Dustfall Pill, Spirit-Nurturing Pellet, Chu Kui Challenges Danyangzi!

"Dustfall Pill..." "What a dreary name!" In the quiet room, Luo Chen looked at the Tier 2 pill formula in his hand and offhandedly complained. A perfectly good spirit pill—why name it Dustfall Pill? Didn't they know that his own name had the word "Chen" in it as well? Despite his grumbling, as Luo Chen looked upon this pill formula that had never before appeared in the cultivation world, his eyes were brimming with pleasant surprise. This was actually a cultivation-type pill formula! However, unlike conventional spirit pills that extracted the essence of medicinal ingredients and fused them into a single pill, this Dustfall Pill took an entirely different path. The fundamental essence of the path of Qi Refinement was refining essence into qi, and refining qi into spirit! The so-called "refining essence into qi" fell within the scope of the three realms: Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, and Core Formation. It referred to extracting energy from the human body's primordial essence to break through realms, ultimately achieving the Great Pill of the human body—the Golden Core. Yet the frailty of the human body fell far short of the myriad races of the world. From mere mortal flesh, how much essence could possibly be refined? Thus, ancient sages of the human race devised a method of cultivation by absorbing free spiritual qi from heaven and earth. In this sense, the orthodox cultivation method of the cultivation world had already departed from the original path of refining one's own essence into qi. Or rather, it was still on that path, but what was refined was no longer one's personal essence, but the essence of heaven and earth. Moreover, after achieving modest success in cultivation, a cultivator would naturally condense essence blood containing essence, qi, and spirit within the body, nourishing the physique in return! Yet this Dustfall Pill ran contrary to that, tracing things back to their roots and returning to the most fundamental path of refining essence into qi. Upon consuming this pill, it would rapidly extract a vast amount of essence from the cultivator's physique and convert it into spiritual qi, thereby accelerating cultivation. Dustfall Pill, Dustfall Pill. If taken in excess, the celestial spirit body that had undergone marrow-washing and tendon-cleansing would gradually degrade back to the constitution of mortal dust. Hence, it earned the name "Dustfall." Seen this way, the name was indeed exceedingly apt. "As for refining essence into qi, I'm not unfamiliar with it in the slightest." "When Spirit Clarification Evil Banishing was first created, it relied on the stimulation of fiend qi to transform blood and qi into spiritual qi, allowing a martial arts grandmaster to embark upon the path of immortal cultivation." "The two share remarkable similarities. One relies on fiend qi, while the other relies on the power of medicinal pills." "It's just that the Dustfall Pill is excessively crude and brute-force, carrying almost the flavor of demonic sect pills. Long-term consumption would likely cause tremendous harm to a cultivator's physique." Murmuring to himself, Luo Chen could almost envision a cultivator taking this pill over an extended period. A physique that had once been cleansed of marrow and restructured in sinew would gradually turn as frail and feeble as a mortal's. Yet he also thought of another possibility. If a cultivator who was already accomplished in body tempering consumed this pill, could they accelerate their cultivation while ensuring their physique did not drop to a perilous state? Luo Chen reflexively glanced at his attribute panel. [Realm: Foundation Establishment Level Five 2/100, Blood River Realm 50/100] With a hundred meridians unblocked, and through years of persevering with the Five Viscera Health-Nourishing Fist, he had already completed the two minor realms of unblocking meridians and tempering viscera. Leaving aside the five levels—clearing apertures, as well as the overt, covert, neutralizing, and core forces—he could already be considered accomplished in body tempering. If he expended this foundation in body cultivation to take the Dustfall Pill, how much spiritual qi could he gain? How much could his immortal cultivation realm advance? And if paired with other spirit medicines beneficial to body tempering, such as pills like Golden Quality Jade Liquid, could he prevent his physique from declining? Luo Chen did not know the exact details. With a sense of regret, he tucked this pill formula away into his robes. Right now was not the ideal time to study this Tier 2 pill formula! With his alchemical aptitude, it was impossible to master a Tier 2 pill formula in a short period to the point of being able to refine it directly. Perhaps the Seven Azure Pill Prodigies had such innate talent, but right now, he definitely did not. However! He had the system at his disposal. When the time came, he could simply initiate it to entry-level directly without wasting much effort. From this perspective, he already held victory firmly in hand for the second round of pill refinement. "Achievement points are hard to come by. Using them to bring a Tier 2 formula to entry-level is putting them to good use, but doing that for a Tier 1 formula would be a bit of a losing trade." Luo Chen murmured, taking out the transcript of the Tier 1 pill formula. He planned to make use of these fifteen days to study this formula thoroughly. With his insight and alchemy attainments, a mere Tier 1 formula shouldn't be difficult to grasp. "Spirit-Nurturing Pill?" "Another pill I've never seen or heard of." "The Grand Pill Academy of Azure Pill Valley really has formidable research capability, producing two brand-new pill formulas back-to-back." *** Because the sound-isolating array blocked everything, no matter how heated the battles outside became, Luo Chen could neither see nor hear nor know of them. It was not until late at night that the clamor outside gradually subsided. The Tao clan cultivators excitedly discussed the day's battle results. From their joyful expressions, the arena battles today seemed to have gone well. However, whenever anyone passed by Luo Chen's room, they instinctively slowed their steps and lowered their voices. The person inside was a pivotal figure who would influence the second round! Inside the deliberation hall. Tao Wan looked at the four people seated below: Tao Daonan, Qi Lingyun, Tan Xiao, and Tao Yisheng, who was qualified to attend as an observer. She spoke slowly: "On the first day, we secured a spot on an arena platform. Thanks to Senior Brother Qi and Senior Brother Tan giving their all." Tan Xiao shook his head. "During the previous Dao Seed contest, I personally took part, yet in the end, I didn't even secure one of the nine Grand True Disciple seats. This time around, it feels like bullying the younger generation." Tao Wan chuckled softly. "The junior brothers who came to challenge us also have senior brothers under their banner who took part in the Dao Seed contest decades ago. They belong to your generation, so how could it be considered bullying?" When she said this, the guilt in Tan Xiao's heart faded considerably. Indeed. There were many like him who had been disappointed in the previous contest! Not only had they failed to compete for the Dao Seed, they hadn't even secured a Grand True Disciple position that could grant a portion of skewed resource allocation. Therefore, for the sake of Core Formation, they would never let slip this suddenly convened second Dao Seed contest! Even though they were over a hundred and fifty years old and could not directly compete for a Grand True Disciple slot, they could achieve their goal indirectly by aiding eligible disciples. Once the disciples they backed seized the position of Dao Seed, they could obtain resources through them that were on par with what a Grand True Disciple received in the past. Because the interval was so short, there were many late Foundation Establishment cultivators like Tan Xiao entering the fray a second time. This made the first day's arena battles unprecedentedly fierce! In the past, there hadn't been so many late Foundation Establishment cultivators taking part; mostly, it had been a mixed contest of late and mid Foundation Establishment cultivators. Qi Lingyun also smiled and said, "Within Azure Pill Valley, aside from Eldest Martial Brother Danyangzi, Junior Sister Wanwan's natural talent and brilliance make you the undisputed choice. If you don't become the Dao Seed, who is worthy?" As he spoke, an unmistakable, surging warmth burned in his gaze. Tao Wan slightly averted her eyes from that ardent look. Instead, she brought up something else. "Everyone saw it today—there were hardly any challengers for the arena platform occupied by Eldest Martial Brother. This doesn't align with the strategy we decided on earlier." At this mention, Qi Lingyun frowned. "Are the others afraid?" Tan Xiao hesitated before saying, "Although Eldest Martial Brother is all alone without helpers, he has been the Dao Seed for decades and commands immense awe. It's only natural that junior brothers and sisters don't dare challenge him." The youngest, Tao Yisheng, said worriedly, "But in that case, won't he be able to conserve his strength and pass the fifteen days of arena attrition unscathed?" At these words, everyone fell somewhat silent. With Danyangzi's capabilities, if he wasn't worn down during these fifteen days, he would certainly breeze through the second round as well. Once it reached the third round, with his superior ranking, he would not be someone whom newcomers like Tao Wan could withstand. Indeed. Even though their ages were comparable, Danyangzi was genuinely a predecessor. Blessed with exceptional talent, he had seized the Dao Seed position decades ago at Foundation Establishment Level Eight. Now at Foundation Establishment Level Nine, he was likely not far from peak Foundation Establishment. Newcomers to Foundation Establishment Level Nine like Tao Wan and Shangguan Yan were hardly his match in direct confrontation. Amid the silence, Tao Daonan's aged voice spoke up. "No need to be anxious! For the first few days, first secure the position of Grand True Disciple. Later on, when the rankings among the True Disciples are at stake, no one will ignore Danyangzi, the greatest threat. That will be his most difficult time!" Hearing this, the group felt enlightened, instantly understanding. The contest had not yet reached the white-hot phase! When that time came, Danyangzi would not be facing one or two sporadic challengers, but rather a deliberate battle of attrition waged by the other eight Grand True Disciples! Tao Wan felt reassured and said, "Senior Brother Qi, Senior Brother Tan, you two are tired today as well. Go rest early and recover your spiritual power. We may need to trouble you again tomorrow." The two did not decline. After advancing to late Foundation Establishment, a cultivator's spiritual power was several times greater than before, but it still could not withstand massive squandering. Especially since the arena battles were a prolonged war of attrition, daily meditation and recovery were essential. After the two departed, Tao Wan looked toward Tao Daonan first. "Patriarch, what did the Fu clan say?" Tao Daonan said slowly, "Several families have already reached agreements with the Fu clan. They will send people to challenge Danyangzi one after another. There is no way they will allow him to enter the final True Disciple Sword Contest in pristine condition!" With that, Tao Wan was at ease. Then, she looked toward Tao Yisheng. "Is Danchenzi over there still researching the formulas all by himself?" Tao Yisheng scratched his head and was about to speak when he saw Tao Wan's sharp gaze. He instinctively pulled back his hand and stopped scratching. His elder sister had told him that these small mannerisms were signs of immaturity and should be avoided as much as possible. He pulled his thoughts together and said seriously, "Brother Luo is indeed researching alone, barring all visitors and assistance." Hearing this, Tao Wan's brow furrowed. Tao Daonan was also perplexed. "The other alchemists have all hired large numbers of herb apprentices and fire tenders to help them test the properties of various materials in the formulas. Is this Luo Chen really so arrogant?" "It's not arrogance, it's confidence!" Tao Yisheng said, carrying absolute trust in Luo Chen. "With Brother Luo's alchemy attainments, he knows the vast majority of low-tier medicinal materials inside and out. He doesn't need anyone else to help him test them." "Still..." Tao Daonan was cautious and prudent and wanted to say more, but Tao Wan cut him off. "Let him be. The roster has already been finalized; it's impossible to change candidates now anyway." Hearing this, Tao Daonan looked at Tao Wan in confusion. If Tao Yisheng had confidence in Luo Chen, he could understand—after all, he had recently learned that Tao Yisheng's rapid progress in alchemy was thanks to Luo Chen's guidance. But why was Tao Wan so confident as well? Faced with his doubt, Tao Wan offered no explanation. Gazing out at the dark night, her eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't necessarily have complete faith in Luo Chen's alchemy, but rather had a sufficient understanding of his determination to obtain high-grade pills. If he didn't want to miss this opportunity, he would never slack off in the second round. All they needed to do was secure the best possible ranking in the first round! *** Let the winds and rain rage outside, Luo Chen stood steadfast and unmoved. Regarding the research on the Spirit-Nurturing Pellet formula, he worked day and night without pause, having reached a crucial stage. This was not a pill meant for human consumption. It was a pill for monster beasts—or rather, spirit beasts. When ordinary sects and clans reared monster beasts to tame them into spirit beasts, they often required massive amounts of fresh flesh and blood! High-tier spirit beasts were fine, having learned to inhale and exhale the essence of the sun and moon and absorb the spiritual qi of heaven and earth to convert into monster qi. However, low-tier spirit beasts had yet to develop spiritual intelligence; their instinct for raw flesh was carved into their bones. Under such circumstances, it was manageable in places like Dahe Market near the Million Mountains, where there were ample channels to purchase various kinds of fresh flesh and blood. In the peaceful inland regions, however, there was no such convenience. Meat transported from outside was often not fresh and was exorbitantly priced. This was evident from when Luo Chen had bid on the corpse of a Tier 2 monster beast at Snow Lotus Hall. Consequently, if one only reared one or two mountain-guarding spirit beasts, the cost was within bearable limits. But to rear an entire herd of spirit beasts on a large scale, the price was simply too steep. There just wasn't that much fresh meat! Therefore, the grandmaster alchemists of the Grand Pill Academy researched this new formula for Spirit-Nurturing Pellets based on that need. The primary ingredient remained a certain kind of raw meat favored by spirit beasts, but it accounted for only a tiny fraction. The rest was blended with other medicinal herbs, ores, and spiritual liquids, finally fused into a single pill. Consuming this could tremendously alleviate the pressure on raw meat supplies. And those other raw materials were things that cultivators in the cultivation world could mass-produce. Thus, costs were dramatically reduced. "In my past life on Earth, wouldn't this thing just be animal feed?" Once he understood the principle behind the pill, Luo Chen curled his lip. Its refinement difficulty was not high at all. In fact, it was much simpler than Jade Marrow Pills, which required processing Huanyu jade. As long as one understood the relevant pill theory and matched it with the appropriate alchemical techniques to refine and blend the components, the pill would form. "Makes sense!" "If the refinement difficulty were very high, they wouldn't have given only fifteen days of preparation time." "The core focus of the competition should still be on that Dustfall Pill." After murmuring to himself, Luo Chen plunged into actual refinement without hesitation. The Grand Pill Academy had already prepared all the materials. Even the earth fire and pill furnace required for alchemy were fully equipped. Five days later! Through Luo Chen's sleepless experimentation, a furnace of Spirit-Nurturing Pellets finally emerged successfully. From just this single furnace, there were a full thirty complete pellets! This yield already surpassed the standard of Jade Marrow Pills, which yielded only twenty pills per batch of raw materials. Clearly, the difficulty was indeed very low! Having produced the finished product, Luo Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Without a word, he climbed straight into bed and fell sound asleep. During this period, between analyzing the formula and independently experimenting with refinement, he was truly exhausted. Yet it was all worth it. As for that Dustfall Pill formula, after a cursory study, he had already used the system to bring it to entry-level. Next, he only needed to wait for the second round to begin. While others were still painstakingly experimenting, he could conserve his energy and wait at ease! He slept through an entire night and half a day. The next day. Amid the sea of people at the arena battles, Luo Chen quietly arrived beside Tao Yisheng. "What's the situation now?" "Whoa!" Tao Yisheng jumped in surprise. He hadn't expected Luo Chen to emerge from seclusion after just ten days. What this signified, he knew better than anyone. Before he could even ask how things were going, Luo Chen looked up in astonishment toward the platform elevated to the very highest point. A burly man wielding a dark-yellow staff stepped onto that arena platform beneath the watchful eyes of thousands. "He clan consecrated elder Chu Kui requests battle with Dao Brother Danyangzi!"