Chapter 722 |
As Lu Qing cast the final hand seal, the power of the Li Huo Cauldron surged sharply. A strange medicinal fragrance drifted out from within.
“Success!”
Yan’s eyes gleamed with joy, and a smile appeared on Lu Qing’s face as well.
With a thought, eighteen streaks of light flew out from the cauldron and floated before him. When the light faded, eighteen perfectly round, semi-transparent pills were revealed. Within them, mysterious wisps of mist seemed to swirl endlessly.
“This is the Purity-Cleansing Dust-Washing Pill, the legendary supreme-grade spirit pill?”
Yan stared in fascination at the eighteen pills. Even as a master of alchemy, he couldn’t help but be captivated — this was the highest-grade pill he had ever participated in refining.
Back in the Li Huo Sect, he had refined countless pills, yet never once a supreme-grade spirit pill. Such elixirs were exceedingly rare — even with the sect’s former power, they had never managed to obtain one.
This was the first time Yan had taken part in the refining of a supreme-grade pill, and that they succeeded on the first attempt felt almost unreal.
“Indeed,” Lu Qing nodded. “This is the Purity-Cleansing Dust-Washing Pill. We’ve refined it successfully, and its quality is flawless.”
Its main function was to purify one’s Golden Core, improving innate talent and elevating a cultivator’s Golden Core to the level of postnatal upper-grade quality.
Such a pill, even in the vast Tianyuan Great World, would be considered immensely valuable — something cultivators would bid astronomical prices for in any auction.
After admiring them briefly, Lu Qing took out several jade bottles and carefully stored the eighteen Purity-Cleansing Dust-Washing Pills.
Yan was still amazed. To him, succeeding in refining a supreme-grade pill on the first try was unthinkable. But only Lu Qing knew that he had already deduced and practiced this refining process countless times with his spiritual abilities.
With his current control, failure would have been the real surprise.
“All right, next we’ll refine the Five-Spirit Unity Pill,” Lu Qing said calmly.
The Five-Spirit Unity Pill was another supreme-grade pill, whose core ingredient was the Five Elements Treasure Lotus. Like the previous one, it could enhance cultivation aptitude and significantly aid one’s advancement.
Of course, for Lu Qing, such pills were of little use. His current aptitude was already heaven-defying, enough to astonish even the most powerful beings. No elixir could improve him further.
He was refining these pills for Xiaoyan and the others.
As Lu Qing reopened the cauldron and began refining again, the cultivation chamber once more fell silent.
Three days later, under the combined effort of Lu Qing and Yan, the Five-Spirit Unity Pill was also successfully refined without mishap.
“Yan, you’ve worked hard. Here, take these inheritance jade slips — they contain knowledge about artifacts and alchemy that should interest you,” Lu Qing said, handing them over.
“Thank you, Master!” Yan accepted them in delight.
“Go on and study them well. I’ll soon be entering seclusion again,” Lu Qing said, putting away the pills and the Li Huo Cauldron.
After sensing his own state, he found his spirit and energy fully restored. Despite the continuous alchemy work over the past few days, it had hardly tired him. Compared to studying the Dao or improving divine techniques, alchemy was almost a leisure activity to him, its consumption negligible.
However, though in peak condition, Lu Qing did not immediately begin his next seclusion. He sensed the time — it was still morning — and left the chamber.
Outside, he saw Xiaoyan and the others cultivating and didn’t disturb them. Instead, he walked toward the Wei Family’s courtyard.
Before long, he arrived outside Wei Manor.
“Brother Lu!”
Just as he was wondering how to call out, a figure dashed out from within — none other than Wei Zian.
“Brother Lu, I thought you were in seclusion! What brings you here?” Wei Zian beamed, delighted to see him.
“I just finished my seclusion and came to handle something. By the way, is Miss Hu in?” Lu Qing asked.
Since arriving in Jiuli Village, Hu Zezhi had been living in a side courtyard of the Wei residence. Initially, her father, Hu Laosan, had intended to build their own house once things settled, but for some reason, they had stayed on at the Wei residence ever since.
“She’s here, she hasn’t left the village at all. I’ll go call her!”
Wei Zian turned to rush inside, but Lu Qing stopped him with a small smile. “No need, she already knows I’m here.”
Before he finished speaking, a joyful voice sounded. “Brother Lu! You’re here?”
Hu Zezhi quickly appeared, her face lit with delight. Soon after, Wei Shanhai, Wei Xinghe, and Wei Furen also came out to greet him.
“I came to find you for something,” Lu Qing said with a smile.
“You came specifically for me?” Hu Zezhi’s eyes sparkled with happiness. “Then come to my courtyard.”
“Very well,” Lu Qing nodded. “And Senior Wei, Madam Wei, you should come too. I have something for you as well.”
“For us?” Wei Shanhai and his wife exchanged surprised glances but didn’t refuse. Soon, everyone gathered in Hu Zezhi’s small courtyard.
“Please have some tea,” Hu Zezhi said, serving everyone before Lu Qing finally took out two jade bottles.
“Miss Hu, I’ve finished refining the pills I promised you — the one to cleanse your Golden Core and another to aid your cultivation. The left bottle contains the cleansing pill; the right, pills to enhance your cultivation. Please, take them.”
Hu Zezhi froze for a moment, staring at the jade bottles. When Lu Qing had mentioned the cleansing pill before, she thought it would take a long time. She hadn’t expected him to finish so soon — and even bring them to her personally.
Wei Zian and the others couldn’t help showing envy. Only now did they realize that Lu Qing had come specifically to deliver these pills to Hu Zezhi.
“Brother Lu, these are too precious… I can’t accept them. You should keep them for Xiaoyan and the others,” Hu Zezhi said, shaking her head.
“Xiaoyan has already condensed an innate superior-grade Golden Core — this pill wouldn’t help her. And I’ve already prepared what she needs. These are for you. Take them,” Lu Qing said gently.
He knew from his master that during his and Xiaoyan’s long absences, it was mostly Hu Zezhi, not his puppet avatar, who had quietly watched over the village. He would never overlook her contribution.
“Then… I’ll shamelessly accept,” Hu Zezhi finally said, taking the two bottles. She realized that with Lu Qing’s capabilities, it was absurd to think Xiaoyan would lack resources.
Seeing her accept them, Lu Qing smiled faintly. “The pill in the left bottle is the Purity-Cleansing Dust-Washing Pill. Don’t take it yet — wait until your Golden Core reaches the third transformation’s perfection. It will not only cleanse your core but also help you break through the bottleneck.
As for the other pills, you can use them anytime — just be mindful of the dosage and avoid relying too heavily on them.”
The cultivation-enhancing pills weren’t the Five-Spirit Unity Pills, but a different kind he had obtained from a Golden Core late-stage cultivator he’d once slain. The Five-Spirit Unity Pill, though supreme-grade, was best suited for cultivators of the Five Elements path and thus unsuitable for Hu Zezhi.
“Understood. Thank you, Brother Lu.” Hu Zezhi happily tucked the bottles away.
Lu Qing’s gaze flickered briefly but he said nothing, instead taking out another jade bottle and turning to Wei Furen.
“Madam Wei, your current cultivation should be in the Internal Organs Realm, yes?”
Wei Furen nodded, slightly embarrassed. “Yes, though it’s mostly due to years of taking supplements. I have the cultivation but not the understanding, and at my age, my qi and blood are already weakening — I can only barely maintain this level.”
She sighed. She had long envied her husband and sons, all successful cultivators with lifespans of centuries, but she simply lacked the talent for it. After years of effort, she had accepted that she would never walk the path of immortality.
“Madam Wei,” Lu Qing said solemnly, “I have here a spirit pill that can help you break through to the Precelestial Realm. However, once you use it, your potential will be fully expended — you will never reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. Do you still wish to take it?”
“What did you say, Ah Qing? A pill that can help me reach the Precelestial Realm?” Wei Furen was stunned, and so were the others.
Especially Wei Zian — his hands trembled. “Brother Lu, did you just say my mother could break through to the Precelestial Realm?”
“Yes,” Lu Qing nodded. “But this pill’s power is immense. It must be guided by a cultivator with high cultivation — otherwise, it would overwhelm her meridians and cause her body to explode.”
“That dangerous?” Wei Zian blanched.
“Don’t worry,” Lu Qing reassured him. “I’ll personally help her refine the pill. Madam Wei, what do you think?”
“Of course I’m willing!” Wei Furen answered at once, her heart pounding. A Precelestial expert could live for three hundred years. At nearly a hundred herself, she had little time left — this was a chance to extend her life by more than two centuries. How could she refuse?
The limitation Lu Qing mentioned didn’t concern her. She could never have reached Foundation Establishment on her own anyway.
“Very well. Then let’s begin.”
“Now?” Wei Furen’s voice quivered slightly.
“Yes. Don’t worry — with me here, nothing will go wrong,” Lu Qing said softly, his words carrying a calming spiritual resonance that soothed her nerves.
“All right then, Ah Qing, I’ll trouble you.”
“You just need to take the pill. Leave the rest to me.”
With a light flick of his wrist, Lu Qing uncorked the jade bottle, and a golden pill floated out, glowing faintly. It hovered before Wei Furen, who swallowed it without hesitation.
As she did, Lu Qing’s spiritual power enveloped her. Behind him, dozens of golden needles — artifact-grade treasures — appeared and floated into position.
Soon, the pill’s power surged within her. Sweat beaded on her forehead as pain twisted her features, heat rising from her body.
At that moment, the golden needles moved, piercing into her meridians and acupoints as Lu Qing guided the medicinal energy with his spiritual power.
With each needle and each channel opened, the pressure on Wei Furen eased. Her body greedily absorbed the medicine’s essence, her meridians expanding, her aura rising rapidly.
Wei Zian and the others held their breath, watching in awe.
Half an hour later, her aura had reached the peak of the Internal Organs Realm — and then, with a resounding internal boom, she broke through the barrier.
A tremor rippled through the air as heaven and earth resonated.
Wei Furen had stepped into the Precelestial Realm.
Next Chapter >
