Beast Taming Clan: I Have a Jade Book

Chapter 224: Chapter 223: Pill Competition

As the time passed noon, the warm spring sun shone on the entire Lingyun Peak, becoming slightly glaring, causing some cultivators to squint their eyes.

But at this moment, they still kept their eyes glued to the scene.

Nianyun’s sharp sword light was like a green rainbow’s shadow, each sword strike mysterious and unpredictable.

While pleasing to the eye, each strike also targeted vital points, fierce and ruthless.

On the other side, Ye Jingtai seemed like the strongest defense, with Wood Shield Skill, Wood Vine Skill, Wood Prison Skill, and a Wooden Shield and a Wooden Spear.

Executing them flawlessly.

Alongside the ferocious Black Stone Bear and Black Wood Eagle, for a time, they were locked in a stalemate with the Sword Cultivator Nianyun.

Moreover, the stalemate was not a boring exchange of blows but rather perilous and dangerous.

At times, it was because Ye Jingtai was careless in defense, his Shield-Breaking Skill dissipating, forcing him to rely on the Black Wood Eagle. At other times, Nianyun was entangled by Wood Vines, forcing her to use the Supporting Sword to tear apart the vines as the Black Stone Bear struck hard.

For the Loose Cultivators watching, it was naturally quite thrilling, and if not for feeling embarrassed to applaud, many might have already cheered.

For cultivators, every magical combat is worth learning from, let alone such a duel between a Sword Cultivator and a Beast Cultivator.

Even Ye Jingcheng watched with great interest, as the powerful sword techniques indeed made one breathless.

In the elegant pavilion, the Xu and Mo families felt slightly uncomfortable.

The color added to this competition was indeed achieved, yet they failed to strike effectively.

Now, every moment was tormenting for them.

The Purple Mansion Cultivators in the second-floor pavilion also began to hold their Spirit Tea, no longer leisurely sipping.

As if pondering something.

In the duel, their attacks became more like a storm.

Ye Jingtai took out a third Magical Artifact, a Cyan Cloud Mirror.

The mirror’s reflection on Nianyun resulted in Cyan Cloud Profound Light, enveloping her and making her movements slow like being in a quagmire.

Nianyun was instantly shocked, splitting her sword light into two, with sword aura reaching three feet in length.

The two swords continued to slash towards Ye Jingtai.

These two swords broke through the Wooden Shield, broke through the Spirit Talisman, but were finally blocked by the Black Wood Eagle at the cost of a wing injury.

Meanwhile, the Black Stone Bear’s paw was only three inches away from Nianyun.

“You’ve let me win!” Ye Jingtai gracefully retracted his Magical Artifact and also withdrew the Black Stone Bear, but for the Black Wood Eagle, he continuously fed it medicine and Spirit Pills.

“The Ye Family is indeed formidable, I humbly concede!” Nianyun also withdrew.

Almost at the same time of retreat, even before the Foundation Establishment Female Cultivator from the Cyan Cloud Nunnery could flatter further.

Someone from the Xu Family stepped forward.

“Honored Ascendants and Seniors, in traditional ceremonies, the highlight has always been dueling. I feel that for today’s Cultivation Realm, harmony is more important. How about I refine some Spirit Pills to add a celebratory touch for Elder Ye? Of course, I also heard that the Ye Family is opening a new Pill Shop, so we could have an exchange!”

This person was known to Ye Jingcheng, Xu Wencheng of the Xu Family, reportedly around fifty years old, which was still quite young for a cultivator, yet his talent in Alchemy was exceptionally strong, having already reached Tier Two Middle-grade Alchemist.

Now, stepping up, he had a good chance of being a Tier Two High-grade Alchemist.

Of course, what most annoyed the Ye Family was the fact that Xu Wencheng spoke with composure and tact.

He did not mention where exactly the Ye Family would open their shop, yet he specifically mentioned it was a Pill Shop.

His words naturally warranted consideration, and since the Ye Family was indeed planning to open one, it would be hard to refuse.

However, if the Alchemy competition failed, it would inevitably impact the reputation of the Ye Family’s shop.

After all, the gathering was not just of families from the Taihang Commandery, but also influences from the Taichang Commandery and the Taiyi Sect’s Ascendants.

“Wenchang, this is indeed a good suggestion, but what kind of Spirit Pill are you intending to refine? Regular Spirit Pills don’t offer much competition, and higher-tier Tier Two Spirit Pills might take one to two days to refine.” The one speaking was Ye Xingliu, addressing not Xu Wencheng but Xu Wenchang.

This also darkened Xu Wencheng’s gaze, as the Ye Family still did not regard him with significance at such a time.

Even when responding, they addressed Xu Wenchang.

It must be known that Xu Wencheng, now in the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment, was not inferior to Ye Xingliu.

“Just competing with Cyan Spirit Pills is enough. I have long heard of the Ye Family’s Ye Jingcheng’s remarkable Alchemy Skill, reportedly famous even in Taichang Market!” Xu Wencheng maintained a calm facade. Ye Xingliu and Xu Wenchang spoke, so he spoke with Ye Haicheng.

Furthermore, he implied with confidence that Ye Jingcheng had attended a conference at Taichang Market.

To Xu Wencheng, it was certain that Ye Jingcheng must have purchased Purple Mansion Jade Liquid at that time.

Unlike the Chu Family, who bid at the auction, the Ye Family acquired theirs through the Taiyi Sect.

Unfortunately, they lacked concrete evidence, and due to the conference’s confidentiality requirements, otherwise, they could drag the Ye Family and those of theirs in the sect into an abyss, never to recover.

Colluding with sect cultivators for reselling is explicitly forbidden in the Taiyi Sect. Any discovery leads to stripping cultivation and immediate execution.

“The competition is possible, but with Cyan Spirit Pills, a Full Pill yields only twelve pieces. Even if all bear Pill Patterns, it might be hard to determine a winner?” This time, it was Ye Jingcheng who spoke.

For an Alchemy competition, naturally, he had to take the stage. Although he did not have the Crimson Flame Fox now, for Tier One Spirit Pills, he still had his Lifebound Spirit Fire and feared no one.

“Who says a Full Pill has only twelve pieces? Let’s compete in the number and quality of the pills, as only mediocre alchemists have a narrow vision!” Xu Wencheng continued.

This statement fully changed the demeanor of both families.

His words were full of provocation, without a hint of adding any celebratory touch.

“Alright, then let’s compete. You must be the finest among the young alchemists of the Xu Family!” Ye Jingcheng agreed directly.

Next to him, Ye Haicheng nodded in agreement.

The Ye Family did not express any intention of raising the stakes.

It wasn’t that the Ye Family was unwilling, but rather that the Xu Family did not deserve it at this moment.

Xu Wenchang was at best on par with Ye Xingliu.

Both of them stepped onto the stage, but unlike in direct combat, alchemy naturally requires the setup of an array.

For many Alchemy Masters, refining pills is not something that can be disturbed.

Moreover, alchemy involves family inheritance which cannot be easily witnessed by outsiders.

An isolating array is essential.

Ye Jingcheng knew in his heart that the opponent must have some secret techniques and skills for alchemy.

As a family from the Alchemy Purple Mansion Family, Ye Jingcheng was sure of this.

But he had his winning treasures.

He could use the Two-Part Alchemy Method, refining two furnaces in one go.

If it were before, he might not have been able to accomplish it, but now, having cultivated the Celestial Soul Technique, his Divine Sense had reached the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment.

Coupled with the Three Qian Taihe Furnace and the Spiritual Enhancement Secret Technique, he was completely confident.

Since the Xu Family intended to suppress the Ye Family, the Ye Family could seize this opportunity to make a name for themselves.

The array was quickly set up, and Tianzhen Ascendant personally inspected it.

Tianzhen Ascendant, highly skilled in arrays, simply glanced at it and nodded, announcing the start of the competition.

Unlike earlier when several Purple Mansion Ascendants seemed uninterested.

Now, they seemed curious as they looked at Ye Jingcheng.

“Spiritual Body Cultivators are indeed different!” Tianzhen Ascendant mused.

“What a pity that he’s of the Four Spirit Roots, otherwise my Ye Family would send him to the Upper Sect. Now, neither here nor there, he can only become the patriarch in the family!” Ye Haicheng sighed and spoke softly.

With these words, Supreme Taihao held back what he wanted to say.

As the chosen patriarch of one’s own family, the sect naturally shouldn’t interfere.

Moreover, his apprentice Ye Jingteng was the Ye Family’s greatest Spirit Root talent.

After setting up the array, both individuals entered its confines to begin the alchemy process.

Each received two sets of alchemy materials.

And the time allotted was one and a half hours, by which time dusk would fall.

The competition essentially hinged on one batch to decide the winner.

The alchemy contest itself was tedious, and for many Loose Cultivators and small family members, they could only snack on a little Spirit Tea and Spirit Fruit at this moment.

Then, they watched the Ye Family’s Spirit Rats nearby, waiting for the alchemy to conclude.

The cultivators from the Xu Family became extremely confident, considering Ye Jingcheng hadn’t been in the Foundation Establishment stage for long, and his Divine Sense was far inferior.

Xu Wencheng’s alchemy prowess ranked among the top three in the Xu Family, not something that Ye Family’s juniors could compare to.

While those below awaited in anticipation, Ye Jingcheng and Xu Wencheng on stage had already commenced their alchemy.

Ye Jingcheng activated the Four-Colored Spirit Platform, directly unleashing his Lifebound Spirit Fire. Due to the Red Flame Fox’s influence, Ye Jingcheng’s Lifebound Spirit Fire was far hotter than other cultivators’ Spiritual Fires.

The flames surged high, swiftly engulfing the Three Qian Taihe Furnace.

The entire Pill Furnace flashed with three colors, with Spirit Patterns etched one by one, erupting in Three Qian Spirit Shadow.

It reached the level of a Perfect Furnace.

This time, Ye Jingcheng directly placed one and a half batches of Spirit Medicine into the Pill Furnace, quickly melting them down.

The Two-Part Alchemy Method was employed by him from the start, requiring extremely high Divine Sense. If it had been earlier, he wouldn’t have been so confident.

But now, even without converting the Red Flame Fox’s Spiritual Power using the Beast Communication Pattern, he could achieve it.

…

As time ticked by, accompanied by a pill hum, Xu Wencheng pinched a Spiritual Technique, instantly transforming the spirit fire from a fierce flame to a gentle flame.

This gentle flame was peculiar, seeming like living fire, constantly twisting.

Obviously, Xu Wencheng’s greatest reliance was this Tier Two Heaven and Earth Anomalous Fire, the Melting Heart Flame.

This anomalous fire was discovered in a volcanic crater, its temperature terrifying, and after refining it, he could produce Spirit Pills two realms above his own.

While refining low-tier Spirit Pills, he could even perform extraordinarily well, creating thirteen or even fourteen pills.

Of course, each pill’s quality might be somewhat compromised, but under the enhancement of the spirit fire, the loss in quality was negligible.

As the Pill Furnace was opened, Xu Wencheng also released the array, allowing everyone to see inside.

As the Pill Furnace was unveiled, it revealed a total of thirteen Spirit Pills within, nine of them featured Pill Patterns, while the remaining four had Pill Fragrance.

Many Alchemy Masters present were astounded by the spectacle, indeed witnessing Xu Wencheng refine thirteen Spirit Pills.

However, upon seeing the spirit fire nearby, they suddenly realized!