[Consumed slightly improved Power Pill. Gained side effect: fullness.]
Fullness?
Seeing the name of the side effect, Lin Yuan felt a little odd.
That counted as a side effect?
He focused and sensed carefully. Even though he hadn’t eaten anything all morning, he didn’t feel hungry at all—in fact, he was so full he didn’t even want to move.
“How was it this time?” Sang Xiaoya blinked her large eyes and asked curiously.
“This time… hic… it had some effect, but not much,” Lin Yuan replied, letting out a long, loud burp.
The burp was so loud it made everyone else turn their heads to look.
“Ahhh! So annoying! Another failure!” Sang Xiaoya stormed off in a huff, seemingly off to research more diligently.
Watching her retreating figure, Lin Yuan suddenly had a thought. Even an alchemist like Elder Sang Mu needed pill servants to test his pills, yet with his side effect panel, he could completely skip that step. No matter what he refined, he could experience the effects personally and then transfer the side effects to others.
If he became an alchemist himself, it would definitely benefit his future cultivation. After all, alchemists were rare and highly valued. With that skill in hand, he’d never have to worry about food or drink again.
“I need to learn alchemy!”
With that in mind, Lin Yuan took out ten spirit stones and went to find Elder Qian. The latter looked surprised, but although confused by Lin Yuan’s sudden interest, he still accepted the spirit stones and tossed him a booklet.
The booklet was titled Introduction to Alchemy and outlined the basic requirements for alchemy, along with a few fundamental techniques.
With Introduction to Alchemy in hand, Lin Yuan returned to his bamboo hut and began studying it closely. The content wasn’t lengthy, and he quickly skimmed through it.
“Start with powder, then pills, then true pills. Alchemy is truly deep and profound.”
Even something as basic as a Cleansing Spirit Pill had its stages. First came the Cleansing Spirit Powder—a pile of loose medicinal dust. Once the powder could be barely clumped together into a ball, it became a Cleansing Spirit Pellet. Only when the pellet was smooth, round, and flawless could it be called a Cleansing Spirit Pill.
Without some talent, it could take ten years just to progress from powder to pill.
“I have the techniques now, but I still lack materials. That will have to wait for later.”
Following the guide from Introduction to Alchemy, Lin Yuan began practicing the hand techniques. Just like with the Breathing Technique, alchemy hand techniques only required proficiency and didn’t demand high aptitude.
In the days that followed, Lin Yuan spent his time studying alchemy and testing pills for Sang Xiaoya. Life was relatively easy.
Finally, the Servant Quarters disciple competition began.
To participate in this competition, one needed to be at least at the 4th stage Qi Refining Realm. There were nearly 3,000 servant disciples in the Immortal Gate Sect, and even with that restriction, over 500 still entered the competition.
“Collect three number tokens to advance. That’s not too hard.”
“The only catch is—if you lose once, you’re out. So in the end, not many will qualify.”
After greeting Sang Xiaoya, he left Hundred Herbs Peak and set out to challenge other servant disciples.
With his cultivation at the 7th stage Qi Refining Realm, he didn’t even need to use the Seven-Slaughter Demon Blade to defeat most of them.
Three matches, three easy wins—no challenge at all.
The preliminary competition lasted for two days. It looked grand, but not many were truly paying attention. Most disciples were more interested in the inner sect disciple selection three months later—at the end of the year. That would be the true battlefield.
After two days, only 104 disciples advanced to the next round.
These were divided into four groups of twenty-six. Each group faced off in one-on-one battles—winner advances, loser is eliminated. If there was an odd number, one would automatically get a bye.
Simple rules meant brutal fights.
In just half a day, three people died from severe injuries.
Another ten ended up crippled for life—forget cultivation, even staying in the sect would be a luxury.
All they could do was take their years of savings and return to the secular world to live as ordinary people.
In the final match of the day, Lin Yuan finally encountered a difficult opponent.
His name was Jiang Hongzhi. He had entered the Immortal Gate Sect two years earlier than Lin Yuan. In the previous servant competition, he should have already become an outer sect disciple. Unfortunately, another servant with connections stole his spot.
Forced to wait another year, Jiang Hongzhi had only grown stronger. By now, as long as he didn’t face Lin Yuan, his advancement to the outer sect was nearly guaranteed.
But fate had other plans.
On the stage.
Lin Yuan stood with his blade in hand. Opposite him, Jiang Hongzhi also held a blade.
“This year, I will enter the outer sect. You should wait another year,” Jiang Hongzhi declared, taking the initiative and slashing forward with a wide strike.
It was a 1st-tier low-grade martial technique—Soaring Glow Blade.
As the blade swept across, it gave the illusion of colorful clouds rising, hence its name. But behind the beauty was lethal danger. Jiang Hongzhi had poured a year’s worth of frustration into his attack, making it even more powerful.
“Tsk tsk tsk, starting off with a killing move. Jiang Hongzhi’s been holding this in for a while, huh?”
“Jiang Hongzhi is strong, but that Lin Yuan doesn’t look weak either. I saw him breeze through his earlier matches.”
“Heh, I know him. He used to be just 2nd stage Qi Refining Realm. Recently got lucky, boosted to 5th stage by eating a few trash-tier 3rd-grade pills.”
“Trash pills? People eat that stuff? Guess I’m not so jealous now.”
The servant disciples watching below began discussing.
Then someone said mysteriously, “Heh, you all don’t know the full story.”
“Oh? What insight do you have, friend? We’d love to hear it.”
Everyone perked up, eager to gossip.
That person lowered his voice and said, “I heard Senior Brother Yi Zimo seems to value Lin Yuan highly.”
Hiss—
The crowd gasped.
One of the seven core disciples. As long as he didn’t die prematurely, he was guaranteed to reach the Golden Core Realm. With such a bigshot behind him, no wonder Lin Yuan had risen so quickly.
“And I heard that Lin Yuan’s blade technique is strange. It’s called the Seven-Slaughter Demon Blade. They say it’s a 2nd-tier low-grade technique.”
Everyone was stunned.
Someone quickly asked, “But Qi Refining Realm disciples are only allowed on the second floor of the Martial Hall. How could a 2nd-tier technique be there?”
“You don’t know the whole story,” another chimed in. “The Seven-Slaughter Demon Blade is notoriously hard to cultivate. That’s why it’s kept on the first floor. The last person to practice it was Senior Brother Yi himself.”
Everyone exchanged glances and asked the most critical question, “Has Lin Yuan actually mastered the Seven-Slaughter Demon Blade?”
…
“I’d say he definitely has.”
Not far from the arena, in a loft, a man and a woman sat facing each other around a tea table.
Yi Zimo finished his tea and looked at the arena with a glint of anticipation in his eyes.
The woman smiled faintly and followed his gaze.