thefictionvixens Chapter 173 Crystal Acquired, Demonic Invasion
Chapter 173 Crystal Acquired, Demonic Invasion
Chapter 173 Crystal Acquired, Demonic Invasion (5.8k words, 2 extra chapters for Guardian Pig Chan)
Three days later
Outside the alchemy room of the residence of the Imperial Alchemist, Master Hanyan.
Qin Chengcheng, Chen Yi, Qi Yourong and others sat around a stone table waiting, while alchemy disciples served them spiritual tea and fruits.
Master Hanyan has opened two batches of Crystal Condensation Pills in one go this time.
She was in such a hurry because she had received instructions from the Emperor Qi.
Two days ago, Emperor Qi finally made contact with True Monarch Zixiao, who had previously rushed to Zhongzhou, through the communication array.
The urgent message from the other party filled Emperor Qi with both surprise and fear:
[In the Demon Beast Mountain Range, the Demon Restoration is flourishing. It seems a beast-taming prodigy has risen to power, wielding the power of a mid-stage fourth-tier demon king. He launched a sneak attack, injuring my fourth-tier flying boat. I myself suffered minor injuries, and several of my disciples were killed or wounded. The Central Plains prodigy Zuo Shouqing died in battle, as did the Vajra Temple's Linghua Zhenren. The young monk Linghui fell from the flying boat, and his fate is unknown.]
[The demonic cultivators' aura is erupting. I sense at least three mid-Nascent Soul stage experts; whether there are any late-Nascent Soul stage experts is currently unknown. Judging from the direction of their attack, the demonic cultivators are likely targeting your Qi Kingdom's territory. Fellow Daoist Qi, please be careful. I will also report this matter to my sect elders and the major sects of Zhongzong. I believe the major cultivation sects of Zhongzhou will send people to assist your Qi Kingdom. However, in the early stages of the war, the cultivators of Qi Kingdom still need to work together to hold the line and prevent the demonic cultivators from capturing strategic mountains and major sects, which will become difficult to attack in the future.]
"A mid-stage fourth-tier demon king?!"
When Emperor Qi heard this word, his heart skipped a beat.
A fourth-tier demon king is equivalent to a Nascent Soul cultivator in human form. Considering that it is even more difficult for demon beasts to reach the Nascent Soul stage than for humans, those who can cultivate to the level of demon king not only possess powerful ancient bloodlines but also have extremely strong opportunities and luck.
Therefore, within the same level, a demon king's combat power generally crushes that of a Nascent Soul cultivator of the same level.
A demon king at the mid-stage of the fourth tier might even be able to fight against a cultivator at the late-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.
Of course, human cultivators possess various magical treasures, supernatural abilities, formations, talismans, and other external resources, so their combat prowess cannot be estimated solely based on cultivation level.
However, regardless of the circumstances, a mid-stage fourth-tier demon king is already equivalent to a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator with powerful divine abilities and a powerful natal magic weapon.
However, the King of Qi was self-aware; he could only barely reach this level with the help of Qi's national treasure, the Dragon Pattern Sword.
However, his strongest fighting power can only be unleashed within a radius of approximately 500 li (about 250 kilometers) around the capital of Qi.
Compared to that mid-stage fourth-tier demon king, the difference is vast.
Moreover, Fairy Zixiao said that she had sensed the fluctuations of at least three mid-Nascent Soul stage demonic cultivators throughout the entire Demon Beast Mountain Range.
If such a large force were to enter the State of Qi in one fell swoop,
What should he use to block it?
Let alone waiting for rescue, it's difficult to even survive the initial stages.
"There are still two old fellows in Qi who are retired and can't be left idle."
And those sects, they must prepare for war in full force!
Emperor Qi issued a series of messages, notices, and orders.
In an instant, the entire cultivation world of the Qi Kingdom was on high alert.
War supplies prices skyrocketed, and the prices of almost all types of cultivation materials—flying boats, talismans, magical artifacts, and elixirs—rose dramatically overnight.
Meanwhile, shop rents in major immortal cities are quietly decreasing, while cave dwelling rents are rising.
The merchants were aware of the situation and were not optimistic about Qi's defensive capabilities, so they were prepared to abandon the city at any time.
However, for independent cultivators and lower- to mid-level cultivators, no matter what, the immortal city is protected by a powerful array, and the cave dwellings within the immortal city are safer than those in the market towns of the wilderness.
Cultivators with some savings will choose to hide in the Immortal City at critical moments.
And those lowly, independent cultivators who can't afford to enter the city...
As for escaping the State of Qi
The Qi Kingdom borders the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the lair of demonic cultivators and monsters.
On the other side, bordering the endless sea, the sea monsters are fiercer and the living conditions are worse, far inferior to those on land.
Where to escape to? Even ordinary Core Formation cultivators wouldn't dare venture into the Demon Beast Mountain Range or flee into the endless sea.
Therefore, whether preparing for war or leaving it to fate will lead to wealth and fortune or to an unexpected endeavor depends on destiny.
Against this backdrop, the Qi Emperor issued a notice to all major powers and sects in the Qi Kingdom.
All reserves of spiritual herbs and medicines will be used to refine pills that enhance cultivation and advance to the next level.
Among them, Foundation Building Pill and Crystal Condensation Pill are the most critical and scarce.
Therefore, this time, Master Hanyan not only needs to hurry up and refine the Crystal Condensation Pill for Qin Chengcheng,
We also need to refine one for Qi Yourong.
At the same time, she also made a rare move by opening up her inventory to accept custom orders from cultivators who brought their own Crystallizing Fruits, the main ingredient for Crystallizing Pills.
As Qin Chengcheng's follower, Chen Yi had the good fortune to witness Master Hanyan refining the Crystal Condensation Pill.
She possesses early-stage True Core cultivation and is a mid-grade third-tier alchemist. She is quite skilled at refining Crystallization Pills and has a high degree of confidence in her abilities.
He is considered one of the alchemists trained by the royal family specifically for the Crystallization Pill.
A few days later,
Outside the alchemy room, the spiritual mist gradually thickened.
Suddenly, the alchemy furnace hummed and vibrated, and icy blue light burst out from the gaps in the furnace lid. The intense fragrance of the alchemy, mixed with spiritual energy, exploded out and instantly filled the courtyard!
The spiritual fruit dishes on the stone table jingled and trembled. Qi Yourong and the others' sleeves fluttered as they instinctively covered their faces and retreated.
The next instant, the rosy light surged back into the furnace like a whale sucking in water.
The alchemy furnace remained silent for a while.
"call out!"
A crystal pill the size of a longan burst forth from the furnace!
Five mysterious and profound patterns flow across its surface, and the icy cold energy condenses into frost flower phantoms, quietly floating in the palm of the Cold Smoke Immortal.
The white-browed female alchemist lightly flicked the jade box with her finger: "Young friend Qin, I have not failed you. This is a genuine Crystal Condensation Pill, with five distinct patterns."
Qin Chengcheng's fingertips touched the icy wall of the jade box, her eyes reflecting the frosty gleam of the elixir, and a genuine smile finally appeared on her lips: "Thank you, Master."
She was slightly excited, especially since the Crystal Condensation Pill was something she could hardly obtain even as the chief disciple of the Wonderful Sound Pavilion without a special opportunity.
Even if a disciple were willing to "sell himself" to Sect Master Lin Fan, he might not be able to obtain it.
For ordinary True Core sects, producing one True Core cultivator every hundred years is considered quite good.
Many sects have gone hundreds of years without producing a single Core Formation cultivator, resulting in a gap at the True Person level, with Core Formation sects being downgraded to Foundation Establishment sects.
And now...
He can finally look forward to reaching the Core Formation stage!
After obtaining the Crystal Condensation Pill, Qin Chengcheng prepared to embark on a final sprint of seclusion.
On the other side, Master Hanyan continued to open the furnace to refine pills for Qi Yourong.
Before going into seclusion, Chen Yi obtained the communication method of True Immortal Hanyan from Qin Chengcheng.
A few days later, Chen Yi, posing as a rogue cultivator who had reached the Core Formation stage, sent a message to True Person Hanyan:
[I have long admired Master Hanyan's superb skill in refining Crystal Condensation Pills. Passing through the imperial city, I wish to obtain one for my disciple. Currently, I only possess one Mystic Ice Crystal Condensation Fruit as the main ingredient. I wonder if Master Hanyan would be willing to discuss refining the pill? I will use spirit stones or other resources to cover the costs and other auxiliary ingredients.]
Two days later, Chen Yi received a reply:
Sorry, I do not accept requests from strangers.
[This junior, Feng, is one of the most outstanding talents in the Qi Kingdom. For some reason, it is inconvenient for Feng to appear in the imperial city in his true form. Therefore, I am sending this message. I hope Fairy Hanyan will forgive me.]
On the other side, Fairy Hanyan, who had just completed two orders of Crystal Condensation Pills, understood upon seeing this news:
"It really is you, Feng Xiansheng."
The traditional supernatural power of the Feng family is the Wind Escape Technique, which, according to legend, is a basic Wind Escape technique that evolved from the ancient supernatural wind and divine escape techniques.
Using this supernatural power, the Feng family committed many disgusting acts. Stealing treasures and picking up bargains were minor matters; legend has it that a certain Core Formation cultivator in the Feng family was a master thief.
They stole a considerable amount of treasure from the treasury of Core Formation cultivators and the treasures of True Core demons.
The capital city is so vast; if Feng Xiansheng dares to show himself, there will surely be many people coming to collect debts from him.
Master Hanyan understood what the other party meant. Combined with the fact that a few days prior, her black market had been intercepted by a man surnamed Feng, who had stolen a significant amount of auxiliary materials for Condensing Crystal Pills.
We are already 80% certain of this person's identity.
Hmph, they stole my men, and now they're begging me for mercy. I won't be satisfied until I've given them a good beating.
However, Master Hanyan couldn't reveal his identity as the person behind the black market; he needed to find a reason.
"So it's Fellow Daoist Feng. If it's you, I might make an exception and secretly prepare a batch of Crystal Condensation Pills."
However, by refining pills for Fellow Daoist Feng, I risk ruining my reputation, and the refining costs will be higher.
Okay, the specific cost is negotiable; we can discuss it in detail when we meet.
[At noon three days later, at the abandoned Dan Alliance headquarters in the former West Annex City, meet at the Dan Room of Jia San.]
This is a secret alchemy location of Master Hanyan, occasionally used to refine some elixirs that cannot be made in the open and are then sold through the black market.
She is both an alchemist and a poison master, possessing the skills of a mid-grade third-level poison master, and is not worried about Feng Xiansheng, a fellow cultivator of the same level who is extremely fast.
Three days later
Outside the abandoned Dan Alliance headquarters, outside the Jia San Dan room,
A streak of azure wind escaped, moving with both stealth and speed at a third-tier escape speed.
Chen Yi wore a simple mask, behind which was the image of a middle-aged man with a small mustache, tall and thin.
Similar to the former Feng Qingjun.
"Fellow Daoist Feng is punctual. Let me take a look at the main ingredients for your Crystal Condensation Pill."
Chen Yi possessed extremely high concealment skills, and even Han Yan Zhenren couldn't discern Chen Yi's true cultivation level. However, upon seeing Chen Yi's third-tier Wind Escape technique, he had already confirmed the other party's identity.
Chen Yi took out the Mystic Ice Crystal Fruit and handed it to the other party from a distance.
Master Hanyan took the item from his snow-white arm and immediately understood what was going on.
The only source of the recently produced Mystic Ice Crystal Fruit is the secret realm of the Jade Dragon Sect.
The information she possessed mentioned that Feng Qingjun, the prodigy of the Feng family, seemed to have participated in the competition for a mid-grade third-tier Crystal Condensation Fruit in the secret realm.
Now it seems, perhaps it was this one?
"Hmm, the ingredients are good, but I've recently opened two batches of Crystal Condensation Pills, and I haven't replenished some of the auxiliary ingredients yet."
Currently, we are still lacking important auxiliary medicinal herbs such as *Hypericum chinense*, *Ling Shuang* root, *An Shen* branch, and *Xia Guang Teng*.
Of course, it would be best if you had fire crystal ore, as it would increase the success rate of alchemy, since the alchemy furnace here is abandoned and the earth fire is unstable.
Master Hanyan said with a deep, mysterious gaze.
Upon hearing these documents, Chen Yi immediately understood that the mastermind behind the black market was right in front of him.
"Hehe, Fairy Hanyan knows everything about my control over alchemy materials."
Unexpectedly, the black market on the outskirts of the city that Feng visited half a month ago turned out to be one of Fairy Hanyan's businesses.
I apologize for my rash actions that day.
Chen Yi was also very generous and readily apologized with his hands clasped in a gesture of respect.
What happened on the black market that night was a fatal crisis for ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, and even for those who had only recently achieved Core Formation.
But for a Core Formation cultivator, it's just a matter of a joke, an apology, and a show of weakness—it's all over in a minute.
At most, I'll lose some money.
"I have all of these materials, including several fire crystal ores, which I will also use for alchemy."
As for the cost of alchemy, you may name your price, Fairy; I, Feng, will not haggle.
He needs someone's help, and just recently, he even stole alchemy materials from someone else's subordinates. Now, he's bringing these materials to someone's door, asking them to refine pills.
Chen Yi adopted a very humble attitude.
Seeing Chen Yi's upright character, Fairy Hanyan didn't say anything more.
"The servants are blind, and Fellow Daoist Feng has been kind enough to let it go, so this True Immortal will not pursue the matter further."
"How about the alchemy fee of 15,000 spirit stones?"
That day, Chen Yi robbed the other party of goods worth approximately 30,000 spirit stones. Now, Master Hanyan is only charging a handling fee of 15,000 spirit stones, which is considered quite generous.
Even if you accept a normal order for Crystal Condensation Pills, the refining cost is 10,000 spirit stones.
"You've worked hard, fairy. Fifteen thousand spirit stones isn't much, but I'm willing."
Chen Yi guessed that perhaps it was because of the identity of the True Person surnamed Feng that True Person Hanyan gave him face and didn't completely break off relations.
Of course, it also depends on the quality of the other party's alchemy and whether they have hidden tricks in the pills before making a judgment.
Next, the normal process of setting up the furnace and refining pills began.
For five consecutive days, Chen Yi remained hidden and observed from the sidelines.
Master Hanyan left no secrets during the alchemy process. In fact, after using Chen Yi's five fire crystal ores and discovering that the quality of the Crystal Condensation Pill could be improved, he even took out a piece of his treasured, high-quality Three-and-a-Half-Colored Cloud Pattern Vine.
On the sixth day, the elixir was ready.
The icy-crystal-colored pill flew out, and Master Hanyan caught it in his hand, revealing a satisfied smile:
"Fellow Daoist Feng, are you still there? I have successfully completed my mission; the five-and-a-half-patterned Crystal Condensation Pill is close to the finest level!"
Chen Yi appeared at the opportune moment, arriving near the figure shrouded in cold mist. He used his divine sense to observe the Crystal Condensation Pill and discovered that it indeed exceeded the level of ordinary Crystal Condensation Pills, reaching a level close to that of a fine-grade pill.
"Fairy Hanyan has gone to great lengths. The loss of high-quality materials in the process will be charged to me, Feng. I am willing to pay 20,000 spirit stones for the refining fee."
For an extra five thousand spirit stones, Chen Yi could obtain a Crystal Condensation Pill that was close to a high-quality one, which he felt was a very worthwhile investment.
Once he returns, he can try controlling the system to see if it can accurately absorb impurities or other interfering energy within the Crystallization Pill.
If successful, he could even elevate it to a masterpiece.
Of course, the higher the grade of the elixir, the more complex its energy composition, making it more difficult to precisely absorb it using the system's power.
It's even possible that a small change could have far-reaching consequences; even the slightest disturbance of a tiny amount of energy could cause the core medicinal power of the elixir to collapse and explode.
If Chen Yi's culinary skills hadn't reached the third level, which was already similar to alchemy, and he hadn't also achieved a level of meticulous energy control,
Even with a system, this is impossible.
"Fellow Daoist Feng, I do not want your spirit stones."
This elixir is also formed from my own body and soul; to achieve a near-perfect quality is a rare find, one that has been encountered only once in many years.
At this point, Fairy Hanyan suddenly changed the subject, saying:
"Fellow Daoist Feng, I know that you possess unparalleled speed in escape techniques."
With the Demon Beast Mountain Range now experiencing unusual activity and the demonic forces launching a counterattack, the Qi Kingdom will soon be drawn into battle.
I am merely an alchemist; my combat skills are weak, and my ability to escape is even worse.
If one day, the capital of Qi cannot be defended,
I hope that if Fellow Daoist Ruofeng is nearby, he can lend me a hand.
"If you're willing, I'll waive the refining fee for this Crystal Condensation Pill. How about it?"
After a brief silence, Chen Yi replied, "May I take a look at this Crystal Condensation Pill first, and then give you an answer?"
There's a psychological game involved here.
Chen Yi appeared as a Feng surname True Man. His speed was unparalleled. If he obtained the Crystal Condensation Pill, he could simply run away, and his opponents would have no way to stop him.
But if the other party is unwilling to trust Chen Yi now, then expecting Chen Yi to save them in the future when they are in danger is unlikely to be genuine; it might just be a trap.
Chen Yi naturally wouldn't come to the rescue then.
The choice depends on whether Master Hanyan is willing to relinquish the initiative.
Upon hearing this, Master Hanyan smiled.
"Hehe, I have long heard that the Feng family's true master is a man of his word, and even thieves have their code of honor. He has never broken a promise or commitment."
"Consider this pill something I refined for you free of charge, fellow Daoist. Please take it."
Master Hanyan generously handed the Crystal Condensation Pill to Chen Yi from a distance, but a hint of nervousness appeared in his eyes.
If this fiend takes the Crystal Condensation Pill and leaves, she will be powerless to stop him.
At most, it might cause some trouble for the other party's junior, that prodigy named Feng Qingjun.
However, in order to gain Chen Yi's trust, she did not leave any hidden tricks in this Crystal Condensation Pill, and reduced the poison level to the minimum she could manage.
After obtaining the Crystal Condensation Pill, Chen Yi did not activate the Wind Clearing Escape technique.
He simply wanted to check whether there were any hidden tricks or toxins that shouldn't be present in this Crystallization Pill.
With his advanced, mid-level third-tier divine sense, he discovered that this pill was indeed a high-quality pill, without any problems.
It's just a hair's breadth away from being a masterpiece.
Chen Yi nodded slightly to Fairy Hanyan:
"What a fine example of thieves having their code of honor! The black market under the fairy's control likes to cheat people out of their money, but the fairy is quite open about it."
"Alright, I agree to this."
"Master Feng"
Fairy Hanyan paused slightly, then said to Chen Yi:
"Twenty thousand spirit stones is no small sum. It's not for this money, but Master Feng, you're so elusive that I'm afraid I won't be able to reach you if something happens."
Please swear in the name of the Feng family that you will not break your promise.
Under the watchful gaze of Fairy Hanyan, Chen Yi could only smile wryly and make a vow:
"I, Feng Zhenren, swear that if Fairy Hanyan ever encounters difficulties in the future, I will lend a helping hand to the best of my ability."
If this is violated, my junior, Feng Qingjun, will be unable to form his core, or even if he succeeds, his path to enlightenment will be fraught with difficulties!
See here,
Fairy Hanyan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled happily, her eyes curving into crescents; she was indeed a beauty in the making.
A transaction worth 20,000 spirit stones, with the promise that a junior cannot form his core as the wager, is more than enough.
Fairy Hanyan was very satisfied:
"Hehe, then I wish Master Feng all the best."
By the way, now that we've met, if Master Feng has any pills that need refining, please feel free to send me a message.
"I will only charge the cost price for the medicinal herbs and their processing."
"Perfect timing. I still need some third-tier thunder beast blood essence, but I don't have the resources right now."
"The fairy is a high-society figure in the capital; she should have access to these resources, right?"
Chen Yi thought to himself, "Since I've already made the vow, and the other party is willing to believe me and befriend me,..."
I might as well ask her for another favor.
Fairy Hanyan was slightly taken aback. Her statement that the other party needed her help with alchemy was merely a polite formality.
The transaction should have ended by now, so why is this Feng Zhenren so shameless as to ask for other things?
However, the two have just reached a cooperation agreement, and she may need the other party's help in the future. If she refuses the other party's offer to do a small favor now, wouldn't she offend the other party?
but,
The essence blood of a third-tier thunder beast is not only incredibly valuable, but also extremely difficult to obtain.
There are very few monsters with the lightning attribute to begin with.
Even in the imperial city, it's considered a rare resource. Even for someone like her, it would require spending a certain amount of rare resources to purchase it.
"Uh, Thunder Beast essence blood, and it's even third-tier. I wonder how many drops True Person Feng needs?"
"The more the better, price is not a problem, I can eat it all."
Am I worried you won't be able to finish it? I'm worried I won't be able to buy enough high-level resources!
Fairy Hanyan felt a deep bitterness in her heart, yet found it difficult to express. She thought to herself, "Master Feng's skin is truly thick."
As expected, he possesses the shameless nature typical of the Feng family.
"I will try my best to keep an eye out for you, but four drops is the maximum; this substance is extremely rare."
"Of course. Then I, Feng, will await your good news, Fairy."
I'll take my leave now; we'll communicate via jade slips in the future.
"it is good."
Chen Yi used the third-tier Qingfeng Escape technique to quickly leave. His speed was extremely fast, and his figure and aura were well concealed.
Even the True Core level divine sense of Fairy Hanyan couldn't discern the true extent of Hanyan's cultivation when Hanyan used her escape speed.
"Legend has it that the Feng family's signature skills are speed and the ability to conceal their presence."
Seeing you today, it's clear you truly live up to your reputation!
The Fairy of Cold Mist was filled with emotion.
In the past few days, she has worked overtime to refine three batches of Crystal Condensation Pills. The last batch, in particular, required a great deal of effort because she needed to establish a connection with Feng Xiansheng to improve the quality of the pills.
I am extremely exhausted now.
Fortunately, they also managed to get in touch with a renowned Core Formation cultivator from the State of Qi.
Having gotten to know more people like this, she felt more confident in saving her life when real danger came.
As a weak woman, she has no talent in combat. Relying on her alchemy skills, she can only accumulate more resources and make more friends in order to protect herself.
Half a day later,
Qin Chengcheng's Cave,
Sensing Chen Yi's return,
Qin Chengcheng rushed out of seclusion, found Chen Yi, and anxiously said:
"Chen Lang, there's confirmed news from the Qi royal family: the flying boats in Zhongzhou have encountered problems."
Zixiao Zhenjun was injured, Zuo Shouqing died in battle, Linghui Monk went missing, and Qiuli and Young Master Ji were both injured, the details of which are currently unknown.
Meanwhile, a beast-taming genius has emerged in the demonic path, wielding a mid-grade fourth-tier demon king, and is about to break out of the Demon Beast Mountain Range and invade the cultivation world of the Qi Kingdom!
(End of this chapter)