Chapter 185: Unexpected Visitor

Another half-month passed.

Qin Ming had nearly finished studying the Yu Xuan Dan formula; once the materials arrived, he could begin refining this pill.

Besides that.

He was also researching the high-grade pill formulas Su Yuqing had previously sent him, among which was a spiritual pill requiring a second-stage perfect Two-Pupiled Demon Ape demon core, named the 'Void-Breaking Pill'.

This pill could greatly enhance one's blood and qi strength and transform the physical body, surely providing the conditions needed to push his Innate True Qi to its third transformation.

The spiritual materials required to refine this pill were quite complex, but Qin Ming had already planted all the necessary second-stage spiritual herbs in the medicine field before his cave dwelling, and they would be ready for harvest in another two years.

If a 'Ripening' trait refreshed, it would be even faster.

For Qin Ming, the most crucial main material, the second-stage perfect demon core, was already secured, and the other spiritual grasses would not be difficult to gather.

On this day.

Qin Ming had completed his daily cultivation and was by the lakeside, holding a Dragon Blood Divine Fruit to tease the Black Water Crocodile.

Whoosh! Outside Wangyue Lake.

A streak of purple escape light approached from afar, arriving in an instant and flying straight toward Wangyue Island.

Qin Ming furrowed his brows, extended his divine sense to probe, and his face immediately displayed an expression of great astonishment.

An ordinary-looking dharma boat had docked outside the island, and inside the cabin sat a single person.

"It's actually Wei Wuya!"

"Didn't he say he was secretly entering closed-door cultivation to break through to the Golden Core stage?"

"Why has he come to my place?"

Qin Ming wore a puzzled expression, unable to fathom the reason despite much thought.

Shortly after, a streak of light pierced through the Mist Illusion Realm and landed in Qin Ming's hand.

He opened the sound transmission talisman in his palm.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, please come out for a chat."

Although Qin Ming did not know why Wei Wuya was seeking him, he decided to go out and meet him nonetheless.

"Go play by yourself!" Qin Ming threw the Dragon Blood Divine Fruit in his hand forcefully into the distance; with a splash, it fell into the water, causing the Black Water Crocodile's eyes to light up as it transformed into a bolt of lightning and chased after it.

Afterwards, Qin Ming dispersed the Mist Illusion Realm, flew out of Wangyue Island, and landed on the dharma boat outside.

Two guards dressed in ordinary clothes stood on the deck; upon seeing Qin Ming arrive, they hastily bowed and said, "Island Lord Qin, our master invites you inside!"

Qin Ming glanced briefly at the two men and discovered that both possessed cultivation at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

"Mm!"

He replied faintly, then stepped into the interior of the cabin.

The space inside the boat was quite large, decorated simply yet impressively.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, long time no see!"

Wei Wuya still wore a tall crown and possessed a jade-like face, with sword-like eyebrows reaching his temples, radiating a powerful aura from head to toe.

However, when Qin Ming entered and probed the other's magic power cultivation with his divine sense, he found it still remained at the perfect stage of Foundation Establishment, though the magic power seemed much more refined.

"Hehe! Fellow Daoist Wei, long time no see; why not come to my island to sit for a while?" Qin Ming forced a slight smile onto his face and said politely with clasped hands.

Wei Wuya waved his hand. "No need, Fellow Daoist Qin; I will not stay long today, so we can just talk right here."

"Oh? I wonder what urgent matter has brought Fellow Daoist Wei to seek out Qin Mou from so far away?" Qin Ming asked with confusion.

Wei Wuya did not rush to answer Qin Ming's question.

Instead, he invited Qin Ming to take a seat and personally brewed spiritual tea for him before finally revealing his purpose: "I have come this time regarding a very important matter, to ask for Fellow Daoist Qin's help."

Hearing this, Qin Ming showed a look of surprise, silently pondering what matter could even Lei Yuanzong not handle, that it would require asking an outsider like himself? "Oh?"

"Please speak, Fellow Daoist Wei; if Qin Mou can contribute even a meager effort, I will naturally do my best," Qin Ming said with a faint smile.

Afterwards.

A set of silver array flags appeared in Wei Wuya's hand; he waved his arm, and the flags transformed into several streaks of silver light that fell around the cabin.

In an instant, all surrounding sounds were isolated, clearly indicating a high-grade sound-isolating array designed to block detection.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, this matter concerns something of great importance; what we discuss today requires your strict confidentiality," Wei Wuya said with a grave expression.

Qin Ming nodded. "Since Fellow Daoist Wei trusts Qin Mou, you may rest assured."

His impression of Wei Wuya was still fairly good.

"It is like this: I wish to ask Fellow Daoist Qin to refine a certain type of pill, which belongs to the category of second-stage top-grade spiritual pills."

Immediately after.

Wei Wuya took out an ancient-looking pill formula and handed it to Qin Ming.

"Soul-Returning Pill?"

Qin Ming took the formula and glanced up, where three crimson seal-script characters immediately entered his view.

He then continued reading downward, only to become increasingly shocked the more he read.

This 'Soul-Returning Pill' was actually a spiritual pill capable of overdrawing one's remaining lifespan to restore one's cultivation back to its peak.

However, once a cultivator consumes this pill, as soon as its medicinal power ends, their soul will immediately wander the void; furthermore, this is an extremely special spiritual pill with an incredibly high difficulty of refinement.

Looking at the densely packed refinement methods above, Qin Ming couldn't help but feel a headache! "Fellow Daoist Wei, this..." After finishing the formula, Qin Ming couldn't help but show a difficult expression.

Wei Wuya seemed to have anticipated Qin Ming's reaction and immediately followed up with a promise: "As long as Fellow Daoist Qin can help refine this pill, name any condition you wish."

"Additionally, all the spiritual materials required to refine the Soul-Returning Pill have already been fully prepared on my end."

Even so, Qin Ming dared not agree directly.

"Ahem! Fellow Daoist Wei, it is not that Qin Mou is unwilling, but I just glanced at the formula, and the refinement difficulty of this Soul-Returning Pill is probably the highest among all second-grade pills; Qin Mou dares not make a casual promise, lest I delay Fellow Daoist Wei's important affairs," Qin Ming said helplessly.

Wei Wuya lightly furrowed his brows, then sighed and said, "What Fellow Daoist Qin says is indeed correct; if it were not so, I would not have come to beg you."

"In fact, Elder Yan, who possesses the highest pill refining skill in our sect, has already attempted to refine it over ten times, yet without exception, every attempt has failed."

"Oh? Is it that renowned Tier-Two Upper Grade Grand Alchemist of the Wei State Immortal Realm, Yan Changkong?" Qin Mou had, of course, also heard of such a figure.

Wei Wuya lifted his teacup, took a sip, nodded, and said, "That's correct."

"If Qin Mou may be so bold as to ask, does your sect not possess a Tier-Three Alchemy Grandmaster?"

Pfft! Upon hearing these words, Wei Wuya spat out the spiritual tea he had just swallowed.

He awkwardly wiped his mouth before replying, "Ahem! Elder Yan is simply the one with the highest alchemy proficiency within our sect."

"There is no Tier-Three Alchemy Grandmaster."

"Not even within the entire Wei State Immortal Realm."

Qin Mou uttered an "Oh," nodded thoughtfully, and then couldn't help but think to himself, 'So my own alchemy proficiency has already reached the ceiling of the Wei State Immortal Realm.'

'It seems that only in a place with an orderly lineage like the Liang State does a Tier-Three Alchemist exist, and even there, there is only one.'

'A Tier-Three Alchemist is truly a rare species in the Southern Desolate Immortal Realm!'

Besides this.

Qin Mou had also roughly guessed for whom Wei Wuya had commissioned him to refine the Soul-Returning Pill. (End of Chapter)