C130 Pill King Pavilion

"I get it now, this guy isn't just a martial artist; he's a body tempering cultivator. That's why we can't sense any energy fluctuations from him!" One of the guards suddenly realized, breaking the stunned silence among the crowd.

Hearing this, everyone felt their confusion finally clear up. The explanation made perfect sense. Only a body tempering cultivator could have the strength to catch Joe Ironhammer's blow without getting hurt.

"So that's it. If I'd known, I wouldn't have gone all out!" Joe Ironhammer admitted, regretting his decision to match strength with a body tempering cultivator. However, he was a man of his word and didn't resort to any tricks. Turning around, he said, "I lost. Our caravan will be ahead of the Medicine King Pavilion. Who's next? Will you challenge me or him?"

The rules were simple: the losing caravan would go first. If someone challenged Woo Zhengyang and won, they'd be placed after the Medicine King Pavilion. If they won, they could continue to challenge Joe Ironhammer to determine the order. Of course, they could also choose to skip Woo Zhengyang and go straight for Joe Ironhammer, which would mean accepting the Medicine King Pavilion's last position.

"Since you, hothead, tested this guy's skills, who'd be foolish enough to challenge you now, haha..." A young man in white laughed as he approached.

"Leo Sunhill, who are you calling a hothead?" Joe Ironhammer snapped back angrily.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! What? Want to take me on? Too bad, you're not qualified anymore. I'm challenging this guy, and then I'll be ahead of you. Haha! If you lose to a Body Tempering cultivator, you might as well give up, Joe Hammer..."

The young man in white, named Leo Sun, walked right up to Woo Zhengyang without a word and thrust his slender sword at Woo's throat. Ignoring the usual formalities before a duel, Leo clearly didn't see Woo as a threat.

In fact, it wasn't just him. The other guards from the caravan were also looking at Woo with amusement. Even the guard who had been quietly relieved earlier began to doubt his own judgment.

Once it was clear that Woo Zhengyang was merely a Body Tempering cultivator, he no longer posed any threat to them. At the Master Stage, a Body Tempering cultivator could break through any technique with sheer strength, matching the power of a Pulse Refining cultivator of the same level.

Unfortunately, the art of Body Tempering had fallen out of favor, with its techniques largely lost. Most who practiced it did so out of necessity, and it had become synonymous with failure. In the early stages of Body Tempering, one couldn't project energy from their fists, nor could they infuse weapons with true energy. Unless it was close combat, Pulse Refining cultivators could easily win battles against those of the same level.

In today's world, not only are Master Stage Body Tempering cultivators rare, but even Martial Master Stage ones are few and far between.

Judging by Woo Zhengyang's age, even if he was a Body Tempering cultivator, he would likely be at most at the eighth or ninth level. So, what did Liu Sunshan have to fear? However, it wasn't long before everyone was stunned again.

When faced with Liu Sunshan's sword, Woo Zhengyang simply reached out his hand and, to everyone's amazement, grabbed it! Then, with a swift kick, he sent Liu Sunshan flying. This kick was clearly much stronger than the previous one, as Liu Sunshan was sent sprawling, blood spraying from his mouth...

For those who didn't take him seriously, Woo Zhengyang certainly didn't bother to acknowledge them. In the eerie quiet of the small town at dusk, the sound of Liu Sunshan crashing into a wagon echoed like a drumbeat in everyone's hearts.

Grabbing a sword with his bare hands and sending someone flying with a single kick—what kind of Body Tempering cultivator could accomplish such feats? Initially, people dismissed Woo Zhengyang as just a troublemaker, but after he effortlessly swatted away a Nine-star Martial Disciple, they began to take him seriously.

Later, when it was speculated that Woo Zhengyang was a Body Tempering cultivator, people became indifferent again. But now, they weren't just paying attention—they were extremely focused. Even if he wasn't at the Martial Master Stage, his combat prowess was likely on par with one.

In the battles that followed, no one dared to challenge Woo Zhengyang again, and the Medicine King Pavilion was undoubtedly ranked last.

As night fell, the caravan began to set off one by one. The dense forest, with its thick branches and leaves, made the darkness even deeper. Traveling through the Cloudy Mountain Range at night was somewhat safer than during the day, but the atmosphere was tense, especially for the lead caravan. The guards were always on high alert, ready for battle at any moment.

Woo Zhengyang and his group were at the back, enjoying a bit more peace. Occasionally, a few demonic beasts would stir, but the people ahead took care of them, so they didn’t have to lift a finger. By dawn, Woo Zhengyang and his companions had successfully emerged from the Cloudy Mountain Range.

The journey had been uneventful, and Woo Zhengyang hadn't needed to make a move. He spent the time sitting cross-legged on the caravan's wagon, focusing on his training. Normally, this wouldn't have been allowed, but Liang Ruoxuan, who was also on the wagon, insisted, and Woo Zhengyang didn't refuse. The other four guards, of course, didn't dare to say anything.

Liang Ruoxuan had initially invited Woo Zhengyang up to chat, but as soon as he settled in, he closed his eyes and began meditating. Left with little choice, Liang Ruoxuan also closed her eyes to rest.

Woo Zhengyang's intense focus on his training had a significant reason. A few days earlier, he had a discussion with Bing'er and the others, learning something crucial. The balance of ice and fire power was essential for his Ice Crystal Fire Body, and as someone with this unique trait, his body tempering and energy channeling needed to maintain this balance as well.

Woo Zhengyang had honed his body to the peak of a Nine-star Martial Disciple, teetering on the edge of breaking through to the Martial Master Stage, yet he remained stuck. To advance, his cultivation needed to reach at least the pinnacle of the Ninth Heaven.

After crossing the Misty Cloud Mountains, the four guards completed their duty and stayed behind in a small, unnamed town, waiting for their next employer. Meanwhile, the caravan from the Medicine King Pavilion continued toward Cloud City.

Woo Zhengyang joined the journey, much to Liang Ruoxuan's delight. Although the Cloud Fluttering Country was relatively safe, having company was always welcome. Unfortunately, Woo Zhengyang was more focused on his training and wasn't much of a conversationalist.

Three days passed quickly, and the caravan finally arrived at Cloud City. It was Woo Zhengyang's first time visiting a nation's capital, and he was awestruck by its vastness. Bright Sun City, where he grew up, was already large, but Cloud City was eight times its size, divided into sixteen districts.

With a map gifted by Liang Ruoxuan, Woo Zhengyang was overwhelmed, unsure of which district to explore first.

"Senior Brother Woo, is it your first time in Cloud City? Not sure where to go?" Liang Ruoxuan, perceptive as ever, immediately noticed his uncertainty.

Woo Zhengyang forced a smile and nodded, while Liang Ruoxuan was overjoyed. She said, "In that case, why don't you stay at my place for a while? We haven't spent much on the journey, so we should at least treat you well."

Seeing the anticipation in Liang Ruoxuan's eyes, Woo Zhengyang couldn't bring himself to refuse and agreed.

When they arrived at their destination, Woo Zhengyang was taken aback. It was a beautifully traditional building with elegant taste, and the three large characters on the sign were bold and impressive. Most strikingly, the sign read: "Pill King Pavilion!"

"Pill King Pavilion? Isn't your place called Medicine King Pavilion?" Woo Zhengyang asked in surprise.

His surprise was understandable, as his purpose for coming was to seek pills, and the Pill King Pavilion was clearly a place for alchemy, with a name suggesting exceptional skill.

Hearing this, Liang Ruoxuan, who had been happy to return home, suddenly looked downcast.

"Haha... you're right, her family runs the Medicine King Pavilion, but that sign won't be up for long!" a man's voice came from across the street.

Woo Zhengyang looked over and was stunned. Across the way was another shop with a Pill King Pavilion sign. Although the calligraphy lacked the charm of Liang Ruoxuan's family sign, the shop itself was more than twice the size.

A man in a brocade robe, his face lit up with a smile, was walking over from the shop. The voice from earlier had come from him.

Seeing the man, Liang Ruoxuan's face immediately turned furious, and she snapped, "Ma Tengyue, stop spreading lies. The Pill King Competition hasn't even started yet. What gives you the right to say that?"