Chapter 229: Su Changqing: Oh No, I Went Too Far!

Chapter 229: Su Changqing: Oh No, I Went Too Far!

"Why is an outer disciple like him so terrifyingly powerful?"

Chu Xi, embedded in the mountain, stared blankly at the distant Su Changqing.

Just now, that punch had caught her off guard, and she had hastily defended herself.

But the sheer force of that strike made her realize that even if she had defended with all her might, the outcome would still be the same—being knocked away with a single punch.

That indescribably terrifying burst of power made her feel as if she had been rammed head-on by an ancient ferocious beast, leaving her with a sense of smallness and helplessness.

Chu Xi understood that this was a special sensation caused by the vast difference in their strengths.

"You're definitely not just an outer disciple!"

Chu Xi exerted her strength, causing the mountain to crumble, and she appeared before Su Changqing.

"You should call me Senior Brother now."

Seeing the unharmed Chu Xi, Su Changqing's eyes flashed with a peculiar light, and he chuckled softly.

"I didn't lose!"

Chu Xi's face reddened slightly, and she retorted, "It's just a difference in cultivation realms."

"At the same realm, you're definitely no match for me!"

Su Changqing teased, "Are you trying to back out now?"

"How could I, the esteemed Chu Tianzun, ever back out?"

Chu Xi tilted her head back, speaking with pride, "Let's postpone the bet. When we're at the same realm, we'll fight again."

"If you want to call me Senior Brother, you'll have to convince me first."

"Today, I might have lost to you slightly, but at most, I'll teach you the art of pill refinement."

Hearing this, Su Changqing smiled and nodded lightly.

Although Chu Xi was proud, she wasn't unreasonable. This little girl didn't provoke others.

"Then come on, what's the first step in pill refinement?"

Su Changqing looked at Chu Xi curiously and asked.

"The path of pill refinement is different from martial arts; there's no shortcut to success."

Chu Xi glanced up and down at Su Changqing and pouted, "For a martial artist like you, it'll take at least three years to successfully refine a pill."

Su Changqing was a bit surprised, "Oh? I see that you're also dual-cultivating in both pill refinement and martial arts."

"How long did it take you to refine your first batch of pills?"

Chu Xi smiled proudly upon hearing this, "I'm a pill refinement prodigy that comes along once in ten thousand years. How can you compare to me?"

"From the very beginning of my pill refinement journey, I spent ten days thoroughly studying pharmacology and on the fifteenth day, I mastered fire control and purification."

"On the twentieth day, I attempted my first pill refinement, and by the twenty-fifth day, I had already refined my first batch of pills!"

After saying this, she looked at Su Changqing with a condescending gaze, "In less than a month, I was able to refine pills. Isn't that right?"

Su Changqing nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this, "It doesn't seem too difficult."

"Not difficult?"

Chu Xi crossed her arms behind her back and scoffed, "Do you think you're me?"

"In this world, pill refinement masters spend a year studying pharmacology, two years learning fire control, and only in the third year can they attempt pill refinement."

"Even if a stupid person masters these techniques, it's still difficult to successfully condense pills. They need constant practice, and it takes five years to even enter the realm of pill refinement."

As she spoke, she glanced at Su Changqing, "And you think you can refine pills in just one month?"

"If you can do it, I'll not only call you Senior Brother, but I'd even call you Big Brother."

Chu Xi tossed a simple book to Su Changqing.

"Lingyao Baojian (Treasury of Spirit Medicines)."

Su Changqing held the book in his hand, his face filled with curiosity.

"The first step in pill refinement is to thoroughly study the characteristics of countless spirit materials in the world."

"This book records the shapes, ages, effects, and special reactions produced by various combinations of spirit medicines."

Chu Xi glanced at the thick book, as thick as an arm, and teased, "To refine pills, memorizing this book is the foundation."

"Come find me to learn pill refinement after you've thoroughly comprehended it."

After saying this, Chu Xi walked into the grand hall, and only a faint, mocking whisper followed her.

"Still thinking of refining pills in one month?"

"It'll probably take a few months just to read this book."

...

"Reading?"

Ignoring Chu Xi's words, Su Changqing casually found a spot and started reading.

Reading was his forte, his area of expertise.

"One month?"

Su Changqing looked at the thickness of the book in his hand and smiled, "Two days should be enough."

After saying this, Su Changqing blocked out the outside world, immersing himself in the Treasury of Spirit Medicines.

This Treasury of Spirit Medicines, coming from the disciple of the Pill Saint, was no ordinary book.

Within its pages, it meticulously recorded all kinds of spirit plants and rare treasures in the world.

For a simple spirit herb like the Lingxu Grass, the book had detailed illustrations and descriptions of its changes at different ages.

It described the effects of the Lingxu Grass, its common habitats, and the special effects produced when combined with other spirit medicines.

Even for such a simple spirit medicine, the book had a lengthy and detailed entry.

For an ordinary person, they might get a headache after reading just a few pages.

The amount of knowledge recorded in this book was terrifying.

Moreover, this wasn't something that could be memorized by rote.

The characteristics and combinations of spirit medicines required thorough understanding and mastery to be committed to memory.

Although it was reading, it also required constant comprehension and verification.

As Chu Xi had said, those who could thoroughly study pharmacology in one year were the prodigies of Tian Dan Pavilion.

If it were an ordinary person, the time required for comprehension would be much longer.

However, Su Changqing's greatest strength was his comprehension!

As he flipped through the thick books, they visibly thinned under his scrutiny.

A vast amount of knowledge flooded into his mind, and in an instant, he understood and memorized it all.

His eyes shone with a bright light, and his face occasionally revealed a look of enlightenment.

The various spirit herbs that grew in his inner world, many of which he couldn't name before, were now easily recognizable at a glance.

In just half a day, he gained an extremely profound understanding of the spirit medicines of this world.

Meanwhile, in a room within the grand hall, Chu Xi was still grumbling indignantly.

"How could there be such powerful strength? Even I was no match for him, damn it!"

"But his mastery of fist techniques is so skilled. He effortlessly wields various fist seals and techniques."

"I also practice fist techniques, but why can't I reach his level?"

Chu Xi's face showed deep thought as she pondered the details of their recent battle.

She would stand up from time to time, imitating Su Changqing's fist technique demonstrations.

However, no matter how she practiced, she couldn't achieve the same effortless and agile feeling that Su Changqing had.

It wasn't Chu Xi's fault, though.

Ye Jingshan was a Dan Saint, not an expert in martial arts.

Although he had found many powerful fist techniques for Chu Xi, he could only provide basic guidance.

This was the reason why, despite her formidable combat strength, Chu Xi couldn't fully unleash her true potential.

"Hmph! I'm not practicing anymore; it's useless!"

Chu Xi lay on the bed in frustration.

Suddenly, she seemed to remember something, and her eyes lit up.

"I can't do it, but Su Changqing can!"

"I teach him alchemy, so he can teach me fist techniques!"

The idea immediately captivated Chu Xi.

However, she was conflicted about how to convince Su Changqing to teach her.

She couldn't beat him in a fight, and offering some alchemy secrets in exchange seemed like a long wait, considering how long it would take Su Changqing to learn the principles of alchemy.

Just as Chu Xi was deep in thought, footsteps approached from outside.

"Chu Xiaotou, I've finished reading the book. When do we start learning the next skill?"

Su Changqing's gentle voice startled Chu Xi.

She calculated the time and realized it had only been a couple of days.

"You finished reading and memorizing the Lingyao Baojian in just two days? That's a joke!"

Chu Xi walked out of the room in disbelief, looking at Su Changqing, "You've memorized the entire book?"

"It's simple," Su Changqing smiled, "I just kept reciting it until I remembered it all."

Chu Xi's face darkened, not believing Su Changqing's words for a second.

Even with her innate Imperial Body, she had spent ten days studying various alchemical principles before she could fully comprehend them.

How could Su Changqing, a martial artist with no prior knowledge of alchemy, master the principles in just two days?

Chu Xi waved her hand, and a peculiar spirit herb with three leaves, a central fruit, and backward-facing thorns appeared. She asked, "What is this?"

Su Changqing glanced at it, and his mind instantly recalled all the information about this spirit herb.

"A five-hundred-year-old Jinghua Fruit, useful for healing injuries, detoxification, and clearing meridians."

"When combined with Qingling Flower, Qingxin Teng, and Xuyang Shen, it enhances healing effects."

"This herb typically grows in swamps or places with heavy water vapor, without any spirit beasts guarding it. However, the areas where it grows are often filled with miasma."

Su Changqing recited the details as if they were common knowledge, providing a comprehensive description of a simple spirit herb.

"Stop!" Chu Xi interrupted before Su Changqing could finish.

Chu Xi, still in disbelief, presented another spirit herb.

But just like before, Su Changqing only needed a glance to recite its information, matching the book's description perfectly.

After Chu Xi brought out more than ten spirit herbs, her expression changed from initial disbelief to shock and finally, awe.

"You..." Chu Xi pointed at Su Changqing, her voice trembling slightly, "You really finished reading the entire book in just two days?"

"Is this much information even worth ten days of study?" Su Changqing raised an eyebrow, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Since the Peak Master had instructed him to humble this young lady's pride, he was determined to do a thorough job.

The young Chu Xi was indeed humbled.

She sat down on a stone stool, dazed, holding the book in her hands.

For the first time in her life, she experienced the feeling of being intellectually crushed by someone else's talent.

It was an unbelievable and incredible feeling, similar to what the Tian Dange disciples had felt when they saw her finish reading the Lingyao Baojian in ten days.

However, this time, it was her Imperial Body that was being overshadowed.

"Reading fast isn't that impressive!" Chu Xi stood up, her eyes filled with defiance. "Next, I'll teach you fire control!"

As she spoke, she waved her hand, and flames gathered in the sky.

Strangely, as she moved her fingers, the flames seemed to possess intelligence, transforming into countless shapes in mid-air.

At this moment, the sky was filled with flames, extending from Chu Xi's body and changing at will.

"The art of fire control is extremely important in pill refinement."

"The fire must be neither too strong nor too weak, as each spirit herb has a different melting point and purification degree."

"One must achieve a state of multitasking to perfectly control the flames and precisely refine each herb."

Between Chu Xi's ten fingers, the flames danced like nimble spirits, varying in size and intensity, appearing incredibly mystical.

Su Changqing, standing beside her, listened attentively while also releasing flames to experience their control.

His Vitality Flame surged around him, and with a slight movement of his fingers, he attempted to manipulate his flames like Chu Xi.

However, his technique, compared to Chu Xi's, was as stiff and unnatural as an old man trying to bend wood.

"Is it necessary to coordinate with divine perception to achieve this?" Su Changqing wondered as he practiced, his eyes flashing with understanding.

He extended his divine perception, carefully sensing every flicker of the flames.

This was the first time he had observed his Vitality Flame so minutely.

Gradually, he noticed some peculiar changes in the flames.

The Vitality Flame was the essence of his body, transformed from the Dao fruit of the Heaven-Earth Divine Body.

Each dancing flame possessed an incredible power beyond imagination.

Previously, Su Changqing had never studied his Vitality Flame with such dedication.

Now, with a calm mind, he realized that his control over the Vitality Flame was too simplistic.

In the past, when he used it, he would only activate the flame, infuse it throughout his body, and enhance his strength.

But now, he discovered that the Vitality Flame, when activated in this way, was too dispersed, and the consumption was immense.

He could, instead, use his divine perception to control a portion of the Vitality Flame and concentrate it on his fists.

This not only greatly reduced the consumption but also significantly enhanced the concentration of power.

"Can I compress the full power of the Vitality Flame into a single point and release it in an instant?" Su Changqing's eyes shone with newfound understanding.

The crimson flames around his body flickered incessantly, as if undergoing some mysterious transformation.

"This guy..." Chu Xi, who had been instructing him, watched Su Changqing with awe.

She hadn't even said anything yet.

But Su Changqing's flame manipulation skills visibly improved right before her eyes.

"What kind of flame is this? It's making my internal furnace tremble!" Chu Xi muttered in astonishment.

She had never encountered someone like Su Changqing, nor had she ever seen such peculiar flames.

Before coming to this small peak, she had been arrogant her entire life. But upon arriving here, she found herself completely overwhelmed.

Whether it was in pill refinement or martial arts, Su Changqing effortlessly surpassed her.

This dealt a heavy blow to Chu Xi's confidence.

"Could my Imperial Body be fake?" Chu Xi muttered to herself, her face showing defeat.

"Chu girl, is controlling flames really that difficult?" Su Changqing asked, lightly flicking his fingers, causing a lively flame to swirl around them.

He turned to Chu Xi and smiled, "Is there a more challenging technique you'd like to see?"

Chu Xi's lips twitched, and she tossed a secret manual to Su Changqing.

"Mystic Spirit Flame Control Art."

Su Changqing took the manual and smiled as he flipped through it, "How long did it take you to master this?"

Su Changqing always kept the peak master's instructions in mind.

"Five days," Chu Xi replied, her eyes widening slightly, her expression unreadable.

Su Changqing nodded without saying a word and continued to cultivate on his own.

...

Two days passed.

Chu Xi stared at Su Changqing, dumbfounded. Around him, there were leaping spirit deer, coiling fire dragons, and soaring Peng birds. The flames seemed to possess intelligence, constantly changing forms as they surrounded Su Changqing.

This was the image of the Mystic Spirit Flame Control Art reaching its pinnacle.

"Two days," Chu Xi blurted out, unable to contain her curiosity any longer. "Why are you cultivating so fast?"

"Fast?" Su Changqing raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips. "It's not that I'm fast; it's that you're too slow."

"Practice makes perfect. Keep at it, and you'll improve."

'Practice makes perfect?' Chu Xi felt like she had been struck by lightning, standing frozen in her place.

In all her life, no one had ever called her a novice.

But the truth was right before her eyes, and she couldn't argue; she could only acknowledge it.

"Waaah, you're bullying me!" Chu Xi, young and already feeling defeated, pouted and burst into tears.

She rushed into her room and slammed the door shut.

"Did I go too far?" Su Changqing was taken aback, feeling like he had made a mess of things.

She was a genius girl who had just arrived a few days ago, and now she was in tears because of him.

How would he explain this to her teacher when they met?

Just then, a voice, tinged with amusement, echoed from outside the small peak.

"Changqing, a friend of your teacher is here to visit. He's brought some gifts for you. Come and greet him quickly."

Hearing Shen Boyan's voice, Su Changqing couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

He glanced at the room, his lips twitching.

"I'm in trouble now. How am I going to explain this?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end