Chapter 66: Talent Enhancement
That dog has turned his murderous intent toward me!
Li Changsheng's gaze turned cold.
Currently, he could even slay a Water Ape in the Unity Realm, yet he couldn't withstand ten moves from that mysterious youth without the latter even using his secret treasures. No wonder he was the person behind Elder Su. He had likely cultivated the Divine Demon Nine Transformations or even a more formidable technique, making him a tough opponent.
"Choose option two."
As Li Changsheng made his choice, countless experiences of alchemy flooded into his mind.
…
"Again!"
[Simulation begins.]
[Age 21, you successfully refined Marrow Cleansing Pills in the Starry Sea. You gave one to Long Xuan and consumed one yourself, enhancing your talent.]
[You took Ximen Xue to a secret realm in the Devil's Sea to settle down for secluded cultivation.]
[You tirelessly practiced alchemy.]
…
[Age 135, your alchemy skills reached the late fifth tier.]
[Age 140, external powerhouses arrived. You found cultivators from the Medicine King Sect and joined forces with them to enter the Diamond Sect's secret realm. The Medicine King Sect's Great Ascension cultivator directly used a secret treasure to breach the realm, forcing the mysterious youth and Elder Su to reveal themselves.]
[The mysterious youth fought alone against Ximen Xue, who had reached the sixth transformation, and a Great Ascension cultivator from the Medicine King Sect. Severely injured, he used a secret treasure to escape.]
[Elder Su found you and attempted to kill you. You fought him for three hundred rounds without a clear winner.]
[Ximen Xue arrived and killed Elder Su with a single finger strike.]
[Age 145, the mysterious youth appeared before you, used a secret treasure to kill you with a single strike, and disappeared.]
[You died!]
"Choose option two!"
Li Changsheng exhaled deeply, a smile appearing in his eyes.
An enemy's enemy is a friend. That mysterious youth, even over a hundred years later, could only match a Great Ascension cultivator in strength. As long as he trained Ximen Xue to the sixth transformation and cooperated with the Medicine King Sect's Great Ascension cultivator, he would be more than capable of confronting the mysterious youth.
"My alchemy has finally reached the late fifth tier!"
…
"Again!"
…
[Age 127, your alchemy skills successfully reached the peak of the fifth tier.]
After five more simulations, his alchemy skills finally reached the peak of the fifth tier.
"Choose option two."
In the Long family's estate, Li Changsheng sat cross-legged as countless experiences of alchemy flooded into his mind, as if he had personally endured centuries of tedious pill refinement.
"It's time to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pills!"
Li Changsheng's eyes snapped open as he retrieved a pill furnace from his storage pouch.
Boom!
Li Changsheng's movements were smooth and effortless. Dozens of materials for refining the Marrow Cleansing Pills were directly tossed into the pill furnace.
"Fire, come!"
As Li Changsheng formed hand seals, seven-colored flames emerged from his hands, transforming into seven small fiery dragons that slowly circled the pill furnace.
The pill furnace gradually rose into the air.
As time passed, a medicinal fragrance began to waft through the Long family's estate on Giant Whale Island.
…
"What's this?"
Long Haotian, who was cultivating in the estate, caught a whiff of the medicinal fragrance and was momentarily stunned before a look of ecstasy spread across his face.
If the medicinal fragrance was spreading, did that mean Senior Li was close to finishing the refinement?
How could he not be excited? He knew the immense cost his father had borne to secure a set of Marrow Cleansing Pill materials for him, nearly depleting his father's savings.
If his talent improved, he could certainly reach the Golden Core stage, if not the Nascent Soul stage.
A Golden Core cultivator lived for five hundred years!
Others in the Long family's estate also caught the refreshing fragrance.
However, they dared not approach, as the scent was coming from the courtyard where the Long family's distinguished guest resided.
Half a day later.
Having received the news, Long Xuan hurried over and waited outside Li Changsheng's courtyard.
…
In the courtyard.
Three purple-glowing pills floated before Li Changsheng, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
These three Marrow Cleansing Pills only had eight cloud patterns. They were just one cloud pattern short of reaching the pinnacle grade.
However, even a sixth-tier alchemist couldn't guarantee refining a pinnacle-grade Marrow Cleansing Pill. Having eight cloud patterns was already quite good.
"Harvest!"
Li Changsheng took out two jade bottles and stored two of the pills. He picked up the one still floating in the air and, without hesitation, swallowed it.
Boom!
A strange energy surged through his body, roughly improving his talent.
If anyone had been in the courtyard, they would have clearly seen black impurities appearing on Li Changsheng's skin, accompanied by a foul odor emanating from his body.
Li Changsheng sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.
The strange energy didn't dissipate until half an hour later.
Li Changsheng circulated the Great Five Elements Sword Art and began cultivating.
After a while, Li Changsheng opened his eyes and murmured:
"My speed of absorbing spiritual energy has increased by thirty percent. While it's not a huge improvement, with the simulator, cultivating for a hundred years now is equivalent to cultivating for a hundred and thirty years before. Not bad at all."
Li Changsheng formed a hand seal to remove the filth from his body, then changed into a fresh set of clothes and walked out of the courtyard.
…
"How did it go, Fellow Daoist Li?"
Long Xuan asked anxiously as soon as he saw Li Changsheng.
It was no wonder he was so nervous. Even alchemists from the Medicine King Sect couldn't guarantee a 100% success rate when refining Marrow Cleansing Pills. This was crucial for his son's future cultivation path.
"I've succeeded."
Li Changsheng handed a jade bottle to Long Xuan.
Long Xuan opened the bottle, and a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out.
"Eight cloud patterns," Long Xuan's heart was filled with awe as he looked at the pill inside the bottle.
His estimation of Li Changsheng's status rose even higher. Someone capable of refining Marrow Cleansing Pills with eight cloud patterns was at least a peak fifth-tier alchemist.
In the entire Tiannan Region, the number of fifth-tier alchemists could be counted on one hand, let alone peak fifth-tier or even sixth-tier alchemists.
'We must maintain friendly relations and never offend him!'
Long Xuan thought to himself.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist Li. If you ever need anything in the Starry Sea in the future, feel free to ask."
After saying this, he took out a jade talisman from his storage pouch and handed it to Li Changsheng.
"Fellow Daoist Li, the holder of this jade talisman is the Long family's most respected guest. In the future, if you encounter any matters in the Starry Sea, you can directly command the forces under the Long family."
"Mm," Li Changsheng took the jade talisman and nodded. "If there's nothing else, I need to rest!"
"Of course, of course!" Long Xuan quickly nodded.
"Fellow Daoist, refining the Marrow Cleansing Pills must have been mentally taxing. You should rest well. My apologies for disturbing you!"
…
After Long Xuan left.
Li Changsheng returned to the courtyard. With over fifty simulation opportunities left, it was time to enhance his strength.
"Begin simulation!"
[Simulation begins.]
[Age 21, you consumed the Marrow Cleansing Pill, enhancing your talent.]
[You gave a Marrow Cleansing Pill to your disciple, Ximen Xue, improving her talent. Her Divine Demon Nine Transformations advanced to the mid first transformation.]
[One month later, you took Ximen Xue and her brother back to the Su family's ancestral land for secluded cultivation.]
[Age 31, you and Su Qingyu ventured to a legendary opportunity site but found nothing.]
[Age 32, you took Ximen Xue to a secret realm in the Devil's Sea to cultivate the Divine Demon Nine Transformations.]
[…Age 159, you went to a treasure site and were devoured by a dark shadow.]