295: Chapter 295 First, He's Determined to Have It

The Foundation Establishment Disciples of the Shiyin Sect also brought a message from a Golden Core Elder, though their wording was more subtle. Instead of directly asking him to refine pills on their behalf, they asked if Su Cheng would be willing to become a "Guest Alchemist" for the Shiyin Sect, offering excellent benefits.

Su Cheng tactfully declined as before, but still accepted the gifts.

Half a day later, people from the Fentian Sect also arrived.

The Elder representatives of the three Nascent Soul Sects had visited one after another within half a day; their sharp senses were truly admirable.

By afternoon, the visitors were no longer from Nascent Soul Sects, but from Families.

The Han Family, one of the three major Nascent Soul Families in Tianlan Prefecture City.

The visitor was a Golden Core Early Stage Elder from the main branch of the Han Family, a middle-aged man with a kind Face.

"Virtuous Nephew Su, I am Han Zhang." He sat down in the stone pavilion, putting on no airs. "Your Revered Master and my clan brother were once old friends, so we are not outsiders, so to speak."

Su Cheng poured a cup of spirit tea and handed it over. Although he did not know if this was true, he still had to give the other party plenty of Face: "Senior Han, you are too polite."

Han Zhang took the teacup, sipped it, and smiled. "I won't beat around the bush either. The Han Family wants to discuss a long-term Medicinal Pill supply business with you. It's not a small-time deal like refining on commission, but a large annual contract. Price, grade, and quantity are all negotiable."

As he spoke, he took out a Jade Slip from his sleeve and handed it over. "This is our preliminary proposal. Take a look."

Su Cheng took the Jade Slip and scanned it, secretly astonished in his heart.

The Han Family had quite an appetite—over three hundred Tier Two High Grade Medicinal Pills every year, covering the three main categories of cultivation, healing, and combat.

If calculated at market price, this order was worth no less than several hundred thousand Spirit Stones. (A bit nervous, please don't calculate this too closely, everyone, this isn't the main point.)

If this were ten years ago, the Su Family's entire annual income wouldn't have even been a fraction of a fraction of this amount.

"I have seen Senior Han's sincerity," Su Cheng said as he put away the Jade Slip. "However, the competition is not yet over, so it is not convenient for this Disciple to agree on his own. Please allow me to consult with my Revered Master first, and I will give you a reply after the competition ends."

Han Zhang was not in a hurry either. He smiled and nodded. "That is only proper. However, there is one thing I must remind you of, Virtuous Nephew. The Liu Family is probably about to make a move as well."

He set down his teacup and stood up. "I'll take my leave first. Take your time to consider it."

Less than two hours after Han Zhang left, people from the Liu Family indeed came to visit.

Their delegation was of even higher status than the Han Family's. The visitor was a direct-line Golden Core Middle Stage Elder, who brought along a Foundation Establishment Peak Genius of their clan, claiming they wanted the youth to observe and learn.

The accompanying Storage Pouch contained a box filled with Spiritual Ores and Medicinal Pills as a "modest visiting gift". Su Cheng swept his Divine Sense over it and estimated the total value to be no less than thirty thousand Spirit Stones.

As usual, Su Cheng tactfully declined all proposals for cooperation, and as usual, he accepted the gifts, though he promised he would definitely pay them a visit in the future.

After the Liu Family's people also left, Su Cheng sat in the stone pavilion and roughly calculated the "modest gifts" he had received today. Between the three Nascent Soul Sects and the two major Families, the gifts were worth approximately one hundred and twenty-five thousand Spirit Stones.

He had obtained one hundred and twenty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones for free in a single day.

This was entirely due to the Face earned by those one hundred and nine biling pills in the second round.

Only the Wu Family did not come.

Su Cheng thought about it and understood. Wu Chen was also competing and ranked third; there was no way the Wu Family would run over to offer warmth to a competitor at this critical juncture.

By evening, Elder Qingmu appeared.

"Quite lively, isn't it?" He stood at the entrance of the Immortal Cave, his tone carrying a hint of schadenfreude.

Su Cheng stood up and bowed. "Revered Master."

"Three major Sects and two major Families, all visiting within a single day." Elder Qingmu paced into the Immortal Cave with his hands behind his back, looking around at the brocade boxes Su Cheng had received. "You kid certainly don't turn anyone away, accepting all the gifts."

"Accepting gifts doesn't mean agreeing to anything." Su Cheng poured a cup of spirit tea and brought it over. "Returning the items would only offend people. Accepting them and taking our time to talk is the right way to go."

Elder Qingmu took the teacup. "Mm, you've handled this boundary well. However, there is something I must inform you about beforehand. Over at the Sect, Head Xu has issued a gag order. During the competition, no competing Disciple is allowed to privately accept cooperation proposals from external Sects or Families. Violators will be disqualified."

Su Cheng's movements paused for a moment.

"This rule was only added this afternoon." Elder Qingmu took a sip of tea. "Can you guess why?"

"Because I wasn't the only one they came looking for."

"Correct." Elder Qingmu set down his teacup. "Over on Wu Chen's side, two Golden Core Elders from the Wu Family went to see his Revered Master today. What they discussed is unclear."

"On Shen Qing's side, Elder Zhao of Xuanguang Peak directly blocked two Foundation Establishment Disciples from other Sects outside the peak gates."

"On Zhou Mingyuan's side, it was even more exaggerated. Three forces arrived at the same time and almost started fighting right outside his Immortal Cave."

"Only you, kid, didn't turn anyone away."

Su Cheng fell silent. No wonder Head Xu Changqing had to add this rule. If left unchecked, chaos would break out over competing for talent before the competition even concluded.

"But starting tomorrow, you should just stay peacefully on Qingmu Peak and see no one." Elder Qingmu stood up. "Focus on the competition; we will talk about everything else once it's over. Have you carefully read the rules for the third round?"

"A brand new Pill Formula, five sets of Materials, and a three-month time limit."

"Yes." Elder Qingmu stopped near the doorway. "The Pill Formula for that Medicinal Pill is said to have been personally researched and developed by a Nascent Soul Old Ancestor. The difficulty is not low."

"Do not underestimate those veteran Disciples; their foundation in pharmacology is much more solid than yours. The third round is a test of experience and Comprehension Ability."

Su Cheng nodded to show he understood.

Elder Qingmu probably felt he had said all he needed to say, so he waved his hand and left.

The Immortal Cave fell silent once again.

Su Cheng sat before the stone table, sorting and categorizing all the gifts he had received today one by one: Spiritual Ores in one pile, Medicinal Pills in another, and miscellaneous items in a third.

After finishing his inventory, he put everything into his Storage Pouch. Su Cheng did not place these items into the creation furnace space; there was no need to store things that were not truly precious there.

Then he closed his eyes and began to make his final preparations before the start of the third round.

He still did not know what kind of Medicinal Pill it would be, what Spirit Medicines would be used, or how complex the medicinal compatibility would be.

But there was one thing Su Cheng was absolutely sure of.

In this competition, whether it was those veteran Disciples, Shen Qing, or Wu Chen, the trump cards in their hands might each have their own strengths.

But not a single one of them possessed his unique pathway—drawing Dao Rhyme from the creation furnace itself, routing it through his dao foundation furnace, and channeling it into the hearth of the wanbao mirror.

A fifty-five percent supreme grade rate, regardless of the category of the Medicinal Pill, was his greatest trump card.

First place, he would have it.

On the day the third round commenced, Su Cheng arrived very early.

Before the bell of the hour of chen had even chimed, he flew over on his sword from Qingmu Peak and landed in a corner of the square.

Fifty alchemy platforms were arranged in a fan shape. He found his seat in the first row, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest his mind.

Then, others arrived one after another. Chen Yuan took his seat five rows behind him and gestured with a fist toward him, meaning "keep it up."

Shen Qing was diagonally opposite him. Their eyes met briefly before they both looked away.

Wu Chen was in the seat on the right side of the first row, the position for the third place in the second round of the Pill Hall Competition.

His alchemy platform was a size larger than the others, and he had already placed his precious artifact pill furnace upon it, the light of the Glazed Pure Fire swirling endlessly within the hearth.

The seats in the spectator area were also gradually filling up. The three major Nascent Soul Sects had each sent three Golden Core Elders and fifteen Foundation Establishment Disciples to watch the proceedings.

The seats for the three major Nascent Soul Families were likewise bustling with people. The Wu Family made the grandest display, with two Golden Core Elders sitting in the very front row.

Unlike the first two rounds, today's spectator area was packed to capacity, and even the corridors around the perimeter of the square were filled with many Outer Sect Disciples who had rushed over upon hearing the news.

Out of three hundred and seventy-seven competitors down to just fifty, every single person who remained had their own unique capabilities. The highlights of the third round promised to be more numerous than those of the first two rounds combined.