Chapter 415 - 266: Alchemy Dao Advancement, Tier Two Upper Grade
Chapter 415: Chapter 266: Alchemy Dao Advancement, Tier Two Upper Grade
The Secret Technique, Smell the Wind and Distinguish Spirits, might be even more incredible than Lin Changheng had imagined!
Its tier might even be higher than he thought!
After all, an ordinary Secret Technique, or even the Abnormal Techniques and Demon Techniques he had mastered, couldn’t produce such an effect.
Thinking about it now, that old Daoist Wu Jiu really hadn’t deceived him. For someone as cautious as he was, the technique’s uses were truly endless.
As memories of his encounters with the old Daoist Wu Jiu flashed through his mind, Lin Changheng slowly began to put the pieces together.
This was especially true regarding the Vajra Bodhi Wood. It had been steeped in Demonic Qi for years, the energy permeating it so deeply that an ordinary Exotic Fire would likely be unable to purge it.
Only a righteous and powerful, Supreme Yang Exotic Fire like the Red Sky Profound Flame could possibly suppress the sinister Demonic Qi and achieve any results.
Exotic Fires were rare, and Supreme Yang ones were even rarer.
He had a growing suspicion that the old Daoist Wu Jiu had been waiting specifically for him.
Or more precisely, waiting for him—the possessor of the Red Sky Profound Flame.
’This man... is truly mysterious.’
It was a good thing the old Daoist Wu Jiu had no other intentions and had long since departed. Otherwise, Lin Changheng would have been losing sleep over it even now.
...
After Elder Kong’s lecture concluded, the next part of the ceremony began.
The selection of disciples.
Of course, many wished to become a disciple of a Tier Three Pill Master. This was the primary reason many High Tier Cultivators had brought their juniors here.
Becoming the disciple of a Tier Three Pill Master meant access to ample Elixirs, a profound Alchemy Inheritance, and a powerful backer—an opportunity countless young Cultivators dreamed of.
Lin Changheng simply watched quietly from the crowd.
In total, there were a dozen or so young men and women, their expressions a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
Their innate talents were all remarkable, and their fine clothing made it clear they all came from extraordinary backgrounds.
Among them, a young woman in a pale purple dress was particularly striking, with her beautiful features and somewhat cool, detached air. From the whispers of those around him, Lin Changheng learned that she was none other than the grandniece of Master Xuan Ji from the Purple Extreme Sect.
Her name was Luo Su.
She was also seeking to study under Elder Kong.
"Even Master Xuan Ji’s grandniece is here..."
"The Purple Extreme Sect must be trying to strengthen its ties with Floating Immortal City!"
"I hear this young woman’s talent for the Alchemy Dao is superb. She’s already a standout within the Purple Extreme Sect. She’s only in her early twenties and has already reached Tier One Lower Grade in alchemy. It looks like the competition for Elder Kong’s disciple slots is going to be fierce."
Lin Changheng’s gaze shifted as the hushed discussions reached his ears.
The Purple Extreme Sect was a Major Sect in the Song Country, and Master Xuan Ji was a renowned Female Core Formation Cultivator.
For her grandniece to come and seek apprenticeship was not merely a simple pursuit of knowledge; it carried the political weight of fostering an alliance between two great powers. Whether Elder Kong would accept Luo Su would likely depend on weighing various factors.
The disciple selection ceremony was quite solemn. Each young Cultivator had to step forward to present their Cultivation level, state their family background, answer a few of Elder Kong’s questions about the Alchemy Dao or their Heart Nature, and even perform a live alchemy demonstration for evaluation.
When it was Luo Su’s turn, she was poised and graceful. Her answers were fluid, demonstrating an excellent upbringing and a solid foundation. Elder Kong watched her, a gentle smile still on his face, and nodded slightly, but he did not immediately give his decision.
Ultimately, after some consideration, Elder Kong announced he was accepting three disciples: two young men and one young woman, all of whom had demonstrated good insight into the Alchemy Dao and a resilient Heart Nature.
Notably, Luo Su, the one with the most prominent background, was not among them.
This result sent a stifled murmur through the crowd. Many cast strange, speculative glances toward Luo Su.
Luo Su herself, however, remained calm, seemingly unsurprised by the outcome. After giving a respectful bow to Elder Kong, she quietly retreated back into the crowd, her posture as composed as ever.
’One is the descendant of a Fake Core from the Extreme South Palace, one is from the Profound Ice Valley, and the last is the descendant of a Late Stage Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator...’
Lin Changheng’s eyes gleamed as he murmured to himself.
’The Extreme South Palace goes without saying. They’re the rulers of the Song Territory, so Floating Immortal City has to give them face, no matter what.’
’Accepting the descendant of a Loose Cultivator was also a must. After all, Floating Immortal City is a Holy Land for Loose Cultivators, and its lord started out as one himself.’
’Giving them a spot shows that he hasn’t forgotten his roots.’
’It also sends a signal to consolidate the Immortal City’s base of support.’
’As for the Profound Ice Valley, it’s one of the Five Great Sects and Daoist Schools, but it doesn’t share a border with Floating Immortal City. The Purple Extreme Sect and the Bixiao Sect lie in between.’
’And that was the real reason Elder Kong chose that disciple.’
’It wasn’t just the Purple Extreme Sect. The Bixiao Sect and Cyan Mist Temple, both of which border Floating Immortal City, also had descendants of Core Formation Cultivators come to seek discipleship.’
’Accepting any one of them would have meant offending the other two.’
’And all three of those Sects and Daoist Schools had previously made territorial concessions as a gift.’
’Therefore, the best solution was to accept none of them.’
’The principle is not to worry about scarcity, but about unequal distribution. That was the logic at play.’
’By thinking outside the box, he ultimately chose an outstanding junior from an Influence that didn’t share a border.’
Lin Changheng quickly understood the deeper meaning behind the decision, but he couldn’t help but lament that when one was part of a major Influence, even the freedom to choose one’s own disciples was lost.
After the final discipleship and tea-serving rituals were complete, the grand ceremony celebrating the promotion of the Tier Three Pill Master drew to a close.
The crowd began to disperse in an orderly fashion.
Lin Changheng blended into the crowd to leave, but a familiar voice transmission stopped him.
"Mr. Lin, please stay a moment."
Lin Changheng stopped abruptly. Recognizing the voice as Elder Kong’s, he remained behind as instructed.
Half an hour later, following a subtle set of directions, he accompanied a Messenger, bypassing the dispersing crowd. He was led deep into Fusheng Lake, arriving before a secluded bamboo retreat on a small island.