Chapter 3 - Breakthrough

On this continent, those in the refinement state could only bully ordinary people.

Only after reaching the qi transformation state could one be considered to have a certain level of strength to be able to walk on bodies of water.

Of course, the water had to be somewhere where there were no experts around. 

A cultivator could only become an alchemist after reaching the true essence state.

Because in order to refine pills, one needed at least the pure energy of the true essence state.

Even after reaching the true essence state, a cultivator could only refine first-grade pills.

Those in the purple spirit state could refine second-grade pills, and pills like the third-grade soul-returning pill could only be refined after reaching the core formation state.

For a person like Lu Yanran who was in the refinement state, it would be difficult for her to obtain a third-grade elixir even if she spent her entire life working on it.

Based on this, it was clear how important the third-grade soul-returning pill was to her.

Just as Lu Yanran was getting lost in a daze, a piercing sound came from afar.

With a whoosh, a beautiful figure quickly descended onto the Lingjiu Peak.

Within the Qingyun sect, the sect master and every elder had their own mountain peak.

Elder Ye Xuan's Lingjiu Peak was his own territory.

As Ye Xuan did not usually take in disciples, the entire peak was a little deserted. Only a few miscellaneous disciples responsible for Ye Xuan's clothing, food, accommodation, and travel would occasionally show up.

Lu Yanran soon saw the person who had come to visit.

She saw that the person was a woman with a graceful figure and a beautiful appearance.

It was none other than the elder of the Qingyun sect, Lin Qing!

Lu Yanran's expression was serious. She cupped her fists at Lin Qing according to the sect's etiquette customs.

"Greetings, Elder Lin Qing!"

Lin Qing slowly descended from the sky.

She looked at Lu Yanran in front of her with confusion.

Because at this moment, Lu Yanran was still wearing the uniform of an odd-job disciple.

Thus, Lin Qing did not understand. She did not understand why this handyman was not doing anything but instead standing guard outside Elder Ye Xuan's hall.

Before Lin Qing could ask, Lu Yanran spoke first.

"Elder Lin, please stop. Master is currently in seclusion. He can not be disturbed by anyone. Please forgive him."

After hearing Lu Yanran's words, Lin Qing was also shocked.

However, she soon saw the elder's token in Lu Yanran's hand. It was Ye Xuan's token.

Lin Qing no longer had any doubts about Lu Yanran's words.

However, she was still very surprised. Ye Xuan, who had always been focused on his own cultivation, had actually begun to take in disciples.

It seemed like his situation was getting a little bad!

Thinking of this, Lin Qing's mood could not help but sink.

She wondered. Could it be that Ye Xuan knew that he was dying, so he chose a disciple at the last minute to pass on his legacy?

Although she was a little upset, Lin Qing was not in a hurry to break into the hall.

She could still feel traces of fluctuations coming out from the hall.

Moreover, it had been Ye Xuan's idea to have Lu Yanran stay here, so she naturally would not rashly barge in.

Thus, Lin Qing went to the front of the hall and sat down cross-legged.

As an elder of the Qingyun sect, she had naturally also participated in the battle for the treasures of Heaven and Earth a few days ago.

It was during that battle that Ye Xuan was poisoned by the people of the Xuanyin sect with the five-poison powder.

Lin Qing had also gotten slightly injured when she tried to save Ye Xuan, who was being besieged by many experts.

However, her injuries were not serious, and she had already fully recovered.

Right now, Lin Qing did not know that while Ye Xuan had been poisoned by the five-poison powder, he had also been poisoned by another highly-toxic bone-dissolving powder.

If she knew the truth, she would definitely be despairing right now.

This was because the bone-dissolving powder was much stronger than the five-poison powder. It could be said that there was no antidote for the bone-dissolving powder in the entire great Qian Dynasty.

The two girls, one old and one young, waited in front of Ye Xuan's Hall in silence.

In the blink of an eye, two days passed. No one else came during this time.

During this time, Lu Yanran continued obeying Ye Xuan's orders and did not leave the front of the hall at all.

After all, Lu Yanran was only at the fourth stage of the refinement state.

With her current strength, it was impossible for her to not eat and drink without her bodily functions being affected.

She had not eaten for two days and not a single grain of rice was inside her tummy now, which was why her body was beginning to collapse.

Lin Qing, who was beside her, was resting with her eyes closed. She had not noticed Lu Yanran's condition.

At this moment, a strong wave of aura suddenly came from the hall where Ye Xuan was.

Lin Qing, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation, suddenly opened her eyes.

"Was that... a breakthrough?"

Lin Qing's face was full of shock. She could clearly sense the strength of the aura coming from the hall.

After all, she was a powerhouse in the core formation realm. At this moment, she could clearly feel that the sense of pressure within her body was still increasing.

"How could this be?"

The surprise in Lin Qing's eyes did not disappear for a long time.

She did not understand why Ye Xuan, who should have been seriously injured and on the verge of death, was suddenly emitting such a powerful aura?

Moreover, his aura kept growing more powerful. It was clearly a phenomenon that only occurred after one broke through.

Just as Lin Qing felt she could not grow more shocked, five more cracks of the sound barrier breaking could be heard in the distance.

They came from the other peaks of the Qingyun sect. It was obvious that these five people had also been attracted to the astonishing things happening where Ye Xuan was.

Soon, five figures arrived near Lin Qing. They all stood in the air.

All of them looked at the hall which Ye Xuan was in with great shock.

The six of them all stood in the air. This was something that only core formation realm masters could do.

The five of them were the sect master, deputy sect master, and elders of the Qingyun sect.

The one in the middle was the sect master, Wan Shanhai!

The few of them landed and approached the hall where Ye Xuan was.

They were like Lin ing, full of doubts. They alo wanted to figure out what had happened to Ye Xuan to make him able to emit such a powerful aura.

At this moment, Lu Yanran was standing in front of the hall. When she saw the high-level members of the sect appear, she felt a strong pressure.

Despite the pressure, she still forced herself to stop them.

"sect master, deputy sect master, and elders, please wait. Master is still in seclusion. Please don't disturb him!"

Lu Yanran was just a servant disciple. It took great courage to be able to say these words in front of so many high-level members of the sect.

Lu Yanran's words attracted the gazes of these higher-ups.

When they saw her odd-job disciple attire, they were all somewhat displeased.

"What did you just say?"

Wan Shanhai focused his gaze on her and coldly asked.