Chapter 263: Chapter 261: Tribulation Crossing Pill
Before the Jade Pool Pavilion, eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators stood in pairs, their expressions solemn.
These were all Elders of the Danxia Sect, figures of high status and deep respect on any normal day. Yet at this moment, they stood in two rows like mere attendants.
"Senior Sister Quan, how many Core Formation True Men do you think will visit this time?"
A short, baby-faced youth lowered his voice and whispered, "I was too young for the last Pill King Conference, so I didn’t get to see it... Senior Sister Quan, you’ve been to three of them. Tell your junior brother all about it."
"Junior Brother Leng, stop fooling around. The ones coming are all Elders from various factions. Don’t disgrace the Sect. If you displease any of them, you’ll be in for it!"
Quan Suxin, dressed in simple, unadorned black robes, put on a stern face and lectured her junior brother.
This Junior Brother Leng possessed a Purple Fire Spirit Body. Though he had Dual Spirit Root Talent, his affinity for Fire Element Spiritual Energy was comparable to that of a Fire Element Celestial Spiritual Root, and he had a unique, innate advantage in manipulating flames.
The only thing setting him apart from a true Celestial Spiritual Root was the lack of a smooth, bottleneck-free path before Core Formation.
He was the most outstanding disciple the Danxia Sect had accepted in the last 60-Year Cycle, and even Ancestor Zhu often gave him personal guidance.
Junior Brother Leng hadn’t disappointed. He had successfully reached Foundation Establishment before the age of twenty and had also demonstrated remarkable talent in Alchemy.
"Including Ancestor Zhu, there were a total of eight Core Formation True Men last time... But Master Ruyi has since passed away, so he won’t be coming."
Seeing the look of eager curiosity on Junior Brother Leng’s face, Quan Suxin relented and told him via Sound Transmission.
As they spoke, two rays of Escape Light descended. The first was domineering, the second upright and serene.
"Master Ke, Master Yan, we are honored by your presence. Senior Brother Zhu is already waiting in the pavilion. Please, come in and take your seats."
As a Fake Pill Cultivator, Qin Chu’s status was a Half-Tier lower than a proper Core Formation True Man, but he stepped forward to greet them.
The ugly-faced Master Ke let out a cold snort and walked straight past without a glance.
In contrast, Master Yan of the Righteous Sect, a stately figure in a purple robe, politely stepped forward to exchange greetings, addressing him as Fellow Daoist before slowly entering the Jade Pool area.
This dismissive attitude, clearly not regarding a Fake Pill Cultivator as an equal, made Qin Chu flush with shame and seethe with resentment.
It took him a long moment to compose himself, and he stepped forward again when another Core Formation True Man arrived.
Most of the Core Formation Cultivators attending the Pill King Conference were local to Luzhou and were already acquainted with one another.
It wasn’t until a cloud of black wind descended, revealing a cultivator completely shrouded in black mist and wearing a special mask, that Qin Chu’s heart tightened.
"Old Ghost Zhu invited me. Don’t tell me he’s having second thoughts and won’t let me in now that I’m here?"
A neutral voice, impossible to identify as male or female, emanated from the black mist, clearly disguised with Magic.
When the visitor produced the Soft Jade Elixir that served as a credential, Qin Chu knew this was indeed a Core Formation True Man invited by Senior Brother Zhu, so he had no choice but to step aside.
But the memory of the incredibly dense Evil Qi within the black mist marked the visitor as an unmistakable Demon Path Core Formation Cultivator, and he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
He said a quick word to the Foundation Establishment Disciples outside the pavilion and hurried in after the figure.
"A Demon Path Cultivator actually dares to come to the Pill King Conference? Aren’t they afraid the Elders will join forces and attack them, ensuring they never leave Danxia Mountain?"
Junior Brother Leng blurted out, speaking his mind freely.
"Didn’t you hear them say Ancestor Zhu was the one who invited him? Maybe he isn’t a cultivator from one of those major Demon Path Sects..."
As Quan Suxin spoke, she noticed another person walking toward the Jade Pool and hurried forward to greet them.
"Elder, are you here for the Pill King Conference? Please show me your credential, and I will lead you in."
Having served as a greeter at three Pill King Conferences, Quan Suxin clearly remembered the face and name of every Core Formation True Man who had ever attended.
She immediately knew that the young man before her had not appeared at any of the previous three conferences.
But with the strength of her Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Divine Sense, she couldn’t see through the cultivation of this dashing, dignified youth at all, realizing he was most likely a Core Formation True Man.
Bai Zichen revealed the Soft Jade Elixir in his hand, and Quan Suxin immediately bowed. "Please follow me, True Man. Ancestor Zhu and the others are already in the pavilion."
This Jade Pool was clearly protected by an Array. Only after stepping inside did Bai Zichen discover a long, winding pavilion by the water’s edge, with several figures already inside.
As he stepped into the long pavilion, several pairs of eyes instantly fell upon him, all belonging to Core Formation True Men.
Unconcerned, Bai Zichen calmly walked over to an empty chair and sat down, observing the others present.
’The old man in the seat of honor must be Master Zhu of the Danxia Sect. Besides him, there are seven other Core Formation Cultivators... There’s even a Demon Path Cultivator hiding their appearance. Is he that skilled and bold, or did the Danxia Sect guarantee no one would make a move on him?’
Of the seven Core Formation True Men, he could match four with the information in his memory. Besides the Demon Path Cultivator, there were two others whose origins Bai Zichen couldn’t identify.
Black Mountain was located in a remote corner and rarely interacted with other sects.
His primary focus was on the Ghost Spirit Sect; beyond that, only a rather famous Core Formation True Man would leave an impression on him.
"Fellow Daoist Zhu, you haven’t explained clearly... Does the Danxia Sect intend to leave the Righteous Alliance and switch its allegiance?"
The white-haired Master Yan jumped to his feet, bringing up the topic that had been interrupted by the newcomer’s arrival.
"Fellow Daoist Yan, I have made myself perfectly clear. This Fellow Daoist is participating in the Pill King Conference as an individual. It has nothing to do with their sect, nor does it represent any change in my sect’s position."
Master Zhu explained, his face a mask of exasperation.
"I won’t waste my breath on a fool!"
Master Yan glanced around the room and saw that Master Ke, also a member of the Righteous Alliance, was staring down at his tea. The other friendly Core Formation True Men remained silent. He realized he was the only one standing alone.
He pushed back his chair and stormed out.
Master Zhu sighed internally. Of course the Danxia Sect wouldn’t defect to the Demon Path Alliance Army, but they had no intention of continuing to follow the Righteous Alliance either.
After waiting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a sharp-nosed, monkey-faced Daoist arrived, bearing none of the typical dignity of a Core Formation True Man.
"Fellow Daoists, I am grateful that you have all given me the face to attend this Pill King Conference. I will reiterate: the Pill King Conference is merely a trade meet for fellow Core Formation cultivators. It does not involve personal stances or the sects behind you. You are all free to come and go as you please."
"Old Ghost Zhu, stop dawdling! I came here for your reputation as an Alchemy Grandmaster. Don’t disappoint me!"
the Demon Path Cultivator hidden within the black mist said impatiently.
"The old rule stands. After winning one auction, you may not bid again. We must give other Fellow Daoists a chance."
Master Zhu wasn’t angered. With a wave of his hand, three Jade Bottles appeared.
"Three Tribulation Crossing Pills. I trust this elixir needs no introduction. I will trade them for Tier Three or higher Pill Formulas, Spirit Grass over a thousand years old, or Spirit Stones—though payment must be in Top-Grade Spirit Stones."
The moment the first elixirs were presented, the breathing of every Core Formation True Man in the room quickened, their eyes growing bloodshot.
The Tribulation Crossing Pill could be called a Supreme Spiritual Pill for Core Formation Cultivators looking to break through, and its effects were greater for those in lower realms.
It could be used to break through to the Mid-Stage or Late-Stage Core Formation. Even in the grand auctions of Zengguang Immortal City, such a Spirit Pill would be a final, show-stopping item.
For a moment, no one made an offer. It wasn’t that the Tribulation Crossing Pill wasn’t good, but that it was so precious they didn’t know where to begin.
An elixir of this caliber had never appeared at past Pill King Conferences.
"Excellent! The Danxia Sect really was hiding some good things!"
It was the Demon Path Cultivator who broke the silence again, letting out a few wild laughs.
"Take a look at these two Pill Formulas. Are they enough to trade for one Tribulation Crossing Pill?"
Master Zhu caught the Profound Ink Jade Scroll that flew toward him. He could only see the beginning of the formulas and their basic descriptions. "Two Tier Three Top-Grade Pill Formulas, neither of which I have in my collection. They follow a path of refining elixirs using poisons as ingredients, which certainly has its merits... But to trade for a Tribulation Crossing Pill, it’s still not quite enough."
"What if I add five Top-Grade Spirit Stones, Old Ghost Zhu?"
The Demon Path Cultivator leaned forward, his hands on the table. His eagerness was palpable even through the mask.
"Not enough."
Master Zhu still shook his head. This batch of Tribulation Crossing Pills had used up almost all of the Danxia Sect’s reserves of precious Spirit Medicines.
He had successfully refined six pills in total. He kept half and put the remaining three up for trade for reasons far beyond acquiring a few Spirit Stones.
"I’ll add a Thousand-Year-Old Golden Crown Lingzhi!"
"Deal!"
Master Zhu pondered for a long moment before giving a slight nod.
’My primary goal is still to trade for Pill Formulas. The Treasure Cauldron Pill King Scripture seems wonderful, allowing one’s Alchemy skill and Cultivation to advance together.’
’But once you reach a certain level, Pill Qi loses its beneficial effect.’
’Perhaps because they have absorbed too much Pill Qi from the process of refining precious Spirit Grass, many elixirs only have half their intended effect when consumed by Danxia Sect cultivators.’
’Therefore, if I want to break through again, I must obtain a large number of new, High-Tier Pill Formulas to stimulate my own progress by refining entirely new elixirs.’
The successful trade of the first Tribulation Crossing Pill ignited the enthusiasm of the other Core Formation True Men, who began to make their own offers.
However, Master Zhu rejected most of the offers outright. Many of the Tier Three Elixirs people offered were either already in the Danxia Sect’s collection or simply not up to his standards.
Only the sharp-nosed, monkey-faced cultivator who had arrived last kept raising his bid, appearing determined to obtain a Tribulation Crossing Pill.
"Fifteen Top-Grade Spirit Stones, a Thousand-Year-Old Yellow Spirit, and an Ancient Pill Formula... Master Zhu, my offer is extremely sincere."
"Fellow Daoist Fei, I’ve already told you. The ingredients required for your Ancient Pill Formula are all extinct. It’s no different from a worthless piece of paper. What use would I have for it?"
Master Zhu was growing annoyed. This Master Fei was a Loose Cultivator skilled in feng shui, mechanisms, and puppets. It was said he had obtained his chance at Core Formation by robbing the tomb of an Ancient Cultivator.
Even after reaching Core Formation, his habits hadn’t changed. He spent his days happily raiding tombs and plundering graves.
He truly had quite a few ancient artifacts in his possession, but not many were of any practical use.
"It’s still a Pill Formula, isn’t it...?"
Master Fei chuckled twice, then lowered his voice and began communicating directly via Sound Transmission.
Master Zhu’s expression changed. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded in agreement, and the second Tribulation Crossing Pill was traded away.
Bai Zichen was happy to watch from the sidelines. As good as the Tribulation Crossing Pill was, for him, using one would be a reckless waste of a precious treasure.
He watched the crowd compete with fiery enthusiasm, quietly waiting for the elixir he desired to appear.
After a long wait, no one was able to offer a price for the third Tribulation Crossing Pill that satisfied Master Zhu, so he had to withdraw it and offer a different elixir.
"Three bottles of Guangling Pills, each containing nine pills. A single pill can save an Early-Stage Core Formation Cultivator ten years of bitter meditation and cultivation. For a Mid-Stage Core Formation Cultivator, it can save five years. Highest bidder wins!"
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