Chapter 2164: Fu Jiangchen

Zhang Xuan's soul power had just broken through to the middle-grade Heavenly God not long ago. According to normal progress, without ten days to half a month, reaching the upper-grade Heavenly God would be impossible.

It had been growing steadily just a moment ago, without much surprise—how could it suddenly increase so much?

Previously, it was an ordinary stream; now it had directly turned into the Yellow River...

"At this rate, my soul will break through to the upper-grade Heavenly God tonight..."

Nodding in satisfaction, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

When he first broke through to the Heavenly God realm, he had been full of ambition, thinking he could break through to the God King in just a few days. Now, seven or eight days had passed, and he hadn't even reached the upper-grade Heavenly God. He was already ashamed beyond measure, feeling extremely embarrassed.

If he remained stuck in place, unable to succeed, he truly didn't know how he would face his many students in the future.

They had been taken away by various emperors, with countless resources, and their cultivation speed was probably no slower than his own.

Once the soul broke through, true qi would break through as well. At most, he would need to spend a breath or two to consolidate!

Cultivation was indeed not as simple as imagined; it was full of hardship and effort.

Adjusting his mood, Zhang Xuan, along with Qi Ling'er and the others, landed on the high platform.

The originally noisy square, upon seeing the main figure arrive, all stopped their discussions and looked up with curiosity.

"Is that the great alchemy grandmaster who refined the Beauty Pill?"

"He looks so young!"

"Not only young, but also handsome. Okay, I admit... my heart is racing!"

"You're excited about his Beauty Pill, right..."

...

Since the Beauty Pill came out, news had spread, and many had imagined what this great alchemy grandmaster looked like. They always thought he was an old man with white hair and beard, never dreaming he was just a young man around twenty.

And so handsome, at that.

Countless women's eyes glazed over with excitement.

The strong are always admired by the opposite sex, no matter where.

"Everyone, I am Qi Ling'er of the Qi Clan! Many of you are here because of my invitation!" Standing at the front of the platform, Qi Ling'er looked around and said.

She was only a lower-grade Heavenly God, and her voice wasn't enough to reach everyone. However, preparations had been made in advance; an extremely sophisticated formation had been arranged on the platform, allowing the nearly five hundred thousand people in the square to hear her clearly, unaffected by others' chatter.

Before, not many knew Qi Ling'er of the Qi Clan, but after this invitation, almost all forces understood that this girl was now speaking for the Qi Clan.

One could say she was second only to the clan head.

"The young master behind me, Zhang Xuan, is the refiner of the Beauty Pill. Today, I have gathered everyone not only to introduce the Beauty Pill but also two newly designed pills, which we will witness together!"

Seeing that everyone recognized her, Qi Ling'er said no more and introduced the young man behind her.

"Everyone must already know the effects of the Beauty Pill!"

Taking over the conversation, Zhang Xuan looked around.

Those who came here must have heard of the Beauty Pill's effects or were beneficiaries themselves.

Otherwise, gods are busy cultivating; no one would be so idle as to attend such a gathering for no reason.

"The Beauty Pill can make skin delicate, repair internal injuries, and even increase lifespan... As for its various effects, I need not elaborate; those who have taken it will spread the word by mouth."

Zhang Xuan smiled and said, "Just now, Qi Ling'er mentioned that today we are not only introducing the Beauty Pill but also two newly designed pills. Now, I will introduce to you what effects these two pills have!"

"First, I will introduce the upgraded version of the Beauty Pill, which is the [Barrier-Breaking Pill] that has been rumored! This pill, as you have heard, is without any fabrication or exaggeration. It can increase a cultivator's breakthrough chance by fifty percent. That is to say... as long as you take this pill, you will almost certainly succeed! After taking it, there are no side effects, and you need not worry about affecting the next realm's advancement. Moreover, this pill also possesses all the effects of the Beauty Pill: making skin delicate, repairing internal injuries, increasing lifespan... And importantly, it tastes delicious!"

"Fifty percent?"

"Almost certainly succeed..."

"All the effects of the Beauty Pill?"

"If you consolidate well, increasing the breakthrough chance to twenty percent is quite easy. If you then take this pill, reaching seventy percent... With such a high probability, one can indeed say it's almost certain to succeed!"

"And the key is no side effects... This thing is too heaven-defying!"

...

Discussions erupted all around. Even the many experts riding flying divine beasts in the air were visibly tempted.

They might not need this pill themselves, but for their juniors or children, obtaining one with such a high success rate could quickly spawn a powerful family and establish a strong empire.

"Teacher... does such a pill really exist?"

Zhou Feng on the beast's back couldn't help but look at the old man sitting cross-legged before him.

The most famous alchemy grandmaster in the divine realm, Fu Jiangchen!

"I don't know if it exists, but the divine realm is not as simple as imagined... Let's continue watching. As long as the pill appears, we can naturally discern its nature!"

Without turning his head, Fu Jiangchen stared intently at the high platform and said calmly.

As a God King expert, he had lived for at least several thousand years and had seen countless experts and many prodigies.

Logically, a pill that could increase the breakthrough chance by fifty percent should not exist in the world. But... nothing is absolute. The Tianzong Emperor of yore seemed to have created countless miracles that were hard to understand yet impossible to surpass.

Perhaps... this young man was the same.

"I know everyone has doubts, so I have brought the pill and will demonstrate its effects publicly!" Zhang Xuan on the platform interrupted the discussions, flipped his wrist, and took out a jade box. Gently opening it, a round pill immediately appeared before everyone.

There was no intense spiritual energy fluctuation, nor any powerful aura. From afar, it looked very ordinary.

"It looks like... a middle-grade Divine Origin Pill!"

"I've been refining this pill for over a hundred years; I can recognize it at a glance..."

"The Beauty Pill looks exactly like a lower-grade Divine Origin Pill, and this Barrier-Breaking Pill looks like a middle-grade Divine Origin Pill. Can't they change to a more high-end appearance?"

Everyone frowned, and even Fu Jiangchen was at a loss.

He had thought that upon seeing the pill, he could automatically discern its effects. Now it seemed... he had overthought!

This thing, like the Beauty Pill, was impossible to distinguish, even if cut open and reverse-engineered, it would likely yield no results.

"This person is truly an alchemy genius..." Fu Jiangchen sighed.

"Teacher, why do you say that?" Zhou Feng asked.

The pill's effects hadn't even been demonstrated yet; why was the teacher praising him in advance?

"Every pill has traces to follow. Healing pills must include止血草, 化瘀花, and the like; pills for advancing cultivation usually require 破障花, 顺脉香, and so on... The Beauty Pill that the other party refined has excellent effects, yet it is indistinguishable from the Divine Origin Pill. Do you know why?" Fu Jiangchen said.

Zhou Feng shook his head.

If he knew, he wouldn't have called his teacher over.

"It's simple: he deliberately used a special alchemy technique to conceal it!" Fu Jiangchen exclaimed.

"Conceal?" Zhou Feng was puzzled.

"The lower-grade Divine Origin Pill is the most basic pill in the divine realm. With your ability, how many methods can you use to refine it?" Without further explanation, Fu Jiangchen asked.

"Several hundred methods should be possible..." Zhou Feng nodded.

The lower-grade Divine Origin Pill merely accumulates spiritual energy. There are many formulas, just a matter of which is more economical.

"You can use several hundred methods because you handle this pill with ease, able to use various ingredients to achieve the same effect!"

Fu Jiangchen showed admiration: "This person is the same! This Barrier-Breaking Pill, though it looks exactly like a middle-grade Divine Origin Pill and cannot be detected even by divine sense, is actually refined from many precious ingredients, deliberately disguised with Divine Origin Pill ingredients... The purpose is to prevent others from detecting the formula and learning it, thus ensuring that only he can refine the pill, and no one can replicate it!"

"Impressive!" Zhou Feng suddenly understood.

If he had said 'special method to conceal,' he might not have understood, but this explanation made it clear.

Some experts in using poison in the divine realm also often blend deadly toxins with ordinary pills, making them hard to distinguish.

The other party was doing the same.

Otherwise, how could a middle-grade Divine Origin Pill increase the breakthrough chance by fifty percent?

"Hearing is false, seeing is believing! Since the pill has been brought out, it should be verified on the spot!"

Zhang Xuan on the platform continued: "Who is willing to come and test the pill? The prerequisite is that this person must have a convincing identity and status, and be on the verge of breaking through. Otherwise, if I arranged it, no amount of testing would be useful!"

To test, one must find someone recognized by all; otherwise, no matter how good the effect, they would be seen as a 'plant.'

"I am Zhang Heng of the Youhun Imperial City Guard, stuck at the peak of lower-grade deity for over ten years. All the city guards can vouch for me!"

An old man jumped onto the high platform.

"What use is the city guard vouching for you? Let me do it. I am a镖师 of the Weiwu Escort Agency, at the peak of lower-grade Heavenly God. The Qi Clan steward can vouch for me..."

"You have no credibility. Let me..."

A commotion ensued, and within a few breaths, thirty or forty people had jumped up.

Although they had doubts about this Barrier-Breaking Pill, since he dared to boast in front of so many people and had the Qi Clan backing him, it couldn't be simple.

Perhaps it could really make one break through!

Thus, these people, with a fluke mentality, rushed up.

"This..." Zhang Xuan frowned, unsure how to choose, when a faint voice sounded from the air.

"How about I send someone to test it?"

With the voice, Fu Jiangchen on the beast's back slowly stood up straight.