Bo Yinran’s gaze was deep and unreadable. “Tell me, is Wu Bufan the alchemist or is it Chao Chen?”
“They’re neither,” Chao Lingyue said, biting gently at her lower lip. “Neither of them has the aptitude for alchemy.”
She hesitated, her voice dropping slightly. “But… I think I know where their pills came from…”
Everyone turned to look at her in unison. Lingyue drew a slow breath and continued, “Wu Bufan once spent a full year inside the Xichuan Secret Realm. Perhaps he gained some kind of fortuitous encounter there.”
She paused again, her brows furrowing as the thought grew clearer in her mind.
“Before entering the secret realm, his cultivation was only at the first level of Qi Refining,” she said quietly.
The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. If Wu Bufan had already been at the sixth level of Qi Refining before entering the secret realm, how could he have nearly lost his life to the Sky-Swallowing Wolf?
Her chest burned with frustration, as if a thousand ants were gnawing at her heart. That fortuitous opportunity should have been hers. It should never have fallen into the hands of a worthless man like Wu Bufan.
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Just what kind of miraculous encounter could allow a useless man to leap five small realms in only a single year?
Wu Xutian’s face twisted with jealousy. “It must be the pills! His cultivation must have been forced up by taking pills!”
A greedy light flickered in Ni Lisi’s eyes. “Director Bo, you didn’t happen to see them yourself, did you?”
Bo Yinran’s sharp gaze cut straight through her thoughts. “The Xichuan Secret Realm is merely a low-grade yellow-class secret realm. Even if they did find something worthwhile, they would have already used it themselves.”
As tempting as top-grade pills were, none of them were foolish enough to destroy their reputation by killing others for a few medicinal treasures.
Ni Lisi’s ambition dimmed. Though unwilling, she had to admit Bo Yinran’s words made sense. The Xichuan Secret Realm was well known as the poorest of the yellow-class realms.
Even if it held some decent items, they would hardly be the kind of world-shaking spiritual treasures worth spilling blood over. With that in mind, it wasn’t worth the risk.
Wu Yu quietly let out a breath of relief. As long as Wu Bufan wasn’t a top-grade alchemist, things were still manageable.
He stepped forward toward Ni Lisi. “I would like to use these five top-grade pills in exchange for one competition spot.”
After Wu Youfeng’s cheating was exposed, one of the academy’s alchemy competition spots had become vacant.
The admission trials were long over, and no instructor would agree to hold another just for a single extra candidate.
Wu Tianyang’s face darkened immediately.
“Wu Yu!” he barked.
Those five top-grade pills belonged to the clan they were not Wu Yu’s personal property to trade away.
But Wu Yu merely said, “Clan Head, Youfeng has talent in alchemy. Even if he can’t reach the rank of a top-grade alchemist, he will surely become at least a yellow-tier one in the future.”
To trade five top-grade pills for the potential rise of a yellow-tier alchemist such a bargain could hardly be called a loss.
Wu Tianyang’s jaw tightened. Though his face remained cold, he said nothing more.
Wu Xutian’s expression contorted in fury. Those pills were supposed to be shared by the clan! If they were exchanged like this, he would get nothing at all!
Ni Lisi was clearly tempted, but the final decision wasn’t hers to make. She turned to Bo Yinran for his verdict.
Bo Yinran gave a short, humorless laugh. “I haven’t even settled accounts with your Wu Clan for that cheating incident, and now you come knocking on my door yourselves?”
His tone sharpened. “If you want to trade for a spot, fine but you can only have one.”
Wu Yu’s face brightened instantly, but before he could speak, Bo Yinran turned to Wu Tianyang. “Between Wu Xutian and Wu Youfeng, you may choose only one.”
The expressions of every Wu clansman froze in an instant. Wu Tianyang’s voice dropped low with anger. “Director Bo, wasn’t Xutian’s qualification already decided long ago?”
Bo Yinran raised his hand slightly, and the pill bottle in Wu Yu’s grasp flew straight into his own palm. “Wu Youfeng cheated. That means your clan’s previously allocated qualification is invalid. As for who will receive this new spot purchased with pills that’s for you to decide among yourselves.”
Leaving those words behind, he turned and strode away without another glance.
Wu Tianyang’s complexion turned a dangerous shade of green.
“Father…” Wu Xutian’s anxious voice trembled slightly.
Wu Tianyang’s eyes grew cold as his gaze fell on Wu Yu. He spoke each word with deliberate weight. “Do not worry. This spot will be yours. No one will take it from you.”
Wu Yu’s expression remained dark, and he stayed silent. He and Wu Youfeng had been the ones behind the cheating scheme in the first place.
Now that the scandal had tainted the clan’s reputation and cost Xutian his rightful qualification, there was no chance Tianyang would give the replacement spot to Youfeng.
Meanwhile, Chao Shiyi stood staring at the scene projected within the Memory Stone, his expression clouded and uncertain.
When the female attendant had asked the mysterious man whether he was a top-grade alchemist, the man had admitted it himself.
If that mysterious figure truly was Wu Bufan… then was Wu Bufan lying?
Chao Lingyue’s heart burned hotter the longer she thought about it. The fortuitous chance that should have belonged to her had been taken away by that useless man.
Anger and frustration boiled inside her until she could no longer bear to stay another moment.
She turned sharply and left the Ning Trading Firm. Halfway down the street, just as her anger was beginning to settle, a sudden crisp chime echoed inside her mind an unmistakable “Ding!” that froze her in her tracks.
Her pupils contracted in alarm. “Who’s there?” she demanded, scanning her surroundings.
A clear, mechanical voice echoed in her consciousness. “The Fengtian System is honored to be of service to you.”
There was a brief pause, followed by a shocked cry. “Host! What happened to your luck? Where is your earring? I was only asleep for a little while!”
Chao Lingyue’s entire body stiffened, her heart pounding wildly. “What are you talking about? What luck? What earring? And what host?”
Fifteen minutes later, she stormed back to her residence, slammed the door shut with a loud bang, and stood in the silence of her room, her delicate face twisting with disbelief and rage.
She had once been chosen by the system itself the child of fortune destined to ascend to the heavens. When she arrived in this world, everything should have gone her way. With the system’s guidance, she was meant to rise step by step, unimpeded, until she stood above all others.
But the moment she had been transported here, the Fengtian System had expended all its energy and fallen into forced dormancy. Now that it had finally awakened, it discovered that more than half of her fortune had been stolen away.
The system’s voice turned cold and accusing. “Do you even know what that earring was?”
“I don’t,” Chao Lingyue admitted through clenched teeth.
“That earring carried an enormous amount of luck,” Fengtian said anxiously. “Just wearing it for a long period of time was enough to strengthen your own fortune. Luck is mysterious, beyond mortal understanding. When your luck is strong, even the heavens themselves favor you.”
The voice began to pace restlessly inside her mind. “Do you realize what you’ve done? An item imbued with fortune is a treasure beyond price! And you actually gave it away just to break off an engagement? What were you thinking!”
Chao Lingyue’s hands trembled with fury. “I didn’t want to give it away!” she hissed.
If Chao Chen hadn’t snatched it from her by force while she was off guard, she never would have given up that earring!
Fengtian’s tone turned sharp, edged with disbelief. “No, something doesn’t add up. The loss of fortune I’m sensing from you is far greater than what the earring alone contained. There must be something else something else that was stolen from you!”
Chao Lingyue’s eyes widened as the words tore through her mind. “The Xichuan Secret Realm!” she blurted.
She quickly recounted everything about the Xichuan Secret Realm her near-death encounter, and the strange transformation that had happened to Wu Bufan after returning from it.
Fengtian fell silent for a long moment, its body of light flickering rapidly as though searching through unseen records. At last it spoke in a low, grim tone.
“That Wu Bufan… something about him is wrong. He was a man fated to die. He should not still be alive. If I’m not mistaken, the one who should have been devoured by the Sky-Swallowing Wolf was you. And it was through that death that you would have obtained a tremendous fortune. But Wu Bufan saved you and in doing so, he took your destined opportunity for himself.”
The voice trembled with fury. “Unbelievable! That damned ” It caught itself and fell silent, swallowing the curse.
Chao Lingyue’s heart clenched painfully. Her vision blurred, and with a strangled gasp she coughed up a mouthful of bright red blood.
Fengtian drifted before her eyes, its tone turning cold and pragmatic. “It’s too late to change what has happened. From this point on, the only way to restore your lost fortune is to seize objects of destiny from others.”
Her gaze burned with a feral light, her once-gentle face twisting into something sharp and dangerous. “But Wu Bufan has already escaped!” she snarled.
Fengtian’s voice dropped to a chilling calm. “He is not the only one who possesses an object of fortune.”
It turned its gaze toward the north. “In the Northern Sky Demon Mountains, a spirit beast has recently been born, one that carries a thread of heavenly luck. I want you to capture it and make it your contracted beast.”
Lingyue’s breath caught. “I’m not a beast tamer,” she said, startled.
Spirit beasts were creatures of immense mental strength. Only a trained beast tamer could subdue and prepare them for contract. For an ordinary cultivator to attempt such a contract directly was to invite disaster failure meant madness, or death.
Fengtian’s tone turned grave. “As long as you can capture the beast alive, I can assist you in forming the contract. But listen carefully I do not have much energy left. You will only have one chance.”
Chao Lingyue lifted her head, eyes blazing with determination and greed. “I understand.”
This time, she vowed silently, she would not let anyone steal what was rightfully hers.
Not again.
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The translator sacrificed sleep for this chapter. A coffee offering seems reasonable.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Dream to RealityChapter 2 · Those who survive a great calamity are destined for good fortuneChapter 3 · Retrieve the tokenChapter 4 · Top-tier alchemistChapter 5 · A cooperative treasure hunt?Chapter 6 · Thousand mile Thundercloud LeopardChapter 7 · Chaotic Strange EntityChapter 8 · Back to Xichuan TownChapter 9 · How could Wu Bufan be stronger than him!Chapter 10 · Wu Bufan possess so many top-grade pills?Chapter 11 · This time, she will not let anyone take what is hers away againChapter 12 · Seize the luckChapter 13 · Mutant Purple Thunder BeastChapter 14 · I’m afraid he’ll get angryChapter 15 · PumiceChapter 16 · Enemies meet on a narrow roadChapter 17 · Becoming Daoist CouplesChapter 18 · Top-grade Calamity-Breaking PillChapter 19 · The amazing effects of top-grade pillsChapter 20 · Basic Body ForgingChapter 21 · One world cannot contain two chosen ones.Chapter 22 · PuppetChapter 23 · AuctionChapter 24 · Space FoundationChapter 25 · Top-grade Foundation Building PillChapter 26 · Increased space areaChapter 27 · The competition BeginChapter 28 · RobbedChapter 29 · Turn Defeat into Victory!Chapter 30 · The Death of Wu KeyuanChapter 31 · BetChapter 32 · Even the way Chao Chen talks is so cuteChapter 33 · Avenge Wu KeyuanChapter 34 · Finding Bodhi Wood at a BargainChapter 35 · Little PuppetChapter 36 · Explosive PillsChapter 37 · I’ll concedeChapter 38 · You are a genius, so your Daoist partner must also be a genius.Chapter 39 · The Third Elder was refused a disciple.Chapter 40 · Has the floating marrow stone secret been exposed?Chapter 41 · How Could There Be Such a Sinister Human!Chapter 42 · The Mutated Mugwort FoxChapter 43 · Wandering the JianghuChapter 44 · Ancient ElixirChapter 45 · I feel like I’m about to be struck by lightning!Chapter 46 · Earth-level Secret RealmChapter 47 · The spot is practically yours.Chapter 48 · His Daoist partner is truly amazing!Chapter 49 · The legacy in the libraryChapter 50 · Dual cultivation techniquesChapter 51 · First genius Ji Pu RanChapter 52 · Shifting the blame eastwardChapter 53 · The little puppet went to run errandsChapter 54 · The Explosive Pill once again demonstrated its power.Chapter 55 · Chao Lingyue’s cultivation levelChapter 56 · Little Money-GrubberChapter 57 · What a venomous mouth!Chapter 58 · Enter the secret realmChapter 59 · A huge windfall fell from the sky.Chapter 60 · The birth of a rare treasureChapter 61 · This alchemy furnace is quite uniqueChapter 62 · The alchemy furnace that walked right into the trapChapter 63 · Xiao Zi’s Self-Rescue GuideChapter 64 · Spirit Field Micro RealmChapter 65 · Someone Planning to Reap the Benefits?Chapter 66 · Are You Lost?Chapter 67 · Chao Chen, Corrupted by the Big Handsome PotChapter 68 · Is Your phoenix Fish Sect Collecting Trash?Chapter 69 · The Death of Hui SipingChapter 70 · No, Junior Brother Chao, Where’s Your Backbone…Chapter 71 · Has His Identity Been Exposed?Chapter 72 · This Child Is Far Too ShrewdChapter 73 · Young people are wonderful. They fall asleep the moment they lie downChapter 74 · Sparrow Alchemist Chao Lingyue?Chapter 75 · The Silver Tongued Chao ChenChapter 76 · What’s the rush? I have moreChapter 77 · Leave the sectChapter 78 · Showing Off on a Grand ScaleChapter 79 · The Sparrow Alchemist Returns to the Martial WorldChapter 80 · Does Junior Brother Chao know about this?Chapter 81 · The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole BehindChapter 82 · So FierceChapter 83 · They’ve been targeted by the local bulliesChapter 84 · The Kid Is Missing?Chapter 85 · A Thing from the Void: SilkChapter 86 · Chao Chen became famousChapter 87 · The Devil MentorChapter 88 · The four little ones went out to gain experienceChapter 89 · The Students Who Were Truly ConvincedChapter 90 · What a Bountiful Harvest!Chapter 91 · No Random KissingChapter 92 · Detoxification PillChapter 93 · Master Wu, your Daoist partner has disappearedChapter 94 · The Demonic ThiefChapter 95 · Fellow Daoist, are you selling this sparrow?Chapter 96 · Unexpected disaster, nothing moreChapter 97 · My Daoist partner was born in the Year of the PigChapter 98 · The Undying Devil ChildChapter 99 · Exotic Treasure! Buddha Flame Glazed Light!Chapter 100 · We stole the Beast Taming Sect’s treasure vaultChapter 101 · Waaaaah… Why is this strange fire so gay?Chapter 102 · The Mysterious Pill – Flower in the MirrorChapter 103 Part 1 · As Expected, You Can’t Produce Different Dreams from the Same Bed…Chapter 103 Part 2 · As Expected, You Can’t Produce Different Dreams from the Same Bed…Chapter 104 Part 1 · Separation and ReunionChapter 104 Part 2 · Separation and ReunionChapter 105 Part 1 · Renowned throughout the continent!Chapter 105 Part 2 · Renowned throughout the continent!Chapter 106 · Chao Chen’s RevengeChapter 107 · The Death of Chao LingyueChapter 108 · A Narcissistic Man or a Great Beauty?Chapter 109 · This Person Has No MannersChapter 110 · The Ancient Spirit Botanical GardenChapter 111 · Thousand-Thread Poison WomanChapter 112 · I am not kindChapter 113 · Are you the most handsome man here?Chapter 114 Part 1 · ReunionChapter 114 Part 2 · ReunionChapter 115 Part 1 · Diandian said that you got it into someone’s stomach yourselfChapter 115 Part 2 · Diandian said that you got it into someone’s stomach yourselfChapter 116 · Central ContinentChapter 116 Part 1 · Central ContinentChapter 117 Part 1 · The Ancient Dao Companion ContractChapter 117 Part 2 · The Ancient Dao Companion ContractChapter 118 · Heaven Above, Dust BelowChapter 118 Part 1 · Heaven Above, Dust BelowChapter 119 · Xiao Chen will also be embarrassedChapter 120 · The moon is so bright tonightChapter 121 Part 1 · Treasure ArrayChapter 121 Part 2 · Treasure ArrayChapter 122 Part 1 · Poisonous MushroomChapter 122 Part 2 · Poisonous MushroomChapter 123 Part 1 · Turmoil at the AuctionChapter 123 Part 2 · Turmoil at the AuctionChapter 124 Part 1 · Advancement! A Nascent Soul Cultivator Reaches the Divine Transformation Realm!…Chapter 124 Part 2 · Advancement! A Nascent Soul Cultivator Reaches the Divine Transformation Realm!…Chapter 125 Part 1 · Xiao Chen Displays His Great Divine Might: Wu Bufan…Chapter 125 Part 2 · Xiao Chen Displays His Great Divine Might: Wu Bufan…Chapter 126 · Ice spirit tower has explodedChapter 127 Part 1 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 127 Part 2 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 127 Part 3 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 128 Part 1 · Being Followed?Chapter 128 Part 2 · Being Followed?Chapter 129 · Magical ArtifactChapter 131 · A Declaration of WarChapter 132 · A chaotic war of words: Friend or foe indistinguishable…Chapter 133 Part 1 · The Royal Grand CompetitionChapter 133 Part 2 · The Royal Grand CompetitionChapter 134 Part 1 · Adults Don’t Make Choices, I’ll Take Them All…Chapter 134 Part 2 · Adults Don’t Make Choices, I’ll Take Them All…Chapter 135 Part 1 · Little Daddy Takes a Bite, Big Daddy’s Form…Chapter 135 Part 2 · Little Daddy Takes a Bite, Big Daddy’s Form…Chapter 136 Part 1 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left BehindChapter 136 Part 2 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left BehindChapter 136 Part 3 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left Behind