Chapter 87: Dragon-Tiger Pill
Looking at Li Changsheng's slightly smiling face, Song Feiyan began to feel uneasy.
She quickly explained:
"Li Changsheng, I've come this time to invite you to join my Profound Heaven Sect."
"Over the past few years, you've likely realized that my Profound Heaven Sect's strength is no weaker than the three major powers in Ming Province. Joining us would only bring you benefits."
Li Changsheng frowned slightly, pushed Song Feiyan away, and said indifferently:
"Not interested."
"If you came here just for this, you can leave now."
Over the years, he had gained some understanding of the forces in Ming Province. Besides the three major powers, the Profound Heaven Sect was the strongest. Two years ago, a Great Ascension cultivator from the Profound Heaven Sect had tried to attack his shop, but as soon as the cultivator entered the Herbal Pavilion, Mo Chengkong had drained him into a dried-up corpse.
Through his investigations, he had also learned that the Profound Heaven Sect was somewhat similar to the White Lotus Sect he had heard of in his previous life on Earth—they were constantly plotting rebellion.
Yet, despite all these years, the Profound Heaven Sect had not been wiped out by the Southern Li Dynasty, which spoke volumes about their strength.
However, the Profound Heaven Sect's headquarters were not in Ming Province, so their presence here wasn't as noticeable.
"Li Changsheng, the forces behind those shops you displaced have recently allied themselves with the Grand General's Estate."
"Moreover, experts from the Grand General's Estate have arrived in Pearl City."
"Even if you have a Transcendence Tribulation cultivator backing you, you're still no match for the Grand General's Estate. Joining my Profound Heaven Sect is your best choice."
Song Feiyan said through gritted teeth.
"Oh?"
Li Changsheng frowned slightly.
At this point, neither he nor Old Mo could be easily dealt with by ordinary Transcendence Tribulation cultivators. The Grand General's Estate alone wouldn't pose a significant threat to him, but if he were to antagonize them, would the Imperial Court intervene?
Given that the Southern Li Dynasty ruled over hundreds of thousands of miles of territory and had subdued forces like the Grand General's Estate, he believed the Imperial Court must have at least a half-step Immortal Realm expert, if not a true Immortal, overseeing it.
"If I join your Profound Heaven Sect, what benefits would I receive?"
Li Changsheng asked in a low voice.
"Specific matters are beyond my authority, and they're beyond yours as well. If you're interested, I can arrange for you to speak with the higher-ups in our sect," Song Feiyan said seriously.
"However, if it's just the Grand General's Estate, our forces in Ming Province alone can ensure they retreat unscathed."
"Then wait until your higher-ups arrive to discuss it," Li Changsheng said with a frown, gesturing for her to leave since she couldn't make decisions.
If she couldn't make decisions, what was the point of coming here?
Song Feiyan gritted her teeth and turned to leave.
She was, after all, one of the Twin Pearls of Ming Province. Yet, every time she tried to recruit Li Changsheng, she ended up being taken advantage of without gaining anything in return.
After Song Feiyan left, Li Changsheng closed his eyes and activated the simulator.
He whispered:
"Recharge!"
[Recharge successful. Current balance: 834 million spirit stones. One simulation costs 100 million spirit stones.]
[Would you like to use the Cultivation Simulator now?]
"Use it!"
Li Changsheng said through clenched teeth.
One simulation cost one billion spirit stones. Even with his current rate of earning spirit stones, in a year, he could only afford to simulate three times.
If it weren't for the fact that the Northern Marquis's Estate would pay him a deposit of 1.5 billion spirit stones tomorrow, he wouldn't have been willing to simulate now.
[Simulation begins.]
[Three days later, you attend the exchange event hosted by the Northern Marquis's Estate. You encounter provocation from people of the Grand General's Estate and easily suppress them.]
[At the event, you successfully trade for the eighth-grade Dragon-Tiger Pill recipe and a fragment of a map to the Demon Abyss.]
[Upon leaving the event, a Great Ascension cultivator from the Grand General's Estate attempts to capture you, but Old Mo kills him.]
[At age 32, you spend your time in Pearl City gathering materials to refine the Dragon-Tiger Pill while fulfilling the Northern Marquis's Estate's order.]
[Three months later, a Transcendence Tribulation cultivator from the Grand General's Estate makes a move but is killed by Old Mo outside the Herbal Pavilion.]
[After a year and a half, you successfully complete the Northern Marquis's Estate's order.]
[At age 34, you learn through the Northern Marquis's Estate's connections that the main ingredient for the Dragon-Tiger Pill, the Blood Ginseng, can be found in the Demon Abyss.]
[A month later, you and Old Mo head to the Demon Abyss.]
[Six months later, following the fragment of the map, you narrowly escape death multiple times and finally obtain a 100,000-year-old Blood Ginseng.]
[Returning to Pearl City, you dedicate yourself to mastering alchemy, aiming to reach the eighth rank to refine the Dragon-Tiger Pill.]
[At age 390, you successfully become an eighth-rank alchemist.]
[You successfully refine the Dragon-Tiger Pill.]
[After taking the Dragon-Tiger Pill, your progress in the Divine Demon Nine Transformations accelerates rapidly.]
[Six months later, you finish consuming the Dragon-Tiger Pill.]
[You begin searching for materials to refine more Dragon-Tiger Pills.]
[You find nothing.]
[At age 430, the Grand General's Estate, accompanied by several Imperial Transcendence Tribulation cultivators, attacks the Northern Marquis's Estate. You are mistakenly identified as part of the Northern Marquis's Estate and are attacked by two Transcendence Tribulation cultivators.]
[You and Old Mo successfully kill the two Transcendence Tribulation cultivators.]
[Half a month later, you and Old Mo storm the Grand General's Estate, killing many. However, a demonic figure emerges from the estate's rear courtyard and kills both of you!]
[You have died!]
[Simulation ends.]
Li Changsheng frowned slightly.
There's a demonic figure in the rear courtyard of the Grand General's Estate?
Could the Grand General's Estate be colluding with demons?
Or is there a connection between the Grand General's Estate and the current Crown Prince?
"Option two."
Li Changsheng made his choice without hesitation.
A flood of alchemical knowledge poured into his mind.
Boom!
Along with it came a surge of immense vital energy. After fully refining this energy, his strength increased by roughly ten percent.
Li Changsheng's eyes lit up. The Dragon-Tiger Pill truly lived up to its reputation as an eighth-grade body-refining pill. Its effects were remarkable.
If he had enough Dragon-Tiger Pills, he could reach the mid-stage of the Seventh Transformation in just a few decades.
However, the materials needed to refine the Dragon-Tiger Pill were incredibly difficult to obtain, especially the main ingredient—the 100,000-year-old Blood Ginseng. The Blood Ginseng was already a top-tier spiritual material, and reaching 100,000 years of age was exceedingly rare.
Fortunately, there was one waiting for him in the Demon Abyss, and he was now an eighth-rank alchemist. He wouldn't need to further train his alchemy skills to refine the Dragon-Tiger Pill.
Once the Dragon-Tiger Pill was refined, he could rely on spirit stones to push the Divine Demon Nine Transformations to the peak of the Seventh Transformation.
As for whether the Dragon-Tiger Pill would still be effective at the Eighth Transformation, he wasn't sure. Everything would depend on whether he could reach the peak of the Seventh Transformation.
The recipe was now firmly in his mind.
The most important thing now was to obtain that fragment of the map.
It seemed he had no choice but to attend the exchange event in three days!
However, before heading to the event, he might as well improve his Divine Demon Nine Transformations first!
"Again!"
[At age 32, you obtain the fragment of the Demon Abyss map at the exchange event.]
[Six months later, you successfully find the Blood Ginseng in the Demon Abyss…]
[At age 340, you use the Dragon-Tiger Pill to successfully advance the Divine Demon Nine Transformations to the mid-stage of the Seventh Transformation.]
After six simulations, the Divine Demon Nine Transformations reached the mid-stage of the Seventh Transformation!