Qingyun Sect — Main Peak, Lingxiao Hall
The Lingxiao Hall, once perpetually shrouded in spiritual mist and solemn grandeur, had been reduced to ruins.
Half of its roof was gone, leaving charred beams exposed to the open sky. The remaining pillars were carved with deep claw marks and scorched black by raging flames. The floor was littered with shattered glazed tiles and broken jade slabs, and the air was thick with acrid smoke, burnt wood, and a faint metallic scent of blood.
Qingyun Sect had lit its own firecracker—and blown off its roof.
At the center of the devastation, Sect Master Ning Qingxuan sat upon the only intact white-jade throne.
He appeared middle-aged, his features stern and dignified, each line of his face forged by years of authority. Yet now, his expression was darker than the scorched beams above, as though ink might drip from his brows.
A suffocating pressure radiated from his body—Late Golden Core—weighing down the hall itself.
Below him, the Elders and Hall Heads stood with bowed heads, barely daring to breathe.
The thin, white-haired Elder of the Disciplinary Hall stepped forward, forcing himself to speak.
"Reporting to the Sect Master… preliminary investigation indicates—"
"The source of this Spirit Beast rampage was a single pill of unknown origin."
Ning Qingxuan did not open his eyes.
"Speak."
The Elder swallowed and continued.
"Three days ago, Outer Sect Disciple Shen Congfei brought a peculiar pill to our hall. He claimed it was a chance acquisition and named it the Spirit-Beast Fortune Pill."
"He said it could steal Heaven-and-Earth fortune, ignore cultivation rank, and drastically increase a Spirit Beast's cultivation. It also allegedly carried a chance to trigger bloodline evolution and raise innate quality."
A ripple of gasps spread through the hall.
Ignore rank?
Enhance bloodline?
Impossible.
Everyone knew that Spirit Beasts cultivated under far harsher conditions than humans. Each realm was a natural chasm, and bloodline talent was fixed at birth—nearly impossible to alter.
If such a pill truly existed, it would plunge the entire cultivation world into madness.
"Absurd!"
An Elder from Forging Peak slammed his palm down, fury flashing across his face.
The Disciplinary Elder gave a bitter smile.
"We thought the same. With its origin unknown and its effects unbelievable, we could not officially store it."
"But Shen Congfei swore upon his Sect contribution points. And the effects he described… were too extraordinary to ignore."
"So we reached a compromise."
He paused, his voice lowering.
"We discreetly informed Beast Taming Peak, stating that a single unverified pill existed and that its use would be entirely at their own risk."
"If it failed, our hall bore little responsibility. If it succeeded, the Sect would be compensated with contribution points."
Ning Qingxuan's fingertip tapped the armrest.
Clack.
The sharp sound echoed through the hall, making the Elder flinch.
"Continue."
"Yes. Beast Taming Peak's Zhou Mang was the boldest among them."
"His bonded Spirit Beast—the Green-Tailed Mystic Bird—had been stuck at Qi Refinement Perfection for many years."
"Hearing of the pill, he spent everything he had to obtain it… and fed it to the bird."
The Elder's face paled.
"Within the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the bird's aura surged violently. Its spiritual power exploded—and it shattered its bottleneck on the spot, stepping directly into Foundation Establishment."
Murmurs erupted.
"And its bloodline mutated," the Elder continued hoarsely.
"Its body expanded severalfold. Its feathers turned jet-black, its tail hardened into a steel whip, a horn grew from its brow, and golden light poured from its eyes."
"Its combat strength rose to… nearly Late Golden Core."
Silence.
Then—
"Late Golden Core?!"
Even the Elders could not restrain their shock.
From Qi Refinement Perfection to Late Golden Core battle power?!
That leap spanned an entire major realm.
"How certain are you?" one Elder asked grimly.
"Absolutely certain."
The Disciplinary Elder clenched his fists.
"The beast went berserk. Its intelligence was warped—it ignored all commands from Zhou Mang."
"Golden light from its eyes carried destructive force. Green flames spewed from its beak, igniting everything they touched. One sweep of its tail split mountains and shattered stone."
"The mountain-guarding grand array activated instantly. Elders from every peak joined the battle."
"Yet it still destroyed countless halls and caused grievous casualties."
"In the end, only three Late Golden Core experts—Sect Master yourself, Elder Liu of the Disciplinary Hall, and Peak Lord Huo of Beast Taming Peak—managed to severely wound it and seal it within the Soul-Locking Banner."
The Elder recited the losses in a numb voice.
"Main hall: half destroyed. All peaks: damaged. Spirit Beast Garden: nearly obliterated."
"Confirmed casualties: 317 disciples dead, over 500 critically injured. Losses to Spirit Fields, Pill Chambers, and Artifact Pavilions are still being assessed."
With each number, Ning Qingxuan's expression darkened further.
This was the worst disaster Qingyun Sect had suffered in centuries.
"All because of one pill," he said coldly.
"And one beast."
He opened his eyes.
"Where is Shen Congfei?"
The hall chilled instantly.
The Elder hesitated, pain flickering across his face.
"According to witnesses… when the beast went berserk, Shen Congfei attempted to suppress it using Beast-Taming arts."
"The bird struck once. His divine soul was extinguished. Nothing remains."
Dead.
Ning Qingxuan's brows twitched—just barely.
The trail had gone cold.
"Investigate," he ordered.
"Find the origin of this pill. Find whoever refined it. Follow the trail to the very end."
"The Disciplinary Hall, Discipline Hall, and Beast Taming Peak will form a joint tribunal."
"Everyone who touched this pill—or knows anything about it—will be interrogated."
"I want to know exactly where it came from."
If such a pill could be reproduced—even at one-tenth its strength…
No. Even one-hundredth.
Qingyun Sect's power would soar.
But if a rival Sect obtained it…
Or if more Golden-Core-level spirit beasts appeared—
Extinction would be inevitable.
A sharp glint flashed through Ning Qingxuan's eyes.
"Yes, Sect Master!"
The three Hall Heads bowed deeply.
A covert investigation began that very day.
Ning Qingxuan's figure vanished from the throne, leaving behind terrified leaders standing amid the ruins.
Meanwhile… elsewhere.
Chang Le squatted in the east wing of Ye Yuetang's side-peak courtyard, staring despairingly at a medicine cauldron.
The cauldron was ancient and heavy, supported by three legs, engraved with faint cloud patterns and beast motifs. A weak medicinal scent lingered within it.
At least it was real.
The problem was—
He had no idea how to use it.
He sighed for the one-hundred-and-first time.
He had boldly claimed to know alchemy… yet he didn't even own a cauldron and had relied on Ye Yuetang's generosity to obtain one.
And the core issue—
How was alchemy actually done?
Light a fire?
With what—drilling wood?
Control temperature?
He had no divine sense.
Just throw in firewood like boiling soup?
That would make candy, not spirit pills.
Worse, he didn't know a single alchemical technique.
That fraudulent System of his was pure one-click nonsense: insert materials, select quantity, ding—pills complete.
Process?
None.
Now he was supposed to act like a real alchemy master.
Impossible.
"Chang Le."
A cold voice sounded outside.
He jumped.
The door opened. Ye Yuetang stood there, her gaze sweeping over the cauldron before settling on his guilty expression.
"Any progress?"
Chang Le forced a smile.
"Replying to Immortal Master—it's… progressing carefully. Alchemy depends on heat and timing. Cannot be rushed."
Her brow arched slightly.
"No fire. No spiritual power. Your alchemy method is… unique."
Cold sweat broke out.
"It's a family secret," he stammered. "A special method. It relies on sensing heaven-and-earth medicinal nature… Yin and Yang harmonizing naturally…"
He had no idea what he was saying.
She studied him in silence.
Then, calmly:
"I'll wait."
She turned to leave.
Chang Le panicked.
"Immortal Master, please wait!"
She paused.
"I suddenly realized—I need a basic Qi Refinement spirit herb to test the pill. Could you possibly spare—"
Silence.
Oppressive silence.
Then—
A pouch flew in and landed at his feet.
Inside were several stalks of Spiritual Gathering Grass and Condensing Dew Flowers.
Low-grade.
But to him, priceless.
"Thank you, Immortal Master!"
"No need," she replied evenly. "If you produce something worthwhile, these herbs are nothing."
"If not…"
She left the rest unsaid.
Chang Le swallowed.
He slammed the door and hugged the pouch.
"System—activate! Feed materials!"
A familiar interface appeared.
[Materials detected]
[Begin refining?]
Success!
After intense deliberation, he chose to refine five pills.
Moments later, five lustrous pills appeared.
Then—
Side Effect: Goes into heat.
Chang Le stared.
"…What."
His face twisted.
A pill that raised cultivation by an entire minor tier—
But made the user go into heat?!
This was worse than turning into Godzilla.
After agonizing hesitation, he decided:
Hand it in first.
Lie later.
Thus began his most elaborate bluff yet.