Chapter 19
A few brief words had already struck down all the disciples present, and only then did Daoist Qingxuan steer the conversation back: “The dantian of a cultivator is a fixed quantity; once it shatters, it cannot be repaired, just like spilled water cannot be gathered again. However, in the grand scheme of things, there is always a chance for change. In ancient times, a certain alchemist extracted a thread of variability from the stones used to mend the heavens, crafting the Primordial Mending Pill. This divine elixir can transform the fixed nature of the dantian into something variable. Not only can it repair the dantian, but it can also enhance its quality. And this is merely the effect of the mortal-grade Primordial Mending Pill! As for the effects of the celestial-grade, only that ancient alchemist would know…”
Upon hearing this, the crowd was filled with longing.
If they could obtain a Primordial Mending Pill now and present it to the sect leader, they might never have to worry about cultivation resources for the rest of their lives.
“Next month, a small ancient secret realm will open in Zhongzhou. Not only is there a battlefield for demon beasts, but it’s said that there are also the caves of ancient cultivators. Perhaps we might find such a divine pill there?” Lu Changtian’s expression was invigorated. According to Daoist Qingxuan, his dantian was currently at the seventh rank; if he could get his hands on a Primordial Mending Pill, surely his dantian would rise to the sixth or even fifth rank!
“You can go and try your luck,” Daoist Qingxuan nodded.
In truth, he didn’t hold much hope. The Primordial Mending Pill was already a rare treasure in ancient times; how could it possibly appear in a small secret realm? However, entering the secret realm would still be a valuable experience, and they might acquire some resources, so he refrained from dashing their hopes.
“Today’s lecture ends here. Return to your caves,” he said, waving his sleeve to dismiss the disciples.
Just then—
Boom—!
A beam of blue light shot up from an unknown source, piercing the sky.
It cleared the clouds and mist above Wanqing Mountain.
The blue light continued to ascend, reaching into the azure void, like a divine pillar connecting heaven and earth.
Cultivators across the entire Cangyun Realm looked up in shock, their expressions changing dramatically.
“Spiritual light transforming into a pillar, medicinal aura soaring to the heavens! This—this is a divine pill manifesting!”
“It’s in the direction of Wanqing Mountain! Let’s go, we might still make it!”
“Who knows what kind of divine pill it is? If I could obtain it, my cultivation would surely skyrocket!”
Atop Chixiao Peak, Daoist Qingxuan’s narrowed eyes suddenly widened.
In the next moment, he soared into the air, racing toward the direction of the blue light. Meanwhile, several other prominent cultivators from Qingyun Sect also took flight.
All cultivators with any strength around Wanqing Mountain sprang into action.
…
【Celestial-grade Primordial Mending Pill has manifested, causing a stir in all directions. Would you like to spend 18¥ to conceal the heavenly secrets?】
“Huh?” Chen Huai’an’s lips twitched as he stared at the notification on his phone.
No doubt about it, the phenomenon was too obvious; it was practically shouting to everyone around that there was something valuable here.
The map quickly filled with dense red dots, and more and more began to light up, making his scalp tingle. Fortunately, considering he had already spent ninety thousand, the game developers didn’t push him for more in subsequent maintenance.
Still, he felt quite displeased!
Couldn’t the function to conceal heavenly secrets be given for free?
Grinding his teeth, Chen Huai’an reluctantly spent 18 yuan.
【Concealing heavenly secrets!】
The blue light pillar vanished, and even the rich aroma of the medicine dissipated in an instant.
Daoist Qingxuan, who was closest, hovered in mid-air, utterly bewildered.
His spiritual sense swept over the area for several miles like a tidal wave, but he found nothing.
“Isn’t that Li Qingran?” As his spiritual sense brushed past a small house, Daoist Qingxuan recognized it as the dwelling of his former fifth disciple. He remembered that Li Qingran had been expelled from Chixiao Peak and then from the sect entirely. Zhang Hanxiao had said he would send Li Qingran down the mountain to return to the mundane world. How could she still be here in Wanqing Mountain? Was she seeking death?
“Hmph, does she think she can stay in Wanqing Mountain and return to the sect?”
Daoist Qingxuan shook his head, a cold smile escaping his lips.
Unable to find the divine pill, he was already in a foul mood and had no desire to concern himself with Li Qingran.
After searching around with no results, he could only return to Qingyun Sect, filled with confusion and frustration.
There must have been a divine pill manifesting within Wanqing Mountain, but the sudden disappearance of its phenomenon could only mean two things.
Either the divine pill had already been taken by someone.
Or the heavenly secrets of the divine pill had been concealed by someone.
In either case, the cultivator responsible was not someone he could afford to provoke.
“May I request the esteemed elder to show yourself? I humbly ask for a remedy to restore my dantian. I am willing to exchange any resources for it!”
Wu Duantian, the sect leader of Qingyun Sect, bowed deeply toward Wanqing Mountain.
If a powerful being were here to refine a divine pill, perhaps they would have a way to procure a remedy for restoring the dantian.
This way, his direct disciple could receive treatment.
However, after waiting for a long time, there was no response from the vast mountains.
“Sigh—!” Wu Duantian sighed, his face pale, feeling helpless as he turned back home.
The great cultivators who understood the situation had all left.
Only a few scattered cultivators and those with limited experience remained in Wanqing Mountain, trying their luck.
No one knew that the divine pill, which had shocked the entire Cangyun Realm for a moment, was now lying on an unremarkable wooden table.
In the corner, a girl, already frightened silly, huddled in fear.
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Chapter 20: Swearing to the Heavens (Sponsored by the Star-Eating Durian)
“Elder, what… what is this?”
Li Qingran was startled when she heard Chen Huai’an say he wanted to help her restore her dantian. Then something landed on the table, and the entire room was enveloped in a sea of blue light, accompanied by a rich medicinal aroma. Just inhaling it made her feel the flow of spiritual energy within her body quicken!
“This is a pill that can restore your dantian.”
Chen Huai’an didn’t mention the name of the pill.
After all, it was clear that this pill was very valuable.
As for Li Qingran, his current view of her was akin to a highly intelligent AI character. Achieving this with today’s AI technology isn’t difficult; it just requires sufficient data flow for training.
Since the game developers were skilled hackers, creating a high-intelligence AI model would be a piece of cake.
Though high-intelligence AIs differ from humans, they can still simulate human emotions under the influence of data flow.
If he simply told Li Qingran that this was the Primordial Mending Pill, she would surely refuse.
“A pill that can restore my dantian?” Li Qingran had never heard of such a thing. She only knew that once the dantian shattered, it was nearly impossible to repair. Even if it could be repaired, the methods involved were certainly beyond the reach of a small cultivator in the Qi Refining stage.
Moreover, the commotion caused by this pill’s mere appearance indicated its extreme rarity.
“Elder, this pill is too precious; Qingran cannot accept it.”
Li Qingran’s tone was resolute. She desperately wanted to restore her dantian, but she felt she had already received too much from the elder. At the same time, she had no way to offer an equal return, and this imbalance made her feel guilty.
“Just take it!” Chen Huai’an pressed the communication talisman, inwardly thinking, as expected. This AI indeed simulates character traits very well. If it were a different game, even a nurturing type, she would have accepted it without hesitation. He continued, “This pill was specifically made for you; it’s useless to me. Just take it! If you don’t, those people will come to snatch it!”
Chen Huai’an rambled on.
What Li Qingran heard was: “This item is useless to me. The earlier commotion has already attracted the attention of cultivators. I can’t conceal the heavenly secrets for long; if you don’t take it now, you’re just asking for trouble!”
“I…”
Li Qingran gazed at the ceiling, her eyes falling back on the Primordial Mending Pill, biting her lip, her face a picture of conflict.
Taking the pill would make her feel guilty; she couldn’t repay the elder.
Not taking it would mean causing trouble for the elder…
“Hurry up!”
A stern voice boomed from above.
“Eep.” Li Qingran trembled in fright.
In the end, when faced with the choice between her principles and defying the elder, she chose to break her own boundaries.
She didn’t want to anger the elder.
Chen Huai’an watched as the girl cautiously picked up the pill from the table, a wicked smile creeping onto his face.
“Ha ha, in the end, you’ll obediently take it!”
He noticed that Li Qingran had been calling him elder, and he felt a bit elated.
From now on, he would just refer to himself as “this esteemed one,” playing the part perfectly~
“If you don’t take this pill, then I’ve wasted 90,000 yuan for nothing!”
Earlier, things had been so urgent that he hadn’t even had time to see what he had drawn in the last five hundred pulls.
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