Chapter 544: Cultivation Breakthrough, Fourth-Tier Alchemist
Two years—not too long, but not short either.
This time was more than enough for news of Wei Tu’s duel with Situ Yang to spread throughout all domains of the righteous path.
Across the four inland kingdoms, more than ninety percent of the Nascent Soul elders did not think highly of Wei Tu.
They believed Wei Tu was only seeking humiliation.
How could the Dao Child of Shengya Mountain possibly lose to him?
If there were even a chance of that happening, Shengya Mountain would not have agreed to start this duel at Earth Sword Mountain.
—Shengya Mountain would never risk wasting the reputation it had built up over tens of thousands of years.
But… there were still some who were confident Wei Tu could defeat Situ Yang once more.
Some even thought it was Situ Yang who was overestimating himself.
Those were people who knew Wei Tu’s true background—Hu Yantu, Ancestor of the Yu family, Cao Mi, and others.
They would never believe that Wei Tu, who once killed the Liu Yu Daoist, would lose to a fresh “newly advanced Nascent Soul.”
After all, Shengya Mountain’s name might be great, but compared to the Five Demonic Sects, it was not so intimidating.
The Liu Yu Daoist was a powerhouse on the same level as Shengya Mountain’s sect master Lian Shourang. For such a man to die at Wei Tu’s hands meant only one thing—Wei Tu had the strength to kill Lian Shourang as well.
If even his master Lian Shourang could not do anything to Wei Tu, what hope did Situ Yang have?
…
While paying some attention to the outside voices, Wei Tu did not neglect his short-term plans.
Two months after Lian Shourang left—
He opened his furnace and began preparing to refine the Blood Wing Pill.
Months of study had already allowed him to fully comprehend the pill recipe and the pharmacology of the spirit herbs.
Now, only the final step of refinement remained.
“Once I succeed, I’ll be a fourth-tier alchemist.”
Inside the pill room, while preheating the furnace, Wei Tu thought to himself.
A hundred years ago, even before he broke through to Nascent Soul, his alchemy had already reached the level of a quasi-fourth-tier alchemist.
But the reason he had not advanced further came down to two things.
First, his cultivation schedule was too tight.
Most of his time had gone into advancing his realm and practicing secret arts, leaving no space for alchemy.
Second, he did not have a fourth-tier pill recipe or the fourth-tier spirit herbs needed to practice.
In the barren cultivation world of Great Cang, once any resource reached fourth-tier or above, it became exceedingly precious.
If not for killing You Gongquan this time and obtaining both the Blood Wing Pill recipe and a complete set of herbs, he would never have thought of seizing the chance to become a fourth-tier alchemist now.
“Let’s hope I succeed in one try.”
Wei Tu calmed his mind, sent several hand seals into the furnace, and began the true refinement.
Spirit flames heated the cauldron.
Herbs were added in order.
The fire melted their essence…
Half a month slipped by quickly.
At last, the day of pill formation came.
“Bang! Bang!” With muffled pops, the lid of the cauldron was lifted by a surge of spiritual light. Two blood-colored pills the size of longan fruit rose into the air, hovering and glowing faintly.
“Success!” Wei Tu’s face lit with joy.
If a veteran fourth-tier alchemist refined this pill, they could easily produce three or even four pills.
For Wei Tu, producing even one would have been enough to qualify him as fourth-tier.
But he had made two.
This was already beyond his expectations.
Instead of storing them away, Wei Tu began consuming them in batches, refining them himself.
—The Blood Wing Pill, like the Green Jasper Pill of the Righteous Alliance, was a cultivation pill for Nascent Soul stage.
Though it gave little improvement to mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, Wei Tu had already reached near great accomplishment in mid-stage Nascent Soul when he first broke through.
Later, through dual cultivation with Wang Sutai, his progress had deepened even further.
Now, with these two pills, he had hope of advancing once again in the short term.
…
Time flowed like water.
In the blink of an eye, two years passed.
“A breakthrough one month before the duel… that’s a pleasant surprise.”
In the secluded chamber of the Divine Master’s Mansion, Wei Tu slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a deep breath.
Even though a breakthrough would not greatly change the outcome against Situ Yang, he would never deliberately hold back his cultivation.
There was no reason to let such a small matter interfere with his path.
Defeating an early Nascent Soul cultivator was as natural to him as eating or drinking.
“It’s time to go.”
After stabilizing his cultivation and with the duel date approaching, Wei Tu wasted no more time. He sent a message to his stewardess Yan Yu, then transformed into a streak of light heading straight toward Earth Sword Mountain.
“I wonder, will Divine Master Wei win or lose?”
As the streak of light rose from the Divine Master’s Mansion, cultivators of the Ying Ding Tribe in Hu Jie Immortal City looked up, each with that question in their hearts.
Though this duel was Wei Tu’s personal matter, his position made it inseparable from the Ying Ding Tribe.
If he won, their tribe’s status would rise above others.
If he lost, they too would bear the shame, mocked by outsiders for centuries, even millennia, as fools who tried to shake a mountain.
“He’ll probably lose.”
“After all, Divine Master Wei isn’t known for combat strength. Over a hundred years since forming Nascent Soul, and no dazzling battle record to his name.”
Some whispered pessimistically.
…
Earth Sword Mountain was not far from the Ying Ding Tribe.
In just half a day—
Wei Tu arrived at its gates.
But unlike the grand reception during his Nascent Soul ceremony a hundred years ago, this time no elder of Earth Sword Mountain came to greet him. Even the gate disciples treated him coldly.
“Well, Old Ghost Mo and Yu Tongzi have always been the sort to bow then sneer. With Shengya Mountain backing them, showing arrogance now is only natural.”
Wei Tu smiled freely, unconcerned.
What he was curious about was how those two old ancestors of Earth Sword Mountain would treat him after this battle was over.
Even though no one from Earth Sword Mountain came to greet him, once Wei Tu arrived, Cao Mi and the others who had come early walked out from the mountain to welcome him in.
“Wei Dao-brother? Didn’t think Cao Mi would address Wei Tu so warmly. Has she lost her sense of judgment?”
“Trying to cozy up to him when his fire’s already cold?”
Inside the great hall of Earth Sword Mountain, several Nascent Soul elders who came to watch sneered as they swept their divine sense over Cao Mi chatting cheerfully with Wei Tu as they entered.
As the saying goes—those who know the times are wise.
Normally, they wouldn’t mind befriending a rising Nascent Soul like Wei Tu to expand connections.
But now, Shengya Mountain had made it clear. They had no intention of letting Wei Tu off lightly.
They even wanted him to pay in blood.
Between Wei Tu and Shengya Mountain, which carried more weight was obvious. Anyone with sense knew which side to stand on.
From that angle, those still choosing to get close to Wei Tu, like Cao Mi, looked like fools going against the current.
Yet Cao Mi didn’t care. Her face remained calm, lips curved in a faint smile as she continued speaking with Wei Tu.
“These people all have eyes too short to see. Wei Dao-brother, don’t bother with them,” she said to him through a voice transmission.
Wei Tu only shook his head and laughed lightly, not pressing the matter.
After all, if Cao Mi didn’t know his true cultivation, would she still be this way? That remained to be seen.
Before long, led by Cao Mi, Wei Tu sat at a seat close to hers.
Half a day later—
The cultivators of Shengya Mountain arrived at the gates of Earth Sword Mountain.
Unlike how Wei Tu was treated, once the Nascent Soul elders sensed their presence, each of them smiled and flew out to welcome them warmly.
“Fellow Daoist Situ, after today’s battle, could you visit my tea house?”
“I just brewed a fine new batch of spirit tea, waiting for you to try.”
Flattering words drifted into the hall, falling on Wei Tu’s ears.
A moment later, Situ Yang, who had once lost to Wei Tu, stepped through the hall doors. His sharp gaze instantly clashed with Wei Tu’s.
“Wei Tu.”
Situ Yang narrowed his eyes slightly, softly speaking his name.
Though he enjoyed the praise of those around him, he knew himself well. Toward Wei Tu, he still felt respect.
Two years ago, his master Lian Shourang had told him Wei Tu’s cultivation, adding one clear warning: if he weren’t a Shengya Mountain cultivator, he would certainly lose this duel.
The reason was simple. Without Shengya Mountain’s resources, he would never have been able to close the gap so quickly and stand on the same realm as Wei Tu.
In a sense—his victory would be without honor.
Not a triumph of personal strength, but one of background crushing another.
For a man as proud as him, that was hard to accept.
‘But… background is also part of strength.’
He recalled what his master said to comfort him before leaving Shengya Mountain.
Thinking of that, Situ Yang’s eyes grew firm again.
After all, being born into Shengya Mountain was not his fault.
“Fellow Daoist Mo, since Fellow Daoist Wei is already here, let’s head to the dueling grounds.”
After breaking eye contact with Wei Tu, Situ Yang turned to Old Ghost Mo behind him, speaking coolly.
“Fellow Daoist Situ, you just arrived at Earth Sword Mountain. You haven’t rested yet. After such a long journey, your mana must be a little depleted…”
Old Ghost Mo tried to dissuade him.
Though he didn’t think Shengya Mountain’s favored disciple would lose to this humble Nascent Soul, giving Situ Yang the best odds was still preferable.
“If I can’t win within a hundred moves, I’d already disgrace Shengya Mountain.”
Situ Yang waved off the concern.
A hundred moves was his bottom line.
If he couldn’t settle Wei Tu within a hundred moves, that would mean they were near equals.
And a draw was something Shengya Mountain would never accept.
No matter how weary, he wouldn’t lack the power to exchange a hundred moves.
Hearing this, Old Ghost Mo couldn’t refute it. Thinking carefully, he too found it reasonable, so he stepped forward to lead the way.
…
Half a day later—
In the training field behind Earth Sword Mountain.
Wei Tu and Situ Yang floated in the air, several hundred zhang apart, staring at each other from a distance.
Around them stood over a dozen Nascent Soul elders who had come to watch.
“Wei Tu, Zhao Yuo’e must have told you. As long as you admit defeat quickly during the fight, I’ll hold back my hand.”
“I give you my word. As soon as you call out ‘I surrender,’ I’ll stop immediately, and I won’t press on to worsen your injuries.”
With all eyes watching, Situ Yang paused, then looked at Wei Tu as he spoke these words.
At once, the spectators began praising him.
“Fellow Daoist Situ truly lives up to a disciple of Shengya Mountain—he has the air of a noble gentleman.”
“If it were some petty-minded person, back when Wei Tu first defeated him, he’d have secretly gathered assassins to kill him in the cradle.”
“There’s no way such a man would have been allowed to reach Nascent Soul.”
“A noble gentleman?” Wei Tu raised his brows, studying Situ Yang carefully.
He admitted, Situ Yang’s nature wasn’t bad. In Shengya Mountain, he didn’t have any infamous reputation.
He was, at least, a decent second-generation cultivator.
But… compared to the title of noble gentleman, he didn’t quite measure up.
If not for him pressuring the Zhao clan and mistreating Zhao Qingluo, sparking public opinion, Wei Tu wouldn’t have issued a challenge and forced Shengya Mountain’s hand.
If Situ Yang were truly a noble gentleman, then after Wei Tu refused him the first time, he would have let it go instead of scheming to force this duel.