Chapter 77: Nine Pellets Formed

Willow-Sweeping Courtyard, outside the Alchemy Room.

Wang Ping, Tie Lanshan, and six others sat cross-legged outside, waiting silently.

Two ke have passed since that Foundation Establishment cultivator took action.

Originally they thought this Foundation Establishment cultivator would exterminate the loose cultivators around Hundred Arts Garden, but a voice from above shouted, "Zhao Wuji, are you dead?" and then summoned him back to the heavens.

However, after such an incident, no cultivator dares to approach the vicinity of Hundred Arts Garden.

At least for the past two ke, not a single cultivator has approached the vicinity of Willow-Sweeping Courtyard.

"I wonder when this sudden great battle will end?"

Tie Lanshan gazed at the sky, feeling melancholy, and said, "At this hour, the sky is dark; from the hundred-zhang height, rumbling sounds still come, and from time to time lightning, floods, flames, vines, and shattered fragments of magical treasures fall from the heavens."

Wang Ping opened his tightly closed eyes and calmly said, "Even if there is a temporary ceasefire, from now on the Western Drooping Lands will likely see endless war!"

"I plan to leave the city and find a place to cultivate in seclusion until I break through Foundation Establishment!"

Wu Yue also spoke up at this time.

"I fear that by then the entire Western Drooping Lands will have no place for hidden cultivation; breaking through Foundation Establishment without the aid of a second-grade spirit vein, even if we have Foundation Establishment Pills, what good are spirit stones?"

Ouyang Hua calmly analyzed.

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

"I wonder what power the Soul Refining Hall belongs to, daring to openly oppose the Hundred Nations Alliance?" Wang Ye's words were filled with doubt.

You should know that not long after the Ancient War ended, the Hundred Nations Alliance appeared on this land.

In its long history, no one knows how many forces it has destroyed, nor how many it has merged.

In the past three thousand years, no force has dared to challenge its authority.

Thus the appearance of the Soul Refining Hall shocked everyone.

Wang Ping recalled the words recorded in the Spirit Insect Breeding Notes, hesitated for a moment, and said:

"The Soul Refining Hall may come from another world; I happened to obtain an ancient text, which records that during the Ancient War they once appeared, and later withdrew from this world."

"Not a power of this world?"

"They appeared even in ancient times?"

"No wonder they have such confidence!"

"But why would they descend here?"

Wang Ping's words left Tie Lanshan and the others astonished; they were not surprised that other worlds exist, as the Ancient War is said to have been an invasion of the Demon Realm.

But since the Ancient War ended, it has been a long time since any news of cultivators from other worlds has been heard.

Wang Ping shook his head and said, "I don't know the specifics either, because that ancient text only records this passage!"

Several faces showed disappointment, yet they could also accept it, after all the time is too distant.

Just then, the door of the Alchemy Room suddenly opened, and Tie Lanshan and the others' faces lit up—the elixirs were finished!

"Please, fellow Daoists, come inside!"

Wang Ping, Tie Lanshan, and the others entered the Alchemy Room; the elixirs had just been finished refining, and the room still retained residual heat and a fiery red environment stained by long-burning flames.

Alchemist Zhang Zuo sat cross-legged before a yellowish-brown elixir furnace as tall as two people, with nine jade bottles neatly placed before him.

Wang Ping's eyes twitched; nine jade bottles—surely this batch of alchemy produced nine pellets.

Seeing his good friends enter, Zhang Zuo smiled, his voice excited: "This time, the first batch of materials yielded three pellets, and the second batch, by inviting heavenly fortune, actually yielded six pellets. As an old Daoist who has practiced alchemy for twenty years, I have never heard of any alchemist achieving such a success rate! Hahaha!"

Zhang Zuo was obviously so delighted that, after speaking, he could not help but burst into hearty laughter.

Wang Ping and the others also showed moved expressions, and they all began to offer congratulations.

After the congratulations, Zhang Zuo stood up and said:

"Since you have all come here, old Daoist, I will now open the furnace and collect the elixirs!"

Wang Ping secretly admired him; Fellow Daoist Zhang Zuo's conduct clearly showed an open heart, letting everyone know he had no hidden reservations.

Actually, even if Zhang Zuo did not do this, just based on the nine Foundation Establishment Pills, Wang Ping and the others would not suspect him.

"Rise!"

Zhang Zuo's whole body radiated red spiritual light as he formed hand seals, sending a strand of spiritual light into the elixir furnace.

Under the gaze of Wang Ping and the others, the furnace lid slowly turned, then revealed six small holes.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

The moment the small holes opened, six streams of fiery red hot air shot out from the furnace.

Accompanying them were nine round, white elixirs that rolled about.

Zhang Zuo, calm and unhurried, extended his mental power, drawing the nine elixirs swiftly into the nine jade bottles.

Then, with a practiced motion, he sealed them with spiritual wood stoppers.

"Hahaha! Fellow Daoists, we have not failed our mission; these nine elixirs are enough for us to share! Hey, where did Fellow Daoist Li go?"

Only then did Zhang Zuo suddenly notice that Li Ye was not here.

In fact, Wang Ping had also noticed, but he simply hadn't had a chance to ask.

Tie Lanshan then stood up and said, "Li Ye is dead! We several people jointly decided this!"

Afterward, he spent ten breaths explaining the matter briefly.

Zhang Zuo fell somewhat silent; the excitement from producing nine Foundation Establishment Pills gradually faded, and he finally sighed repeatedly.

As for Wang Ping, what could he say? The person was already dead and had not harmed him, so he could not even muster anger.

Li Ye's affair caused no ripple; afterward, Wang Ping and the seven others each received one Foundation Establishment Pill.

Two pills remained on the scene! But no one knew how to divide them.

Wang Ping was the first to withdraw, claiming he had purchased a Foundation Establishment Pill at the auction and no longer needed another.

Actually, there is another reason: he has achieved a false divine sense, possesses top-tier cultivation methods, his spiritual power is extremely pure, and he has attained great perfection in body refinement; if even two Foundation Establishment Pills cannot let him break through, then more would be useless.

Tie Lanshan and Monk Liaoru withdrew simultaneously; they were of one mind, only needing one Foundation Establishment Pill.

Next, Zhang Zuo, the Alchemy Master, also withdrew. He stated, this alchemy session might allow him to gain some insight, possibly breaking through the barrier of two thousand strands of spiritual power; at that time, earth Qi will also lend its aid, and it will not be inferior to a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Only Wang Ye, Ouyang Hua, and Wu Yue remained on the field.

Wu Yue glanced at the two, gave a bitter smile, withdrew, and said:

Everyone, I once suffered severe injuries, damaging my foundation; I seek a Foundation Establishment Pill for my grandson, so one is enough!

Wu Yue's words shocked everyone present; Zhang Zuo, the Alchemy Master, flashed forward, seized Wu Yue's pulse, after a long while sighed and lowered his right hand.

His meridians continue to age; he cannot withstand a massive influx of spiritual power, his dantian is only two-thirds the size of a normal great completion cultivator's, his stored strength is insufficient—under such circumstances, attempting to break through to Foundation Establishment is hopeless!

Wu Yue gave a bitter smile, nodded, and said:

So over the past ten years, I have painstakingly cultivated the Talisman Dao, just to earn a Foundation Establishment Pill for a junior disciple. Now my wish has been fulfilled; it can be considered getting what I wanted!

Once Wu Yue withdrew, only Ouyang Hua and Wang Ye remained on the field, so the Foundation Establishment Pill would naturally be one each.

But they cannot take it for nothing; they must pay the corresponding amount of spirit stones.

Fortunately, just now outside they harvested fifty storage bags, which likely contain a considerable number of spirit stones.

However, before dividing these storage bags, Tie Lanshan and the others gave Wang Ping's spirit stones to him.

Wang Ping directly accepted them; no one counted exactly how many spirit stones were inside, but it should be close to a million spirit stones.

Zhang Zuo and Wang Ye were unaware of what had happened at the Respectful Garden; seeing Wang Ping with over ten storage bags hanging from him, both showed expressions of surprise.