Chapter 74

The strength of his aura forced He Chengdao to retreat three steps, his expression filled with shock and uncertainty.

How could Chen Zhao possibly have time to cultivate?

He never imagined that forming a Golden Core required immense Spirit Qi, and even after formation, another five years were needed.

With the aid of Heqi Pills and Pojing Pill, Chen Zhao barely broke through.

"Looks like I won't need to lift a finger."

Li Zhiwei nodded lightly; ten years ago, she had received a letter from Chen Zhao, promising to intervene once at a critical moment in exchange for one pill upon successful formation.

But she hadn't expected it.

Chen Zhao, merely at Qi Refining ninth layer, had actually triggered a Pill Tribulation.

Such alchemical talent, without any lineage, already surpasses ninety percent of the Dan Tang alchemists!

"Just luck, thank you all for your concern."

Chen Zhao appeared calm and detached, hands tucked in as he approached.

Yet inside, he was in agony.

To forge this pill, he spent eighty percent of his Spirit Stones just to replenish his own spiritual energy.

The remaining twenty percent went entirely toward his own cultivation.

He only hoped this pill's effect would be strong enough—one single pill could resolve the Empty Spirit Body.

He'd keep two aside to try out and recoup his losses.

As he silently fumed, Xin Tong lunged at him, pinching his cheeks and bursting into tears, wailing with a mix of longing and resentment.

Her lips quivered, unable to utter a single word for a long while, only clutching tightly at his wide robe.

For ten years, she never dared close her eyes, staring blankly at the stone door every day, lost in thought.

She had rehearsed a thousand scenarios for their reunion, yet now that it was real, she felt as shy and tongue-tied as on their first meeting.

"Foolish girl, I made this for you."

Chen Zhao stroked her short hair.

He was no saint—he could not possibly spend ten years of his life solely for others.

This Nine Orifices Solid-Source Pill, besides enabling Xin Tong to break through and carve high-level Arrays, also served Chen Zhao greatly.

A flicker of ink vanished within his sleeve, faintly revealing the character "Great Auspicious."

【Divination has refreshed】

【Today's Divination·Great Auspicious】:

You consume two Nine Orifices Solid-Source Pills and become the Qin Jade Exquisite Body.

Brief, yet irresistibly enticing!

He had only received Medium Auspicious when obtaining the Ninefold Control of Essence Art—what kind of fortune was Great Auspicious?!

Special body types were as rare as Heavenly Spirit Roots, and this Qin Jade Exquisite Body was something he had never heard of before.

Could this pill truly have such an effect?

Ancient texts mentioned it sparingly, only stating it could dispel the Empty Spirit Body—nothing else was known.

He parted her teeth with his finger and placed the pill onto her soft, fragrant red tongue; as the rainbow light vanished into her throat, his heart rose to his throat.

Please don't eat them all—save me two...

Xin Tong sat cross-legged to absorb the pill's power; rainbow light flickered in and out of her acupoints, as if sealing off leaks of Spirit Qi.

Yet the light was faint, and the efficiency abysmally low.

Chen Zhao broke into a cold sweat and immediately activated the Concealment Array, assisting her alone to metabolize the pill's power and unblock her meridians.

A dot of ink condensed at his fingertip, gliding across her smooth, snowy back, moving upward—making her jade body tremble slightly, a faint blush rising on her shoulders, utterly adorable.

None of the others knew what was happening inside; only Li Zhiwei shook her head with a faint smile and floated away.

"What was that pill?"

The He Family Brothers turned pale, unable to calm down for a long time.

After that sudden thunderclap, the pill had broken past second-rank, and two Pill Patterns now adorned its surface!

This was the result of excessive spiritual energy being forced into the pill, mixing chaotically with the Spirit Qi!

How many alchemists spend their entire lives without ever seeing one—yet Chen Zhao produced three in a single batch, all bearing Pill Patterns.

Liu Chen shook his head, equally stunned.

But unlike the brothers, he felt no greed—only a quiet sense of shared pride.

He let out a loud laugh and returned to his Cave Abode to close himself off for cultivation.

The Su family sisters had anticipated this, waiting patiently for good news.

Wan Yao intended to celebrate, but Su Muqing clenched her fists, harboring other plans.

Within the Array.

Xin Tong frowned tightly; less than one-tenth of the pill's power remained, yet the Baihui point atop her head stubbornly refused to ignite.

As he saw he'd need to use the second pill, Chen Zhao's heart sank.

After crossing over, this was his first Great Auspicious—how could he let it slip away so easily?

Added to that, the three main ingredients were ones he'd never seen before in this world; miss this chance, and they might never appear again.

Chen Zhao's gaze turned sharp.

He condensed a drop of his essence blood and pressed it onto her forehead, draining his own vitality.

"Three years? Fine. With the Longevity Record, is this little lifespan really so much?"

Suddenly—

Seven-colored treasure light surged into the sky; the spiritual pressure of Qi Refining eighth layer exploded outward, Xin Tong's jade foot lightly tapped the air, her hair glowing like a rainbow.

The next instant.

She suddenly appeared beside Chen Zhao, linking arms with him.

"Space technique?"

Su Muqing was stunned.

Space techniques are immensely useful in combat, storage, and escape.

Regardless of realm, only a genius can attain them; even a Foundation Establishment cultivator holding a transmission Jade Slip may not grasp even a fraction.

She was now at Qi Refining tenth layer, and her usefulness to Chen Zhao was diminishing—he must find another way to survive.

Her red lips parted as she hurried to Chen Zhao's side, her expression awkward:

"Congratulations on your emergence from seclusion, Great One. Xiao Qing has nothing to offer in tribute, but I wish to venture beyond the mountains to seek treasures for you—please grant me permission."

Chen Zhao studied the black robe she wore, raising an eyebrow.

Ten years had passed, yet this woman had gained fortune—her cultivation had grown so swiftly.

He silently divined, then gave a slight nod, permitting her to travel far abroad, while he returned to his Earth-Rank Cave Abode to swallow two Nine Aperture Solidify Source Pills.

…

One month later.

Above the Earth-Rank Cave Abode.

Nine-colored glassy light suddenly flared, as if countless immortals and Buddhas had manifested in the heavens.

At the cloud's edge, a corner of the Floating Pagoda was faintly visible, its seven tiers of jade tiles encircled by incense smoke.

Jiang Yanqiu gazed into the distance, her slender brows furrowing.

"Exquisite Heart Aperture, Leakless Body, penetrating comprehension, immune to all poisons."

"After Yue Prefecture sank, how could an Exquisite Dao Body still emerge here? This person's fortune defies heaven."

Such a body cannot be cultivated merely by swallowing pills—only if a pregnant woman ingests Nine Aperture Solidify Source Pills and gives birth at a specific auspicious time and location does the child have a minuscule chance of acquiring it.

She pinched her fingers and summoned the Yin-Yang Treasure Mirror, murmuring incantations.

Not long after.

Jiang Yanqiu's smile vanished; her gaze turned grave.

"Strange—why can the Imperial Mother Mirror not reflect this causal thread?"

Know this: all things under heaven have cause and effect—but the Exquisite Body has effect without cause, as if it appeared out of nowhere.

Who is this person?

On the other side.

Chen Zhao sat alone in meditation.

Spiritual flashes continuously arose in his mind; previously incomprehensible points now became instantly clear.

With a gentle breath, he drew in three-tenths of the Spirit Qi around him, storing it within his body without leakage, ready for use at any moment.

"This body truly deserves Great Auspicious—it's just too conspicuous, like a walking lantern."

He willed his mind, suppressing the glassy light; his appearance returned to normal, his spiritual power now indistinguishable from that of an ordinary mortal.

This effect far surpasses the Concealment Technique!

Tap. Tap.

A knock came at the door. Chen Zhao scanned with his spiritual sense but saw no figure—only a letter lay on the ground.

The signature, written in standard script, read "Liu Chen"—elegant, sharp, bearing signs of deliberate training.

"He really has to compete at everything."

Chen Zhao chuckled silently.

He glanced briefly at the body of the letter, then his expression grew slightly serious.

"Ban Ruo Men will visit tomorrow, proposing a contest between the Outer Sect Disciples of both sects to exchange Dao insights, with each side offering treasures as prizes—this is the Xuanmen Chanfeng."

Tian Kui offers a Mysterious Rank Upper-tier "North Star Light-Splitting Sword," while Ban Ruo simply offers two Foundation Establishment Pills as reward for the victor.

Liu Chen wishes to invite him to participate, so they may meet again at their peaks and split the rewards equally.

Chen Zhao was deeply tempted.

Then.

He decided to close himself off in seclusion again.