Chapter 87 – Pill Tribulation

A month later, at the Eighth Furnace station.

The guards lazily stood about, none of them able to summon any focus. They couldn’t be blamed for this – after all, if the leaders were lacking, the subordinates would follow suit. The newly appointed Furnace Master hadn’t appeared in public even a few times and they were in a completely undisciplined, unordered, and unmanageable state. Any sort of negative ‘un’ condition could be applied to them.

Several people gathered together to chat, eat, drink, look at the skies, and even cultivate. One of the women looked up at the skies, sighing woefully. This was just too boring! This was so boring that they didn’t even know what was good to talk about. Every single topic they could converse about had been repeated multiple times.

“When is today going to end!” A disciple plaintively looked up at the skies. Suddenly, he discovered that the originally bright skies and clear weather had suddenly darkened. “Is it going to rain?”

He muttered to himself. But soon, his eyes popped wide open, as if he saw a ghost in the daytime.

In the great vault of heavens, black clouds rapidly surged forth, weaving together into a vast sea of black. Just looking at this made one feel constrained and left one panting for breath. Even if one hadn’t eaten pork meat, they should still have seen a pig run. Although this analogy didn’t really seem appropriate to the situation, these disciples actually felt it was completely proper at this moment. As disciples of Immortal Eclipse Valley, even if others hadn’t seen it they had at least seen pill phenomena eight or 10 times, after all, who made it so that there were countless alchemy masters all around?

These black clouds, this aura, this suppression, all of it was a true and proper pill phenomenon. No…this went beyond a phenomenon. Looking at the flashing thunder and roiling darkness, could this be pill tribulation? As soon as this thought appeared, the several disciples seemed to have been lit on fire. Their heads were completely filled with one thought – pill tribulation, this was pill tribulation!

Energy Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Divine Soul…cultivators had different realms of cultivation and this was also the same for pills! In comparison to those cultivation boundaries, pills were ranked from first to fifth grade. And, if a pill had the qualifications to summon pill tribulation, that was one of the symbols of a fifth-grade pill.

Within the valley, there was someone who had refined a fifth-grade pill!

But who, who, just who was the lord that did this?

Everyone looked up into the skies, shocked. It was only several breaths later that they responded. The pill tribulation clouds appeared above the Eighth Furnace station, so the person refining the pill was definitely there.

And the only one refining pills there right now was…the Furnace Master?

Everyone’s jaws dropped down, their chins nearly reaching the floor.

Shua –

Space shimmered and Pill Crucible’s figure appeared. He looked up at the black clouds in the skies, his complexion dignified yet filled with joy. He turned and shouted, “Who is the one refining the pill?”

After quickly bowing, they replied, “Reporting to Old Ancestor, the one refining the pill…should be…our Furnace Master?” Although this disciple spoke decisively at first, his words rapidly lost energy.

There was nothing else he could do; this was a fifth-grade pill that was able to summon down pill tribulation. Within the entire Immortal Eclipse Valley, only the Old Ancestor had ever refined one. As for the Furnace Master, he had originally taken a backdoor shortcut to enjoy the Radiant Red Wood, so could he really have such strength?

Pill Crucible was stunned for a moment but he quickly regained his composure. His eyes shined brightly. It seemed that this young junior-apprentice brother of his had obtained a truly incredible alchemy inheritance from their teacher! In addition with Daoist Wang’s teachings and the Eighth Furnace’s Samsara inheritance, it had finally transformed his alchemy skills, bringing them to a whole new level.

At this moment, this was the only explanation that Pill Crucible could come up with.

Qin Yu that brat, he had actually hidden such depths in front of him. But, he was truly worthy of being someone with inborn good fortune; he was able to accomplish things that others couldn’t.

He was able to refine a fifth-grade pill at such a young age. In the future, his accomplishments in alchemy were sure to be limitless.

At this instant, Pill Crucible even formed thoughts of disregarding his ancestral clan and passing down the position of Valley Master to Qin Yu.

Whoosh –

Sword light refracted, revealing Jiang Li’s figure. As the controller of the Five Element Sword Array, he was the quickest to rush here after Pill Crucible.

“Valley Master?”

Pill Crucible suppressed his racing thoughts. He said, “Qin Yu is refining a pill!”

Jiang Li’s heart shook.

Soon, Eclipse Lenqing and Immortal Eclipse Valley’s last Nascent Soul, Eclipse Wuji, also rushed over. As they heard that the one refining the pill was Qin Yu, their complexions changed again and again. They looked up at the dark cloud surging above their heads, their eyes flitting with complicated emotions. Their first instinctive reaction was that they didn’t want Qin Yu to succeed. But at the same time, as alchemists, they also wholeheartedly wished for the birth of a fifth-grade pill.

The two looked at each other for a long time. Then, they sighed.

After today’s events, whether Qin Yu succeeded or defeated, he now had the qualifications to treat them as equals.

As time passed, all of the Golden Core realm alchemists within Immortal Eclipse Valley began to gather at the Eighth Furnace station. They looked up at the tribulation clouds, their eyes full of admiration and respect.

A fifth-grade alchemist. Their status could be compared to a Nascent Soul cultivator. In the world of alchemists, they were a supreme transcendent existence!

Eclipse Xuzi bit her lips, her face pale white. Eclipse Wu and Eclipse Ming both had tight and bitter expressions.

Xu Ao and Fan Jianghai glanced at each other, their thoughts shaking like a roaring sea.

Fifth-grade pill! Qin Yu could refine a fifth-grade pill!

Pill Crucible flicked his sleeves and invisible magic power swept out, isolating everyone from the tribulation clouds. He loudly said, “During this pill tribulation, no one should recklessly use magic power!”

“Yes!” Everyone bowed in compliance.

At this time, changes began to appear in the tribulation clouds. Faint traces of electric light began to sizzle amongst the clouds. Within the center of the darkness, lightning gathered, becoming a great mass as bright as the sun.

Bang –

There was a loud bang as if the heavens were roaring, expressing their majesty. Even strong Nascent Souls like Pill Crucible and Jiang Li subconsciously frowned. As for the remaining alchemists, their faces went paper white and their thoughts turned into a daze as fear began to shroud their hearts. They watched as a bolt of thunder fell down from the tribulation clouds. It was a straight sword being thrust down from the heavens, possessing a horrifying momentum. Even a thousand mountains and rivers seemed as if they would shatter apart with this strike!

At the peak of the 10,000 foot mountain, all of the stabilizing seals flew up. The entire mountain began to quake.

Pill Crucible clenched his fists!

This was the moment he worried over the most. Qin Yu only had a Golden Core level cultivation. Facing this fifth-grade pill tribulation, if his mind were to fall into illusion he would inevitably fail. He prepared himself to take action and forcefully resist the might of the pill tribulation if he needed to. In the end, he couldn’t stare blankly on as Qin Yu blew up in the furnace station. With a fifth-grade pill exploding in the furnace and with the power of the pill tribulation behind it, this was more than enough to cause fatal wounds to a Golden Core cultivator.

Rumble rumble rumble –

The thunder arrived.

Pill Crucible stepped forwards, magic power stirring all around his body. The aura of an eighth level Nascent Soul was ready to surge out and activate the array formation that would send him into the 10,000 foot mountain.

But in the next moment, he froze, a stunned look on his face.

Not only was Pill Crucible stunned, but Jiang Li, Eclipse Lenqing, and Eclipse Wuji all watched wide wide eyes.

It wasn’t there.

The thunder wasn’t there.

The pill tribulation thunder wasn’t there!

Heavenly tribulation was unavoidable. Once the tribulation locked onto someone, all obstructions in the way would cease to exist. As a manifestation of the world’s will, tribulation thunder could utilize every law within the world, and space was no exception. The pill tribulation had suddenly vanished. It was supposed to enter the 10,000 foot mountain and erupt there in its most dangerous and ominous moment.

But now…

It was terrifyingly peaceful!

Pill Crucible was the first to regain his composure. He stepped forwards and vanished from sight.

Jiang Li and the others had the mind to follow him, but without the approval of the array formation they couldn’t take advantage of the space transfer to enter within. They could only helplessly wait outside.

As Qin Yu placed the Heaven Mending Pill into the jade bottle, Pill Crucible suddenly appeared. The great lake of magma tumbled about as he appeared, but calmed down as it sensed his aura.

“Greetings, senior-apprentice brother.” Qin Yu cupped his hands together.

Pill Crucible waved his hands. He anxiously asked, “Where is the pill tribulation?”

Qin Yu blinked. “What pill tribulation?”

Pill Crucible angrily shouted, “Stop acting like an idiot! You caused such a massive stir outside that the entire Immortal Eclipse Valley has been turned upside down! So many people have personally seen it, so stop trying to deny it!”

Qin Yu secretly complained in his heart. He never thought that using the little blue lamp to enhance the Heaven Mending Pill would cause such an accident.

As for the pill tribulation?

That was right, how could he not know about it? He had watched with his own eyes as the little blue lamp had swallowed it down, so how could he not know? But, he couldn’t give this explanation!

Besides playing the fool, Qin Yu had no other choice.

Thus, he continued to blink his eyes innocently, as if saying ‘please don’t ask me, I don’t know anything’.

Pill Crucible nearly exploded with rage. This brat, just what game was he playing? But after taking several heaving breaths, his complexion calmed down and a thoughtful look crossed his features. Could the sudden disappearance of the tribulation thunder be related to the inheritance passed down from their teacher? If it was like this, then it made sense that Qin Yu didn’t want to speak about it. This was because he had also obtained a part of the inheritance and had made a vow that he would never reveal any of it.

Pill Crucible lightly coughed. “Since we don’t know now, we’ll never know in the future. I will try to find a solution to help you circle around this problem.” As he spoke, he couldn’t help but cast a resentful look at Qin Yu. Although the inheritance he obtained was powerful, when it was compared with the one that this young junior-apprentice brother of his received, they weren’t even on the same level!

This was pill thunder, fifth-grade pill thunder! Even with his current cultivation he didn’t dare to bump into it, yet it had actually disappeared without a trace, not even producing a single splash of water.

Just thinking about it was horrifying!

Just thinking about it was…damn your mother, he couldn’t help but be envious!

Qin Yu could feel the thick resentment swirling around his cheap senior-apprentice brother. He quickly smiled and apologetically said, “I will have to bother senior-apprentice brother.”

Pill Crucible coldly snorted and reached out a hand. “Can I take a look?”

Qin Yu passed it over with both hands.

Pill Crucible looked at it. His complexion faintly changed. He unplugged the cap and smelled it, and as he did his cheeks quivered.

If he had three parts envy before, it had now risen to ten!

This wasn’t a fifth-grade pill as he had originally thought, but was a Heaven Mending Pill that was able to summon pill tribulation to the world. It was far more astonishing than a fifth grade pill!

This proved that this Heaven Mending Pill’s medicinal efficacy could compare to a fifth-grade pill!

Top grade pill! This was a top grade pill!

Besides this, there was no other explanation.

In a sense, a top quality fourth-grade pill could be called much more difficult to refine than a fifth-grade pill.

Pill Crucible licked his lips. He glared at Qin Yu and said, “Brat, do you know that monstrous geniuses who are too much of a genius will actually attract the hate of others! Let me tell you, right now my head is full of thoughts of breaking you open and seeing what is hidden inside!”

He took a deep breath and reluctantly handed back the jade bottle. “I don’t know who you prepared this for, but remember, don’t let others easily know of this!”

Qin Yu respectfully bowed and received the jade bottle.

Pill Crucible flicked his sleeves. “Let’s go. Don’t talk to anyone, just let me deal with them.”

The scenery swirled around them and they appeared outside the 10,000 foot mountain.

Jiang Li and the others circled around them.

Pill Crucible had an indifferent expression. With a few short and terse sentences, he quickly explained how the pill tribulation disappeared. He only said that he secretly stimulated the valley’s great array formation to counterbalance the tribulation thunder.

Upon hearing this, all the disciples of Immortal Eclipse Valley brightened up and endless amounts of pride filled their chests. This was how awesome their sect was! It could even counter thunder tribulation! Amazing, fierce, just too fierce!

Jiang Li, Eclipse Lenqing, and Eclipse Wuji all revealed strange expressions.

Pill Crucible pretended he didn’t see them. He waved his hand, dismissing everyone.

Of course, before that, Qin Yu had to accept the endless worship and awe of the people.

Some of the young girls even had particularly hot eyes that left him secretly startled.

After everyone left, Pill Crucible lightly coughed and said, “The matter of the tribulation thunder vanishing involves the inheritance from Qin Yu and my teacher. Don’t ask about this and don’t speak about this anymore.”

Jiang Li and the other two were suddenly enlightened. They looked at Qin Yu, envy thick in their eyes. In the past, the Valley Master had been someone of average talent, someone that was completely common amongst the direct descendants. The only reason he suddenly soared up into the heavens and obtained his current status was rumored to be because he obtained a powerful alchemy inheritance. Qin Yu and the Valley Master were both part of the same sect, so it could be explained that he had a method to resolve thunder tribulation.

Resolve thunder tribulation. If they could obtain this, then in the future…

Pill Crucible growled. “This inheritance involves special characteristics of the soul and only my junior-apprentice brother is capable of it. Do not develop any thoughts of obtaining it.”

Qin Yu looked at his cheap senior-apprentice brother in awe as he freely lied and boasted without batting an eyelash. Amazing. When it came to lying like this, he still had much to learn!

Like this, the disturbance quickly faded away.

But from this day forth, the name of Junior Uncle truly resounded throughout Immortal Eclipse Valley and was respected by all disciples. A fifth grade alchemist had a status comparable to a Nascent Soul. Moreover, Immortal Eclipse Valley was a sect that took the inheritance of alchemy as their foundation. Because of this, Qin Yu had become a legendary character within the eyes of all the younger disciples. Even those from the Eclipse Clan were no exception.

And concerning the deaths of Eclipse Yan and the battle atop the Dawnperch Platform…they were..ahem…misunderstandings!