Chapter 70: Refining the “Dustfall Pill”

“Husband, why are we so unlucky!”

The Longevity Fruit had been practically within their grasp. They had the money, they had the status, they had the need.

Yet, someone had snatched it away right from under their noses.

How could they possibly accept this?

But what could they do even if they refused to accept it?

Below the Nascent Soul realm, all were mere ants. A Supreme Elder was not someone a Golden Core couple could afford to provoke, no matter how aggrieved they felt. They could only swallow their rage and move on.

Moon Gaze Peak. Summit Lake.

Li Meng sat cross-legged on a flat stone, his face deathly pale.

The air around him warped, enveloped in a radiant, five-colored spiritual light. A torrent of spiritual power continuously surged from Li Meng’s body, pouring into the alchemy furnace before him like a river into the sea.

“Dammit, Qi Condensation is truly useless!”

Li Meng gritted his teeth and pulled out a bottle of pills. He poured Second-Grade Flawless Spirit Restoration Pills into his mouth as if they were free candy, swallowing them without water.

After consuming several of the priceless pills, the depleted mana within his dried-up meridians finally began to recover rapidly.

“The final step!”

Li Meng stared intently at the congealed medicinal liquid swirling inside the furnace.

All impurities within the liquid had been completely purged by the True Essence Fire. The once violent spiritual energy had been tamed, now docile and ready for shaping.

Next was the most critical moment: pill condensation.

“Condense for me!”

Li Meng formed rapid hand seals. The five-colored spiritual power flowing toward the furnace instantly surged, doubling in intensity.

The heavy alchemy furnace trembled slightly under the impact. Within the chamber, the True Essence Fire formed a tight vortex, spinning with incredible speed to compress the medicinal liquid into solid form.

“For…mation!”

Li Meng let out a suppressed roar, his voice cracking with strain.

The five-colored spiritual light surrounding his body vanished in an instant, sucked entirely into the vessel. The previously trembling furnace suddenly fell silent.

A heartbeat later, a rich Spiritual Tide erupted.

The Five Elements spiritual power swept outward like rolling waves, crashing against the barriers of the peak. The entire summit of Moon Gaze Peak was bathed in a dazzling, five-colored radiance that pierced the mist.

“What’s happening?”

“What’s going on at Moon Gaze Peak?”

Exclamations of surprise rose from the cultivators gathered outside the array.

Moon Gaze Peak, usually shrouded in quiet mist, had suddenly erupted with a brilliant divine light. It looked as if a rare treasure had just been born into the world.

An intense wave of Five Elements power followed, surging out from within the peak. The energy was mixed with a rich, intoxicating medicinal aroma that caused the Foundation Establishment disciples hovering outside to shudder in astonishment.

“Husband, this is…”

Wen Huanhuan, nestled in Han Li’s embrace, looked at the glowing peak with confusion.

Could that vixen Ruoshui have actually managed to seduce a high-level Alchemist? But the commotion caused by this refinement was far too great for ordinary pills. Could it be a Fourth-Grade Alchemist?

“I don’t know!”

Han Li frowned deeply, his eyes narrowing as he analyzed the phenomenon.

The spiritual fluctuations emanating from Moon Gaze Peak weren’t particularly strong in terms of raw power—at least, not to a Golden Core cultivator. But the complexity of the phenomenon…

Was an Alchemist using a Five Elements formation to refine pills? That was unheard of.

Inside Moon Gaze Peak.

Li Meng lay on the stone like a dead dog.

His face was as white as paper, his chest heaving. The stabbing pain in his mind told him that his soul exhaustion was severe this time.

Summoning his last bit of strength, Li Meng forced himself to sit up. He shoved several Second-Grade Flawless Soul Nourishing Pills into his mouth, chewing them grimly. He then circulated his soul-refining technique, the Soul Forging Art, to restore his depleted mental energy.

After a short while, Li Meng opened his eyes again.

A faint, weary smile touched the corners of his lips. He took out a pill bottle from his storage bag and gazed at it happily.

Although he had gone through quite an ordeal, the process had been relatively smooth, and the result was nearly perfect.

He had harvested five Third-Grade Flawless Dustfall Pills.

If he were a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a stronger soul, the exhaustion would have been minimal, and the yield higher. If he were at the Golden Core stage, the yield would undoubtedly have exceeded fifteen pills. But for a Qi Condensation old man, this was a miracle.

Li Meng put away the pill bottle, securing his future.

He raised his head and glanced around with a sudden frown.

“Strange, why do I feel so chilly all over? Could someone be secretly watching me?”

Li Meng muttered softly to himself, scanning the misty perimeter.

He saw no one. This was Moon Gaze Peak, after all. His nominal Master was a Golden Core cultivator. Aside from her, no one should be able to enter.

Thinking this, Li Meng reassured himself. He closed his eyes and continued circulating the Soul Forging Art to repair the cracks in his soul.

After the pill formation was complete, the medicinal aroma ceased drifting out from Moon Gaze Peak.

“Did he succeed or fail?”

“He must have failed. Otherwise, the medicinal aroma wouldn’t have leaked out like that—it means the essence wasn’t locked in.”

“What a pity. He was only one step away from success.”

“Well, it benefits us instead! Free cultivation aid!”

“Refining high-grade pills truly isn’t easy. One misstep and all previous efforts are wasted.”

With no more medicinal aroma overflowing from the peak, and considering the chaotic eruption of energy earlier, the consensus was clear: the Alchemist had failed the condensation step, causing the medicinal essence to dissipate and nourish heaven and earth.

The inner Foundation Establishment disciples lingering outside soon departed on their flying swords, disappointed the free show was over.

Before long, peace returned to the area outside Moon Gaze Peak.

Three days later. Moon Gaze Peak.

Li Meng, lying on the stone platform, suddenly jolted awake.

His aged body sat bolt upright, joints cracking. He performed a quick calculation with one hand forming a seal.

He discovered three days had already passed.

“I really am useless!”

Li Meng stood up, slapping his thigh in annoyance. He had actually fallen asleep unknowingly while cultivating the Soul Forging Art.

He was old. His mortal body was decaying wood, unable to sustain prolonged exertion. If he didn’t establish his Foundation soon, only Sitting Death and Dao Dissipation awaited him.

“I must enter seclusion for Foundation Establishment as soon as possible!”

Li Meng summoned his sword, soaring into the air and flying into the mist.

Dong—

“This is… a bell toll?”

Just as Li Meng flew out of the array, a deep and resonant bell toll echoed from the direction of the main sect hall. The sound was clear, drawn-out, and solemn.

When the sect’s bell tolled like this, it signified a major event.

“Could it be that the Outer Sect Grand Competition is about to begin?”

If there was any major event scheduled for this time of year, it could only be the competition.

Li Meng paid it no mind and continued flying toward Cloud Peak.

Having cultivated for sixty years, Li Meng had experienced five Grand Competitions. He used to join the excitement back in his youth. But Qi Condensation battles were dull affairs—disciples relying entirely on magical artifacts, spamming the same few fireballs and wind blades. One grew tired of it after seeing it twice.

Besides, he had no time for crowds now. He absolutely must enter seclusion immediately.

Inner Sect, Cloud Peak.

Li Meng arrived on his sword. As he approached, the mists surrounding Cloud Peak parted of their own accord, opening a path for him. He flew straight in without hesitation.

Outside the pavilion atop the peak, Li Meng descended into the courtyard.

He flicked his sleeve casually, causing his flying sword to circle him once before obediently returning to the storage pouch at his waist.

He glanced up toward the second floor, then leisurely strolled toward the entrance.

“Senior Qu! Your Junior has come!”

Upon reaching the second floor, he pushed aside the beaded curtain and walked inside.

Just as expected, Senior Qu was sitting cross-legged on the bed platform, cultivating.

Qu Rou opened her eyes slowly. Her gaze was icy cold as she watched the little old man approach.

“You already have a better place to go… why come back here?”

Senior Qu’s voice was frigid, seemingly lowering the temperature of the room by several degrees.

A flicker of confusion passed through Li Meng’s eyes.

Why were Senior Qu’s words so sharp today?

Better place?

Realization dawned on him. She must have seen him enter Moon Gaze Peak.

A trace of a smile appeared on Li Meng’s lips. He chuckled lightly, sitting down beside Senior Qu casually, ignoring her freezing aura.

“To be honest with Senior Qu… your Junior is now a Registered Disciple under Grandmaster Ruoshui.”

Grandmaster Ruoshui?

A flicker of genuine surprise flashed within Qu Rou’s eyes.

Ruoshui was a Golden Core Elder, known for her arrogance and isolation. Why would she accept a mere Outer Disciple as a Registered Disciple? Especially one whose Lifespan Limit was rapidly approaching and who possessed the useless Five Spirit Roots?