Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
After roaming around Pill City for a while, they finally gathered most of the materials needed to refine the pills.
“M-hm, we’re still missing two core ingredients. We might need to go to the Pill Tower to find them.”
Dongfang Zhuangshi caressed his azure jade storage ring as he spoke.
“Pill Tower? That tower in the city center?” An Lin asked curiously. He turned his gaze toward the city center. Located there was a seven-colored pagoda, which towered into the skies.
“That’s right, it’s indeed that legendary tower!” A look of reminiscence appeared in Dongfang Zhuangshi’s eyes as he gazed at that magnificent tower. “The Pill Tower is one of the most renowned sacred lands for pill refinement. Many great pill refiners have emerged from this place. This place has produced eight pill refiners of the Supreme Stage!”
An Lin was filled with a deep sense of admiration and awe upon hearing this.
To his knowledge, pill refinement was separated into five major ranks—Flame Mastery Stage, Wish Fulfilment Stage, Spirit Gathering Stage, Soul Creation Stage, and Supreme Stage. In other words, eight unparalleled pill refiners had emerged from this Pill Tower. This was an astounding feat.
One had to remember, even Yi Xi’s pill refinement rank was only of the Supreme Stage.
Xu Xiaolan was especially talented in pill refinement, and she had also received Shen Yin’s pill refinement inheritance. However, her current rank was only that of the Soul Creation Stage. As such, one could imagine just how bad*ss a pill refiner of the Supreme Stage was.
At the very least, refining immortal pills was well within their capabilities.
“Do we really have the necessary qualifications to enter such an impressive place?” An Lin asked anxiously.
“Heh, ordinary people are indeed unable to enter. But you people must know, I have another identity…” Dongfang Zhuangshi raised his proud head.
The beasts all drew in sharp breaths. An Lin and Xu Xiaolan also had looks of anticipation. An incredible identity was about to be revealed.
“That’s right, it’s just as you all think. I’m also a pill refiner!” There was a smug grin on Dongfang Zhuangshi’s face. “Moreover, I’m a pill refiner of the Spirit Gathering Pinnacle Stage!”
Beasts: “…”
An Lin: “…”
Xu Xiaolan: “…”
“What? Have you all been shocked speechless?” Dongfang Zhuangshi wore a calm and understanding expression as he looked at the speechless people before him.
An Lin grimaced. Say, you’re a mythological beast of the Dao Integration Stage, yet your pill refinement rank is merely at the Spirit Gathering Pinnacle Stage? Is this really something to be proud of?
M-hm, should I tell this uncle that Xiaolan’s pill refinement rank is even higher than his? She’s already reached the Soul Creation Stage…
It was even more difficult for Xu Xiaolan to contain herself. She still had to maintain a facade of calm even while watching a senior brag about a pill refinement rank that was lower than hers… It was truly exhausting!
“In the Pill Tower, pill refiners of the Supreme Stage are extremely transcendent beings.” Dongfang Zhuangshi smiled. “Pill refiners of the Soul Creation Stage can assume the positions of elder or tutor. As for pill refiners of the Spirit Gathering Pinnacle Stage, we’re the most outstanding students of the Pill Tower.”
The corners of An Lin’s mouth also tugged into a smile.
The beasts also smiled along with him.
An Lin sighed in his mind. F*cking hell. I’m afraid that he’s just like me. His talent in pill refinement is non-existent, and his ranks are dragged up by his cultivation base!
An Lin’s Flame Mastery Stage pill refinement rank was a result of his Soul Formation Stage cultivation base. Dongfang Zhuangshi’s Spirit Gathering Stage pill refinement rank was also most likely a result of his Dao Integration Stage cultivation base as well.
After all, even pigs would become slightly knowledgeable if they reached such a cultivation base…
Hang on… he said that he was going to refine pills before.
What kind of f*cking pills can he refine with such a lowly rank?!
“Uncle Dongfang, you said that you were going to refine aura-concealing pills for us. What rank are they? Is your pill refinement rank high enough?” An Lin tried to phrase his question in a tactful manner.
Dongfang Zhuangshi sighed. “I obtained the pill refinement recipe from an ancient text. It’s a third-rank spirit pill. However, I’m unable to refine it myself. I need to seek the help of a Soul Creation Stage pill refiner.
“This is fairly troublesome. After all, I’ll need to reveal the pill refinement recipe. Never mind. For the sake of our safety, we need to make some necessary sacrifices.”
Dongfang Zhuangshi had evidently reached a decision already. His expression told them that he was ready to sacrifice his “little self”.
“That um… It doesn’t need to be so difficult. Xiaolan is actually a pill refiner of the Soul Creation Stage.” An Lin hesitated for a moment before deciding to say this.
Uncle Dongfang’s eyes widened in shock. “W-what did you say?!”
“M-hm. Uncle Dongfang, it’s true that I’m a pill refiner of the Soul Creation Stage,” Xu Xiaolan confirmed. “If it’s a third-rank spirit pill, I’m fairly confident that I can refine it if I see the pill recipe.”
Dongfang Zhuangshi: “…”
Even though he had lived for all these years, Dongfang Zhuangshi’s face still flushed red with embarrassment. There was nothing he could do about it. He was flexing before the others, yet a much younger cultivator suddenly informed him that she was more capable than him…
This kind of feeling was truly painful!
He had studied pill refinement for many years, yet he was even less capable than a young female… Had his entire life been a waste of time?!
For some reason, the image of a large-eyed, yellow-robed female suddenly appeared in his mind as he gazed at the shy yet confident female before him.
“Is that so. Then I’ll have to trouble Little Friend Xu Xiaolan with this matter.” Dongfang Zhuangshi nodded in agreement after a moment of absentmindedness.
After confirming this, they continued to head toward the Pill Tower.
In fact, Dongfang Zhuangshi was feeling a bit disappointed. His glory of being the strongest pill refiner of their group was stripped away from him.
Xu Xiaolan was feeling a bit jittery. Her pill refinement rank was higher than a Dao Integration Stage cultivator and a bunch of Return to Void Stage cultivators! If news of this spread, she could definitely boast for a long time.
…
In no time, they arrived before the Pill Tower.
It appeared as though an event was being held on the dao plaza in front of the Pill Tower. There was a huge number of beings gathered here, and the dao plaza was bustling with excitement. At the dao plaza, which measured ten kilometers in perimeter, there were hundreds of thousands of beings moving about.
A resonant voice was currently traveling over from the center of the dao plaza.
“It’s almost upon us! The pill refinement competition that occurs once every ten years! As long as you’re under thirty years of age, and your pill refinement rank has reached the Flame Mastery Stage, you can sign up to compete in this competition!
“The prize pool for this competition is extremely attractive! The top one hundred refiners will win the chance to enter the Pill Tower to cultivate. The top five refiners will each receive a sixth-rank immortal pill coupon. In addition to this, the winner will also receive a treasure from the Pill Tower—the intermediate-rank immortal tool, Nine Spirit Cauldron!”
This voice swept over the entire dao plaza and also traveled into An Lin and the others’ ears.
An Lin and Xu Xiaolan’s eyes lit up upon hearing this.
They turned to look at each other. They could both see the flames of excitement and eagerness in each other’s eyes.
“An Lin, it just so happens that I’m short on a decent pill refinement cauldron,” Xu Xiaolan said crisply.
“Go on, Xiaolan. Let these beings understand the true art of pill refinement!” An Lin encouraged.
Dongfang Zhuangshi: “???”