Chapter 13: Eyes Beyond the Wall

Chen Zhao immediately drew the lot.

【Today's Divination · Ill Omen】: Zhao Dehai's promotion deadline is imminent, and he is in a period of needing pills. While discussing with Liu Chen, he smelled Pill Fragrance, so he has been staking out the place every day. Seeing that you have successfully refined pills, he plans to extort and steal them.

Smelled Pill Fragrance?

Chen Zhao's nose twitched slightly; the surrounding air was as usual.

He cleans up the scene every time.

Could it be that his cultivation is not as good as this person's, so he can't smell it?

"I have to make him conclude that I can't refine pills."

Chen Zhao deliberated.

If I resist forcefully, I must use the last Spirit-Avoiding Pill for a sneak attack.

Killing him definitely won't work; instead, it will let Su Wanyao and the others learn that I have a Spirit-Avoiding Pill. By then, I'll become the target of everyone.

Not worth it, not worth it.

The next day.

Zhao Dehai found Liu Chen in his Cave Abode, his face full of anxiety:

"Junior Brother Liu, can you lend me a few bottles of Qi Gathering Powder? Or put in a few good words for me so Senior Sister Wan Yao will lend me some?"

He only had a few months left before turning twenty-one, yet he still couldn't break through.

He was about to be reduced to a Handyman.

And his mission had also been revoked by Su Muqing.

He couldn't even afford one bottle of Qi Gathering Powder a month, let alone other pills—it was simply a slow death.

"I've already used up my Qi Gathering Powder, but Senior Brother, don't worry. Just go back and wait for good news."

Liu Chen smiled and brushed him off.

In his heart, however, he sneered coldly.

To him and Su Wanyao, this man's stance was wavering and his cultivation was low.

Once the Spirit-Avoiding Pill incident ended, he lost his utility value.

"Junior Brother, you've said that three times now. Can you give me a definite answer?"

Zhao Dehai grew increasingly impatient.

If his normal cultivation speed were sufficient, why would he humble himself to beg a junior?

Thinking of this.

His heart hardened.

He activated the Qi-Observing Technique and looked toward Liu Chen.

"Let me see whether you truly don't have any, or just don't want to lend them!"

Zhao Dehai muttered resentfully in his heart.

He knew this act was very offensive; if he weren't pushed to the limit, he wouldn't want to offend the other party.

Sure enough.

Liu Chen's body was full of the scent of herbs and wood, clearly possessing quite a few pills.

Zhao Dehai was just about to make trouble.

But he saw a wisp of herb-and-wood scent drift past his nose. Although it was from yesterday, faint beyond measure, it was even more refined, accompanied by a hint of fire.

He had once watched others refine Qi Gathering Powder and remembered this scent vividly.

Who refined this Qi Gathering Powder?

Following the scent.

He whipped his head around and saw Chen Zhao sitting cross-legged in cultivation.

He remembered what Su Muqing had said at Baixian Tower.

This junior brother was also refining pills, but at that time, he couldn't even condense medicinal liquid.

In just half a month, he could refine such refined pills?

Better observe for a while first.

If it were truly so, the best method would be to bring him under his wing.

But this person is a rock in a latrine—even Su Wanyao couldn't win him over, so he definitely has no chance.

A flash of viciousness crossed Zhao Dehai's eyes.

Within the sect, he indeed couldn't strike a killing blow, but he was at Qi Refining Fifth Layer; at worst, he could steal and extort.

After bidding farewell to Liu Chen.

He darted into the woods and concealed himself.

He formed a hand seal and activated the Heavenly Eye Technique.

In an instant, obstacles within ten zhang vanished from his sight.

Only Chen Zhao remained, sneaking a Pill Furnace out of his Storage Bag.

"Hmph! As expected, it's him."

Zhao Dehai snorted coldly, quite pleased with himself.

He saw Chen Zhao form a seal and point, and the Pill Furnace slowly activated.

He threw in the medicinal ingredients, simmered them over a gentle flame—everything matched the techniques in "Initial Explanations of the Pill Canon."

Zhao Dehai nodded repeatedly as he watched.

But just at the critical moment of condensing the pill.

Chen Zhao's technique grew increasingly clumsy, and he even increased the Spirit Qi output to wrap the Pill Embryo.

The pill embryo twisted instantly.

Boom!

The pill embryo could not withstand the force and blasted straight out of the furnace.

Zhao Dehai's lips twitched.

His cultivation was far higher than Chen Zhao's; even the slightest deliberate movement by Chen Zhao would be exposed to him.

"This kid can't possibly be condensing pills."

But he, a complete outsider, had no way of understanding.

Chen Zhao is practicing the techniques of the "Refining Alchemy" chapter!

In his eyes,

the pill embryo either blasted apart or turned to ash.

Aside from the initial steps, it was just like him—a complete outsider!

"Another exploded furnace? Is this kid really this prone to failure?"

Zhao Dehai took a deep breath.

He suppressed his impatience.

"He's only been practicing alchemy for half a month; a few exploded furnaces are normal."

A month later.

Zhao Dehai was numb.

This kid goes to the Ling Tian during the day—he couldn't follow him.

Finally, he caught him practicing alchemy.

And again—another flashy furnace explosion.

"But the Pill Qi is on him—if not him, then who?"

Zhao Dehai made up his mind.

Block him!

Grab him and ask!

Just as Chen Zhao emerged from the Ling Tian, Zhao Dehai stepped forward to meet him.

"Brother Chen, I'm currently stuck at a bottleneck. I heard you have a lot of Qi Gathering Powder—could you lend me a few vials?"

"Brother, didn't you hear wrong? I'm a Tenant Farmer—where would I get the spare Spirit Stone to buy Qi Gathering Powder?"

Chen Zhao grinned.

His face radiated innocence, honesty, and harmlessness.

"But I do have some Qi Gathering Powder—I'm running errands for Sister Li, taking them to Wan Bao Lou to sell. Brother, would you like to buy some?"

Running errands for Sister Li?

Do you even believe that excuse yourself?

Zhao Dehai gritted his teeth.

If it truly belonged to Li Zhiwei, he truly couldn't touch it.

But he couldn't even meet an Outer Sect Disciple—how could he verify the truth with Li Zhiwei?

He didn't have much time left; he couldn't afford to tangle with Chen Zhao.

"It seems this path is blocked. If I want to advance, I must find another way."

Chen Zhao returned to his Cave Abode.

His Mental Power was extraordinary; whenever Zhao Dehai peered at him, he felt a faint anomaly.

Today, it finally vanished.

Chen Zhao lay on his bed and exhaled in relief.

"All those exploded furnaces weren't for nothing."

"Zhao Dehai has little time left—he won't have any spare attention for me before his promotion."

Over this past month, he had indeed gained something.

He trained diligently in the "Refining Alchemy" chapter, attempting to envelop the pill embryo in Spirit Qi and observe its changes, deepening his understanding of alchemy to a new level.

But the losses were real.

He stroked the pitted, scarred Pill Furnace, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"This furnace won't last much longer—I need to get a new one."

Chen Zhao mused, glancing at the Storage Bag at his waist.

"To ward off disaster, I bought eight Condensing Qi Grasses—now I only have five Low-grade Spirit Stones left,"

"But fortunately, all eleven vials of Qi Gathering Powder remain untouched."

Though repeated use diminishes the efficacy, eleven vials should be enough for me to break through to Qi Refining fourth layer.

As for the remaining Qi Gathering Powder…

"It's time to shed my Tenant Farmer identity—otherwise, I can't even sell things without being cautious."

Chen Zhao sighed softly.

But he couldn't directly reveal his identity as an Alchemist—he must proceed gradually.

He pondered for a moment.

He went to the Ling Tian and knocked on the wooden door.

"Sister, I've finished reading 'Basic Explanations of the Pill Scripture,' but I still have a few questions—could you please guide me?"

Chen Zhao's action.

He wanted to become a First-grade Alchemist before his senior sister, making everything flow naturally.

His senior sister promised that one day he could assist with Alchemy, and she would likely answer his questions.

As long as she saw that he was making progress, all would be Great Auspicious.

Creak.

Li Zhiwei opened the wooden door.

"Such a strong burnt smell… Did you blow up the furnace?"

She flared her delicate nostrils, a strange expression crossing her face.

Then, she handed him a small booklet.

"This is what I wrote when I first entered the sect, with extensive annotations on the Basic Interpretations of the Alchemy Scripture. Practice outside the room. If you don't understand something, knock again."