrived at the waiting area.
In truth, it was a series of quiet rooms designated for resting and waiting before matches.
The moment he stepped into his assigned room, Luo Chen let out a soft exclamation of surprise.
How could such a small room possess such dense spiritual energy?
It far surpassed the residences in the inner city, falling only slightly short of his spiritual vein cave.
*No wonder so many cultivators are eager to compete. Who would have thought these waiting rooms would be prime cultivation spots?*
Luo Chen muttered to himself, soon recalling previous rumors.
The Rank 1 spiritual vein of Dahe Market was said to originate from the once-cordoned Fallen Phoenix Mountain.
Seeing this now, it seemed those rumors were true.
With Fallen Phoenix Mountain developed into the Dao Discussion Platform, the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion offered some benefits to attract an eager influx of competitors.
*If I didn't have my spiritual vein cave or my alchemy skills, and had a sufficient cultivation realm, I'd probably be obsessed with competing on the Dao Discussion Platform too.*
After resting in the quiet room for about two incense sticks' burn of time, the jade token in his hand flashed with brilliant light.
A detached voice sounded from it:
"First match of the afternoon: eighth-layer Qi Refining Huang Bin versus seventh-layer Qi Refining Murong Yuan!"
"Will both cultivators please step onto the platform!"
Luo Chen's heart gave a leap. Straightening his robes, he stepped out of the room and advanced along the corridor, one step at a time.
When he emerged from the underground compound, an earth-shattering wave of cheers suddenly washed over his ears.
As he drifted onto the elevated arena, the cheering swelled to a peak.
*Is this what Wang Yuan, Qin Liangchen, and the others felt when they fought on the stage?*
Luo Chen surveyed his surroundings. For a brief moment, he felt his blood boil with excitement.
Yet as his opponent, Huang Bin, arrived, that restless heart settled back into stillness, calm as a deep pool.
In truth, Luo Chen possessed a remarkable, innate talent for combat.
Unlike the alchemy talent he boasted about—which actually came from his system—his performance in battle had always been genuinely sharp.
Since crossing over to this world, he had experienced three battles in total.
The first time, despite lacking experience, he had relied on feigning death to pull off a counter-kill.
The second time, exploiting the contempt of his enemy Gao Ting'e, he launched a sudden, explosive assault and achieved a decisive victory.
And most recently, in the third battle, he maximized his speed advantage, laid out his traps with composure, and faced three foes at once, winning even more easily than in his first two encounters.
Luo Chen had gradually grown conscious of this talent of his.
That was why, leading up to this registration, he intended to familiarize himself with the state of live combat.
"I am Huang Bin. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."
"Murong Yuan. Please make your move."
"Very well, very well. Let us stop at a touch and preserve our harmony, what do you say?"
Looking at the genial smile on the middle-aged man's face, Luo Chen raised an eyebrow. What did he mean by that?
Showing weakness?
Or proposing a staged bout?
Thoughts raced through his mind, but the moment the referee gave the command, Luo Chen attacked without the slightest hesitation.
First, he pulled back and took to the air.
Then, the Fire-Tipped Spear clattered into his hands, pointing downward.
Spiritual power surged forth in torrents. The spear's dusty gray shaft lit up with red radiance, culminating in a spear tip glowing incandescent white.
"Not good!"
Huang Bin's expression shifted slightly. His opponent had clearly ignored his words entirely.
A flying sword, readied in advance, shot out with a blast.
*As expected, feigning weakness with traps prepared—good thing I'm a step ahead.*
Facing the incoming strike, Luo Chen's face was cool and resolute.
"Go!"
With a soft exhale, a storm of sparks rained down like a deluge.
Not only that, but Luo Chen flicked his finger, sending a waste Jade Marrow bead whistling through the rain of fire.
The hurtling flying sword struck the waste Jade Marrow bead head-on.
Accompanied by the bead's detonation, the sword shuddered and stalled.
Just as it moved to press forward again, more waste Jade Marrow beads arrived in rapid succession.
Below, Huang Bin was scrambling frantically to withstand the fiery downpour.
"What kind of artifact is this?"
"How can it be so bizarre?!"
He gritted his teeth, relying on his wooden shield's remaining durability while continuously using the Attraction Art to guide his flying sword, attempting to strike Luo Chen.
Observing his opponent's strained defense, Luo Chen grew thoughtful.
An eighth-layer Qi Refining opponent didn't seem particularly formidable.
Using only the Fire-Tipped Spear, he had already suppressed him this completely.
That said, the man's spiritual power was indeed robust; holding out this long without showing fatigue, he even had power to spare to direct his flying sword.
Still, that was all he could muster!
Shaking his head slightly, Luo Chen shoved his hands forward with heavy force.
Beneath the raining fire, the fiery spear transformed into a roaring dragon, lunging downward.
Confronted by this ferocious strike, Huang Bin's face drained of color.
"I concede!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the ninth-layer Qi Refining Jade Cauldron swordsman curled his lip and formed an incantation gesture.
The formation arranged around the Dao Discussion Platform hummed and trembled.
A light barrier expanded outwards.
Just before the mid-grade wooden shield shattered, the barrier enveloped Huang Bin in the nick of time.
Staring at the spinning spear tip halted inches before him, Huang Bin turned pale.
He had lost.
Just like that, defeated with utter ease.
"Fellow Daoist, fine artifact, fine methods!"
The fine artifact referred to the Fire-Tipped Spear.
The fine methods referred to the waste Jade Marrow beads Luo Chen used to repeatedly disrupt his high-grade flying sword.
Luo Chen cupped his hands, offered a faint smile, and drifted gracefully down from the platform.
Yet the moment he stepped outside the formation, what met his ears was not thunderous applause, but a wave of relentless curses.
"Match-fixing!"
"How does a seventh-layer Qi Refining cultivator beat an eighth-layer?"
"It's rigged! Return my spirit stones!"
"Why did it end so fast? That wasn't thrilling at all!"
"Nobody even bled, and that Huang Bin gave up way too quickly!"
"Could this Murong Yuan be a plant from the Sword Pavilion? Winning so easily, it's hard not to suspect foul play!"
Luo Chen's expression stiffened.
Once inside the underground compound, he couldn't resist spitting a curse:
*Damn degenerate gamblers!*
*Shouldn't you be cheering for such a brilliant debut?!*
Back in the underground complex, a Sword Pavilion cultivator brought him his rewards:
A ten spirit stone appearance fee, along with a low-grade artifact.
"No pills?"
The cultivator waved his hand. "This artifact was the pre-match wager placed by both sides. Pill rewards are only awarded to the top rankers at the end of the month."
Seeing Luo Chen's disappointment, he smiled. "Actually, after the fight, you can continue cultivating in the quiet rooms until we close the mountain tonight."
This was likely one of the hidden perks.
Luo Chen didn't mind either way. Turning around, he left the Dao Discussion Platform.
Outside, Zeng Wen and his female companion were already waiting for him.
"Ha! As expected of the man I had my eye on! Taking the stage for the first time and breezing past the enemy, just like I did back then."
Beside him, the woman's peach-blossom eyes curved into crescents as she gazed at Zeng Wen with adoration.
Luo Chen took a deep breath. Forget it—he wouldn't expose the man's past embarrassment of being beaten pale and drained of all spiritual power.
Knowing Zeng Wen still had to collect his winnings, Luo Chen didn't linger and headed straight home.
Closing the door, he circulated the Eternal Spring Art while monitoring his condition.
*I never noticed it before, but live combat really does help purify spiritual power.*
He could sense that as his spiritual power gradually recovered, it felt a fraction purer than before.
This purification did not stem from his cultivation art, but from his body's internal environment.
Whenever a Qi Refining cultivator broke through a minor realm, their dantian expanded to hold more spiritual power.
Yet upon reaching late Qi Refining, without breaking the physical shackles, the dantian's capacity reached a plateau, which would only expand again after Foundation Establishment.
Under this fixed capacity, spiritual power that was supposed to increase had nowhere to go.
Consequently, the body was forced into passive compression and purification, ultimately making the spiritual power purer than before.
*Still, isn't this purification effect far too weak?*
Luo Chen's brow furrowed.
If he had to rely on fighting like this, when would he ever purify his spiritual power to the point of mounting a perfect Foundation Establishment attempt?
Luo Chen began to understand why rogue cultivators never bothered with this process at the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
The reason was simple: at the seventh layer, the dantian still had plenty of room to expand.
The passive compression and purification were far too faint.
In fact, during intense battles, expending spiritual power faster than it could recover could even hinder normal cultivation progress.
Only at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, or at peak completion, would spiritual power purification achieve maximum efficiency.
*It seems I can't pin my hopes entirely on combat.*
Luo Chen's gaze shifted to his attribute panel.
The proficiency of the Eternal Spring Art was gradually approaching Great Perfection.
At the Grandmaster tier, the Eternal Spring Art already provided automatic recovery of qi and cleared meridians.
Once it reached Great Perfection, perhaps it would remedy the art's lack of spiritual power purification.
Luo Chen's speculation was straightforward.
Mi Shuhua had mentioned that the Eternal Spring Art was derived from the Medicine King Sect's Ageless Evergreen Scripture, which originally possessed such functions.
However, great sects simplified lower-grade manuals time and time again.
Aside from basic Qi Refining, many unique subtleties had been stripped away.
Moreover, Luo Chen already had a backup plan.
Even if the Great Perfection Eternal Spring Art lacked such an effect, he didn't mind spending plenty of time polishing himself once he reached the pinnacle of Qi Refining.
Chapter 114