27: Rebirth of Wasted Elixir

"soul burning pill?!"

A chorus of sharp intakes of breath immediately rose from below the stage. This was a famous "forbidden medicine"!

"I don't need to elaborate on its effects, do I? It overdraws potential and burns essence blood, allowing one's Divine Sense to skyrocket by fifty percent within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn! Whether it's for breaking through a Bottleneck or forcibly casting a Spell beyond one's level, it's an excellent aid!"

"Of course, there are side effects. Once the medicinal effect wears off, one must remain bedridden for three months, and it may damage one's Foundation."

The host smiled sinisterly. "But for those in dire need of power, what does this small price matter? The starting price is one hundred Spirit Stones!"

Zhou Wannian's heart stirred.

This kind of potent and dangerous medicine was usually only bought by desperadoes or those pushed to a dead end.

"One hundred and ten!"

"One hundred and twenty!"

There were very few bidders. After all, no one wanted to gamble with their future.

"One hundred and fifty!"

Just then, a slightly urgent, even trembling voice came from the front row.

Zhou Wannian looked toward the source of the sound.

It was a thin figure in black robes. Although wearing a hideous ghost mask and intentionally lowering their voice, Zhou Wannian still keenly captured some discordant details.

Because of excitement, the person's fingers gripped the back of the chair tightly, revealing a section of extremely neatly trimmed nails that were even coated with nail oil. This kind of exquisite maintenance was definitely not something a desperado would have.

More importantly, there was a layer of special calluses on the web of his right hand from years of holding a brush—a unique mark of a Talisman Master.

At that moment, a draft blew through the hall.

Zhou Wannian's sense of smell, enhanced by the Turtle Breathing Technique, caught an extremely faint, delicate fragrance.

It was the unique aroma of "Pine Soot Ink" mixed with "Hundred Herb Dew."

In the entire Qinghe Market, there was only one person who could afford such top-tier incense, was a Talisman Master, and was recently in dire need of "power."

"Zhao Feng?"

Zhou Wannian's pupils constricted slightly, a look of surprise appearing under his mask.

That Genius who had been so glorious at the victory banquet and had been accepted as a Named Disciple by the Hundred Herbs Hall was actually in disguise, hiding in the black market to buy forbidden medicine?

"So he's being roasted over a fire and has no choice but to drink poison to quench his thirst."

Zhou Wannian instantly understood the situation.

Although Zhao Feng was hailed as a Genius, his Foundation was not solid. Exploding five times in a row while drawing Fireball Talismans last time had exposed his shortcoming. Now that he had a reputation to uphold, in order to maintain his "Genius" persona and draw more "top-grade Talismans" to meet expectations (especially for the Hundred Herbs Hall's assessment), he had to take shortcuts.

Relying on drugs to forcibly boost his Divine Sense to master the Talismans he originally couldn't draw.

"One wrong step leads to another."

Zhou Wannian looked at that slightly trembling back, a trace of sorrow rising in his heart.

This was the consequence of being held hostage by fame and fortune.

Ultimately, Zhao Feng successfully bid for that bottle of soul burning pills at the high price of two hundred Spirit Stones. The moment he received the pills, Zhou Wannian clearly felt him breathe a sigh of relief, his entire body slumping into the chair as if he had caught his last lifeline.

"Is this what the hexagram meant by 'the Heart Demon has been born'?"

Zhou Wannian silently withdrew his gaze.

He wouldn't join in this kind of excitement. The fall of a Genius was often accompanied by a massive vortex; the further away he stayed, the better.

"The eighth auction item."

The host took out a dusty, unremarkable porcelain bottle with a somewhat embarrassed expression, as if even he felt this item was too embarrassing to present.

"This is a bottle of... special Medicinal Pills."

"A bottle of failed 'qi gathering pills,' three in total."

"When the Alchemist was collecting the pills at the end, the channeled earth fire went out of control, causing fire poison to invade the interior of the pills, turning them into 'Waste Pills'."

The host explained, "Although the medicinal power has not been lost and has actually become more concentrated due to the fire refinement, the... fire poison is extremely heavy. After consumption, one must endure the pain of being burned by fire. It is very easy to burn the Meridians or even lead to Qi Deviation. I suggest... Body Cultivators or Fellow Daoists practicing fire-attribute Cultivation Techniques who aren't afraid of death to give it a try."

"Starting price, ten Spirit Stones."

It's here!

Zhou Wannian's spirits lifted, and his originally cloudy eyes instantly became clear.

This was the Opportunity he had been waiting for!

A chorus of boos erupted from below the stage.

"Are you joking? Ten Spirit Stones to buy poison to eat?"

"Eating this thing, even if you don't die, you'll lose a layer of skin, right? Who thinks their life is too long?"

"Has the Dark River run out of people? Selling this kind of trash?"

Mockery rose and fell. A normal qi gathering pill cost twenty stones each, and selling these three for only ten was indeed ridiculously cheap. But the problem was, no one dared to gamble with their Meridians.

Once the Meridians were burned, the path to immortality would be severed.

"Ten stones, anyone? If not, the auction will fail." The host also felt this item wouldn't sell and raised his gavel to strike.

In the corner.

Zhou Wannian slowly raised his withered hand.

"Ten stones."

His voice was hoarse and low, with a tremor of desperation (Best Actor mode engaged). "This old man... has been stuck at a Bottleneck for thirty years and doesn't have many days left to live. I want to gamble with my life!"

These words perfectly portrayed the image of an old Loose Cultivator who was nearing the end of his Lifespan and was destitute.

Swish!

The eyes of the entire venue converged on this corner.

"Tsk tsk, there's actually a fool buying it?"

"Probably driven mad by poverty, wanting a quick death."

"A waste of ten Spirit Stones."

Even Zhao Feng in the front row looked back, his gaze filled with lofty pity and disdain, as if looking at a dying ant struggling for its life.

How could he know that this "ant" was the biggest winner of the night?

"Sold!"

Fearing he would regret it, the host quickly dropped the gavel. "Congratulations to this Fellow Daoist on acquiring... the Divine Pill."

...The auction continued, but Zhou Wannian no longer had the heart to keep watching.

The moment he got the porcelain bottle, he didn't stay for a second longer.

The hexagram said, "Leave as soon as it's obtained."

Like an inconspicuous ghost, he quietly exited the venue while everyone was focused on the next auction item.

By the time he climbed out of the dry well, it was already the Hour of the Ox.

The biting night wind dispersed the musty smell on his body.

Zhou Wannian didn't return directly to Cuizhu Lane but instead cautiously circled the outskirts of the market for a full hour. Using his newly mastered Turtle Breathing Technique, he changed his aura several times and even hid in a deserted Mass Grave for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Only after ensuring there were no "tails" behind him did he sneak back home before dawn.

Cuizhu Lane, Courtyard Jia 16.

He activated all the Formations and closed the doors and windows.

Inside the secret room, Zhou Wannian let out a long breath, shed that nauseating disguise, and restored his original appearance.

He impatiently took out the dusty porcelain bottle and poured out the three dark red Waste Pills.

A scorched and dry heat wafted toward him; just taking a sniff made his throat feel dry.

"It really is highly toxic."

"But in my hands, these are top-grade."

A light of confidence flickered in Zhou Wannian's eyes.

He pulled out an "Earthworm Version Cleaning Talisman." This was an "enhanced version" he had specifically drawn for this operation, with even denser spiral patterns.

"Suck!"

As spiritual power was activated, the Talisman was pasted onto the pill.

Buzz—

A strange scene unfolded.

The black spots on the surface of the pill (fire poison) moved slowly like iron filings attracted by a magnet, eventually turning into wisps of black smoke that were forcibly sucked into the Talisman paper.

The Talisman paper quickly blackened and curled, finally turning into ash.

As the fire poison left, the originally dark red pill body gradually became crystal clear, emitting an enticing fragrance and surging spiritual power fluctuations.

A moment later.

Three top-grade qi gathering pills, free of any Impurities and as smooth and lustrous as jade, lay quietly on the table.

"This is the information gap; this is the technical barrier!"

Looking at these three pills, Zhou Wannian's heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment.

"Zhao Feng spent two hundred Spirit Stones borrowed from the Hundred Herbs Hall to buy a bottle of poison that overdraws his future."

"I spent ten Spirit Stones to buy a pile of trash, yet I've refined three top-grade pills that can change my fate."

"In this cultivation world, the cautious one ultimately reigns supreme."

Without hesitation, he adjusted his breathing and sat cross-legged.

He picked up a refined qi gathering pill and swallowed it.

Boom!

There was no imagined fire burning his body, only pure medicinal power surging like a river exploding in his belly. That power was gentle yet vast, rushing through his Meridians to his limbs and bones. The originally indestructible Qi Refining Third Layer Bottleneck began to show cracks before this torrent.

"Qi Refining Level Four..."

Zhou Wannian closed his eyes, guiding his spiritual power to assault the barrier.

"Break for me!"