Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Bluestone Cauldron

The Nether Dragon nodded heavily. "From now on, you are my partner. What is your name?"

"Lu Xingchen. And you?"

"The elders in my clan call me Little You."

Lu Xingchen gave a wry smile. "Alright, Little You. But you’re so large and conspicuous; it will be quite inconvenient for us to move about in the future!"

The Nether Dragon grinned, then spread its wings and transformed into a wisp of purple light, merging into Lu Xingchen’s body.

Little You’s voice resonated from within him: "This is a secret technique of our Dragon Clan. It allows us to create a space within a human partner's body for dwelling and cultivation. Just call me when you need me!"

"Understood, Little You."

Lu Xingchen checked his system interface.

[Host: Lu Xingchen]
[Realm: Six-Star Martial Master]
[Experience Points: 200/700]
[Exchange Points: 520]
[Talents: Eagle Eye (20), Heavy Strike (20), Berserk (36), Blade (20), Jade Shatter (30)]
[Mount: Nether Dragon (Second Rank)]

Seeing the new "Mount" category on his attribute panel, he couldn't have been more satisfied.

As he reached the mountainside, Lu Xingchen finally saw Lin Wanqing. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her heart had turned cold with despair. Just then, she saw her man walking toward her.

"Dazhuang? You’re not dead?"

Lu Xingchen stepped forward and flicked her forehead. "What are you talking about? With me being this handsome and dashing, how could I possibly die?"

Lin Wanqing felt a sting but wasn't angry; instead, she pulled Lu Xingchen tightly into her arms. Feeling the softness against his chest, Lu Xingchen felt his mind wander, but he refrained from doing anything improper, simply wrapping his arms around his future bride.

After a long while, Lin Wanqing slowly released him, wiped her eyes, and looked at him with curiosity. "Dazhuang, why are you completely unharmed?"

Lu Xingchen ruffled her hair and said softly, "I managed to take a scroll of flight martial arts from the Cloud Hidden Kingdom’s treasury."

Lin Wanqing was astonished. "Your luck is incredible!"

Lu Xingchen chuckled. "Indeed, I had just acquired that flight technique when it finally came in handy."

"And what about that giant dragon? Did it fall to its death?"

Lu Xingchen gave a mysterious smile. "That’s a secret; you’ll find out later."

Lin Wanqing playfully punched his chest, complaining that he wouldn't tell her the truth, but she didn't press the issue. As long as her man was safe and sound, she didn't care about the fate of the dragon.

Lu Xingchen brought Lin Wanqing back to the Lingxiao Sect. The news of him facing the evil dragon alone had already spread throughout the sect, and his reputation had soared. The other new disciples, who had been preparing to mourn him, were as shocked as if they had seen a ghost upon seeing him return safely. In an instant, Lu Xingchen’s prestige began to rival that of Hu Junfeng.

Over the next half-month, Lu Xingchen focused entirely on alchemy, maxing out his professional experience and becoming a Second-Rank Alchemist. When he proposed to Lin Qingzhu that he wanted to refine a second-rank pill, she was full of disbelief.

"Lu Xingchen, you are being too hasty. You’ve been studying alchemy for less than a month; how could you possibly be a second-rank alchemist?"

Lu Xingchen smiled lightly. "Then, Peak Master, shall we make a wager?"

Lin Qingzhu was slightly taken aback. "What do you want to bet?"

"If I succeed in refining a second-rank pill, you give me your cauldron. If I fail, I will refine pills for you for free for a month."

"You are quite greedy." Her cauldron was a low-grade Profound-tier item, more than enough for refining third-rank pills, whereas the one she had given Lu Xingchen was only high-grade Yellow-tier. Even a full month of refining first-rank pills wouldn't equal the value of a Profound-tier cauldron. However, Lin Qingzhu didn't believe she would lose. Becoming a second-rank alchemist from a layman in less than a month? It was impossible. She decided to take this opportunity to teach him a lesson so he wouldn't be so arrogant.

"Fine, I accept!"

Lu Xingchen didn't waste any more words. He took out his cauldron, lit the fire, and began. Herbs were fed into the cauldron under his control, refined into liquid, and then slowly fused. Watching the materials he added, Lin Qingzhu realized he was refining a Second-Rank Rejuvenation Pill. It was of medium difficulty, but it sold well and was always in high demand. After all, who doesn't get injured from time to time?

Half an hour later, a cyan-green pill appeared in the cauldron. The flames extinguished, and Lu Xingchen, wrapping his palm in battle qi, retrieved the pill and handed it to Lin Qingzhu.

Lin Qingzhu took the pill and examined it closely. After a long while, she took a deep breath and said with shock, "A perfect Rejuvenation Pill! Even I couldn't refine one this perfect. Lu Xingchen, how did you do it?"

I can't tell you I have a cheat code, can I? Lu Xingchen said calmly, "I suppose it’s just talent."

"If your martial arts talent weren't equally formidable, I would really want you to be a full-time alchemist."

Lu Xingchen shook his head slightly. "Alchemy is just my side job, a tool to accumulate wealth. I prefer to keep power in my own hands. Therefore, I will not give up my martial cultivation."

Lin Qingzhu nodded and waved her sleeve, revealing a green stone cauldron in the alchemy room. "A bet is a bet. This is my cauldron, the Bluestone Cauldron, a low-grade Profound-tier item. It belongs to you now!"

"Thank you, Peak Master." Lu Xingchen didn't stand on ceremony and stored the Bluestone Cauldron in his storage ring. He had coveted this cauldron for a long time, and now that it was his, he felt a surge of excitement.

Lu Xingchen then asked curiously, "Peak Master, why haven't I seen Senior Sister Dongxuan these past three days? She’s such an alchemy fanatic."

"Oh, you mean Wang Dongxuan? She has gone into seclusion to break through to the six-star martial master level. The Lingxiao Sect is electing a new Saint Son, and only the chief disciples of each peak can participate. Although our Small Bamboo Peak is just going through the motions, we can't be too embarrassing."

Lu Xingchen was even more confused. "Isn't Senior Brother Hu Junfeng the Saint Son? He is the popular choice."

Lin Qingzhu smiled. "Those who become chief disciples are all heaven-sent talents. Without a fight, who would truly submit to Hu Junfeng? That is why the Saint Son selection is held annually. Though, this year it has indeed been moved up by a month."

"Why was it moved up?"

"I heard the Five Elements Sect discovered a secret realm deep within the Sunset Forest. They wanted to keep it for themselves, but the news leaked. In the end, the five major sects reached a consensus: their disciples will compete for it."

Hearing this, Lu Xingchen’s heart stirred. A secret realm was a cradle for nurturing experts. If one could obtain even a single valuable treasure, they could skyrocket to success. He wanted to try his luck in this secret realm as well!