Mortal Alchemy

In that instant—

A sword cry rang out.

A streak of azure sword light, as fine as a rain thread, surged forth at extreme speed.

“Chi chi chi—”

This sword light instantly severed the remaining several strands of red spiritual energy.

Han Yuhui was greatly alarmed: “Damn it, they caught up so quickly!”

Could that Rank 2 Peak demon snake have died at Chen Ping's hands?! How is that possible!

“Huu—” Madam Guo, her face pale, gasped for breath, taking the opportunity to retreat rapidly.

Immediately following, a spiritual sword accompanied by a crisp sword cry shot towards Han Yuhui.

“Boom!”

An explosion sounded, and Han Yuhui flew backward, his face extremely unsightly, gloomy to the extreme.

He dared not linger here, ceasing to entangle with Madam Guo and fleeing with all his might.

“Hmph!” Chen Ping snorted coldly, his eyes icy:

“Think you can escape!”

曜月 (Yaoyue) Sword flew back into Chen Ping's hand, and Chen Ping wielded both swords simultaneously!

Two streaks of azure sword energy instantly shot out, slashing towards Han Yuhui!

Han Yuhui manipulated the magical artifact in his hand, trying to resist Chen Ping's sword energy, and dozens of strands of red spiritual energy flew out.

However, how could he withstand Chen Ping's attack?

“Ah—”

The red spiritual energy, in the face of the azure sword energy, was as fragile as noodles, unable to resist the sword energy for even a moment.

The two streaks of sword energy directly struck Han Yuhui, almost splitting his physical body in two.

He screamed miserably and, no longer able to fly, fell directly from the air into the sea.

He struggled to speak: “Chen Ping, spare my life…”

“We don't necessarily have to fight to the death.”

Chen Ping sneered: “I know, you just wanted to severely injure me, so I would die of old age.”

“However, you are a family under the Fuguang (Floating Light) Market, a Xian (Immortal) clan under the Dongxuan (Eastern Profound) Sect, ambushing me, the Market Master, and getting caught in the act.”

“Not only will you die, but the Han family behind you will also be wiped out.”

“In that case, why should I spare your life?”

Han Yuhui's face was filled with despair: “Wait a moment, Chen Ping, I'll tell you a big secret…”

“In Dongyue (Eastern Moon) Mountain, there is…”

Before he could finish speaking, he seemed to trigger a Demonic Heart Oath.

“Bang—”

His head exploded instantly.

“Idiot.” Chen Ping's face was icy: “I didn't kill you, but you triggered the Demonic Heart Oath yourself, causing your own death!”

There's a big secret in Dongyue Mountain?

Chen Ping had no time to think about it now. Instead, he flew to the sea, using his magical power to grab his corpse from afar and take the Rank 2 magical artifact, space ring, and family token from his hand.

Then, he threw the corpse onto the deck of the White Jade Flying Boat.

Madam Guo, her clothes tattered, revealing a large expanse of her breasts, boarded the White Jade Flying Boat, her face pale and her voice weak:

“Fellow Daoist Chen, fortunately you arrived in time.”

Chen Ping's tone was calm, but his face was also slightly pale, his spiritual power somewhat overdrawn.

He said: “Fellow Daoist Guo, I will remember this contribution you have made. Go to the private room to change your clothes and recover your state.”

This Madam Guo has a space ring, which must contain spare clothes, but she deliberately came to him in this state.

One is to claim credit, and two, I'm afraid she still intends to seduce him.

But he really has no interest in Madam Guo. She may know that Chen Ping is looking for a Daoist partner at the Golden Core stage, but her fading beauty can't be a Daoist partner, so being a concubine is fine too.

This woman, even in this embarrassing situation, still harbors scheming thoughts, but it's not the first time.

Chen Ping may only be a little interested in Zhou Ying, but he has no interest in Madam Guo at all. Right now, he just treats her as a subordinate.

“Yes, Fellow Daoist Chen.” Madam Guo's expression did not change as she walked into the private room on the flying boat.

Chen Ping sat cross-legged on the deck, swallowing pills to restore his state. He said to Situ Ye: “Be honest, and I won't harm your life.”

Situ Ye trembled and cupped his hands: “Yes, Senior!”

This Qi Refining junior didn't escape during the battle. I don't know if it's because he doesn't have a flying magical artifact or what.

Chen Ping didn't dare to rest. That black snake beast might be lurking nearby, watching for weaknesses to attack, or it might be honestly staying in the Rank 3 sea spiritual vein.

But Chen Ping dared not gamble and could only brace himself to sit down and recover.

He didn't have any Rank 2 Qi Returning Pills, so his recovery was very slow.

Seven days later, Madam Guo was almost recovered. She changed her clothes and returned to her cold and aloof posture, coming to the deck and cupping her hands:

“Thank you for your hard work, Fellow Daoist Chen. This concubine has recovered. Fellow Daoist Chen, please go inside and rest for a while.”

Chen Ping nodded: “Be vigilant here and don't act rashly.”

Chen Ping entered the private room with a dark expression, first getting a good night's sleep, and then sitting down to swallow pills to continue recovering.

Half a month later, Chen Ping had almost recovered and walked out onto the deck.

“Let's go, it's time to return to Fuguang Market.”

It was still more than three hundred miles from here to Fuguang Market, and the White Jade Flying Boat could reach Fuguang Market in half a day.

Near the coastline, many Rank 1 sea demons were fighting with Qi Refining cultivators, but Chen Ping did not see any Rank 2 sea demons appear.

Back in the Daoist temple, Chen Ping asked Situ Ye: “Tell me about the situation in Haoyu (Vast Jade) Sea.”

Situ Ye answered truthfully:

“This junior is located in a small family on the edge of the Shattered Star Islands. There are three Golden Core forces entrenched in the Shattered Star Islands.”

“They are the Star Cluster Sect, the Xian (Immortal) Merchant Guild, and the Loose Cultivator Alliance, each with a Golden Core True Person in charge.”

“This time, leaving the Shattered Star Islands and coming here was because I was hired by the Sea Worm Loose Cultivator.”

“This junior doesn't know about the rest.”

Chen Ping asked some basic questions, but didn't gain much. How broad could the knowledge of a Qi Refining cultivator from a small place and a small family be?

But the vast Haoyu Sea made Chen Ping excited, expectant, and thrilled.

Chen Ping said: “Take out your storage bag and open it for me to see.”

He wanted to see how the prices were in the two places.

“Yes, Senior.” Situ Ye responded respectfully and opened his storage bag.

Inside were ordinary Rank 1 pills.

After Chen Ping inquired about the prices, he found that the prices in the two places were similar, which was somewhat disappointing.

But he could earn a lot of money with the Age-Preserving Pill, so he didn't care about it.

Just when Chen Ping was about to have him put things away.

“Clatter—”

Situ Ye fumbled and knocked over a bottle of pills.

Several pills inside rolled out.

This attracted Chen Ping's attention, making his expression change:

“This is…”

“Qi Returning Pill?”

“Yes, Senior, this is a Qi Returning Pill,” Situ Ye replied.

Chen Ping's expression suddenly changed, and he stared at Situ Ye with icy eyes:

“Where did you get this Qi Returning Pill?”

Situ Ye didn't know what was happening, his face changed drastically, and he hurriedly knelt down:

“Senior… this Qi Returning Pill was bought by this junior at a roadside stall in Shattered Star Market…”

“Shattered Star Market?” Chen Ping's eyes flickered with a sharp light.

“You may leave, choose a room to rest in, and I will call you again if needed.”

Chen Ping waved his hand, summoned a maid, and led Situ Ye down.

Then, only Chen Ping was left in the Daoist temple. Chen Ping was trembling slightly, his emotions agitated and somewhat out of control.

He picked up the Qi Returning Pill he had refined and compared it with Situ Ye's Qi Returning Pill.

The potency of the two differed by ten times!

Rank 1 Qi Returning Pills were quite effective for him, a Rank 2 Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Moreover, he was an alchemist: “…This is not the difference in potency between ordinary materials and age.”

Even if he used three-hundred-year-old materials to refine Qi Cultivation Pills, the medicinal effect would not be ten times different.

How expensive are three-hundred-year-old materials?

“This is clearly a special mutation of ordinary alchemy materials, condensing the medicinal power tenfold…”

“It's a problem with the materials, and has nothing to do with alchemy techniques or age…”

Chen Ping's mind was uneasy: “If I refine Qi Cultivation Pills with this method…”

“Wouldn't one pill increase cultivation by one year?”

I must go to Shattered Star Islands.

If one pill increases cultivation by one year, then Chen Ping's speed of increasing cultivation can be greatly shortened!

It can also save a great deal of expense on alchemy costs!

Right now, he constantly takes three-hundred-year-old Qi Cultivation Pills, and it will take more than thirty years to reach the middle stage of Foundation Establishment.

If he refines Qi Cultivation Pills with this method, then wouldn't he be able to reach the middle stage of Foundation Establishment in less than fifteen years? Less than twenty years…