The True Power of the Venerable Master

Ximen Chen frantically manipulated the void.

After two hours, he appeared within a formation.

He gazed upon the lingzhi flower that still had five petals hanging, and rapidly took out a box filled with soil.

Following the pattern of the water channels he had seen in the courtyard, he began arranging the soil around the lingzhi flower.

After a while of setting it up, he used the soil to recreate the layout of the water channels he had previously seen.

Once everything was ready, Ximen Chen took a deep breath and began to wait.

Soon, he noticed changes in the lingzhi flower before him!

The leaves started to wither and turn yellow one by one, before falling off.

Then, the petals began to loosen.

The first red petal dropped to the ground with a soft thud.

Next, the green petals began to detach slowly and fell.

One by one, all five petals fell to the ground.

When everything settled into stillness, the surroundings grew quiet.

Ximen Chen watched this miraculous scene unfold before his eyes, feeling utterly astounded. It took him a while to regain his senses.

He took a deep breath, his gaze fixed upon the lingzhi flower seeds emanating a special aura, and a determined expression appeared on his face.

He stepped forward and harvested the seeds.

There were two seeds, each about the size of a peanut.

After securing his belongings, Ximen Chen vanished from the spot.

Soon, he reappeared in a room.

At this moment, he was brimming with excitement.

"Mother, the lingzhi flower has matured! You take one seed first, and I'll refine the other into a pill later!"

Consuming the raw seed could extend one's lifespan by three years, while refining it into a pill could extend it by twenty years.

For safety, Ximen Chen decided to let his mother consume one seed first.

Otherwise, during the time it took him to refine the pill, his mother's life could potentially be at risk.

The old woman's complexion appeared ashen, but upon hearing Ximen Chen's words, she was stunned for a moment.

"Chen, how is that possible...?"

It had only been a few hours, yet the lingzhi flower had already matured?

Ximen Chen quickly approached and had his mother consume the seed.

Upon ingesting the seed, a miraculous transformation occurred.

The old woman, who had previously looked as if she were on the verge of death, suddenly regained her vitality.

Her wrinkled, pale face now showed signs of life.

Seeing this, Ximen Chen exhaled in relief, his worries finally put to rest.

Afterwards, he proceeded to recount in detail the experiences he had just gone through.

The old woman listened, also falling into a daze.

This world truly had such extraordinary beings?

Although unable to cultivate herself, she had lived a long life and witnessed many things.

But she had never heard of such events.

Everything had been calculated and arranged?

And that courtyard was so astonishingly mysterious?

"Chen, since such a powerful expert has helped us, we must repay them. There's no need for you to refine the pill first. Go and express our gratitude to the venerable master!"

The old woman realized that her son had encountered a true master.

Perhaps her life was not meant to end, and this could be her son's opportunity.

Such an expert was a rare encounter, and if he could establish a connection, it would undoubtedly benefit his future life.

Ximen Chen nodded, bid farewell to his mother, and flew towards Qingxuan Town.

In Qingxuan Town, Chen Ping'an was once again idle, sitting in the courtyard, gazing at the water channels, contemplating his mission.

He had been yearning for cultivation for five whole years.

"Based on the system's behavior, this cultivation power won't be granted all at once. If I complete a thousand tasks, I won't become invincible. Perhaps the remaining hundred tasks will gradually grant me an average level of power?"

Chen Ping'an pursed his lips.

He eagerly awaited the arrival of that day.

Once he had cultivation power, he would definitely seek out Su Ling again and give it another try.

Chen Ping'an narrowed his eyes.

After Su Ling had beaten him up the last time, he felt that despite her seemingly innocent appearance, she was likely laughing inwardly.

This time, he would proudly display his cultivation power, allowing Su Ling to experience what it felt like to be untouchable!

Chen Ping'an slouched in his chair.

At that moment, the system's voice suddenly resounded.

[Task completed, system upgrading, duration two hours.]

Upon hearing the system's voice, Chen Ping'an abruptly stood up from his recliner.

What?

Task completed?

How is that possible?!

Chen Ping'an was utterly confused.

He hadn't done anything!

He had just been lounging and slouching for a while.

Could it be that the system was malfunctioning?

Chen Ping'an blinked, then a smile gradually appeared on his face.

Excellent.

Regardless of how it happened, a task had been completed!

He had thought it wouldn't be that simple to complete a task.

But now that it had unexpectedly occurred, it was an absolute delight!

Chen Ping'an pretended to be nonchalant, afraid that the system would notice its mistake and revert the change.

He continued lying down, his face beaming with smiles.

In two hours, the system upgrade would be complete.

Knowing the outcome, Chen Ping'an felt content and closed his eyes for a nap.

After dozing off for a while, a voice came from outside the door.

Chen Ping'an went to open the gate.

Standing before him was Ximen Chen.

Ximen Chen looked at Chen Ping'an, prepared to express his sincere gratitude.

But at that moment, he was dumbfounded.

He stared blankly at Chen Ping'an, unable to speak.

"So, this is the true power of the venerable master!!"

Ximen Chen appeared utterly astonished.

In his eyes, with Chen Ping'an as the center, it seemed as if the entire world was filled with the principles and rhythms of the Dao.

It was terrifyingly powerful.

He had seen immortals before.

But even immortals would not appear like this, only possessing formidable auras.

Yet the person before him was like the sovereign of Heaven and Earth!

Ximen Chen gazed at him as if he were a deity, his face filled with reverence and admiration.

"Venerable master! Thank you for your life-saving grace!"

With those words, Ximen Chen deeply bowed.

Chen Ping'an watched his actions, momentarily stunned.

Life-saving grace?

"Could it be that this old man would have been executed if he didn't properly manage those spirit herbs?"

Considering this, Chen Ping'an nodded in realization.

So that's why the system said he had completed a task!

Chen Ping'an felt his guess was likely correct, so he smiled and said, "Old friend, there's no need for such courtesy. I haven't done anything special, and you and I share a unique connection."

If they didn't have a predestined connection, the two of them wouldn't have encountered each other.

Nor would they have coincidentally met when he needed to dig channels and divert water.

Hearing these words, Ximen Chen also nodded, though the gratitude on his face remained unchanged.

"Venerable master, I possess no great abilities, only some skill in pill refinement. If the venerable master has any need for me, I will brave even the most treacherous paths without hesitation!"

Ximen Chen didn't know how else to express his gratitude to such a powerful being.

Although they were strangers, this person had calculated and arranged everything, seemingly coincidentally encountering him, while actually having it all under control.

Such a master would undoubtedly not care about his pill refinement skills, but he truly couldn't think of anything else to offer...

Chen Ping'an had initially wanted to dismiss the matter, but upon hearing these words, his eyes lit up.

"I don't know what level your pill refinement skills have reached, old friend?" Chen Ping'an asked curiously.

Seeing Ximen Chen's advanced age, he was like Zhan Diangteng.

And if Zhan Diangteng was so powerful, if Ximen Chen had even half of Zhan Diangteng's skill, his pill refinement arts should be at the fifth or sixth grade level.

Soon, Chen Ping'an would gain cultivation power and be able to venture out into the world. If he had a pill refiner supporting him by concocting pills, that would be incredibly helpful.

Additionally, he realized that knowing more cultivators could only bring advantages, not drawbacks.

Especially those who produced these strange visual effects.

They treated him with such reverence, just like Murong Gong did.

With their assistance, perhaps he could complete his future tasks.

Ximen Chen humbly replied, "I can successfully refine one out of three spirit pills of the tenth grade, but I'm still unable to concoct immortal pills."

After these words, a sudden stillness fell over the surroundings.

Damn!

A tenth-grade pill refiner?!

Chen Ping'an had thought Ximen Chen would only have fifth or sixth-grade pill refinement skills. Upon hearing this, he was stunned.