Chapter 177: The Fame of Evergreen Pavilion Spreads in the Inner Domain

Chapter 177: The Fame of Evergreen Pavilion Spreads in the Inner Domain

The battle of Canglan Island concluded with Xu Yan's powerful display, slaying three peak Grand Masters.

The name of the Sword God, Xu Yan, truly resounded throughout the Inner Domain, and he rightfully earned the title of the contemporary world's top genius.

Meng Chong, with his sheer physical might, had also strangled a peak Grand Master, shocking the Inner Domain with his prowess.

Without further ado, the group of powerful experts departed.

Yun Miaomiao left reluctantly.

Fu Yuntian and the elderly man returned to the Seven Stars Academy.

"Brother Xu's strength is truly that of the foremost in this era," said Xie Lingfeng with sincere admiration.

"You flatter me. I've merely taken my first steps into the martial path," Xu Yan humbly replied.

"May I ask what sword technique you just used?" Hu Hai asked curiously.

"This is my father, Hu Hai!" Hu Shan quickly introduced.

Xu Yan turned solemn and said, "You're mistaken. That was not a sword technique, but the Sword Dao!"

Hu Hai was taken aback. He suddenly recalled Xie Lingfeng mentioning that he had not yet entered the Sword Dao. Reflecting on Xu Yan's terrifying strike, he realized it was entirely different from any sword technique he had seen before.

In fact, it bore no resemblance to any sword technique at all.

"I see!" Hu Hai nodded thoughtfully.

Canglan Island remained intact, its structures unharmed. Xu Yan and the others decided to stay there temporarily.

From this battle, Xu Yan had gained new insights, further refining and perfecting his Sword Dao.

The same was true for Meng Chong; the fierce battle had helped him truly understand the essence of the physical martial path and how to showcase its true might.

Xie Lingfeng was also reflecting on the battle, as Xu Yan's Sword Dao had given him some ideas to ponder.

Moreover, he could take this opportunity to seek guidance from Xu Yan on the Sword Dao, especially on how to achieve a clear sword heart.

Aside from his self-reflection, Xu Yan was also awaiting the arrival of the remaining powerful experts from the Black Robed group, as well as other Demon Sect Demon Lords.

While the battle of Canglan Island had attracted the attention of numerous powerful experts, the Evergreen Pavilion's Qi Condensation Pills had already begun to circulate and spread among the Grand Masters.

At the initial sale, each Qi Condensation Pill was priced at 10,000 spirit crystals and came with a free copy of the Great Wilderness Biography.

Since the Treasure Pavilion was handling the sales and had an excellent reputation, even though the pills were expensive, their exceptional cultivation effects, which surpassed those of spirit medicines, attracted buyers.

Moreover, if one's consumption of spiritual energy became too great, the pills could quickly restore it.

Thus, as soon as they were launched, there were martial artists willing to give them a try, even if most only bought one pill to test its effects. Nonetheless, the sales were impressive, and the first batch of pills sold out completely.

Liang Qing was one of the three Grand Masters of Xiao Lin City in the Great Yue Nation, as well as the pillar of the Liang family, one of the three major families of the city. However, among the three Grand Masters, he was the weakest.

He was only a beginner at the Grand Master stage and had been stuck at that level for over thirty years, unable to break through to the middle stage. As a result, he was always overshadowed by the other two families.

However, he had one advantage over the Grand Masters from the other two families: connections. He had a close relationship with the manager of the Treasure Pavilion in Xiao Lin City.

Through this connection, he learned that the Treasure Pavilion was selling a new type of pill called the Qi Condensation Pill, which was said to aid cultivation and even help Grand Masters break through bottlenecks.

Each pill was priced at 10,000 spirit crystals—a hefty sum.

In Xiao Lin City, 10,000 spirit crystals were nearly equivalent to the annual income of a medium-sized family.

Although the Liang family was not weak, 10,000 spirit crystals still amounted to almost a month's income for them. Fortunately, Liang Qing was a Grand Master, and the family had some foundation.

So, gritting his teeth, he bought three Qi Condensation Pills.

Liang Qing cultivated in his secret chamber and, after consuming one Qi Condensation Pill, was astonished by its effects. The pill was incredibly potent, and he felt as though the bottleneck to the middle stage of the Grand Master realm was loosening.

His heart was filled with joy. This Qi Condensation Pill was indeed a treasure for Grand Masters!

With the help of these pills, he believed that increasing his cultivation speed by three to five times was entirely possible.

Although the Qi Condensation Pill was formulated for Innate Realm warriors, Grand Masters in the Inner Domain could also take them. In fact, the pills were even more effective for Grand Masters than for Innate Realm warriors.

The reason was simple: the inner qi of Grand Masters was inherently slightly inferior to true qi, so the amplification and enhancement effects of the Qi Condensation Pill were naturally greater for inner qi.

After consuming all three Qi Condensation Pills, Liang Qing successfully broke through to the middle stage of the Grand Master realm.

Ecstatic, he saw hope for breaking through to the Great Perfection stage and becoming the number one Grand Master in Xiao Lin City. Without hesitation, he found his friend from the Treasure Pavilion and expressed his desire to purchase more Qi Condensation Pills.

However, he was informed that the pills were sold out and that he would have to wait for the next batch.

Like Liang Qing, many other martial artists had managed to break through their bottlenecks with the help of the Qi Condensation Pill. Even those who didn't break through immediately recognized the pill's miraculous effects.

With the Qi Condensation Pill as an aid, the levels of Great Perfection Grand Master and peak Grand Master seemed within reach.

Thus, Treasure Pavilions across various regions were flooded with Grand Masters seeking to purchase the Qi Condensation Pill. They also began inquiring about the location of the Evergreen Pavilion and its affiliation, intending to visit in person to procure the pills.

The explosive popularity of the Qi Condensation Pill took the Treasure Pavilion by surprise. Before agreeing to sell the pills, they had tested their effects and found them to be only slightly more potent than spirit medicines, not expecting such astonishing results.

Claims of increasing cultivation speed by three to five times seemed exaggerated.

However, the overwhelming sales naturally drew the attention of the Treasure Pavilion's higher-ups, who quickly gathered to discuss the matter.

A Grand Master was invited to test the effects of the pill on the spot.

"The effects are indeed remarkable, but not as exaggerated as the rumors circulating outside," the Grand Master commented in surprise.

"Are there any more pills available for sale?" one of the executives suddenly asked in a deep voice.

"None. They've all been sold," came the reply.

The executives of the Treasure Pavilion present suddenly realized a potential issue: could it be that the Qi Condensation Pill they had tested was different from the ones that were sold?

"Go and purchase Qi Condensation Pills from the Evergreen Pavilion. The more, the better. For now, follow the terms of the initial agreement," ordered the Treasure Pavilion's executives.

The name of the Evergreen Pavilion began to spread throughout the Inner Domain, especially among Grand Masters and major powers. They started searching for the Evergreen Pavilion, eager to purchase the Qi Condensation Pills.

Everyone could see the potential of the Qi Condensation Pill to strengthen their own forces.

Whoever obtained more of these pills would undoubtedly hold the advantage.

In Tie Shan County, the Evergreen Pavilion's second alchemy room began operations.

With the experience gained from the first batch, recruiting and training the second batch of alchemy apprentices was much easier and faster, especially since they all had some foundation in martial arts.

All of them were selected from the Great Wilderness.

Li Xuan marveled at the impact his two disciples were making. Xu Yan had slain three peak Grand Masters, while Meng Chong had killed one.

He received feedback from the Golden Finger, further enhancing his Sword Dao, combat experience, and physical martial arts skills. He had grasped the essence of physical martial combat.

Although his realm had not improved, his strength certainly had.

The first batch of Qi Condensation Pills sold out, and the Treasure Pavilion came to the Evergreen Pavilion to purchase pills, with profits distributed according to the initial agreement.

Li Xuan knew that once the second batch of pills was sold, the Treasure Pavilion would start paying closer attention to the Evergreen Pavilion. They would likely try to bring the Evergreen Pavilion under their control.

Whether the Evergreen Pavilion would face strong suppression if it refused remained to be seen.

Now that the Evergreen Pavilion had gained fame through the Qi Condensation Pills, even without the Treasure Pavilion's distribution channel, they wouldn't have to worry about selling their pills.

However, without the backing of the powerful Treasure Pavilion, it was inevitable that various forces in the Inner Domain would harbor ill intentions. Even the highly reputable Treasure Pavilion might resort to certain tactics to pressure them—it was all possible.

"I hope the troublemakers are at least Grand Masters. Masters are just too weak." Li Xuan thought.

Then, he considered another issue. Tianbao Pavilion was incredibly powerful, with branches all over the Inner Domain. Collaborating with them would be a great option if possible.

"Investing in Tianbao Pavilion? That's worth considering." Li Xuan contemplated, aware that the Inner Domain's business world had yet to develop the concept of shares.

"Evergreen Pavilion could invest with our medicinal pills, and slowly gain control of Tianbao Pavilion. That's not a bad idea."

Of course, the higher-ups at Tianbao Pavilion weren't fools. For Evergreen Pavilion to invest, they would first need to demonstrate sufficient strength.

Weaklings had no right to discuss collaboration.

Xu Junhe faced the Tianbao Pavilion manager who had come to their door, apologizing, "I'm sorry, I made a mistake with the Qi Condensation Pills. I accidentally gave you the minor version."

Tianbao Pavilion wanted to test the pills, so Xu Junhe had Su Lingxiu make a special batch of minor Qi Condensation Pills, which were only one-fifth as effective as the real ones.

With such minimal effects, Tianbao Pavilion wouldn't be too interested, and they would likely agree to distribute them as a starting point for collaboration.

As expected, the first batch of Qi Condensation Pills sold out.

The spirit crystals poured in.

With the overwhelming popularity of the Qi Condensation Pills, there was no way to hide it from Tianbao Pavilion, so Xu Junhe apologized and gave the excuse that they had sent the wrong pills.

This was just a way to save face.

Both parties understood the unspoken rules of the business world.

"Brother Xu, don't mention it. Mistakes happen when you're busy," the Tianbao Pavilion manager waved it off.

Next was the discussion about the second batch of Qi Condensation Pills.

This batch would be larger than the previous one, and Tianbao Pavilion was generous enough to pay the spirit crystals to Evergreen Pavilion in advance.

The agreement remained unchanged.

As for what would happen after this, and how Tianbao Pavilion would act going forward, there was no conclusion yet.

Xu Junhe felt the pressure.

He understood that with Tianbao Pavilion's power, if they wanted to target Evergreen Pavilion, the latter's current strength wouldn't be enough to resist.

Even without using their full force, Tianbao Pavilion could simply restrict access to spiritual herbs, causing Evergreen Pavilion's pill production to plummet.

"Senior, I feel there may be some trouble. Some strong individuals might try to break in and steal the pill formulas," Xu Junhe frowned.

"It's fine," Li Xuan replied nonchalantly.

With his senior's assurance, Xu Junhe took his leave.

Su Lingxiu was in the midst of refining pills to help Zhou Ying break through to the Innate Realm. She herself was not far from reaching the Minor Achievement stage of the Innate Realm.

The second batch of pills was as popular as ever, but Tianbao Pavilion didn't sell all of them. They kept a portion to study and try to decipher the pill formula.

The major powers in the Inner Domain started to investigate the location and background of Evergreen Pavilion.

Outside Canglan Island, Xu Yan, Meng Chong, and Xie Lingfeng bid each other farewell.

No strong opponents came to challenge them.

Xu Yan didn't plan to wait any longer and was about to head to the Seven Stars Academy. Meng Chong, on the other hand, wanted to challenge the Wushu Platform and enter the Archives Pavilion to study martial arts secrets.

Over the past few days, Xie Lingfeng and Hu Shan had both benefited from Xu Yan's guidance. Especially Xie Lingfeng, who felt that he had found a way to achieve a clear sword heart.

However, achieving a clear sword heart in the Innate Realm would be difficult.

Xie Lingfeng decided to return to Sword Cliff to cultivate and study the Sword Cliff Archives, hoping to further improve himself.

"Brother Xu, if you need anything, send me a message."

Xie Lingfeng gave Xu Yan a token. With this token, Xu Yan could send a message to him via the pigeon post at any Sword Cliff outpost.

"Great!" Xu Yan took the token. As Evergreen Pavilion had just entered the Inner Domain, they might face some troubles.

"On behalf of Sword Cliff, I'd like to purchase a batch of pills from Evergreen Pavilion. If you need anything, Sword Cliff is willing to help ward off unwanted attention," Xie Lingfeng said solemnly.

He was well aware of the challenges Evergreen Pavilion would face with their pill sales.

Of course, the biggest pressure would likely come from Tianbao Pavilion, that formidable entity. No one knew the extent of their strength or how many powerful experts they had.

"Sure, Brother Xie. Since Sword Cliff is buying our pills, how about a 30% discount?" Xu Yan suggested with a smile.

Hu Hai, standing beside them, was curious. "What are these pills? Is Sword Cliff collaborating with Brother Xu's Evergreen Pavilion to help ward off unwanted attention? That's no small favor."

Of course, he didn't voice his thoughts.

As the strongest genius of Sword Cliff and the son of the current Sword Master, Xie Tianheng, Xie Lingfeng had the authority to make such decisions.

After bidding farewell, Xu Yan and Meng Chong set off for the Seven Stars Academy.

As for the Fire Demon Lord's treasure, they could always look for it after returning from the academy. If the map was fake, it would be a wild goose chase, but if it was real, the treasure would be well-hidden and unlikely to be found by others in a short time.

"Hu Shan, you and Uncle Hu will be in charge of purchasing pills from Evergreen Pavilion and dealing with any forces that might target them," Xie Lingfeng instructed.

"Yes, young master!" Hu Shan replied excitedly.

"What are these pills?" Hu Hai asked curiously.

"These are Qi Condensation Pills. Try one, Uncle Hu, and you'll understand," Xie Lingfeng said as he handed him a bottle of pills.

Hu Hai took out a pill and popped it into his mouth. His eyes widened as he realized that this pill was no ordinary medicine.

Even as a peak Grand Master, he was astonished by the pill's effects. It seemed to aid cultivation, and if a Master ingested it, their cultivation speed would surely increase.

Moreover, as long as their talent wasn't too lacking, breaking through to the peak Master stage with the help of these pills seemed effortless.

Anyone who could enter Sword Cliff would naturally have decent talent.

Even if their strength seemed inflated due to the pills, the increase in realm would undoubtedly lead to a genuine boost in power.

Furthermore, after breaking through, they could spend extra time tempering their bodies, ensuring that their strength wasn't entirely reliant on the pills.

"Young master, these pills are incredible!" Hu Hai exclaimed.

"These pills were refined by Sister Xu Yan. Brother Xu and I are close friends, so if we need special pills, we just need to provide the spiritual herbs. I think we should use our fifth-grade spiritual herbs to refine pills," Xie Lingfeng explained with a smile.

He then took out a Resurrection Pill. "This pill can save even a peak Grand Master who's suffered a devastating injury, as long as they have a breath left in them. It can also repair damaged foundations."

Hu Hai's breathing quickened, and his eyes widened in shock. He could tell at a glance that the Resurrection Pill was extraordinary, and he had no doubt in Xie Lingfeng's words.

"Pills are indeed miraculous!"

No wonder the young master was willing to use Sword Cliff's influence to help Evergreen Pavilion.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end