Chapter 311: Breaking the Deadlock |
Elder Li let out a low shout, his aura surging throughout his body as he exerted all his strength to stabilize the powerful medicinal energy about to explode within the furnace, guiding it toward harmony.
Elder Zhang Yi's eyes flashed with brilliant light as he pointed his fingers together like a sword, tapping the furnace lid in the air, executing the secret pill-collecting technique of Elixir Glow Peak, the Return Origin Draw!
The purple flames beneath the furnace suddenly surged upward, transforming into several lifelike fire pythons that coiled around the pill furnace in a spiraling dance!
"Hum!"
Though the furnace lid had not yet opened, the radiant glow surrounding the furnace body suddenly collapsed inward, and brilliant light shot out from the air holes at the top, illuminating every detail of the entire hall!
A strange fragrance spread through the air, making those who smelled it feel their minds clear and refreshed.
Everyone's gaze burned intensely as they watched the dark gold pill furnace. The furnace body trembled more violently, its surface glow flowing like a living thing, faintly emitting a clear humming sound.
"Open!"
Elder Zhang Yi and Elder Li shouted in unison, their hands guiding through the air!
A clear sound rang out like a phoenix's cry as the bronze furnace lid burst open!
In that instant, radiant light in ten thousand rays and auspicious energy in a thousand streams, twenty-three brilliant flowing lights shot out from the pill furnace as if drawn by an invisible force.
Elder Li had prepared in advance. With a sweep of his sleeve robe, an enormous cold jade plate appeared. He extended his hand to guide them, and those twenty-three streams of light entered the plate with perfect precision, like swallows returning to their nest!
The pills lay quietly in the cold jade plate, their strange fragrance assailing the nose.
Twenty-three pills produced in one batch, and judging by their luster, all of superior quality!
Elder Wu's face revealed a satisfied smile. She stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the pills in the plate, and said with a laugh, "This batch produced twenty-three pills of excellent quality. That's quite a lot."
Her tone carried a trace of barely detectable pride.
This type of top-grade precious pill for nourishing spiritual consciousness was extremely difficult to refine. Producing fifteen to twenty pills from one furnace was already considered successful, and exceeding twenty pills was a great harvest, sufficient proof that this refinement's control of heat and timing had reached an extremely high standard.
Zhang Yi and Elder Li also nodded slightly, clearly quite pleased with the results.
Now that the pills were completed, the next step was distribution.
The atmosphere in the hall instantly became subtle.
Huo Qiushui turned her gaze toward Yan Chi, who had been standing silent all along, and spoke first, "Senior Brother Yan, you have the highest ranking present, so you should choose first."
When distributing pills, it had always depended on strength and status. Yan Chi ranked fourth among True Disciples, the highest ranking of everyone present, so having him choose first conformed to the rules.
Upon hearing this, Yan Chi's gaze swept over those twenty-three spirit energy-rich pills and said indifferently, "Entrusted by Senior Brother, I'll take eight pills then."
His voice wasn't loud, but it made Luo Chengxuan's eye twitch slightly, his heart secretly aching with pain.
Yan Chi opening his mouth for eight pills was almost more than a third of the total!
But behind him stood the Senior Brother Nan Zhuoran of the Nine Heavens lineage, someone ranked among the top of True Disciples with unfathomable strength. Even if he had complaints, Luo Chengxuan could only suppress this trace of dissatisfaction in his stomach, not daring to show the slightest bit.
Huo Qiushui's brows also furrowed imperceptibly for a moment before relaxing. She looked toward Luo Chengxuan and said, "Junior Brother Luo, I need these pills to assist my cultivation, so my Jade Palace lineage will take six pills."
"My Profound Yang lineage also has experts urgently needing breakthroughs recently, and spiritual consciousness nourishment is critically important, so we'll also take six pills."
Luo Chengxuan immediately followed.
After Yan Chi stated his position, the two of them almost instantly completed the division of most of the remaining pills, completely ignoring Chen Qing standing to the side.
In their view, the True Martial lineage sending Chen Qing was the same as before, actively giving up this pill competition.
Hearing that Luo Chengxuan also wanted six pills, Huo Qiushui couldn't help but glance at him. This way, of the twenty-three pills, Yan Chi took eight, she and Luo Chengxuan each took six, making twenty pills, leaving only the last three.
However, how those remaining three pills were distributed had little to do with her. She only needed to ensure her Jade Palace lineage's six pills.
The three elders Zhang Yi, Li, and Wu stood beside the pill furnace, not interfering with the three's distribution negotiations. For them, once the pills were refined, according to sect rules, the True Disciples of each lineage would determine the distribution themselves.
"Since everyone has reached an agreement, let's distribute them this way."
As Huo Qiushui spoke, she prepared to step forward and take her share of the pills.
"Wait!"
Just then, a calm yet clear voice rang out, breaking the "tacit understanding" that had just formed.
Chen Qing, who had not spoken until now, slowly stepped forward. His gaze swept over Huo Qiushui and Luo Chengxuan before finally settling on Yan Chi as he said indifferently, "Senior Brothers and Sisters, it seems you haven't asked for my opinion yet?"
Luo Chengxuan's brows raised slightly as he suppressed a trace of displeasure in his heart while maintaining a polite expression on his face, explaining, "Junior Brother Chen, it's not that we didn't consider your opinion, it's just that my Profound Yang lineage truly has many experts in need recently, so we need these six pills. If you urgently need them, next time..."
"I also need them."
Chen Qing directly interrupted his words.
What need or not, it was nothing more than a pretext for competing over resources. Who present didn't know this?
Luo Chengxuan's brows finally furrowed, and his tone cooled somewhat, "Junior Brother Chen, it seems you're quite dissatisfied with this distribution plan? Do you know the rules of this Pill Nurturing Hall? Resource allocation has always followed the principle of the capable getting more!"
Huo Qiushui took a deep breath on the side. Though she didn't want to become involved in trouble, Chen Qing had shown considerable potential, the Jade Palace lineage had no old grievances with the True Martial lineage, and furthermore, she came from the Huo family, which also had intentions of befriending Chen Qing.
Seeing the tense atmosphere at this moment, she spoke to smooth things over, "Let's talk this through properly. Junior Brother Chen, according to your thinking, how do you believe the distribution should be done?"
She had already prepared to make concessions. If Chen Qing's demands weren't excessive, such as wanting one or two more pills, it wouldn't be a big deal.
Chen Qing's gaze calmly met Huo Qiushui's eyes as he slowly spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it was like thunder on level ground, shaking everyone present, "I want six pills."
He felt his request wasn't excessive. After all, the Nine Heavens lineage was already getting eight pills.
Six pills?!
As his words fell, everyone present, including the three elders, seemed to think they had misheard, their gazes uniformly focusing on Chen Qing.
Six pills!?
One must know that even someone as strong as Yan Chi, with Senior Brother Nan Zhuoran standing behind him, was only taking eight pills!
Who was Chen Qing?
A disciple ranked eighth among True Disciples, backed by the declining True Martial lineage, opening his mouth to demand six pills?
This was simply making outrageous demands, utterly unreasonable!
Huo Qiushui was also slightly stunned, a trace of astonishment flashing through her beautiful eyes.
Six pills?
If he took six pills, adding Yan Chi's eight pills, only nine would remain. How would she and Luo Chengxuan divide them?
Even if she was willing to make concessions, this distribution plan would be completely disrupted!
Huo Qiushui took a deep breath and said, "Since you two have a dispute, then follow the rules. My Jade Palace lineage's six pills are non-negotiable."
She wouldn't yield, nor would she intervene in the conflict between Chen Qing and Luo Chengxuan.
Yan Chi stood to the side, his exquisitely beautiful face still showing no expression, as if he stood outside the matter.
Luo Chengxuan laughed in anger, his voice carrying coldness, "Junior Brother Chen, it seems you still don't understand the true rules of distribution! Here, it's not about talking, but about letting strength do the talking! What strength you have determines how many pills you get! You want six pills? Then you need to show matching strength!"
Chen Qing replied indifferently, "Strength, I naturally have."
Having said this, under everyone's watchful eyes, he actually walked directly toward the cold jade plate holding the Spirit Nurturing Soul Stabilizing Pills and reached out to take those six pills!
"Then let me experience Junior Brother Chen's strength and see whether your mouth is bigger or your bones are harder!"
Luo Chengxuan instantly activated his True Origin.
"There's a good show to watch!"
Elder Wu even had a smile curve at the corner of her mouth.
Having presided over pill distribution matters for many years, they had long grown accustomed to the pill competitions among True Disciples of various lineages. But like today, where a True Disciple with shallow foundation from a weakened lineage dared to be so forceful, opening with such outrageous demands for six pills and directly reaching to take them, this was truly "excitement" they hadn't seen in many years.
Luo Chengxuan's body suddenly lunged forward, his True Origin erupting. His entire person was like an arrow released from a bow, instantly crossing several zhang distance to arrive at Chen Qing's side!
His right hand formed a claw with five fingers, True Origin condensed at his fingertips, emanating crimson scorching energy like red-hot iron, carrying a tearing gale wind as it grabbed directly at the wrist of Chen Qing's hand holding the pills!
This grab was swift and vicious, called the Crimson Sun Grappling Hand, one of the ultimate techniques of the Profound Yang lineage. Its gale wind was sharp, sufficient to leave dents in refined iron. If it struck solidly, an ordinary True Aura realm expert's wrist would immediately suffer severed tendons and broken bones.
The gale wind struck, making the robe at Chen Qing's wrist flutter loudly, his skin feeling faint stabbing pain.
However, Chen Qing seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Just as Luo Chengxuan's fingertips were about to touch his wrist, his right hand holding the pills shook and rotated as if boneless, the movement amplitude extremely small yet exquisitely avoiding that scorching grab.
Simultaneously, his left arm swept backward like a steel whip, his elbow like a heavy hammer, wrapped in mighty blood energy and Mixed Five Elements True Origin, striking with perfect precision toward the inner side of Luo Chengxuan's grabbing wrist!
"Bang!"
A muffled sound, like beating a cowhide war drum.
Elbow and wrist collided, an intense force bursting forth.
Luo Chengxuan only felt a heavy, domineering force transmitting from Chen Qing's elbow, shocking his wrist numb and his blood energy briefly stagnating. His forward momentum was actually forcibly blocked!
His heart was shocked. How could Chen Qing's strength be so great?
This was absolutely not the strength an ordinary once-refined True Origin realm cultivator should possess!
His reaction was extremely quick. One strike missing, he immediately changed moves.
Transforming claw to palm, his palm center crimson as fire, True Origin gushing forth in a Heart-Burning Palm strike toward Chen Qing's back. The palm wind was scorching, as if it could stir heart fire and disturb blood energy.
Chen Qing seemed to have anticipated this. His footwork shifted, skillfully avoiding that scorching palm wind.
Without turning around, his right hand holding the medicine steadily collected the six pills into a jade bottle already prepared, while his left hand pointed fingers together like a sword, turning back to strike swiftly. Mixed Five Elements True Origin condensed at his fingertips, transforming into a concentrated finger wind, soundless yet fast as lightning, stabbing directly at Luo Chengxuan's striking palm!
Before the finger wind arrived, its sharp energy already stimulated Luo Chengxuan's palm acupoints to feel faint pain.
His heart shocked again. Chen Qing's grasp of timing and angle of counterattack were incredibly cunning and experienced, unlike anything normal!
He had no choice but to withdraw his palm to defend again, his wrist turning, transforming palm to chop, slashing toward Chen Qing's pointing fingers.
The two exchanged two moves in the flash of lightning within a small space, force winds spreading everywhere, blowing dust from the ground into slight billows.
Seeing Chen Qing effortlessly neutralize his two killing moves, even shocking his wrist numb with the rebound force, Luo Chengxuan's heart was deeply shaken.
He was the seventh-ranked True Disciple of the Profound Yang lineage. How could he lose face before a newly promoted True Disciple, especially one from the True Martial lineage like Chen Qing?
Luo Chengxuan's eyes completely turned cold as the aura throughout his body held nothing back, erupting thunderously!
The profound foundation of three times True Origin refinement fully manifested, crimson red Blazing Sun True Origin like fiercely burning flames.
"Junior Brother Chen, please enlighten me!"
He shouted lowly, slowly raising his right palm. In his palm center, crimson True Origin gathered madly, as if gripping a miniature blazing sun!
A scorching, domineering terrifying aura spread out. The temperature in the entire Pill Nurturing Hall suddenly soared, the air distorted, and those close to the battle circle even felt breathing somewhat difficult.
Heavenly Mountain Blazing Sun Palm!
As Luo Chengxuan pushed out his palm, that miniature blazing sun suddenly expanded, transforming into an extremely solid enormous palm print!
As soon as the palm print appeared, it carried a thunderous roar, like an actual volcanic eruption, crushing the air ahead, with an unstoppable momentum pressing down toward Chen Qing's head!
Where the palm wind passed, the green stone slabs paving the floor actually began to faintly redden, showing how high the temperature and fierce the momentum!
With this palm, Luo Chengxuan held nothing back, operating his three-times-refined Blazing Sun True Origin to the extreme, determined to reverse the declining situation with one strike!
Facing this mountain-burning, sea-boiling palm, Chen Qing's eyes remained calm.
He neither dodged nor evaded. His right hand index and middle fingers pressed together, the ceaselessly flowing True Origin within his body instantly compressed to a single point at his fingertips!
At his fingertips, dazzling lightning suddenly flared, emitting sizzling sounds, an aura of penetrating everything suddenly erupting!
Nine Heavens Thunderclap Finger! Thunderclap Break!
Chen Qing pointed out with one finger, the lightning at his fingertip transforming into an extremely concentrated azure thunder beam, like thunderclap descending from the nine heavens, its speed surpassing sight!
Where the thunder beam passed, that scorching flame palm print actually seemed split by an invisible force, the violent Blazing Sun True Origin scattering in all directions!
"Tss!"
There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a slight yet sharp penetrating sound!
That thunder finger force, using a point to break a surface, like a red-hot iron rod piercing ice and snow, effortlessly penetrated a fist-sized hole through that formidable flaming giant palm!
The finger force continued unabated, carrying penetrating power that pressed forward, heading straight for Luo Chengxuan's face behind!
Luo Chengxuan's pupils suddenly contracted, shocked and pale!
He never expected that his full-strength Heavenly Mountain Blazing Sun Palm would be broken through its core force so easily by his opponent!
Chen Qing's internal True Origin was vigorous, completely transformed from the Five Elements, and could even be called Mixed Five Elements True Origin.
The finger wind struck his face, sharp and piercing!
Luo Chengxuan was after all an experienced True Disciple. At this critical moment, his body suddenly leaned back while his left hand wiped at his waist, and a crimson sword light suddenly flared!
"Clang!"
The sword cry rang clear as a long sword flowing with flame patterns was already in hand!
Burning Heaven Sword Art! Splitting Flames!
Luo Chengxuan's wrist shook rapidly, the long sword swinging out, sword light dividing, instantly transforming into a giant sword phantom several zhang long, completely condensed from refined flames!
This flaming giant sword carried the determination to tear through everything, chopping down toward Chen Qing's head!
The sword momentum was so fierce that the entire Pill Nurturing Hall trembled slightly with it, dust falling from the ceiling.
This sword was already one of Luo Chengxuan's trump card killing moves. Combined with a middle-grade spirit treasure long sword, its power exceeded his palm techniques!
However, facing this sword sufficient to severely wound or even kill ordinary three-times-refined experts, Chen Qing still didn't use his customary long spear.
He took a deep breath, the blood energy within his body thunderously surging like the great Yangtze River!
Low dragon roars and elephant cries faintly transmitted from deep within him. The skin throughout his body instantly took on a deep ancient bronze-gold luster, ancient Sanskrit characters clearly emerging beneath his skin, a mighty blood energy power like primordial beasts mixed with Buddhist zen emanating forth!
Dragon-Elephant Prajna Vajra Body, fifth layer, operating at full power!
Chen Qing's right foot suddenly stepped forward half a step, the ground's green bricks cracking inch by inch!
He twisted his waist and turned his hips. Facing that chopping flaming giant sword, he neither dodged nor evaded, his right fist clenched tightly, simply and directly punching upward with one fist!
This punch had no fancy variations, only the purest, most domineering force!
Where the fist edge passed, the air was forcibly exploded, emitting dull sonic booms!
Mighty dragon-elephant power mixed with condensed, heavy True Origin, all concentrated on the fist surface!
"Boom!!!"
Fist and sword met, but what rang out wasn't the sound of metal clashing, but rather a dull tremendous sound like a giant hammer striking a ten-thousand-pound bronze bell!
Violent energy rippled outward from their clash point like substantial waves, thunderously expanding!
Some tables, chairs, and ornaments placed in the hall were instantly shocked into powder. Even the heavy dark gold pill furnace in the center shook slightly, its furnace fire swaying unsteadily!
Under everyone's incredulous gazes, that formidable flaming giant sword, the instant it contacted that ancient bronze-colored fist, actually seemed to crash into an eternally immovable towering mountain!
The Blazing Sun True Origin condensed on the sword body first shattered, transforming into scattered flowing fire flying in all directions!
Immediately after, the spirit treasure long sword's main body emitted an unbearable wail, the sword body bending violently into a heart-stopping arc!
"Crack..."
A subtle yet clear shattering sound rang out. The flame patterns on the sword body instantly dimmed, a fine crack spreading from the sword guard!
Luo Chengxuan only felt an indescribable terrifying giant force transmitting through the sword body. That force was heavy as a mountain, explosive as thunder, and carried an unprecedented domineering quality!
His right arm holding the sword instantly went numb and lost sensation, his tiger's mouth split open, blood dripping, the long sword nearly flying from his grasp!
His chest felt as if struck heavily. His entire person staggered backward,
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Each step left a crack in the ground. Only after the seventh step did he barely stabilize his form, his face already pale as paper, his aura chaotic and disordered, his eyes full of disbelief.
Looking at Chen Qing by contrast, his form was stable as a rock, only the ancient bronze luster flowing throughout his body slowly fading, his robes slightly fluttering in the surging force wind.
He slowly withdrew his fist, his gaze calmly looking toward the disheveled Luo Chengxuan, his tone indifferent, as if he had just casually swatted away a fly, "Do you still want to see my strength?"
As his words fell, the entire Pill Nurturing Hall became silent as death.
Huo Qiushui's beautiful eyes widened, her face carrying a trace of unprecedented gravity.
On Yan Chi's exquisitely beautiful and indifferent face, subtle fluctuation appeared for the first time.
And the three elders Zhang Yi, Li, and Wu looked at each other in dismay.
One punch!
With just his physical body and one punch, he had forced back Luo Chengxuan, even shocking him into injury and damaging his spirit treasure!
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