Seeking Immortality in a Bizarre World-Chapter 529 - 524 Mid-stage of Void Refinement, Siege and Repayment_1
In the following time, Jia Ren prepared for the second Refining Sequence competition.
The news of Jia Ren presiding over the Refining Sequence contest spread throughout Lingbao Sect. It was at this moment that the Sect Disciples truly shifted their views of him from a nominal Deputy Master of Refiner Hall to an influential member of the high-ranking authority.
There wasn’t much preparation needed in advance. He went to the Internal Affairs Hall to collect all the rewards for the Refining Sequence. Indeed, the rewards for the Refining Sequence were prepared in advance.
Once the Refining Sequence started, it was up to Jia Ren to determine the rankings and award the corresponding prizes.
As the chief examiner... Jia Ren could receive his own sequence rewards, decades in advance.
Unfortunately, he was about to preside over the Refining Sequence examination and couldn’t refine artifacts himself.
Could the Second Nascent Soul be put in charge of the overall situation? Of course, that was out of the question.
The role of the chief examiner for the Refining Sequence wasn’t that simple.
Each Artifact Refiner’s process had to be understood, and based on their situation and shortcomings, corrections and guidance were provided.
This was the most crucial point of the Refining Sequence competition.
The chief examiners for the Combat Law Sequence did the same. They pointed out flaws and mistakes, offering guidance and corrections, which was vitally important.
Cultivator battles were unpredictable. Opponents with significantly higher realms were difficult to manage. In equal-level duels, exposing flaws and gaps could mean the end of a Cultivator.
Issues arising during artifact refining would impact the quality of the Spiritual Treasures and might even lead to failure in artifact refining.
Providing guidance was of utmost importance to the refiners.
They needed to understand and reflect on their mistakes promptly, avoiding further entrenchment in the wrong direction.
Jia Ren had never received such guidance, simply because his performance was better than that of Elder Qing and Qi Lao, leaving no faults to be criticized...
"Hall Master Jia, I heard that you lack the Sky Leaf Green Orchid; I happen to have one, and I would like to offer it to you as a sign of respect."
An Artifact Refiner came to visit with a smile, bringing a rare Heavenly Earth Elixir.
Visiting to offer gifts, bribing me?
Jia Ren wasn’t familiar with this person and thought it was a bribe to secure first place in the Refining Sequence.
"I have always been fair in my work and will not show favoritism."
The Refining Sequence competition was to assess the refining level of Artifact Refiners. Securing first place without true ability would be a disservice to the efforts of other refiners.
If I were competing in the Refining Sequence, how would I feel if someone else used such means to steal first place?
Such actions went against his principles and could not be done.
"Hall Master Jia, you misunderstand!"
"I wish to receive your guidance on my artifact refining after the event to avoid unnecessary detours."
"Any refiner who doesn’t aspire to become a Heaven-reaching Refiner isn’t a good refiner."
The visitor was earnest in expression and sincere in tone.
Although Jia Ren was younger, his refining level was far superior, commanding sincere respect.
Compared to the short-term resources at stake in the Refining Sequence, many refiners had a longer view.
They were not looking for immediate gain, but for a lifetime!
"You will not lack guidance, but you should take your gift back!"
After Jia Ren’s several attempts to decline proved futile, the visitor persisted, seemingly believing Jia Ren wouldn’t offer sincere guidance unless the gift was accepted.
He reluctantly accepted the Heavenly Earth Elixir.
In Lingbao Sect, the selection of candidates for progression was meticulous. Those sent to Source Treasure Cave Heaven all had the potential to become Heaven-reaching Refiners.
They were not pursuing short-term benefits, but aiming to become true Heaven-reaching Refiners, just like Jia Ren.
No sooner had Jia Ren seen off one visitor, than several refiners gathered outside his Cave, their faces bearing ingratiating smiles.
In the end... all twelve refiners made a visit, and even the least of the gifts they brought was Supreme-grade Spiritual Material.
One’s status, abilities, and position directly influenced the attitudes of others.
Leaving the subsequent matters to the Second Nascent Soul, Jia Ren entered the Cultivation Room to continue his cultivation, absorbing the Heavenly Treasure Spirit Power from within the Demon-Sealing Spirit Tower.
「Three years passed in a blink of an eye.」
From within the Heaven and Earth Mountain and Sea Pearl, the doors of the closed Cultivation Room opened, and Jia Ren strode out, radiating with mid-Lianxu Stage Spiritual Power Fluctuations.
He had rapidly advanced to the mid-Lianxu Stage, thanks to the effect of the Origin Spirit Pool.
Not knowing whether the Origin Spirit Pool had recovered, he couldn’t expect such easy gains next time.
Jia Ren’s aura fluctuated a moment, and his realm slid back, falling to the early Lianxu Stage.
After completing everything, he went to see the place where the Aqua-Golden Eyed Beast Cub was reverting to its ancestry.
The Blue Crystal enveloping the Aqua-Golden Eyed Beast Cub had grown larger, and it emitted an even stronger aura, clearly reaching the late stage of the fourth rank.
Jia Ren remembered that Jin Sheng only stopped growing after reaching the Fifth Rank.
With two elders looking after it, and no shortage of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, the Aqua-Golden Eyed Beast Cub reached the mid-stage of the fourth rank in seventy years.
Could the rapid progress to the late stage of the fourth rank indicate that the strength of its bloodline was formidable and that reverting to become a Kylin was imminent?
He would have to wait a while longer to know the outcome.
Jia Ren left the Cave. Though it wasn’t the time for the Sequence competition, there were unusually many cultivators from the Combat Law Sequence around.
Following several incursions by Demon Cultivators, the cultivators from the Combat Law Sequence shifted their main focus to Source Treasure Cave Heaven, hunting Demon Cultivators and Magical Beasts.
Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, on the other hand, aimed to quickly improve their cultivation level, striving to advance to the Lianxu Stage sooner.
It was quite rare to see so many cultivators gathered together.
"In recent years, two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts went mad. It seems they are searching for something, rampaging everywhere. Luckily we had life-saving treasures, and Sect Master Yun Hu’s timely rescue prevented death by these beasts."
Most cultivators were unaware and ended up being inadvertently inconvenienced by him.
The two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts bore the pain of losing their offspring. This was a result of his own mistake that had inadvertently affected the cultivators of the Lingbao Sect. Fortunately, there had been no casualties.
He had to find a way to make amends for them.
「Meanwhile, in the Alchemy Hall, Wu Yuan met the Artifact Refiner who had assisted in the production of elixirs.」
"Thank you, Elder Gong. The Virtual Spirit Pill has been completed ahead of schedule, just in time."
Though the Virtual Spirit Pill was ready, there was only one of average quality.
Wu Yuan didn’t mind; the sight of the Virtual Spirit Pill, arriving earlier than anticipated, brought a smile to his face.
He had refined the Virtual Spirit Pill for the Aqua-Golden Eyed Beast Cub. With the adult beasts wreaking havoc everywhere, this was the perfect opportunity to take away their young.
Wu Yuan, holding the newly acquired Virtual Spirit Pill, left the Sect at once and hurried toward the pool where the Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts resided.
The whereabouts of the two Seventh-order Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts were unknown, presenting an ideal opportunity.
I wonder if the cub is still there?
A Seventh-order Demon Beast possessed astonishing Divine Skills; it was not difficult for one to rush back from thousands of miles away in an instant.
Being cautious, Wu Yuan took out the Virtual Spirit Pill and placed it in his mouth, ready to use it at any moment.
Upon reaching the pool, he deployed a secret technique to search the area but found no trace of the Aqua-Golden Eyed Beast Cub.
Unwilling to give up, he dived into the pool, searching all around.
The next moment, a terrifying presence erupted outside the pool as the two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts quickly returned.
They sensed that a thief had entered their lair, possibly the same one who had stolen their child!
Their fearsome and monstrous aura was overwhelming, causing Wu Yuan’s breath to nearly halt. He felt a level of danger he had never experienced before.
Fortunately, he had already consumed the Virtual Spirit Pill. Even though his thoughts were nearly frozen, it was enough to dissolve the pill.
The pill’s power took effect instantly, as if an eraser had sprung from the ground, wiping Wu Yuan’s entire being from existence, leaving no trace or scent detectable.
The claws of the Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts struck down, passing through nothingness, touching nothing.
The two beasts were convinced their offspring had been stolen by humans, their eyes ablaze with unquenchable fury.
Water lightning danced across the sky, thunder roared ceaselessly.
Unable to locate the hidden culprit after striking in all directions, the two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts did not cease, their gazes fixated on the distant Lingbao Sect.
They had been moving without direction, like headless flies, not knowing who had taken their child.
The appearance of a human gave them a breakthrough, focusing their anger on a target.
The Lingbao Sect was protected by powerful cultivators and Formations, an adversary they had previously not wished to provoke.
But they had stolen their child! They had to make them pay a blood debt!
With fury engulfing them, the two Seventh-order Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts charged towards the location of the Second Spirit Treasure Sect.
It’s time to rectify my mistakes.
Having learned of the frenzy of the Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts, Jia Ren sent out his Second Nascent Soul, took out the Holy Infant Breath Pill tainted with a trace of the Aqua-Golden Eyed Beast Cub’s scent, and set up a prohibition.
Once away, he erased his own scent and safely returned before he could break the prohibition.
On his way back, he saw two powerful auras heading straight for Yuanbao Megacity, his heart skipping a beat.
Why would they attack a city inhabited by cultivators? Had they gone mad? Or did they think the disappearance of their cub was related to the humans?
Whichever it was, the outcome was not good.
A sky-full of water lightning converged, preparing a devastating barrage of thunderous orbs aimed at Yuanbao Megacity.
Sect Master Yun Hu appeared, his expression ominously dark.
Why had the two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts set their sights on a human city?
These two Seventh-order Magical Beasts lived closest to the Lingbao Sect; however, they were not Magical Beasts fond of slaughter and rarely fought against humans.
News of their recent rampage had also reached Yun Hu.
He had thought it had nothing to do with the Sect Disciples.
But seeing this scene, he couldn’t help but suspect that someone had tampered with the offspring of the Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts.
Only such an act could have driven them to such madness. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖
If the two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts attacked, the defending Formations and Nascent Soul period cultivators stationed there would be sufficient to fend them off.
However, the cultivators of the Lingbao Sect couldn’t leave their Sect, not even by half a step.
All the Spirit Fields cultivated outside would be destroyed, leaving millions of commoners with nothing to eat, living in constant fear and anxiety.
"What on earth is going on?"
"Who took their cub, return it immediately!"
Just as the two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts were about to take action, they seemed to sense something; the sky-full of water lightning vanished, and the two figures disappeared without a trace.
The Second Nascent Soul breached the prohibition he controlled, allowing the scent of the Aqua-Golden Eyed Beast Cub to leak out; the parents, frantic with the desire to find their offspring, quickly arrived at the location where the scent remained.
They did not find their lost child, but they discovered a pill that was irresistibly enticing to them.
After consuming the pill, they were immediately filled with the desire to procreate.
The Holy Infant Breath Pill was an enhancement of the Infant Breath Pill, crafted by Jia Ren using the primordial Holy Infant Carp as the main ingredient. It far surpassed the Infant Breath Pill in efficacy.
For cultivators or Magical Beasts that consumed this pill, the probability of bearing offspring increased dramatically, with the offspring’s innate talents surpassing those of their predecessors.
「After a few days, the two Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts sensed the nurturing of new life within them.」
The new offspring’s bloodline aura was stronger; consequently, the parent beasts promptly forgot their lost eldest, carefully guarding their soon-to-be-born new offspring.
Thus, the calamity of the Aquamarine Gold-Eyed Beasts came to an end.
