All Things Are Contracts

Chapter 76: Extraordinary Grade Pill

One by one, fifth-grade spirit herbs were prepared and suspended in the air by Baizhi’s soul power. She activated her ordinary fire to preheat the alchemy furnace, then precisely manipulated the medicinal ingredients into the furnace.

Zhanyue watched intently, trying to learn Baizhi’s techniques. Her delicate jade hands formed various seals, controlling the fire’s size and temperature. Inside the furnace, various decomposed materials were arranged orderly. Baizhi was like a marshal commanding thousands of troops, making all the soldiers line up and combine in an orderly fashion, changing formations and gradually merging.

“Amazing, so smooth. It doesn’t look like her first time refining pills at all,” Zhanyue marveled. When he first refined fourth-grade pills, he often got stuck, having to recall details and ponder the order. However, Baizhi’s pill refining was flowing and seamless, and this was her first time refining fifth-grade pills. This girl had formed experiences in her mind that would take others a long time to accumulate. This is what a genius is.

“This girl, if the Bai family doesn’t treasure her, my Zhan family must. Pills are extremely helpful for cultivators, with countless wonderful uses both externally and internally. When she becomes an eighth-grade alchemist, I’ll have a source for high-grade pills. Even though I need to master this art myself, having her to learn, exchange, and compete with might allow me to go further,” Zhanyue was already thinking about how to completely free Baizhi from the Bai family’s control.

Time passed slowly. Beads of sweat appeared on Baizhi’s forehead, which Zhanyue wiped away to prevent them from obscuring her vision. Baizhi was completely focused, her world reduced to just herself and the furnace. Finally, five round pills formed in the furnace, four fire-red and one golden, round and full.

“Mission accomplished!” Baizhi’s eyes couldn’t hide their starlight.

“These… these are fifth-grade Fierce Profound Pills, capable of severely injuring Profound Beings?” Zhanyue looked at the five pills, feeling the terrifying aura emanating from them. One could sense their power without even thinking. “Then what about this golden one?” Zhanyue looked at the single differently colored pill.

“Lucky us, an extraordinary grade pill appeared. It’s upgraded, a sixth-grade Fierce Profound Pill,” Baizhi happily looked at Zhanyue’s stunned eyes. How about that? Stunned, aren’t you? Now you know how amazing this young lady is. It’s always been you showing off, finally it’s my turn. Baizhi was thoroughly satisfied.

For the first time in his life, Zhanyue understood what ‘inferiority’ meant. In his early twenties, he was pursuing a doctorate, studying under academic giants, naturally a favored child of heaven. Even coming to this world, knowing the illumination Goddess, contracting the Earth Mother Golden Cauldron, each was stealing heaven’s fortune. However, Baizhi, using ordinary fire and an ordinary alchemy furnace, produced an extraordinary grade pill on her first attempt at fifth-grade pill refining. If she had the opportunity with the Earth Mother Golden Cauldron, what level could she reach? Zhanyue looked at that ordinary alchemy furnace, feeling indignant for Baizhi. How stingy heaven was; if only this girl’s contract object was the Heavenly King Bronze Furnace.

The Heavenly King Bronze Furnace and the Earth Mother Golden Cauldron were the two supreme treasures of alchemy. Zhanyue had one, but was far from reaching Baizhi’s level. Normally, Baizhi shouldn’t be able to refine sixth-grade pills, but she was simply abnormal. Refining an extraordinary grade pill comparable to sixth grade without even entering the Profound Realm was probably enough to shock the world.

“You take this sixth-grade Fierce Profound Pill and this fifth-grade one. I’ll keep the remaining three,” Baizhi allocated the pills, after all, Zhanyue was the main combat force. “I’ve used up most of my fifth-grade materials.” Baizhi didn’t have many fifth-grade materials to begin with, mostly fourth-grade ones.

“I wonder if this pill could severely injure the old cat demon at its peak,” Zhanyue looked at the mysterious fluctuations coming from the golden extraordinary grade pill.

“Let’s go.” Zhanyue happily put away the two pills. Indeed, this day’s time wasn’t wasted. With these, they might even save a top-grade spirit stone.

The two little cats were put into the spatial ring to rest. The deeper they went, the more dangerous it became. The strength of third and fourth-grade spirit beasts wasn’t enough, and Zhanyue was afraid he wouldn’t be able to protect them in time.

“The territory of the peak fifth-grade old cat demon is in this circle. Going further in, we might encounter real sixth-grade spirit beasts. But spirit beasts aren’t necessarily impossible to communicate with,” Zhanyue and Baizhi were very cautious.

“According to Horse Face’s map, ten miles further in is the ruined ancient city, which is the ruins that Ghost Shark clan member mentioned. The map is blank beyond that, seems Horse Face only explored to the outskirts of the ancient city, he didn’t dare go inside,” Zhanyue analyzed, looking at the map in his hand.

A small river appeared before the two. This river was much smaller than the Heavenly Moat River, but the water emitted a sweet scent, like honey.

“Hallucination River. The river water must not be drunk, or you’ll fall into an illusion. Many vicious beasts in the river wait for prey. Be extremely careful. The river water also has points, but negligible compared to the danger within. Suggest stopping here, seeking opportunities on this side of the river.” This was the last entry in Horse Face’s exploration notes.

“Looks like the vast majority of people stop here. There are unclean things in the river,” Zhanyue said, looking at the river that wasn’t very wide. He could even sprint and jump across.

“Are they spirit beasts?” Baizhi was also curious. This river didn’t look difficult to cross.

Zhanyue analyzed: “This river is very long. If they were spirit beasts, they couldn’t cover all areas, right? It’s probably not as simple as spirit beasts.” Zhanyue took out a spirit beast corpse he had kept earlier, a fourth-grade spirit beast, a yellow dog demon as sturdy as a small cow. He kicked it towards the opposite bank with one foot. This kick was powerful, the dog demon corpse drawing a beautiful arc in the air, then flying to the middle of the river. Countless shadows leapt out from the middle of the river, then fell back. The dog demon was instantly reduced to white bones, its flesh and blood completely devoured.

“Piranhas?” Zhanyue thought of these creatures, but the things in this river were far more formidable than piranhas. They absorbed flesh and blood so quickly that only afterimages could be seen. It definitely wasn’t biting mouthful by mouthful, but some other method.

“Impressive technique. Girl, can your Charm Shadow evade them?” Zhanyue asked.

Baizhi revealed a disdainful smile. Her figure turned into a streak of light, instantly appearing dozens of meters away on the opposite bank, waving to Zhanyue.

Zhanyue drew in a sharp breath, “The cat demon clan’s innate divine ability is truly terrifying.” This time he saw clearly, those shadows in the river tried to intercept but all missed.

Soon after, Zhanyue suddenly appeared behind Baizhi, startling her.

“My earth burrowing technique isn’t inferior to Charm Shadow, right?” Zhanyue smiled. He could naturally come through underground, those river creatures couldn’t stop him.

“Hmph.” Baizhi coldly snorted, not speaking. Both the Charm Shadow divine ability and earth burrowing technique were at least gold-grade or even higher-quality ultimate skills, but Zhanyue had given it to her so simply. “This bastard definitely has ulterior motives!” Baizhi was certain, yet she didn’t feel disgust, rather some anticipation.

One relied on speed to force through, one on earth burrowing to cross. The Hallucination River that stopped countless people was easily passed by the two. This was the last obstacle before entering the ancient city ruins.

“Feng Bulang can fly, he must have come to this ancient city before. But that guy keeps his mouth shut tight, unlike Horse Face who likes to share,” Zhanyue thought. At this moment, these two should still be in the trial grounds. Too bad the final trial’s grand prize had already been taken by him, Zhan. Others could only drink the soup.

As soon as they entered the ancient city’s territory, the sky dimmed, and mist seemed to rise. It wasn’t dawn, yet fog appeared out of nowhere. Definitely not a good sign.

“This doesn’t seem like a climate change, more like a formation,” Zhanyue analyzed, then said to Baizhi: “Give me your hand.”

Baizhi nodded, obediently extending her hand. She knew Zhanyue was afraid they would get separated, and didn’t act coy. This ghostly fog was definitely problematic.