Alchemy is one of the oldest profession existing in the world and an art that have been perduring for innumerable years.
The Nine Circlet Qi Condensing Pill and the Meridian Purifying Pill were methods that have been explored and refined through countless experiments across the ages to support one's cultivation, yet, the success rate remained exceedingly low and the ressources necessary for each attempt made this profession a bottomless money pit.
Still, it was also the source of great riches for the most skilled alchemists and despite everything, no cultivator could do without them and their pills as the benefits were evident for all to see, Shen Xue being a prime example.
He didn't hesitate to use the resources at his disposition and profited greatly from them.
While Qiong Lieyu and Shen Xue were locked in battle, another student left the woods and approached the precipice.
"Isn't that Qiong Lieyu and Shen Xue..." The student wearing the blue robes of the Sky Martial Institute squinted his eyes as he observed the cultivators present in the area.
He opened his eyes wide in realization before an opportunistic smile crept on his face, "Such luck! The tumult they are causing have been ongoing for quite some time and the ground is damaged in several places, they must have been fighting rather intensely and exhausted a lot of Qi."
"While they are absorbed in their battle, I will deal a decisive blow and deeply injure both of them when they still aren't aware of my presence. If it doesn't work, at worst, I will stall for time and let them getting expulsed from the forest after exhausting half their Qi."
This person formulating his next actions was Zhang Xuanhan, the grandson of the Sky Martial Institute's dean and their best student.
While he approached the source of the battle, he only preoccupied himself with dealing with Qiong Lieyu and Shen Xue, everything else was pushed aside.
"Hmph, I will show all of you ignorant scums who belittled me, that I am a genius that can fight across realms, beating even the best cultivators of this generation. Rank 5 talent, Foundation Establishment cultivators, bring it all, they are nothing in front of me, you will all soon realize the Sky Martial Institute is the best institution of the city and I, as their strongest disciple, have no equal!"
The resentment that dwelled in his heart ran rampant in his mind while he neared the battlefield.
Both Foundation Establishment cultivators were so engrossed in their bout that they couldn't find an instant to look around or scan the surroundings.
When Zhang Xuanhan was close enough to see every details of the confrontation and was about to jump in the melee, a spear suddenly fell down from the sky and crashed right in front of him, drawing a line on the ground before his feet until it came to a stop a dozen steps further.
Zhang Xuanhan looked on his right and saw Jin Hao Tian drawing closer.
"Hehe, finally something to do." Jin Hao Tian smiled excitedly, walking towards his spear and picking it up.
"Don't bother with these guys, let's fight each other instead!" Without any further discussion, Jin Hao Tian blocked Zhang Xuanhan's path and thrust his spear forward with battle intent.
"Fucker!" Zhang Xuanhan swore loudly, exploding in towering fury, a water shield enveloping his body and slowing down the spear until it came to a still before it could hit him.
Zhang Xuanhan couldn't understand, there was no enmity between he and Jin Hao tian, why was he blocking his way at this time?
Beside having the audacity to attack him, he was making him miss a great opportunity here and the more their fight would drag on, the less he would control the situation and have a chance to eliminate his prime competitors, Shen Xue and Qiong Lieyu.
Greatly enraged and fretful by this sudden change of circumstances, Zhang Xuanhan threw himself at Jin Hao Tian with a palm strike, trying to get rid of him as fast as possible.
While they fought, Qiong Lieyu used the second form of the Ruling Saber battle skill and pushed Shen Xue back.
"Don't you know, we're not all born gifted like you and with my Rank 3 talent, I had to take huge risks and place my future on the balance, all this just to defeat you. If there is one person I can't lose against in this competition, this is you!" Qiong Lieyu admitted calmly.
He was merely a rank 3 talent, many knew it already.
He joined the Golden Martial Institute at 8 years old, yet he only reached the 8th layer less than a year ago while he was still fourteen.
Without testing him, it was clear that this speed was too slow to be a rank 4 talent or more.
In comparison, Zhang Xuanhan was one year younger than him and started cultivating at nine since his grandfather was afraid he could damage his dantian, yet he broke through the 8th layer earlier than Qiong Lieyu.
Although he could overcome layers to defeat opponents with a higher cultivation than himself thanks to the Ruling Saber battle skill, Qiong Lieyu didn't have the chance to leave for a sect till now.
While he confessed to Shen Xue, a scene that took place six months ago emerged from his memories.
In the Golden Martial Institute, Qiong Lieyu bowed down to the dean in his office.
"This disciple has been successful in mastering the final form of the Ruling Saber battle skill." When he said so, the head of a big lion appeared from his pouch and fell on the ground.
The dean of the Golden Martial Institute, his back facing Qiong Lieyu, turned his head and took a glance before he looked back down once more, seemingly in thought.
"This is good, but I am afraid it is not enough. This Shen Xue kid is very talented, I am not just talking about his cultivation, I have seen him fight a couple of times, his senses are polished and his skills are on par with instructors. If nothing change, then the first place of our annual competition with the Tiger and Sky Martial Institute will assuredly be his." He said, his heart uneasy.
The annual competition wasn't just testing students and attributing rewards according to their performances, its results also determined the ranking of the three institute and the quality of their students.
The one holding the best places would influence families and clans to send their youths to join it the next year, but most importantly it might incline the sect affiliated to send more resources afterwards.
More than the students, this competition has an impact on the institute as a whole, hence the Golden Martial Institute's dean concerned mood.
Qiong Lieyu's eyes flashed as he claimed, "I might have a way to beat Shen Xue and obtain the first place for our institute."
At this mention, the dean sharply turned around and looked at Qiong Lieyu, showing a stern expression, "A way you say, let's hear it."
"Qiong Lieyu explained, "You know my abilities, at the same cultivation level, wether Shen Xue or someone else, I don't fear anyone. The problem is that I might no be fast enough in cultivation and Shen Xue should quickly surpass me, with his talent, who knows what cultivation he will show during the competition."
"That's why there is only one way, if you can fully support my cultivation with high-tier Spirit Qi Pills, and grant me a sky blue Encompassing Washing Pill, I will assuredly not be outpaced by Shen Xue. I could even reach the Foundation Establishment Realm in the remaining time with your assistance, in this case you will need to plead in my favor with the other deans and allow me to participate in the competition, lord dean is the most elderly of the three, surely your words will reach them, in exchange, I will get the first place for you."
There was a short silence in the office while the dean thought about it before he spoke, "Hmm, to not only allow you to cultivate with Spirit Qi pills, but also to incur in your favor, you're asking for a bit much aren't you. This is not like it's unthinkable, but as the dean I need to be impartial so I can only accept under one condition."
Qiong Lieyu immediately asked, "Which one?"
"The high-tier Encompassing Washing pill is a rare resource, who knows when the next one will appear in the city, that's why I can only give it to you after you do surpass Shen Xue in the leaderboard. Obtain better results than him in the competition and it is yours."
Qiong Lieyu's situation was different to Shen Xue.
He didn't hail from a powerful clan nor did he have envious talent.
This situation determined both his and the dean's take in this arrangement.
The dean had no qualms putting him at risk and potentially waste his prospects even if he was their top student because with no support and average talent, he wasn't seen as someone that could go far in cultivation and he might not be satisfactory for the sect.
At the same time, no one would come ask him for explanations if his potential was wasted with impurities.
That's why he gave this condition, it was a drive to push Qiong Lieyu to absolutely surpass Shen Xue in the competition, which meant for both of them, gaining the first place as the young master was the favorite by far.
"If he fail, the Encompassing Washing Pill won't be handed to him and the impurities will solidy in his body, at this moment, someone will simply replace him to represent us among this generation. On the other hand, it would truly be a pity to waste the Spirit Qi Pills and help him breakthrough for nothing in return." The dean thought in cold indifference.
In the righteous path, great talent with a good upstanding was very important, Qiong Lieyu who lacked both of them wasn't seen as indispensable like Shen Xue nor was he doted on like Zhang Xuanhan.
On earth, if you are strong, you have nothing to worry about.
If you are weak, you can count on your talent for the strong to gather around and help you grow.
If you are both weak and untalented, then you are on your own braving the winds and cold for a glimmer of hope.
In his case, Qiong Lieyu was aware that with his talent, it would be much more difficult to progress as he climbs higher in the endless path of cultivation. Nothing was given to him for free, he had to fight bitterly in the institute and prove himself to the higher-ups to obtain the resources needed to advance.
Seeing the dean's plight, he saw an opportunity to squander more resources for himself and benefit from the situation, quickly enhancing his cultivation which worried him the most these years.
For this reason, he didn't mind polluting his body with the impurities of Spirit Qi pills or accepting the dean's condition, because he was sure, as long as he broke through the Foundation Establishment Realm, with his mastery of the Ruling Saber, no one should be his match.
He quickly agreed to this proposition and obviously, this arrangement was kept a secret by the two parties. If it was to be known that the dean freely handed a high-tier Encompassing Washing Pill and other assets just for someone to defeat Shen Xue and that Qiong Lieyu promoted his cultivation with a massive intake of Spirit Qi Pills, both their reputation would suffer.
As long as they didn't admit anything, others could doubt witnessing Qiong Lieyu's sudden explosive growth, but they wouldn't dare point it out without proof or it would be nothing less than slander with dire consequences.
"You had your own opportunities, I also have my own secrets. With a good reason backing me, I am not allowed to lose this fight!" Qiong Lieyu uttered, his eyes resolute.
His hair rose in the air, dancing as if unaffected by the gravity, his eyes quickly turned a bright golden and many vivid lines of lights ran through his body.
Under the effects of this amplification battle skill, Qiong Lieyu's abilities increased manifold as he jumped in the air.
"It's been six months already, I have no choice, my impurities could solidify any day now. If I don't surpass Shen Xue in the banners and quickly consume the sky blue Encompassing Washing Pill, I am doomed to remain in the early Foundation Establishment Realm my whole life!"
Qiong Lieyu raised his saber with determination, a massive amount of Qi gathering around the blade.
Shen Xue raised his head and looked at the commotion with a cold face, whispering, "Ice Tomb."
Suddenly, cold pale mist escaped from his nose, mouth and ears, gathering around him and freezing the ground at his feet.
The mist that was exhaled quickly pressed itself back against Shen Xue's body, frost and ice quickly growing on his skin.
In an instant, Shen Xue's whole body was encased in a block of ice like the blood tracking fly in its fossilized crystal.
However, the cold mist wasn't completely exhausted yet, and continued to enlarge and thicken the ice around Shen Xue's body with every passing second.
His eyes were closed and he seemed asleep, imprisoned in the ice.
"Take this, Ruling Saber final form, Dragon Saber!" Qiong Lieyu bellowed savagely as he struck down with his saber towards the ice tomb.
The Shadow of a golden dragon appeared from the tip of the saber, roaring in the sky as it lunged down in the earth.
Boom!
The whole valley trembled, and the ground was fractured.
Zhang Xuanhan and Jin Hao Tian had no choice but to stop fighting to resist the shockwave pushing them outwards.
Ma Shinfei held his stick planted on the ground, but was still sliding back bit by bit.
A layer of soil was sent flying along rocks and grasses.
When the pressure slightly subsided, a huge column of smoke rose from the center of the impact.
In this column, Shen Xue stood up, his surroundings filled with broken ice fragments, the remains of the Ice Tomb battle skill.
His body was covered in frost, concealing the countless injuries he suffered, his white robe was torn to shreds and his ordinarily silky silver hair were straight like icicles, frozen as well.
Pieces of flesh were missing in certain areas, replaced by a layer of frost that displayed protruding pristine bones.
He has never been in such a bad state since he started cultivating.
If it wasn't for his body refining technique, even the Ice Tomb wouldn't prevent him from losing an arm or simply his life.
His ears were buzzing and his sight hazy, with the surrounding smoke, he couldn't orient himself properly.
He was slowly healing himself using the concealement from the dust cloud to recuperate in peace when at this moment, a fist pierced the fog, the wave from the movement dissipating the smoke and revealing his assailant.
Shen Xue felt a chill, he was very vulnerable right now and didn't expect Qiong Lieyu to instantly attack after releasing such a formidable move, most of all, he didn't feel any movement around him before this.
He turned around and raised his sword to block the strike when he saw a muscular youth with short spiky hair and gloomy emotionless eyes. His attire was very damaged as well, making him as good as topless, however he was also barefooted.
An ambitious beggar attacked!