Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Qin Hongdao and his sister were not as keen-eyed as Ning Yuzhou. After observing for quite some time, they failed to perceive any extraordinary features in the bronze-colored alchemy furnace; it seemed like an ordinary Mystic-grade furnace.

The Qin siblings, never hesitating to ask when in doubt, openly inquired, "Mr. Ning, what's wrong with that furnace?"

Ning Yuzhou smiled and replied, "This is a Sacred-grade spiritual artifact. Using it to refine pills can double your efficiency. Even if a pill refiner only possesses fifty percent of their abilities, this furnace can boost their effectiveness up to seventy percent."

For example, Wang Qirong's pill refinement technique, which originally could produce only seven spirit pills per batch, would see an increased success rate with this furnace, allowing her to yield a full batch of pills.

Everyone was enlightened, then startled once more.

In the Holy Martial Continent, even King-grade Spiritual Tools were rare, let alone Sacred-grade ones. Anything bearing the "Sacred" prefix was legendary, out of reach for current practitioners. It was said that most Sacred-grade Spiritual Tools could generate their own Spirit Inceptions, endowing them with even greater vitality and making them the ultimate desire of any practitioner.

For a moment, everyone was left speechless.

"Such remarkable abilities this young lady possesses, to acquire a Sacred-grade Alchemy Furnace," Sheng Yunshen marveled. "If word got out, it might invite trouble."

Shang Hongyue fixated on the unassuming furnace, unable to suppress her envy.

Frustration simmered within her. What was so great about Wang Qirong? Wasn't it just that she could refine pills? Yet, even the legendary Sacred-grade Alchemy Furnace acknowledged her as its master. No wonder she acted so arrogantly.

If the world knew the true grade of that furnace, would she still be able to maintain her arrogance?

Just as she was brooding, Ning Yuzhou continued, "Although a Sacred-grade Alchemy Furnace is excellent, it's not easy to wield. One must possess the strength to control a Sacred-grade Spiritual Tool. It's difficult to make a Spiritual Tool acknowledge its master and unleash its full potential. Judging from how Wang Qirong refined the pill, there were a few stagnant moments. If not for those, with the aid of that furnace, she should have been able to produce a Supreme-grade pill instead of just Superior and Intermediate-grade ones."

Shang Hongyue heaved a sigh of relief and asked, "Ning Young Master, if she can make that furnace acknowledge her as its master, will she be able to refine higher-grade Spiritual Pills?"

Ning Yuzhou smiled slightly. "Indeed, but it's not a guarantee." He continued, "A skilled practitioner can still refine Supreme-grade Spiritual Pills without a good alchemy furnace."

"Absolutely!" Qin Hongdao agreed. "No matter how excellent something is, it's still just an external possession. Cultivators should first focus on self-improvement before anything else. Without proper skills, even if a Divine-grade Spiritual Tool acknowledges you, your outcome won't change much."

"Noble Miss Qin speaks wisely," Ning Yuzhou affirmed.

Both Sheng Yunshen and Wen Qiao nodded in agreement.

Shang Hongyue looked at the four of them, opened her mouth as if to speak, then closed it again, a hint of shame on her face.

She had almost let jealousy towards Wang Qirong cloud her judgment, contemplating doing something she once despised. She hated Wang Qirong with a passion and disliked her arrogant demeanor. But what did that have to do with her? As long as she became strong enough that even someone like Wang Qirong wouldn't dare provoke her, would she still fear losing her cherished fruits?

Suddenly, Shang Hongyue's mind cleared up, and he finally managed to break free from his mental obstacle.

Everyone in the box turned to look at him, falling silent upon witnessing his sudden enlightenment.

Enlightenment was the most precious treasure on a cultivator's path of cultivation. When someone was in the midst of an epiphany, very few would dare to disturb them out of respect for those in that state, as it had become an unspoken rule among cultivators.

Looking at the enlightening Shang Hongyue, Wen Qiao's bright, contrasting eyes revealed her unmasked curiosity. Seeing everyone else quiet, she put down her melon seeds as well.

Wen Tuttu, observing this, silently followed suit and put down her own seeds.

Qin Hongdao and the others couldn't help but smile at the actions of the girl and her rabbit.

The competition outside continued.

During the fourth round, Qin Hongdao and Sheng Yunshen watched with rapt attention, eager to see what made this legendary Sacred-grade Spiritual Tool so extraordinary. However, despite waiting until Wang Qirong finished refining her pill and calmly sat there awaiting the end of the match, they still couldn't grasp its uniqueness.

They didn't doubt Ning Yuzhou's words.

In the minds of these senior and junior siblings, Ning Yuzhou and his wife were not only mysterious in origin but also possessed remarkable abilities. Whatever Ning Yuzhou said, they believed without question. This blind trust seemed to have originated from Wen Qiao's battle against Mu Shan. Since then, whatever Ning Yuzhou said or did, they instinctively placed their faith in him.

Perhaps in their eyes, a man capable of nurturing someone as formidable as Wen Qiao must be a hidden powerhouse, not one to underestimate due to his low cultivation level.

That was precisely the case now. He could identify a Holy-grade alchemy furnace at first glance – wasn't that remarkable?

In the fourth round, Wang Qirong was once again the first alchemist to finish and claimed first place.

At this moment, there were only 123 Mystic Rank alchemists remaining on the field, making the vast arena appear spacious.

It wasn't until the final round began that Shang Hongyue finally emerged from his enlightenment.

"Mr. Ning, Miss Min, and the both of you, thank you very much," Shang Hongyue expressed his gratitude with a grateful look. "If not for your words today, I might have fallen into a wrong mindset."

Qin Hongdao dismissed it nonchalantly. "You enlightened yourself; it has nothing to do with us. Even without us, you would've eventually come to understand sooner or later."

Ning Yuzhou smiled slightly, though he didn't speak. His expression conveyed a similar sentiment as Qin Hongdao's.

Sheng Yunshen waved it off casually, not considering what he had done as anything significant.

Grateful in his heart, Shang Hongyue knew that these people didn't attach any importance to their actions. Thus, he could only store his gratitude within himself, hoping for an opportunity to repay them in the future.

Then, they continued watching the competition.

The final round took longer and had a different format from previous matches.

In this round, the alchemists were free to showcase their skills. They could obtain the necessary ingredients from the Danmeng or bring their own, with the sole requirement being the creation of a Profound Rank medicinal pill.

While this open format was generally easier than following specific Danmeng instructions, it was still challenging. To secure a top-three position, one had to innovate and produce a remarkable Spirit Pill that would captivate the audience.

The Spirit Pill could be an original creation at the Profound Rank or an existing one from the outside world – the choice was left to the alchemist.

Most gazes were centered on Wang Qirong, observing her silently.

Others were drawn by her strength and beauty, while Qin Hongdao and the others in the box were there for the Sacred Rank Alchemy Furnace, eager to see what kind of Spirit Pill Wang Qirong could forge with such a tool in this free-form round.

After some contemplation, Wang Qirong quickly decided on the Spirit Pill she would create. She retrieved the necessary materials from her storage pouch, arranging them meticulously before beginning her preparations.

Shang Hongyue watched Wang Qirong intently, not missing a single detail, and was the first to notice the exotic fruit.

She blurted out, "Could it be that she plans to use the Separation Fruit to refine the Face-Setting Pill?"

"Face-Setting Pill?" Qin Hongdao and Sheng Yunshen turned to look at her, unfamiliar with this spirit pill. Clearly, it wasn't one they commonly used.

Shang Hongyue said with a grim face, "The Face-Setting Pill is a derivative of the Youth-Preserving Pill, also having the effect of preserving one's youth. It was created three hundred years ago by Elder Yu of the Danmeng during a Pill Assembly. Since the Youth-Preserving Flower has long been extinct, the Youth-Preserving Pill also vanished along with it. As a result, the Face-Setting Pill has become a highly sought-after spirit pill among female cultivators following the disappearance of the Youth-Preserving Pill.

"Unfortunately, due to the scarcity of the Separation Fruit, the main ingredient for refining the Face-Setting Pill, there aren't many of these pills available in the market. Their prices remain high. When Wang Qirong and I were competing for the Separation Fruit back then, she mentioned using it to refine the Face-Setting Pill. So it turns out she's planning to win the championship in this competition by refining the Face-Setting Pill."

Upon hearing this, the four people present reacted rather calmly.

Shang Hongyue suddenly found herself unable to continue.

Ning Yuzhou asked, "How long does the youth-preserving effect of the Face-Setting Pill last? Are there any drawbacks?"

Shang Hongyue shot him a grateful glance, realizing that this Mister Ning was indeed perceptive. She quickly replied, "A single Face-Setting Pill can preserve one's youth for a hundred years. However, there are drawbacks. Once the pill loses its effectiveness, the cultivator's appearance will age slightly more than before. One would need to consume a second pill to maintain their youthful looks."

"That side effect seems a bit too severe. Only a fool would take this Face-Setting Pill for a mere hundred years of youth preservation," criticized Sheng Yunshen.

Qin Hongdao nodded. "Indeed. If you want to preserve your youth, focus on cultivation. After reaching the Yuan Zong realm, you'll undergo a transformation, becoming as youthful as you desire. Why bother with a Youth-Preserving Pill?"

Upon hearing this, Shang Hongyue looked up to Qin Hongdao with admiration.

This was the first time she had heard a female cultivator say that she wanted to maintain her youth by simply practicing, without needing any Face-Preserving Pills. Instead, it highlighted the shortsightedness and ignorance of those women who fought fiercely over a single Face-Preserving Pill.

At this moment, Wen Qiao inquired, "May I ask how many Yuanjing a single Face-Preserving Pill would cost?"

Upon hearing Wen Qiao's question, everyone in the private room turned their gaze upon her.

Qin Hongdao couldn't help but remark, "Sister Min, there's no one younger or more beautiful than you. We don't need to rely on flawed spirit pills for our beauty. Let's cultivate together, and when we reach the Yuan Zong realm, we'll maintain our youth together."

Sheng Yunshen also chimed in, "Miss Min, you're still young. Don't emulate those flashy and shallow women outside. The side effects of the Face-Fixing Pill are too severe; it's better not to consume it."

Shang Hongyue, with a motherly concern, added, "Yes, Miss Min, you're still in the prime of your youth. You don't need such things."

Wen Qiao blinked, her words hanging in the air.

It was Ning Yuzhou who understood her intentions, smiling as he explained, "You've misunderstood Ah Chu. She isn't interested in the Face-Fixing Pill itself but is curious about its price."

"The price?"

All three were perplexed, but seeing Ning Yuzhou's silence, they didn't press for more information and instead shared the market price of the Nourishing Face Pills.

A single Nourishing Face Pill was worth at least three thousand Spirit Stones.

Not Yuanjing, but Spirit Stones.

One hundred pieces of Yuanjing could only be exchanged for a single low-grade Spirit Stone.

Wen Qiao quietly did the math in her mind and couldn't help glancing at Ning Yuzhou.

In her space, there was a Youth-Preserving Flower, which was the first gift Ning Yuzhou had given her. Wen Qiao cherished it dearly and wouldn't even allow Wen Tuzi to eat a single leaf from it. She hadn't rushed to stimulate its growth, allowing it to grow naturally, occasionally feeding it some Yuan Spirit Qi.

Now, that Youth-Preserving Flower had reached five hundred years old and was ready to be used as an ingredient in medicine.

If a mere Nourishing Face Pill was so expensive, how much more would genuine, side-effect-free Youth-Preserving Pills fetch? Wouldn't they make them rich?

With sparkling eyes, Wen Qiao looked at Ning Yuzhou, finally discovering a path to wealth.

Ning Yuzhou gently squeezed her hand and smiled slightly. He decided to try and refine a batch of Youth-Preserving Pills after the Alchemy Gathering was over.

***

On the competition stage, Wang Qirong calmly proceeded with her alchemy.

As the alchemy furnace hummed, the lid soon lifted off, and several spirit pills soared out, captured by a pristine white hand.

Sheng Yunshen exclaimed, "Why isn't it a full yield this time?"

With a Sacred-grade alchemy furnace at her disposal, shouldn't she be able to produce full yields every time?

Sheng Yunshen's confusion was quickly resolved. It turned out that during this round, although Wang Qirong's success rate for the Face-Improving Pills was only sixty percent, one of them was an exquisite grade, while the remaining five were superior grade.

When the inspector announced the result, the audience erupted into an uproar.

Countless gazes fell upon that exquisite Essence-Nourishing Pill. The female cultivators present burned with desire, all hoping to acquire that exquisite Face-Improving Pill.

Wang Qirong stood there modestly, facing the entire arena's scrutiny without a hint of nervousness or arrogance. This composed demeanor amidst the scorching attention earned her the silent approval of the Danmeng alchemists, who believed she had great potential.

In the end, Wang Qirong emerged as the uncontested champion among the Xuan Rank Alchemists.

Due to Wang Qirong's peerless Rejuvenation Pills, the other Xuan Rank Alchemists paled in comparison under her brilliance. The entire venue became a stage for Wang Qirong to shine alone.

Shang Hongyue watched all this and sighed inwardly.

It seemed that the Wang Family was once again taking the lead. If the first place for the Earth Rank Alchemists also went to the Wang Family, their influence within the Danmeng would only grow stronger. It was uncertain what the future of the Danmeng would look like then.

The Wang Family's ambitions towards the Danmeng were now plain to see.

After the Xuan Rank Alchemists' competition concluded, the Earth Rank Alchemists would take the stage the following day.

One by one, the crowd rose from their seats, planning to return to their caves to rest before coming back tomorrow to continue watching the matches.

Before leaving, Ning Yuzhou handed a jade box to Shang Hongyue with a smile. "Trouble Miss Shang to pass this to Alchemist Shang who will be competing tomorrow."

Shang Hongyue let out an "oh" and appeared slightly dazed.

Upon realizing that Ning Yuzhou was referring to her Third Uncle, who was an Earth Rank Alchemist participating in the competition the next day, she came back to her senses.

A peculiar hunch stirred within Shang Hongyue, one that made her involuntarily tense up.

"Ning Yuzhou, here you go." Ning Yuzhou passed the jade box to her.

Shang Hongyue took it in a daze and watched them leave with a blank expression.

Qin Hongdao and Sheng Yunshen exchanged glances at Ning Yuzhou and then at the nonchalant Wen Qiao, who was casually munching on melon seeds. They didn't say anything.

As they were leaving, they happened to spot Wang Qirong surrounded by a group of cultivators outside the arena.

Most of these cultivators were female, all hoping to purchase the superior Face-Preserving Pill from Wang Qirong. Even if they couldn't buy it, they could still establish a friendly relationship with her. That way, if they needed a Face-Preserving Pill in the future, they could simply ask her to refine one for them.

Wang Qirong's face radiated with joy, adding an extra captivating charm to her already stunning looks.

She smiled as she interacted with the crowd. After some fierce competition, the superior Face-Preserving Pill eventually ended up in the hands of a favorite concubine of an Empyrean Realm ancestor.

***

Back at their rented high-end cave abode, Wen Qiao asked, "Husband, was that a Seven-Leaf Tongue Spirit Mushroom you gave to Miss Shang earlier?"

"Yes," Ning Yuzhou replied with a smile. "The Seven-Leaf Tongue Lingzhi is the primary ingredient for crafting the Hexing Pill. With it, the Shang family should have a fighting chance against the Wang family in tomorrow's Earth Rank Alchemist competition."

Wen Qiao hummed and tilted her head, looking at him quizzically. Why was he helping the Shang family? Could it be because of his acquaintance with the Shang siblings?

Ning Yuzhou stroked her head gently and said warmly, "The Hexing Pill can dispel the essence of malevolence. Any object buried for years in an ominous place will inevitably absorb some essence of malevolence. This essence can corrode a cultivator's sea of consciousness and soul, driving them mad, turning them into mindless monsters. The holy-grade alchemy furnace belonging to the Wang family no longer has its artifact spirit; it's a pseudo-holy-grade spiritual artifact tainted by essence of malevolence."

Wen Qiao blinked. "You mean...?"

Ning Yuzhou nodded slightly. "When Wang Qirong uses that furnace to refine pills, although there might not be any visible signs on the surface of the resulting pills, they would still carry traces of malevolent energy. Anyone who consumes these pills will eventually fall victim to the corruption of that essence."

As he spoke, a subtle smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

It had been a long time since he'd encountered something so malevolent. The Primordial Demon was concealed within the alchemy furnace, a ruse that ordinary people would easily overlook. He wondered where this Sacred-grade alchemy furnace originated and who brought it into this world, as well as what their intentions were.

Indeed, it was quite intriguing.

Wen Qiao commented, "Doesn't that mean the Face-Improving Pill Wang Qirong refined today is a harmful substance?"

"Yes, if someone who consumed the Face-Improving Pill can promptly take a Demon-Taming Pill, there might still be a chance for them to be saved."

Upon hearing this, Wen Qiao glanced at him thoughtfully before suddenly remarking, "My husband is truly a kind person."

Ning Yuzhou: "..." Where on earth did you come up with that conclusion?