C12 Refining the Spirittransformation Pill

"It's just a friendly bout among peers, no harm done."

Chen Chu snapped the book shut and regarded Chen Su with skepticism. "I'm merely at the fourth level of Qi Refinement, while your friend reached the seventh level a month ago. You call that a friendly bout?"

Chen Chu's innocuous demeanor infuriated Chen Su, who, despite his resentment, managed to muster a strained smile in Chen Man's presence, offering no further explanation.

Chen Man had intended to impart some elder wisdom to Chen Su, but Chen Chu's comment left her momentarily speechless. She then seized Chen Chu's hand, and upon detecting the faint Genuine Qi within him, she excitedly inquired, "Chen Chu, you're able to cultivate Genuine Qi now!"

Caught by Chen Man's grip, Chen Chu felt a touch of embarrassment and resignedly remarked, "Just a stroke of luck. Seems the heavens took pity on me, not wanting me to remain a cripple for life."

Unfazed internally, Chen Chu's formidable spirit as a War God meant such matters were mere trifles to him.

"Good, that puts my mind at ease. With your talent, it won't take many years to regain your peak form, it's just that..."

Chen Man's voice trailed off. Three years prior, an incident had damaged Chen Chu's meridians, rendering him unable to cultivate and causing his rightful enrollment spot to be taken by another. Now able to cultivate once more, he was set to miss the Heavenly South Academy's recruitment again. At sixteen, and with the academy's cutoff at eighteen, Chen Chu's chances seemed all but gone.

With the loss of prime cultivation conditions, Chen Chu's potential achievements were severely capped.

Chen Chu gave Chen Man's shoulder a reassuring pat, his voice light. "The past is behind us. Being able to cultivate again is fortune enough; anything more would be sheer greed."

While Chen Chu and Chen Man engaged in their pleasant exchange, a disgruntled Chen Su, feeling sidelined, quickly departed with his companions. As he brushed past Chen Chu, he muttered a phrase meant for Chen Chu's ears alone.

"Let's resolve the feud between Zhang Xiangtian and Zhao Qianli during our clan's competition."

Chen Chu remained stoic, seemingly oblivious to the conversation.

Yet in his heart, he had already marked Chen Su for elimination. Chen Chu was unforgiving of any grudge tied to his existence.

After a brief exchange, Chen Man excused herself to practice her cultivation. Soon after, Chen Chu emerged with a dust-laden tome. He signed it out at the entrance and dashed toward the Alchemy Hall, eager to fulfill his promise to his father to avert the looming crisis.

Time soared by, and within a week, Chen Chu had diligently crafted over eight hundred bottles of Armor Binding Spirit Liquid. The Chen Family's market saw its daily stock of pills snapped up in an instant. The foot traffic had more than doubled, spurring the local economy and other businesses. Mercenaries, having acquired a taste for profit, queued up each morning at the medicine stand. The outcomes of their skirmishes were often swayed by the strategic use of a few bottles of the coveted liquid, and its fame had quickly spread throughout Wanbei City.

Despite the soaring demand for Armor Binding Spirit Liquid, the limited daily release of one hundred bottles meant minimal disruption to the other families' markets. Nevertheless, the competition was feeling the pressure and had started to secretly coordinate their response.

Back at the Chen Family compound, Chen Chu bid farewell to several relatives before stealthily approaching a window to spy on Patriarch Chen Tong, who was lost in thought over a piece of black ore.

"Stop hiding, Chu," Chen Tong called out with a chuckle, catching a glimpse of his son outside.

Chen Chu's face tensed, but he resigned himself to standing up straight and resting against the window ledge. His curiosity piqued, he inquired, "Father, what is that?"

"Black Rock Mine. It's what most armor is forged from. But you're dodging my question," Chen Tong reminded him.

Chen Chu gestured dismissively, insisting he was merely checking on his father.

Chen Tong eyed his evasive son and playfully chided, "You can't fool me, son. Out with it. You've earned your stripes this time, so whatever it is, consider it granted."

It was clear that his father, Chen Su, was in high spirits today, which gave Chen Tong the courage to cautiously broach the subject, "Lately, I've been a bit strapped for cash. I was wondering if you could..."

"Why didn't you mention such a trivial thing earlier?" his father interrupted.

With a shake of his head, Chen Tong tossed a heavy bag of coins to Chen Chu, who caught it with a secretive smile before darting off. The Chen Family's finances had been flourishing, allowing Chen Tong to be quite generous. The bag was laden with hundreds of gold coins, enough to sustain an average family for several years.

Chen Chu's progress in cultivating his Genuine Qi wasn't particularly rapid. He was resolute in his decision to start crafting the Third-Grade Pill, Transfer Spirit Powder. He had no illusions about placing in the top two of the Family Competition in a month's time.

After parting ways with his family, Chen Chu aimlessly roamed the nearby herbal shops. He quickly amassed most of the required herbs, save for one elusive variety.

Inside a bank under the jurisdiction of the City Lord's forces, Chen Chu's frustration was palpable as he searched. The curiosity of the shopkeeper was piqued, prompting him to inquire, "May I ask what you're in search of, young man? Not all our herbs are on display; we keep some special stock in the back."

Chen Chu sighed, a hint of resignation in his voice, "Do you happen to have any Purple Radish flowers over twenty years old?"

The middle-aged shopkeeper gave Chen Chu a discreet once-over before probing, "Might you be an alchemist?"

Having spent over a decade working in the herbal field and encountering all sorts of people, he found himself unsure of the young man's status.

Chen Chu noticed the shift in the shopkeeper's tone and formality and quickly denied, "Oh, no, I'm just an unremarkable errand runner tasked with procuring medicines."

Despite Chen Chu's modesty, the shopkeeper's demeanor grew even more respectful. "We don't have that herb at the moment, but you might try your luck at the nearby small market. You never know what you might find there."

Chen Chu gave a dismissive wave and departed, silently labeling the shopkeeper a shrewd one for nearly guessing his identity from just a few hints.

Wanbei City was home to four major markets, each managed by the three great families and the City Lord's power. Beyond these, there were dozens of smaller markets dealing in less savory goods. Disgruntled by the high taxes within the larger markets, many had taken to the smaller ones to set up their stalls. These markets were tucked away in narrower streets, often overlooked by all but the most seasoned residents of Wanbei City, who had lived there for over a decade.

Chen Chu arrived at the location previously indicated by the owner of the herbal shop, only to find a massive black curtain tightly sealing off the street entrance. Flanking the curtain stood two imposing men, axes slung over their shoulders and scowls on their faces, their mere presence enough to deter most onlookers.

Without hesitation, Chen Chu strode forward. As he reached out to part the curtain, two large axes thundered down, halting him in his tracks.

"Kid, you got a death wish?!" barked one of the burly guards menacingly.

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