Chapter 99

The Beggar Sect, as the largest sect in the martial world, instilled fear and respect in other sects not because of their countless members, but because of their all-encompassing intelligence network.

As a personal disciple of the Beggar Sect's leader, Gao Fei naturally possessed many secrets that others did not know.

The Divine Strategy Army's invasion of Shu could be hidden from the Shu garrison, the Wanhua Sect, the Tang Sect, and even the Tiance Mansion, but it could not be hidden from the Beggar Sect.

As for the Divine Strategy Army's activities in Shu, Gao Fei was fully aware of them.

When he returned to the embroidery shop, the others' attitude towards Bai Chen had become much colder. There was no visit, not even a greeting.

The warmth and coldness of human relationships were evident from this. Only Mei Jiangxue came to see Bai Chen.

To Mei Jiangxue, she had placed so much hope in Bai Chen, so she was now deeply disappointed.

Mu Wan'er stayed by Bai Chen's side, resenting the cold looks from others.

"Bai Chen, don't worry. I will return to the Tang Sect and ask the Ancestor to help you repair your damaged meridians," Mu Wan'er said seriously, looking at Bai Chen, her lower lip trembling and her eyes red: "After all, you were injured because I failed to protect you."

"Seeking help from others is not as good as seeking help from oneself. Don't be so dramatic. If you really feel guilty, why don't you dance a seductive dance for this young master?"

Mu Wan'er burst into laughter, glaring at Bai Chen with hatred: "At the brink of death, you still speak without restraint. If it weren't for your severe injuries, this young lady would tear your mouth apart."

"Smiling like that is much prettier. A young girl crying all day, anyone who doesn't know would think her lover had died."

Bai Chen struggled to prop himself up, leaning against the wall by the head of the bed, but accidentally touched the wound on his back, causing him to grimace in pain.

Mu Wan'er rolled her eyes at Bai Chen: "You still have the heart to tease me? Your martial arts are already ruined. Don't you feel anxious?"

"Close the door." Bai Chen waved his hand.

"What for?" Mu Wan'er looked at Bai Chen with some caution, but then thought, since Bai Chen's martial arts were already ruined, what could he possibly do to her?

Thinking this, she got up and closed the door. At Bai Chen's request, she also bolted the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Come, help this young master up." Bai Chen treated Mu Wan'er like a servant.

If it weren't for Bai Chen's severe injuries, Mu Wan'er would have definitely taken action against him.

Seeing Mu Wan'er's puzzled look, Bai Chen sneered: "You don't really think a small Dragon Lock Dagger could ruin this young master, do you?"

"You have a way?" Mu Wan'er frowned, knowing that Bai Chen always had the most tricks up his sleeve.

But now that the situation was set, could he really turn things around?

"Have you forgotten that this young master is a master alchemist." Bai Chen sat on the ground, asking Mu Wan'er to bring out his alchemy furnace.

Mu Wan'er helped Bai Chen set up the alchemy equipment in front of him, looking at him with doubt: "Do you really have a way? I don't believe it... Your true qi has already been destroyed. Can you still practice alchemy?"

"Stupid, to refine high-grade elixirs, true qi and inner strength are needed, but for low-grade elixirs, they are not. As long as your technique is good enough, you can make up for the lack of inner strength. There are many ways to refine an elixir."

Bai Chen said this to cover up the fact that he could heal without medicine, making Mu Wan'er believe that he was recovering through elixirs.

In fact, what Bai Chen said was not entirely without basis.

Among elixirs below the tenth grade, there was indeed one that could repair damaged meridians.

However, few people knew how to refine it, and even fewer could actually do it.

...

On the other side—

"Miss Dongfang." Mei Jiangxue knocked on Dongfang Qing's door.

Dongfang Qing put the book in her hand on the table, looking at Mei Jiangxue, who had come to visit her unexpectedly.

"Senior."

"Miss Dongfang, there is a favor I wish to ask of you, hoping you will grant it."

"Senior, please speak. If I can help, I will do my best."

"Miss Dongfang, I want to know if Bai Chen's martial arts can truly not be restored." Mei Jiangxue sighed, putting aside her pride to ask a junior for help, hoping to find a way to restore Bai Chen's cultivation.

After all, Bai Chen's existence was crucial, not just for the happiness of her two disciples, but also for her plan of over a decade, which was of vital importance.

Dongfang Qing smiled bitterly at Mei Jiangxue: "Senior, you overestimate me. Although I know of an elixir that can repair damaged meridians, even the two venerable elders could not refine it."

"Hmm? Could you explain why it is impossible?" Mei Jiangxue was confident that if it was just a matter of lacking materials, even the most precious materials, she could obtain them.

But Dongfang Qing described the elixir as impossible, which made her unwilling to give up.

"Senior, as is well known, the alchemy world divides each grade of elixirs into finer categories, from the lowest to the highest, the Elixir King grade. But do you know that there is another grade that ordinary people do not know about?"

"I would like to hear more." Mei Jiangxue humbly asked, lowering her stance.

"This grade, which surpasses the Elixir King grade, is called the Divine Elixir. Theoretically, every elixir has the potential to be refined into a Divine Elixir, even the lowest-grade Blood Replenishing Elixir. However, refining a Divine Elixir is beyond human capability."

"How does this Divine Elixir relate to Bai Chen's injuries?" Mei Jiangxue asked, puzzled.

"To cure Bai Chen's injuries, a fifth-grade Flowing Light Elixir is needed."

"Flowing Light Elixir? Can such a common elixir cure Bai Chen's injuries?" Mei Jiangxue knew a lot about alchemy, but she was not ignorant of basic knowledge.

The Flowing Light Elixir, which was common in top-tier sects, could not possibly have such miraculous effects.

Dongfang Qing smiled bitterly, knowing that communicating with an outsider like Mei Jiangxue was not easy.

"An ordinary Flowing Light Elixir is impossible. What is needed is a Divine Flowing Light Elixir." Dongfang Qing paused and continued: "Alchemical arts are like martial arts, with profound depths that even I, in my entire life, cannot fully comprehend. Each elixir has countless variations. For example, the ordinary Flowing Light Elixir mainly restores physical strength, which I'm sure you are familiar with."

Mei Jiangxue nodded. In the martial world, one always carries common elixirs like Blood Replenishing Elixirs, Qi Replenishing Elixirs, and Flowing Light Elixirs.

When facing a large number of enemies, the Flowing Light Elixir is particularly useful, providing better endurance when one is exhausted.

However, she had never heard that the Flowing Light Elixir could repair damaged meridians, especially those injured by the Dragon Lock Dagger.

"This is precisely the point I want to emphasize. The Flowing Light Elixir is familiar to anyone in the martial world. Super-grade elixirs or Elixir King-grade elixirs only enhance their effects. However, the Divine Flowing Light Elixir completely changes its effects, not just restoring physical strength but changing the body. To put it more dramatically, it can transform the body, and in the face of a Divine Flowing Light Elixir, the damage to meridians and acupoints becomes insignificant. If it can change the body, a minor injury is no longer a problem."

Transformation! Mei Jiangxue's face changed. The few elixirs she knew that could transform the body were all high-grade elixirs. The fact that the Flowing Light Elixir had this effect was a great surprise to her.

"Is the Divine Flowing Light Elixir so difficult to refine?"

"Difficult to refine? That's an understatement." Dongfang Qing shook her head with a bitter smile: "Throughout the thousand-year history of alchemy, only one person has refined a Divine Flowing Light Elixir, and that was the Alchemy Sage Wu Daozi. Later generations have tried based on his records, but no one has succeeded. So, while many in the alchemy world know about it, no one has succeeded."

Hearing that only the Alchemy Sage Wu Daozi had succeeded, Mei Jiangxue's heart sank.

Who was the Alchemy Sage Wu Daozi? He was the undisputed first alchemist in a thousand years, with no one surpassing his achievements.

Even an outsider like Mei Jiangxue knew all about Wu Daozi's legendary deeds.

He was the only person to refine a twenty-grade elixir. Generally, after the Three Flowers Gather at the Top, no elixir would have any effect, and further progress could only be achieved through one's own talent and effort.

However, Wu Daozi broke this barrier with his twenty-grade Spirit-Transcending Elixir.

Wu Daozi refined the Spirit-Transcending Elixir to save a severely injured friend, not only completely healing the friend's injuries but also advancing the friend's cultivation from the early stage of Three Flowers Gather at the Top to the late stage.

Therefore, for every alchemist, Wu Daozi was a god, a legend, a myth.

Unfortunately, Wu Daozi had a lifespan of only thirty years and died in his prime.

Some speculated that Wu Daozi's alchemical talent was so extraordinary that it aroused the envy of heaven, leading to his lifelong illness.

If he had lived ten more years, he would have created even more alchemical miracles.

Of course, for a legendary figure from a thousand years ago, the two could only pay their respects.

Although the two venerable elders were rare alchemy masters in the current martial world, compared to Wu Daozi, they were not even in the same league.

As they were talking, the door suddenly rattled, and Mu Wan'er pushed it open without hesitation.

Her face was tear-streaked and anxious. Seeing Mei Jiangxue there, she was momentarily stunned but quickly regained her composure: "Sister Dongfang, please come and see Bai Chen. He... he's in trouble."

PS: If you treat me as a national hero, I will repay you as a national hero!