Immortal Refiner

Having completed its metamorphosis, Fan Tong’s strength began to improve much faster than before.

Before, its cultivation had stagnated at the mid-stage of the First Tier. Even with regular doses of Beast Nurturing Pills, the gains were negligible.

Now, however, the pills were effective again. After consuming one, Li Qing could clearly sense Fan Tong’s strength increasing by a notch.

”At this rate, it should reach the late stage of the First Tier within three to five years,” Li Qing mused, observing Fan Tong. ”By rejecting the mutation offered by the Crimson Crystal, its strength didn’t skyrocket, but its potential has increased significantly.”

Li Qing finished his assessment and turned away. He wouldn’t need to worry about Fan Tong’s cultivation for a while; it would grow stronger on its own.

While he wasn’t sure if the potential granted by the Crimson Crystal would be enough for Fan Tong to break through to the Second Tier, it didn’t matter much. As long as he could still travel to the World of Eternal Night, he would have an endless supply of Crimson Crystals.

”Now, I need to worry about my own cultivation,” Li Qing muttered, pulling a deep brown, perfectly round pill from his storage pouch.

A Foundation Nurturing Pill!

This pill was specifically crafted for cultivators in the Late Qi Refining Realm. Its medicinal power was exceptionally potent and fierce, almost several times more effective than the Qi Transformation Pill.

Li Qing, whose cultivation had reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, found that the Guangling Pill and Qi Transformation Pill had become almost completely ineffective for him. In fact, after consuming so many, he had even developed a slight resistance to them!

Only by using the Foundation Nurturing Pill could he continue to refine his mana and advance his cultivation.

”For this many spirit stones, I hope it doesn’t disappoint me,” Li Qing muttered.

With that, he swallowed the pill directly.

Boom!

The moment the pill entered his mouth, its powerful medicinal power erupted, as if exploding within his body.

In an instant, Li Qing felt as if a raging inferno had ignited in his stomach, burning with intense heat.

This was the Foundation Nurturing Pill’s medicinal power taking effect. Within mere breaths, Li Qing even felt a faint swelling sensation in his meridians.

Without hesitation, he activated the Fire Origin Art and began channeling all his energy to refine the vast medicinal power contained within the pill.

Soon, the medicinal power that had just filled his meridians rapidly dissolved and was refined, settling into his dantian qi sea and transforming into pure mana.

As time passed, Li Qing’s aura steadily climbed, his cultivation visibly improving bit by bit.

The Seventh Layer of Qi Refining was definitely not his limit!

From afternoon until night, it took him nearly three hours to completely refine every last trace of medicinal power contained within the Foundation Nurturing Pill.

”Hmph!”

Exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, Li Qing slowly opened his eyes, a glint of brilliance quickly receding from his pupils.

”Truly worthy of its name, the Foundation Nurturing Pill. Just one pill has boosted my cultivation so much. If I had enough of these, I might reach the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining in just two or three years.”

Don’t think two or three years is slow. Li Qing possessed a Four Spirit Root, and with such a mixed Spiritual Root, advancing in the Late Qi Refining Realm without pills would likely take seven or eight years.

The higher one’s cultivation, the slower progress becomes—an immutable law.

Fortunately, time was on Li Qing’s side, and he had a sufficient supply of Foundation Nurturing Pills to last him a long time.

That night, Li Qing didn’t rest. He needed to continue using his Vital Energy to purge the accumulated pill toxin from his internal organs.

The Foundation Nurturing Pill’s medicinal power was significantly stronger than the Qi Transformation Pill he had taken before, and it also contained a slightly more concentrated dose of pill toxin.

He couldn’t ignore this pill toxin. If it accumulated too much, it would undoubtedly lead to serious problems later on.

After each dose of the pill, purging the accumulated pill toxin from his organs became a mandatory task.

Boom!

After a night of ceaseless Vital Energy flow, Li Qing turned inward and saw that the pill toxin accumulated in his internal organs had been completely purged. Only then did he finally relax.

Thus, over two months passed in a period of utter tranquility. The outside world’s chaos seemed unable to reach the secluded Azure Radiance Pool.

Li Qing was content to cultivate in this peaceful environment. From time to time, he would bring small gifts to Daoist Qingyang, deepening their relationship.

As expected, even though Daoist Qingyang was a Second-Tier Alchemist, his life had been equally uneventful these past few months. No one had come to him to refine any pills, and there wasn’t even a hint of anyone seeking a Foundation Establishment Pill.

It was during these months that news from the Black Sand River Basin finally trickled into Azure Radiance Pool.

”Hahahaha, if we’re being honest, the younger generation of my Heavenly River Sect has even greater potential!”

”What do you think, Fellow Daoist Li?”

A Heavenly River Sect disciple on duty at Azure Radiance Pool laughed heartily as he shared a report with Li Qing.

”Of course. Everyone knows the Heavenly River Sect has the highest standards. Only the most outstanding geniuses and heroes can join. Sigh, I don’t even have a chance.”

Li Qing’s flattery was smooth and effortless, delighting the Heavenly River Sect disciple beside him.

”Hahahaha, you can’t say that. The Shangqing Sect is also very strong. After all, this is our home turf. They might still have many elite disciples they haven’t sent to compete in the arena.”

Despite his words, the pride on the disciple’s face never faded, as if the word ”arrogance” was etched onto his features.

Indeed, the thick report in his hand contained details of everything that had happened in the Black Sand River Basin over the past few months.

Not long after the Core Formation Ancestors of the two sects fought at the Black Sand River, the Qi Refining Realm Heavenly Prodigy disciples’ arena was set up.

Each sect sent ten Qi Refining Realm disciples to compete in a series of matches. Heavenly River Sect’s performance in this contest was nothing short of spectacular.

Out of the ten matches, they won seven!

This victory secured Heavenly River Sect a seventy percent share of the quota for entering the Black Sand River grotto-heaven, leaving Ancestor Kong of Heavenly River Sect overjoyed.

True Lord Kong Ming waved his hand, awarding substantial Sect Contribution points to the seven Heavenly Prodigy disciples who had secured the victories.

Among these seven, Li Qing recognized several familiar faces.

”Nine Heavens! It’s been over six years since we last met. He’s already reached the peak of the Qi Refining Realm!” Li Qing narrowed his eyes, studying the names on the report, lost in thought.

The Heavenly River Sect disciple sharing the intelligence with Li Qing grinned proudly. ”Senior Brother Nine Heavens joined our sect six years ago through the Ascension Conference. Now, he’s already at the peak of the Qi Refining Realm, his strength truly formidable. With this much Sect Contribution, he’s practically guaranteed a Foundation Establishment Pill. I’m so envious!”

Li Qing didn’t want to reveal his connection with Nine Heavens. He never felt honored by knowing famous figures.

Instead, he viewed them as milestones on his path to cultivation. He looked forward to surpassing them one by one—a sight he imagined would be quite satisfying.

”And Senior Brother Liu Huai’an, he possesses a Heavenly Spirit Root. If he hadn’t been severely injured six years ago at the Heavenly River Market and spent the past few years recovering his Vital Energy, he would likely have already reached Foundation Establishment by now. He wouldn’t be here competing in the Qi Refining Realm disciples’ arena.”

”Moreover, Fellow Daoist Li, you know Senior Brother Ye, right? He actually secured a victory at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, albeit through the use of talismans. Still, it demonstrates Senior Brother Ye’s considerable strength!”

As the other cultivator shared these insights, Li Qing simply smiled and remained silent, his gaze fixed on another name:

Shi Nantian!

Shi Nantian had also reached the peak of the Qi Refining Realm and was merely awaiting a Foundation Establishment Pill to attempt the breakthrough.

Li Qing had always held a deep impression of this name.

When they first met, Li Qing was still a spirit mine worker for the Liu Clan. Shi Nantian was then a naive and earnest young man, quick to draw his sword to defend the weak.

Later, Shi Nantian’s personality underwent a drastic change. The sincere and enthusiastic youth transformed into a cold and ruthless individual, completely unrecognizable.

He even ignored Li Qing’s attempts to greet him.

This transformation had always puzzled Li Qing. He wondered what experiences had so profoundly altered the young man.

Before he could dwell on it further, the thick intelligence report revealed more than just information about Qi Refining Realm disciples participating in arena battles. It also contained details about the Underwater Grotto-Heaven.

The friendly-looking Heavenly River Sect disciple flipped through the report, and Li Qing joined him, scanning the pages intently.

But as soon as they turned the page, both men froze in place.

”Yin-Yang Spirit Condensation Liquid! This... this is a Core Formation spiritual object! I never expected such a world-shaking treasure to exist within that underwater grotto-heaven!” The Heavenly River Sect disciple gaped, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Li Qing was equally stunned. He couldn’t believe such a divine treasure had appeared in the grotto-heaven beneath the Black Sand River.

Yin-Yang Spirit Condensation Liquid was a spiritual object that aided in Core Formation. It could increase a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s chance of success by a full ten percent!

It had no other functions—just this simple, brutal efficacy!

Yet even such a spiritual object would be treated as a priceless treasure by countless Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Naturally, when such a divine object appeared in the grotto-heaven, the Foundation Establishment Elders from the two sects who had entered to explore and seek treasures inevitably clashed.

The intelligence report didn’t provide detailed accounts, only using a few words to describe the carnage.

Less than half of the Foundation Establishment Elders who had entered the grotto-heaven to explore and seek treasures returned!

Li Qing couldn’t help but gasp when he saw this shocking statistic.

”Hiss!”

”So many deaths? That’s outrageous!”

These were Foundation Establishment cultivators, and not just any cultivators—they were sect Elders! They weren’t common cabbages you could find on the roadside!

Another disciple swallowed hard, his face turning pale.

The Heavenly River Sect had sent the largest number of Foundation Establishment Elders into the grotto-heaven. Now, with this casualty rate revealed, it was clear that the sect’s losses were devastating.

”There are other dangers within the grotto-heaven. There’s even a mysterious stone egg that devours cultivators’ essence blood!”

”The remaining Foundation Establishment Elders couldn’t capture this mysterious stone egg. It actually fled on its own, and before leaving, it absorbed most of the Yin-Yang Spirit Condensation Liquid.”

Both men stared in disbelief, clearly stunned by the contents of the report.

A stone egg had appeared out of thin air, not only devouring the essence blood of a Foundation Establishment cultivator but also stealing such a vast quantity of Yin-Yang Spirit Condensation Liquid—it was almost impossible to believe.

”Legend says the Underwater Grotto-Heaven beneath the Black Sand River was once a domain of demon beasts in the Ancient Era. Could this be an ancient demon beast’s egg, sealed away until this era?!”

The Ancient Era of the cultivation world was a time steeped in myth and legend.

Rumor had it that even ascensions to the Upper Realm were common then, not a rarity.

Imagine the power of the demon beasts in an era teeming with greatly powerful beings.

This mysterious stone egg, shrouded in such an aura of mystery, was enough to drive countless cultivators to madness.

The two men continued flipping through the report, desperate to learn the final outcome.

Unfortunately, the report’s length was limited, merely mentioning a few other extraordinarily precious treasures found in the Black Sand River Grotto-Heaven. None, however, could compare to the shock of the Yin-Yang Spirit Condensation Liquid and the mysterious stone egg.

Without a doubt, the Heavenly River Sect had suffered the greatest losses in this expedition, with the highest number of Elders killed.

The only consolation they could find was that the remaining small portion of the Yin-Yang Spirit Condensation Liquid had ultimately fallen into the hands of a Heavenly River Sect Elder.

Perhaps in the coming years, with this limited amount of liquid, the Heavenly River Sect could gain another Core Formation Realm supreme elder!

But that was a matter for the future. For now, the situation in the Black Sand River Basin was likely to become even more tense than ever before.

Li Qing pondered for a moment, then slowly rose to his feet. He felt it necessary to share the information he had learned today with Daoist Qingyang.

At the very least, he should show that he was willing to share.

”Fellow Daoist Chu, thank you for sharing this information with me today. I must take my leave now!”

Li Qing clasped his hands in a respectful bow, then soared into the air toward the mountain peak where Daoist Qingyang’s cave abode was located.

(End of the Chapter)

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