I Shall Seal The Heavens

by Srtyi

What I want, the Heavens shall not lack! What I don’t want, had better not exist in the Heavens!” This is a story which originates between the Eighth and Ninth Mountains, the world in which the strong prey upon the weak. “My Name is Meng Hao! The Ninth Generation Demon Sealer, I shall seal the Heavens! “

8. 211

Read I Shall Seal the Heavens - Chapter 211 online free - Novel Full

Chapter 211: A Despicable Name

Soon, the old man brought Meng Hao and the young woman to their destination. It was a very large mountain valley, filled with a variety of buildings. Off in the distance were areas devoted to growing medicinal plants. As soon as they arrived, Meng Hao could smell a fragrant aroma wafting through the air.

There were many young people in the valley, all of whom wore short, light yellow garments. Some were picking medicinal plants and others were lost in thought as they studied jade slips. Some sat beneath the evening sunshine, staring at medicinal plants which they held in their hands. The plants swayed back and forth in a very bizarre fashion.

After landing, the old man flicked his sleeve and cried, "Bai Yunlai!" 1 The young people nearby all looked up. Catching sight of the old man, their faces filled with respect, and they saluted with clasped hands.

An average-sized young man ran out of one of the buildings and approached them. He looked to be about thirty years of age.

"Master Xu, sir, I'm here," he said in a flattering tone. "What orders do you have? I can help you with absolutely anything."

The old man glared at him. "These are two new apprentice alchemists who just joined the Sect. Explain things to them and then take them to get their medallions." With that, the old man turned to look at Meng Hao and the young woman. He nodded encouragingly, then transforming into a beam of light and shot away.

Now that the old man was gone, the surrounding youths ignored Meng Hao and the others and continued on with their various activities. They didn't seem to have any good or bad will toward Meng Hao whatsoever. Their expressions were calm and even.

Meng Hao was going to have to get used to being in a Sect like this. Life in the Reliance Sect had been very different. This was now the second Sect he had joined. He sighed inwardly.

The young woman next to him clasped hands toward Bai Yunlai and said, "Greetings, Elder Brother Bai."

"Hey, no Elders here, and no need for saluting." Bai Yunlai laughed heartily, looking back and forth between Meng Hao and the young woman. "You two came just at the right time. Most of the apprentice alchemists in the Sect have been very busy with the Pill Auction. There aren't very many people left behind. Alright, you two don't worry. With Old Bai here, you'll quickly get into the swing of things. Come come. Let's walk around a bit, and I'll introduce the place to you." After asking their names, Bai Yunlai led the way as they began to walk around.

"If you want a description of the Violet Fate Sect's East Pill Division, well, that's a massive topic. There are no less than a hundred valleys just like this one. Each one is home to nearly a thousand apprentice alchemists. Most of our time is spent growing medicinal plants, memorizing the names of various medicines, and occasionally harvesting the plants. Do you know who the most tired people in the whole Southern Domain are? Us Violet Fate Sect apprentice alchemists, that's who!

"One hundred thousand apprentice alchemists, each with their own work to do. Actually, we have to participate in all the different activities. We need to memorize the names of over one hundred thousand medicinal plants, we have to care for the growing plants, plus we have to find time to practice Cultivation. If we didn't do that, then we wouldn't be able to catalyze the plants into growth. As for you two, well, you'll figure everything out eventually.

"Us apprentice alchemists are real peons. Only if you stick out like an awl poking through a sack, and distinguish yourself in some way, can you possibly become a master alchemist and study true alchemy. Then Inner Sect disciples will come looking for you to concoct pills. According to Sect rules, they have to provide compensation to us when we concoct pills for them. It's always a good day when that happens.

"Too bad there are one hundred thousand apprentice alchemists. How many do you think become master alchemists? There are only a thousand in the entire Sect! It's so difficult!"

Bai Yunlai spoke very quickly as he led Meng Hao and the young woman through various valleys.

"See here? This is one of the places where only master alchemists can go. We aren't allowed in…." They continued on. "This area belongs to the Violet Qi Division, although it's not the Inner Sect, just the Outer Sect." Bai Yunlai had led the two of them to one of the valleys toward the front of the Sect. Here were congregated quite a few Cultivators of the Violet Qi Division. Courteous expressions appeared on their faces when they saw Bai Yunlai. It seemed he was a relatively influential person within the Sect.

Meng Hao cleared his throat and then said some flattering things to Bai Yunlai, who instantly looked very happy and said, "You know, I know almost everything about the Sect, and there aren't many things I can't take care of. Junior Brother Fang, if you ever have any problems in the future, you just come look for me and I'll take care of everything for you."

Suddenly, Bai Yunlai stopped in his tracks. He pointed up toward the center of the valley, where an iron spear was stabbed into the side of the mountain. The spear was bent, and having been exposed to the wind and rain, was covered in rust.

Bai Yunlai looked around, then lowered his voice and said, "Do you see that iron spear? There's a story behind it."

A strange expression appeared on Meng Hao's face. He had noticed this valley when they'd flown past earlier. He looked up at the spear, coughing slightly, and feigning extreme interest.

"Do you know who put that spear there? It was Wu Dingqiu of the senior generation. They say that ten years ago, on a dark and stormy night, Elder Wu returned to the Sect in a foul rage, with that spear in his hand. He threw it with all his might, and it landed right there!

"According to the rumors from that year, he wanted all the Outer Sect disciples to remember the shame caused by that spear. He said, 'You fools are always stupid to the point of death! If you keep being this stupid, you really will die one day!'" Bai Yunlai's voice was very quiet as he spoke, and yet extremely vivid. The young woman's eyes went wide as she listened.

Meng Hao spontaneously gave another light cough.

"Where did the spear come from?" asked the young woman.

"Where did it come from? Heh heh. You might not believe it. According to the legend, ten years ago, a group of Outer Sect disciples participated in an Outer Sect promotion test. It was held in an extremely dangerous location, where they met a vile creature of a man. That guy ended up selling the iron spear to the two strongest of the disciples!

"The price they paid reduced them to poverty and ruin. They even borrowed Spirit Stones from fellow disciples to pay for it. They thought it was a precious treasure, which was why they bought it. Ai, it wasn't until a few years ago that they finally paid back all the Spirit Stones. Anyway, when Wu Dingqiu heard what happened he felt it was an utter humiliation. And he was the leader of the group! What do you two think, was that man despicable or what?" 2

The young woman had been listening with wide eyes and gaping mouth. She looked up at the iron spear, which looked in all respects to be completely normal. She couldn't understand why the two strongest of the disciples would waste so much money on it.

Meng Hao felt a little guilty. Then he noticed that Bai Yunlai was looking at him, so he nodded and solemnly said, "That fellow is definitely matchlessly despicable. It's enough to make one's hair bristle with anger!" Actually, after meeting Qian Shuihen and Lu Song back in the Song Clan, he had guessed that the matter from that year had had a profoundly negative effect on the two of them, which continued on down to this day.

What he had never imagined was that it actually affected the entire Violet Fate Sect. Suddenly, he felt a bit sorry for Qian Shuihen and Lu Song. And now he understood why they had been gnashing their teeth with fury back at the Song Clan.

Bai Yunlai sighed and shook his head. "The spear is here as a reminder to all Violet Fate Outer Sect disciples. They are never to forget this matter…."

"Who was the person who sold them the spear?" asked the young woman, her curiosity piqued.

"His name is Meng Hao," said Bai Yunlai quietly. "Have you heard of him? Recently, everybody in the Southern Domain has been talking about him. At the Song Clan search for a son-in-law, he revealed himself as the successor of the Sublime Spirit Scripture. He's the same person who was involved in that scandal with Chu Yuyan."

"Meng Hao?" said the young woman, gaping.

"Quiet!" said Bai Yunlai quickly. "That name is taboo in the Violet Fate Sect! No one dares to speak it aloud…."

Meng Hao stood off to the side, feeling even more guilty. He continued to clear his throat. He suddenly had the feeling that coming to the Violet Fate Sect might not have been the best decision.

It was at this time that his facial expression suddenly flickered. He had just caught sight of a beam of light approaching from the distance. It transformed into a grim-faced young man who stared ferociously at Bai Yunlai. This was none other than… Qian Shuihen.

"Bai Yunlai, what are you doing sticking around here?! Why haven't you moved on?!"

Bai Yunlai suddenly shivered, and a flattering expression appeared on his face.

"Elder Brother Qian, I'm just showing these two apprentice alchemists around the Sect. We were just leaving, just leaving." With that he grabbed Meng Hao and the young woman and hurriedly led them away.

"Did you see? That was one of the two who bought the spear that year. In the future, you must never under any circumstances utter the name Meng Hao in front of him. If you do, he'll fly into a violent rage." He continued on with some more earnest exhortation: "Furthermore, if you two ever leave the Sect to do training in the future, you must be extremely careful if you ever run into Meng Hao. His deviousness knows no bounds!"

The wide-eyed young woman's face was covered with disbelief. However, she quickly nodded, clearly placing the warning deep in her heart. Inside, Meng Hao laughed bitterly. Now he knew why they had looked so wary back in the Song Clan when they heard his name, and yet he didn't even recognize them.

"Remember," Bai Yunlai repeated, "the name Meng Hao is taboo in our Sect. Don't forget that! Okay, now we need to go get your identity medallions and handle your living arrangements." As of now, the girl clearly viewed Meng Hao as a fearsome tiger. Meng Hao could only laugh bitterly inside as Bai Yunlai led them away.

Soon they arrived at a valley which was relatively large and crowded.

"Since you've joined the Violet Fate Sect, you're obviously from local Cultivator Clans. As you know, we all have limits to our Cultivation bases. As apprentice alchemists, you must master the first technique of alchemy. Pay attention.

"This technique is called Violet Cloud Spirit. With this technique, you can feed a plant with your spiritual energy, and catalyze its effectiveness, which is based on its medicinal age. Depending on your skill and the nature of your Cultivation base, the catalyzation will produce different results."

There were several hundred people here. Most sat cross-legged, looking at the medicinal plants rocking back and forth in their hands. In the very front was a solemn, middle-aged man who was currently giving a lecture about some alchemic technique. He held up his hand, within which was a growing medicinal plant. In the blink of an eye, it grew up two inches.

Meng Hao looked around, focusing especially on the medicinal plant in the hand of the middle-aged man. His eyes gleamed with a strange light. Bai Yunlai led them to the center of the valley, where an unimposing man old man in a gray robe sat there with eyes closed. He looked like he was asleep. It was impossible to tell the level of his Cultivation base. Seemingly out of habit, Bai Yunlai walked over and retrieved two medallions and a bag of holding from the old man's side. He pulled out two violet-colored jade slips which he then handed to Meng Hao and the young woman.

"Give it a try," he said solemnly as the two looked at the jade slips. "The technique is very simple. You should be able to master it very quickly. Then, you'll have a chance to try catalyzing for the first time. It's very important, though. It will reveal your aptitude toward alchemy, and we have to record the results."

This chapter was sponsored by Collin Brinkmans

1. Bai Yunlai's name in Chinese is 白云来 bái yún lái – Bai is a common surname which means "white." Yun means "cloud." Lai means "come."

2. Meng Hao sold the spear to Qian Shuihen and Lu Song in Chapter 56

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 212: Nature Talent Appears!

The young woman, whose name was Chen Ling, seemed nervous when she heard what Bai Yunlai said. With an anxious, earnest expression, she examined the jade slip. Perhaps her latent talent was average. After looking at it for the space of about ten breaths, she reached out her hand, which began to glow with a purple light…

Bai Yunlai's eyes began to glow.

"Not bad, Junior Sister Chen! Okay, take out a medicinal plant seed."

Chen Ling quickly opened her bag of holding and took out a seed. She placed it on her open palm, then, her face very serious, began to catalyze it. The violet Qi in her hand grew denser, until it seemed it couldn't grow any stronger. The seed began to wriggle, and then three leaves sprouted out of it.

Many of the surrounding onlookers noticed this, and then looked at Chen Ling. Her face grew red, and she was clearly excited. She looked at Bai Yunlai expectantly.

"To produce three leaves on your first try shows that you have pretty good latent talent. Junior Sister Chen Ling, according to my calculations, you have a ten percent chance of becoming a master alchemist in the future." He sighed emotionally, looking a bit jealous. It seemed that someone who could produce three leaves was uncommon among the hundred thousand apprentice alchemists. Bai Yunlai quickly recorded the results of her catalyzing.

After that…

The voice of the man lecturing about alchemy techniques drifted over. He sounded calm and solemn. "You will join District Two Valley Thirteen." His face was austere as he looked at her.

In a low voice, Bai Yunlai offered an explanation: "The hundred thousand apprentice alchemists of the Eastern Pill Division are separated into Districts One to Four. Generally speaking, only those with outstanding latent talent can enter District Two. Junior Sister Chen, go on over there to Master Uncle Zhou. Good fortune is with you today!" Looking excited and nervous, Chen Ling immediately ran over.

"Junior Brother Fang, it's your turn now," said Bai Yunlai with a sigh. He looked at Meng Hao.

Meng Hao stood there thoughtfully for a moment. The technique described in the jade slip was simple, but obviously, the implementation of it was fantastic. Essentially, it could catalyze the medicinal age of medicinal plants, and as such, could be viewed as a force of nature.

"It seems only simple medicinal plants can be catalyzed using this technique," thought Meng Hao. "Basically, you use spiritual energy to nourish the medicinal plant. Even still, this technique is extraordinary. I wonder how the Violet Fate Sect prevents it from being stolen…." He silently retrieved a medicinal plant seed from his bag of holding and placed it on his palm. He looked at it for a moment, then used the technique described in the jade slip to begin catalyzing it.

He had two Core Seas, the first one of which contained five Perfect Dao Pillars. Before arriving at the Violet Fate Sect, he had used the Sublime Spirit Scripture to once again form the second one.

At the moment, the only Cultivation base visible to outsiders was the aura of his second Core Sea. Its power caused the purple glow to appear on his hand. It was immediately apparent that the glow was thicker and brighter than that created by Chen Ling.

Immediately, the seed in Meng Hao's hand began to wriggle. Then it sprouted one leaf, two leaves, three leaves… in the blink of an eye it had already sprouted seven leaves!

The purple glow in Meng Hao's hand grew blinding, filling the air. Instantly, all the surrounding apprentice alchemists looked over, shocked. All eyes were on Meng Hao.

The blinding rays of light were unthinkable, unbelievable. The man lecturing about alchemy techniques looked over wide-eyed, staring openly at Meng Hao. Next to him, Chen Ling stared in shock.

As for Bai Yunlai, his jaw dropped, and he rubbed his eyes vigorously before staring in complete shock.

Everything was quiet as all onlookers stared at the violet glow and the medicinal seed plant in Meng Hao's hand. Then, Meng Hao continued to use the technique. He fell into a strange state, as if he himself had turned into nature, and this seed had become a part of him.

It was a marvelous feeling, and as Meng Hao immersed himself in it, the seed suddenly sprouted an eighth leaf, then a ninth…. A cracking sound pealed out as the seed continued to grow. The emerald green leaf sprouts grew larger, wrapping up and around Meng Hao's right arm.

The white-haired, wrinkled old man who had been dozing behind Bai Yunlai opened his eyes. They glowed with an ancient light as he looked at Meng Hao. At the same time, they filled with excitement.

Meng Hao hadn't just caused new leaves to sprout, he had grown an entire plant. Meng Hao's mind reeled as the cracking sounds from moments ago pulled him out of the bizarre state he had just been in. His eyes flickered, and he frowned. He hadn't intended to show off such talent, and actually, he had been completely immersed in the strange state just now, which had somehow led his actions.

He hesitated for a moment, his face pale. His Cultivation base was dried up, and following the reduction in his spiritual power, the medicinal plant also began to slowly wither up. Soon it died, and then fell off of Meng Hao's arm.

Panting, Meng Hao stepped back a few paces, eyes shining with confusion.

Everything was deathly silent. It seemed like Bai Yunlai couldn't understand what was going on. He had been in the Violet Fate Sect for years, and had never seen someone perform such an astonishing feat the first time they practiced catalyzing. He looked at Meng Hao as if he weren't even human.

All of the surrounding apprentice alchemists were completely shocked. What they had just witnessed exceeded their imaginations. The middle-aged man panted as he looked at Meng Hao, his eyes shining with passion.

"Umm…." said Meng Hao, hesitating for a moment. He was a little bit scared, unsure of what he should say. At this moment, the old man behind Bai Yunlai stood up and walked forward to stand next to Meng Hao. He reached a hand out to grab Meng Hao's wrist. His spiritual power burst out, flowing through Meng Hao's body, examining him.

The power was incapable of completely examining Meng Hao. Despite having some suspicions, he could only see Meng Hao's second Core Sea, which contained the power of the sixth level of Qi Condensation.

He wasn't able to see the true color of the Core Sea either, as it had been completely transformed by the frightening power of the meat jelly. As far the man could see, everything was normal.

Eventually, he released his grip. He picked up the withered medicinal plant and looked at it carefully for a moment. Then he returned his gaze to Meng Hao. His eyes were now filled with the glow of praise.

"First rate latent talent! You will join District One Valley One!" A wide smile covered the old man's face as he clasped Meng Hao's shoulder. Then he flew up into the sky, taking the withered medicinal plant with him.

As he flew off, the entire valley broke out into a huge commotion.

"First rate latent talent!! No wonder his catalyzing is so astonishing!"

"With latent talent like that, he's destined to become a master alchemist, which we haven't seen for years…."

"Wow, I've heard of people having first rate latent talent, but I've never heard of someone as inhuman as this! He catalyzed full plant growth!"

As the air filled with conversations, Bai Yunlai approached Meng Hao, eye shining with excitement. "Junior Brother Fang," he said, "make sure to watch out for yourself from now on. You have first rate latent talent!"

"Could there have been a mistake?" asked Meng Hao, still hesitating.

"There's no way! Elder Wang tested you personally. How could he possibly make a mistake? It seems he took that medicinal plant to go show other Elders. Haha! Junior Brother Fang, you're going to be famous! Come come, I'll take you to District One Valley One. It's like a celestial paradise. I look in every time I pass it, but I've never been able to go in." He pulled Meng Hao along with him, leaving behind the hubbub and shining eyes. Even after they were gone, the commotion continued to echo out.

Time passed. Soon half a month had gone by. Meng Hao was now much more familiar with the East Pill Division of the Violet Fate Sect. Division One Valley One wasn't very large, but was occupied by few people, clearly much less than other valleys.

The scenery was enchanting. The mountains were lush, and a small mountain stream flowed down from up above. Fish swam within its depths, which Meng Hao could see from his house, located just north of the stream. It was a small house with a courtyard outside.

Within the courtyard was a small garden where he could grow medicinal plants. Currently, Meng Hao sat cross-legged in the courtyard, holding a scroll of bamboo slips. The scroll was filled with handwriting and pictures, all describing various medicinal plants.

Meng Hao sat all morning and into noon reading the scroll. Finally, he looked up. He smelled the medicinal aroma that filled the air and listened to the gurgling of the stream. A light mist filled the area, causing the valley to truly seem celestial. Maybe that was somewhat of an exaggeration, but there was no denying that this was an ideal place for Cultivation.

This was basically the number one valley for apprentice alchemists in the entire Sect. Meng Hao had found out that including him, less than fifty people in the entire Sect had the requisite latent talent to live in here. Everyone had their own living quarters where they could study, grow plants and practice pill concocting.

It was a quiet location, and Meng Hao felt very at home. He was especially happy to read books that weren't jade slips but actual scrolls. It reminded him of his life as a scholar back in Yunjie County.

"One hundred thousand medicinal plants, all different and organized into different categories. Not only do I need to memorize them, I also need to remember their habits and characteristics, how to plant and harvest them, and how to store them. I need to remember which medicinal plants cannot be mixed together, where and how to grow them, and also the proper ratios when using them.

"Furthermore, it's not just the whole plant itself. The leaves, stems and sap of various plants are all different. Splicing plants together can lead to countless variations. They talk about one hundred thousand medicinal plants, but actually, when you combine everything together, it's more like a million." Meng Hao rubbed the bridge of his nose. For the past half month, he had been studying information about medicinal plants every day.

As an apprentice alchemist of the Violet Fate Sect, he must remember all such information. Of course, there was simply so much information, it was essentially impossible to magically brand it all onto the mind. The only method was rote memorization.

The more he memorized, the more prepared he would be. Forewarned is forearmed, so to speak; there was no trickery about it. Besides, Meng Hao didn't find it annoying. He was a born scholar, after all, and this type of environment suited him quite well.

There was no killing, no danger and treachery, no dealing with the wind and rain of the outside world. Meng Hao attempted not to think about the past, and instead fully immersed himself in the role of Fang Mu. He was in the Violet Fate Sect now, and he intended to take advantage of the peace and quiet. As he examined all the information available to apprentice alchemists, his mind began to swirl with many images. Now he knew that this sort of knowledge, was nature talent.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 213: Violet Fate Celestial Land

Time flashed by, and soon two months had gone by. Meng Hao was now completely accustomed to life in the Violet Fate Sect. Because of testing in with first rate latent talent, he had been able to enjoy some special perks, although it wasn't anything as amazing as others might have expected of some important person.

In fact, during the two months, he didn't see the white-haired old man at all. Bai Yunlai, on the other hand, frequently came to visit. It was with his help that Meng Hao came to understand the Violet Fate Sect so quickly.

There were lectures regarding alchemic techniques every day, which Meng Hao almost always attended. In the midst of the hundreds of others also in attendance, Meng Hao didn't stick out at all.

Different senior members of the Sect would give the lectures; they would rotate every few days. It seemed everyone's understanding of matters was slightly different. By listening to all of them, Meng Hao quickly began to have a much deeper understanding of the catalyzing techniques.

In addition, when it came to growing medicinal plants, the Sect had a special area to distribute medicinal plant seeds, much the same as the Reliance Sect had distributed Spirit Stones. The purpose, of course, was to allow the apprentice alchemists a chance to practice planting.

The various lectures by senior members of the Sect gave the whole place a very tranquil atmosphere. There was no fighting to the death. Meng Hao couldn't help but think that the Reliance Sect had been extremely different. To him, this place was in some ways more like an institute of higher learning than a Sect.

Every month, there would be a special sermon regarding medicinal scriptures. The officiators were always veteran master alchemists. Each and every one had risen up from the ranks of the apprentice alchemists. When it came to pill concocting, their skill was by no means shallow. Their alchemy lectures were not always limited to the topic of medicinal plants; they sometimes spoke of concoction techniques, too. Meng Hao learned a lot after only listening to a few such sermons.

In addition to all of the studying and planting of medicinal plants, apprentice alchemists also had monthly catalyzing quotas to meet. Every month, a certain amount of catalyzed medicinal plants were required to be delivered up to the Sect.

This was the life of an apprentice alchemist in the East Pill Division. Life was a never-ending cycle.

Currently, Meng Hao sat amongst throngs of apprentice alchemists, listening to a middle-aged man supposedly discuss methods of distinguishing between several easily misidentified medicinal plants. "Apprentice alchemists are involved in the growing, catalyzing, and picking of various medicinal plants, as well as other related tasks. In essence, your purpose is to serve the great system of alchemy instituted by our Sect. In actuality, the most direct way to serve the Sect, is by means of assisting the nearly one thousand master alchemists."

Meng Hao sighed. "I think joining the Violet Fate Sect was the right decision. In all the Southern Domain, this is the only place where I can study true alchemy. Also, only the Violet Fate Sect can produce true Grandmasters of the Dao of alchemy! The Violet Fate Sect's Dao of alchemy is such that the fame of the alchemy division actually exceeds that of the other division. All Sects and Clans in the Southern Domain recognize this." Meng Hao sat there thoughtfully, his eyes shining with anticipation.

"If I want to have any contact with Grandmaster Pill Demon, and get his help in dispelling my poison, then I have to be a disciple here!" Meng Hao's eyes glittered with ambition.

His true goal in joining the Violet Fate Sect was to become a novitiate of Grandmaster Pill Demon and study the most powerful Dao of alchemy in the entire Southern Domain. Then he would create his own branch of alchemic arts. Afterward, any medicinal pills he needed, he could create himself, and not have to go through great pains to acquire by other means.

He was lost in thought when suddenly, the sound of bells filled the air. The sound rang throughout all of the valleys of the East Pill Division, causing everyone to immediately lift their heads. Even the master alchemist giving the lecture immediately stopped and looked up.

Each and every apprentice alchemist in the Eastern Pill Division raised their heads. Their faces were filled with excitement.

"The furnace bells! Violet Fate Celestial Land day has arrived!"

"The last time was a year ago. I can't believe a whole year has already passed. Finally, we can go back into the Celestial Land!"

As the excited voices echoed out, the peal of bells continued to ring out. Meng Hao's eyes flashed as he looked up into the air, where suddenly appeared an illusory shape.

It was an enormous violet-colored pill furnace floating in mid-air, imposing to the extreme, tens of thousands of meters in diameter. Next to it, dozens of beams of prismatic light shot up from nearby valleys to sit cross-legged around it, as if to guard it.

At the same time, the glow of spells interlaced in the air, as if the entire area was being sealed. A radiant light filled the area, casting brilliant colors upon the massive pill furnace and the Cultivators who floated nearby it.

An archaic voice rumbled out, seemingly from nowhere. "Apprentice alchemists, enter the Celestial Land. Harvest nine mature leaves." The enormous pill furnace began to glow, and suddenly, what appeared to be one hundred thousand strands of light snaked out and shot down. Meng Hao's apprentice alchemist identification medallion began to glow, as did those of all the other apprentice alchemists.

The glowing strands and the medallions seemed to have some sort of connection. One of the glowing strands approached Meng Hao and fused into the medallion. A gentle power seemed to take hold of Meng Hao and pull him up into the air.

From the hundred surrounding valleys, one hundred thousand apprentice alchemists all lifted up into the air, carried by the glowing strands. They transformed into beams of prismatic light that shot toward the gigantic pill furnace.

The massive pill furnace seemed to be like a bottomless pit which instantly swallowed them all up.

Meng Hao's vision grew blurry for a moment. When it cleared, and he saw what lay in front of him, he gasped. The scene was difficult to comprehend. The expression which appeared on Meng Hao's face was one of complete and utter shock.

In front of him stretched endless fields of medicinal plants. This place was a different world; there were no clouds in the sky. However, nine suns could be seen. Next to each sun, was a moon. This place had nine suns and nine moons.

This incredible sky was the perfect place beneath which to grow medicinal plants. The whole world seemed to be under some sort of sealing; as soon as Meng Hao appeared inside, an indescribable medicinal aroma washed over him. It was intoxicating.

Most of the hundred thousand apprentice alchemists had been here before. All of them were excited, but few were as shocked and moved as Meng Hao.

Even more shocking to Meng Hao was that within the endless fields of medicinal plants, were thousands of enormous, three hundred meter tall trees. And there were giants. These giants seemed to be remnants of an ancient past. They carefully strode through the fields, occasionally reaching down to plant seeds.

Up in the sky were several hundred war chariots, which emitted an archaic aura. The chariots were enormous, and overlapped with each other to form what almost looked like clouds that cast shadows down on certain areas within the world.

Further off in the distance, Meng Hao could see another type of tree that appeared to be three thousand meters tall. Its trunk was violet, and its top was not dense with foliage, but rather an enormous, solitary eye. The eye was dozens of meters wide, and it looked around the area attentively. As Meng Hao looked around more carefully, he saw that there a few hundred other trees similar to this one amidst the fields of medicinal plants.

Meng Hao wasn't sure when, but Bai Yunlai had appeared at his side. With an emotional sigh, he said, "The Violet Fate Celestial Land is a Blessed Land of the Violet Fate Sect's East Pill Division! According to the legends, this place was once a Celestial Land of Immortals. However, Reverend Violet East moved it here to create this endless medicinal plant garden. There are some things growing here that are extinct in the outside world. Every once in a while, we apprentice alchemists are teleported here to harvest medicinal plants, which gives us a good chance to practice our skill in identifying them. This is the only place in the entire Southern Domain where you can see so many different types! They're virtually endless!"

Suddenly, a roaring sound filled the air, along with the archaic voice. The various conversations of the apprentice alchemists all ceased.

"You have one month to harvest at least nine mature medicinal plants. You may only harvest plants which you recognize, and you must also be thoroughly familiar with their habits and characteristics. In one month, you will hand over your harvest, as well as a jade slip describing your findings. This will be one of the evaluation criteria for promotion to master alchemist. Now, you may begin." As soon as the voice finished speaking, the hundred thousand apprentice alchemists took a collective breath, and then scattered.

Bai Yunlai didn't follow Meng Hao, but instead went along a meandering route of his own toward some other location. Meng Hao's eyes glittered, shining with excitement. His recent days had been spent devoted to reading medicinal plant scrolls. He had read several times about the hundred thousand varieties of medicinal plants, and although he hadn't memorized all of them yet, he knew quite a few. Now, he would be able to test his knowledge. His body flashed as he shot off into the distance.

As the hundred thousand apprentice alchemists scattered in all directions, above them in the sky, in one of the rotating moons, appeared eight figures.

"See that kid? That's Fang Mu, the one who I tested two months ago and found to have first rate latent talent."

"First rate latent talent is quite rare. We examined the withered plant you brought, and it's definitely not fake. Because of his latent talent, his spiritual energy is extremely suited to growing medicinal plants."

"He's just a seedling now. Let's see how many medicinal plants he manages to harvest. If he has a talent for identifying medicinal plants, then perhaps we should consider including him in the next promotion examination."

As the figures within the moon engaged in their discussion, Meng Hao walked away from the groups of other apprentice alchemists, out into the fields of medicinal plants. He took each step prudently, being careful not to step on any seedlings. He kept his head lowered, looking around in all directions.

"That's… Spirit Shattering grass. I remember its description from the scrolls. However, why does it have more foliage on the right side…? Oh, right, it's a hybrid. The right side is actually a Residence sapling…. This is Thunderbolt Elegance leaf, its shape is like that of a woman, and it sways back and forth entrancingly… When used medicinally, it can be concocted into pills suitable for the early Foundation Establishment stage."

Meng Hao walked along, gradually identifying various medicinal plants and attempting to recall all the information he had read about them in the scrolls. The more he tried, the easier it became. A feeling of pleasure gradually filled his heart.

This feeling was different than that of making a breakthrough in Cultivation base. However, being able to master a branch of knowledge that had previously been elusive, filled him with a sense of profound confidence.

This was a Cultivation of the self!

From what Meng Hao could tell, his ability to identify all the different medicinal plants was a type of nature talent….

Meng Hao walked further and further away. Each time he saw a medicinal plant suitable for harvesting, he would immediately take it. At the same time, he would record a description and other information on the jade slip he had been given.

He continued to corroborate what he had studied recently; he was like a fish in water. He forgot about everything except the medicinal plants in front of him. His alchemy was advancing by leaps and bounds in this Celestial Land.

Meanwhile, outside in the Southern Domain, the name Meng Hao had caused an enormous search to begin among the great Sects and Clans. In recent days, everyone was looking for him. Soon, Meng Hao's name came to be known to more and more Cultivators.

Of course, the Violet Fate Sect was one of the Sects participating in the great search. However, no one had been able to find even the slightest trace of Meng Hao. It was as if he had completely vanished.

This chapter was sponsored by Blake Zbikowski

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 214: We Finally Meet Again….

No one could possibly know that the same Meng Hao who had stirred up such waves in the outside world, was currently carefully looking over medicinal herbs in the Violet Fate Sect's Celestial Land, an innocent student confirming the validity of his studies.

Time passed by, and Meng Hao lost track of how many medicinal plants he had harvested. As long as he recognized a plant, it counted toward his quota, and he placed it in his bag of holding.

At one point, Meng Hao found himself about three hundred meters away from one of the giants. For quite some time, he observed how it planted the seeds, moved the seedlings around, and cared for the plants.

Later, he stood beneath one of the Cyclops trees, watching the enormous eye gazing about. He even climbed up one of them to harvest some of the red grass that grew on its trunk.

Eventually, he was far, far away from where he had started. The fields of medicinal plants seemed to have no end. In Meng Hao's estimation, these more remote areas would most certainly have even more amazing medicinal plants, perhaps even some of the legendary extinct variety.

However, everything was simply too big. Around him stretched never-ending fields of medicinal plants. As he proceeded, he started to realize that he actually only recognized about one medicinal plant out of one hundred.

"The Dao of alchemy is endless," he thought with a sigh. "It's just as difficult as Cultivation, a road without end, an almighty facet of Heaven and Earth. At first I thought that memorizing a bit more than half of the hundred thousand medicinal plants would be enough. But now I can see that those one hundred thousand plants are simply the threshold." However, stubbornness glinted in his eyes. This type of Cultivation had nothing to do with his Dao Pillars. His excitement actually became even stronger.

"I'm a scholar at heart," he said, reassuring himself. "Although my aspirations were never realized, when it comes to studying, I definitely have an advantage over all the other apprentice alchemists." He would focus, do his best to remember everything he saw, and then go back to do more research in the ancient records.

It was in this fashion that time slipped by. Soon, the sound of bells filled the Celestial Land; the one month time period had passed quickly. Time was up, and Meng Hao wasn't content. He felt as if he had just started. However, the strands of light appeared in the air, and he sighed. He gave one last look at the Celestial land before a strand of light whisked him away.

When they reappeared in the various valleys, there were a variety of expressions on the faces of the hundred thousand apprentice alchemists. Meng Hao wasn't the only one to have grown during the month inside the Celestial Land. All of the apprentice alchemists had.

Soon, people came to collect the medicinal plants they had harvested, along with their jade slips which contained information about the harvest. Meng Hao chose not to secretly duplicate any of his spoils. He was fully devoted to his Violet Fate Sect identity, and wouldn't do the slightest thing that might give himself away. He handed over all the medicinal plants, then slowly headed back to the valley that contained his house.

Once back in his courtyard, he immediately took out some scrolls and began to study. When he found areas that he had overlooked before, his face would flash with excitement, and he would commit the information to memory.

Two more months passed. He had already been in the Violet Fate Sect for half a year. Already, the search for Meng Hao in the outside world was slowing down. The various Sects and Clans had searched throughout the Southern Domain, and still hadn't been able to find a trace of Meng Hao. A variety of speculations began to circulate, but nothing conclusive could be determined.

Meng Hao heard all about the situation from Bai Yunlai, who well deserved his reputation for being well informed about everything. He wasn't just familiar with the latest news about the Violet Fate Sect; he kept himself plugged into the events of the outside world as well.

One morning, Meng Hao walked out of his house to sit in the courtyard. He lifted up his right hand, within which was a small, growing plant. His medicinal plant garden was filled with quite a few plants, all in full bloom. A medicinal aroma filled the air. Suddenly, Meng Hao's expression flickered, and he looked up.

Bai Yunlai was racing along the side of the meandering stream. Before he even arrived, he called out, "Junior Brother Fang, there's an excellent opportunity! Your Elder Brother won a great opportunity for you!"

Meng Hao smiled. He waved his right hand, and the medicinal plant in his hand disappeared. At the same time, the courtyard door swung open, just in time for Bai Yunlai to rush in.

"What opportunity?" asked Meng Hao, smiling. Bai Yunlai's Cultivation base was ordinary, only at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Condensation. However, he was viewed as indispensable within the Sect. He often came to visit Meng Hao, and they spent quite a bit of time together.

"There's an Inner Sect disciple from the Violet Qi Division who requested Alchemist Li Tao 1 to concoct some pills for him," gushed Bai Yunlai. "Alchemist Li wanted me to arrange for two apprentice alchemists to assist. I will go, of course. As for the second spot, you were the first person I thought of.

"Quickly gather your things and come with me. This will be an excellent opportunity to expand your knowledge of alchemy. Lots of apprentice alchemists would like to go, but Alchemist Li's personality is a bit eccentric. Just don't say anything, and follow my lead."

Meng Hao's eyes glittered. He'd learned some time ago that Inner Sect disciples from the Violet Qi Division would often request master alchemists to concoct pills for them. Under most circumstances, the Violet Qi Division disciple would gather together the necessary medicinal plants, as well as some Spirit Stones. If this pleased the master alchemist, then work could begin.

As for Furnace Lords, who ranked above master alchemists, they were well versed in the Dao of alchemy, and had reached Foundation Establishment. There were only about one hundred of them in the entire Violet Fate Sect, and each one occupied a very prominent position. Generally speaking, Inner Sect disciples didn't qualify to request their services. Only Conclave disciples and Sect Elders could request pill concocting from Furnace Lords.

As for Violet Furnace Lords, they could be considered to be virtually at the Grandmaster level. Each and every one was a precious treasure of the Sect, and all were Pill Demon novitiates. Only those with extremely high influence within the Sect could request pill concocting services from them.

The Alchemist Li who Bai Yunlai referred to was naturally not a Furnace Lord, but one of the one thousand master alchemists. Considering how things were arranged, and considering how few master alchemists there were in the Sect, it was only natural that they would seek apprentice alchemists to act as assistants when concocting pills for Violet Qi Division disciples.

Meng Hao immediately rose to his feet. This really was a rare opportunity. He had joined the Sect more than half a year ago, and this was his first time to encounter such a chance. After clasping hands in thanks to Bai Yunlai, the two of them left. Soon, they arrived at the valley that connected the East Pill Division with the Violet Qi Division. Waiting there somewhat impatiently was a man in a blue robe who appeared to be about thirty years of age. It was none other than Alchemist Li.

Standing next to him was another Cultivator whose Cultivation base was at the early Foundation Establishment stage. He was smilingly engaged in conversation with Alchemist Li, his demeanor extremely courteous.

As Meng Hao and Bai Yunlai approached, Meng Hao's eyes glittered slightly. He recognized the Cultivator next to Alchemist Li. It was none other than Lu Song 2.

Meng Hao's expression was calm as he and Bai Yunlai walked over. "So," he thought, "it turns out he's the one who wants the pills concocted."

Alchemist Li frowned as he looked at them. "Well, you're finally here."

Bai Yunlai hurriedly moved forward to say a few words of explanation, offering a few words of subtle flattery. Alchemist Li's expression softened a bit, and he flicked his sleeve. Together, they all followed a very courteous Lu Song out of the valley. As they passed through several valleys within the Violet Qi Division, Meng Hao examined the surroundings calmly. There were quite a few Violet Fate Sect disciples to be seen.

These were not disciples who cultivated the Dao of alchemy. When they saw Meng Hao and the others, respectful smiles filled their faces, and they clasped hands in greeting.

Soon, Lu Song led them to his Immortal's Cave, which was located halfway up one of the mountains. It had an excellent view, and was quite spacious inside, as well as excellently decorated. Once inside, Lu Song clasped hands and bowed to Alchemist Li.

"Brother Li, many thanks for your assistance," he said. "This batch of medicinal pills will be very useful." With that, he produced a bag of holding which he offered to Alchemist Li.

"You're too kind," said Alchemist Li, nodding. He smiled vaguely. "Unfortunately, this is my first time concocting pills for someone, and I'm worried I might not be the most suitable choice for you. However, considering you insisted, I really couldn't refuse." He scanned the bag of holding quickly with Spiritual Sense, and then tossed it to Bai Yunlai.

Lu Song looked a little embarrassed. Inwardly, he cursed the master alchemists for their tricky thievery. If they weren't invited out to concoct pills, where they could be observed, they would usually secretly pilfer some of the concocted pills. If they claimed success and returned some, then so be it, but if they claimed complete failure, there would be no way to confirm their story. This type of thing often occured in the Sect.

"If it wasn't for the fact that I can't concoct my own pills," Lu Song said to himself, "and the Sect doesn't distribute them, then I wouldn't have any dealings with these alchemists…." His face, however, was covered with a smile. He bowed again, and then glanced at Meng Hao and Bai Yunlai. They were not of the Foundation Establishment stage, however, he knew that among the apprentice alchemists were people who would one day be promoted to be master alchemists.

Meng Hao's face was calm, but inside he was laughing. If he showed his real face, Lu Song would surely go crazy. Instead, Lu Song stood there smiling politely.

Alchemist Li laughed, knowing full well what Lu Song was thinking. He cleared his throat, and then produced a pill furnace. At the same time, several crimson-colored Spirit Stones flew out and embedded themselves into the ground. The pill furnace floated in the air above them. Alchemist Li's face instantly became somber.

"I looked over the pill formula. With my mastery of the Dao of alchemy, there's only a forty percent chance that I can successfully concoct the Six Harmonies Pill. Watch carefully during the process so that you don't suspect me of hiding anything should I fail." With that, his left hand pressed down onto the pill furnace. After a moment, it turned red and began to emit waves of heat.

"Take six blades of Seven Sieve grass and extract the veins. They must not be broken. Approaching Music flower petals, seven of them. I need them with stamen attached; catalyze if necessary. Red Apricot leaf, maturity level seven years, seven months, seven days. A deviation of more than ten days is unacceptable." Alchemist Li's words came faster and faster. In one breath he spoke out ten different medicinal plants.

Bai Yunlai immediately opened the bag of holding, which was full of a variety of medicinal plants, and began to produce the required plants. By the time he finished preparing the Approaching Music flower, Meng Hao had already catalyzed the Red Apricot Leaves with his left hand, and extracted the veins from the Seven Sieve grass with his right hand. He handed them over to Alchemist Li.

Alchemist Li looked up at Meng Hao for a moment, then nodded slightly and began concocting. Occasionally he would say the name of a medicinal plant that he needed. Bai Yunlai sat there mutely for a moment. It was with a wry smile that he realized that Fang Mu was Alchemist Li's assistant, whereas he had become Fang Mu's assistant.

Whatever was required of him, Meng Hao would produce almost instantly. Not only was he fast, he didn't make any mistakes. Furthermore, when it came to catalyzing, he seemed to barely need to think before it was completed, and with utmost accuracy.

Alchemist Li continued to cast glances at Meng Hao, which eventually turned into looks of shock. Very quickly, it seemed as if he was no longer looking down on Meng Hao, but rather viewed him as an equal.

Even Lu Song noticed that when Alchemist Li spoke, Meng Hao would complete the task almost as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He took a deep breath. "This assistant alchemist isn't even human…."

It was at this exact moment that suddenly, a woman's voice echoed into the Immortal's cave from outside.

"Lu Song, do you have any news about that thing I asked you to look into?"

As soon as Meng Hao heard the voice, the plant he was currently catalyzing suddenly trembled.

1. Li Tao's name in Chinese is 历涛 Lì tāo – Li is a common surname, which also can mean "strict" or "severe." Tao means "great waves"

2. Lu Song is one of the two "iron spear victims" haha

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 215: Lift Your Head

He only paused for a moment. It would be undetectable by anyone else. His expression didn't change in the slightest, and of course, he completed catalyzing the medicinal plant, which he then handed over to Alchemist Li.

He didn't look over as the woman entered the Immortal's cave.

She wore a white garment, and was pre-eminently beautiful. Upon looking at her, any man would stare and be instantly infatuated.

Her skin was so delicate it seemed a breath could damage it. She was tall and slender, with white, clear skin and luxurious hair that hung about her like a cloak. She gave off an otherworldly aura, and as she entered, a delicate fragrance filled the Immortal's Cave. Even Alchemist Li started to breath somewhat heavily, ignoring the pill furnace to watch her enter.

Chu Yuyan!

Her brow was slightly furrowed, and though her face was as beautiful as ever, it contained a hint of unpleasantness. No veil could conceal the bitterness which caused her to sigh lightly, and no wind could disperse it. Only she could understand the pressure, and the furtive glances, that she had endured recently.

After the events at the Song Clan half a year previous, Meng Hao's name instantly spread throughout the entire Southern Domain. That, of course, caused her name to be mentioned. Add in the fact that Wang Tengfei had participated in the Song Clan's search for a son-in-law, and the whole matter turned into a storm that had overwhelmed her. The engagement agreement between Chu Yuyan and Wang Tengfei instantly became a huge joke.

All of it was because of Meng Hao.

Chu Yuyan didn't hate Wang Tengfei. She could understand why Wang Tengfei didn't trust her, and had chosen to participate in the Song Clan's search for a son-in-law. She had picked the wrong person. Thankfully, they were only engaged, and had not become official beloved. Nonetheless, Chu Yuyan couldn't help but sigh emotionally. Regardless of the circumstances, in the end, it had helped her to see what kind of person Wang Tengfei truly was.

She could accept the end result. She didn't need Wang Tengfei to explain anything. After the events at the Song Clan, she immediately sent the engagement agreement back to the Wang Clan, putting an end to the childish arrangement.

The person she truly hated was Meng Hao. It was a hatred that had seeped into her bones. However, at the same time, she continued to dream about the events within the volcano. It had turned into a pestering torment to her.

"Greetings, Elder Sister Chu," said Lu Song hastily. Alchemist Li also greeted her with clasped hands. Bai Yunlai sucked in a breath and lowered his head in greeting. Meng Hao also offered her greetings, although inside, he felt a bit remorseful.

How could he not have a bit of a guilty conscience? In all truth, it was the same in regard to the matter with Lu Song and Qian Shuihen. However, of all the people in the Violet Fate Sect, the person he least wanted to run into had been Chu Yuyan.

In his heart, Meng Hao felt that he had been a bit excessive in the way he dealt with her. However, given the circumstances at that time, he hadn't had much of a choice. Furthermore, if Chu Yuyan hadn't chased him down and tried to kill him to begin with, then none of it would have happened.

In any case, Meng Hao still felt bad.

"I was planning to go look for you just after this," said Lu Song. "I made a lot of inquiries about that damned Meng Hao, but he seems to have disappeared into thin air." He couldn't help but grind his teeth when he said Meng Hao's name. "There's not a single clue to be found about him. In fact, some of the Sects have been watching the people he's made friends with, but in this entire half-year, he hasn't appeared. A lot of people think that that damned, despicable, wretched animal must have left the Southern Domain. He deserves to die by a thousand knife cuts!"

Chu Yuyan frowned. During the past half year, she had constantly sent people out to look for Meng Hao. Despite her insistence on tracking him down, he seemed to have thoroughly vanished.

"How could he have left the Southern Domain?" thought Chu Yuyan. "All his old Sect members are here. Unless he provoked some calamitous, irreparable disaster, why would he leave? Actually, what happened in the Song Clan was really a stroke of good fortune on his part. He could join any Sect, hand over the Sublime Spirit Scripture, and turn a dangerous situation into a position of safety. Meng Hao is bizarrely crafty, there's no way he would fail to realize that, is there?

"In my estimation, he is most certainly still in the Southern Domain. We just don't know where he's hiding. If I ever find him…." She gnashed her teeth. She was just about to turn and leave, when her gaze fell upon Meng Hao. She stared at him, and then suddenly spoke. Her voice was no longer warm, but filled with coldness. "Lift your head."

Meng Hao was astonished. "I've changed my appearance," he thought, "and yet she still focuses on me." Despite his astonishment, his face was blank and confused as he looked up at her.

Chu Yuyan's brow furrowed. She wasn't sure why, but when she looked over this young man, her heart filled with an unexplainable irritation. Looking at him, though, she was sure she had never seen him before.

Her eyes flickered as she thought, "Something's wrong. Why would I instantly be annoyed with someone for no apparent reason?" She studied Meng Hao for a moment longer to no avail.

Meng Hao groaned inwardly. "How can this girl be so astute?" he thought. Despite his change in appearance, and the other people present, she had somehow sensed something and come to focus on him. His heart suddenly began to race. Suddenly, he shifted his gaze to look at her chest, and then deliberately gulped.

A somewhat dirty expression flitted over his face, and he intentionally blushed. Now, he didn't look lecherous, but rather like a teenager seeing a beautiful woman for the first time. In such a situation, it would be a natural reaction to look so ill at ease.

His expression caused Chu Yuyan's frown to deepen. A look of disgust appeared on her face, and she turned wordlessly to leave the Immortal's Cave, ignoring the feeling of irritation which had welled up within her.

After Chu Yuyan left, everyone in the Immortal's Cave breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Song quickly sealed the main door, and Alchemist Li shook his head. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, but after another sigh, he continued with the pill concoction.

"Elder Sister Chu has sure changed a lot recently," murmured Bai Yunlai. "She never used to be like this. Now she's completely cold and gloomy. I was shivering just now."

"It's all the fault of that Meng Hao," said Lu Song, grinding his teeth. "That damned, despicable wretch deserves to die by a thousand knife cuts, ten thousand times! If I ever run into him, I'll tear him to pieces! I'll rip his flesh off the bone with my own teeth and grind his bones to pieces!" The depth of his hatred was visibly apparent. After he finished speaking, he looked at Meng Hao with a strange expression in his eyes, then suddenly smiled good-naturedly and nodded.

He had obviously noticed that Meng Hao was no ordinary apprentice alchemist, and there was no small chance that he would become a master alchemist in the future. Obviously, the sooner he made friends with him the better.

Meng Hao coughed dryly. He wasn't exactly thin-skinned. However, moments ago Lu Song had been hatefully grinding his teeth and cursing, and with the next breath, was beaming with goodwill. Meng Hao had the feeling that he would have to get used to such things.

It took the entire day to finish concocting the pills. The moon was rising by the time the fragrant aroma wafted up from the pill furnace, and the medicinal pills that Lu Song needed emerged.

Because it had been a relatively hasty concoction, the medicinal plants which should have produced seven or eight pills ended up only producing two. Meng Hao could easily tell that it had something to do with Alchemist Li's technique.

This was the first time he had participated in pill concoction. The entire time, he had been observing Alchemist Li's concocting techniques, and had learned quite a bit. It seemed it would soon grow dark outside. Lu Song happily escorted them out of the Immortal's Cave and all the way back to the East Pill Division, before clasping hands and leaving.

In the following days, Meng Hao continued his studies regarding medicinal plants. However, because of the deep impression he'd left on Alchemist Li, he had a new daily task. Whenever Alchemist Li concocted pills, be it in his own Immortal's Cave or someone else's, he would always send for Meng Hao to be his assistant. Li Tao found that with Meng Hao at his side, pill concocting went much smoother.

In addition, Li Tao would often give Meng Hao pointers regarding alchemy. Soon, Meng Hao no longer considered himself unfamiliar with alchemy. He was becoming more and more comfortable with it. The more he saw, the more he learned; he was steadily improving, bit by bit.

Dealing with others was not a complicated matter. For example, Meng Hao's relationship with both Bai Yunlai and Alchemist Li was very simple. It was all based on how they could help each other.

If it weren't for Meng Hao's skill as an apprentice alchemist, Li Tao wouldn't have been so impressed with him, nor would he constantly seek him out as an assistant.

The days passed like this for three months. Meng Hao was completely assimilated into life in the Violet Fate Sect. In the time he had been there, he had met a lot of people, and many people had come to know his name.

Whenever he went out, he would run into familiar faces with whom he could chat and joke. Everything was very harmonious and peaceful. Everyone greeting him with clasped hands. Not a soul knew that this up and coming apprentice alchemist named Fang Mu, was the person who so many months ago had caused a storm in the Southern Domain, Meng Hao.

One day, Meng Hao found himself in Li Tao's Immortal's cave, assisting in pill concocting. After the pill concocting was finished, Li Tao escorted Meng Hao to the mouth of his Immortal's Cave. Suddenly, he spoke.

"Fang Mu, I want you to know that to me, you are no apprentice alchemist. Your skill with medicinal plants places you in the rank of master alchemist as far as I'm concerned."

Meng Hao stopped walking and looked at Li Tao. He clasped his hands and bowed. It was a completely sincere bow. Li Tao was at the early Foundation Establishment stage, but in the time they had spent together, Meng Hao had found him to be, not cold and haughty, but actually very approachable, even kind.

Meng Hao's understanding of alchemy had significantly improved as a result of their relationship.

"In one month," continued Li Tao enthusiastically, "there will be a promotion examination. I've made some inquiries, and found that only one apprentice alchemist will be selected for promotion. If that happens, and you are raised to master alchemist, then you will finally be able to learn the true Dao of alchemy of the Violet Fate Sect. If you become a master alchemist, you will be assigned your own Immortal's Cave, and your own furnace fire. You will no longer study medicinal plants, but pill concoction!

"The only frustrating thing," he continued sincerely, "is that only people who have served as apprentice alchemists for ten years can participate in the exam this time. If you're interested in participating, though, I'll see if I can apply to get you a spot. You think about it. Perhaps you can come up with your own a method to join. If you manage to seize an opportunity like this, you might be able to save yourself ten years of time."

Meng Hao's heart began to thump, and he once again bowed to Li Tao. "Many thanks, Elder Brother Li."

They exchanged a few more words, whereupon Meng Hao bowed and took his leave. As he walked along the mountain paths, he looked up at the moon, and his eyes began to shine brightly.

"I can't spend ten years as an apprentice alchemist," he thought. "I must think of a way to seize this chance. My previous activities in the Sect must have drawn a bit of attention…." Continuing to ponder these matters, Meng Hao entered Division One Valley One. As he walked into his courtyard, his heart trembled, although his expression stayed the same. After pushing open the gate, he found that standing there in the courtyard was a white-haired old man. He immediately caused a look of surprise to appear on his face.

This was the same old man who had tested his latent talent the year he joined the East Pill Division. He was a Furnace Lord named Wang Fanming 1. He stood there looking at Meng Hao's medicinal plant garden. As soon as Meng Hao entered the courtyard, he turned and gazed into Meng Hao's eyes.

This chapter was sponsored by Dewi Suryono, Paul Venesky, Kirin Tantinon, Christopher Choi, and CV

1. Wang Fanming's name in Chinese is 王凡明 wáng fán míng – Wang is a common surname. Fan means "ordinary." Ming means "clear" or "bright"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 216: The Meaning of Grandmaster

The instant the old man turned and looked at Meng Hao, his eyes filled with a bright light and he said, "You joined the East Pill Division with a recommendation medallion from a Furnace Lord. What is your purpose here?!" A mysterious pressure locked onto Meng Hao's body.

As the man spoke the words, he took a step forward.

When the step fell, ghost images vibrated up everywhere, as if the area had been cut off from the rest of the world. Such a scene gave the feeling that any escape was impossible.

Even while his first words were still echoing out, he spoke again, "I've thoroughly investigated all of the Cultivators with the surname Fang in the entire State of Eastern Emergence. I couldn't find any record of you anywhere. As an alien in the State of Eastern Emergence, tell me… why are you here?" It was obviously supposed to feel like an interrogation. Add in the display of power, and it seemed as if dark storm clouds were rolling Meng Hao's way.

Inside, Meng Hao was calm. However, his face visibly paled, and he stood in place, body trembling slightly. His chin, though, was set stubbornly.

"State your real name, and reveal your purpose here! This is your last chance. If you refuse to come to your senses, then don't blame me for being ruthless!" The old man took another step forward. When the step fell, the sound of rumbling thunder filled the courtyard. A fierce wind sprang up, and waves of pressure roiled out. The medicinal plants in the garden seemed as if they were being harmfully catalyzed; they were growing dark and ugly.

Meng Hao's face grew paler. However, inwardly, he was as calm as ever. This old man's Cultivation base was at the Core Formation stage, and his words seemed cold and merciless. In reality, though, he was obviously bluffing. Considering Meng Hao's path of Cultivation, and the level of his experience and training, how could he not tell?

He had already been in the Violet Fate Sect for the better part of a year. After all this time, the fact the old man chose today to come visit was telling. Meng Hao only had to think a moment to come to a fairly certain conclusion.

Obviously, the promotion day was approaching, and although Meng Hao didn't qualify to participate, his first rate latent talent had attracted quite a bit of attention in the East Pill Division. That was the whole purpose of this whole scene; the display of power was basically a warning of sorts.

All of these thoughts flitted through Meng Hao's mind in an instant. He also thought about how he had crossed the chain bridge to enter the Sect, and his heart grew even calmer. He took a deep breath and, continuing to keep his face pale, clasped his hands and bowed deeply to the old man.

His expression bitter, his voice light, he said, "Sir, my name really is Fang Mu, and I am not from the State of Eastern Emergence. I have long yearned for the Dao of alchemy, and that is why I thirsted to join the Violet Fate Sect. I have no other purpose. I wholeheartedly wish to study alchemy.

"Unfortunately, the Violet Fate Sect does not accept outsiders, so I had to figure out another way to get the recommendation medallion from a Furnace Lord. In order to enter the Sect, I had no choice other than to use subterfuge. I had no option. Sir, if you believe junior is in error, then I will accept any punishment the Sect deems fit." Meng Hao bowed down and held the bow, not lifting himself up straight.

Everything was quiet. The old man looked at Meng Hao. He had long since investigated Meng Hao, and knew there were some things about him that weren't quite right. However, there were one hundred thousand apprentice alchemists in the Sect. More than a few of them had things about them that weren't quite right. The fact that they had passed the Bridge of Truth, however, was evidence that they harbored no ill intent toward the East Pill Division. If they did have any such secrets, they would not be able to pass the bridge.

If Meng Hao was an ordinary apprentice alchemist without first rate latent talent, then the old man wouldn't have paid him the least bit of attention, and things would have run their course naturally. However, Meng Hao's latent talent had attracted not just the attention of this old man, but other Furnace Lords in the East Pill Division. When the question came up regarding his qualifications to participate in the promotion examination, he went against convention to acquire a spot for Meng Hao… which therefore led to the current scene.

Wang Fanming was quiet for a moment. Then, he looked at Meng Hao and coolly said, "Once you join the Eastern Pill Division, you may never forsake it, not for the rest of your life. Can you do so?"

Meng Hao finally stood up straight. Looking at the old man with determination in his face, he spoke in a voice that could chop nails and sever iron: "It is a great kindness on the part of the Sect to teach me about the Dao of Alchemy. As long as the Sect doesn't kick me away, I will never forsake it!"

Actually, after living in the Violet Fate Sect for the better part of a year, being part of the East Pill Division, and studying alchemy, Meng Hao really had developed this view. As long as he could stay here and study alchemy, he would not leave the Sect.

The old man gave Meng Hao a deep look. "I don't care about your background. If you say you're Fang Mu, then you are Fang Mu. However, if you ever betray the Sect, I will take away your Dao of alchemy. If I am unable to, there will be another alchemist in the East Pill Division who can." He flicked his sleeve, and a medallion shot toward Meng Hao.

It landed in Meng Hao's hand, glowing mysteriously, radiating coldness.

"In one month, you may attend the examination for promotion to master alchemist. Only one candidate will be selected. Whether or not you are selected will depend on your luck." With that, Wang Fanming turned and flew away, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

As he said, he didn't care about Meng Hao's background. There were many people in the Violet Fate Sect who had mysterious backgrounds. Even among the Furnace Lords were people who had previously been members of other Sects, or who had enemies in the outside world and joined the East Pill Division to hide.

Actually, Wang Fanming himself was not from the State of Eastern Emergence. It was only because of various circumstances that he ended up becoming a Cultivator of the East Pill Division.

This was the tradition within the East Pill Division, a tradition created by someone who commanded high prestige and universal respect in the Violet Fate Sect: Grandmaster Pill Demon.

Grandmaster Pill Demon had uttered the following words regarding the East Pill Division: "One must take the long view when traversing the great path of the Dao of alchemy. Any qualified alchemist may become a Cultivator of the East Pill Division. The only requirement is that he harbor no ill intentions, nor have the reckless ambition of wild wolves."

Because of this, the traditions of the East Pill Division of the Violet Fate Sect had existed for a very long time. Unfortunately, it had also led to circumstances in which disciples forsook the Sect. Despite that, the techniques of the East Pill Division had never been revealed. Many outsiders wondered about this mystery, and also why those who forsook the Sect were so sentimental about it afterward.

In actuality, from time immemorial, all disciples who forsook the Sect were eventually brought back. Except for two. Those two had rocked the Southern Domain, and were the only two people other than Pill Demon to become Grandmasters of the Dao of alchemy!

Both of them had once been novitiates of Grandmaster Pill Demon. Eventually, they brought forth new ideas and innovations. Regardless of what outsiders thought, these two never believed their skill could outmatch that of their Master.

The reason they had become famous, and the reason they never returned to the Sect, was also because of the words of Grandmaster Pill Demon, words that continued to be passed down to this very day.

"Along the path of the Dao of alchemy, if a hundred flowers bloom, who has the right to permit only the Mudan peony to exist? Cannot the lesser peony and the orchid also coexist? Thus is birthed the flower garden. If the medicinal plant garden only contained one medicinal plant, how could the Dao of alchemy come into being? 1

"If those who inherit my Dao of alchemy are full of the ambitions of wild wolves, I will take back the Dao of alchemy. However, he who can weed through the old to bring forth the new, he who can tread the untrodden path, that person may establish his own school of thought. If he is able to bear the weight of the title Grandmaster, then it has nothing to do with me. In that case, there is no need to discuss returning to me."

Because of this, there are three alchemists called Grandmaster. In reality, though, the Dao of alchemy in the Southern Domain has only one true Grandmaster!

Pill Demon!

Meng Hao watched Wang Fanming leave, and his eyes shone with a mysterious light. He never thought he would be able to secure a spot in the promotion examination so quickly. He looked down thoughtfully at the jade slip he held in his hand. His eyes glinted, and he cast Spiritual Sense into it. His mind suddenly shook.

In his head suddenly appeared the words:

Alchemy Scripture!

He sat down cross-legged in the courtyard, holding the jade slip in hand. He closed his eyes and immersed himself in the Alchemy Scripture which had appeared in his head. It wasn't until the sun began to rise the following morning that he slowly opened his eyes. He took a deep breath, and looked off at the distant mountain peaks. His eyes were filled with reverence. He sat there quietly for a long time.

This so-called Alchemy Scripture was in fact not really a scripture. Actually, it was a record of events which had occurred in the East Pill Division in the thousand years since Grandmaster Pill Demon rose to fame.

There were many stories recorded, for example the origins of the two other Grandmaster alchemists of the Southern Domain, as well as various quotations from Grandmaster Pill Demon. After examining the entire Alchemy Scripture, an image appeared in his mind of a figure standing at the peak of the Dao of alchemy.

Now he understood why Wang Fanming was so quick to discard the issue of his hidden past.

Meng Hao slowly put away the jade slip. He took a few deep breaths, and then began his daily apprentice alchemist cultivation.

Time went by slowly. Soon, a month had passed. The news about the examination for apprentice alchemists with ten years of experience, spread like wildfire throughout the East Pill Division. It quickly became the only conversation topic among the apprentice alchemists.

Roughly eighty percent of the apprentice alchemists had ten or more years of experience. However, not all would participate in the promotion examination. Only thirty thousand slots were available for registration.

When the day of the test came, the entire East Pill Division bustled with noise and excitement. The furnace bells rang out, and an enormous pill furnace once again appeared up in the air. Tens of thousands of strands of light reached out toward the qualified apprentice alchemists, who were all bursting with excitement. Meng Hao was among them as they shot toward the pill furnace.

In the blink of an eye, thirty thousand people vanished. When they reappeared, it was not in the Celestial Land of medicinal plant fields. Instead, they were in an enormous public square paved with limestone. In the middle of the square was a gigantic blue-green pill furnace. Medicinal aroma wafted out from it, filling the square with medicinal mists and clouds.

Arranged in the enormous square were thirty thousand worktables. On the surface of each worktable was a black jade slip. As the thirty thousand participants arrived, there was no hubbub or racket. They all looked nervously toward the pill furnace, which was surrounded by eight old men, sitting cross-legged.

One of them was Wang Fanming.

The crowd of people looked down at the eight men, who slowly opened their eyes. They looked over everyone with kind, gentle expressions.

"In the promotion exam of the East Pill Division, one person shall be selected from your midst to practice the Cultivation of the Dao of alchemy! The examination consists of two rounds. The first round is an elimination round which only ten participants will pass. The second round is the final round, from which one master alchemist will emerge!

"One hundred thousand medicinal plants. One million variations. Your task is to silently list them out. Write down as many as you can think of! In front of you are thirty thousand work stations. Please organize yourselves among them and prepare to begin!"

1. The "Mudan peony" referred to here is the peony which once was the national flower of China. It is also called the "king of flowers." What I'm translating as the "lesser peony" is another type of peony flower that resembles the Mudan peon. These two are sometimes contrasted. For example, in the ancient court, the Empress would be the Mudan peony and the concubines would be the lesser peonies

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 217: Struggling for Plant Mastery

All thirty thousand apprentice alchemists were respectful and solemn. Quite a few had full heads of white hair. Other than Meng Hao, not a one appeared to be under thirty years of age.

They had all been apprentices for at least 10 years and had deep, profound understanding of medicinal plants. Practice had ingrained the knowledge so deeply that if they left the Sect for another on the outside, they would be rated as a medicinal plant Grandmaster.

Right now, they solemnly filed forward toward the workstations. Meng Hao took a deep breath as he looked around at the workstations, selected one, and sat down.

This was his first time participating in an examination for promotion from apprentice alchemist. However, the feeling was not strange to him. Actually… everything felt quite familiar.

The scene around him was very much like the examinations he had taken part in back when he was a scholar in the State of Zhao. He had participated in the preliminary rounds of the Imperial examinations on multiple occasions, and although he had never scored top marks, he was still very familiar with the process.

Meng Hao chuckled to himself. "There really are a lot of similarities between the two. This master alchemist promotion examination tests your knowledge of medicinal plants. The more plants you remember, the more details you recall, and the more accurately you do so, will determine how close to perfection your final score is. It's not very different at all from the imperial examinations." He felt like he was back in the imperial examination hall. Except this time, he was not aiming for a scholarly rank, but promotion in the Dao of alchemy.

He took another deep breath and looked around at all the apprentice alchemists as they peered down at the jade slip in front of them. Suddenly, magical glowing screens appeared in front of them, upon which could be seen various medicinal plants.

The task of all the apprentice alchemists was to identify the plants they recognized and then record their habits and characteristics, planting requirements, harvesting methods and any other details.

Seeing that many of the participants had already started, Meng Hao tapped his jade slip, and immediately, a magical screen appeared. He stared thoughtfully at the medicinal plant which appeared, and then began to record the name of the plant, its characteristics, and some other details.

Time passed. The square was quiet and peaceful. The eight old men who sat cross-legged by the pill furnace appeared to Meng Hao to be the test administrators. They looked around the examination square. Clearly, if anyone caused a disturbance, severe punishment would follow.

Meng Hao soon fell into a rhythm of answering the questions. He quickly recorded the information about the plants that appeared in front of him. Many of them he had seen with his own eyes in the Celestial Land. Others, he had even held in his own hands when assisting Li Tao in pill concoction.

Six hours quickly passed. Meng Hao was immersed in filling out his answers. His eyes shone with determination. He had discovered that this was an excellent method to verify how much he had learned. All of the information he had studied about medicinal plants during the better part of the year once again floated up in his mind.

As he reached down into the depths of his memory, he began to experience the same feeling he had as a scholar all those years ago, the joy that can be found in the midst of hardship.

Soon, it became apparent that some of the surrounding apprentice alchemists were wearing out. Some frowned, obviously wracking their brains for answers. More time went by, another four hours. Some of the apprentice alchemists were pale-faced. Many were clearly encountering unfamiliar medicinal plants, which they would skip past quickly. However, soon, they discovered that the unfamiliar plants became more and more frequent. Eventually, people began to abandon their struggles and bitterly leave the examination field. They moved off to the side to observe.

Within a short time, more and more apprentice alchemists began to stare bitterly at the screens in front of them. They would stare blankly for a while, then stand and walk off to the side, heaving bitter sighs. Despite ten or more years of experience, many of these people had difficulty remembering so many medicinal plants. After all, there were one hundred thousand of them, with a million variations. If one's Cultivation base was high enough, Divine Sense could be used to brand the information in one's mind; without that ability, though, the only other method was rote memorization, which was incredibly difficult.

Meng Hao, of course, was by nature a scholar and an intellectual. From the moment he had begun to tread the path of a scholar, each and every day had been devoted to memorizing things.

His expression was calm, and his gaze was locked onto the screen in front of him. He zoned out everything else, focusing completely on the ever-changing medicinal plants. The more questions he answered, the happier he grew. His movements were like floating clouds and flowing water, natural and spontaneous. Soon, he began to attract the attention of some of the people who had given up, and were now observing the proceedings.

More time passed. The examination had now been underway for twenty hours. Of the original thirty thousand participants, only twenty thousand continued to fill in answers. The surroundings were as quiet as ever. Those who had abandoned their efforts did not leave, they stood by quietly, watching on.

By the time the thirtieth hour arrived, only seventy percent of the twenty thousand participants remained. The eyes of these more than ten thousand apprentice alchemists were bloodshot. Each and every one doggedly stared at their respective glowing screens, continuing to fill in information from their studies.

Meng Hao was as calm as ever. The speed with which he answered the questions caused Wang Fanming and the other old men to cast sidelong glances at each other.

By the fortieth hour, only thirty percent or so of the participants had not given up.

By the sixtieth hour, only six thousand remained in the square, continuing on madly with the examination. Already, quite a few were obviously about to give up. If they looked around, they would see that their compatriots were madly going all out, jaws clenched as they pondered the images of the medicinal plants in front of them, attempting to recall their habits and characteristics.

By the time eighty continuous hour of testing had passed, only three thousand participants remained. They had been answering questions for four days and four nights with no rest whatsoever. They were like mad devils who could remember everything.

When the one hundredth hour arrived, an older man who appeared to be about fifty years old coughed up a mouthful of blood and then collapsed to the ground. His previously gray hair was now completely white. The scene caused quite a commotion, and quite a few of the surrounding apprentice alchemists immediately stood pale-faced and gave up.

They knew that if they continued, they may very well die here this day. They walked off to the side, supported by fellow apprentice alchemists. Everyone was now watching the remaining thousand test takers, their eyes filled with fear and dread. They knew full well how fearsome these people were.

Only incredibly extraordinary individuals could remember so many of the hundred thousand plants and one million variations.

Meng Hao took a deep breath. His eyes felt gritty, so he closed them for a moment to rest. Then he opened them, focusing on the medicinal plants and continuing to fill out answers.

Time passed by in a blur. The number of people who remained answering questions grew smaller and smaller. One thousand, eight hundred, five hundred, three hundred… By the time one hundred and eighty hours had passed, only eleven people remained!

The eleven people all sat in different locations within the enormous square, competing with unbridled frenzy. Meng Hao was frowning. Some of the plants in front of him required a careful search of his memory to recall.

This was especially true of the medicinal plants that were easily misidentified. These could only be correctly identified by carefully examining various tiny details. In fact, in some cases, they could only be distinguished by taste; unfortunately only images were available, which meant that even further examination was required before any information could be recorded.

The other ten people all were pale-faced, and their eyes radiated with ferocity. Having endured all the way down to this point, they obviously were not willing to give up. This test was a trial by fire, and an unforgiving one at that. Only ten mistakes or oversights were allowed, and then, instant disqualification.

In this test, no one could masquerade as having ability. The best among the apprentice alchemists would be visible in a single glance.

Suddenly, one of the final eleven suddenly grew white as death. His expression changed as the screen in front of him suddenly disappeared. He stared mutely for a long moment, then staggered to his feet and laughed bitterly. A fellow apprentice alchemist held him by the arm as he left his workstation.

The observing apprentice alchemists began to breathe heavily. There were now only ten participants left; these ten had already passed into the second round of the examination.

However, not a single one stood up!

Despite being assured a pass to the next round, all of these apprentice alchemists aspired to be master alchemists. Being so ambitious and proud, they possessed the spirit of competition; they naturally wanted to see who would be the first among them all!

Each and every one of them possessed the same mentality. All of the surrounding thirty thousand apprentice alchemists were watching on with rapt attention. They were all wondering, in the end… who would place first?

Wang Fanming and the seven other old men watched on wordlessly. They said nothing to end the examination, and instead watched on quietly.

Time passed by. These ten people, including Meng Hao, were all well-known figures amongst the apprentice alchemists. All of them were clearly qualified to become master alchemists. Their eyes were completely bloodshot as they stared at the screens in front of them. None gave up.

Meng Hao closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When he opened them, he found himself looking at a very rare medicinal plant. In fact, this was a plant that was not among the one hundred thousand medicinal plants, but rather, a hybrid grass that was one of the one million variations.

Even those Cultivators in the Southern Domain who considered themselves experienced and knowledgeable, would only be able to stare in frustration at such a plant.

"It's getting harder and harder," thought Meng Hao, sighing deeply. "But that only makes things more interesting." His face radiated stubbornness. As of now, the aura of a Cultivator had grown faint around him, to be replaced by the implacability of a scholar. This was the stubbornness of someone who had repeatedly failed in the imperial examinations, and yet continued to participate.

After joining the East Pill Division, Meng Hao realized that he really was innately inclined to practice alchemy!

Perhaps in terms of Cultivation, his latent talent was not extraordinary. But when it came to alchemy, however, he possessed true genius! Whether it was memorizing medicinal plants, or catalyzing them, he stood head and shoulders above all others.

In fact, you could say that this was not innate talent, this was nature talent! Nature talent regarding all plants and vegetation!

Meng Hao suddenly recalled the words of Shui Dongliu 1. Gradually he came to realize that he didn't always have nature talent. This nature talent came from the Resurrection Lily!

Meng Hao wasn't sure how much time had passed. Soon, one screen after another went dark among the final ten. They had clearly made more than ten mistakes, and were out.

Soon the hour arrived in which only two people remained!

One was Meng Hao, the other was a grim-faced, middle-aged man. As they continued with the examination, the middle aged man would look up from time to time at Meng Hao. His eyes slowly filled with crazed determination.

This chapter was sponsored by Blake Zbikowski

1. Shui Dongliu's words as referenced here are from only a few chapters ago, chapter 208 to be specific

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 218: First Round First Place!

The middle-aged man's eyes were blood red as he stared at the medicinal plant in front of him. "I joined the Sect twenty years ago," he said "I've been an apprentice alchemist for half my life. Do you really think you can compare to me?" However, his face was gradually growing white. He had already made nine mistakes, so he now had only one chance left. Unfortunately, as for the plant in front of him… he didn't recognize it.

After a long time passed, the middle-aged man laughed sadly, then slowly stood up. He didn't record an answer. He took a long look at the medicinal plant, committing it to memory, then walked away.

As of now, Meng Hao was the only person left in the square!

The gaze of every single person, including Wang Fanming and the seven other old-timers, was focused solely on Meng Hao!

This was because… he was still filling out answers!

Meng Hao had no idea many how many answers he had provided. One hundred thousand medicinal plants, one million variations. Perhaps he had recorded half, perhaps more. He took a deep breath and focused on the medicinal plants on the screen in front of him. He gradually became aware that some of the medicinal plants were ones he had never seen before. However, after looking at them and thinking for a moment, the information regarding them would appear in his head.

The hundred thousand plants and one million variations that he had studied were simply a foundation. However, that foundation enabled him to awaken the nature talent of the Resurrection Lily that he acquired. That nature talent of plants allowed him to expand on what he had built in his head, using that accumulated knowledge to form answers.

Inside his bag of the Cosmos, the portrait of the Resurrection Lily painted by Shui Dongliu was trembling. It seemed to be struggling, resisting, screaming a noiseless scream. This was because as Meng Hao continues to answer questions and corroborate what he had learned, the endless images of plants that appeared in his head were all being plundered from the Resurrection Lily! He was wresting away the talent of the Resurrection Lily!

If that were simply it, perhaps it wouldn't be a big deal. However, as Meng Hao continued, he realized that the Demonic Core within his Dao Pillar seemed to be rotating. With every rotation, strands of invisible power would emanate out, entering into his mind, causing the nature talent from the Resurrection Lily to grow even more powerful.

This examination of plants and vegetation, was also a chance for him to steal away nature talent from the Resurrection Lily! There was no other method that could possibly be faster, that could push Meng Hao to such heights! This examination was essentially a huge stroke of good fortune!

He proceeded on, even more lost in thought than he was before. He continued to fill out more and more answers, more and more quickly. No one could hear the screams of the Resurrection Lily as its nature talent was wrested away and fused into Meng Hao, becoming his and his alone!

If someone asked Meng Hao to stop now, he would refuse.

His eyes were bloodshot. Sometimes he had to think, but he never made a mistake. As he thought and recorded his answers, everyone around watched with baited breath, stupefied at what was happening. Wang Fanming and the seven others exchanged glances. All of their eyes were filled with shock.

Some of the information Meng Hao filled out, even they would have difficulty with. Some of these hybrid plants required ten varieties of medicinal plants to be grafted together at different times to produce the final rare version.

Wang Fanming and the others exchanged excited glances and then began to transmit a conversation between themselves.

"One hundred thousand medicinal plants, one million variations, ten million hybrids. Three realms of plants and vegetations. Mastering even the first indicates one has the nature talent required to become a master alchemist…"

"In the Southern Domain, only Violet Furnace Lords have the enough talent to master the second realm. As far as the third realm goes, there are only three: Grandmaster Pill Demon and the other two Grandmasters!"

"Just how skilled is this Fang Mu when it comes to plants? He's simply inhuman! He's already passed the second realm and has now encroached into the domain of the third realm…. If his alchemic skill is comparable to his talent with plants, then he… he will be able to rock Heaven and Earth!"

"Not necessarily. His talent with plants is inhuman. But skill in alchemy is different. However, if he does possess some skill, then even if he doesn't become a Violet Furnace Lord, he will surely reach the pinnacle of the Furnace Lord rank!"

"It will all depend on the results of his alchemy, and the level of the medicinal strength he develops. Ordinary master alchemists can produce about thirty percent. Only Furnace Lords can draw out fifty percent or more of the medicinal strength. Violet Furnace Lords can extract seventy percent. In all the Southern Domain, only Grandmaster Pill Demon and the other two Grandmasters can refine ninety percent or more! And Grandmaster Pill Demon is the only one who can concoct pills of one hundred percent medicinal strength, pills that do not lose any effectiveness!"

As the eight men continued their discussion, the apprentice alchemists watched on, dumbstruck. Their minds reeled as they watched Meng Hao. The other tenth-place finalists also watched on, some with admiration and respect, others with jealousy and discontent.

Time passed, and Meng Hao continued on without stopping. As the medicinal plants flashed in front of him, his expression slowly grew more and more excited. More and more information flooded into his head, and the legacy Demonic Core inside him rotated even more rapidly.

Meanwhile, elsewhere within the Violet Fate Sect, on an isolated peak deep within the East Pill Division, an old man sat cross-legged, observing a pill furnace which floated in front of him. He wore a white Daoist robe, and his entire person emanated the aroma of medicinal pills. His eyes were focused completely on the pill furnace.

His features were not particularly impressive. However, his eyes were clear, like deep springs. At first look, his white Daoist robe seemed ordinary. However, on each sleeve was embroidered a pill furnace.

He was archaic, ancient, as if he had existed for countless years. As he looked at the pill furnace, he smiled. It was impossible to tell his Cultivation base, but his presence on the mountain seemed to cause the clouds to disperse and the wind to calm. It seemed that with him present, the world would always be like that.

Next to him was a young woman clad in a long, violet robe. She was consummately beautiful, although her brow was wrinkled in a frown. It was none other than Chu Yuyan.

The old man… was he who commanded high prestige and universal respect within the Violet Fate Sect. He was the Grandmaster alchemist whose name had dominated the Southern Domain for a thousand years. His two novitiates had forsaken him to become Grandmasters in their own right. This was… Pill Demon!

Demons can take countless forms, just like the variations of medicinal pills. The day this old man achieved his Dao, he took the name Pill Demon. This Grandmaster Demon whose name had filled the Southern Domain a thousand years ago, now spoke. "Were you able to concoct the Three Mortalities Pill?" he asked, shifting his gaze from the pill furnace to Chu Yuyan.

"I failed again," she replied, frowning. "Master, the Three Mortalities Pill is too difficult." She looked at the floating pill furnace.

The old man shook his head and chuckled. With an expression that seemed to be filled with the emotion of many years, he looked off into the distance, toward the enormous statue of Reverend Violet East. Eventually, he looked back to the pill furnace. After some time passed, he spoke again: "Your heart is unsettled, and is lacking in determination. It seems you still do not grasp the purpose for which Master asked you to concoct the Three Mortalities Pill. In that regard, you could really learn something from him." He pointed toward the pill furnace. As he did, the furnace grew blurry, then magically transformed into an image of the Meng Hao on the square.

When she caught sight of him, Chu Yuyan's brow furrowed instantly. She remembered him. She recalled how seeing him had for some unknown reason caused her heart to fill with irritation. It had filled her with an almost unstoppable impulse to beat some sense into him.

Even afterward, she couldn't explain it. Casting eyes on him again today caused that same irritated feeling to reappear.

"On the path of the Dao of alchemy," Grandmaster Pill Demon said coolly, "talent is only an assistant. Unswerving determination is even more important." He waved his right hand and the scene disappeared. The pill furnace was once again a pill furnace. "Go back. When you finish concocting the Three Mortalities Pill, then Master will permit you to leave the Sect." With that, he closed his eyes.

Chu Yuyan's lips curled into a pout. Clearly not happy, but unable to do anything about it, she stamped her foot as she turned and left. For some reason the face of Meng Hao, or rather Fang Mu, appeared in her mind, and her irritation rose again.

"I'm going to go see why this guy makes me so uncomfortable!" she thought, clenching her jaw and transforming into a beam of light that shot off into the distance.

Back in the master alchemist examination square, tens of thousands of eyes were all focused on one thing as the time slowly passed. When Chu Yuyan arrived, she saw Meng Hao, and once again frowned. She examined him intently for a while, but in the end, his features were unfamiliar. And yet within that unfamiliarity was something that she seemed to know.

More time passed. A day. Two days…. Eventually three days had passed.

Chu Yuyan's eyes were glued onto Meng Hao, but in the end, her eyes filled with frustration. Much the same as Wang Fanming and the others, she was familiar with the third realm of plants and vegetation. Seeing Meng Hao answer question after question, how could she not be filled with astonishment?

At the end of the third day, the screen in front of Meng Hao suddenly flickered. No more medicinal plants appeared. He slowly looked up.

Everything was completely silent. Everyone was staring at the screen in front of him. Wang Fangming gasped and stood up. The other old men also stood up one by one, their eyes filled with disbelief.

"He answered all the questions…."

"Grandmaster Pill Demon personally prepared all of the images of the medicinal plants. In one thousand years, no one has ever answered all the questions. What… just what inhuman talent does he possess…?"

As the words of Wang Fanming and the others echoed out, the excitement that had been suppressed for days by the surrounding apprentice alchemists suddenly exploded out. A deafening hubbub filled the air.

"No more questions…. How is that possible!?!? He answered all the questions!"

"From ancient times until now, no one has ever done that…."

"Is it possible that this Fang Mu will become another blazing sun of the East Pill Division…?"

Even as the commotion filled the air, exhaustion washed over Meng Hao and he closed his dry eyes. He had no idea how long he had been sitting there. Once the screen went out, his energy seemed to disappear. The knowledge of plants and vegetation in his mind seemed to surge with life, buffeting up against and overwhelming any ignorance that might have existed before.

It surged again and again until finally it began to stabilize. Now that the ignorance had been broken, Meng Hao wasn't sure the extent to which his skill with plants and vegetation would grow.

He had attained… Instantaneous Formula Scrying!

By simply placing a medicinal pill in his hand, he would be able to see the pill formula floating in his head. This was a realm that only Violet Furnace Lords could achieve.

Chu Yuyan took a deep breath as she stared blankly at Meng Hao. There was no doubt about it; just looking at him caused her to feel irritated. And yet, she had to admit that Fang Mu's skill regarding plants and vegetation was beyond human!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 219: Not Fair!

As everyone seethed with excitement, Meng Hao stood up. As he did, everything gradually grew quiet. All eyes were focused on him alone. Some filled with complicated expressions, some were purely envious, others were shocked or jealous.

A variety of expressions were directed toward Meng Hao, who appeared to be extremely worn out. He turned toward Wang Fanming and the others, clasped hands and bowed. Then, he left his workstation and found a place to sit cross-legged and meditate.

Wang Fanming took a deep breath. He glanced at Meng Hao for a moment, and then his gaze swept out across the crowd. "In twenty hours, the second round of the master alchemist promotion examination will begin. It is also the final round. Of the ten finalists, only one will become a master alchemist. The second round will consist of a test of the power of your catalyzing technique. You have twenty hours in which you may rest, but are not permitted to leave."

Chu Yuyan had been watching Meng Hao the entire time. The shock had still not left her eyes. Even though looking at him still annoyed her, she had no choice but to admit that Fang Mu was someone she had to look up to in terms of qualifications.

"Skill with plants and vegetation is only part of being an alchemist," she said, still unconvinced. "Let's see if this guy really is qualified to perform alchemy. That includes catalysis, as well as control of the spiritual energy of the Cultivation base. Those are not things to be taken lightly. Let's see if his skill in that regard is equally astounding." The more she looked at Meng Hao, the more annoyed she got.

Not a single of the thirty thousand apprentice alchemists chose to leave. They continued to converse in low tones. Seventy percent of the conversations were about Meng Hao. The other thirty were about the other nine finalists who had passed the first round of the examination, and thus revealed their talent, like awls sticking out from a bag.

These other nine were all very nervous. They sat cross-legged, using each and every moment to rotate their Cultivation bases. They wanted to be in peak condition to face the second and final examination.

Meng Hao's participation in the first round had crushed them down with a weight that made it hard to breathe. That having been said, there was no difference between first place and tenth. All would have a chance to pass the second round of the examination.

The second round was actually the focal point.

As far as they were concerned, there was still a chance to surpass Meng Hao. He might know more about plants and vegetation than them, but to catalyze medicinal plants required use of the Cultivation base, as well as significant practice. It demanded careful control of spiritual power; too much, and the medicinal plant would grow until it burst. Too little, however, and it would not grow healthily. It was difficult to find the perfect balance.

The nine other finalists breathed deeply as they sat in meditation. Images appeared in their minds from their years of experience catalyzing plants. Gradually, they began to fill with confidence.

Meng Hao sat there with eyes closed. Actually, he hadn't wasted very much energy from his Cultivation base. The main reason he was tired was not because of his body, but because of the effort in wresting away the legacy of the Resurrection Lily, as well as the rotating of the Demonic Core. His head felt like it was swollen. As he rested, his mind slowly began to simmer down.

Soon, the twenty hours had passed. Wang Fanming's voice suddenly rang out across the square. As he spoke, he moved his arm to rest on the pill furnace next to him.

"The time has come for the second round of this trial by fire. Would the ten final participants please approach!" As he spoke, the sound of furnace bells rang out, shaking the entire square. The eyes of the thirty thousand spectators focused intently on the proceedings.

The square was the same as before, but the thirty thousand workstations had been replaced by ten stone pillars, each one roughly nine meters tall. As they rose into the air, they glowed with an eye-catching light.

With the exception of Meng Hao, all of the final participants leaped up into the air, alighting nimbly onto the stone pillars, excited expressions on their faces.

All eyes were on them; after all, these were people who had distinguished themselves amidst thirty thousand peers. Considering their talent, they quickly covered up their excitement, replacing it with looks of determination.

Meng Hao opened his eyes, and they shone with a bright light. The swelling pain in his head was gone. The nature talent of plants and vegetation was now completely amalgamated, and was a complete part of him.

"I WILL become a master alchemist," he thought, his eyes shining with decisiveness. He stood up and strode forward. In a flash, he appeared on the final stone pillar. Instantly, everything grew completely quiet. Countless gazes came to be fixed upon him. Everyone would witness the promotion today and see… who would be promoted to master alchemist!

Whoever became master alchemist would instantly rise above one hundred thousand others!

In terms of status, position, renumeration from the Sect, and reputation, this person would no longer be in the same level as the apprentice alchemists. The difference between apprentice alchemists and master alchemists was like the difference between Heaven and Earth. After all, in the entire Violet Fate Sect, there were only about one thousand master alchemists. Later, if one could reach the realm of the Furnace Lord, then he could shake the entire Southern Domain. Any Furnace Lord occupied a lofty position in the Dao of alchemy; be it in the Violet Fate Sect or the outside world, they would receive utmost respect and veneration.

Within the whole of the Violet Fate Sect, there were currently only around a hundred Furnace Lords.

Eight of that group were Violet Furnace Lords. They existed just beneath the three Grandmaster alchemists as the pinnacle representatives of the Dao of alchemy! All of the other great Sects and Clans thirsted to have any one of this group join them. They commanded extreme respect from one and all.

Everyone was watching as Meng Hao stepped onto the pillar. Wang Fanming and the others exchanged glances. One of the old men lifted his arm to push down onto the surface of the pill furnace. It began to emit a droning sound, and then opened up. Ten beams of light shot out and then came to rest, floating in mid-air.

The globes of light were blurry and indistinct, making it impossible to see what was inside.

"Ten different types of medicinal plant seeds, all of different categories. Candidates, make your selection. Whoever catalyzes theirs to the most mature degree, will be a master alchemist!"

With the exception of Meng Hao, the eyes of everyone on the stone pillars began to glitter brightly. They looked up at the ten indistinct medicinal plant seeds. It was completely impossible to tell what they were, causing the nine other participants to hesitate slightly. Then, one of them set his eyes in resolve. He lifted his hand and made a grasping motion, causing one of the glowing globes to shoot into his hand. It transformed into a blue-colored seed.

The other eight participants looked over. "That's a Bluewater flower seed…." This flower could be used to concoct a variety of medicinal pills useful for the Foundation Establishment stage. It was relatively difficult to catalyze.

Without hesitation, the other participants reached up to lay claim to the various glowing globes of light. One by one, the globes descended into their hands. They looked around to examine which seeds the others had acquired. Some would be easier to catalyze, others more difficult. It would all depend on luck, considering that the differences between them all was not great.

After everyone made their choice, Meng Hao calmly lifted up his hand to retrieve the last glowing globe. The light transformed into a gray-colored seed.

When the surrounding tens of thousands of apprentice alchemists saw the seed in Meng Hao's hand, they were sent into an uproar. "That's Flying Ash leaf…."

"Of all the ten types of medicinal plants, Flying Ash leaf is least complex. That Fang Mu got really lucky…."

"You can't really say that. It's not necessarily easy to get the leaf to turn into ash."

As the sound of the discussions rose up, unsightly expressions appeared on the faces of the nine other participants. No one said anything, though. After all, Meng Hao was the last person to take a seed, so he obviously had no choice in the matter. They couldn't accuse him of cheating.

The old man standing next to Wang Fanming also started when he saw the Flying Ash leaf seed. He exchanged a look with the other old men, but no one said anything. Suddenly, he spoke out in a cool voice which rose up above the hubbub that filled the square: "Begin!"

There was instant silence. Meng Hao and the other nine people on the stone pillars all focused on the seeds in their hands. They circulated spiritual power, then, using the East Pill Division technique, began to nourish the seeds with it. The medicinal plant catalyzing had begun.

After the space of ten breaths, popping sounds began to ring out from the hands of all the participants, including Meng Hao's. Sprouts appeared, swaying gently back and forth and slowly beginning to grow taller.

Meng Hao concentrated fully, slowly pouring out power from his Cultivation base. He didn't squander a drop. This convergence technique was what he had learned in the Blood Immortal Legacy tournament 1. During the past months in the Violet Fate Sect, he had practiced the technique daily, especially when working with Li Tao. He channeled spiritual energy into the seed. Soon a gray-colored medicinal plant appeared in his hand, roughly two inches tall, with seven green leaves.

As it grew, gray veins began to appear within the leaves. "When the leaves turn completely gray, it means that the plant is fully mature. Eventually, the leaves will turn into ash. That ash is the true essence of the plant which is used as a medicinal ingredient." Information regarding this particular medicinal plant appeared in his head, as well as ten hybrid variations.

The plant began to grow taller. It was now three inches tall, and the leaves were about half gray. Now it had twelve leaves in total, which was actually the maximum number of leaves that a Flying Ash plant could have.

As for the other nine participants, none of them had grown their plant past sixty percent; obviously theirs were not as mature as Meng Hao's.

Their faces were dark and obviously filled with intense discontent. Even many of the surrounding tens of thousands of apprentice alchemists sighed. According to their understanding, it was obvious that Meng Hao's medicinal plant was superior.

"This test really isn't fair…. If that Fang Mu had gotten any other medicinal plant besides Flying Ash leaf, then it wouldn't have been so easy…."

"It's not necessarily unfair. The Flying Ash leaf might just be particularly suited to Fang Mu's spiritual energy. If someone else got it, they might not necessarily find it so easy. Growing that particular plant isn't simple. In fact, to cause the leaves to transform into ash takes more spiritual energy than most other medicinal plants."

Voices began to echo out. The Flying Ash plant in Meng Hao's hand made a popping sound. It seemed to be burning. A gray flame covered it, and then gray ash began to spread out.

When this happened, the surrounding nine participants faces tightened. Their eyes were red as they frustratedly looked at Wang Fanming and the others. Nervously, they began to speak.

"Seniors, this isn't fair!!"

"The Flying Ash leaf that Fang Mu got is way simpler than my medicinal plant. If I'd gotten Flying Ash leaf, I could have done the same thing!"

"We worked hard for so many years for a chance at promotion. Don't tell me that we lose, not because of skill, but because of luck!? Elders, it really isn't fair!"

"Please, re-start the second round and give everyone the same medicinal plant. If we lose then, we will be sincerely convinced!"

This chapter was sponsored by Robert Kunzi

1. Meng Hao learned to focus his power in chapter 123

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 220: Promotion to Master Alchemist!

Meanwhile, outside the square, on a mountain peak in the East Pill Division, Chu Yuyan's master, Grandmaster Pill Demon of the Violet Fate Sect, looked away from the pill furnace calmly and lifted his hand. There on his palm was a small pile of gray powder.

This was none other than some of the ash created by the burning Flying Ash leaf that had been catalyzed moments ago by Meng Hao.

Pill Demon lifted his hand and closely examined it, his eyes thoughtful. He then waved his hand, and the ash dissipated.

"No seepage of spiritual power…." he murmured faintly after a while.

Down in the square, Chu Yuyan silently watched Meng Hao along with the other nine complaining finalists. She wasn't sure why, but she felt somewhat pleased to see what was happening. The sound of all the condemnation piling up against Fang Mu was quite pleasant to the ear.

As the nine other participants continued to make repeated requests, Wang Fanming and the seven others looked at each other, brows furrowed. After a moment of discussion, Wang Fanming stood up.

As he did, everything grew quiet.

"If all of you truly desire to be completely convinced, well, Fang Mu, do you agree to restart the round?"

Meng Hao smiled. He said nothing, but simply nodded.

Wang Fanming nodded back in admiration. "Very well. In that case, we shall restart the round. This time, all ten of you will receive exactly the same type of medicinal plant. Those who do not win, will have no grounds for complaint!" He waved his right hand, and ten identical seeds shot out toward Meng Hao and the others.

The seeds were crimson, and emanated a plant-like aura.

"Crimson Spirit sapling!" thought Meng Hao, his eyes glittering. The hearts of the other nine participants trembled. They frowned as they examined the crimson seeds in front of them.

A collective gasp could be heard from the onlookers as they peered forward.

"So, it's a Crimson Spirit sapling. That's a medicinal plant useful for the great circle of Foundation Establishment. It has the appearance of a fire type, but actually, all types of spiritual energy can be used to nourish it."

"Considering the level of our Cultivation bases, catalyzing a medicinal plant like that would be just too difficult…"

On the pillars, all the participants except for Meng Hao hesitated for a moment, then clenched their jaws and grabbed the seeds which floated in front of them. Then they used all the power of their Cultivation bases to begin catalyzing.

Meng Hao reached up and took the seed into his hand. He looked at it closely, then closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, a violet glow appeared in his hand, encircling the crimson seed. Spiritual power emerged, and the catazlying began.

After enough time passed for an incense stick to burn, one of the middle-aged men on the pillars began to sweat profusely. His face was pale white, and his body trembled. However, he gritted his teeth and slapped his bag of holding to produce a Spirit Stone. He gripped the Spirit Stone in one hand and catalyzed the Crimson Spirit sapling in the other.

One by one, the other participants began to follow suit. An hour passed. Soon all of the participants, excluding Meng Hao, were relying on Spirit Stones to catalyze the plants. One and all had pale faces and bloodshot eyes.

Only Meng Hao looked as calm as ever. His gaze was fixed on the Crimson Spirit sapling as he carefully controlled his spiritual power. Not a drop leaked out. All of it poured into the seed of the Crimson Spirit sapling.

Clearly, none of the other participants were able to do such a thing. Of all the spiritual power they sent out to nourish the medicinal plants, only thirty percent actually ended up being used.

Another hour passed. The man who had been the first to produce the Spirit Stone suddenly staggered. Face white as a sheet, he coughed up a mouthful of blood and took a few steps back. He stared mutely at the seed in his hand. He had expended all of his power and hadn't been able to produce a single sprout.

He shook his head bitterly and chose to withdraw.

Not much time passed before a second, third and then fourth participant left. By the time more than two full hours of the catalysis round had passed, only five participants were left.

It was then that a popping sound rang out, causing everyone to look toward Meng Hao's right hand. There in his palm, a sprout suddenly popped out from the crimson seed!

Moments later, a sprout popped out from the seed of one of the other competitors. This seed belonged to the man who had lasted in the first round of the competition longer than anyone else except Meng Hao.

His face was somewhat unsightly as he tightened his grip on the Spirit Stone in his hand and then gave Meng Hao a grim look.

As for the other three participants, their faces were white. Despite using all the power they could muster, they were still unable to cause the Crimson Spirit sapling seed to sprout. All of them withdrew.

The true test of the second round had arrived. Once again, it was a battle between the middle-aged man and Meng Hao.

"I prepared a lot of Spirit Stones for this part of the examination," said the middle-aged man, his eyes red. "There's no possible way that I can lose to you." The pillar he stood on was situated directly opposite of Meng Hao. He looked up and glared at Meng Hao, then pushed down on his forehead. A roaring sound filled the air as his Cultivation base suddenly began to soar.

It flew from the eighth level of Qi Condensation all the way to the ninth, the great circle of Qi Condensation! Clearly, he had been suppressing his Cultivation base the entire time, all with the intention of unleashing his true power in the end of the catalysis exam. In this way, it would only take one step to sweep past any opponents.

When the man's Cultivation base suddenly erupted, it caused quite a commotion among the onlookers. At the same time, the Crimson Spirit sapling seed in front of him slowly began to grow.

Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever. He didn't employ the power of his Foundation Establishment Cultivation base. He relied only on the spiritual power of Qi Condensation to catalyze the Crimson Spirit sapling. He completely ignored the middle-aged man, and in fact closed his eyes to focus solely on catalysis.

More time passed. Both Crimson Spirit saplings continued to grow taller. Several hours passed. By now, both plants were about the height of a person.

The middle-aged man's body quivered and veins bulged on his face. He had lost track of how many Spirit Stones he had used, and felt like he was beginning to grow crazy. As soon as a Spirit Stone was used up, he would produce another. His Qi passageways seemed unable to bear up under the strain, but he ignored them. Determination filled his eyes. He must win! He must become a master alchemist! For that, he would charge on regardless of anything.

Finally, blood sprayed from his mouth, and even as his body trembled violently, he pushed all out with his Cultivation base, which was now beginning to sink down in level. Spiritual energy which stemmed from his very life force poured out to catalyze the Crimson Spirit sapling. This instantly caused the plant to grow up about three meters. As of now, it no longer looked like a sapling, but instead a tree. The middle aged man staggered backward several paces, unable to continue. He had already risked his life, and to continue on would no longer be risking it, but delivering it up!

His Qi passageways burned as if with fire, causing his entire body to spasm. Sweat poured out, and his Cultivation base continued to sink lower. Despite all this, his eyes glowed with loftiness and pride.

Amazed discussions instantly broke out among the surrounding apprentice alchemists. Even Wang Fanming and the others exchanged glances. Chu Yuyan nodded her head. Clearly, what he had done was no slight accomplishment.

"My Crimson Spirit Sapling had grown so tall it's now a tree! Your sapling isn't even seventy percent as tall as mine. Let's see how you secure the master alchemist position now!"

For the first time, Meng Hao looked over at the middle-aged man. "I'm not finished yet," he said coolly. The Crimson Spirit sapling in his hand slowly began to grow higher. From seventy percent of the height of the other man's, it grew to eighty, then ninety…. In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the middle-aged man's face grew paler and paler. His body trembled, and his eyes filled with disbelief. Meng Hao's Crimson Spirit sapling was now three meters taller than his.

Everything was completely silent. Everyone stared blankly at Meng Hao. They had already been astonished by his nature talent in the first round. Now, in terms of catalyzing skill, the results caused everyone to stare with deep shock.

However, Meng Hao still wasn't finished. He stared at the Crimson Spirit sapling, his eyes blazing with determination.

"If I'm going to put on a show," he thought, "I might as well go all out. I'm really curious to know how much I can grow the Crimson Spirit sapling with this catalysis technique!" Eyes glittering, more spiritual energy appeared in his palm, pouring into the Crimson Spirit sapling. Of course, he did not use the power of Foundation Establishment; he wanted to show off, but he wouldn't forget himself in the process.

Six meters, nine meters… slowly, the Crimson Spirit sapling stopped growing up, but began to grow out instead. Thicker and thicker it grew until it was now a large tree!

This tree might not be amazing enough to attract the attention of the entire world, but it certainly became the focal point of the entire examination square.

Meng Hao catalyzed the tree to such an extent that suddenly a single flower appeared on it, along with a fruit. It was a crimson-colored Spirit Fruit that instantly began to emanate spiritual energy.

When Chu Yuyan saw this, her eyes went wide and filled with an expression of disbelief. Wang Fanming rose to his feet, as did the other old-timers. Strange expressions filled their faces.

"The Crimson Spirit sapling is blossoming!! It's bearing Spirit Fruit!"

"He's a Qi Condensation Cultivator, but can do this? Inconceivable!"

The tens of thousands of observing apprentice alchemists couldn't hold back; a buzz of discussion instantly filled the air. All the other participants who had failed stared blankly. As apprentice alchemists themselves, they were well aware of the significance of the Crimson Spirit sapling bearing fruit.

"Crimson Spirit saplings can be used to refine medicinal pills for the great circle of Foundation Establishment. But their fruit contain the essence of the entire plant; they can create medicinal pills for the early Core Formation stage!"

"I can't believe Fang Mu did it! This technique can catalyze out all types of medicinal plants suitable for the Qi Condensation stage, and even some for the Foundation Establishment stage. But it's impossible to use on medicinal plants needed for the Core Formation stage. And yet… he actually catalyzed Crimson Spirit Fruit!"

As the sound of conversation drifted in the air, Meng Hao took a deep breath and waved his right hand. The Crimson Spirit sapling abruptly trembled, as if it had suddenly lost its source of power. It began to wither. Even as it withered, though, Meng Hao's left hand reached up and grabbed the Crimson Spirit Fruit. Without a moment's hesitation, he placed it into his bag of holding.

The nine meter tall Crimson Spirit sapling was now completely withered. Amidst the continuous buzz of conversation, Meng Hao hopped off of the stone pillar.

Wang Fanming took a deep breath, then gave Meng Hao a deep look and said, "The person promoted to master alchemist today is… Fang Mu!" His voice rang out across the square, and then seemed to enter the pill furnace and echo out throughout all the valleys of the entire East Pill Division.

All one hundred thousand apprentice alchemists heard each and every word!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

---

Read I Shall Seal the Heavens - Chapter 221 online free - Novel Full

Chapter 221: A Newcomer to the Dao of Alchemy

Time flashed by. Soon two months had passed. Meng Hao still resided in District One Valley One. However, he was no longer located next to the stream. On one of the mountains that formed the valley, a narrow path wound up to the peak, where there was an Immortal's Cave.

Clouds drifted past its green, stone door. Standing there, one could see the entirety of the valley below. The spiritual energy was much thicker, and within the mountain itself was a vein of fire.

This was the Immortal's Cave that had been bestowed upon Meng Hao after he was raised to master alchemist.

Only master alchemists could live in the upper reaches of the mountains. There, separated from the apprentice alchemists, they could enjoy the special privileges they had earned as master alchemists. For example, they could seek apprentice alchemists to serve as assistants. Furthermore, for slight compensation, they could acquire various pill formulas and even medicinal plants from the Sect.

The only demand placed upon master alchemists was that they meet the monthly quota of medicinal pills.

In order to receive less common medicinal plants and pill formulas, they would have to turn over a greater quantity of medicinal pills. The more they provided, the more they were rewarded.

After becoming a master alchemist, it was also possible to engage in trade with other master alchemists. All of this was designed to improve knowledge and familiarity with alchemy, and to increase the quality of the medicinal pills produced.

On this particular day, a roaring sound filled Meng Hao's Immortal's Cave. Despite the door being sealed, the sound still echoed out far and wide. Down in the valley, the apprentice alchemists held their tongues. They looked up toward Meng Hao's Immortal's Cave, unable to contain their admiration and envy.

During the two months since Meng Hao became a master alchemist, this type of roaring sound could be heard frequently.

Inside, Meng Hao was covered with filth and grime. It was with a bitter laugh that he watched the pill furnace in front of him explode. He sighed, flicking his sleeve to collect up the bits of the broken pill furnace, and the remnants of the medicinal pill he had been concocting. He frowned as he sat there on the stone platform.

"Concocting pills is not easy," he said. "The slightest lack of control of the earthly fire can ruin the pill and stress the pill furnace to the point of destruction. In the past two months, I've already blown up forty seven pill furnaces…." The sleeve of his long, black gown was embroidered with a tiny pill furnace. This set of clothing representing his status as a master alchemist.

"I've improved quite a bit, though. In the past two or three days I've only exploded one." He looked at the seven or eight pill bottles lined up next to him, and his eyes shined contentedly. The pills inside these bottles were the accumulation of his two months of practice. They were only useful for the Qi Condensation stage, but the feeling of making something with his own hands left Meng Hao feeling very happy.

"Concocting pills is definitely not easy, and is clearly connected to latent talent. What's even more important though is… concocting pills is expensive! No wonder there aren't very many master alchemists…." Meng Hao sighed emotionally. He hadn't felt this way back when he was an apprentice alchemist. When he had worked with Li Tao, he had only seen the respect given by outsiders, as well as Li Tao's profits when he concocted pills for Inner Sect disciples.

After becoming a master alchemist, though, he realized that behind every truly successful alchemist existed a mountain of spent Spirit Stones. That was the only way to achieve true success. Of course, latent talent was also necessary; with only ordinary latent talent, the Spirit Stones necessary to succeed as a master alchemist could fund a small Sect.

"A pill furnace costs twenty thousand spirit stones… and that's for the lowest level pill furnace provided by the Sect. And I've destroyed forty seven…." When Meng Hao thought of this, and the fact that he had to pay for all the pill furnaces, his heart ached.

"Pill furnaces are only one aspect," he thought. "Concocting pills requires medicinal herbs, which are even more costly. Sometimes a single pill requires a combination of dozens of medicinal herbs. When you add them all together, it's not cheap. That's not the worst, though… What's really killing me is… my success rate is only one in ten…." He took a deep breath as he thought of the whole situation. "The more expensive the medicinal plants, the more ancient the pill formula, the higher quality the pill… the more likely I am to fail." He sighed emotionally.

"However, now that I'm a master alchemist, there are also a lot of perks. For example, this medallion." He slapped his bag of holding to produce a white medallion.

It felt cold in his hands, and seemed to be made of jade… and yet not. A pill furnace was carved on one side, along with calligraphy that read "Blacklist."

"Pill Blacklist!" Meng Hao looked at the command medallion, and his eyes filled with a strange light. This wasn't the first time he had taken out the medallion to look at. Every time he did, his heart filled with a feeling of veneration for the position of master alchemist.

The Pill Blacklist medallion was a right given to all master alchemists by the Sect. Only one was distributed per alchemist, and could be used twice. It was the ultimate expression of the respect demanded by master alchemists, and was enough to strike fear into the heart of any member of the Violet Qi Division.

One of the main reasons that master alchemists had such a high position compared to the Violet Qi Division was because of the Pill Blacklist. The thought of being added to the Pill Blacklist would cause most Cultivators to feel an intense terror.

There was only one purpose to the Pill Blacklist. Any Violet Qi Division disciple whose name was added to the list, would be refused service by all master alchemists for a time period of one hundred years.

This had been a Sect rule for countless ages, and a power possessed solely by the East Pill Division. This arrangement caused master alchemists to command incredible respect within the Violet Fate Sect.

Because of this, few would dare to offend a master alchemist. To offend one master alchemist was equivalent to offending them all.

The rule had existed since ancient times, and in the past one thousand years, had not been exercised by very many master alchemists. During that time, the list had never exceeded a few hundred people. Considering there were nearly ten thousand disciples within the Inner Sect, that wasn't a very large number.

To master alchemists, NOT using the Pill Blacklist made it that much more of a deterrence. After all, after the second usage, its effectiveness vanished.

The names of everyone on the one hundred years Pill Blacklist were branded onto the medallion. After becoming a master alchemist, Meng Hao earned the right to use the power of the medallion, but of course, was also required to respect the arrangement. Currently, there were thirteen people who had been Pill Blacklisted; for one hundred years, no master alchemist, Meng Hao included, would concoct pills for these thirteen people.

He looked at the Pill Blacklist medallion for a moment longer, then put it away. After a moment's thought, he retrieved a jade slip and branded it with some information. Then he ignited it; in the blink of an eye, it disappeared.

Not much time passed before he heard a voice from outside the Immortal's cave. He lifted a finger, and the door to the Immortal's Cave opened. A pretty girl entered who appeared to be about eighteen or nineteen years old. As soon as she entered the Immortal's Cave, her nose wrinkled as if she were gagging on the odor of the exploded pill furnace.

"Alchemist Fang," she said, smiling, "I was feeling a bit confused yesterday. I was wondering why so many days had passed since you asked me for a replacement furnace…." She produced a brand new pill furnace from her bag of holding and handed it over to Meng Hao with a smile.

The girl's name was Lin Rui, and she was in charge of daily affairs for master alchemists. Her Cultivation base was not very high, but according to the rumors, one of her Clan members was a Violet Furnace Lord. Furthermore, she had a pleasing personality. Therefore, many of the master alchemists had taken a liking to her. Over time, she came to take care of whatever the various master alchemists needed.

For example, during the past two months, she had delivered pill furnaces to Meng Hao on forty six different occasions. Today would be the forty seventh.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Meng Hao cleared his throat. He accepted the pill furnace, along with a jade slip that she handed over. Now that he was a master alchemist, he didn't actually have to pay up front for pill furnaces, medicinal pills, pill formulas. The Sect would provide them willingly. However, that didn't mean that they were free. They could be acquired on credit. But eventually, he had to provide compensation in the form of medicinal pills.

"How much do I owe?" he asked, looking at the jade slip with a frown.

"Including today, you owe 6,757 Qi Condensation Pills to the Sect." She winked at him, and covered her mouth as she laughed. Then she continued on in a conciliatory tone: "It's not a big deal. You actually don't owe very much. The most I've seen someone owe is 1,730,000. That much… would probably require a lifetime of pill concocting to pay back…."

Hearing the enormous number caused Meng Hao to stare in shock. Then he smiled wryly, shook his head, and sighed. He took out his own jade slip and inscribed the information on it, then handed the original back to the girl.

"Alchemist Fang, just keep working hard. Um… the most recent Pill Delivery Day has already passed. Do you think you could provide a bit more than the quota? If you do, it will make it easier to make an explanation." Lin Rui's smile was like a flower. It was little wonder the master alchemists all liked her. Of course, Meng Hao was the youngest master alchemist by far, so every time she came here she would find opportunities to make fun of him a little. She seemed to love it when Fang Mu blushed with embarrassment.

Meng Hao sighed, then picked up one of the pill bottles. Inside were five Qi Condensation Pills. He handed them to the girl. It was his first time turning over pills toward his quota.

The girl covered her mouth as she giggled. She took the pills and left. Meng Hao watched her depart, after which he sealed the cave door. He held the pill furnace up in his hand and sighed.

"If things keep going like this, considering the level of my pill concocting, there won't be any Inner Sect disciples from the Violet Qi Division who come looking for me. I'm not going to make any profits whatsoever, and I won't be able to get any new pill formulas."

The most important thing was to get invitations from Violet Qi Division Inner Sect disciples to concoct pills. So doing would provide more chances to encounter new pill formulas. The more invitations, the more pill formulas. Over time, his skill in alchemy would grow increasingly high. Not only would he be using medicinal pills that weren't essentially on loan from the Sect, but also, he would make a handsome profit.

As far as the embezzlement factor, well that had basically become a rule. What could the Violet Qi Division do about that?

Meng Hao took a deep breath as he put the pill furnace down and picked up one of the pill bottles. He opened it up and looked at the medicinal pills inside. They were smooth and round, and spiritual energy wafted up from them. Meng Hao slowly began to frown.

"Perhaps there are some mistakes with my concoction techniques. If there aren't, then how come it takes so much effort to concoct pills? When Li Tao does it, it seems so much easier." Lost in thought and muttering to himself, Meng Hao stood up and began to pace around the Immortal's Cave. Suddenly, he stopped, and his eyes began to glitter.

He lifted his right hand, and the pill furnace floated over. Eyes shining brightly, he slapped his bag of holding, and ten medicinal plants emerged. His hands flew as he catalyzed them and then extracted the sap from them. In the space of about ten breaths, he prepared all the ingredients and then placed them in the furnace.

He stamped his foot lightly on the ground, after which an area just in front of him began to glow red. An intense heat emanated out. He suspended the pill furnace about three inches above the bright red spot and began to gesture incantation symbols. The pill furnace then floated up a bit higher, and then lower, going back and forth at various intervals. Soon, a medicinal aroma filled the Immortal's Cave.

As it did, Meng Hao sat down cross-legged. His right hand then reached out and pushed down onto the pill furnace. He closed his eyes and began to pour spiritual energy into it, beginning another catalyzing process.

This catalyzing technique he had learned from Li Tao. Not only did it increase the medicinal age, it… was actually required for the pill concocting process.

Soon, Meng Hao's eyes glittered even more brightly. According to the changes occurring within the pill furnace, he adjusted things here and there. He occasionally added some medicinal plants, or removed sediment from the pill furnace. Previously, he had required ten or twelve hours to finish concocting, but this time, after only six hours, he flicked his sleeve and removed the pill furnace from the heat. He opened the lid, and as the medicinal aroma brushed across his face, he removed four Qi Condensation Pills from inside.

The pills were still soft, but as he removed them, they quickly began to harden, dried by the air.

"I was wrong…." He looked carefully at the relatively crude pills he had just produced, and picked up one of the pill bottles which contained another set of pills, ones he had painstakingly made to be as perfect as possible. After comparing the two types of Qi Condensation Pills, his eyes suddenly filled with enlightenment.

"These exquisitely produced pills wore me out. The medicinal strength is clearly much higher, perhaps seventy or eighty percent. The crude pills, on the other hand, only have a medicinal strength of about thirty or forty percent.

"My previous refining technique was too strenuous. If I had known that I could make pills like I did today, then I wouldn't have wasted so many pill furnaces." He was lost in thought for a moment as he put away the Qi Condensation Pills.

"Such a large difference in quality, about double…. Perhaps it has something to do with the time spent refining the pills. However, it shouldn't have that much of an effect. After all, I've seen Li Tao concoct pills both for himself and others, and there is never much of a difference."

Meng Hao frowned and muttered to himself for a moment, before his eyes finally glittered again.

"Could it be that it has something to do with my Perfect Foundation? My spiritual power belongs to me and does not circulate back into Heaven and Earth. It's branded as being mine alone. My five Dao Pillars can trample upon the Foundation Establishment stage. When I use it to concoct pills, it's infected with my aura…. Maybe that's why the pill furnaces kept blowing up, because the medicinal pills I was refining could be classified as Perfect?" His eyes continued to shine as he pondered the matter, eventually coming to the conclusion that his theory was correct.

He continued to think about the matter for some time, when suddenly, his expression flickered. He looked down at the bag of the Cosmos. From within the blood mask, the voice of the meat jelly transmitted into his mind. It sounded weak.

"I can't hold on any longer! I can't continue to support your transformation! Damn me, I knew I shouldn't have lent my transformation power to others. Meng Hao, I need to shed. I'm finished! Finished! Ah, one month. I need one month. You need to … make sure to … be careful…."

The meat jelly's voice grew weaker and weaker and then finally faded into nothing. As it did, Meng Hao's features flickered, and his real face returned.

As luck would have it, it was at this exact moment that the voice of Chu Yuyan could be heard outside his Immortal's Cave.

"Fang Mu! Open up your Immortal's Cave, I want to talk with you about something!"

This chapter was sponsored by Quentin Nivon, Robert Kunzi, and DS

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 222: Signs of Rocking the Violet Fate Sect

Meng Hao's face tightened. All of a sudden, his features looked exactly the same as they used to. He was his old self, skin a bit dark, cultured and refined, with the air of a scholar. Within the scholar's air existed a touch of something demonic, and a hint of callousness.

Meng Hao frowned, neither lifting his head up nor paying any attention to Chu Yuyan's voice, which drifted in from outside the Immortal's Cave.

"Fang Mu!" she said again, her delicate brow furrowed. She had come with the specific purpose of thoroughly examining Fang Mu to find out why he irritated her so much.

However, the door to the Immortal's Cave was sealed shut. No sound emerged to indicate Fang Mu was inside. Looking far from pleased, Chu Yuyan gave a cold harrumph. Before coming she had asked around and determined that Fang Mu hadn't left his Immortal's Cave for days. Along the way, she had also encountered Lin Rui, who said she had just come from Meng Hao's after delivering a pill furnace.

"You close the door, don't come out, and won't even talk?" she said coldly, her eyes narrowing. "Don't tell me there's something you don't want me to know about, is there Fang Mu?"

Within the Immortal's Cave, Meng Hao frowned, continuing to ignore Chu Yuyan. He slapped his bag of holding to produce the blood-colored mask. He looked at it for a moment, then entered it with Spiritual Sense.

Within the world of the mask, he could see that the meat jelly seemed to have lost its shape-changing ability. It was no longer a parrot, but a simple rectangular slab of a meat jelly. It seemed completely lifeless, and a death aura even rose up from it.

It was extremely hard to the touch. After examining it for a moment, Meng Hao extracted his Spiritual Sense and sat there thoughtfully.

"According to the meat jelly, because it lent me some of its transformation ability, it now has to shed. It said one month…." He felt somewhat relieved. He could most likely last for a month, as long as he didn't let anyone see him, and didn't venture outside.

"Having Chu Yuyan outside is really annoying, though," he thought, looking up at the large door of the Immortal's Cave.

"Fang Mu, get out here right now!"

Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever. He simply closed his eyes.

After enough time passed for an incense stick to burn, Chu Yuyan's eyes began to burn with rage. Something seemed off, and yet she couldn't think of any reason why Fang Mu would do this.

"Not going to say anything, huh?" she said. "Fine. If I have to, I'll go get a door-opening medallion and then use it to open this door. I'm going to ask one last time. Fang Mu, are you home?" She slowly began to walk away.

"I'm not home," he said coldly, an irritated look on his face.

Hearing this, Chu Yuyan stared back in shock. She had never imagined she would get such a response. She then took a deep breath. Taking one last hateful glance at the door, she turned and transformed into a beam of light that shot off into the distance.

Having dismissed Chu Yuyan, Meng Hao pulled out the lifeless, shedding meat jelly and placed it down in front of him. He looked at it for a long moment, then sighed and closed his eyes to meditate.

After leaving Meng Hao, Lin Rui returned to the Pill Pavilion, where she made a record of the medicinal pills Meng Hao had handed over. She wrote the character "Fang" onto the pill bottle, then placed it in a pile with the bottles she had collected from other master alchemists.

After that, she paid the matter no more heed. She left the Pill Pavilion. The Pills she had collected would be organized and then delivered to the Violet Qi Division's Honor Guard to be distributed amongst Outer Sect disciples who were in the Qi Condensation stage.

Of course, before being delivered, they would be thoroughly inspected by someone from the Violet Qi Division to ensure that all the medicinal pills were safe.

Time passed by slowly. Soon half a month was gone. Meng Hao was no longer so wasteful in his pill concocting, and actually saved quite a bit of material. No longer did his pill furnace explode, and he managed to concoct increasingly greater numbers of Qi Condensation Pills.

It was about this time that the Qi Condensation pills were taken from the Pill Pavilion and delivered to the Violet Qi division for their bi-weekly Pill Distribution.

Su Zhonglun did not have a very high Cultivation base. He was in the mid Foundation Establishment stage. Originally, he had not been a member of the Violet Qi Division, but rather an apprentice alchemist in the East Pill Division. However, in the end, he was unable to become a master alchemist. Furthermore, his Clan occupied a relatively low position within the Violet Fate Sect. Therefore, he finally decided to switch from the East Pill Division to the Violet Qi Division, and focus his Cultivation on magical techniques.

Because he had once been an apprentice alchemist, he had eventually been assigned to inspect the pills sent over for distribution. Only pills approved by him would be distributed to Outer Sect disciples.

He had been doing this for quite a long time. Furthermore, considering the pills he tested were merely Qi Condensation Pills, all Su Zhonglun needed to do was pick one up, and he would instantly be able to tell whether it was genuine, or a fake. In addition, he could very easily tell the medicinal strength of the pill.

On this particular day, the East Pill Division had just delivered a batch of pills. He sat, sipping some fragrant tea with one hand, and unsealing pill bottles with the other. One after another, he would open the bottles then place in front of his nose and sniff. It was a very leisurely task.

Behind him was a young servant who was responsible for keeping records and straightening things up.

"These Qi Condensation Pills are all pretty much the same," said Su Zhonglun with a sigh. "There's virtually no difference between them all. Well, they are master alchemists after all…." He picked up another bottle and unsealed the wax. Before inhaling the aroma, he drank a mouthful of tea. Then he slowly placed the bottle beneath his nose and breathed in.

As soon as he did, he suddenly stared in shock. He lowered his head and sniffed again. His eyes narrowed as he turned the bottle over and dumped the pills out into his hand. There were five of them, all Qi Condensation Pills. After examining them closely and smelling them again, a look of shock appeared on his face.

"These…." He suddenly stood up, overturning his cup of tea. He didn't even notice that, however. His attention was completely focused on the medicinal pills.

Behind him, the young servant looked on, dumbstruck. He had never seen Su Zhonglun act like this. This was especially true of what had just happened to the tea. Tea was one of Su Zhonglun's greatest loves, and if he himself knocked over a cup, would be punished. However, just now, Su Zhonglun didn't seem to even notice the spilled tea.

"The medicinal strength… how could it be of this level? Who concocted this pill?" Taking a deep breath, he picked up the bottle and looked at the character "Fang" inscribed on the side.

"Fang…. There are a thousand master alchemists, and I can think of three or four surnamed Fang. Which one is it?" As he muttered to himself, he carefully placed the five Qi Condensation pills back into the pill bottle. His eyes were shining.

"I can tell that these Qi Condensation Pills have a medicinal strength far beyond ordinary," he said, panting. "Too bad they're only Qi Condensation Pills. If they were medicinal pills appropriate for Foundation Establishment…." His eyes glittered as he shot toward the Inner Sect.

Naturally, there was no way for Meng Hao to know how much of a stir his handful of Qi Condensation Pills had caused. At the moment, he sat in his Immortal's Cave, frowning as he looked down at the meat jelly.

The meat jelly's body was now completely dry and lifeless, which made Meng Hao a bit nervous. If it was still like this after the month had passed, then all the gains he had made in the Violet Fate Sect up to now would be completely for naught.

The days passed, and Meng Hao's anxiety grew deeper. Several people had come looking for him in recent days, including Lin Rui and Li Tao. Chu Yuyan had come twice. Meng Hao had utilized various methods to stall them, but he couldn't keep it up for too much longer.

Thankfully, about twenty days in, cracks could be seen on the surface of the meat jelly. Every day, more appeared. Faint signs of life soon became apparent. Meng Hao finally started to feel a bit relieved.

After a few more days passed, there was only one more day until the month-long period was up. The meat jelly was now almost completely covered with cracks, and life force seemed to throb within it. Meng Hao could tell that the meat jelly was still inside, struggling to break out.

Meng Hao sat there quietly, waiting for the moment when the meat jelly would burst out from within the dried husk.

The night passed silently. The next day at dawn, dense cracks completely covered the surface of the meat jelly. Splintering sounds filled the air, and it seemed as if the re-born meat jelly would burst out at any moment.

Meng Hao couldn't do anything to help, he could only watch. It was at this moment that Bai Yunlai's excited voice could suddenly be heard from outside the Immortal's Cave.

"Fang Mu, quick, open the door! I have some good news. Really good news!"

"Sir," replied Meng Hao immediately, "I'm in the middle of concocting some pills. I can't really come out. Brother Bai, please wait just a moment. Once this batch is finished, I'll come out."

"Aiya! What pills are you concocting?" replied Bai Yunlai, his voice urgent. "Hurry up and finish. I managed to get some business for you from an Inner Sect disciple. He needs some medicinal pills, and I recommended you. If you concoct the pills for him, word will get around, and then more Inner Sect disciples will come to you looking for business." Bai Yunlai and Meng Hao had developed a very good relationship during the better part of the last year. Now that Meng Hao was a master alchemist, Bai Yunlai had been attempting over and over again to get some Inner Sect disciples to accept a recommendation for him to concoct pills. However, it had been difficult to get anyone to agree. As soon as he had, he'd rushed over to find Meng Hao.

Meng Hao laughed bitterly. Before, he would have jumped eagerly at such an opportunity. This was a very important step in his growth as a master alchemist within the Sect. Having just been promoted, he had to struggle to distinguish himself from the other thousand master alchemists. In the entire past three months, not a single person had come to him looking for pill concocting.

If he didn't take advantage of the first opportunity, then there would never be a second….

Unfortunately, today….

Meng Hao was just about to open his mouth, when suddenly, his expression flickered. He looked at the meat jelly for the space of a few breaths. Outside, Bai Yunlai suddenly heard a thunderous boom from inside the Immortal's Cave.

It filled the entire valley, causing the mountains to tremble. Anyone inside the valley would have been able to hear it, and it attracted quite a bit of attention. Bai Yunlai stared in shock. His ears rang, and it took a long moment for him to regain his composure.

He took a deep breath, and stepped back a pace, his heart trembling in fear. He had no idea what pill Meng Hao was concocting to have produced such an uproar. However, not much time passed before the door of the Immortal's Cave opened. Fang Mu appeared from within, smiling.

"In my haste, I exploded the pill furnace," he said. "But, that doesn't matter. I have more. Brother Bai, let's go!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 223: How Alchemist Fang Carries Himself

Bai Yunlai looked at Meng Hao and said, "Should I find you an apprentice alchemist?" At the moment, Meng Hao's status was different than before. He was a master alchemist; regardless of whether he walked about in the East Pill Division or the Violet Qi Division, his position was much the same as an Inner Sect disciple. He was extremely important.

According to some of the long-standing rules of the Violet Fate Sect, master alchemists were equal to Inner Sect disciples of the Violet Qi Division. In reality, however, their position was a bit higher.

"There's no need," said Meng Hao with a slight smile. He descended the mountain with Bai Yunlai, then headed toward the Violet Qi Division. On the way, Bai Yunlai explained the situation. The person who had requested a pill to be concocted occupied a high position in the Inner Sect. However, despite being Chosen, he wasn't able to ask for help from a Furnace Lord. Furthermore, his reputation was not very good, so most master alchemists weren't willing to help him.

The East Pill Division occupied a relatively aloof position; any master alchemist had the right to refuse a request. If they did, the Inner Sect disciples of the Violet Qi Division would be helpless to do anything about it. This particular Chosen had very few other options. Of the master alchemists who were willing to concoct pills for him, none met up to his standards.

Bai Yunlai was aware of this, and figured that it was a good opportunity for Fang Mu. Even if it ended in failure, this Chosen couldn't do anything whatsoever against the East Pill Division. Therefore, Bai Yunlai had hurried over to find Meng Hao.

After hearing the explanation, Meng Hao thought for a moment and then asked, "What pill does he want concocted?"

"He didn't say. You can ask when we get there. My status doesn't afford me the right to ask. In any case, Ding Yong 1 is a Chosen of the Violet Qi Division. He wouldn't answer me even if I did ask." Bai Yunlai sighed.

Meng Hao nodded. As they passed through the various valleys, the scene from moments ago played out in his head. The incredible noise had been caused by the meat jelly breaking out. As soon as it appeared in its reborn state, it surprisingly didn't seem interested in talking. It quickly changed Meng Hao's appearance back to that of Fang Mu's, and then flew back into the blood-colored mask to sleep.

Now, it slumbered just as the Blood Mastiff did. After a quick inspection, Meng Hao came to the conclusion that it would wake up in a few months. With that, he paid it no more attention. Then, it was with great excitement that he quickly gathered up the shed skin which had exploded moments before.

The shed skin was extremely tough. Even with Meng Hao's Cultivation base, he had no way of breaking even a single piece. Since it had come from the meat jelly, Meng Hao considered it to be a magical item. Not having time to examine it in detail, he had put it away and then walked out of the Immortal's Cave.

It didn't take long for Meng Hao and Bai Yunlai to reach the valley which connected the East Pill Division and the Violet Qi Division. Waiting for them there was an arrogant looking young man, who currently had his hands clasped behind his back and was looking up into the sky.

This was Ding Yong. He wore a red-colored robe, which flashed in the sunlight, and actually emitted a violet aura. The year Meng Hao had joined the Violet Fate Sect, he had learned that regardless of East Pill Division or Violet Qi Division, violet-colored Qi was to be treated with respect. Therefore, even though this young man didn't wear the violet robes of a Conclave disciple, the fact that his clothes emitted a violet aura indicated that he had a very high position within the sect. He was Chosen of the Violet Fate Sect.

His Cultivation base was at the peak of mid Foundation Establishment, just a hair from the next level.

When Ding Yong saw Meng Hao, he frowned and said, "So you're Fang Mu?" In his opinion, the older a master alchemist, the better. To him, Meng Hao was obviously much too young.

Meng Hao frowned coldly, stopping in place. During his time with Li Tao, he had grown accustomed to how the man handled himself in front of the Inner Sect disciples. The position of master alchemist was one that inherently demanded respect. However, it also required a bit of personal effort to earn that respect. If you set the bar too low, then others would assume your skill was lacking.

Therefore, he stood in place, then flicked his sleeve and let out a cold snort.

"Bai Yunlai," he said coolly, "from now on, there's no need to seek me out for such pill concocting matters as this." Without another look at Ding Yong, he turned and began to walk off.

Bai Yunlai often worked with master alchemists, and he was also very familiar with Meng Hao. How could he not understand what was happening? Feeling secretly pleased, he allowed horror to cover his face. Then he stared accusatorially at the target of Meng Hao's little tactic, Ding Yong, who stood there gaping.

"He's a master alchemist of the East Pill Division, it doesn't matter if he's young. He placed number one in the last promotion examination! Think about it! Out of one hundred thousand apprentice alchemists, only one was selected. You… Ai, you don't know how long I begged Alchemist Fang to come before he agreed. And here you…." Shaking his head, he turned to chase after Meng Hao.

Ding Yong laughed bitterly, then sighed. He was not like Qian Shuihen and Lu Song, who had been able to leave the Sect to gain experience. But how could he not see the way Meng Hao carried himself? When he thought about Bai Yunlai's words, he realized that this Fang Mu's skill in alchemy must be significant. After a moment's thought, a smile appeared on his face, and he walked forward a few steps.

"The grand name of Alchemist Fang has long since reverberated like thunder within my ears," he said. "Just now when I saw how young Alchemist Fang is, I was so shocked that I made a slip of the tongue. Alchemist Fang, please don't take offense."

Meng Hao stopped again, then turned to looked Ding Yong in the eye coldly. "What pill do you need?"

Ding Yong's eyes glittered. Seeing Meng Hao speak in such a manner led him to believe that he must be a person with a relatively short temper. He quickly said, "Barrier Breaking Pill!"

Meng Hao's expression was the same as ever, without the slightest bit of change. Seeing this, Ding Yong came the conclusion that he was obviously very worldly wise and eccentric. Actually, Meng Hao was currently frantically searching through his memory. Unfortunately, he had no information regarding Barrier Breaking Pills.

"There are at least seventeen pill formulas for that type of pill," he said coolly. "Furthermore, there are hundreds of types of medicinal herbs that can be used, along with many complicated variations, three hundred ninety seven to be precise. The refinement process requires delicate adjustments, which further adds seventy percent to the total possible variations. Which particular version do you want concocted?" In truth, his words were a complete fabrication. Next to him Bai Yunlai gasped; actually, he too had been wondering what a Barrier Breaking Pill was. Hearing Meng Hao's words caused a look of admiration to appear in his eyes.

The way it looked to him, the words seemed to come from a perspective of extreme comprehension. At least, that was the feeling he got.

It seemed even Bai Yunlai had been duped. Naturally, Ding Yong stared in shock for a moment before a bright glow appeared in his eyes. Meng Hao's words struck him as being profoundly enigmatic. He took a deep breath, then clasped hands and bowed. Avoiding any careless words, he said, "Alchemist Fang, to be honest, I'm not really sure which type. I just have one pill formula, perhaps… you could take a look, sir?" He quickly retrieved a jade slip from his bag of holding which he offered to Meng Hao.

Were Ding Yong not within the Sect, he might not be so easily bluffed. However, they were inside the Violet Fate Sect, and Meng Hao was a fellow Sect member. Furthermore, he knew that Meng Hao was a master alchemist who had the upper hand. Therefore, Meng Hao's words truly had the desired effect.

Meng Hao accepted the jade slip expressionlessly, and then scanned it with Spiritual Sense. His face was the same as always, but inwardly, he was shocked.

"So, there really is such a medicinal pill. The Barrier Breaking Pill can actually only be consumed twice in a lifetime. If consumed a third time, instant death will result!

"The interactions of various medicinal plants, as well as the addition of various toxic vegetation, will create an explosive mixture that will stimulate the Qi passageways and give the Cultivation base the ability to break through a bottleneck!" Meng Hao was silent for a moment as he thought.

Next to him, Ding Yong watched on nervously. He had previously consumed one Barrier Breaking Pill. Unfortunately, at the very last critical moment, he had failed to break through. Now he only had one chance left. The worst of it all was that over the past years he had somehow managed to offend all the Furnace Lords and master alchemists. Even if one of them agreed, he wouldn't feel at ease with the results. He was still hesitant. To Fang Mu, this was a simple pill concoction. But to him, it represented his very, very last chance.

If he succeeded, he would be able to enter late Foundation Establishment. Therefore, he couldn't help but be cautious.

In reality, even after choosing to seek out Fang Mu, he still hadn't completely made up his mind about the matter. He still wanted to feel the situation out, then make a decision based on his feeling at the time. He desired a reliable master alchemist to concoct this crucially important pill. Ding Yong was no Outer Sect disciple. He knew very clearly that the medicinal strength of any given pill would be different depending on who concocted it. Some people produced pills with high strength, others low. As far as Ding Yong was concerned, the medicinal strength of this Barrier Breaking Pill was crucially important.

The pill he had consumed previously had been of ordinary medicinal strength. Had it not, he wouldn't be here today, sighing as he was.

A long moment passed, before Meng Hao returned the jade slip. He muttered to himself for a moment before walking up to Ding Yong.

"Raise your hand."

Ding Yong gaped for a moment, and his eyes narrowed. However, he didn't refuse. He lifted his hand up, whereupon Meng Hao clasped his wrist and began to send a bit of spiritual power into him.

"Don't resist," he said coolly. He poured the spiritual power of Qi Condensation into Ding Yong, who looked hesitant as he stared at Meng Hao. However, he allowed the spiritual power to circulate fully through his body.

Meng Hao quickly became certain which level of medicinal strength was required of the pill that Ding Yong needed to break through his bottleneck. Meng Hao had also detected some other complex medicinal powers within Ding Yong's body. Those medicinal powers seemed to contain remnants of the Qi of the medicinal plants from the first Barrier Breaking Pill he had consumed.

"You've already consumed one Barrier Breaking Pill," said Meng Hao, retracting his spiritual power.

Hearing Meng Hao's words caused Ding Yong to take a deep breath. His eyes shined brightly as he looked at Meng Hao, shocked. He had never told anybody that he had previously consumed a Barrier Breaking Pill.

"I will help you concoct this pill," said Meng Hao calmly. "Prepare six sets of the medicinal plants required to make the Barrier Breaking Pill. In addition, I require thirty thousand Spirit Stones."

"I already found a few master alchemists who can make this pill…" said Ding Yong slowly. "The most they asked for was three sets of ingredients and ten thousand Spirit Stones."

"I guarantee that my pill will enable you to break through," Meng Hao replied coolly. His tone was calm, but there also existed potent air within it.

"Are you serious?!" gasped Ding Yong, his eyes flashing brightly. He had long since come to the conclusion that this Alchemist Fang Mu was very different from the other master alchemists.

"If you don't believe me, then never mind," said Meng Hao, turning to leave.

Ding Yong's heart twisted. It only took a moment for a determined look to break out on his face. Seeing how different Fang Mu was from the others, and how he had been able to detect his previous consumption of the Barrier Breaking Pill, caused him to make up his mind. Without any further hesitation, he produced a bag of holding and quickly put the required medicinal plants and Spirit Stones inside. He handed it to Meng Hao.

"In two weeks, at twilight, you may come collect your pill," said Meng Hao. With the flick of a sleeve, he left with Bai Yunlai, his black gown fluttering in the breeze. A scholarly aura swirled around him, as did the faint scent of medicinal pills. He seemed otherworldly.

This chapter was sponsored by Joseph Gange

1. Ding Yong's name in Chinese is 丁勇 Dīng yǒng – Ding is a common surname that has many meanings. Yong means "brave"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 224: Medicinal Pills Can Foster Life, Poison Can Exterminate It!

Bai Yunlai held his tongue for the entire way back. Finally, when they reached the door of the Immortal's cave, he couldn't keep his mouth closed any longer. "Fang Mu, your plan…."

"I need Spirit Stones," he said with a laugh. "I asked for six sets of medicinal plants because I plan to give a Barrier Breaking Pill to you. I can see that you've been stuck at the bottleneck of the eighth level of Qi Condensation for years now." He clasped Bai Yunlai on the shoulder, turned, and entered his Immortal's Cave.

As the door closed shut, Bai Yunlai stood there alone for some time. Finally, he clasped hands and bowed deeply, then left. His words of thanks were not spoken aloud, but imprinted on his heart.

Time passed. Soon seven days had gone by. Meng Hao sat cross-legged in his Immortal's Cave, looking at the three Barrier Breaking Pills in front of him. He picked one up and looked at it closely.

"The difference between medicinal pills and poison pills is a matter of will. If murder were on my mind, I could simply adjust the poisonous elements of this Barrier Breaking Pill, and then whoever consumed it would be exterminated. Even if that person was extremely prudent and had someone else test the pill first, I could figure out a way to cause the pill to initiate a self-change. Undetectable killing…."

Meng Hao sat there silently, thinking about all of the medicinal pills he had consumed over the years. At that time, he had no understanding of the Dao of alchemy. Thinking about it caused all the hairs on his body to stand up on end. Now that he knew more about alchemy, a sense of fear slowly filled him.

"From now on, I must only consume pills that I have concocted myself," he murmured. "As for pills from outsiders, I must employ my full knowledge of the Dao of alchemy to identify them before consuming them. The difference between Dao of alchemy and the Dao of poison is a matter of will. Medicinal pills can foster life, poison can exterminate it. A true grandmaster of the Dao of alchemy is in actuality also a grandmaster of the Dao of poison." Meng Hao closed his eyes, and within his mind appeared images of medicinal plants. There were endless varieties of plants that had poisonous elements. By combining certain ones together, lethal poisons could be created.

Based on the level of the Cultivation base, poisonous powders for pills could be made with different potencies. After thinking about it for a very long moment, Meng Hao slowly opened his eyes. They glowed with enlightenment. To Meng Hao, concocting this Barrier Breaking Pill had been a sort of baptism. He now had a much more profound understanding of the Dao of alchemy.

"Maybe one day when my skill in the Dao of alchemy reaches the level of Grandmaster Pill Demon, then I can dispel the poison of the Resurrection Lily myself!" His eyes shined brightly.

Slowly the glow faded. Meng Hao's state of mind gradually grew calm. He had the feeling that even though he was still in the Foundation Establishment stage, with five Dao Pillars, when you added in his understanding of the Dao of alchemy, his battle prowess was now far beyond what it had been before.

In fact, if he created some poison pills now, then next time he encountered Zhou Jie, it would be easy to kill him, regardless of how many techniques his opponent used.

After more thought, Meng Hao took out the broken pieces of the meat jelly's shed skin. He studied them carefully for a while. His time in recent days had not just been spent in pill concocting. He had also thought a lot about various methods of using the meat jelly skin.

It was exceptionally hard. He had used a variety of methods to attempt to damage it, none of which had been successful. He had even tried to refine it in the pill furnace, to no avail. Thankfully, although most of the skin had broken into pieces, some had exploded into dust, which Meng Hao had also collected.

Meng Hao closed his eyes to think. "I have to think of a way to use this stuff in the future. Also, I can't just focus on improving my skill in the Dao of Alchemy. I also have to improve my Dao Pillars. I need to gradually increase the level of the Cultivation base I reveal when I'm out in the Violet Fate Sect." He frowned. "I need some formulas for medicinal pills useful in the mid Foundation Establishment stage."

With that, he stood up and left the Immortal's Cave to visit Li Tao. It was dusk when he returned. In exchange for the formula for the Barrier Breaking Pill, he had acquired the formula for a Spirit Platform Pill, which was appropriate for the mid Foundation Establishment stage.

Now that he had the formula, Meng Hao began to consider concocting it himself. He would only need one; there was no need to concoct more than that. As for the required medicinal plants, he was a master alchemist of the East Pill Division, so they could easily be acquired on credit.

Time flashed as seven days passed. On this particular day, Meng Hao's eyes suddenly snapped open. He had just finished absorbing the Spirit Platform Pill that he had concocted a few days before. Unfortunately, refining the pill had used up several sets of ingredients, and in the end, the medicinal strength wasn't ideal.

"I guess I have no other options for now, unless there are different formulas for the Spirit Platform Pill," he murmured. "The rare medicinal plants for this formula can't be acquired on credit, I have to pay for them up front. My only option now is to grow my reputation. That way, more Inner Sect disciples will come to me to concoct pills. My profits will increase, and of course my pill concocting skill will too. Then I can acquire more medicinal plants to use to concoct medicinal pills for myself." With that, he waved his right hand to collect together the medicinal pills in front of him, then walked out of the Immortal's Cave. By this time, it was dusk.

As soon as he left District One Valley One, he ran into Bai Yunlai. Today was the appointed day to meet with Ding Yong. The two of them chatted as they walked to the designated meeting place.

Ding Yong had arrived early. He was nervous, but didn't show it on his face. He stood waiting; when he caught sight of Meng Hao approaching, his eyes glittered.

Meng Hao was as calm as ever. As he approached, he slapped his bag of holding to produce a pill bottle, which flew toward Ding Yong.

"You must not take this pill under the moonlight," said Meng Hao indifferently. "It should only be consumed at high noon, when the sun burns brightly. That is when the medicinal strength will be highest." With that, he turned and walked away, paying no further attention to Ding Yong.

Ding Yong took the pill bottle and stared deeply at Meng Hao for a moment. Without a word, he also turned and left.

The next day at noon, when the hot sun filled the sky, Ding Yong sat cross-legged on a wide stone platform in his Immortal's Cave. Various restrictive spells were set up around him. He breathed deeply as he produced the medicinal pill Meng Hao had concocted for such an exorbitant price. Ding Yong looked at, and a bit of hesitation flickered in his eyes. However, the hesitation quickly turned to determination.

"Fang Mu, if you pulled a fast one on me, then matters between us are not concluded!" He clenched his jaw, then quickly placed the pill into his mouth. Instantly, a roaring sound filled his mind, and his entire body began to quiver. Furious waves of spiritual energy exploded within him.

Time slipped by. Soon three days had passed. Ding Yong's body continued to shake. On the evening of the third day, his eyes opened, and as they did, the power of late Foundation Establishment stage rippled out from his Cultivation base, filling the surrounding area. His eyes shone with excitement, and he trembled as he rose to his feet. As he examined his Cultivation base, his heart surged. He lifted his head up and began to laugh with joy.

The laughter spread out, attracting the attention of quite a few nearby Inner Sect disciples. Soon, expressions of shock appeared on their faces.

"Ding Yong finally broke through!"

"He's been stuck in mid Foundation Establishment for years. He finally broke through!"

News of Ding Yong's breakthrough caused quite the uproar in the Inner Sect of the Violet Qi Division. Now that he had reached late Foundation Establishment, he had a chance for promotion to Conclave disciple. Considering how many years he had been stuck in mid Foundation Establishment, his breakthrough also caused him to suddenly be viewed as competition by many other disciples.

If the matter were limited to a simple breakthrough, then all eyes would be fixed on Ding Yong alone. After all, a late breakthrough is still simply a breakthrough. However, Bai Yunlai had been keeping an eye on Ding Yong's Immortal's Cave. As soon as he sensed that the breakthrough had been made, he immediately used all his skill and resources to spread word of it, and the fact that it was Fang Mu who concocted the pill.

It was in this fashion that he was able to borrow the momentum of Ding Yong's breakthrough to rapidly spread word of Fang Mu's skill in alchemy. Word spread like storm winds through the Inner Sect disciples. Within a few days, all of the Inner Sect disciples in the Violet Qi Division were talking about Ding Yong and Fang Mu.

When Inner Sect disciples went to master alchemists for pill concocting services, what was sometimes more important than alchemic skill, was reputation. The greater the reputation of the master alchemist, the more people would seek him out. Thanks to Bai Yunlai's promotion, as well as Ding Yong's breakthrough, the resulting ballyhoo immediately caused Fang Mu's name to spread throughout the entire Inner Sect.

Ding Yong had no reservations about this. In fact, not only was he happy to allow Fang Mu to use his name to promote himself, but whenever people asked him about his breakthrough, he would directly explain that Fang Mu's medicinal pill was what had led to his breakthrough in Cultivation base.

The reason for this was quite simple. A few words on his part could verify how astonishing Fang Mu's medicinal pills were. This would prevent any cause of offense on the part of Fang Mu, and would build up good karma for the next time he needed a pill concocted.

It was in this fashion that Fang Mu's reputation slowly began to build among the Inner Sect Disciples. Soon, everyone knew of Alchemist Fang, one of the thousand master alchemists of the East Pill Division. However, Inner Sect disciples all had master alchemists of whom they personally approved. Mere rumors alone wouldn't cause them to switch to a new master alchemist for pill concocting, not even when combined with Ding Yong's breakthrough. Many were still hesitant.

Soon, the news reached the Violet Qi Division's Outer Sect, and the disciple in charge of pill inspecting, Su Zhonglun. His eyes began to shine. For a month now he had been wondering about the master alchemist surnamed Fang. He had gone to the Pill Affairs Pavilion in the Inner Sect for information but had come up empty-handed. After that, every time medicinal pills arrived in the Outer Sect, he would inspect them very carefully. However, he never saw any more pills marked Fang. This caused him to sigh endlessly.

He had saved the original bottle of pills, and frequently took them out to study. The more he did, the more admiration grew in his heart, and the more curious he grew regarding the identity of this Alchemist Fang. When the news about Fang Mu and Ding Yong reached him, he was immediately eighty percent sure that Fang Mu was the person he had been looking for.

He instantly rushed out of the Outer Sect and headed toward the East Pill Division. He tracked down Bai Yunlai and begged him to recommend him to Fang Mu.

During these days, Meng Hao was well aware of all that Bai Yunlai was doing to spread his name. He sat patiently waiting for requests to come in, yet none did, which caused him to frown.

It was at this moment that Su Zhonglun's request for a pill came in. Meng Hao was immediately enlivened, and sent his response.

A few days later, Su Zhonglun received the medicinal pills he needed. He immediately returned to his room. After doing some breathing exercises, he thoroughly examined the pill. As he did, his eyes began to shine more and more brightly. In the end, he was panting.

"I provided medicinal plants with fifty percent strength, and this pill also has fifty percent strength. Only a Furnace Lord could mix the various medicinal plants together to create a medicinal pill like this. Ordinary master alchemists could never do it. At the most, they could create a pill with thirty percent medicinal strength. This is astonishing! This Fang Mu… he's only a master alchemist, but he can concoct the medicinal pills of a Furnace Lord!" Unable to contain his excitement, he held up the fifty percent strength medicinal pill and then placed it into his mouth. A few hours later, he opened his eyes.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 225: Rising to the Pinnacle!

"If you consume one type of medicinal pill too often, it will become less and less effective. This is the result of problems with the medicinal plants within the pill. Therefore, a medicinal pill like this with fifty percent medicinal strength, well, its true value can only be imagined!" Now that he had personally confirmed his conjectures regarding Fang Mu, he quickly decided that they needed to become friends.

"It is a foregone conclusion that he will rise to the pinnacle. At the moment, though, his reputation is still growing and lots of people are hesitating. Helping him now will definitely be a way to build up good karma for the future!" Su Zhonglun's line of thinking was the same as Ding Yong's. The difference was that he had a much better understanding of Fang Mu's ability with plants and vegetation, as well as his skill in concocting medicinal pills, and the value thereof.

A new commotion rose up among the Inner Sect disciples of the Violet Qi Division. This was because Su Zhonglun, although he hadn't made a breakthrough, had made significant progress in his Cultivation base. Furthermore, he repeatedly talked about Fang Mu's pills within the Inner Sect. In fact, he would even pull out two of the same type of medicinal pill, one concocted by Fang Mu, one concocted by another master alchemist. Then he would compare the two, point by point.

First was Ding Yong, and then Su Zhonglun. Their recommendations, coupled with the waves spread by Bai Yunlai's promotion, caused all of the discussion within the Inner Sect over the next half month to revolve around Fang Mu.

Finally, more and more Inner Sect disciples began to seek out Fang Mu to concoct pills.

At first, it was just a disciple here and there. They were hesitant, and clearly just wanted to test the waters. They would seek out Bai Yunlai, whereupon he would recommend Fang Mu's services.

Meng Hao didn't refuse anyone who came for pill concocting services. When his pill furnace exploded under the strain of such frequent use, he would immediately get a replacement.

The first group of three or four Inner Sect disciples who came to him for pills came back a few days later and took their purchases back to their Immortal's Caves.

Zhang Shuilai, who was at the early Foundation Establishment stage, was one of them. He wasn't very prominent among the Inner Sect disciples, and had only sought out a master alchemist once before for pill concoction. After experiencing how impressive they were, he was deeply moved. Unfortunately, he was embarrassingly short of Spirit Stones, and could only afford to acquire pills during the Sect's Pill Distribution.

The reason he sought out Fang Mu's services was because he could tell that Fang Mu's name was on the rise. This might be his only opportunity, so he decided to take advantage of it while he could

He sat in his Immortal's cave, holding a pill bottle. Inside were ten medicinal pills useful for the early Foundation Establishment stage. He took a deep breath, and put one of the pills into his mouth. Almost immediately, his eyes grew wide, and filled with the glow of disbelief. He looked down at the rest of the medicinal pills. Just looking at them, they didn't seem any different from any of the other pills he had consumed in the past.

A long while passed. After absorbing the power of all the pills, Zhang Shuilai took a deep breath. He produced yet another pill bottle. Inside were two pills useful for the early Foundation Establishment stage. After examining them closely, he consumed them. A few moments later more disbelief filled his eyes.

"What's going on? The pills the master alchemist concocted for me before didn't do much. They just transformed into spiritual energy. But… but… Fang Mu's medicinal pills are incredibly potent! They created more than fifty percent more spiritual energy than the others!" He panted, and his eyes shone. If at this point he didn't realise what was going on, then he didn't deserve to be an Inner Sect disciple.

Without the slightest hesitation, he leaped up and rushed out of the Immortal's Cave and headed directly to find Fang Mu. He would take advantage of others' hesitation to have more pills concocted.

However, as soon as he neared the East Pill Division, he found that the other Inner Sect disciples who had recently picked up pills from Fang Mu apparently all had the same idea as him. They were all returning, excited expressions on their faces. The group all exchanged glances, then wordlessly shot together to the East Pill Division to find Bai Yunlai.

Before, they had been interested in simply trying out the pills; now, things were clearly different.

They did not possess Su Zhonglun's ability to identify and analyze medicinal pills. However, after consuming them, they immediately realized that Meng Hao's medicinal pills were beyond ordinary. You could say that if other master alchemists could create pills of one hundred percent strength, then Meng Hao's were one hundred and fifty percent strength.They were at least fifty percent stronger, which of course made these Inner Sect disciples incredibly happy.

What they didn't know was that Meng Hao's medicinal pills were not just fifty percent stronger in terms of medicinal strength. In the world of alchemic Cultivation in all of the Southern Domain, the medicinal pills concocted by master alchemists never exceeded roughly thirty percent medicinal strength. The rest of the strength was lost in the concocting process. In the end, the medicinal pills they created were not complete. On the other hand, Meng Hao could concoct pills of fifty percent medicinal strength. It was instantly apparent who was in the superior position and who was not.

Fang Mu's imminent explosive popularity among the Inner Sect disciples was obvious.

The news that the first group of Inner Sect disciples returned for more pills quickly spread. Soon Bai Yunlai didn't need to do any promotion whatsoever. Rumors passed between friends inside the Inner Sect, and soon more and more disciples came looking for pill concocting. It wasn't long before the spreading word caused Meng Hao's name to rise above that of the other master alchemists. His reputation grew and grew.

"Did you hear? The East Pill Division has a master alchemist named Fang Mu. The pills he creates are twice as effective as the pills created by the other master alchemists!"

"How is that possible? I don't cultivate the Dao of Alchemy, but I've dealt with a lot of different master alchemists, so I know what I'm talking about. Unless this Fang Mu is a Furnace Lord, there's no way his pills could be that much more effective in comparison."

"Hahaha! All you have to do is try them out, then you'll know whether you're right or not. Have him make a pill for you, then you'll know." Conversations similar to this could be heard throughout the Inner Sect of the Violet Qi Division.

Eventually, people began to seek out Bai Yunlai every single day.

According to the rules of the East Pill Division, outsiders were not allowed to enter. The only way to seek out master alchemists was to use messaging jade slips. However, Meng Hao did not have any direct contact with anyone, only Bai Yunlai did.

More and more Inner Sect disciples arranged to visit Bai Yunlai. Soon, he was starting to get more work than he could deal with. Meng Hao was surprised by this turn of events. Before long, he was spending almost all his time concocting pills. It was getting to the point where he couldn't keep up. It was a happy sort of pain. Because of the volume of pills he was concocting, his Dao of alchemy advanced by leaps and bounds. Furthermore, he was acquiring a large amount of pill formulas, and was also building up quite a store of medicinal plants which he acquired from the excess ingredients provided.

Things only continued to grow more and more intense. After two months, every single Inner Sect disciple in the Violet Qi Division knew about Fang Mu. The whole place was abuzz. Anyone who had the mind to try one of Meng Hao's medicinal pills would immediately be astounded, and would return for more.

More than a few acquired sample pills by trading with others. Some relied on the word of others and would without hesitation seek out Bai Yunlai.

Soon Meng Hao had reached the point where he simply had too much work to do. Pumping out so many medicinal pills was driving him to exhaustion. Therefore, he discussed matters with Bai Yunlai and decided to raise prices!

He arranged a pricing system with different values assigned to different types of medicinal pills. The prices were obviously higher than other master alchemists'. This had been Bai Yunlai's idea, which Meng Hao had approved of. What neither of them had expected was that raising the prices actually caused his popularity to rise. Both of them were stupefied.

More and more Inner Sect disciples came, which was now causing complaints among the other master alchemists. However as soon they took time to study Meng Hao's medicinal pills, the complaints disappeared….

The reason Meng Hao was so incredibly popular was because of the fifty percent medicinal strength of his pills. To the Inner Sect disciples, the benefits of consuming such pills went without saying.

Most importantly, in the entire East Pill Division, the only other people whose skill in the Dao of alchemy was enough to produce pills of fifty percent medicinal strength, were Furnace Lords.

However, Furnace Lords would not concoct pills for Inner Sect disciples, only Conclave disciples. With the appearance of Meng Hao, suddenly, all Inner Sect disciples had the chance to get medicinal pills of Furnace Lord quality, but at the price of a master alchemist. After all, they could only make requests of Meng Hao, and not the Furnace Lords.

Therefore, even after raising prices, Meng Hao's medicinal pills were still cheaper than those concocted by Furnace Lords. As such, Inner Sect disciples could accept the higher cost.

Fang Mu was all the rage!

His name wasn't just popular within the Inner Sect of the Violet Qi Division. The apprentice alchemists of the East Pill Division were all talking about his shocking promotion to master alchemist. Eventually, Fang Mu's name reached the ears of some of the Elders of the Violet Fate Sect, causing them to take note of the situation.

Many of the master alchemists in the East Pill Division were still not resigned to the situation. Through various methods, they were able to acquire some of Meng Hao's medicinal pills, which they researched thoroughly. Their research left them astonished. More and more master alchemists participated in the research. In the end, when Meng Hao raised his prices, the orders Bai Yunlai accepted only increased.

Over the course of a few months, Meng Hao had acquired hundreds of pill formulas. The Spirit Stones were rolling in, and his stores of medicinal plants were plentiful. Meng Hao was happy, although now he had almost no personal time. Each day, every day, he concocted pills. When his spiritual power began to dry up, he would consume some medicinal pills to recover. Over the months, his sixth Dao Pillar came to be roughly half complete.

One can only imagine his life during these few months….

Finally, it reached the point that Meng Hao really didn't think it was possible to complete all the orders. Finally, he made a new decision. He had Bai Yunlai make an announcement that only three orders would be processed per day.

He really had no other option than this. The proclamation of this rule brought instant results. Not a few complaints were voiced, and malicious talk spread. Despite that, the rules of three orders per day stood. There were no rest days. The Inner Sect disciples of the Violet Qi Division came up with various methods to secure spots among the three orders per day.

This chapter was sponsored by Joseph Gange, Jose Lluberes, Christopher Choi, Quentin Nivon, and Warren Horsley

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 226: Liu's Rule!

Fang Mu had risen to prominence within the Violet Fate Sect. There was not a single Inner Sect disciple in the Violet Qi Division who didn't know of him. The name of this newly promoted master alchemist reverberated like thunder in the ears of the other master alchemists of the East Pill Division.

Considering the situation with the Inner Sect disciples and the master alchemists, there is no need to even mention the Outer Sect disciples and the apprentice alchemists. The name of Alchemist Fang Mu swept across the Sect like a raging wind, and his prestige among the Violet Sect Disciples only grew greater.

Speculation began to run wild regarding Fang Mu. The general consensus was that he had an eccentric personality, didn't speak much, didn't like to go out or engage in social activities. In truth, very few people actually knew what he even looked like.

All requests for medicinal pills went through Bai Yunlai. As for Fang Mu, although everyone knew his name, no one ever had the opportunity to meet him. Because of the rules of the East Pill Division prohibiting the intrusion of Violet Qi Division disciples, Fang Mu became an increasingly mysterious figure.

This, in addition to his rule of only three orders per day, the results of which were equivalent to the work of Furnace Lords, only served to increase his reputation.

In fact, the rule of three orders per day had caused the Inner Sect disciples to create a trade system, in which prices continued to increase.

At this particular moment, deep within the East Pill Division, was a violet-colored mountain peak. The peak was not very high, and in fact was somewhat concealed by the surrounding peaks. However, an indescribable aura existed here which made it clear that while the mountain was not tall, it served as the heart of the entire mountain range.

Sitting atop this mountain was an old man. In front of him was a worktable, upon which lay a medicinal pill. He looked at it, his eyes glowing with a strange light. Behind this old man were three other persons.

These people were by no means young. All of them had Cultivation bases at the Nascent Soul stage. However, it seemed as if they didn't dare to breathe too loudly in front of the other old man. Their expressions were filled with respect.

This old man was none other than Chu Yuyan's master, Grandmaster Pill Demon, whose name could rock the entire Southern Domain.

He examined the medicinal pill in front of him for some time. Soon, the sun began to set. Finally, he slowly waved his hand and picked up the pill.

"Interesting," he said, then began to laugh. He closed his hand over the pill and rubbed it. When he opened his hand again, ash drifted out into the wind.

One of the three men behind Grandmaster Pill demon hesitated for a moment, then quietly said, "Pill Demon, there is discontent within the Violet Qi Division…."

"Discontent?" said Pill Demon coolly. "Let them be patient. If anyone causes problems for the disciples of the East Pill Division, they will be cut off from medicinal pills for ten years." With that, he flicked his sleeve and disappeared.

The three men exchanged glances. With bitter smiles, they bowed to the position Pill Demon had just occupied, then turned and left.

Beneath the evening sky, behind the short, violet-colored mountain was a towering peak which stretched up to the sky. Half way up the mountain was a pavilion, the greater part of which stretched out of the mountain to hang in mid-air. During the day, you could stand here to look out across the land. At nighttime, when the stars came out, it almost seemed possible to reach up and touch the sky.

This particular evening, the rays of the setting sun fell across everything, creating a languid atmosphere. The golden glow, combined with the rosy clouds on the horizon, led to a scene of incredible beauty.

Within the pavilion, the evening air stirred. The wind did not disperse the clouds, but did send strands of long, black hair drifting into the wind. The hair belonged to none other than Chu Yuyan.

She stood quietly within the pavilion, her hair dancing in the wind. Her brow was furrowed slightly as she lifted her hand up. There in her palm was a medicinal pill.

"How did he concoct it…." she thought. "Could it be that his aptitude with the Dao of alchemy is similar to his latent talent with plants and vegetation…? Is there really someone so gifted in the Dao of alchemy? It's breathtaking…."

The pill was waxen and yellow, and did not seem to be a complete product.

By expending some Spirit Stones, she had been able to purchase a pill from an Inner Sect disciple. Of course, that medicinal pill had been the handiwork of Meng Hao.

After getting ahold of the pill, Chu Yuyan's first reaction was that of disdain. But then she had studied it fastidiously. As she did, her expression changed. In the end, she stared wide-eyed and disbelieving.

After studying the pill for seven days, she had eventually ground it into powder. After such thorough examination, although she still felt annoyed at the thought of Fang Mu, she couldn't help but admit that as for this medicinal pill… even she could only create it if she devoted her complete mind and spirit to the task.

Finally, she had used Grandmaster Pill Demon's unique method to re-concoct the pill. She had taken the powder of the original pill to form a second pill. After the second refinement, the pill's medicinal strength was actually sixty percent. That was her limit.

"If he learned my master's refinement technique," she murmured softly, "who knows what level of medicinal pills he would be able to concoct…?" She looked off at the rosy clouds in the distance, then back down at the pill in her hand.

"Master said that he might hold the secret to enlightenment regarding the Three Mortalities Pill. But he's so arrogant! Last time I went to visit he locked himself inside and refused to come out!" Thinking of this made her more annoyed. Even the mere name of Fang Mu would cause her temper to boil up with irritation.

"This Fang Mu's detestableness is second only to that damned Meng Hao!" she said, gnashing her teeth. Clearly, the two people she hated most in her heart were Meng Hao, first, and Fang Mu, second.

However, she still didn't know why Fang Mu caused her so much irritation. Of course, if she knew that Fang Mu and Meng Hao were one and the same, then she would immediately understand why.

At the same time that Chu Yuyan was muttering to herself, Meng Hao sat in front of his pill furnace concocting a batch of medicinal pills. A roaring sound could be heard, filling the Immortal's Cave. Meng Hao sighed. The past few months, he had spent every day concocting pills. He was just now finishing with all the pills he owed to various members of the Inner Sect. The pill furnace in front of him was reaching the end of its life; it would definitely crack to pieces soon.

Meng Hao rubbed the bridge of his nose, then opened the door of his Immortal's Cave to look at the sunset. He took a deep breath. The mountain breath carried the chill of autumn. As he breathed it in, the tension slowly eased from his painfully swollen head.

"Once I finish with all the old orders, then all I have to worry about are the three orders per day, as well as the medicinal pills I need for my personal Cultivation. Spirit Platform Pills are already only nominally effective. If I concoct anything, it should be a Foundation Establishment Day!" His eyes glittered. Foundation Establishment Day was a medicinal pill suitable for the late Foundation Establishment stage. It was an incredibly potent pill, one of the most valuable types in all of the Violet Fate Sect for the Foundation Establishment stage.

Recently, Meng Hao had refined over a thousand batches of pills, and had acquired hundreds of formulas. One of them was the formula for Foundation Establishment Day. After some research, he'd come to the conclusion that in order to make any progress, he would have to rest some, then use all his skill to concoct a Foundation Establishment Day with at least ninety percent medicinal strength.

With such a pill, he could complete his sixth Dao Pillar and begin formation of the seventh.

"It's too bad that the Violet Qi from the East manual is only available to Furnace Lords. It's a legendary art, and there's no other way to get a look at it. Careful records are kept of everyone who studies it." Lost in thought, Meng Hao strolled down the mountain. This was the first time in a long time that he had been outside.

"Even Inner Sect disciples aren't qualified to consult the Violet Qi from the East manual. They are forced to cultivate based on speculations. Only Conclave disciples of the Violet Qi Division or Furnace Lords can personally peruse the real manual to study the technique." Meng Hao was determined to gain access to it. Only in this way could he prepare to form a Violet Core. With that foundation, he could consume the pill to form the Perfect Gold Core.

"I've searched for some of the medicinal plants required for the Perfect Gold Core, but am still missing quite a few. Once I become a Furnace Lord, it should become a bit easier." Meng Hao passed through various valleys, lost in thought. Along the way, he ran into quite a few apprentice alchemists. Some of them recognized him, and stared in amazement. Then their faces would fill with excitement.

After all, thirty thousand apprentice alchemists had watched him be promoted to master alchemist. It was no surprise that many would recognize him still. However, now that he was a master alchemist, they didn't dare to stop and chat with him. Instead, they simply saluted respectfully.

Meng Hao wanted to find a quiet place to think. After smiling in response to the apprentice alchemists, he disappeared in a flash. He left the mountains and valleys of the East Pill Division to enter the Violet Qi Division.

Here, very few people would recognize him. He walked happily amidst the mountains, wearing his master alchemist's robe. No one stopped to question him, so he proceeded along quietly.

As he strolled, he looked around at the scenery. He had been in the Violet Fate Sect for roughly three years. Although he was relatively familiar with it, it was actually a very large place. There were many areas he had never been to. As he walked, he suddenly heard the sound of an argument in which his name was being mentioned

"That Fang Mu is definitely fishing for fame and compliments. He thinks his pills are so amazing, so he wants to make trouble for us. We can't accept it! I already reported to the Elders about it and they're going to get in touch with the people from the East Pill Division. Fang Mu will be punished! As for you, you measly apprentice alchemist, you had best apologize for your offense!"

"Elder Brother Liu, please calm your anger. This is my fault. However, it really is true that the next ten days or more worth of orders have already been filled…"

There was a jumble of conversation, then laughter. Meng Hao listened to a few sentences and was certain that one of the voices belonged to Bai Yunlai. He walked around an ornamental rock formation into a wide public square within which could be seen four pagodas.

Within pagodas sat a handful of young men who were all looking at the square, where could be seen a few dozen Violet Qi Division Inner Sect disciples.

The young men sitting in the pagodas were not ordinary disciples, but Chosen of the Violet Qi Division. There were four pagodas in total, and four Chosen, one in each Pagoda.

The handful of people who stood in the square, were scattered about, with Bai Yunlai in the middle. A blue-robed young man was currently pointing at himself and swearing at Bai Yunlai contemptuously.

"My words might not be rules in the Sect, but as far as you're concerned, they are! If I tell you to slap yourself on the face and apologize, then you better well do it!"

Bai Yunlai's face went pale and his body trembled. His Cultivation base was weak. He was a well-informed person, but quite a few people actually viewed him as being in a very low position. This was not the first time something like this had happened recently. However, he never told Meng Hao, as he didn't want to distract him. He was always careful in his interactions, but it was impossible to avoid offending everybody.

As for this young man named Liu, he had relied on his relatively high position within the Sect to request medicinal pills of Meng Hao. However, only three orders per day were allowed, and they were first come first serve. Bai Yunlai had done his best not to provoke this Liu youth, but his conciliatory words had only caused him to become hostile.

Even lowly people have their honor. However, Bai Yunlai, trembling, bitter, stared at Liu. He lifted his hand, and seemed just about to slap himself in the face when…

Meng Hao's calm voice echoed out. "Bai Yunlai!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 227: Pill Blacklist!

When Meng Hao's voice rang out, Bai Yunlai looked shocked. He suddenly turned his head and saw Meng Hao slowly strolling out from behind the ornamental rock. He walked slowly, and his face was expressionless.

When Bai Yunlai saw him, his heart leapt with excitement, as well as a little bit of shame. In his mind, he had lost face for Fang Mu. He was about to open his mouth to say something, when Meng Hao's gaze fell upon him, and it was filled with admiration.

That gaze made Bai Yunlai take a deep breath, as if he was proud to have someone recognize all the work he had been doing. It was a good feeling to be following along with Meng Hao as he rose to prominence.

Meng Hao's appearance obviously attracted the attention of the others in the square. They looked over, but of course none of them recognized who he was. The Chosen in the four pagodas frowned. Obviously, Meng Hao was a stranger to them as well.

"Who told you to put your hand down?" said the young man named Liu. "Do you want me to help you slap yourself?" His voice was filled with contempt. He, too, had caught sight of Meng Hao. But this was a valley of the Violet Qi Division. He wouldn't let his grandeur be lessened just because some master alchemist showed up. This was especially true because he knew all of the important master alchemists in the Sect.

Standing directly behind Liu were five others. Their gazes were filled with contempt, and cold smiles broke out onto their faces.

"Bai Yunlai, come here," said Meng Hao, ignoring Liu. He also ignored the other gazes which fell upon him. Meng Hao had encountered many people like this. It didn't matter if they were Chosen or Dao Children, considering Meng Hao's position, they were nothing more than wild dogs that he could afford to simply ignore.

Bai Yunlai quickly turned and took a few steps toward Meng Hao, but then Liu snorted coldly and began to shove his hand out toward him.

"I never said you could leave! Seems you need a beating!" His hand was just about to slam into Bai Yunlai when Meng Hao's previous expressionless calm changed. A cold light suddenly sprang from his eyes and swept over Liu.

The look was like a clap of thunder, a lightning bolt that split the night sky, or dark clouds of destruction that suddenly appeared in the middle of a sunny day.

It was as if rumbling peals of thunder had filled Liu's mind. His expression changed. Meng Hao's gaze was like that of a gargantuan beast that had the power to consume all living things. It caused Liu to unconsciously hold his hand back. By this time, Bai Yunlai had reached Meng Hao.

Meng Hao retracted his gaze, then turned to leave with Bai Yunlai. Considering the level of his Cultivation base, as well as his position within the Sect, these disciples were far beneath him. There was no reason for him to show off in front of these so-called Chosen.

Of course, other than the young man named Liu, none of the other Violet Qi Division Culitvators within the square had been able to sense what just happened, not even the five people who stood behind him. The only thing they saw was Meng Hao's fierce attitude, and the harsh glint in his eye. However, anyone in the world could give a harsh look to someone; they couldn't care less about that.

The expression of the Chosen in the four pagodas did change, though. They looked pensive. However, the followers who stood outside the pagodas were obviously much the same as the Cultivators in the middle of the square. They had no clue as to what had just happened.

The five people behind Liu immediately rushed forward to obstruct Meng Hao's path. Their eyes shined with ill will.

"The Violet Qi Division isn't somewhere that you can just run your mouth and then leave at will!"

"Halt! Elder Brother Liu was explaining the rules. Bai Yunlai, you can't leave on two feet! You'll need a beating!"

"Such gall! Even if you are a master alchemist, do you really think that you can look down on Inner Sect disciples of the Violet Qi Division so wantonly?"

Liu took a deep breath and then strode forward. His voice cold, he said, "You can leave if you want to, but this Bai Yunlai disrespected us. To let him go unpunished would be an insult to the entire Violet Qi Division Inner Sect!" He was scared of Meng Hao; however, while his voice was less arrogant than it had been moments ago, it was still arrogant nonetheless.

Bai Yunlai's face grew pale and he forced himself to suppress the fury that arose in his eyes. He knew that Meng Hao was a master alchemist, but they were in the territory of the Inner Sect disciples of the Violet Qi Division, so he still had some misgivings. He didn't mind slapping himself in the face a few times. He didn't want Meng Hao to get caught up in any troubles because of him. So he stopped in his tracks.

Even as he did, Meng Hao also stopped and turned around. "Who are these people?" he asked coolly.

Bai Yunlai's voice was low as he replied, "Violet Qi Division Inner Sect disciple Liu Yanbing… he…."

Meng Hao nodded, then calmly said, "From today on, I will not accept any medicinal pill orders from this Liu Yanbing."

As the words rang out, the Inner Sect disciples all stared in surprise. A few of the more astute among their numbers were already starting to get an idea of what was going on.

The Chosen in the pagodas all stared at Meng Hao with glittering eyes. One of them had already stepped out of the pagoda and walked forward a few paces.

"Not just him," said Meng Hao unhurriedly. "Those people behind him, too. I won't accept any orders from them either." Bai Yunlai's face filled with shock, but he nodded nonetheless.

Liu Yanbing face tightened as he suddenly looked at Meng Hao. His eyes shined with disbelief. If at this point he didn't realize who Meng Hao was, then he didn't deserve to have practiced Cultivation up to the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, there are a lot of stupid people in the world. One of the young men next to Liu Yanbing suddenly laughed.

"Who do you think you are? Seems you think we were begging you to concoct pills or something, so now you're not afraid of your superiors. What makes you think you're so amazing that you can talk like that?"

"Because I'm Fang Mu!" said Meng Hao coolly. This single sentence instantly caused the young man's eyes to bulge and a look of disbelief to cover his face.

"Fang… Fang Mu…."

The faces of others who stood behind Liu Yanbing all twisted. They looked at Meng Hao, stunned. It wasn't just them. All of the Violet Qi Division disciples in the square gasped when they heard these words. Their eyes began to shine brightly as they looked toward Meng Hao.

The faces of the Violet Qi Division Chosen flicked through a variety of expressions. Silence instantly filled the square.

The name of Fang Mu had towered over the Violet Fate Sect throughout the past months. He had an illustrious reputation. Few people didn't know about him and his pill concocting.

Therefore, when Meng Hao spoke the name of Fang Mu, it was like a thunderclap resounding across a plain.

Liu Yanbing's face fell, and the Cultivators behind him suddenly looked worried. Moments ago, they had been happy to teach Bai Yunlai a lesson. After all, he was merely an apprentice alchemist. But now that Alchemist Fang was here in the flesh, they had no desire to offend him. They immediately rushed forward in an attempt to provide explanations.

However, Meng Hao turned. He had no desire to continue speaking with these so-called Inner Sect disciples. Regardless of whether it was because of his status or his position, in all aspects, he and these people were as different as black and white. He turned to leave, Bai Yunlai in tow. Even as he did, though, the four Chosen hurried to catch up, obviously intent on starting a conversation.

Liu Yanbing's heart was filled with bitterness. However, it is difficult to dismount a tiger after you start riding it. He refused to yield so easily. Gritting his teeth, he forced his mouth open to try to regain some face, "So, you're Fang Mu. Well, maybe you won't concoct pills for me, but do you think you're the only master alchemist in the East Pill Division? Besides, the pills you concoct are low quality, not even worth looking at!"

Meng Hao laughed coldly. He stopped in place for a third time. Turning, he looked intently at Liu Yanbing. If this guy hadn't continued to speak, then he would never deign to argue with him, as uninformed as he was. But his strange, contradictory words caused Meng Hao's gaze to grow icy.

"I'm only one among a thousand master alchemists in the East Pill Division. Maybe my pills aren't worth looking at. So from now on, I won't concoct pills for anyone who has any dealings with you." Meng Hao's cold words caused the Cultivators surrounding Liu Yanbin to edge away. It was hard to tell which one went first. None of them wished to cause any further offense.

Liu Yanbin soon stood there alone. All of the people he had been on friendly terms with had moved far away from him.

Fang Mu was now a very popular master alchemist. It was even difficult to get one pill from him; offending him simply wasn't worth it.

Meng Hao continued calmly, "Also, if I hear of anyone selling you one of my pills, then that person will also be cut off from me." When the onlookers heard this, they all gasped.

These words completely showed how powerful Fang Mu was. Some people might think he was being a bit overbearing, but… he was a master alchemist.

Master alchemists are not to be offended!

"Except, you know what? You offended me…" continued Meng Hao, his voice even colder. Actually, he didn't care if what he was about to do caused others to be dissatisfied. Their dissatisfaction would not come to fall upon him, because he was a master alchemist, a position which demanded respect. They would only blame Liu Yanbing's inability to open his eyes to reality. "Therefore, for the next one hundred years, not a single master alchemist will concoct pills for you!"

Meng Hao said the words calmly. As he did, he lifted his right hand to reveal a white medallion, upon which he branded Liu Yanbing's name.

This was the ultimate power wielded by master alchemists in the Violet Fate Sect. The Pill Blacklist!

As soon as he branded Liu Yanbing's name onto the medallion, all the master alchemists in the East Pill Division could sense it. They pulled out their Pill Blacklist medallions to look at them. Before, there had been thirteen names on the Blacklist. With Liu Yanbing… there were now fourteen!

The entire square was completely silent. All eyes were on the medallion in Meng Hao's hand. Looks of shock appeared on the four Chosen.

Somebody in the crowd recognized the medallion and said hoarsely, "That's… a Pill Blacklist Medallion!!" The voice was filled with astonishment.

"A Pill Blacklist Medallion. Alchemist Fang Mu actually used the Pill Blacklist Medallion!!"

"Liu Yanbing is finished. It doesn't matter what Clan he's from. He'll never have the seniority to get his name removed from the East Pill Division Blacklist!!"

"Now that he's on the blacklist, not a single master alchemist will concoct pills for Liu Yanbing for the next hundred years. He basically can't practice Cultivation. Alchemist Fang Mu… he really dared to use the medallion…."

Meng Hao stood there as the buzz of conversation filled the air. Next to him Bai Yunlai trembled and stared in amazement. His heart filled with powerful emotions; as of now, he felt as if he would even be willing to die for Fang Mu.

To be treated the way that Fang Mu treated him, caused him to wish to repay the favor with his life!

Liu Yanbing's expression was filled with despair, and he was panting rapidly. His eyes were bright red and his entire body shook. His face was deathly white. As he thought of the fearsomeness of the Pill Blacklist, and the consequences of having his name on it, his eyes filled with hopelessness. The Pill Blacklist Medallion could only be used by a master alchemist twice, and was only to be used out of absolute necessity.

How could he have ever imagined that Fang Mu would actually… would really… would truly use the Pill Blacklist Medallion on him? His body grew cold and his eyes blank. It was like his head had been struck repeatedly by lightning.

His heart trembled. He knew what it meant to be placed on the Pill Blacklist. Regardless of his Clan, there was no way anyone would be able to help him. He suddenly regretted everything. If time could flow backward, he would never have offended Meng Hao. Body trembling, the only thing he could say was, "Alchemist Fang… I…."

This chapter was sponsored by Charles Townsend, Brian Waddell, Malow Kenende, Vidya Pati, and Tjandra Johannes

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 228: Falling Leaves are Beautiful; They Only Live One Season

Suddenly, laughter rang out. The four Chosen had already pushed their way through the crowd. Ignoring Liu Yanbing, they walked straight for Meng Hao, clasping hands respectfully as they approached him. Their expressions were serious and polite, but they spoke with smiles and laughter.

"Alchemist Fang, sir, I've always wanted to meet you! Now that we've run into each other, allow me to humbly act as host. Let's drink some alcohol and gaze at the moon together. Wouldn't it be wonderful?"

"Hahaha. Elder Brother Xu beat me to the punch. Alchemist Fang, your skill in the Dao of alchemy is the talk of the Sect. Since we happen to meet today, would it be an imposition to allow Junior Brother here to join you? We can all treat you!"

"Alchemist Fang, that pill order I placed recently isn't urgent. Just get to it whenever it's convenient. Please don't leave yet! As Junior Brother Bai Yunlai knows, we sincerely wish to pay you our respects."

As for Liu Yanbing and his friends, they were completely ignored. It didn't matter if Liu Yanbing was related to a Patriarch of the Sect. How could his position possibly compare to that of a master alchemist? Fang Mu was a master alchemist with obviously unlimited potential, and one who didn't shirk from using the Pill Blacklist… it was clear who was superior here.

Among the thousand master alchemists, some wouldn't use the Pill Blacklist medallion even once in their entire life. Some would use it only if absolutely necessary. Generally, they would be hesitant, though. Most people are not decisive enough to do so. But Fang Mu used it without hesitation. The threatening aura this created permeated into the hearts of everyone present.

The four Chosen crowded around Meng Hao, as did the rest of the Inner Sect disciples who were with them. Smiles covered their faces. Even though it appeared as if Fang Mu's Cultivation base were not even in the Foundation Establishment stage yet, they still treated him with utmost courtesy.

Meng Hao smiled slightly, clasped hands and bowed back to them. After a moment, he tried to make some excuses and get away, but couldn't. Eventually, he decided it would be ungracious not to accept their kindness. Nodding, he followed them off into the distance, trailed by Bai Yunlai. The sound of their happy laughter and harmonious chatting echoed out.

Back in the square, Liu Yanbing stood there, his face pale white. His mind spun, and his eyes were blank and filled with despair. The other Cultivators in the square stared with various expressions. However, it was as this moment that off in the distance, Meng Hao suddenly turned to them and clasped hands in a bow. "Fellow Daoists and Sect members. Why don't you join us?"

Hearing this, the eyes of the four Chosen glittered brightly. Giving meaningful looks to Meng Hao they also turned and beckoned for the others to join them.

Seeing this, the faces of the other Inner Sect disciples in the square lifted. They hurried over, clasping hands and bowing. Soon the whole group of dozens or more Cultivators all walked off into the distance.

Meng Hao was at the center of it all, a blazing moon surrounded by glittering stars. The laughter and talking drifted out with the wind.

Now only Liu Yanbing and his friends remained in the large square. Their faces were unsightly, especially the faces of those who stared at Liu Yanbing. Their eyes were filled with fury.

In the following days, Meng Hao didn't spend all day every day concocting pills. He often went to the mountains and valleys of the Violet Qi Division. Slowly, more and more people began to recognize his face. Gradually, his reputation in the Violet Qi Division grew even better.

At the same time, he also spent time with the other master alchemists. He would call on them to visit, exchange pointers about the Dao of alchemy, and share recent experiences. He made sure that each visit was one of mutual gain; it was in this way that he gradually began to build up his social network.

As for Liu Yanbing, it was with great bitterness that he came to realize how truly horrifying the Pill Blacklist was. The master alchemists who used to concoct pills for him would now completely ignore him. It didn't matter how much money he offered, none of them would concoct a single pill.

Furthermore, all the people whom he had used to be close to, gradually began to drift further and further away.

In fact, on one occasion when he went to visit his Clan Patriarch, he was severely berated and then sent on his way. In the Violet Fate Sect, master alchemists are not to be offended. Once the Pill Blacklist Medallion is used, the word would spread throughout the whole Sect. Even Patriarchs know that the most fearsome thing in the East Pill Division was not the Dao of alchemy, but the protection they had set up for themselves.

That protection was evident from the results of the Pill Blacklist.

Within the East Pill Division, there can be power struggles, and competition. But if outsiders dared to dishonor it, then the alchemists would stand together united in their fury, and desire for revenge. This is because master alchemists are NOT to be dishonored or offended. That was an ironclad rule of the East Pill Division.

That was how the Pill Blacklist Medallion arrangement began in the first place.

In the outside world, it might not be a big deal to offend a master alchemist who was not from the East Pill Division. Other master alchemists wouldn't get involved. However in the East Pill Division, if you offended one, then you offended all.

In some ways, it might not seem very reasonable. But that unreasonable arrangement ensured that the master alchemists were treated with respect wherever they went, inside the Sect or outside.

Offend one, offend all. Few could afford to do such a thing.

Of course, if someone offended another master alchemist, Meng Hao would not go against the tide. As a master alchemist, the most important thing to him was to defend the position of all master alchemists.

And so, time passed. Meng Hao continued to concoct medicinal pills. Three batches per day. The new arrangement made the other master alchemists much less resentful.

After all, there were tens of thousands of disciples in the Inner Sect of the Violet Qi Division. Seeking out master alchemists involved certain rules, but as long as the alchemists didn't get too greedy, there wouldn't be too much resentment.

When you added in the fact that Meng Hao went out of his way to go visit the other master alchemists, it was like a cool wind blowing through their hair. Their sulkiness dissipated, and gradually, they all came to accept him.

As for Meng Hao, in addition to his three batches of pills per day, he spent a lot of time creating medicinal pills to hand over to the Sect. In addition, he used Foundation Establishment Day to slowly increase his Cultivation base.

Several months later, on one late night, Meng Hao sat cross-legged in his Immortal's Cave. In front of him were three bottles of Foundation Establishment Day. After looking at them closely for a while, his eyes began to shine brightly.

"Today I will create my sixth Dao Pillar!" He took a deep breath. As of now, his sixth Dao Pillar was more than ninety percent complete. Because of the engulfing power he knew would appear, he had waited some time before attempting to complete the final ten percent. The preparations had taken some time, but now that he was certain it was safe, he was ready to start.

His eyes shined with determination. He picked up a Foundation Establishment Day, swallowed it, and closed his eyes. The sixth Dao Pillar began to congeal inside of him. A golden glow began to spread out from his body, within which were streams of magical symbols. All of a sudden, a garrulous chatter drifted out.

"Three bullies, three bullies. Less than three won't do!" The noise, of course, came from the meat jelly, who had just woken up. It spoke the words and then spit out a mouthful of Qi.

The Qi spread out to cover the golden glow that surrounded Meng Hao. It made the Qi coming off of his Perfect Dao Pillars look ordinary. This way, the Violet Fate Sect wouldn't detect anything unusual.

Time passed slowly. By dawn, Meng Hao's body was trembling. His skin was withered, and an intensely violent gravitational force suddenly appeared. It seemed as if it had been thirsty for thousands of years and wanted to swallow up Meng Hao's body and soul to sate its thirst.

Meng Hao was prepared for this, though. As soon as the gravitational force appeared, he immediately crushed the several pill bottles that remained in front of him. These were what he had worked so hard to produce: Foundation Establishment Day pills of ninety percent medicinal strength. He popped them into his mouth.

As soon as they entered his mouth, they exploded, transforming into boundless spiritual power that immediately began to be sucked into the sixth Dao Pillar.

At noontime, Meng Hao's eyes snapped open, and they shined with a bright, glittering light. As he sat there cross-legged, he didn't seem much different than before, except that he looked a little weaker. Inside, however, was a raging storm. The shocking ripples which emanated from his Cultivation base were consumed one by one by the meat jelly.

His sixth perfect Dao Pillar had appeared. Meng Hao took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened them again. They no longer glowed, but were calm, and filled with a strange light. The light was confidence born of his Cultivation base.

Six Perfect Dao Pillars. Mid Foundation Establishment. With one more Dao Pillar, he would be in late Foundation Establishment! At that point, a Dao Child with a Flawless Foundation wouldn't qualify to even attack him. Their Dao Pillars would be reduced to trembling by the crushing pressure he could emit.

Even now, with his six Dao Pillars, he could easily exterminate any Dao Child.

As for the so-called Chosen, they were like ants or dried weeds that could be crushed on a whim.

"Perfect Foundation. Such incredible potency…." Meng Hao's voice was soft, but his eyes shone with anticipation. This anticipation was for his ninth Dao Pillar, when he completed the great circle of Foundation Establishment.

There was a flickering in front of Meng Hao and the meat jelly appeared. It danced back and forth, it's eyes wide. "Three bullies!" it cried.

After shedding, the meat jelly hadn't transformed back into a parrot, but had maintained its meat jelly form.

"Three bullies! No less than three bullies!" it repeated in a voice that could chop nails and slice iron.

It appeared content. With a burp and some muttering, it disappeared into the bag of the Cosmos to find the Li Clan Patriarch and discuss noon-time naps.

Meng Hao stood and opened the door of his Immortal's Cave. Dazzling morning sunlight filtered down. He took a deep breath. Winter was ending and Spring was beginning. There was no snow, like in the State of Zhao. Winter in the Violet Fate Sect had no snow.

He looked quietly up into the sky and suddenly realized that he had been in the Violet Fate Sect for more than three years now. In fact, now that he calculated it carefully, it would soon be four years.

"Time flies so quickly…" he said quietly. Practicing Cultivation on his own, he could truly sense the passage of time. His senses were no longer those of a mortal's.

As he reminisced, he thought of Chen Fan, Elder Sister Xu and Fatty. Various scenes played out in his head. He knew where they were, but they… they had no idea where he was.

By this time, the name of Meng Hao was already a thing of the past. Few people brought it up any more. Soon, everyone would forget it. All the waves from the events four years ago had died down and disappeared.

"Life is like a dream, like a leaf that, no matter how beautiful, can only live for one season…." He looked at the buds sprouting from the great trees off in the distance and a smile broke out on his face. He liked his identity here as Fang Mu. He enjoyed how being in the East Pill Division felt like being in an institute of higher learning. He lifted his hand, and a jade slip appeared on his palm.

This jade slip had been branded by the Li Clan Patriarch at the behest of the meat jelly. It was branded with a Li Clan Conclave technique.

Self Will Incantation.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 229: Because this Will, Can Only Belong to Devils!

Self Will Incantation.

A Li Clan Conclave technique. In this technique, one's will was the key in which magic can be Cultivated. Furthermore, if cultivated to a consummate level, then during Spirit Severing or Dao enlightenment, Karma could be seized.

The technique actually seemed more like a scripture. Except it wasn't a scripture scroll, but seemingly a fragment of a scroll. Nonetheless, this short passage was enough to become a Conclave technique of the Li Clan.

Meng Hao examined it thoughtfully for a while. Then, his expression flickered and he waved his hand. The jade slip disappeared.

Not much time passed before Bai Yunlai appeared, walking up hastily. He formally greeted Meng Hao in a respectful tone. Ever since the matter with Liu Yanbing, Bai Yunlai carried himself differently in front of Meng Hao. They were still close, but it was now clear that their positions were different. There was a slight tension between them.

Meng Hao tried a few times to get him to act more like he had when Meng Hao first joined the Sect. However, it just made him nervous. So, he allowed Bai Yunlai to greet him formally every time they met, and to speak in a reverent tone.

Meng Hao could only sigh at this change. He understood that it would be impossible to maintain the same relationship they always had. His own Dao of alchemy was growing further and further away from Bai Yunlai's, and as such, the respect the man showed grew deeper and deeper.

"Grandmaster Fang, these are the orders I've accepted recently. Please, take a look." He handed over a bag of holding.

Meng Hao glanced it over and then tried to chat a bit with Bai Yunlai. Bai Yunlai's respectful expression didn't change, which caused Meng Hao to sigh again inwardly. With a slight nod of his head, he tucked the bag of holding away.

Bai Yunlai hesitated for a moment, then looked at Meng Hao and lowered his voice. "Grandmaster Fang, there's only one more month until this year's Pill Auction. Sir, I'm not sure if you plan to participate in the auction or not…?"

"Pill Auction…." Meng Hao thought back to four years ago when he had first joined the Violet Fate Sect. There had been a Pill Auction underway at that time. Now, he had quite a reputation in the East Pill Division. The Pill Auction was a place for master alchemists to manifest their reputation.

Also, it was a place where medicinal pills were directly sold for Spirit Stones in an official capacity. The Pill Auction only happened once per year, and Meng Hao had never attended one before. Suddenly, his heart began to thump. He was a master alchemist who was quite popular within the Sect. But he wanted to know how much a price his pills would fetch in the Southern Domain in general.

Master alchemists could offer their wares with their name attached to it, or anonymously. In the case of the latter, no one, not even members of the Sect, would know whose pill it was that was up for sale.

However, there is no wall in the world which can hold back any wind. It might be difficult for the Elders to figure out which pill was made by whom, but if Grandmaster Pill Demon wanted to know, then he could naturally be able to figure it out.

Meng Hao muttered to himself for a moment, and then nodded. Not only did he want to see how much his pills were worth in the outside world, he also wanted to replenish his supply of Spirit Stones. Copying the Foundation Establishment Day had cost him quite a bit. Even as a master alchemist who was frequently compensated by Inner Sect disciples for pill concocting, he still couldn't afford such expenditures.

As of now, he had quite a collection of medicinal plants, but not a lot of Spirit Stones. This, of course, caused Meng Hao to sigh. When he was young, he had always dreamed of being rich. That dream seemed to be just as far away as ever.

He saw off Bai Yunlai and was standing there in thought, when suddenly a bright beam of light appeared off in the distance. The image of a slim, graceful woman was visible inside. It was none other than Chu Yuyan.

The instant he saw her, Meng Hao sighed at his bad luck, then immediately turned and entered his Immortal's Cave.

"Fang Mu!!"

The instant her voice echoed out, the door of the Immortal's Cave shut and sealed. Then, Meng Hao's voice could be heard:

"Fang Mu isn't home."

Chu Yuyan's eyes blazed with killing intent. Her veins bulged as she stood outside the Immortal's cave, gnashing her teeth. She had come to call on Meng Hao on multiple occasions during the past year, but he always seemed to be away, and never inside the cave. For him to act like this, as if he had just caught sight of some kind of devilish fiend, caused fury to burn within her.

Teeth clenched, she said, "Fang Mu, are you hiding from me because you have some secret you don't want people to know about!?" Every time she came here and found the door shut, she would say something like this.

She was more and more certain that Fang Mu was harboring some secret. For him to act like this every time she came really set her on fire. Whenever anyone said his name, the irritated feeling would fill her and she would feel like doing something to him.

Meng Hao's voice drifted out of the Immortal's cave: "What you can't see, can't annoy you."

Chu Yuyan's stared with wide eyes. She banged her fist onto the door. A boom echoed out. The door rattled a bit, but wasn't damaged in any way.

"Get out here!"

"I'm concocting pills."

"Are you coming out or not?"

"Aiii. Elder Sister Chu, I'm concocting pills, really!"

"Who the hell said I'm your Elder Sister? I'm a Furnace Lord. You're just a master alchemist. If you don't come out here right now, we'll see how long you can stay there in your Immortal's Cave."

"Fine, Fellow Daoist Chu. You know, last time, you camped out next to my Immortal's Cave for seven days. Later, a lot of slanderous rumors spread throughout the Sect. It's really not a good thing. Don't you agree?"

"You…."

"I, Fang Mu, am not married to any beloved, and am very concerned with my reputation. Such rumors are really intolerable. Fellow Daoist Chu, please refrain from harming my reputation in this way. Take your leave, quickly." Meng Hao sighed. Actually, Chu Yuyan's intuition frightened him. He had been avoiding her for years now, because he had the strong feeling that if he had any interaction with her, she might begin to pick up some clues.

If she somehow realized that he was Meng Hao… well, he didn't dare to think of how horrific the consequences might be.

Chu Yuyan gnashed her teeth and stamped her foot angrily. Then she turned and left.

Sensing that she'd gone, Meng Hao sighed in relief. A wry smile appeared on his face. Everything about the East Pill Division was good except for Chu Yuyan. With her here, he didn't feel secure.

"If she keeps causing problems for me, I might have to think of some other method to deal with her…." His eyes shined with a cold light, but his face's usual calm expression returned. He stopped thinking about Chu Yuyan. With the wave of a hand, the earthly fire within his Immortal's Cave sprang to life. A pill furnace appeared to hover directly over the fire.

This particular furnace of Meng Hao's had three cranes carved onto its surface. As the furnace began to glow red from the heat, the three cranes turned the color of blood. They looked like they might fly out from the surface of the furnace at any moment. It was a cowing sight.

Meng Hao had traded a large collection of medicinal pills and plants with a veteran master alchemist to acquire this Blood Crane furnace. Having used it for some time, he was very familiar with it.

The furnace quickly became bright red, but Meng Hao stood off to the side, paying it no attention. A thoughtful look appeared in his eyes.

"What type of pill should I concoct for the Pill Auction…" he thought. Hundreds of pill formulas flashed through his mind, but none of them caught his attention. Enough time passed for an incense stick to burn. The pill furnace was as red as blood, and its glow filled the entire Immortal's cave, causing everything to look red. Meng Hao's eyes suddenly flashed.

"I'll concoct a poison pill!" Based on Meng Hao's understanding of the Dao of alchemy, poison pills generally did not have recipes that were handed down. They were usually created spontaneously or from memory by the master alchemist. This prevented unauthorized pill formulas from being passed around.

Poison pills were somewhat of a taboo. However, most master alchemists would research and concoct them at some point. It was a way to prove not only a master alchemist's skill in the Dao of alchemy, but rather, his understanding of plants and vegetation. One must have a thorough mastery of the variations of plants and vegetation to be able to concoct a poison pill uniquely classified as belonging to a given master alchemist.

A pill created by one person that ten thousand people couldn't dispel. All master alchemists thirsted to create something like this.

Meng Hao took a deep breath, then sat down cross legged next to the pill furnace. He allowed the heat from it to fill his body, and then closed his eyes. He sat silently in meditation. Days passed. The fire continued to burn. The Blood Crane furnace showed no signs of degrading; it maintained its bright red appearance the entire time.

Seven days later, Meng Hao's eyes suddenly opened. His eyes were filled with determination.

"This poison pill will not be a pill to give to enemies, but to oneself. Poison, but not poison. Medicine, but not medicine. This pill…." He thought back to the time in the State of Zhao when he had killed Shangguan Xiu, and of the pearl Little Tiger had given him. The pearl caused one's Cultivation base to rise by one level. Thanks to the help of the pearl, Meng Hao had been able to open the ancient path which led to the tenth level of Qi Condensation. 1

The images from that day sprung clearly into his mind. The pearl had fearsome power, and had left a deep impression on Meng Hao.

"Pierce the Qi vessels throughout the body, chop them like mincemeat. Turn the body into a treasure, split open the chest. Crush the mind, consolidate millions upon millions of murderous intentions. Explode the Dao Pillars within the Core Sea; killing intent can exterminate spirits. Use the mortal soul to fuse with spirits. Use the power of killing to subvert consciousness. The mind and the Core Sea, fused into nothing in the blink of an eye. This Devilish Will shall transform into a suicidal heart, which will cause the Cultivation base to climb to the skies!

"It is not a burning of the soul, it supersedes that! This pill… will be called Bedevilment Pill! That is because, this Will, can only belong to devils!" Meng Hao's bloodshot eyes glittered. His right hand grabbed his bag of holding and then waved it in front of him. Immediately ten thousand varieties of medicinal plants appeared to float in mid-air in front of him. Bathed in the crimson glow, the scene seemed bizarrely demonic.

Meng Hao's hands blurred, and a flickering shadow appeared beneath them. Meng Hao's entire mind, all his energy, poured into the pill furnace. He catalyzed and pulverized medicinal plants. He created hybrids to look for one particular root he needed.

From the time Meng Hao had begun to study the Dao of alchemy, during all the various situations in which he had concocted pills, he had never been so possessed. It was his first time to make full and thorough use all of his skill in the Dao of alchemy, all of his nature talent of plants and vegetation.

His hair was wild and disheveled, and he lost awareness of everything. He was immersed in pill concoction. All his desire poured into the Bedevilment Pill. It was like he himself was possessed by a devil!

This Bedevilment Pill was actually… the first true pill ever created by Meng Hao in his time Cultivating the Dao of Alchemy!

There was no formula for this pill. It didn't need one. This was a pill that contained the true will of a master alchemist, a pill that had been created by the influence of will. Therefore, its true value and price was impossible to describe. Even more important was the fact that, if a Furnace Lord could see Meng Hao in his current state, that person would surely go mad.

In Cultivation, there is enlightenment. The Dao of alchemy also has enlightenment. Pill Demon had experienced such enlightenment. So had the other two Grandmasters in the Southern Domain. Some Violet Furnace Lords might experience it once in their life, although that depended only on luck and fortune. Just now, Meng Hao had experienced alchemic enlightenment!

The pill created as a result of alchemic enlightenment was as miraculous as if it had been created by the Heavens themselves. It was unparalleled and unmatched!

This chapter sponsored by Yaa Botchey, David Bottlender, Gary Cosby, Minh H, and Jiashen Chen

1. The events with the pearl occurred in chapter 75

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 230: Bury Devils Beneath the Earth

This pill concoction lasted an entire month. From the time Meng Hao had learned to concoct pills until now, this was by far the longest time he had ever spent doing so. For one month, he didn't rest. All of his energy was focused on the concoction of this pill.

Over ten thousand varieties of medicinal plant variations, all shaped by the will of Meng Hao's mind. Based on endless adjustments and variations, it slowly transformed into a unique pill that was solely of Meng Hao.

On the last day of the month of concocting, late in the moon-filled night, the Blood Crane pill furnace trembled. It was no longer bright red; it was gradually returning to its original color. This process took several hours. When the moonlight was beginning to grow hazy and dim outside, the furnace finally returned to its original state. Meng Hao's hair was in a mess, and his eyes filled with veins of blood. His face was pale white. His Cultivation base had been rotating and emitting power for an entire month straight.

Thankfully, he had six Dao Pillars now. If he only had five, like a few days ago, then even replenishing himself with medicinal pills, he would have been forced to suspend pill concoction midway.

If alchemic enlightenment ceases before completion, then it cannot be resumed.

Seeing the completely recovered pill furnace in front of him, Meng Hao took a deep breath. He was exhausted from the month of work. During the most critical part of the concocting, he had experienced what felt like a bitter struggle between life and death. He closed his eyes, and as he did, they burned painfully.

A long time passed before he opened them again. Without hesitation, he lifted his right hand up to press onto the pill furnace. It trembled, and two black colored pills flew out. The instant they did, a black cloud suddenly began to form above the pill furnace.

The black cloud wasn't outside of the Immortal's Cave. No, it was inside; the bizarre sight caused Meng Hao to stare blankly, his eyes filled with confusion. It took only a moment for the cloud to finish forming. Suddenly, lightning shot out from it, directly at the medicinal pills.

At this critical moment, Meng Hao slapped his bag of holding and the meat jelly flew out. As soon as it saw the black cloud, it stared in shock. Then its eyes glowed, and it flew to meet the descending lightning bolt. It opened its mouth and consumed the entire lightning bolt. It smacked its lips as if it had just eaten something delicious.

"Pill Tribulation Lightning," said the meat jelly, licking its lips. "So, it turns out that's the tastiest…." Suddenly, its eyes fell upon the two pills Meng Hao held in his hands. It seemed eager to try them.

"Three bullies!" said Meng Hao resolutely. The meat jelly hesitated for a moment, as if it were torn about something. Finally, it returned to the blood-colored mask, muttering to itself, apparently preparing to vent its frustrations on the Li Clan Patriarch.

Having dismissed the meat jelly, Meng Hao took a deep breath and looked down at his palm. The two black pills seemed to be struggling, as if they wanted to fly away. This was the first time he had concocted what were apparently sentient pills, ones that had provoked Tribulation lightning.

Meng Hao's eyes shone. He may be tired, but couldn't stop from staring at the two pills.

They were essentially the same size. However, one was pitch black, whereas the other had a violet hue. It only took a moment for Meng Hao to come to the conclusion that the violet-colored pill was the superior of the two. The other could also be considered a consummate product, just slightly inferior.

Despite the struggles of the pills, they were incapable of leaving Meng Hao's hand. The two black pills did not emit a medicinal fragrance, and seemed to suck in all the light that touched them. If you looked at them for too long, it seemed as if your soul would be sucked inside.

"I concocted these pills with true will…." murmured Meng Hao. Eventually, his eyes flickered. He waved his left hand and a flying sword appeared. Very slowly, he carved a mark onto the side of each pill. It was a simple mark which depicted… a cauldron!

It was the same cauldron he had seen in the Blessed Land of the Black Sieve Sect, the cauldron which had desired to defeat the Heavens.

It wasn't a completely accurate depiction, but very close. Strangely, after inscribing the pills with the mark, they stopped struggling. The cauldron mark flickered, as if it had branded itself onto the hearts of the pills. Now, the cauldron mark suddenly seemed as if it were alive, real.

Meng Hao took a deep breath, and then a smile broke out on his face. At the same time, a wave of exhaustion swept through him. He hadn't rested for an entire month. He was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, but this was too much even for him; he simply didn't have enough energy.

"This is a pill of bedevilment, the very peak of bedevilment. The brand of the cauldron represents the Earth, and has suppressed it. Bury devils beneath the Earth, in accordance with the name of the pill." Meng Hao retrieved a pill bottle and put the first Bedevilment Pill inside. He sealed it with wax, and then placed the violet-colored Bedevilment Pill into another pill bottle.

After this, he pulled out a jade slip which he used to summon Bai Yunlai. Soon, Bai Yunlai appeared outside the Immortal's Cave. He didn't have to wait long before a pill bottle flew out to land on his hand.

Meng Hao's tired voice echoed out from the Immortal's Cave. "Put this up anonymously in the Pill Auction. It's called Bedevilment Pill. Come for me when the auction is about to begin." He sat cross-legged, his eyes closed, seemingly half asleep, immersed in restoring his energy.

Bai Yunlai clasped hands in salute, then left with the pill bottle.

Three days flashed by. During that time, the entire State of Eastern Emergence bustled with activities as one Sect after another arrived in Violet Moon City 1. There weren't just Sects from the State of Eastern Emergence, but from other places as well.

In fact, all of the other four great Sects, as well as the three great Clans, all dispatched disciples to the Violet Fate Sect to participate in the yearly Pill Auction. Actually, for an event to take place yearly made it a somewhat frequent event; nonetheless, it still attracted the attention of Cultivators throughout the entire Southern Domain. That was because all of the items in the auction were concocted by master alchemists of the East Pill Division.

Furthermore, Furnace Lords would usually participate as well, and would provide a unique variety of medicinal pills. The medicinal strength of their pills would be considerable, enough to cause a sensation in the Southern Domain. Occasionally, stunning, one-of-a-kind creations would appear.

Every year, different master alchemists' names would rise and then spread throughout the outside world. You could say that the Pill Auction was a platform for master alchemists to gain fame. Of course, the East Pill Division encouraged this, and urged the master alchemists to concoct pills to sell at the auction.

Not only were the master alchemists encouraged to provide medicinal pills so that their fame would grow within the Southern Domain, but also, for material gain. After all, the profits from the sale of the medicinal pills all went back to the master alchemists.

This was a set rule, which caused virtually all of the master alchemists to participate.

Furthermore, the Violet Fate Sect strictly controlled its medicinal pills. The only way for outsiders to acquire them was by participating in the Pill Auction. There would always be a few types of pills that would give rise to frenzied bidding. Usually, this was not because of the medicinal strength of the pill alone, but also the concoction method used.

After all, despite not acquiring the pill formula, research of the pill would reveal much about the methods which had been used to concoct it. The master alchemists of the Violet Fate Sect had no way to prevent this from happening. Anyone with sufficient skill could perform such research on medicinal pills.

In short, it is easy to imagine the stir caused by the yearly Pill Auction.

The location of the Pill Auction was, of course, Violet Moon City. In the southeast corner of the city, was an enormous circular edifice, a stadium which could seat a hundred thousand Cultivators.

Generally speaking, during every Pill Auction, because of the influx of Cultivators from all regions, the seats would be completely filled.

The Pill Auction usually lasted for seven days, and could be rated as a grand occasion hosted by the Violet Fate Sect.

This particular day was the first day of the auction. The auction stadium was already full. The eyes of the Cultivators from all the various Sects and Clans were focused on the stage in the middle of the stadium.

Standing there was a middle-aged man who smiled and clasped hands respectfully to the audience.

"Fellow Daoists of the Southern Domain, Ladies and Gentlemen, you all know the rules of the Violet Fate Sect's Pill Auction, so I won't go into all the details. We have a total of 789 types of medicinal pills up for auction, including pills appropriate for Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and even Nascent Soul stage Cultivators! Furthermore, there will be poison pills and magic pills available as well.

"According to the rules of the Violet Fate Sect Pill Auction, before auctioning each pill, a small shaving will be taken to test the medicinal strength of the pill, as well as to clearly demonstrate its effectiveness." Having said that, the man waved his hand, causing a gigantic curved portal to open up behind him.

Bright ripples spread out, after which everyone could see a group of seven hundred Cultivators standing on the other side, their faces expressionless.

These Cultivators had Cultivation bases of various levels, and their ages were different. There was one similarity between all of them, however. All of their eyes glowed with a violet light. Outsiders might not know what this meant, but Meng Hao would. It would only take one glance for him to determine that these people… had all cultivated the Violet Qi to the West technique! These were puppet disciples of the Sect! 2

"These Cultivators of the East Pill Division have been selected to sample all the pills which will be auctioned today. Ladies and Gentlemen, most likely this is not your first time to attend our Pill Auction, so you must surely already know, the Violet Fate Sect's Pill Auction is unmatched in the entire Southern Domain!" The man's voice echoed throughout the stadium, which subsequently filled with respectful laughter.

"Let the auction begin!" the man cried. "Lot one is a bottle of Yang Toppling Pills concocted by Furnace Lord Liu Yong of the East Pill Division! Transform life force into Death Qi, cause enormous transformation! Use this pill in your Immortal's cave to collect Yin powers. Consume it to cause an abrupt rise of Death Qi. This pill is suitable for any Fellow Daoist who cultivates Spirit Puppet arts." Even as the man's voice rang out, Bai Yunlai and Meng Hao were hurrying toward the stadium.

Being a master alchemist, Meng Hao caught the attention of many apprentice alchemists as he entered. He sat down in the pavilion reserved for master alchemists, and then looked down at the auction proceeding below.

He took a deep breath of anticipation. He keenly anticipated finding out if people would be interested in his Bedevilment Pill, and how high of a price it would fetch. After all, since becoming a master alchemist, he had never been more pleased with a pill. Although he had complete confidence in it, he was a bit worried about whether or not it would be profitable.

He glanced over the crowd, a thoughtful expression on his face. Suddenly, a look of shock appeared, which then transformed into a slight smile. His gaze had fallen onto a group of visitors, amidst whom was a certain fat young man, casually grinding his teeth.

1. Violet Moon City was first mentioned in Chapter 209, when Meng Hao first arrived in Violet Fate Sect territory

2. Violet Qi to the West was described in Chapter 114

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

---

Read I Shall Seal the Heavens - Chapter 231 online free - Novel Full

Chapter 231: Pill Auction

In all of the Southern Domain, there was only one person who could appear so domineering, who would use a flying sword to grind his teeth!

Li Fugui…

… Also known as Fatty. Other than him, there was no Cultivator in the Southern Domain who dared to grind his teeth in such a fashion. Clustered around Fatty were a group of Golden Frost Sect disciples with vigilant and protective looks on their faces. Their presence actually served only to draw more attention to him.

Fatty was… even fatter.

The other Cultivators who sat nearby eyed him with strange looks, and engaged in furtive conversations. How could Fatty pay attention to such things though? He complacently pulled out a Spirit Stone, popped it into his mouth and crunched it into bits.

This caused the eyes of the surrounding onlookers to fill with shock, and their hearts with envy.

Meng Hao hadn't seen him in four years. However, he would think of him often, as well as Elder Sister Xu and Chen Fan. Seeing him here, Meng Hao couldn't help but smile and sigh emotionally.

Being Fang Mu for the past four years, taking root in the Violet Fate Sect and rising to prominence, had given him the means to send out some inquiries about his friends. He knew that all of them had made progress in their various Sects. For example, Elder Sister Xu had long since reached Foundation Establishment. She had taken Han Bei as her Master, and was in a much better position in the Black Sieve Sect than she had been all those years before.

As for Chen Fan, after four years' time, he was now a Chosen in the Solitary Sword Sect.

Fatty, of course, was the least given to studying and learning techniques. However, he was still in the same position as he had been within the Golden Frost Sect. If he wanted wind, there was wind, and thanks to his value to the Sect, he also had reached Foundation Establishment.

The name of Meng Hao was now nearly forgotten in the Southern Domain.

Meng Hao smiled happily. To be able to see his old friend really lifted his mood.

Seeing Meng Hao looking at Fatty, Bai Yunlai leaned over and, in a low voice, said, "That's Li Fugui from the Golden Frost Sect. I remember hearing that last year, he married his third beloved…. According to the rumors, the Golden Frost Sect will go to any lengths to find appropriate female Cultivators to become his beloved, all with hopes of continuing his bloodline…."

Hearing this, Meng Hao gaped for a moment, then laughed and shook his head wordlessly.

Sighing, he thought, "I never thought that from the group of us from the Reliance Sect in the State of Zhao, Fatty would end up in the most comfortable position." Even he couldn't help but feel a bit of envy at Fatty's special position on the path of Cultivation.

He suddenly thought back to when they had first joined the Reliance Sect. Fatty had constantly wept and wailed about wanting to go home and get married. Meng Hao couldn't help but smile at the memory. A gentle light filled his eyes.

The auction was continuously underway, of course. Each pill that came up for auction would have a bit of powder shaved off and given to one of the Cultivators who had practiced Violet Qi to the West. After consuming the powder, the Cultivator's body would become translucent, so that all the onlookers could see the effect of the medicine.

This was a tradition of the Violet Fate Sect Pill Auction that had existed for countless years, a method to guarantee the quality of the products.

Time passed, and soon it was noon.

"This lot is for a Barrier Breaking Pill. Fellow Daoists, Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sure you're all very well aware of the properties of this pill…." As he spoke, a Violet Qi to the West disciple consumed some of the powder, giving everyone a clear view of the results.

"20,000 Spirit Stones!" cried Fatty, his voice filled with a domineering tone that well matched his stocky frame.

"30,000 Spirit Stones!"

"Your granny!" shouted Fatty gruffly. He stood up. "Fine, you punk, 50,000 Spirit Stones!"

"60,000 Spirit Stones!"

"70,000 Spirit Stones…." someone else said.

Actually, the value of a Barrier Breaking Pill was dependent on individual circumstances. With a hundred thousand Cultivators present, the number who were currently stuck in a bottleneck, or who soon would be, was hard to determine. A high price was always required to break through a bottleneck.

"100,000 Spirit Stones," roared Fatty. "I have Spirit Stones to spare, punks! They're not even mine! Do you really dare to compete with me!" He pulled out a Spirit Stone which he then placed between his teeth and crushed. The surrounding Golden Frost Sect disciples could only make wry smiles.

Fatty's words seemed to have the desired effect. Besides, Barrier Breaking Pills were good, but not necessarily guaranteed to be completely effective. 100,000 Spirit Stones was an incredible price that apparently no one was willing to exceed.

A strange look had appeared on Meng Hao's face. The Barrier Breaking Pill hadn't been concocted by him. From this distance, he could clearly see the pill's effect on the translucent body of the Violet Qi to the West disciple, as well as its medicinal strength. Based on his skill in the Dao of alchemy, it was obvious that whoever had concocted the pill had only been able to extract thirty percent medicinal strength from the plants and vegetation which had been used as ingredients.

"It seems the price I charged Ding Yong for the same pill… was a little low…." he thought. Of course, it wasn't really possible to compare the prices within the Sect with those without. This was especially true when one was sold to a fellow Sect member, whereas the other was sold at auction.

The auction continued on. As more pills appeared, the atmosphere in the auction stadium climbed. This was especially true when a pill concocted by a Furnace Lord appeared. The price for that particular pill had already reached hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones. This caused Meng Hao to pant. It was the first time he had seen how much profits master alchemists could make. It was really shocking.

It was especially astounding because Meng Hao knew the base cost of the pill, which was just a few tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. Furthermore, the so-called medicinal strength was only at fifty percent. Meng Hao could produce a similar pill without barely even concentrating.

Fatty made bids on just about all of the pills, and acquired quite a few. He was becoming one of the most recognized figures in the auction stadium. This was especially true considering how he continuously made furtive glances at nearby female Cultivators. When he caught the eye of one, he would put on the most casual, cool look he could.

The others from the Golden Frost Sect could only sigh. They did nothing to stop him. After all, he was engaged in a "righteous cause." That "righteous cause," was of course, finding wives. It was an order passed down by the Sect Leader himself.

The middle-aged auctioneer smiled and flicked his sleeve. "This next lot contains medicinal pills concocted by Alchemist Li Tao," he called out. "The name of the pill is Foundation Establishment Day. It can be used by the mid Foundation Establishment stage and sometimes even the late Foundation Establishment stage. In total, there are three bottles, and each bottle contains six pills. All the bottles will be sold together." Three pill bottles appeared. When the Violet Qi to the West disciple sampled the powder from one of the pills, the entire auction stadium immediately went silent. The silence lasted for only a moment, whereupon a buzz of conversation filled the air.

"That pill…."

"It has forty-five percent medicinal strength!!"

"This is not an ordinary Foundation Establishment Day! Who is this Alchemist Li Tao? This pill is second only to the type concocted by Furnace Lords!"

"The interactions of the plants and vegetation in this pill are extraordinary!!"

Of course, most of the hundred thousand Cultivators in the auction stadium understood little about the Dao of alchemy. However, the interactions happening within the translucent body of the Violet Qi to the West disciple gave some clues as to the astonishing nature of the pill.

The auctioneer also stared in amazement, then looked back down at the three pill bottles he held.

Meng Hao's gaze fell upon the bottles as well. After a while, he smiled. He was friends with Li Tao, and as such, the man had come to him before concocting this batch of Foundation Establishment Day. During their discussion of the Dao of alchemy, Meng Hao had pointed out some variations in the plant and vegetation interactions. You could actually say that it was with Meng Hao's help that Li Tao gained enlightenment that day, and was able to concoct this batch of pills, which was the pinnacle of his current achievements in pill concoction.

"I won't ask him about this batch of Foundation Establishment Day," thought Meng Hao. "However, the variations I talked about that day could only have extracted forty percent medicinal strength from the plants. The final five percent was an achievement based on Li Tao's personal enlightenment and skill." Seeing the fervent reaction of the crowds around him, Meng Hao smiled.

Within his bag of holding, he still had several Foundation Establishment Day pills that he himself had concocted. Those pills had ninety percent medicinal strength. If he put those up for auction, it would certainly cause some waves.

"I wonder what the auction of my Bedevilment pill will be like…." he thought, his heart filling with anticipation. The energy he had expended concocting the Bedevilment pills exceeded that he had spent on Foundation Establishment Day by double, triple or perhaps more.

The concoction of the Bedevilment Pills was the true expression of his will, and the pinnacle of his Dao of alchemy.

With a smile, the auctioneer said, "Again, these three pill bottles will not be auctioned separately, but together. The opening bid for the three bottles is 250,000 Spirit Stones." In his estimation, the price for these bottles would surely reach an incredible height.

In fact, it might be the crux of the entire auction, and would likely cause Li Tao's name to rise to prominence in the Southern Domain.

This was because, although he wasn't a Furnace Lord, he had concocted pills of almost exactly the same quality as a Furnace Lord's. As such, the pills must have plant and vegetation interactions of his own creation, which was the hallmark difference between master alchemists and Furnace Lords.

Any master alchemist who wished to become a Furnace Lord must be able to produce plant and vegetation interactions that were uniquely his own. By rising above other master alchemists in such a way, he could then advance to being a Furnace Lord.

Because of those interactions, the value of such a medicinal pill was far beyond the value of an ordinary pill. Their appearance in the auction would immediately cause a huge scene. Many people would be willing to pay an exorbitant price to acquire the pills for research.

After all, once a master alchemist was raised to Furnace Lord, he would be able to use alchemic concealing techniques to hide the plant interactions. In that way, it would be much more difficult for others to unlock his secrets.

However, a pill concocted by a master alchemist would contain no such alchemic concealing, and would be much easier to unlock and research. The East Pill Division was aware of this, of course, and really had no way to control it. Skill manifest in the path of medicinal pills, was innately researchable.

Leaks like this didn't occur in all Pill Auctions, but rather, perhaps one in ten. As such, one can only imagine the frenzy caused because of the appearance of this batch of pills.

The East Pill Division naturally had a degree of forbearance. Since the pills had been put up for auction, the East Pill Division would not attempt to cover up their true nature, nor try to prevent people from researching them.

Immediately, people began calling out bids.

"300,000 Spirit Stones!"

"500,000 Spirit Stones. I must acquire these three bottles of Foundation Establishment Day!"

Meng Hao's eyes glittered. For a Foundation Establishment Day pill of forty-five percent medicinal strength to be so explosively popular caused him to wonder what kind of reaction his own pill would provoke.

This chapter was sponsored by Peter Armstrong, Josef Apor, David Cross, and CV

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 232: Bedevilment Pill!

"600,000!" cried Fatty, leaping to his feet. "Who dares to contend with his superiors?! These three pill bottles are mine!" His voice reverberated like thunder throughout the auction stadium.

However, these three bottles of Foundation Establishment Day were not like the Barrier Breaking Pills from before, in which Fatty's bids caused others to give up. These three bottles represented a chance that might come only once in ten years, perhaps even one in a hundred!

Considering the East Pill Division's lofty status, they could afford to not care about such a thing. But other Sects lacked the East Pill Division's deep stores of knowledge. Clearly, there were many Sects present who were determined to win this chance to study the interactions contained within the pills.

Regardless of great Sect or small Sect, the eyes of all the Cultivators in the stadium were red. These medicinal pills were just too important, not just to the Cultivators, but to their Sects as a whole.

By fully researching the plant and vegetation interactions within the pills, a Sect could gain significant advancements in their Dao of alchemy. As such, the bids in the stadium continued to flow out, even from the three great Clans and the other great Sects.

Meng Hao watched on from within the pavilion, his eyes wide, almost as if he couldn't comprehend the scene. His eyes began to shine as the price for the pills climbed higher and higher. After this Pill Auction, Li Tao's name would definitely become known throughout the Southern Domain. Soon, all Cultivators would wish to make his acquaintance. Considering he was able to produce such pills while still just a master alchemist, it mean that… he definitely was qualified to become a Furnace Lord in the future!

There were only around one hundred Furnace Lords in the East Pill Division. Any one of them could cause a huge sensation in the Southern Domain, and would be sought after by countless Cultivators. Their position and status invoked solemn respect of the highest order.

Fatty continued to make bids in the auction for the Foundation Establishment Day. However, eventually he had to give up as the price eventually reached the incredible height of 4,000,000 Spirit Stones!

This was the highest price offered for a lot in the Violet Fate Sect's Pill Auction in the past one hundred years!

It was hard to use words to even talk about such a price. Every participant in the auction was panting heavily, and deathly still filled the air.

The winner of the auction was one of the great Clans, the Li Clan!

Only three people had come from the Li Clan. One was Clan Elder, and the other two were Chosen. Of course, each of the great Clans had their own Dao of alchemy. Although theirs were different from the East Pill Division's, comparatively speaking, they were also similarities. These three bottles of Foundation Establishment Day would give them an incredible opportunity to discover new plant and vegetation interactions.

As such, the auctioneer hesitated a moment. However, the East Pill Division was filled with deep reservoirs of knowledge, and as such, they could afford to disregard a leakage of information about plant and vegetation interactions. For these medicinal pills to end up in the hands of the Li Clan showed how incredible they were.

In the past thousand years during which the Violet Fate Sect Pill Auction had been held, the Violet Fate Sect itself had never purchased one of its own auction items. The Eastern Pill Division never withheld items from auction, or prevented them from being sold. Such a matter was unheard of throughout the thousand year history of the auction.

In fact, Violet Fate Sect disciples were prohibited from purchasing items from the auction. It didn't matter how rare a given item was, bids were not permitted.

It was a thousand-year-old rule that had never changed!

After the three bottles of Foundation Establishment Day were sold to the Li Clan, the Li Clan Elder immediately extended an invitation for Li Tao to come for a visit to the Li Clan 1. This in turn caused Li Tao to gain even more prestige.

Discussions regarding Li Tao spread throughout the auction stadium. The master alchemists sitting around Meng Hao in the pavilion were all amazed, and began to talk about Li Tao with admiration and envy.

By now, the auction had already been underway for two days. The auctioneer pulled out another medicinal pill, but considering what had just happened, it was impossible for him to arouse the passion of the crowd.

Few people were paying attention, and the bidding was no longer intense. The next few hundred pills all sold within the space of ten or so breaths. Things were selling so quickly that it hardly seemed an auction anymore….

It reached the point that some people began to leave.

After the wonderment of the Foundation Establishment Day, the hundred thousand or so Cultivators participating in the auction seemed to have come to the conclusion that even though there might be some amazing items yet to appear, none of them would be able to match the astonishing Foundation Establishment Day pills.

To many people a bid of 4,000,000 Spirit Stones was something that wouldn't be seen again in the next hundred years. The three bottles of Foundation Establishment Day were nothing less than a miracle.

Therefore, interest in the remainder of the auction was waning. The auctioneer was well aware of this. He was still a bit excited. To have officiated over the sale of an item at such an astounding price was something he had never experienced before in his life.

Even he didn't think that the remainder of the auction would feature anything that could possibly outmatch the Foundation Establishment Day. As such, he could understand the feelings of the rest of the hundred thousand Cultivators, and was willing to let the rest of the hundreds of medicinal pills be auctioned off at a relatively rapid rate.

It was in such a fashion that Meng Hao's Bedevilment Pill finally came up for auction, on the evening of the third day. Few of the Cultivators present were very interested. Most of them were still wrapped up in regretfully recalling the events surrounding the Foundation Establishment Day and sending messages about it back to their various Sects.

The voice of the auctioneer sounded out, "This pill was concocted by an anonymous master alchemist of the East Pill Division. Even I don't know who this person is. The name of the pill is… Bedevilment Pill, a poison pill." He placed the pill bottle in front of him.

Meng Hao's spirits instantly lifted, and he took a deep breath. He stared at the pill bottle, which of course contained the pill he had concocted.

When the pill bottle appeared, most of the surrounding Cultivators were still discussing the Foundation Establishment Day matter in hushed tones. Only a few people looked down, mostly because of the words "poison pill," which managed to arouse a bit of interest.

The auctioneer spoke quickly. In his opinion, even though this pill was a poison pill, it wasn't likely to attract much attention. Other than a Foundation Establishment Day pill, nothing else would be able to cause much of an excited bidding. Despite the pill in front of him having obviously been created by paying a Heaven-defying price, he still doubted that it would sell for much more than ten thousand or so Spirit Stones.

Therefore, he didn't spend much time introducing the pill. Looking out, he saw that the vast majority of the hundred thousand Cultivators weren't paying attention at all. He cleared his throat, and decided that the time was coming to wrap up the auction. It didn't seem that this auction would last seven days, but rather four at the most. There was really no other alternative. After the shock of the Foundation Establishment day, all other auction items would really pale into insignificance.

Having come to the decision to end things quickly, the middle-aged auctioneer called over one of the Violet Qi to the West disciples. He poured the black pill out of the bottle and, not seeing anything strange about it, quickly scraped off some powder and gave it to the Violet Qi to the West disciple.

Few of the Cultivators were paying attention to all of this, and in fact, only a handful of people seemed interested in purchasing the pill. After all, it could really only attract the attention of the few Cultivators who studied the Dao of poison.

Meng Hao noticed all of this, and kept his expression calm.

Only Bai Yunlai seemed to be nervous. He sighed; clearly he felt the whole situation was unfair. In his opinion, Meng Hao's Dao of alchemy was far above that of Li Tao's. They weren't even on the same level!

That much was evident from the fervor with which the Inner Sect disciples of the Violet Qi Sect contended for his pill concocting services.

As for the Violet Qi to the West disciple, he was a young man of about thirty years of age with an expressionless face. Despite the lack of interest on the part of the surrounding Cultivators, he earnestly accepted the powder from the pill and then consumed it without hesitation. His Cultivation base rotated, causing the powder to dissolve into his body. He became translucent, allowing everyone to see the results inside of him.

Despite the fact that this was a poison pill, the man didn't hesitate in the slightest.

As soon as he consumed the powder, his body began to transform.

As he did, Meng Hao quietly looked at him and murmured, "Pierce the Qi passageways throughout the body, chop them like mincemeat. Turn the body into a treasure, split open the chest. Crush the mind, consolidate millions upon millions of murderous intentions. Explode the Dao Pillars within the Core Sea, killing intent can exterminate spirits. Use the mortal soul to fuse with spirits. Use the power of killing to subvert consciousness. The mind and the Core Sea, fused into nothing in the blink of an eye. This Devilish will shall transform into a suicidal heart, which will cause the Cultivation base to climb to the skies!

"It is not a burning of the soul, it supersedes that! This pill… will be called Bedevilment Pill! That is because, this will, can only belong to devils!" With every sentence Meng Hao uttered, the Cultivator's body changed, almost as if it were under Meng Hao's control.

His expressionless face immediately changed. Sweat began to pour down his forehead, and his whole body shook. Veins popped out on his forehead.

He could clearly sense that the powder which he had swallowed had been immediately absorbed by his body and then transformed into an indescribable stimulating force. His body filled with pain, and spiritual energy exploded out. It felt as if his Qi passageways were being slashed to pieces by countless swords!

As this happened, a roaring sound emanated inside of him, as if the unrestrained power of his very life force were shooting out. The intensity of this power exploded out of his chest, transforming into a frenzied desire for murder, which completely shattered his three Dao Pillars!

As his Dao Pillars fell to pieces, his Core Sea evaporated, and his Cultivation base was smashed. The power flooded into his mind, pulverizing his soul, erasing his mind, filling it with a devilish will which would end his life!!

It seemed all of his consciousness had disappeared and he had gone completely mad. He lifted his head to the sky and let out a shocking howl. The howl echoed out, containing indescribable desire to murder, which then transformed into killing intent that emanated out from him in booming waves.

A shapeless Flame Sea enveloped his body, burning it, burning his soul, filling him with a frenzied, devilish insanity. His breathing became ragged, and his Cultivation base…. suddenly exploded upward. He had no Dao Pillars, and yet his aura was so powerful that it rivaled the late Foundation Establishment stage!!

His roar, filled with killing intent, slammed down onto the hundred thousand Cultivators who were discussing Foundation Establishment Day. Instantly, all of their eyes fell upon the Violet Qi to the West Cultivator.

Meng Hao stood there, his expression calm, his eyes calm. He seemed like… an alchemist devil!

1. Just a quick note to remind you that Li Tao's surname a different surname from that of the Li Clan, both in terms of the character and the pronunciation 历Lì versus 李Lǐ

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 233: The Earth, The Heavens!

It was impossible to describe how the killing intent imbued the howl which rose up to the Heavens. Its intensity spread about, causing a pulsating black aura to emanate from the body of the young Cultivator.

The black aura swirled around him, making him look like someone who had risen up from the yellow springs of the underworld. His closed eyes suddenly snapped open, and all of the hundred thousand Cultivators gasped. What they saw were two eyes that appeared as if they belonged to wild animal, filled only with frenzied death.

The eyes were crimson, and they glowed with insanity. From this moment onward, this was no longer a Cultivator, but a devil!!

He emanated the power of the late Foundation Establishment stage; moments ago, he had only been at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Such an explosive transformation caused the hearts of the surrounding Cultivators to echo with thunderous shock.

Because of the roaring in their hearts, the surroundings grew completely silent. All eyes were focused on the Cultivator, who looked like some sort of devilish deity. The auctioneer stared in shock. He breathed heavily, his face covered in astonishment.

This was because even though the Violet Qi to the West disciple looked like an insane devil, with billowing killing intent and mad, crimson eyes, actually, there was also a calmness within those eyes.

This calmness was even more terrifying than the insanity. It showed that even though he was inundated with frenzied killing intent, he actually had not lost his mind!

Furthermore, all of the hundred thousand Cultivators could clearly see the changes within his body caused by the medicinal powder. If the tiny amount of powder that had been used could cause such an incredible transformation, what could the entire pill do…?

All of the Cultivators present were breathing heavily; the answer to such a question floated in their hearts. Their eyes shone with amazement.

The auction stadium instantly exploded with conversations.

"What… what pill is this!?!? It's astonishing!!"

"That was… that was just a bit of powder, and yet it caused such an incredible transformation. If just a bit of powder could do that, imagine if the entire pill were consumed! What would that be like…."

"It can cause someone to go insane, and unleash all of the potential contained within the body. It fuses the Core Sea and the Dao Pillars, and emits a consummate killing aura. This pill…. is no poison pill! It could be used at a critical moment to save one's life!!"

"Poison pill, poison pill…. All alchemists will eventually dabble in poison pills at one point or another. But there are usually no formulas for poison pills. The pill… this pill…."

"What's most important is the medicinal strength of the pill. I was watching closely, and I think I know. It's only a powder shaving, but in my estimation, this pill displayed at least fifty percent medicinal strength!!"

"Fifty percent…. Don't tell me this is a poison pill concocted by a Furnace Lord…?"

Discussions raged, just as they had upon the appearance of Foundation Establishment Day! All eyes were on the black medicinal pill, and especially the mark which was branded onto its side.

"Look, it has a mark on it!"

"That's… a cauldron! The pill is branded with a cauldron!"

"That's the mark of the alchemist who concocted the pill! They only brand pills with a personal mark when they are completely satisfied with results. A cauldron…. I've never heard of any alchemist using a cauldron as a personal mark!"

"I demand that the auction house perform a test to determine the medicinal strength of this pill!!"

"Yes! We demand a test!"

The demand for a test caused the atmosphere in the auction stadium to grow even more intense. How could the auctioneer have ever imagined that another pill would appear after Foundation Day that could cause such a commotion?

Looking at all the Cultivators demanding a test, their voices growing louder and louder, the auctioneer didn't hesitate. He waved his hand, and two old men walked out from the portal behind him.

Both had hair long and white. These were veteran master alchemists of the Sect, responsible for performing tests of the medicinal strength of pills in the auction. As they walked out, the auctioneer immediately grew very courteous.

The old men had proud looks in their eyes, and completely ignored the surrounding hundred thousand Cultivators. One of them reached out to take hold of the pill. He eyed the cauldron mark, and didn't look very pleased. In his opinion, alchemists who hadn't reached the rank of Furnace Lord weren't qualified to leave a mark on a pill. The crowd could tell that if the man could, he would wipe the mark away.

Looking annoyed, the old man sniffed the pill, whereupon his body suddenly trembled. His eyes filled with disbelief, and he tilted his head forward to examine the pill more closely. As he did, he seemed to grow more agitated. His body trembled even harder, and his eyes grew wide with even more disbelief.

"Impossible…" he said, his voice hoarse. "This pill is an impossibility. It's impossible…." When his voice floated up to the surrounding Cultivators, they all began to pant anxiously. At the moment, they couldn't imagine what medicinal strength the pill must have to cause a veteran master alchemist to turn pale from astonishment.

The other old master alchemist strode forward. He examined the pill, smelled it, and then his eyes gradually began to shine with a strange light. Having seen through the pill, his face began to grow pale, and a look of disbelief and astonishment filled his face.

"This… this is…" The two old men looked at each other, and could clearly see the astonishment in each other's eyes. Their bodies trembled and they breathed heavily.

"Master alchemists, this pill…."

"This pill cannot be sold!!" said one of the two master alchemists. His voice echoed out, filling the auction stadium. A buzz rose up.

"What do you mean it can't be sold! We asked for a test. Is the Violet Fate Sect Pill Auction really going to break their one thousand year tradition by not selling something?!"

"According to the rules of the Pill Auction, we have the right to ask for a test. You haven't even revealed the results and are already saying you won't sell it?"

"We want the test results! Tell us… what is the medicinal strength of this pill!"

The voices of the hundred thousand Cultivators rose up, including that of Fatty, who roared at the top of his lungs. The auctioneer's expression tightened. He had never encountered a situation like this before, and was starting to get nervous. Suddenly, a new portal appeared on the stage.

Seven people emerged.

Seeing these seven people, the auctioneer's face flickered with shock. He immediately clasped hands and bowed deeply. The two master alchemists' faces filled with veneration, and they, too, clasped hands in salute.

The hundred thousand Cultivators in the auction stadium fell silent. However, their eyes went wide with shock. The seven people who had just emerged were all Furnace Lords of the East Pill Division!

Each and every one had a name that reverberated like thunder throughout the Southern Domain. All hearts trembled at the sight of these seven. They walked out and approached the Bedevilment Pill. One reached out to take it in hand, then examined it carefully. His hand began to tremble, and his expression filled with shock.

He tried to conceal the shock, but the surrounding Cultivators couldn't help but notice. To see a Furnace Lord looking shocked caused the hearts of the hundred thousand Cultivators to feel as if they were filled with thousands of lightning bolts.

The Furnace Lord's gaze swept across the hundred thousand Cultivators. With an inward sigh, he caused the Bedevilment Pill to float up into the air, then sat down cross-legged. "In previous Pill Auctions," he said, "the East Pill Division has offered one opportunity to test the medicinal strength of a pill. Are all of you certain that this pill is the one you wish to test?" There was no need to wait for an answer.

The six other Furnace Lords joined him, sitting in a circle around the floating Bedevilment Pill. They all performed incantation gestures, after which seven pill furnaces appeared in front of them. Each of these pill furnaces was clearly made from extraordinary materials!

"Each pill furnace that ignites, represents ten percent medicinal strength. This is a fair method, since all of the plant and vegetation ingredients used to concoct pills in this Pill Auction were grown in the East Pill Division. If they were not, we would not be able to so accurately determine their medicinal strength."

Even as the voice rang out, the hundred thousand Cultivators all watched on closely. These seven Furnace Lords had illustrious reputations and commanded utmost respect. They closed their eyes, and a fragrant medicinal aroma filled the air, giving rise to a strange atmosphere within the stadium. Suddenly, one pill furnace began to glow. Next, a second, then a third, and finally a fourth began to grow brightly.

"Four furnaces lit up. That means it employed forty percent of the power of the plant and vegetation ingredients…."

"Ah, so it's only forty percent. That's not quite as good as the Foundation Establishment Day. However, it's really not so simple to compare the medicinal strength of the two, since this poison pill is a completely different type of pill. In fact, I'd say… huh?" A moment after discussions broke out among the Cultivators, a deathly silence filled the air, as if the throats of those speaking had suddenly been clamped shut.

The hundred thousand Cultivators began to pant, and looks of shock filled their faces one by one. They stared as a fifth furnace lit up, then a sixth, and a seventh! In the blink of an eye, seven furnaces had begun to glow brightly!

"Seventy… Seventy percent?"

"It must have been concocted by a Furnace Lord! This… this…."

"Seventy percent! But, what if there were eight pill furnaces…?" As the roar of conversation filled the air, the faces of the seven Furnace Lords flickered, and their hearts trembled. Suddenly, yet another glowing portal appeared, from which emerged three more alchemists, who were also Furnace Lords. Their faces were calm and dignified as they strode forward. They sat down and then produced pill furnaces of their own.

Almost the instant their pill furnaces emerged, they began to glow. Eight pill furnaces, then nine, and finally ten. In the blink of an eye, all the pill furnaces were glowing!

Ten pill furnaces, their glow rising up into the sky. There was no roar of conversation, because the surrounding hundred thousand Cultivators could only stare with blank looks….

As for the ten Furnace Lords who were performing the test, they too stared mutely. Their minds spun, and they panted. An unprecedented look of shock appeared in their eyes.

And then, the reaction came. One hundred thousand Cultivators went crazy. Their minds buzzed, their eyes were crimson, and their breath came in ragged pants. They had obviously… gone mad!

One hundred percent medicinal strength! This was a perfect product! From ancient times until now, such an item had never appeared in the Pill Auction!

The difference between the Foundation Establishment Day and this Bedevilment Pill was clear. One was the Earth, the other was the Heavens!

This chapter was sponsored by Hein Haugeberg

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 234: Grandmaster Pill Cauldron

Throughout the history of the Violet Fate Sect Pill Auction, a one hundred percent consummate pill had never before appeared. In fact, when it comes to such pills, a pill of eighty percent concocted by a Violet Furnace Lord would be considered a supreme level pill. Even something like that had never been seen before.

A medicinal pill that could employ more than eighty percent of the strength of the plant ingredients was considered supreme! Something ninety percent or higher… such pills were referred to as consummate pills!

A ninety percent pill was considered consummate; a one hundred percent pill, though generally referred to as consummate, could actually be considered sub-celestial!

Throughout the tens of thousands of years that encompassed the history of the Violet Fate Sect's East Pill Division, very few people had ever been able to concoct supreme pills. Every single one was a Violet Furnace Lord, and every single one had a name which could rock the Southern Domain. As for one hundred percent consummate pills….

In the tens of thousands of years of the history of the Violet Fate Sect's East Pill Division, only two people had ever been able to concoct such pills. One was the founder of the Sect itself, Reverend Violet East. The other was Grandmaster Pill Demon.

Only those two people had ever been able to concoct consummate pills. Consummate pills were not only a defiance of the Heavens, but also a watershed mark in the Dao of alchemy. They were the watershed mark for promotion to Grandmaster!

Only people who could concoct consummate pills could be called Grandmasters! In all the Southern Domain, other than Grandmaster Pill Demon, there were only two other Grandmasters who were capable of concocting consummate pills. However, their consummate pills were only ninety percent, not one hundred.

In all the Southern Domain, only Grandmaster Pill Demon… could concoct one hundred percent sub-celestial consummate pills!

It is therefore obvious how valuable a pill like the Bedevilment Pill would be, and why its appearance in the Pill Auction would send everyone into a wild frenzy.

One hundred thousand Cultivators all stared with red eyes. The Foundation Establishment Day had caused a stir, but that was far removed from this development. One hundred thousand people, one hundred thousand pairs of eyes. Their minds swam with the shocking sight of… a one hundred percent consummate pill!

Fatty panted as he stared fixedly at the pill; everyone was the same. In the pavilions on the top level of the auction stadium, the master alchemists from the East Pill Division who had come to observe the proceedings, also were completely shaken, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

It wasn't just them; the apprentice alchemists who were present were in an uproar. Even the disciples from the Violet Qi Division were filled with massive waves of shock.

The entire Pill Auction seemed as if it might boil into collapse.

The auctioneer stood there trembling, his mind filled with thunderous roaring, his breathing agitated and his eyes bloodshot. He had never imagined that he would ever be able to touch a one hundred percent consummate pill.

When he thought about how he had personally shaved off some powder from the pill, his heart filled with intense regret. In his mind, such an action was essentially blasphemy.

A one hundred percent consummate pill could be considered a sacred object to any alchemist, a truly precious treasure. His reaction, his madness, might be difficult for an outsider to comprehend. But as an alchemist, his greatest dream in life was to one day concoct a consummate pill.

The ten Furnace Lords stared blankly at the Bedevilment Pill floating in front of them. Their eyes shined with religious fervor, and their breath came in ragged bursts. They seemed to have forgotten everything else except for this pill.

As Meng Hao watched all of this happening, his heart began to pound. All of a sudden, he was getting the feeling that maybe this wasn't such a good development after all…. He had never imagined that the Bedevilment Pill would lead to such a frantic uproar.

"That pill… it…." murmured Bai Yunlai. He seemed to almost be in a daze. He slowly looked over at Meng Hao, and he seemed as if his soul had vanished into thin air.

Before the auctioneer could even set a price, the frenzied crowd began roaring out bids. "5,000,000 Spirit Stones!" someone cried. "I'll get this one hundred percent consummate pill even if it reduces me to poverty!"

"10,000,000 Spirit Stones!! I'm from the Mount Dao Sect, and I'll spend all the resources of my entire Sect to buy this pill!"

As people began shouting out prices, the atmosphere in the auction stadium grew even more frenzied. Naturally, most of the people participating in the auction knew at least something of the Dao of alchemy. It had been easy to establish the value of the Foundation Establishment Day, a forty-five percent pill with a variety of plant and vegetation interactions. But as for a one hundred percent consummate pill….

The mysterious plant and vegetation interactions made its value hard to determine. The Cultivators here, regardless of which Sect they came from, obviously knew that. Any Sect who could unlock a tiny bit of the secrets of this pill would be able to make unprecedented advancements in their Dao of alchemy.

It was no ordinary pill, but rather a one hundred percent consummate pill, something that no one in the entire Southern Domain except for Grandmaster Pill Demon could concoct.

The Cultivators here knew that anyone who acquired the pill and studied it on a daily basis, were they to achieve complete enlightenment, would be able to found their own alchemic Sect!

This pill was a rarity in the modern world!

Even without complete understanding of the pill, any Sect who possessed it would have a precious treasure!

The explosive atmosphere in the auction stadium continued to rise. It seemed chaos would soon break out; some people seemed to be preparing to fight for the pill. Unfortunately, the appearance of the pill seemed to have incited the potential for frenzied struggle.

The auctioneer was incapable of keeping the situation under control. Were he to dare to say that the pill was not for sale, killing intent would surely fill the auction stadium in an instant.

Nothing like this had ever happened throughout the long history of the Pill Auction. The auctioneer's face was pale as he looked around at the frenzied one hundred thousand Cultivators. He didn't even dare to speak.

"Who made this pill?" somebody suddenly shouted. It seemed many of the Cultivators realized that they had little hope of acquiring the pill, and so began to focus their attention on whoever had concocted it.

The question rang out like thunder, causing the hundred thousand Cultivators to suddenly grow deathly quiet.

The Cultivators were still in a frenzy, but they seemed to have recovered some of their wits. As they did, it seemed everyone was suddenly wondering about the same question.

"If I remember correctly, it was a master alchemist?"

"Master alchemist? What? This pill… was concocted by a master alchemist?"

"It… it surely was concocted by Grandmaster Pill Demon himself. How could it be a master alchemist? The only person in the entire Southern Domain who can concoct one hundred percent consummate pills is Grandmaster Pill Demon!"

The buzz of conversation filled the air, and everyone began to focus once more on the pill. The auctioneer's face was pale, but he hurriedly said, "This pill was concocted by an anonymous master alchemist of the East Pill Division." The man's breathing was ragged, and even he seemed to be shocked by the words he had just uttered.

If he had such a reaction, how much more of a reaction would the surrounding hundred thousand Cultivators have? Upon hearing that the pill had been concocted by a master alchemist, the hundred thousand Cultivators immediately began to pant. They were dumbfounded, and their faces filled with astonishment and surprise.

After a moment of silence, the Cultivators once again exploded with conversations that buzzed even louder than before.

"A master alchemist…it really was concocted by a master alchemist!!!"

"Not a Furnace lord, not a Violet Furnace Lord, and not even Grandmaster Pill Demon. If it was concocted by a mere master alchemist, well, this is a hundred percent consummate pill! This master alchemist… he…."

"Such talent. Such skill in the Dao of alchemy! He concocted a one hundred percent consummate pill! Who is he? Who is this Grandmaster?!?!"

"Such a heaven-defying master alchemist exists in the Violet Fate Sect! Could he… could he be a personal apprentice of Grandmaster Pill Demon?

A one hundred percent consummate pill was well and good. The plant and vegetation interactions were important. All of it was hard to put a value on. But to compare that to the master alchemist who concocted such a pill, one was the Earth, the other was the Heavens!

It was impossible to describe how valuable such an alchemist would be to a Sect. In fact, few Sects would hesitate to spend any price to acquire such an alchemist. Present in the auction stadium were the three great Clans and the other four great Sects. All of them seemed moved; their disciples' eyes glittered, and they all had produced jade slips to transmit reports back to their various Sects.

"Who is this master alchemist!!"

"If he becomes a Furnace Lord, or a Violet Furnace Lord, then the pills he concocts will surely be a defiance of the Heavens!"

"We want to meet this master alchemist!!"

As the frenzy in the auction stadium built, Meng Hao took a deep breath. He looked at Bai Yunlai, who appeared to be in a panic. Bai Yunlai seemed about to say something, but when Meng Hao's gaze fell upon him, his heart calmed.

Meng Hao's heart, however was racing. He could never have possibly predicted that the pill he had concocted would cause such a violent storm of a reaction. In fact, he felt a bit of regret. Thankfully, he hadn't attached his name to the pill, but had only left the mark of the cauldron branded on its side.

"Maybe the master alchemist didn't reveal his identity, but look at that cauldron. That's his mark!"

"Cauldron… cauldron…. Don't tell me that's his alchemist name? Pill Cauldron!!"

"Grandmaster Pill Cauldron!" It was impossible to say who said it first. However, it only took an instant for the Cultivators to identify with the name Pill Cauldron. Thus began the rise of this name.

Meng Hao watched on blankly, blinking. He was still feeling unsettled, but at the same time, a proud sense of self-confidence began to fill him. For the pill he had concocted to garner such acclaim was a lofty honor for any alchemist.

It was at this moment that suddenly, a violet glow emanated from the glittering portal in the middle of the auction stadium. It filled the stadium, along with a massive pressure that immediately suppressed the racket.

As the auction stadium grew quiet once again, the violet glow rose up from the portal, and then two figures walked out.

The person in the lead wore a violet robe, the sleeves of which were embroidered with golden pill furnaces. His long, black hair flowed down his back, and his expression was one filled, not with anger, but with power. He looked to be a bit over fifty years of age, and yet, he also emanated an air of ancientness. It was unnecessary to state that this person had clearly had many years of experience.

He walked out slowly, and as he did, all of the hundred thousand Cultivators in the audience looked at him.

His appearance caused the ten Furnace Lords' expressions to instantly change. They rose to their feet, looks of veneration covering their faces as they clasped hands in salute.

"Greetings, Violet Furnace Lord An," they said in unison.

The words rang out, causing the hundred thousand Cultivators to suddenly gasp.

This shock was caused by the words, "Violet Furnace Lord."

Meng Hao's eyes glittered as his gaze came to rest on the violet-robed man and the incredible medicinal aura which emanated from him.

Note from Er Gen: Many people have been wondering about the title of Book 3 "The Honor of Violet Fate," and have come to the conclusion that it refers to the Violet Fate Sect's honor within the Southern Domain. Actually, grammar in the title is a bit vague, making the subject and object unclear. It really should be "The Honor of Meng Hao in Violet Fate!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 235: Apprentice's Fee 1

After the violet-robed man emerged from the portal, the eyes of the onlookers fell upon the person behind him, a hunchbacked Cultivator. His expressionless face was filled with scars that seemed to be self-inflicted.

An indescribable sense of power emanated from him, which seemed to bolster the powerful pressure which maintained silence within the auction stadium.

"Patriarch Hunchback!"

"So it's Patriarch Hunchback! They say his Cultivation base is at the mid Nascent Soul stage. Three hundred years ago, he gave up everything to become the Alchemy Protector of Violet Furnace Lord An…."

"For Patriarch Hunchback to appear means… the man in the violet robe really must be one of the eight Violet Furnace Lords of the Violet Fate Sect, An Zaihai!" 2

The eyes of the hundred thousand Cultivators immediately shone with respect. The rank of Violet Furnace Lord was virtually the pinnacle of the Dao of alchemy. Other than Grandmaster, there was no higher position.

An Zaihai's expression was calm. He nodded to the ten Furnace Lords, then lifted his right hand into the air and made a grasping motion. The Bedevilment Pill flew over and settled onto his palm. He didn't sniff the pill, but rather let it rest in his palm as he closed his eyes.

Time slowly passed. The surrounding Cultivators watched with rapt attention. Meng Hao maintained his silence, watching thoughtfully as Violet Furnace Lord An Zaihai used his skill in the Dao of alchemy to gain enlightenment regarding Meng Hao's pill.

After enough time passed for an incense stick to burn, Violet Furnace Lord An Zaihai slowly opened his eyes. His face looked moved, and as he stared at the pill in his hand, a strange light filled his eyes.

"What is the name of this pill?" he asked slowly, his voice somewhat husky.

An excited expression filled the face of the auctioneer. He clasped hands and bowed to An Zaihai, then said, "According to the records, the name of this pill is Bedevilment."

An Zaihai looked at the pill for a long moment, then sighed and said, "What an amazing pill. Bedevilment. Melt the soul and transform it into evil. Rely only on the self to rise to the skies. It is not a burning of the soul, it supersedes that!" This was his attempt to state the essence of the pill. He couldn't possibly deduce the formula of the pill in such a short time.

Others might not understand his words, but as soon as Meng Hao heard them, his pupils constricted.

"No wonder he's a Violet Furnace Lord. In one glance, he was able to determine the true essence of the pill." Meng Hao was lost in thought for a moment. In the future, he would need to add some confusing elements into his medicinal pills, so that they wouldn't be so easy to analyze. Despite the man being a Violet Furnace Lord, the whole situation made Meng Hao feel a bit uneasy.

"This is not a one hundred percent pill," said An Zaihai. "Its medicinal strength is actually ninety-five percent. However, even more deserving of praise is the fact that this pill was concocted amidst alchemic enlightenment. There is no formula for it." The instant the hundred thousand Cultivators heard his words, they began to pant, and their minds reeled, especially because of the words alchemic enlightenment.

"Alchemic enlightenment…"

"This pill was created because of alchemic enlightenment. There's no formula for it!"

"A pill created during alchemic enlightenment is one of a kind. You'll never find another pill like it! That means… its value is at least double!" The hundred thousand Cultivators continued to discuss the matter, their burning eyes fixated on the Bedevilment Pill. They seemed to be going mad once again.

An Zaihai looked at the Bedevilment Pill for another long moment, then lowered his hand, allowing the pill to float in the air. Then he stepped back a few paces and closed his eyes.

It seemed he had only appeared to verify whether the Bedevilment Pill had been created during alchemic enlightenment.

"20,000,000 Spirit Stones! The Li Clan must have this pill!"

"20,500,000 Spirit Stones! A consummate pill like this, created in alchemic enlightenment, is unique under the heavens."

The entire place boiled with excitement as more bids were called out. Meng Hao was breathing heavily, and his eyes were shining. Hearing all the bids filled his heart with excitement. However, a bit of hesitation suddenly appeared. After hearing the explanation from the Violet Furnace Lord, he now knew that the strange state he had been in when concocting the pill that day was known as alchemic enlightenment. However, what he didn't understand was that the Violet Furnace Lord had described the pill as one of a kind, which seemed incongruous with what had actually happened.

"Maybe there are some variations that I don't quite understand…." thought Meng Hao, suppressing his confusion and instead listening to the excitement with which the bids for the pill increased. Before, he had understood that it wasn't difficult for alchemists to make profit from pill concocting, but he had never imagined the Bedevilment Pill would sell for such an incredible price.

He suddenly realized that his choice to join the Violet Fate Sect had definitely been a wise one.

Soon, the price for the Bedevilment pill reached 40,000,000 Spirit Stones. Such a price could bankrupt most Sects. Other than the four great Sects and three great Clans, no one else was even qualified to compete for it now.

"43,000,000 Spirit Stones!!" cried Fatty, leaped up onto the table.

"48,000,000!" yelled someone from the Black Sieve Sect.

"60,000,000!" raved Fatty. "Screw your granny! Do you dare to try to snatch my belongings!?"

The price had reached an unimaginable height. To most of the onlookers, this might be a rare, consummate pill, but it wasn't worth that much, even with the added factor of Alchemic Enlightenment. After all, the pill had incredible medicinal strength, but it wasn't clear what the results would be if it were consumed by the Core Formation stage. Considering it was apparently designed for the Foundation Establishment stage, a price of 60,000,000 Spirit Stones for such a pill was already relatively high.

The value of being able to research the Bedevilment Pill was already hard to determine. However, if after complete research it was found that the pill was effective for the Core Formation stage, then the value would be nearly limitless.

It must be stated that for an alchemist of the Southern Domain to reach the Grandmaster level, he must concoct, not just one ninety percent consummate pill, but one for each of the five stages of Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, and Spirit Severing. After concocting all of those ninety percent consummate pills, one could truly be considered a Grandmaster of the Dao of alchemy.

In any case, the research value of the Bedevilment Pill was truly hard to imagine. It was incredibly exciting because it was not only a consummate pill, but a supposedly unique pill concocted amidst alchemic enlightenment.

Meng Hao continued to grow more excited. He wanted the price to increase even more. In fact, were it not for his low Cultivation base, despite deep anxiety, he would pull out the second Bedevilment Pill and auction off that one too.

Although, now he was wondering how he would be able to retrieve his profits after the pill was sold. That was a bit of a problem.

It was at this moment that An Zaihai's eyes suddenly opened.

"100,000,000!"

Hearing this caused the surrounding Cultivators to stare, dumbfounded. Fatty and the others looked over at An Zaihai, and their faces slowly filled with anger.

Everyone knew of the unwritten rule of the Violet Fate Sect Pill Auction, that Violet Fate Sect Cultivators do not participate. Earlier, during the auction for the Foundation Establishment Day, the East Pill Division had let it be sold for research without batting an eye.

But this was a consummate pill…. Violet Furnace Lord An Zaihai was participating, creating a situation in which seller was competing along with buyer. Who could truly compete?

How could the bidding continue…?

"110,000,000!" yelled Fatty, his eyes red. He didn't care about Spirit Stones, but about face. It didn't matter if he was up against a Violet Furnace Lord. After his previous high bid, he had been trampled upon, which made him extremely unhappy. This wasn't an actual fight or a battle. As far as Fatty was concerned, crushing Spirit Stones was nothing, and he surely had more.

"200,000,000," said An Zaihai calmly. All of the one hundred thousand Cultivators gasped. Such a price was inconceivable. Even ten consummate pills, all concocted in alchemic enlightenment, would not be worth such an incredible price.

200,000,000 Spirit Stones could fund a great Sect for ten years.

"200…" Fatty's anger raged to the heavens. He was just about to increase the bid, when An Zaihai's cool voice rang out.

"I'm not purchasing this pill for myself. I'm purchasing it at the behest of Grandmaster Pill Demon, as his agent."

These words caused silence to fill the air. Everyone looked on thoughtfully. Now, they understood. No matter what anyone said, the Violet Fate Sect wouldn't allow such a pill to be sold. Even if the tradition of the Pill Auction was broken, their mind had been made up. This Pill would not leave the Violet Fate Sect.

Giving no regard to this, Fatty still seemed willing to increase the price. "200…" Suddenly, one of the disciples from his Sect grabbed him and whispered something into his ear. Face filled with an irritated look, Fatty gave an unwilling harrumph, but didn't say anything more.

No one else said anything either. An Zaihai made a clutching motion with his right hand, and the Bedevilment Pill flew into his hand. Without another word, he turned, followed by the hunchbacked old man, and then disappeared into the glowing portal.

Meng Hao watched with wide eyes as all of this happened. Suddenly, he was feeling a bit nervous.

He hesitated for a moment. "Grandmaster Pill Demon bought it. Considering how prestigious he is, he wouldn't… he wouldn't hold back the money, would he…?" Thinking about Grandmaster Pill Demon's position, he felt a bit more secure.

After An Zaihai left, there was no way to continue with the auction. Meng Hao grabbed Bai Yunlai, who looked somewhat absent-minded, and left.

After returning to the Sect, Meng Hao spent quite a bit of time repeatedly giving various instructions to Bai Yunlai. The entire time, Bai Yunlai looked at him with a strange look. The look of respect in his eyes far exceeded that from before.

Watching Bai Yunlai leave, seemingly in a trance, Meng Hao couldn't help but laugh bitterly. After thinking about it, he decided that even if someone found out he had concocted the pill, it wouldn't matter too much. Deciding not to worry about it any more, he headed back into his Immortal's Cave.

"200,000,000 Spirit Stones! Even if I only get eighty percent, that's still 160,000,000!" He sat down, thinking about the Spirit Stones, his eyes shining.

Deep in the East Pill Division of the Violet Fate Sect, at the main peak of the mountain range, An Zaihai stood respectfully next to an old man. The old man was, of course, none other than Pill Demon. In his hand was a black pill which was… the Bedevilment Pill.

Pill Demon examined the pill for nearly two hours. Slowly, a smile began to appear on his face. The smile was filled with both kindness and admiration.

An Zaihai looked at Pill Demon, his eyes filled with respect. In his entire life, he had never admired anyone more than Grandmaster Pill Demon. He was a Violet Furnace Lord, but it was actually because of that that he understood the vast gap between himself and his master. This caused his respect to grow even deeper.

Every time he stood in front of Grandmaster Pill Demon, he felt as if he were a tiny fish in the vast sea of the Dao of alchemy.

"Master," said An Zaihai, "I've already looked into who concocted this pill. There are a few problems with his background. He's…."

"Don't say it," the old man said coolly. "I forbid it. There's no need." He put the pill away with the wave of a hand.

An Zaihai stared in shock for a moment, then respectfully said, "Yes."

"Don't bother him either. Allow this little Grandmaster Pill Cauldron to maintain his mysterious anonymity in the Sect." Pill Demon smiled, a smile filled with happiness and an indescribable contentment. Even as his voice continued to echo out, he disappeared into the distance. The entire time, he didn't mention the Spirit Stones.

"Master, what about the Spirit Stones…." said An Zaihai hesitantly.

Pill Demon's voice could be heard from off in the distance. "What Spirit Stones? Those are his apprentice's fees!"

An Zaihai watched his master disappear into the distance, and then laughed. As he turned, a name floated in his mind.

"Fang Mu…."

Time passed. Soon half a month had gone by. It was on this particular day that, with great anticipation, Meng Hao asked Bai Yunlai to go check to see if the Spirit Stones could be collected. Bai Yunlai returned in the evening, his face long. His explanation was like a bolt from the blue.

With great care, he said, "I used a variety of methods to ask around, but the answer was always the same…. Aiiii, after the pill was sold, no Spirit Stones were deposited into the account…. I'm not really sure what exactly is going on, but how could we expect the auction house to dare to go and demand Spirit Stones from Grandmaster Pill Demon…?"

Meng Hao gaped in astonishment. He felt as if he had just been struck in the head with five lightning bolts. His eyes went wide with fury.

"My Spirit Stones! My 200,000,000 Spirit Stones! Pill Demon, you bought my pill. Give me my Spirit Stones!" Meng Hao gnashed his teeth. However, there was nothing he could do except sit there feeling at a loss.

This chapter was sponsored by Anon from SG, Jaziel Ramirez, DS

1. A more complete translation of "apprentice's fee" would be "fee for formally becoming the apprentice of a master"

2. An Zaihai's name in Chinese is 安在海 ān zài hǎi – An is a surname which also means "safe" or "quiet." Zai means "at" or "in." Hai means "ocean" or "sea"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 236: More Aftershocks

Meng Hao was at a loss because, as far as he was concerned, 200,000,000 was an impossibly high number. However, throughout the Southern Domain, many others were feeling at a loss as well.

They were at a loss because of the appearance of a consummate pill in the Violet Fate Sect Pill Auction, a pill that had been concocted during alchemic enlightenment, a pill unique under the heavens.

The name of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron immediately began to spread far and wide, shaking the Southern Domain. Countless Sects and Cultivators all heard about it.

Although officially rising to the rank of Grandmaster required successful concoction of several pills of ninety percent medicinal strength or higher, the pills that appeared in the Pill Auction always led to a commotion in the Southern Domain. Add in alchemic enlightenment, and this caused Grandmaster Pill Cauldron's name to instantly rise to unprecedented heights. It also furthered the mystery surrounding his identity.

Everyone was in a frenzy trying to determine who Grandmaster Pill Cauldron was. Speculations ran wild. Some claimed it was another form of address for Grandmaster Pill Demon. Others believed that it must be one of the Violet Furnace Lords.

No one believed that it could be one of the ordinary master alchemists. After all, other than Violet Furnace Lords, who else could possibly have such skill in the Dao of alchemy?

Wild rumors spread like storm winds across the Southern Domain. The only things that had happened in recent years that could match up to the stir caused by Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, were the repeated search attempts made by various Sects in the area around the Rebirth Cave, and the matter of Meng Hao and the Sublime Spirit Scripture.

As time passed, amongst the various rumors and opinions about Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, a new theory arose that was a complete contrast to the idea that he was a Violet Furnace Lord.

Many people believed that Grandmaster Pill Cauldron really was an ordinary master alchemist. However, he was gifted with an incredible nature talent of the Dao of the alchemy. Otherwise, why would his pill appear in the Pill Auction? Perhaps even the master alchemist himself hadn't been able to predict the outcome.

If it were a Violet Furnace Lord, he would surely state his identity, and use the Pill Auction to gain fame, and perhaps set the stage for promotion to Grandmaster.

Soon, more and more people began to agree with this line of reasoning. And yet, more rumors arose to the contrary. The name of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron filled the entire Southern Domain, like thunderous storms.

Whoever he was, everyone had to admit that since this Grandmaster Pill Cauldron had concocted a consummate pill, even if he wasn't truly a Grandmaster like the other three Grandmasters of the Southern Domain, he most likely would be in the future.

After all, his pill was a ninety-five percent, nearly one hundred percent consummate pill!

If Grandmaster Pill Cauldron concocted more consummate pills in the future, then the Southern Domain would no longer have three Grandmasters of the Dao of alchemy, but four!

In fact, because of the sudden rise of his name, there were many people who believed that Grandmaster Pill Cauldron already had the skill of a Grandmaster, and that there were already four Grandmasters!

The Black Sieve Sect, Golden Frost Sect, Blood Demon Sect, and even the Solitary Sword Sect, as well as the three great Clans all extended solemn public invitations offering to entertain Grandmaster Pill Cauldron.

This in itself caused quite a commotion, and caused Grandmaster Pill Cauldron's name to shine as brightly as the sun itself.

The Violet Fate Sect was in just as much of a stir as the outside world. Regardless of whether it was the Violet Qi Division or East Pill Division, everyone was talking about Grandmaster Pill Cauldron and speculating as to his identity.

It wasn't that nobody suggested Fang Mu might be Grandmaster Pill Cauldron. Rather, Grandmaster Pill Cauldron's name was so inestimably high, that those who suggested it might be Fang Mu became objects of ridicule. Fang Mu was known in the East Pill Division and the Violet Qi Division alike for his skill in pill concocting, but when compared to the mysterious Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, no one believed they could be one and the same.

The general consensus in the East Pill Division was that he was a Violet Furnace Lord, who had concocted the consummate pill, but for some reason did not wish to reveal his identity.

There were even many master alchemists who began to venerate the mysterious Grandmaster Pill Cauldron. Anyone who said anything disrespectful about him, would earn the wrath of these alchemists.

While the rest of the Southern Domain discussed Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, the older generation of the Violet Fate Sect wanted to open an investigation. However, the East Pill Division was in a special position; without the approval of Pill Demon, no one would be able to uncover any information at all. The strangest thing of all was that Pill Demon seemed to be paying no heed whatsoever to the entire thing. He wouldn't talk about it, nor would he permit the Violet Qi Division or the East Pill Division to investigate.

Even his own people in the East Pill Division couldn't investigate the matter; it seemed as if Pill Demon had erased all traces of information.

As more and more rumors spread, as more and more people talked about Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, Meng Hao heaved more and more sighs.

Whenever he heard the name Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, he thought of his 200,000,000 Spirit Stones. And whenever he thought of that, he thought of how Pill Demon hadn't paid him what he owed.

"You owe me 200,000,000 Spirit Stones…." Meng Hao felt twisted. Normally, considering the level of his Cultivation base, he wouldn't worry about a few Spirit Stones. But this was 200,000,000 of them!!

Every time he thought of the matter, it felt like a sword was stabbing into his heart. Long ago when he had joined the Reliance Sect, he had thought that he would be able to get rich by working for Immortals. This entire time, he had drifted along, pushed along by the current, until he reached this point. However, he still retained that stubborn desire deep in his bones.

His methods were now much colder, and many others viewed him as crafty and ruthless. But deep in his heart, he was still the same scholar he had always been, and he still desired to be rich. He hadn't forgotten that wish of his.

If you can imagine how much Meng Hao rejoiced at not having to pay back the silver he owed to Steward Zhou 1 when he joined the Reliance Sect, then you can imagine how he felt to have 200,000,000 Spirit Stones dangled in front of him, only to find that they weren't his.

He took a deep breath, and then continued to concoct pills, a bitter smile on his face. Time passed by, but the name of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron did not fade from the Southern Domain or from the Violet Fate Sect. After the initial waves settled down, the name continued to be mentioned frequently.

Some of this had to do with the mystery surrounding the name, and all the rumors that accompanied it. In fact, more pills marked with a cauldron began to appear in auctions throughout the Southern Domain.

However, the fake pills would always end up being exposed. Furthermore, the counterfeit pills only served to bolster the reputation of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron.

Meng Hao heard about most of these things from Bai Yunlai. Whenever Bai Yunlai talked to him about matters regarding Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, a strange look would appear on his face, and his eyes would fill with glowing veneration. Obviously, he knew that the person who was the subject of such glowing praise throughout the Violet Fate Sect, and even the Southern Domain, was standing right in front of him.

Day and night, both when dreaming, and when walking about, the image would appear in his mind of how he had held the Bedevilment pill in his own hands as he secretly delivered it to the auction house.

When he thought about how he had held a consummate pill, and about the identity of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, he felt like he was in a fantasy.

Someone else in the Violet Fate Sect who was moved by the name of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, was Chu Yuyan. The only thing she heard people talking about was Grandmaster Pill Cauldron. Her own investigations into his identity led nowhere. Furthermore, some people were making vague statements implying that perhaps she was Grandmaster Pill Cauldron.

She could only laugh bitterly about that. She was incredibly curious about who he was, and as she tried to find out more information, her heart began to fill with reverence.

It didn't matter who Grandmaster Pill Cauldron was; as an alchemist, Chu Yuyan knew the skill required in the Dao of alchemy to produce a consummate pill. It demanded the respect of all alchemists. As for Chu Yuyan, her reverence grew, and she couldn't wait to meet this mysterious Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, and discuss alchemy and alchemic enlightenment with him!

To alchemists, alchemic enlightenment was a mysterious realm, where pill formulas didn't exist, and one could only rely on one's understanding of the Dao of alchemy. Using only the materials at one's fingertips, one would create a new medicinal pill. This was the reason that Chu Yuyan so worshiped Grandmaster Pill Cauldron.

Her veneration only grew stronger and stronger as Grandmaster Pill Cauldron's reputation grew. She even begged her master over and over to let her borrow the Bedevilment Pill to study it. When he finally consented, she poured herself into researching it.

She felt the insane, devilish will contained inside. She could sense the frenzied burning which exceeded a burning of the soul. She could sense a profound sharpness inside the pill, a proud will that exceeded Heaven and Earth.

Gradually, an image of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron began to form in her heart. His face was archaic, and his eyes shone with wisdom. He was tall and slender, with an imposing disposition. All of this was based on the feeling she got from within the pill.

And yet, no matter how she searched, no matter what methods she used, she couldn't find anyone within the Sect who matched such an image. This didn't cause her veneration to lessen , but rather the opposite; it continued to deepen.

Once, Meng Hao accidentally ran into Chu Yuyan while walking through the Sect. He was just about to dodge to the side to avoid her when he noticed that she hadn't even noticed him. Instead, she was engaged in a deep conversation about Grandmaster Pill Cauldron with a fellow female disciple. She walked right past him.

Her expression was one of determination, and her eyes shone with a strange light. Every time she said the name of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, her eyes would glitter brightly.

Meng Hao stared in shock, a strange look on his face. He suddenly wondered what Chu Yuyan's face would look like if she ever discovered that Fang Mu was Grandmaster Pill Cauldron. He also wondered what her expression would be like if she found out that Fang Mu was actually Meng Hao….

Another half month passed. On this particular day, Meng Hao had just finished concocting a batch of medicinal pills. Suddenly, his expression flickered as he heard noise from outside his Immortal's Cave, a hubbub of conversation.

The East Pill Division was usually a very peaceful place. A ruckus like this was very rare. Astonished, Meng Hao rose to his feet and walked to the door of the Immortal's Cave. Down below, the apprentice alchemists were all running in the same direction.

"Grandmaster Eternal Mountain from the Golden Frost Sect is here! He's one of the three Grandmasters of the Southern Domain, with a name as famous as Grandmaster Pill Demon's!"

"Don't tell me he's here to issue a challenge!?!?"

"Grandmaster Eternal Mountain used to be just like us! He was an apprentice alchemist who slowly rose up through the ranks. But eventually, he forsook the Sect. Fortunately for him, Grandmaster Pill Demon approved of his long, hard work, and didn't cripple his Dao of alchemy! If he had, a day such as this would never have come!"

"I wonder why Grandmaster Eternal Mountain has come to the Violet Fate Sect today…."

Meng Hao's eyes glittered as he stood outside his Immortal's Cave. A multitude of apprentice alchemists and even master alchemists were all coming out of their dwelling places. All of them began to rush off in the same direction.

1. This was mentioned long ago in Chapters 1 and 2, as well as a few subsequent chapters

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 237: Meeting Grandmaster Pill Cauldron

The Violet Qi Division and the East Pill Division of the Violet Fate Sect were both in shock. A disciple who had forsaken the Sect and then become a Grand Elder of the Dao of alchemy in the Golden Frost Sect, Eternal Mountain, had returned. For the first time in four hundred years… he stepped foot into the Violet Fate Sect!

Along with him had come one of the Golden Frost Sect's two Dharma Protectors, Tang Shicang 1. The other was a Nascent Soul Elder. Each of these individuals had practiced Cultivation for more than seven hundred years. Despite being only at the Nascent Soul stage, they were experts in magic, and together could destroy ten thousand enemies.

In addition to this, they were followed by a large group of Golden Frost Sect disciples, including Fatty. He looked very complacent, standing there at the forefront of the group of disciples, right next to Tang Shicang.

The Golden Frost Sect's arrival, especially the presence of Grandmaster Eternal Mountain, provoked the appearance of the Violet Qi Division's Dao Protector Wu Dingqiu 2, as well as several Nascent Soul Cultivators. On the peak of one of the mountains located on the border between the Violet Qi Division and the East Pill Division, was a large public square, where the ceremonies would take place.

Two Violet Furnace Lords from the East Pill Division were also present. One was An Zaihai. The other was clearly superior to An Zaihai both in position and in age. In fact, he was the most senior of the Violet Furnace Lords of the East Pill Division. His skill in the Dao of alchemy was at the peak level, and he could be considered sub-Grandmaster. This was Lin Hailong. 3

At the moment, the Violet Qi Division's Outer Sect disciples, as well as the apprentice alchemists of the East Pill Division, were congregating down at the foot of the mountain. They settled their Qi and calmed their minds, looking up toward the square at the peak of the mountain. Their hearts filled with speculation as to the purpose of Grandmaster Eternal Mountain's visit.

Some of the Inner Sect disciples and master alchemists proceeded up toward the top of the mountain. However, not many were qualified to do so. The entire mountain was sealed tightly, and many who attempted to get closer were turned back.

Meng Hao arrived at the mountain with the rest of the crowd. He stood off some distance away, observing. As far as Grandmaster Eternal Mountain, he had heard quite a few stories about the man throughout his years in the Violet Fate Sect.

As he looked over the scene, he suddenly saw several beams of colorful light shooting through the air. His eyes glittered. The beams shot directly toward the public square at the peak of the mountain. Within were Cultivators of the East Pill Division, all of whom were Furnace Lords.

One of them was Chu Yuyan.

After thinking about it for a moment, Meng Hao's body flashed, and he shot forward. Just as he neared the mountain, he caught sight of Li Tao. Their eyes met, and they proceeded together up toward the top of the mountain.

There were some who attempted to block their way, but Li Tao simply flashed his identification jade slip, whereupon they gave way with respectful looks on their faces. After the auctioning of the Foundation Establishment Day in the Pill Auction, Li Tao's name had also risen to prominence. Were it not for the appearance of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron, his name would most likely have become even more well known.

Li Tao gave Meng Hao a meaningful look, and then, his voice low, said, "Grandmaster Eternal Mountain forsook master and the Sect. It's said that he hasn't stepped foot back inside for four hundred years. I wonder why he's back…. Brother Fang, do you think it might have something to do with Grandmaster Pill Cauldron?"

Meng Hao smiled slightly, shaking his head and saying nothing. Soon, they reached the mountain peak, where they stood off to the side. Meng Hao looked over at Fatty, and then Chu Yuyan.

All of the Furnace Lords, including Chu Yuyan, stood respectfully behind the Violet Furnace Lords, looking forward at the Cultivators from the Golden Frost Sect.

Chu Yuyan glanced at the Golden Frost Sect Cultivators and yawned. Then her gaze fell upon Fatty, and it seemed as if she wanted to give him a good thrashing. A cold look gleamed in her eye. After all, this Fatty Li Fugui was the cause of the entire scandal with Meng Hao.

The Golden Frost Sect had brought no small amount of Cultivators to this meeting. However, less than ten people actually qualified to sit down at the table. The rest of the Inner Sect disciples, like Fatty, could only stand behind them.

Sitting in the foremost position were two people. One was Dharma Protector Tang Shicang. He appeared to be middle-aged, but his Cultivation base was at the mid Nascent Soul stage, and few people in the Southern Domain would dare to look down at him. If he made a bit more progress, he would reach the late Nascent Soul stage. In the current age, in which only a few Spirit Severing Cultivators appeared in the Cultivation world of the Southern Domain, this would place him at the pinnacle of his generation.

At the moment, he was laughing and chatting with Wu Dingqiu over some trivial matters.

Sitting next to him was a white-haired old man. He had been sitting there the entire time, his eyes closed. He seemed as if he did not belong in Heaven and Earth. In fact, anyone who looked at him for too long would begin to feel as if their eyes were burning, as if his entire body were some type of fearsome furnace.

Even more shocking, as he sat there with his eyes closed, green grass slowly began to sprout up from within the limestones around him. It seemed that this old man's aura was capable of causing living things to spontaneously grow.

This was none other than one of the three Grandmasters of the Dao of alchemy of the Southern Domain, Eternal Mountain.

Compared to him, the rest of the Golden Frost Sect Cultivators seemed to be there for nothing more than a supporting role. Even the Nascent Soul Cultivators were clearly lessened by his presence.

Meng Hao and Li Tao stood off to the side, along with quite a large group of other disciples who encircled the square. Meng Hao looked at Grandmaster Eternal Mountain, and the grass slowly growing up around him. His eyes narrowed.

"What realm of the Dao of alchemy is this?" he thought. "He can cause medicinal plants to grow up from the limestone. That's creating life out of nothing…."

Then, he caught sight of An Zaihai, and felt anger welling up in his heart as he suddenly remembered his 200,000,000 Spirit Stones.

On the Violet Fate Sect side, An Zaihai smiled as he and Wu Dingqiu chatted courteously with Tang Shicang and the three other Nascent Soul magic experts.

The most senior of the Violet Furnace Lords, Lin Hailong, sat there expressionless, staring icily at Eternal Mountain.

The square seemed to be filled with both fire and ice. On the one hand, harmonious chatting could be heard, on the other hand, an icy wind full of frost seemed to be blowing.

"Hahaha!" laughed Tang Shicang, looking at Wu Dingqiu. "Fellow Daoist Wu, please stop asking. I'm just here out of courtesy to accompany Grandmaster Eternal Mountain. As far as the details of our visit, I'm afraid I can't really say."

It was at this moment that Grandmaster Eternal Mountain suddenly opened his eyes. When he did, they were staring directly into Lin Hailong's icy glare.

He was quiet for a moment, and then said, "Long time no see, Elder Brother Lin." His voice was archaic, and filled with a strange power. As his words rang out, the green grass around him fluttered. Instantly, the entire square grew quiet. Regardless of who was speaking, Tang Shichang, Wu Dingqiu or An Zaihai, they all instantly closed their mouths. All eyes fell onto Grandmaster Eternal Mountain.

"You flatter me with the words 'Elder Brother,'" Lin Hailong said coolly. "Have some self-respect, Grandmaster Eternal Mountain."

Eternal Mountain was quiet for a long moment. Finally, he said, "The purpose of my visit is to pay respects to Grandmaster Pill Demon. Fellow Daoist Lin, could you please make an introduction for me?"

"Master is busy at the moment," replied Lin Hailong, his voice cold. "Please leave." Although Lin Hailong's Master was not offended by Eternal Mountain's past actions, Lin Hailong would never be able to forget that he himself had recommended him to join the Sect. Furthermore, he had unselfishly provided him with much assistance. He had never imagined that because of his talent in the Dao of alchemy, that he would eventually become a Violet Furnace Lord, and then forsake Master and Sect. To this day, he had never been able to dispel the negative feelings in his heart.

Eternal Mountain was again silent for a long moment. After the space of about ten breaths passed, a glow filled his eyes like that emitted by a pill furnace.

"If Grandmaster Pill Demon has no time, then I would very much like to meet the person the whole Southern Domain is talking about: Grandmaster Pill Cauldron of the East Pill Division!"

Hearing this caused Chu Yuyan's eyes to shine brightly. In fact, the eyes of all the surrounding Violet Fate Sect disciples began to glimmer. After all, Grandmaster Pill Cauldron's illustrious name was what everyone was talking about recently.

Meng Hao's face was expressionless. He had long since become used to his alternate identity. Seeing the reverent look in Chu Yuyan's eyes caused him to suddenly come up with some very wicked ideas.

"You want to meet Grandmaster Pill Cauldron?" said Lin Hailong, a cold smile turning the corners of his mouth. "He's here in the Sect. If he wants to meet with you, then naturally he will step forward. But I have no way to force him to do so."

"Why be this way, Elder Brother Lin?" said Eternal Mountain. "You treated me so well all those years ago, as did the entire East Pill Division. When drinking water, one must bear in mind the source. I will never forget your kindness."

"Kindness?" cried Lin Hailong gruffly. His eyes shined with coldness. "If there was kindness, then why would you forsake the Sect?! Do you know that after your betrayal, Master sat on the East Mountain for three days, looking at the pill you had concocted?!"

Eternal Mountain said nothing. After a long moment, he sighed. "It was because my Dao of alchemy differed from that of Master's. If I stayed in the Sect, then I would not have my own Dao of alchemy, and therefore, no path to tread. Perhaps after many years, I would become another Pill Demon. However… that is not me. Elder Brother Liu's decision was the same as mine. Our decision was made three hundred years apart, but we both chose to leave the Sect." He looked at Lin Hailong. "Elder Brother Lin, I respected Master, and I respected the Sect. After all these years, I haven't changed. I wish to pursue the Dao of alchemy, not just concoct pills. My Dao is not that of Elder Brother Liu with his poison pills, but rather… magic pills! The pills I concoct are not to be consumed; instead, they fuse magic with the Dao of alchemy! The pills concocted by Eternal Mountain are treasured pills!"

He waved his hand, and immediately a gold-colored medicinal pill flew out. As soon as it appeared, it filled the surroundings with a shocking pressure. A medicinal aroma filled the air, but even stronger was the sense that this was a magical item!

The medicinal aroma was like that of the glow of a magical treasure. Its luster was as blinding as that of the sun.

Meng Hao's heart trembled. Having heard Eternal Mountain's explanation, he looked at the pill treasure, and his mind spun. Seeing this pill had opened up a new door in his mind regarding the path of pill concoction.

Meng Hao murmured to himself, seemingly enlightened: "There are millions upon millions of paths in the Dao of alchemy, much the same way that there are countless variations among plants and vegetations…."

"This pill cannot be consumed," said Eternal Mountain, "because it is indestructible. It is a pill treasure which I personally concocted, the glow of which can absorb spiritual energy. The plant and vegetation interactions within the pill become their own Heaven and Earth. You could also say that this is not a pill, but a magical item that can never be destroyed! Elder Brother Lin, could you please appraise this item?" With the flick of a sleeve, he sent the medicinal pill shooting toward Lin Hailong.

Lin Hailong grabbed it.

This chapter was sponsored by Robert Zhang

1. Tang Shicang's name in Chinese is 唐世沧 táng shì cāng – Tang is a surname which also means "boastful." Shi means "world." Cang means "blue" or "vast."

2. Wu Dingqiu is the same guy who had the bet with Eccentric Song back in the State of Zhao, and then threw the spear into the wall in the Violet Qi Division

3. Lin Hailong's name in Chinese is 林海隆 lín hǎi lóng – Lin is a surname which also means "forest." Hai means "sea" or "ocean." Long means "grand" or "eminent"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 238: Determined to Prevail!

Lin Hailong eyed the pill. "Heresy! You're so low, you don't even deserve to make a fool of yourself here!" He imperceptibly exerted pressure with his fingers in an attempt to crush the pill, but failed. He was in the mid Nascent Soul stage, and had reached a point where he could destroy magical items without the use of magic. And yet, he wasn't able to harm the medicinal pill in the least bit.

"The path of the Dao of alchemy is focused on creating new pills," he said coolly. "Anyone in the East Pill Division could practice this heretical art. But no one would deign to do so! This doesn't even deserve to be called a pill!" He waved his right arm, sending the pill flying back to Eternal Mountain.

"This pill was not created from gold or iron," said Eternal Mountain calmly, catching the pill. "Nor was it fused with crystal or stone. It was concocted from 37,924 types of medicinal plants together with countless variations, and is perfect in all respects. It contains the full and complete strength of all the five elements, and is matchless in Heaven and Earth. This truly represents the Great Dao of alchemy, and does not count as a mere refining. Years ago, I observed that Heaven is round, while the Earth is square. It was this enlightenment that caused me to found the World Pill Division, and also seeded my desire to forge a great pill of Heaven and Earth. This very pill contains the Heavens, the Earth and the world itself!" He tossed the pill over to Fatty.

"Li Fugui is a Golden Frost Sect disciple who practices the cultivation of Spirit Stone consumption," he said in a deep voice, his eyes glittering. "He was born with superhuman strength that is concentrated within his teeth. Elder Brother Lin, you call this pill a heresy, and claim that anyone in the East Pill Division could concoct it. Very well. If anyone can concoct a pill that this kid is incapable of crushing with his teeth, then I will give you the pill formula. However, if the East Pill Division cannot do this, then please request Master to reveal himself and provide an assessment of my pill."

Even as his voice rang out into the silence, Lin Hailong snorted coldly. "The East Pill Division doesn't want your pill formula."

Before Lin Hailong even finished speaking, Tang Shicang of the Golden Frost Sect cleared his throat. He pulled out a pill bottle from within his robe. It was gray-colored and covered with blackish marks. It emanated a feeling of ancientness, as if it had been hidden away for countless ages.

Tang Shicang only uttered one sentence: "This is a product of the Dao of alchemy of ancient times, an Entrancement Pill of the tenth level of Qi Condensation."

His words instantly caused all of the alchemists of the East Pill Division to stare at the pill bottle. An Zaihai's eyes narrowed.

Even Lin Hailong seemed shocked.

The tenth level of Qi Condensation was a legendary realm. After the change in the Heavens, the path of Qi Condensation was not complete, and thus, Entrancement Pills appeared. They were the ancient Dao of alchemy's response to the changes in Heaven and Earth, and a way to continue to tread the ancient path. With such a pill, a Cultivator could gain a chance to enter into the tenth level of Qi Condensation.

Unfortunately, pills like this were rare even in ancient times, and were not guaranteed to be completely effective. In any case, the benefits of being able to study an Entrancement Pill were hard to quantify.

It turned out, the Golden Frost Sect had come prepared with just such a pill!

Eternal Mountain spoke, neither quickly nor slowly: "This Entrancement Pill is complete. Elder Brother Lin, I would like to place this pill up as stakes of a wager…. Will you accept, or not?" His words instantly put a great pressure on Lin Hailong.

Accept, or not? It was a good question. If he accepted, but couldn't produce a pill impervious to Fatty, then the he would become a laughingstock. If he didn't accept, then it would be obvious he was avoiding the challenge. If this were battle magic, it wouldn't matter, but battling with alchemy was different…. Furthermore, the competition was only a Foundation Establishment pup….

Lin Hailong really had no choice but to accept!

The Golden Frost Sect obviously had foreseen this, which was the very reason they had come today. It was a very serious matter. They clearly wanted to force the issue, and make the East Pill Decision accept their challenge.

An Zaihai's face looked unsightly. He and Lin Hailong exchanged a glance. Both clearly felt themselves to be in an awkward position. Their opponent had chosen a Foundation Establishment pup as champion, and the only stipulation of the challenge was to create a pill he couldn't crush. If a Violet Furnace Lord of the East Pill Division produced such a pill, it might not count as a loss, but certainly wouldn't be a win.

It wouldn't even be fair for a Furnace Lord to participate; the position wasn't compatible. A win would still be a loss, and a loss… would be a complete disgrace.

Wu Dingqiu frowned. As everyone sat there silently, Fatty walked forward to stand next to Eternal Mountain, clearly in very high spirits. He pulled out a Spirit Stone, placed it into his mouth, and crunch, crunch, crunched it into pieces. He looked around at the alchemists of the East Pill Division, grinning. Then he pulled out a flying sword and began to grind his teeth, apparently desiring to sharpen them.

All of this caused the people from the East Pill Division to gasp and stare wide-eyed in shock.

"What are those teeth…?"

"I've heard of this fat guy. They say his teeth can crush flying swords…."

As the discussions broke out, a strange look appeared on Meng Hao's face. The sight of Fatty looking so triumphant, his teeth glittering, caused Meng Hao to sigh emotionally. He remembered all those years ago in the Reliance Sect how he had encouraged Fatty to focus his Cultivation on his teeth.

Lin Hailong and An Zaihai looked even more worried after seeing Fatty crush the Spirit Stone. They frowned, knowing full well they had to accept the challenge. However, if they accepted, it would only be appropriate for challengers from the ranks of the thousand master alchemists to participate. If one of them won, the results would be acceptable. If a Furnace Lord participated, it simply wouldn't be appropriate.

Besides, if a Furnace Lord lost, it would be far too embarrassing for the East Pill Division. If a master alchemist lost, at least it wouldn't be so embarrassing.

"Would the Violet Fate Sect please respond?" said the Golden Frost Sect's Dharma Protector Tang Shicang, smiling.

An Zaihai, brow furrowed, glanced over at the master alchemists. Suddenly, his gaze fell upon Meng Hao. It was only a glance, but he instantly recognised him.

"It is beneath a Furnace Lord to concoct such a heretical pill," replied An Zaihai quickly. "However, there is definitely one amongst the thousand master alchemists of the East Pill Division who can concoct such a medicinal pill."

Lin Hailong had just been thinking about how to avoid the whole situation, but hearing An Zaihai's words, he nodded slightly. His heart, however, was pounding. He looked over at Li Tao, who was standing next to Meng Hao. "Li Tao, please step forward and concoct a pill," he said, completely ignoring Meng Hao.

Li Tao's eyes filled with concentration, and he took a deep breath as he clasped hands and bowed to Lin and An. Considering he was a master alchemist of the East Pill Division, he didn't need to formally greet Wu Dingqiu and the others from the Violet Qi Division.

Lin Hailong looked at Li Tao with an expression of praise. He had been paying attention to the man for some time. He may have been eclipsed by Pill Cauldron at the Pill Auction, but as far as Lin Hailong was concerned, Pill Cauldron was a mystery. Li Tao, however, had the potential for much future growth. "Take this Earthly fire," he said "Quickly concoct the pill!" He flicked his sleeve, and a violet-colored crystal flew over to land on the ground. The limestones seemed as if they were about to melt from the intense heat of the Earthly fire.

Li Tao looked thoughtful for a moment, then produced a pill furnace and some medicinal plants and began to concoct.

The Earthly fire given by Lin Hailong made the concocting process go fairly quickly. Li Tao carefully performed his catalyzing and concocting, and after the time it takes two incense sticks to burn, the pill furnace roared, and a white medicinal pill flew out.

Li Tao had condensed hundreds of various hard medicinal plants into the pill. The concoction time had been relatively short, but he had employed all the skill he possessed. He was confident that even a fierce tiger would break its teeth if it bit such a pill!

When the pill emerged, Li Tao didn't even look at it. He simply tossed it over to Fatty, who grabbed it from mid air. He cleared his throat, and then, as everyone watched, placed it into his mouth. With a crunch, the pill shattered.

"I can't even grind my teeth with this crappy thing," said Fatty, his face filled with disdain. He spit out the remnants of the pill, looking quite proud of himself.

Lin Hailong's face was filled with embarrassment. He singled out one master alchemist after another, but the pills they concocted were are easily crushed by Fatty, then spit out onto the ground. Fatty's dialogue grew even more arrogant.

"Ai, it seems it really is difficult to find a medicinal pill that my teeth can't destroy. What a lonely life…. Do any of you have any skill? Come, concoct something I can't crush." He looked more and more complacent. The same gall he had shown at the Pill Auction, was now in full force. He seemed very much in his element.

Lin Hailong's face grew more unsightly, and he slapped his palm down onto the table. Looking at Eternal Mountain's expressionless face, his heart filled with fury. Suddenly, he said, "Master alchemists of the East Pill Division! Whoever of you can concoct a pill that this kid can't crush will instantly be promoted to Furnace Lord!" His words echoed out through the mountains, all the way down to the master alchemists who were congregated at the foot of the mountain. Everyone's faces filled with shock, and their eyes began to glow.

Meng Hao's pupils constricted, and he stared at Lin Hailong, his heart pounding.

Being promoted to Furnace Lord was a very important matter. Barring unusual circumstances, before being considered for promotion, one usually needed to be a master alchemist for a full sixty-year cycle, be at the Foundation Establishment stage, and concoct over a thousand different types of medicinal pills with fifty percent medicinal strength. Even more importantly, the Sect required that the candidate master alchemist have concocted ten million medicinal pills for the Sect.

After meeting all those requirements, the approval of all the other Furnace Lords was also required. If there was more than one candidate, then a rigorous pill concocting competition was required, whereupon one person would be selected for promotion.

Meng Hao had previously thought about becoming a Furnace Lord, and had even considered using his identity as Grandmaster Pill Cauldron to attempt to do so. However, he was still hesitating and analyzing the whole matter. Hearing Lin Hailong's words caused him to take a deep breath. His eyes began to glow.

To him, this was a chance that might only come once in a hundred years!

Of course, many other master alchemists were thinking the same thing. All of them began to pant; if they seized this opportunity to be promoted to Furnace Lord, it would be as if the gate of the Dao of alchemy had been opened. Granted, being promoted in such a way would arouse the ire of the other Furnace Lords, and would likely lead to scorn from others. However, it was still an incredible opportunity.

It didn't matter if one was qualified or not. After becoming a Furnace Lord, one would have access to many special techniques, as well as secret formulas regarding various interactions of plants and vegetation. This in itself was enough to enable a master alchemist to advance by leaps and bounds. They would suddenly have access to plant and vegetation combinations that they would never otherwise be able to comprehend. The respect commanded by a Furnace Lord was enough to send almost all of the master alchemists into a frenzy.

Furthermore, the words had come out of the mouth of Lin Hailong himself, the most senior of the Violet Furnace Lords, and a sub-Grandmaster. No one would disbelieve him.

Meng Hao took a deep breath and looked at complacent Fatty. Feeling a bit guilty, he thought, "Fatty, brother, I don't want to cause problems for you, but this is my only chance…. I am determined to prevail!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 239: Li Fugui – Give Me Face, or Give Me Death!

Lin Hailong's words instantly caused all of the master alchemists to begin panting. Their eyes glowed at the thought of Furnace Lord promotion. This type of good fortune was incredibly amazing!

If they could seize such good fortune, it might almost amount to destiny!

It was an opportunity, which, if taken advantage of, would allow them to soar to the heavens!

The master alchemists rushed forward, even the ones down below at the foot of the mountain. Eternal Mountain had never predicted that Lin Hailong would say what he did. His eyes narrowed.

Based on his understanding of Lin Hailong, he knew that the man wouldn't make such an offer for no reason. There was definitely some deeper meaning within his words. After thinking for a moment, Eternal Mountain's eyes suddenly began to gleam. "Don't tell me he's trying to … flush out Grandmaster Pill Cauldron!?" he thought.

It seemed Chu Yuyan and the ten or so other Furnace Lords present were thinking the same thing. Each and every one watched on with glittering eyes. A faint smile could be seen on the face of An Zaihai, and he glanced briefly at Meng Hao. He was well aware of Lin Hailong's intentions.

In the entire East Pill Division, An Zaihai was the only person other than Grandmaster Pill Demon who knew the true identity of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron. He wouldn't announce it, of course. He wasn't sure of Grandmaster Pill Demon's intentions, but he had stated three times in a row that An Zaihai was not to do anything about Grandmaster Pill Cauldron. An Zaihai wouldn't even mention the name to anyone.

One by one, the master alchemists of the East Pill Division arrived. Fatty was growing more and more complacent. He stood there, grinding his teeth with the flying sword. They glinted brightly. His air of complacency began to fill with more and more arrogance.

"Come come," he said haughtily. "My teeth are feeling a bit itchy. If you have the skill, please concoct me a pill that will break them. Anyone who can, I'll call them grandpa!" One of the master alchemists stepped out from among his hundreds of comrades. He clasped hands in salute to Lin Hailong and An Zaihai, then began to concoct a pill.

It wasn't just him. Seven other master alchemists stepped forward and began to work. Everyone watched as the master alchemists concentrated on their medicinal plants and concoction. It was a dazzling sight. Time passed, and soon one pill after another flew out toward Fatty.

These pills had been concocted with utmost care by the handful of master alchemists, all of whom had utmost faith in their handiwork. Fatty yawned, and threw all the pills into his mouth. The crunching sounds which emanated out pierced into the hearts of the eight master alchemists. Their faces fell.

"Blech!" said Fatty, spitting the medicinal pills out. "Who else!?" he yelled, looking very pleased. He seemed to feel that his teeth deserved utmost respect in Heaven and Earth.

Seeing the defeat of the eight master alchemists, others who had been planning to participate now hesitated. They eyed Fatty's teeth. In their estimation, it was like he had a mouthful of sharp swords. It seemed any medicinal pill that entered his mouth would be reduced to rubble.

"Who else?!?!"

No one responded to Fatty, nor did anyone step forward to concoct a pill. Fatty arrogantly pulled another Spirit Stone out, popped it into his mouth, and then crunched it into pieces.

The surrounding master alchemists gasped. Moments ago, many of them had found it easy to muster their courage, think of a pill formula, and then attempt to concoct it. Seeing the spectacle in front of their eyes, however, caused them to change their minds.

They looked at Fatty angrily. They sighed inwardly as various thoughts ran through their minds:

"This guy is inhuman! What pill could possibly stand up to teeth like that…?"

"Dammit, this fatso must have been growing these teeth from birth. He's not a Cultivator, he's a monster!"

"Isn't he worried he might accidentally bite his tongue off one day…? He actually eats the Spirit Stones? What kind of a stomach does he have? Can he digest them?"

All of them seemed to think that there would be no good fortune for them on this day.

Fatty swallowed the Spirit Stone and then began loudly grinding his teeth again. From the moment he had joined the Golden Frost Sect, he had been doted upon, and had never been embarrassed. He of course took this opportunity to show off, and was currently glancing around, looking for pretty female alchemists.

He ignored Chu Yuyan, of course. In his opinion, Chu Yuyan clearly belonged to his brother Meng Hao, and he wouldn't interfere. After all, Fatty completely revered Meng Hao.

Even as Fatty was in the midst of his arrogant complacency, Meng Hao coughed lightly. He wasn't stupid, and could tell that Lin and An were trying to use this occasion to determine the identity of Grandmaster Pill Cauldron. This was the main reason why he had been hesitating. However, he'd made up his mind. Coughing lightly, he stepped out from the crowd and began to walk over. This of course, drew the attention of all the master alchemists.

Chu Yuyan frowned, then gave a cold harrumph. After a single glance, she ignored him. An imperceptible glimmer appeared in An Zaihai's eyes, and a faint smile touched his mouth.

Lin Hailong's eyes filled with a deep look. He looked Meng Hao over closely.

"Is it him…?" he murmured to himself.

Eternal Mountain also looked at Meng Hao, his expression the same as ever.

No one could determine any clues whatsoever.

Meng Hao clasped hands and bowed to An Zaihai and Lin Hailong. "I am Fang Mu. I would like to take a shot at concocting a pill. Would the two members of the senior generation grant me permission to do so?"

An Zaihai said nothing. Lin Hailong gave a light nod, then tossed over a fire crystal, which came to float in front of Meng Hao.

"Heyo!" cried Fatty, glancing at Meng Hao out of the corner of his eyes. "Another kid steps forward. Don't forget to concoct a really hard pill. My teeth are itchy. I want to bite down on something super tough!" His tone of voice made it sound like his whole life was filled with loneliness, and his annoying expression was one that made you want to thrash him.

Meng Hao didn't immediately being the concoction process. He looked at Fatty, and smiled.

Fatty wasn't sure why, but he got a good feeling when he looked at Meng Hao. Patting his stomach, he said, "What are you looking at me like that for? Aiii, I'm such a nice guy. You know what? This time I won't crush it in one bite, I'll take three bites."

Meng Hao sighed, and a guilty look appeared on his face. He clasped hands and bowed toward Fatty. In truth, he didn't want to embarrass Li Fugui, but this opportunity was too rare to pass up.

"Eee? What kind of an expression is that? Aiiii, fine, fine. Five bites. I'll take five bites to crush it. How about that?"

Hearing this, Lin Hailong's face grew even darker, as did the faces of the surrounding master alchemists. Chu Yuyan glared ferociously at Fatty, and then at Meng Hao.

"Ah, Fatty," thought Meng Hao. "Big bro really doesn't want to trick you like this, but I really don't have any other option…" With another cough, he waved his hand and produced the Blood Crane pill furnace, sending it to float above the fire crystal.

Everyone's eyes were fixed upon Meng Hao as he concentrated and stoked the pill furnace to a glowing red color. Then, he began to produce medicinal plants. Some he catalyzed, from others, he extracted sap. The entire process took roughly an hour. Finally, Meng Hao produced some gray-colored powder. There didn't seem to be anything special about. When concocting pills, it isn't always necessary to use fresh ingredients. There are certain medicinal powders which will turn gray over time, as well as other ingredients, such as Flying Ash Leaf, which are gray to begin with.

Only Meng Hao knew that his confidence in being able to produce a pill that Fatty couldn't crush, was largely because of this gray powder. It was no ordinary item. It was… powder created by the explosion of the meat jelly's shedding process.

Some of the skin had directly turned into powder, which was what Meng Hao had just used as one of the ingredients in his medicinal pill.

The meat jelly's skin was extraordinarily tough. In the past, Meng Hao had tested it on multiple occasions. The meat jelly had a mysterious background, and was virtually indestructible. Meng Hao was sure that there was no way Fatty would be able to destroy the shed skin of the meat jelly. However, his true killing move in this little competition wasn't the powder, but something else inside the medicinal pill….

"Fatty, please forgive me…." he thought. Meng Hao's eyes gleamed as a black medicinal pill flew out, which he grabbed. The pill furnace slowly returned to its original color.

The pill was about the size of a fingernail, and looked ordinary in every aspect. However, it was filled with the meat jelly skin powder. The powder couldn't be melted; however, Meng Hao had fused it into the medicinal plant ingredients. It was less a concoction than an amalgamation.

The pill emitted no medicinal fragrance, and was as black as night. He tossed it over to Fatty with an apologetic look.

Fatty grabbed it haughtily. "I've taken a liking to you," he said. "Don't worry, I'll crush it with five bites, no less." Looking pleased, he popped the pill into his mouth, posing heroically as he glanced at a few of the female alchemists he'd noticed.

As soon as the pill entered his mouth, he laughed, then closed his eyes and slowly bit down.

"See! One bite!" The words were a bit garbled, but everyone understood what he was saying.

The alchemists of the East Pill Division all looked embarrassed. Clearly, they found Li Fugui to be completely repulsive.

Continuing to talk, Fatty bit down a second time, secretly using quite a bit of strength. His heart began to tremble. Keeping his expression calm, he laughed a few more times, then continued to blabber incoherently about how he would keep his word and bite down five times.

He was starting to get nervous. The first time he had bit down, he'd only used thirty percent of his strength. The second time, he'd used eighty. However, he hadn't even been able to put a tiny dent in the medicinal pill. It seemed to have some sort of elastic element to it. His teeth actually hurt a bit.

"Fatty seems like he'd rather die than lose face. When did he become like this?" thought Meng Hao, looking both sympathetic and apologetic.

This chapter was sponsored by Nicholas Harkes

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 240: Screw This

"Third bite! I'm gonna take a third bite!" Filled with determination, Fatty used one hundred percent power to bite down. A roaring filled his head, and his teeth ground down onto the medicinal pill so hard it seemed like sparks would fly off of it.

The medicinal pill's incredible elasticity pushed back against his teeth. The feeling was impossible to describe, and caused Fatty to begin to tremble. His face drained of blood, and sweat began to pour down.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, he called out in a loud voice, "See how I keep my word!? Hahaha! I'm even sweating to add to the illusion… Okay, time for the fourth bite, kid. After this one, I won't be able to hold back any more."

How could the onlookers not pick up any clues as to what was really going on? Strange looks began to appear on their faces; they could see how twisted he was at heart. The Golden Frost Sect disciples had especially strange looks, considering how well they knew Li Fugui.

Eternal Mountain's eyes narrowed. He frowned and began to mutter to himself.

Everyone could see the determination filling Fatty's eyes; he was obviously going all out. He switched the medicinal pill to the other side of his mouth and bit down viciously.

"Your granny! There's no way I can't bite it to pieces!"

A cracking sound rang out as Fatty's teeth pierced deep into the pill. However, as soon as they did, a foul, fishy, incredibly spicy fluid sprayed out from the hole that had been punched into the pill.

Fatty's face suddenly went pale white. His body began to tremble, and his eyes went wide, and filled with veins of blood. Tears began to stream out of his eyes, and a roaring filled his mind. It seemed as if his soul were about to fly out of his body. The feeling in his mouth was impossible to describe.

"You… you…." Body trembling, face pale, he involuntarily leaped back and was just about to spit the pill out when he realized that everyone was looking at him. He quickly closed his mouth shut tight, refusing to spit the pill out.

The situation didn't seem to be very complicated, but to Fatty, it seemed as if he were in a living nightmare. Sweat poured off of his body. He could handle foul odors. He could handle fishy flavors. But what he hated more than anything else, was spicy food.

His mouth felt as if it were on fire, and it seemed about to drive him insane.

Meng Hao felt even more guilty. He had learned of Fatty's hatred of spicy food back in the Reliance Sect. Fatty had accidentally revealed the matter to him personally. During the pill concoction process just now, he had intentionally added some medicinal plants which would create spiciness….

The pill was an amalgamation that included the meat jelly skin powder, which was virtually indestructible. However, Meng Hao was worried that Fatty's teeth would exceed his own powers of prediction, and had therefore included a backup contingency…. spiciness.

Fatty's face was bright red as he glared at Meng Hao. His tongue was numb, and his head was buzzing. "I still have one bite left…. you… you little…. you just wait, this time, I'll crush the pill to pieces!"

Everything was quiet. The surrounding Cultivators looked on with strange expressions.

Li Hailong's eyes were wide. Next to him, An Zaihai gaped for a moment, then began to shake his head with a wry smile.

Fatty was just about to go all out as he took his final fifth bite. Meng Hao could no longer hold back. "It's even more spicy the deeper you go…" he blurted.

When Fatty heard this, it hit him like a bolt from the blue. A tremor ran through his body, and it seemed he was too frightened to take another bite, and perhaps would give up. The people who had been repulsed by Fatty before, now seemed to be feeling a bit bad.

"What do you want…?" said Fatty. He looked like he was about to cry.

"I…." Meng Hao sighed. He really felt guilty at this point.

"Screw this!" Fatty opened his mouth to spit out the medicinal pill. However, the pill was now stuck on one of his teeth, which had punctured the pill but not bitten all the way through it.

Fatty quickly plucked the pill off of his tooth and tossed it back to Meng Hao. Eyes glowing with hatred, he retreated back to his place among the Golden Frost Sect disciples.

Currently, his lips and tongue were completely numb. The words he had spoken just now had been a bit slurred, and his face was bright red. Sweat continued to pour off of him, and the roaring sound continued to fill his head. Tears streamed down his face, and he felt as if his mouth might begin to emit flames at any moment.

Everything was quiet. Who could possibly have imagined or predicted that Li Fugui would hate spicy things so much? Cultivators are not mortals, and should be able to prevent such things from affecting them. Fatty's reaction was therefore a testimony to the pill itself.

"What sinister spiciness does that pill contain to be so effective!?!?"

"So that medicinal pill… was actually vastly more powerful than a poison pill!"

"That pill… was so bizarre!!"

Everyone's attention was completely focused on the medicinal pill in Meng Hao's hand. Two lines of teeth marks could be seen on either side, and in one spot was a tiny hole where Fatty's tooth had punctured the pill. It was no longer round, but flat.

Whichever way you looked at it, though, the pill had not been crushed into pieces!

Soon all eyes moved from the pill, to Meng Hao's face. The East Pill Division, the Violet Qi Division, and the Golden Frost Sect were all looking at Meng Hao.

There were a variety of expressions: looks of confusion, wry smiles, glares of envy. Everyone who knew him suddenly decided that in the future, they should be very cautious about consuming pills he had concocted.

Meng Hao was used to being stared at. His expression was the same as ever, but his heart began to beat faster. He put his pill away, then looked at Lin Hailong, and An Zaihai, who was still shaking his head and laughing.

Grandmaster Eternal Mountain's archaic voice broke the silence. "Kid, would you mind giving me that pill to examine for a moment?"

Meng Hao hesitated, then shyly asked, "Um… Elder, didn't I just win?" With his pale skin and scholarly appearance, he really looked like a defenseless young animal. It was the kind of look that made people instantly sympathetic.

Meng Hao's question actually didn't sound like a question. Were it anyone other than him who responded in such a way, Eternal Mountain might take offense.

Seeing Meng Hao's expression caused Fatty's hair to stand on end. His eyes went wide, and he stared. His tongue was still numb, his vision was still blurry with tears. But seeing what was happening now caused a face to appear in his mind.

The expression on this master alchemist's face, and his words, were exactly like what he remembered from the Pill Cultivation Workshop Outlet back in the Reliance Sect! 1

"He's… he's…." The more closely he looked, the more confused he got. This was especially so as he thought to how Meng Hao had disappeared without a trace a few years before. No matter what inquiries Fatty made, he hadn't been able to turn up a single clue. But Fatty just couldn't believe that Meng Hao would have left the Southern Domain.

"Don't tell me… dammit… if that's really him…. Only Meng Hao knows that I hate spicy food!!" Fatty's eyes went wide, and he began to breathe heavily. He felt even more wronged now. If this person wasn't Meng Hao, then he would definitely figure out some way to get revenge on him. If it was Meng Hao, though, he obviously wouldn't.

Grandmaster Eternal Mountain smiled as he looked at Meng Hao. Inwardly, he smiled. He felt as if he were looking at himself all those years ago. He didn't care whether or not spiciness had been added into the medicinal pill. The fact that Li Fugui couldn't crush the pill in four bites was testament to its strength and resilience.

"It appears I've lost the wager," said Grandmaster Eternal Mountain, smiling. With that, he flicked his sleeve, and the pill bottle with the ancient medicinal pill flew over to Lin Hailong. "Kid, are you going to give me that pill to have a look at?"

"I'm afraid not," replied Meng Hao, his expression no longer bashful. "Without the express approval of the senior generation of the East Pill Division, junior doesn't dare to allow others to appraise the pill." Meng Hao couldn't possibly hand the pill over; as soon as Grandmaster Eternal Mountain got his hands on it, he would definitely be able to detect the meat jelly skin powder. Then, Meng Hao's position would be compromised, which would lead to all sorts of trouble.

Eternal Mountain stared in shock at Meng Hao's reply. It had been many years since he had requested to appraise a pill. Never before had any master alchemist refused. Considering his status, each and every one would hand over the pill eagerly. One word from him could cause the name of an alchemist to spread throughout the Southern Domain.

Meng Hao's response caused Lin Hailong's face to soften a bit. He smiled at Meng Hao, and nodded slightly. "What's your name?" he asked.

"Disciple Fang Mu," Meng Hao replied with a start.

"What I said just now was no joke," he said with a smile. "Fang Mu, from this day forward, you are a Furnace Lord. I will send people for you shortly to complete the Furnace Lord branding process." With that, he looked over at Eternal Mountain. "What now, Grandmaster Eternal Mountain?"

Eternal Mountain gave Meng Hao a long, deep look. Then, smiled and rose to his feet, shaking his head.

"I've lost," he said, "but I have no regrets. With a kid like this, the East Pill Division could last forever. However, first there was Elder Brother Liu, then me. Who knows when the third person to forsake the Sect will appear?" He gave Meng Hao a final smile, then turned and left.

The rest of the Golden Frost Sect followed him. Tang Shicang gave Wu Dingqiu a smiling bow, then left with his disciples.

Before leaving, Fatty turned back with a pitiful expression to look at Meng Hao. Seeing his wronged expression, Meng Hao felt extremely guilty. He also realized that Fatty most likely knew his true identity.

1. Meng Hao started the Pill Cultivation Workshop Outlet in chapter 11. Fatty joined the operation in chapter 18

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter