43: Unexpected disaster

Lin Feng was seventeen years old now, and he had already Cultivated to Level 8 Qi Refining at that age.

Back then, Ye Qingfeng, with a True Spiritual Root and from the Ye Family, a Cultivation Family within Cloud-Soaring Pavilion, only reached Level 8 Qi Refining at nineteen.

Lin Feng, however, only began to Cultivate at ten years old, reaching Level 8 in seven years.

Ye Qingfeng certainly didn't start Cultivating at ten, so Lin Feng couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

Thinking of this, Lin Feng didn't stop his busy pace of Cultivation but plunged headfirst into the great undertaking of Cultivation.

To be able to refine Medicinal Pills as quickly as possible, Lin Feng had already spent a year studying the Alchemy of Medicinal Pills.

He had simulated it countless times in his mind; now he just needed to practice.

Lin Feng planned to start with the simplest Pigu Pill for Alchemy.

The Alchemy of Pigu Pill is relatively simple: one only needs to place the main Materials into the Calm Heart Furnace, add spiritual water, and bake it with ground fire according to a specific ratio to remove Impurities and excess water from the Medicinal Materials.

Slowly refine them into Medicinal Juice, allowing them to condense into Medicinal Pills in the cauldron.

When a faint halo appears on the surface of the Medicinal Pill, it signifies successful Pigu Pill Alchemy.

It sounded easy, but Lin Feng spent a full ten days in the underground fire chamber of Liuyun Market before successfully refining the first batch of Pigu Pills, after countless failed attempts.

After he successfully refined the first batch of Pigu Pills, Lin Feng found his Alchemy becoming smoother and smoother.

Lin Feng continued to refine for another five days, using up all the Materials he had.

Looking at the Pigu Pills in his Storage Pouch, Lin Feng realized he had lost money.

However, it wasn't too bad; Lin Feng had purchased Pigu Pill Materials worth five hundred Spirit Stones, and a rough calculation showed he had only lost about one hundred Spirit Stones.

Fifteen days later, Lin Feng paid the rent for the underground fire and left the Alchemy room.

Lin Feng returned to his dwelling, looking pale and exhausted, as long-term Alchemy was extremely draining.

He collapsed onto his bed and immediately fell asleep, the tension he had held for years finally relaxing for the first time.

Lin Feng slept for two days and two nights straight, returning to a fully refreshed state.

Just as Lin Feng was about to sell the Medicinal Pills he had, Xiong Hu came to him, looking anxious.

Xiong Hu informed Lin Feng that during the days he had been missing, the righteous and evil factions of Great Xin and Wei Country had erupted in several major battles.

The Sect had dispatched many Disciples to support, and conflicts were breaking out intermittently, with a sharp increase in casualties among Cultivators, mostly low-level Cultivators.

Lin Feng was startled by the news and asked Xiong Hu for more details.

Xiong Hu looked troubled, and under Lin Feng's persistent questioning, he reluctantly revealed:

"Brother Feng, you need to go to Spirit Flame Mountain with the Sect within three days.

Qi Kun and Qi Liang and I came looking for you several times over the past few days but couldn't find you.

Your name is on the list.

I originally wanted to tell you so you could ask Martial Uncle Ye for help, but I couldn't find you.

Qi Liang, Qi Kun, and I even thought you had run away or gone to Qingyun Mountain Range.

We spent the last two days searching for you in the Qingyun Mountain Range."

Lin Feng shook his head with a bitter smile, telling Xiong Hu about his recent Alchemy studies.

Though Xiong Hu was surprised by Lin Feng's talent, he sighed for Lin Feng at this moment.

Lin Feng was puzzled as to why he was on the support roster.

At this point, Xiong Hu looked at Lin Feng and said somewhat angrily:

"Senior Brother, do you still remember Mu Qingxue?"

Lin Feng certainly remembered and asked curiously, "What does my going to reinforce Spirit Flame Mountain have to do with her?"

Xiong Hu, with a look of indignation, informed Lin Feng: "Brother Feng, I inquired early on.

That Mu Qingxue, because she resented your reprimand of her back then, plus you're doing well in our Liuyun Market, she must have been jealous.

I heard that the wretched woman is quite beautiful now and has hooked up with a Foundation Establishment Family Disciple of the Sect."

Lin Feng frowned upon hearing this and looked at Xiong Hu, asking with an uncertain tone, "Could it be that she's behind this?"

Xiong Hu sighed, "Who else could it be but her?

I specifically investigated your matter and found out that this woman has been causing trouble these past few years, sending all the Fellow Brothers she had conflicts with to Spirit Flame Mountain.

If we weren't far from the Sect, we probably would have gone already."

Lin Feng secretly vowed that once he survived this ordeal, Mu Qingxue would surely die.

Just as Lin Feng was thinking about how to get revenge, Xiong Hu informed him:

"Brother Feng, I heard that Mu Qingxue was upset because she heard your Cultivation had broken through to Level 5 Qi Refining, and she was discontent with your Aptitude achieving such Cultivation.

Plus, you can make Talismans and are doing well in our Liuyun Market, so she was jealous of your talent, which is why she had her lover use his Family's power to get you sent there."

Lin Feng nodded upon hearing this news.

Now, Lin Feng only wanted to run away immediately, but Xiong Hu's next words instantly crushed his hope.

"Brother Feng, the Sect has ordered that those who refuse to obey will be killed without mercy, and those who flee will be hunted down."

Lin Feng never would have imagined that while he was peacefully Cultivating in Liuyun Market, disaster would suddenly strike.

Since the Sect had issued such a strict order, he could only obey.

Xiong Hu was also very helpless at this moment.

He informed Lin Feng that if Lin Feng had gone to Ye Zhiqiu when the Sect first released the list, it might have been possible to cancel this mission, as he was brought by Junior Martial Uncle Ye.

However, so many days had passed, and the order had already been issued.

Because Xiong Hu and the others didn't know Lin Feng's whereabouts, they ended up searching in the Qingyun Mountain Range for three days, only returning today.

Hearing that Lin Feng was back, they rushed over.

At this moment, Qi Liang and Qi Kun were still searching for Lin Feng on the outskirts of the Qingyun Mountain Range.

Lin Feng felt a warmth in his heart for Xiong Hu's kindness.

Over the years, he and the three of them had supported each other, forming a friendship from childhood, which was evident now.

Since the situation had arisen, Lin Feng could only brace himself and take it one step at a time.

At worst, he would find a way to escape later.

Lin Feng was confident that with his current strength and the treasures he possessed, unless a Foundation Establishment cultivator personally intervened, a Qi Refining Cultivator could defeat him, but killing him would not be so simple.

Since he was going to battle, Lin Feng immediately sold all the Pigu Pills he had, and at the same time, purchased a batch of Qi Condensation Pills.

He then spent the last three days frantically refining a batch of Talismans.

After preparing everything he could, Lin Feng arrived at the Sect's designated gathering point in Liuyun Market.

When Lin Feng arrived, he saw many Outer Sect Disciples like himself, all looking dejected.

Lin Feng didn't communicate with them but found a secluded corner to sit cross-legged, meditating while listening to the idle chatter of Cultivators who shared his predicament.

Through eavesdropping, Lin Feng realized that the Sect was sending many Cultivators with poor Aptitude to the front lines.

With the recent conflicts between the righteous and evil factions, many Cultivators shared Lin Feng's concern that their chances of survival were slim.

Lin Feng waited there for an hour, having just completed one cycle of his Cultivation, when ten Foundation Establishment cultivators flew in from a distance.

Lin Feng didn't recognize any of these ten Foundation Establishment cultivators.

He had been away from the Sect for many years, practically always in Liuyun Market.

When he was in the Sect, he was just a minor handyman, so how could he have come into contact with Foundation Establishment cultivators?

The ten Foundation Establishment cultivators landed in front of Lin Feng and the others.

A white-haired elder, exuding the powerful aura of a Late-Stage Foundation Establishment, informed Lin Feng and the others to follow them to Spirit Flame Mountain.

He also offered words of comfort, telling Lin Feng and his group not to worry too much, as it was only an escalating conflict, and the two sides had not yet reached a point of mutual annihilation.