Chapter 101: Incense Burning over the Sea of Clouds, Cultivators Tasting Elixirs

Amid the night, atop the main peak of Red Pine Mountain, a bright moon hung high, seemingly competing in brilliance with the moon on the horizon. Silvery moonlight cascaded like a waterfall, and dozens of jade-white boats, like clouds riding the sea toward the moon, surged upstream against the horizon, appearing detached from the mortal world.

The many cultivators of the Alliance of Extraordinary Beings on the ground were stunned by this sight. How immense must the magical power be to lift dozens of flying boats simultaneously? Could it be that this Daoist Yu Chen is truly a foundational-stage cultivator?

Their hearts pounded anxiously, secretly regretting coming today. If they had offended such a great cultivator, things would hardly end well.

Seeing the restless hearts of those around him, Ling Xu snorted coldly and said, “Feigning divine powers! These are merely wind techniques! This person must have a wind-elemental spirit treasure in hand, not relying on his own magical power to lift the boats!”

His sharp gaze immediately caught that the flying boats moved slowly, suspecting the use of a wind-elemental divine ability from some spirit treasure.

After Ling Xu’s explanation, the members of the Alliance of Extraordinary Beings felt somewhat reassured. If it were a spirit treasure’s divine ability, that was more understandable.

Most on the jade boats thought likewise—except for Senior Brother and Sister Qing Suo, who noticed something amiss. If it were truly a wind-elemental spirit treasure’s divine power, there would be fluctuations of magical energy, yet they detected no trace of such disturbances.

It was as if the force lifting the boats was a natural spiritual wind born from the heavens and earth.

If so, this method was truly mysterious and unfathomable.

While Qing Suo pondered this, the flying boats beneath them had already carried everyone to a vast sea of clouds. This place lay between two towering cliffs, the cloud sea rolling and surging like a waterfall. From above, it resembled a jade terrace with a crystal-clear pool, a scene of splendid and incomparable beauty.

“Though the mountain is humble, a simple banquet has been prepared. Now that esteemed guests have arrived, please take your seats!” A gentle voice, as smooth as jade, sounded, drawing everyone’s attention.

On the cloud terrace sat a Daoist in green robes, composed and graceful like an immortal, as if the lord of the clouds.

Before him, dozens of tables were arranged on either side, each holding a tea cup and a jade plate.

Delicate wisps of tea fragrance floated in the air, forming shapes of pine shadows and cranes, the aroma permeating and instantly calming everyone’s hearts and minds.

Yet the most captivating were the jade plates, each holding several pills and a few apricot fruits.

The plates were small, about the size of a normal palm, with four medicinal pills exuding strong fragrance clustered around a central pill, verdant and jade-like in appearance.

“I am Daoist Yu Chen. Greetings to all fellow Daoists. Please, take your seats!” Lin You smiled faintly and instructed the wind spirits to deliver the paper-crafted flying boats to the cloud terrace, placing them before each seat.

The scattered cultivators quickly responded, standing respectfully before their seats and bowing in unison: “Greetings, Daoist Yu Chen!”

A wave of admiration swelled in their hearts. Previously, when they heard of a Pill Essence Convention being held, they were skeptical. After all, in this era of decline, spirit pills were as precious as life itself—who would dare offer such treasures to fellow cultivators?

But seeing with their own eyes the modest yet vibrant green pill on the jade plate, their doubts vanished, replaced by deep respect.

What demeanor! What magnanimity! Hence, their heartfelt address of “Daoist” was sincere and wholehearted.

After some polite exchanges, everyone took their seats. Qing Suo and his junior sister sat just to the left and slightly below Lin You.

He observed Lin You curiously, sensing that although his strength was unclear, his bearing was extraordinary, as if in harmony with this world itself.

This surprised him greatly. Could it be that in this era of decline, a foundational-stage cultivator had truly emerged? It seemed almost unbelievable!

Another possibility was that Lin You might also hail from a hidden realm, like themselves, having paid a great price to bypass the surveillance of the Supreme Origin Mirror and secretly enter this world.

For their sect, passing down a foundational-stage secret was not difficult, but evading the Supreme Origin Mirror’s detection required great sacrifice—often not worthwhile unless the matter was of utmost importance.

While Qing Suo pondered this, Lin You had White Yi once again light a stick of spiritual incense.

The fragrance swirled about the cloud terrace.

Those cultivators with higher attainments were fine, but those who had yet to cultivate much magical power felt somewhat intoxicated.

The dense spiritual energy emitted by the incense was nearly equivalent to a relatively young spirit herb, causing involuntary breathing exercises to commence.

Seeing this, Lin You wasted no words and had the paper boy attendants bring forward some precious herbs and pine fungus, placing them before the guests.

Then he smiled and said, “Fellow Daoists, I trust Daoist Jiang has already explained the purpose of this convention. It is not only to make acquaintances with all of you but also for me to purchase some spirit treasures and cultivation techniques. But before that, please enjoy these spirit pills!”

With the host’s invitation, the cultivators no longer hesitated, rising to express thanks.

They examined the pills carefully, found no faults, then swallowed them, beginning to refine the medicinal power.

Unexpectedly, the pills dissolved immediately upon entering their mouths, transforming into an extremely pure medicinal force that merged seamlessly with their vital qi, as if void of any impurities and requiring no effort to refine.

A flash of surprise crossed Qing Suo’s eyes. The spirit pills he had exchanged for at his sect all required time to remove toxins and impurities.

But this pill’s medicinal power was not only refined, it seemed entirely free of any toxins.

If he could take such high-quality spirit pills daily, his chance to break through to foundational stage would greatly increase, and his cultivation time would shorten considerably!

Could this person be a true heir of the ancient Pill Sect? But the Pill Sect had long since been destroyed.

While Qing Suo mulled over Lin You’s origins, unknown to him, the true heir of the Pill Sect sat directly opposite.

Zhao Fan held one of the pills in his hand, not hastily consuming it but using the Pill Sect’s secret methods to analyze its medicinal properties and crafting techniques.

To him, this pill was a perfect example.

Some difficult points in the “Water Element Pill Refining Technique” he had studied were all clarified by this pill.

Bathed in the incense’s fragrance, Zhao Fan gradually immersed himself in the experience.

The spiritual incense coupled with the question-forging tea made his mind exceptionally clear and bright like crystal, dissolving many cultivation and alchemical obstacles.

Others, too, were silently absorbed in the effects of the spirit tea and pills.

Lin You, seeing Zhao Fan’s look of enlightenment, nodded slightly.

This youth was truly a worthy heir of an ancient sect; his fortune and talent were far from ordinary. Daoist Hu Sheng, who had taken him under his wing, was the perfect mentor.

Having promised Daoist Golden Toad to cultivate Zhao Fan into a foundational-stage cultivator, Lin You would not simply give him some pills to settle matters. A foundational-stage cultivator built on pills alone was meaningless.

Daoist Golden Toad was sincere, and Lin You would not be perfunctory either.

Therefore, some necessary refinement was indispensable.

With gratitude to the reader “It’s Fate” for the 500-point coin reward!

Thanks also to the reader “Keep It Up, Author” for the 100-point coin reward!

And heartfelt thanks to all fellow cultivators for their monthly ticket support!