The air quivered with rising battle intent and thunderous sound. Amplified by surging spirit energy, the voice rolled across the valley like a crashing tide.0 On the elevated platform, a young man who had been studying an alchemical formula slowly raised his head and turned toward Chu Kui. 0 In complete contrast with the usual refined elegance of cultivators, Chu Kui's face was flushed red, and at the center of his brow was a faint purplish mark that seemed to smolder like fire.0 Without another word, Chu Kui rose into the air and landed on the arena floor. At that moment, it was as though a fireball had fallen from the heavens. His earlier shout had already drawn the attention of the entire Pill Valley. Every gaze turned toward the arena, even that of the Golden Core elder from Longshou Peak. With a flick of the elder's hand, a vast light screen unfurled, enclosing the arena in a protective formation.0 Everyone realized that this battle was likely to be intense. Otherwise, the elder of Longshou Peak wouldn't have activated the defensive formation so early.0 Behind the Tao family's section, Luo Chen leaned forward with interest. He had not expected to step out only to witness a duel between top-tier experts, one of whom happened to be his old acquaintance Chu Kui. It was perfect timing! For a long while, he had wondered whether Chu Kui's reputation and the exorbitant fees he demanded were truly justified. Now there was finally a chance to see for himself.0 He casually asked, "What rank are we at right now?"0 Tao Yisheng promptly replied, "Thanks to the patriarch and Junior Brother Qi taking on the duel back to back, we're ranked fifth. The position is stable for now. Most challengers we're facing now are low-ranked Grand True Inheritors."0 Curiosity sparked in Luo Chen's eyes. "Then what about your eldest senior brother and the He family? What ranks are they holding?"0 "Senior Brother Dan Yangzi is in first place right now."0 Luo Chen was stunned and blurted, "Huh? Wasn't he forbidden from bringing helpers? How is he still first?"0 Tao Yisheng gave a helpless smile. "Well… he's… the eldest senior brother."0 Luo Chen frowned, but understanding dawned quickly. It didn't matter what mistakes Dan Yangzi had made to lose his Dao Scion title; for years, he had still held that rank. He was the undisputed top disciple of Green Pill Valley. In both strength and prestige, he commanded fear and respect. Perhaps due to vested interests, the regular True Inheritors simply didn't want to mess with him.0 Looking at it more conspiratorially, it was even possible that this Dao Scion competition was a light punishment from above, giving Dan Yangzi a chance to repent and reclaim his position. Of course, that theory was a bit far-fetched, but that didn't stop people from thinking it! After all, why would a perfectly fine sect heir, the future master of Green Pill Valley be stripped of his position so abruptly? Faced with such uncertainty, what were the regular True Inheritors supposed to think?0 Given all this, the ordinary True Inheritors naturally didn't dare make a move. 0 The eight who had secured the position of Grand True Inheritor, however, held a different perspective. In a Dao Scion competition, every place on the ranking list was critical, and climbing from ninth to first in a short time was an arduous task no one wished to attempt.0 The higher a contender ranked, the greater the advantage of resting while others wore themselves out. Those at the top also had experts under their command, specially recruited to serve in such competitions. By sending these experts into battle, they could steadily wear Dan Yangzi down, either forcing him down the ranks or draining his spirit power.0 The current second-ranked, He Yuanqing, was planning exactly this! And neither was he alone, for that matter; anyone determined to seize the Dao Scion title regarded Dan Yangzi as the primary obstacle. Once Chu Kui's match ended, others would almost certainly send their own fighters in succession.0 Of course, that was all for later. Right now, Luo Chen's focus was entirely on the first arena.0 Chu Kui made his move first. The long staff in his hand stretched into a massive shadow that came crashing down from above. The overwhelming might of his enchanted treasure erupted in full force from the opening strike.0 Dan Yangzi's expression hardened as he faced the blow. With a single motion, his sword swept outward, unleashing brilliant light that surged like an inverted waterfall. The strike shattered the descending staff shadow and carried its momentum forward, cleaving toward Chu Kui himself.0 Dan Yangzi not only led the Seven Prodigies of Green Pill Valley in alchemy but also possessed equally formidable swordsmanship. He was famous for treading both paths and not straying from either.0 Chu Kui knew that, and he didn't dare let down his guard. He fell back quickly, his staff lashing out again and again in fierce defense. Each strike carried a power greater than most late-stage Initiates could muster when they went all out.0 The elder from Longshou Peak who was in charge of maintaining the match, frowned subconsciously. Chu Kui is clearly just a rogue cultivator, yet his battle prowess matches that of sect-trained True Inheritors. He's holding his own against Green Pill Valley's leading Foundation Establishment disciple, and his cultivation is only at the eighth stage! Rogue cultivators who claw their way up without support truly aren't lacking in combat skills. Dan Yangzi may not be able to end this as quickly as expected after all.0 Meanwhile, the two fighters in the wide arena no longer appeared composed. Their clash escalated with each exchange, the intensity rising higher and higher.0 Many disciples of Green Pill Valley who had been loudly cheering for Dan Yangzi now found themselves curious about Chu Kui's origins. Who was this man that could fight their eldest senior brother to a standstill?0 The answer soon appeared—he was none other than the top-ranked rogue cultivator of Tianlan Immortal City, known as Tian Kuizi. Recognition rippled through the crowd. In a world as vast as theirs, it was inevitable that a few formidable rogue cultivators would appear. Yet such an expert had been recruited by the He family of Yuxuan Mountain? Who knew what price He Yuanqing had paid for it? But then again, compared to the ordinary disciples, these contenders carried a far heavier stake in victory or defeat, so it was understandable that they would invest far more than others.0 High above, within the Celestial Palace, a gathering of Golden Core Adepts observed the battle unfolding below. Their expressions tightened unconsciously as the clash grew fiercer.0 "This level of force should never appear in a Foundation Establishment battle." The speaker was Qing Yunzi, sect leader of Green Pill Valley. Despite holding the most prestigious title among those present, he was also the most recent to step into the Golden Core Realm.0 A snort of derision came from the oldest Golden Core cultivator, the one from Ailao Mountain. His tone was laced with scorn. "Isn't this just the result of enchanted treasures flooding the market? These cheaply made low-grade enchanted treasures might not last long, but their sudden bursts of power are enough to injure or even kill Foundation Establishment cultivators with weaker defenses. Just a few centuries ago, such saturation of enchanted treasures would have been unthinkable. The heart of Tianfan City—"0 "Senior Brother Yuan!" Qing Yunzi cut in sharply, his face darkening. "Mind your words."0 The Golden Core elder surnamed Yuan snorted coldly and fell silent. That subject, it seemed, was forbidden ground.0 The other elders exchanged uneasy glances, yet none dared continue the thread. Only the Mistress of Fragrance from Hundred Flowers Palace broke the tension with a bewitching laugh. "Since you all recognize Tianfan City's wolfish ambition, why continue fanning the flames for them?"0 As she spoke, her eyes flitted over the Golden Core cultivators from the Ice Fortress and Green Pill Valley. 0 Read full story at 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍 Fairy Ruthless remained silent, her face as cold and unyielding as ten-thousand-year-old black ice.0 Qing Yunzi parted his lips, as though to speak, but eventually gave only a bitter laugh. "Some things are beyond our control."0 Then he straightened in his seat and forced a polite smile. "Mistress of Fragrance, let's focus on the battle between our disciples."0 The Mistress of Fragrance curled her lip. "What's there to watch? That little rogue cultivator is clearly holding back a lot. Honestly, are your Green Pill Valley disciples so obsessed with alchemy that they've forgotten how to fight?"0 Qing Yunzi frowned. "What do you mean? Dan Yangzi isn't going all out either, and he's still dominating."0 "It's just a sparring match. If it were life and death, we'd be having an entirely different conversation," said the Mistress of Fragrance.0 "It's meant to be a contest of skill, not a deathmatch," Qing Yunzi shook his head. "Otherwise, we'd lose the true meaning of the competition."0 The Mistress of Fragrance smiled faintly, no longer interested. At this level, the fight simply didn't excite her.1 Down below, the fight inevitably came to an end. After exchanging blows for over a hundred rounds, Chu Kui retreated in a slightly disheveled state after forcefully blocking one of Dan Yangzi's sword strikes. He raised his voice and called out, "Daoist Brother, hold on! I admit defeat!"0 Dan Yangzi narrowed his eyes. His sword was still vibrating, resonating with lingering power. A trace of reluctance flickered across his expression. "Chu Kui, was it? I'll remember your name."0 With that, he flew back to the high platform. He immediately sat down to meditate, leaving his alchemical formulas untouched. The message was clear: This battle marked only the beginning.0 Chu Kui chuckled lightly and stepped off the arena, landing on the second platform. The moment his feet touched the ground, He Yuanqing's displeased voice reached him. "You clearly had more in you. Why concede so easily?"0 Chu Kui spread his hands innocently. "Big Boss, you can't possibly want me to kill him in front of everyone, can you? If I went that far, your sect's Golden Core elders might smite me on the spot."0 He Yuanqing laughed coldly. "Heh, as if you could."0 "Exactly." Chu Kui shrugged. "I'm not that capable, so why take things too far? Besides, you asked me to wear him down, and I'd say I did a fine job in that respect."0 He Yuanqing gave a slight nod, though his expression remained unsettled. There's something off about this guy's performance. Was he… slacking? 0 Sensing the dissatisfaction, Chu Kui's smile faded, and his tone turned serious. "Of course, if you want me to put my life on the line, I can do that. But you'll need to pay accordingly. I could take on the next seven Grand True Inheritors as well, but I'll need two things. One, you guarantee I won't face any consequences afterward. Two, you add a little more to the payment. If we have a deal on that, I'll guarantee immediate results."0 He Yuanqing froze. Instinctively, he asked what more the man wanted, but the price he heard made his expression harden. "You're absolutely outrageous! Who deserves such an amount!?"0 Chu Kui shook his head slowly. "Think about it. Those are your senior brothers and sisters. Don't you believe they're worth it?"0 He Yuanqing's face darkened further. Seeing this, Chu Kui abandoned his serious act, rubbing his hands together with a grin. "Don't be so stiff now. Make me a counteroffer, and I'll consider it."2 He Yuanqing's jaw dropped, utterly dumbfounded. In all his years, he had never encountered a cultivator so shameless. Even as a temporary retainer of the He family, the man should have shown some measure of loyalty. Instead, he demanded more payment just to take the fight seriously!3 While the He family's viewing platform remained abuzz with conversation, the previous battle had already stirred great waves among the disciples of Green Pill Valley.0 Although Senior Brother Dan Yangzi had claimed victory, it was obvious to all that Chu Kui had not fought with his full strength. Whispers spread quickly. Were rogue cultivators outside the sect truly this powerful now? And if even the ordinary disciples voiced such doubts, how much more unsettled were the seven Grand True Inheritors?0 For instance, on the Tao family's viewing platform, Tao Wan wore a grim expression. Since she couldn't take the field herself, having her three subordinates face Chu Kui head-on seemed risky at best. According to the rules, each Grand True Inheritor could send three people under them to challenge each arena once. In the end, overall rankings were calculated based on the number of victories and head-to-head matchups. The scoring method was quite complex, but for cultivators, that was nothing difficult to grasp.0 Seeing Tao Wan's serious face, Tan Daonan's aged voice came at just the right moment. "No need to worry. The He family is ranked second. Their only goal is to seize first place, so they won't trouble us unless it serves to wear down Dan Yangzi. And if Chu Kui does come, I will handle him myself."1 At his reassurance, Qi Lingyun and Tan Xiao visibly relaxed. The pressure Chu Kui had exerted earlier had weighed heavily on them.0 Tao Wan nodded. "Our goal is to make it to the top three. Apart from draining the eldest senior brother, our main targets are Shangguan Yan and Du Changfeng. Of course, we also need to conserve some strength for low-ranked challengers. If things go awry, I'll take the field myself."0 At the rear, Luo Chen had just finished watching the battle and overheard Tao Wan and the others' conversation. A strange thought surfaced in his mind.0 Are sect True Inheritors not as strong as people say? Or is it just that Chu Kui is too strong? Or maybe Green Pill Valley's cultivators are just a bit weak in actual combat?0 To test his theory, he paid close attention to the following matches. There were low-ranked Grand True Inheritors challenging high-ranked ones, and several factions were sending people in waves to challenge Dan Yangzi. Tao Wan herself dispatched Qi Lingyun to strike first against Shangguan Yan's group. Luo Chen observed every clash, taking careful note of victories and defeats.0 The late-stage Initiates of Green Pill Valley laid their techniques bare before him. Their cultivation realms were high, yet their combat methods appeared rather one-dimensional. They relied heavily on enchanted treasures they could not fully control; their movements were grand and dazzling, but lacking subtlety.0 By contrast, Luo Chen considered how he would fight in their place. With top-grade artifacts, talismans, and spells, he could create decisive openings through nothing more than movement and tempo. He realized that sect True Inheritors were not as invincible among their peers as rumor suggested.0 Of course, he wouldn't let this inflate his ego. Observers always enjoyed clearer vision than participants. What looked obvious from the sidelines could prove far more difficult in the chaos of combat.2 The only thing Luo Chen was sure of was that Chu Kui definitely had the confidence and the strength to back up his steep asking price. From that last battle, he had picked up on something: Chu Kui wasn't just a Qi Refinement cultivator; he had also cultivated in Physique Refinement. He wasn't like Wang Yuan, who focused solely on physique cultivation; rather, he resembled Luo Chen, a dual cultivator of qi and body. His main focus was artifact control, with physical strength as support.0 No wonder he could immediately tell I'd reached the second stage of Physique Refinement. He must be at that level too, Luo Chen mused. Makes sense. In today's cultivation world, who still focuses solely on Physique Refinement? Even Wang Yuan embarked on Qi Refinement for the sake of longevity.0 Having affirmed Chu Kui's strength, Luo Chen lost interest in the rest of the matches. These sect competitions were too limited; they were bound by strict rules. Without the threat of death, one could not fully measure true ability. Gauging the sect's general level was enough for him.0 Compared to that, refining the Spirit Feed Pellet and Dust-Subduing pill was far more important. In just a couple of days, it would be his turn to step onto the field! If Chu Kui could establish a name for himself through this Dao Scion competition, then Luo Chen saw no reason he could not do the same. Greater fame would bring higher status, and with it, smoother passage through the cultivation world. At the very least, it would grant him confidence in his dealings with the Ice Fortress.0 "Brother Luo, what do you think about… Huh? Hey, where did Luo Chen go?" Tao Yisheng, still caught up in the thrill of combat, only noticed his absence after some time.0 Tao Wan glanced sideways and gave a faint nod. No wonder Luo Chen reaches such remarkable heights in alchemy. It isn't ambition or social maneuvering that drives him. On the contrary, he feels only disdain for conflict and politicking, and his heart stays pure and untainted. That, perhaps, is the true source of his success.3