Chapter 58

Under Huang Bao's astonished gaze, Zhang Yan walked to the edge of the boat and returned the old man's bow, saying, "I dare not. I am Zhang Yan, and I am not a master."

Seeing how young Zhang Yan was, the old man was slightly surprised, but his expression quickly returned to normal. "There's no need for modesty, Daoist Zhang. Your Longyue Pill is odorless, colorless, and as smooth as a pearl, clearly reaching the level of 'nature entering the microdust, gathering strength into one.' Even after being exposed to the sun for a hundred days, its medicinal power remains unchanged. It is a rare and excellent pill, a fine medicine."

Zhang Yan had the pill presented by his subordinates. To a pill master, this was a way to showcase one's achievements and cultivation, a common practice when dealing with peers.

This pill was indeed refined by Zhang Yan himself, but during the refining process, Zhou Chongju controlled the fire, and each step was completed under his meticulous guidance. He did not skimp on the herbs, and after wasting five or six batches of pills, the last batch finally produced a pill that could be considered a top-grade pill.

At the time, Zhou Chongju had examined the pill several times before handing it to Zhang Yan, joking that it would be enough to fool people.

The old man glanced at Zhang Yan's face and said, "I have a few pills here as well. I would like to invite Daoist Zhang to appraise them."

Hearing this, Zhang Yan also looked at him seriously. Seeing that the old man remained silent and calm, he said, "Very well, since Daoist has invited me, how can I refuse?"

This was a polite invitation to a small competition, a normal exchange among peers. However, it seemed that the old man did not believe that the pill was refined by Zhang Yan and wanted to personally gauge his true abilities.

Since Zhang Yan intended to enter the Water Kingdom as a pill master, he naturally had to maintain the dignity of this identity. He thought to himself, "It's just right that I need someone to vouch for me, and this person has come forward."

In the demon kingdom, there were many with higher cultivation than him. Even with the identity of a Lingcang Sect envoy, it might not be very convenient. However, if he also had the title of a pill master, things would be different.

The demon kingdom lacked such talents, and those who practiced the 'Force Path' needed external medicines, which included pills. Therefore, the status of pill masters in the demon kingdom was above that of ordinary demon cultivators, and many pill masters who were not well-off in their sects came to serve here.

However, high-level pill masters were carefully cultivated and strictly controlled by their sects, and various secret techniques were never passed on. Therefore, these people could not change the low level of pill refining in the demon kingdom.

Seeing Zhang Yan accept, the old man waved his hand with great momentum. The helmsman understood and steered the boat toward Zhang Yan.

Huang Bao, being very observant, quickly took the helm and steered the boat closer to the other one. After the two boats were close, he ordered two long ladders to be brought and placed on the other boat's edge, with two boards on top to form a simple passage.

On the other boat, the young demon cultivator looked warily at Luo Xiao, who was standing quietly beside him, and then leaned close to the old man, whispering, "Old Ren, can you tell where this person comes from?"

The old man pondered for a moment and said, "With the current Dan Assembly organized by the Ji Kingdom, disciples from all over the world are flocking here like fish crossing a river. However, if this person is indeed young and the pill is truly refined by him, he must come from a famous sect. I believe he is from one of the sixteen major sects of Donghua Continent."

The geomagnetic field here was chaotic, disrupting spiritual energy. If one tried to fly, they might fall from the sky soon. Zhang Yan could not achieve the same level as Luo Xiao, so he walked over step by step along the ladder.

Upon reaching the other boat, Luo Xiao took the initiative to stand behind him in a servant-like manner, causing the young demon cultivator to twitch his eyes.

Zhang Yan clasped his hands and said, "I have yet to learn your esteemed name, Daoist friend?"

The old man returned the bow with a calm expression and said, "I am an overseas cultivator, Ren Cai." He stepped aside and gestured, "Please come inside, Daoist friend."

Zhang Yan stepped into the cabin and looked around. The interior was simply decorated, but the display on the shelf was peculiar, with rows of white, sharp teeth. Just a glance made one feel a chill and a strong sense of bloodiness.

Seeing Zhang Yan's attention, Ren Cai explained, "These are some demon creatures from the East Sea. A few clan leaders in the Water Kingdom are quite fond of them, so I brought some this time. Please, Daoist friend."

The two sat down, with Luo Xiao and the young demon cultivator standing behind them.

Ren Cai and Zhang Yan exchanged a few polite words, and then he learned that Zhang Yan was from the Lingcang Sect. He did not dare to underestimate him and first returned Zhang Yan's Longyue Pill. Then he pushed a brocade box toward him, looked at him, and clasped his hands, saying, "Please, Daoist friend, enlighten me."

Zhang Yan took the box and opened it, finding three white mud pills. From their appearance, they did not match any recorded in the pill spectrum. However, this was not unusual, as pill masters often had their own secret formulas. What was strange was that these three pills were identical in color, taste, and shape.

"These three pills are called the Three Longevity Pills. I refined them according to an incomplete ancient formula. It is said they can extend one's lifespan, but there is a flaw. Each batch produces three pills, two of which are highly toxic, and only one can extend life."

At this point, Ren Cai straightened his posture slightly. "I have been studying this refining method for over thirty years and have finally grasped the key, but I still cannot be completely sure. Since Daoist friend is from a famous sect, could you help me solve this puzzle?"

Zhang Yan looked at him and said, "May I examine them in detail?"

Ren Cai raised his hand, making a gesture inviting him to inspect, but his expression was very confident.

In Ren Cai's view, Zhang Yan was young and could refine a pill like the Longyue Pill, which suggested he had a good master. In large sects, there were often secret pill formulas, and as long as one followed the steps, they could refine a few good pills, which was not surprising.

However, the path of a pill master ultimately relied on the Three Apertures Technique, which was solid and could not be faked.

To identify the differences in these pills, one had to rely on the Three Apertures Technique. He had practiced for thirty years to detect the subtle differences. In the past, when he sparred with peers, anyone who came and identified the differences in these three pills would admit defeat. If they still did not believe him, he could swallow the pills on the spot, and this move always made the other party retreat. Over the years, this had been very effective.

This time, he was confident that he could use these pills to outshine many pill masters at the Dan Assembly.

Zhang Yan looked at the pills for a moment. After reaching the second level of the Ming Qi realm, he had practiced the Inner Aperture Technique in his spare time. However, the method and the level of mastery were different. Identifying the quality of ordinary pills or refining pills might not be a problem, but identifying such peculiar pills was difficult for him.

However, although Zhang Yan could not use the Three Apertures Technique to identify the pills, he had another method that the other party could never imagine.

He reached into his sleeve, touched the broken jade, and his mind sank into it.

As his cultivation improved, the scene inside the jade had changed. Originally, the broken jade could only reflect the scenery within five steps, but now it could reflect up to fifteen steps. Everything except living beings was the same as the outside world, and beyond that was a gray mist.

He shifted his gaze from the distance to his clone, who was also holding a brocade box with the three pills neatly arranged inside.

He smiled slightly. Although he could not use the Three Apertures Technique or the Inner Aperture Technique to identify the pills, he could use his clone to test them.

Without hesitation, he picked up the middle pill and swallowed it.

As soon as the pill entered his stomach, it felt like a burning fire, quickly eroding his internal organs and piercing through his abdomen. The toxicity was far beyond his imagination.

With a shift of his mind, the clone gradually recovered. He then picked up the second pill and swallowed it.

After taking the second pill, he initially felt nothing, thinking everything was normal. However, gradually, he felt a chill spreading through his limbs, starting from his hair, then his eyebrows, and all the hair on his body fell out. His skin began to wrinkle and crack, and when he touched it, a flurry of skin flakes fell off.

Not only that, but his flesh began to rot and fall off in large chunks.

When he clenched his fist, the bones burst through the skin. As he stood up, his skin and flesh slid down like soft mud.

Zhang Yan was no longer interested in watching. Although using the clone for testing was not dangerous, the sensations were still clear. In other words, he could feel all the pain. If he had not had so much experience and his nerves had not been hardened, he might not have been able to endure even a glance at the current scene.

These two pills were definitely toxic.

His gaze turned to the last pill.

Ren Cai, seeing Zhang Yan take so long to move, could not help but smile. This young man was still not solid in his foundation, relying on his master's teachings to come before an old man like him. He did not realize that the path of pill refining was vast and endless, and only a solid foundation could lead to achievements.

At this moment, Zhang Yan looked up and smiled at Ren Cai, then reached out and picked up the last pill.

Ren Cai's eyebrows furrowed, but his expression did not change. However, Zhang Yan's next words made him tremble and almost jump up.

"This pill is not toxic, but it cannot extend life. Only when all three pills are taken together can they have an effect."

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PS: No update tonight. I'll go to bed early and see if I can write a chapter in the morning.