I cultivate the Chaos Technique

Chapter 168 The Crisis of the Spirit Pill Sect

Zhang Yifan's days in the Lingdan Sect were truly difficult. He was anxiously trying to figure out how to get an alchemist to help him refine the Seven Treasures Rejuvenation Pill. Every day, he went around the sect, humbly asking the disciples for information, but he was mostly met with indifference and ridicule. Even so, he never once had the thought of giving up.

That day, as he was pondering his next move in a courtyard, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from the depths of the Spirit Pill Sect, as if the heavens and earth were collapsing, causing the entire valley to tremble violently. Immediately afterward, a massive beam of light shot into the sky, its radiance piercing through the layers of clouds that enveloped the valley, soaring straight into the heavens. Zhang Yifan looked up in astonishment, only to see the sky rapidly filling with thunderclouds. These dark, swirling clouds resembled churning ink, within which lightning crackled wildly, radiating a chilling pressure.

Gazing at the familiar thunderclouds, Zhang Yifan's heart stirred. Although he had never personally witnessed the heavenly tribulation triggered by the birth of a ninth-grade elixir, based on his own experience and fragments of information gleaned from ancient texts, he had a general understanding. While the power of these thunderclouds wasn't as terrifying as when he himself had undergone the Nine Revolutions Heavenly Tribulation, it was still far beyond the capabilities of ordinary cultivators. In the Tianyuan Continent, there had always been rumors that a successfully refined ninth-grade elixir would trigger extraordinary phenomena, even attracting a heavenly tribulation, using the power of heaven and earth to test whether this heaven-defying elixir truly deserved to exist.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yifan was extremely excited, his heart pounding uncontrollably. He pondered to himself, could it be that the eighth-grade alchemist from the Spirit Pill Sect was refining a ninth-grade pill and was about to break through to become a ninth-grade alchemist? If so, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack, only to have it fall into his lap effortlessly. Once this expert successfully advanced, wouldn't it be even more certain to ask him to refine the Seven Treasures Rejuvenation Pill? After all, the skill and experience of a ninth-grade alchemist were top-tier across the entire continent, and the success rate of refining a pill as difficult as the Seven Treasures Rejuvenation Pill would undoubtedly be greatly increased.

Just as Zhang Yifan was filled with joy and looking forward to a bright future, the thunderclouds in the sky had almost fully gathered. The violent power of thunder continued to converge, like an invisible giant hand, ready to destroy the heaven-defying pill the moment the alchemy furnace was opened.

Outside the Spirit Pill Sect, a hidden crisis was quietly brewing. Numerous forces, both demon and human, were lurking, drawn by the extraordinary celestial phenomenon. The powerful figures within these forces, observing this celestial event, astutely deduced that a ninth-grade elixir had been born. They concealed themselves in the surrounding forests, their eyes burning with desire as they watched the Spirit Pill Sect, like a pack of hungry wolves eyeing their prized prey.

With his mid-Nascent Soul stage spiritual sense cultivation, Zhang Yifan faintly sensed the unusual aura around him. He cautiously released his spiritual sense to discreetly investigate, and what he found made him gasp in shock. Judging from the auras of these concealed individuals, even the weakest were Nascent Soul stage cultivators, and among them were several peerless experts at the Void Refinement stage. These experts, deliberately hiding their presence, had almost no aura; if Zhang Yifan hadn't been so observant, they would have been completely undetectable. Worryingly, despite their meticulous disguise, no one within the Spirit Pill Sect, except Zhang Yifan, noticed them. It wasn't that there were no Void Refinement cultivators within the Spirit Pill Sect; rather, everyone was captivated by the tribulation of the ninth-grade pill, their attention focused entirely on the depths of the sect, and they hadn't noticed the lurking danger outside.

Zhang Yifan was extremely anxious. He knew that if these forces launched a surprise attack while the Spirit Pill Sect was dealing with the Heavenly Tribulation, the consequences would be unimaginable. Not to mention that the soon-to-be-released ninth-grade pill might be stolen, the entire Spirit Pill Sect could face annihilation. As for himself, caught in the middle, it would be extremely difficult to remain unscathed, let alone seek medicine to save others. He paced back and forth, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat, his mind racing as he tried to think of a solution.

On one hand, he wanted to warn the Lingdan Sect members of the impending attack as soon as possible, but he worried that rash action would alert the lurking agents and bring about his own demise. On the other hand, he hoped that the ninth-grade alchemist could successfully advance and refine the pill, as this was crucial to the success of the Seven Treasures Rejuvenating Pill. Caught in this dilemma, Zhang Yifan gritted his teeth and decided to remain silent, observe secretly, and wait for the right opportunity to offer his assistance.

As he pondered, the thunderclouds in the sky grew increasingly violent, with bolts of lightning as thick as buckets flashing through the clouds, as if to tear the heavens and earth apart. The immense pressure made it difficult for Zhang Yifan to breathe, so he quickly circulated his spiritual energy to form a shield around his body to resist the growing pressure.

Outside the valley, the lurking forces were also beginning to stir. On the demon side, led by a black dragon in its transformed stage, its scales shimmering with a dark light, its blood-red vertical pupils revealing greed and ferocity. It twisted its massive body, whispering to the demon warriors behind it, "The appearance of this ninth-grade pill is a godsend. We must seize it with all our might. If we can obtain it, the strength of our demon race will greatly increase." Hearing this, the demon cultivators behind it revealed ferocious smiles, their spiritual energy surging, ready to strike at any moment.

On the human side, an elderly man in the late-stage Void Refinement realm gazed intently towards the Spirit Pill Sect, leaning on an ancient cane topped with a blue-glowing gem. Several Nascent Soul stage experts stood beside him, all with solemn expressions. The old man frowned slightly and said softly, "These pills are tempting, but the Spirit Pill Sect is not to be trifled with. When we move out, we must not act rashly; follow my instructions." The crowd nodded slightly, their eyes reflecting both a desire for the pills and caution for the impending battle.

At this moment, within the Lingdan Sect, the beam of light shooting into the sky grew even more dazzling, like a brilliant star illuminating the entire valley. At the source of the beam, an ancient alchemy furnace stood silently, its surface shimmering with runes, the surrounding air distorted by the intense heat. Inside the furnace, the elixir was nearing completion, and Xuan Fengzi, the Lingdan Sect's only eighth-grade alchemist, was intently controlling the heat, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, yet he remained oblivious. As an alchemist, he knew this was a crucial moment for his breakthrough, a test of life and death. Success would elevate him to the ranks of ninth-grade alchemists, making him famous throughout the continent; failure would not only mean the loss of all his efforts but also the potential for a backlash from the elixir, costing him his life.

As time passed, the pressure of the heavenly tribulation reached its peak, plunging the entire valley into a deathly silence, as if on the verge of apocalypse. Suddenly, the alchemy furnace emitted a muffled roar, its lid slowly rising, and a beam of multicolored light shot out from within, instantly illuminating the entire sky. At the same time, the thunderclouds in the sky seemed to be enraged, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a water vat struck down like an angry dragon, its target the glowing alchemy furnace.

Upon seeing this, Xuan Fengzi's expression changed drastically. He roared and rapidly formed hand seals, channeling his spiritual energy into the alchemy furnace in an attempt to protect the pills from the heavenly lightning. Under his control, a spiritual energy shield appeared around the furnace, colliding violently with the lightning. In an instant, the light was so dazzling that it was impossible to open one's eyes, and the massive explosion caused buildings in the valley to collapse, sending debris flying everywhere.

Hearing the commotion inside the alchemy room, Zhang Yifan was extremely anxious. He knew the immense pressure Xuan Fengzi was facing. Although Xuan Fengzi was an eighth-grade alchemist with profound cultivation, the power of this heavenly tribulation was beyond imagination, and he probably couldn't withstand it for long on his own. Thinking of this, Zhang Yifan didn't hesitate any longer. He flashed and rushed towards the alchemy furnace. On the way, he took out the "Spirit Rhinoceros Shield" bestowed upon him by the Qingyun Sect's patriarch, infused it with spiritual power, instantly enlarging it to shield himself from the flying debris and the violent aftershocks of spiritual energy.

Just as Zhang Yifan approached the alchemy furnace, the lurking forces outside the valley finally couldn't hold back any longer and launched their attacks. The black dragon of the demon race was the first to rush out, opening its blood-red maw and spewing out a black curtain of water that rushed towards the defensive barrier of the Spirit Pill Sect. Wherever the water curtain touched, the air was corroded and hissed, and ripples spread across the defensive barrier, its light flickering erratically, clearly under immense pressure.

The human elder, a Void Refinement cultivator, was not to be outdone. He swung his cane, unleashing a blue beam of light like a sharp blade, slashing towards the gate of the Spirit Pill Sect. The immense power carried by the beam instantly blasted a huge gap in the gate, sending splinters flying. Immediately afterward, powerful figures from both sides surged in, engaging the Spirit Pill Sect's guards in a fierce melee. Shouts of battle, explosions, and the clash of spiritual energy mingled together, turning the entire valley into a living hell.

Zhang Yifan, oblivious to the chaos outside, rushed to Xuan Fengzi's side and exclaimed, "Senior, I'm here to help you!" He then channeled his spiritual energy into Xuan Fengzi to strengthen the spiritual energy shield. Xuan Fengzi glanced at him, a hint of gratitude in his eyes, nodded slightly, and then continued to concentrate intently on operating the alchemy furnace.

With their combined efforts, the spiritual energy shield temporarily stabilized the situation, successfully withstanding several lightning strikes. However, the heavenly tribulation did not end there; the thunderclouds continued to churn, and bolts of lightning struck one after another, their power growing ever stronger. Zhang Yifan felt his spiritual energy rapidly depleting, and his chest began to ache, but he gritted his teeth, showing no intention of backing down. He knew that if he gave up now, not only would Xuan Fengzi's efforts be in vain, but the hopes of his loved ones would also be utterly shattered.

Just as the situation became increasingly critical, the other experts of the Lingdan Sect finally noticed the crisis and rushed to provide support from all directions. Sect Leader Xuan Qingzi, leading several elders, appeared in the center of the battlefield like divine warriors descending from the heavens. Xuan Qingzi wore a white Daoist robe, held a whisk, his face was stern, and his eyes revealed boundless majesty. With a flick of his whisk, a white light curtain surged forth like a tide, enveloping some of the powerful members of the demon and human races, hindering their movements.

The elders also used their unique abilities, some unleashing powerful spells to attack the enemy, while others were responsible for repairing the damaged defensive barriers. For a time, the situation on the battlefield became a stalemate.

Meanwhile, at the alchemy furnace, with the help of Zhang Yifan and the others, Xuan Fengzi finally reached the crucial moment. Inside the furnace, the pill shone brightly, emitting a series of pleasant buzzing sounds, as if announcing its birth. Xuan Fengzi's eyes were filled with excitement, and he shouted, "It's done!" With this shout, a pill radiating the unique glow of a ninth-grade pill slowly rose from the furnace and hovered in the air.

The thunderclouds in the sky seemed to sense that the pill was complete, and after unleashing a final bolt of lightning, they slowly dissipated. The lightning struck the spiritual energy shield, cracking it but ultimately failing to destroy the pill. Zhang Yifan, Xuan Fengzi, and the others were overjoyed, their tense nerves finally relaxing.

However, before they could even celebrate, the forces outside the valley launched another fierce attack. Seeing the elixir was complete, their desire to seize it burned even brighter, and they charged towards it recklessly. Zhang Yifan and the others had to brace themselves once more and prepare for a new battle. This fierce battle, revolving around the ninth-grade elixir and the fate of the Spirit Pill Sect, had only just begun…