Chapter 137: Entering the Third Level

Che Wuyou never expected to benefit from misfortune. He had almost given up on life, yet after drawing the Essence of Earthfire into his Dantian, fortune unexpectedly favored him. However, he resolved never to engage in such dangerous endeavors again. It seemed that the energies of White and Green, in their attempt to consume the Essence of Earthfire, inadvertently emerged from the Purple Mansion and saved him. Had it not been for this, he might have been utterly destroyed by now.

Shaking off these thoughts, Che Wuyou found his current sensation overwhelmingly exhilarating. Waves of powerful energy surged through him, stirring an impulse to roar to the heavens. He had finally entered the pinnacle of the Purple Mansion realm—a dream he had long cherished. Previously, he believed it would take at least ten years to reach this stage, yet fortune had smiled upon him so suddenly.

Before he could fully immerse himself in this feeling, his thoughts turned to Zhang Qing’er and Yun Fan. How were they faring? He opened his eyes to see both still lying weakly nearby, their breaths shallow. A wave of relief washed over him; as long as they lived, he could find a way to revive them.

He glanced around. Due to his recent contact with the Essence of Earthfire, the distant scenery appeared distorted, making the figures far off seem faint and indistinct. Yet, it felt as if many others remained, though fewer than he had previously encountered.

Che Wuyou sighed inwardly. Many must have perished in the recent catastrophe. The cultivation world was far harsher than he had imagined. This was merely a selection among disciples of the orthodox Xuan Sect, yet so many had silently slipped from the mortal realm.

Fortunately, most had fled when the Earthfire flared, instinctively avoiding the dangerous area. Now that the storm had passed, they still kept their distance, likely still shaken by the earlier commotion.

Ignoring these thoughts, Che Wuyou turned his attention to the Three-Star Pill he had been refining. To his astonishment, despite having abandoned its formation when he plunged into the Earthfire, the pill remained visibly pulsating in midair, clearly nearing completion.

How was this possible? A Three-Star Pill should not complete without guidance. Moreover, most of the Earthfire had been drawn into his Dantian, leaving no external energy to fuel it. By all logic, the pill should have been rendered worthless.

He chose not to ponder further. Since it intended to form, he would lend it his aid. Projecting his spirit force, he sensed the pill’s embryo swirling erratically, as if lacking just one final flame. Fortunately, he had arrived in time—without this last spark, the pill would have certainly failed.

Che Wuyou wasted no time. He channeled his true essence to its fullest, and a faint red flame slowly flickered into existence upon his right palm, gently touching the Three-Star Pill.

His action was subtle, and the dim crimson flame was hardly noticeable from outside, preventing any uproar. After all, pillfire was typically the exclusive power of cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage or above. For a Purple Mansion realm cultivator like Che Wuyou to manifest such flames was almost unprecedented in cultivation history.

This was another benefit of fusing with the Essence of Earthfire. Ordinarily, those below the Foundation Establishment stage could not become second-grade alchemists or refine pills of second grade and above. Yet Che Wuyou, still within the Purple Mansion realm, possessed something akin to pillfire and a sufficiently strong spirit force. Thus, he had already broken the convention, becoming a bona fide second-grade alchemist without the usual prerequisite.

Under Che Wuyou’s final flame, the Three-Star Pill finally solidified. Its faint chime was crisp and melodious, and its radiance—unique to second-grade pills—shone through the layers of air, crystal clear and dazzling.

Slowly, Che Wuyou extended his hand and grasped the Three-Star Pill, a sudden realization dawning upon him: “So that’s how it is.”

Upon careful observation, he understood that when he severed the connection with the pill, he had perfectly timed its heat. The pill required no higher temperature at that moment, and the intense flame from the Earthfire Essence in his Dantian provided an ideal nurturing environment.

As the external temperature gradually dropped, the formed pill embryo could spontaneously rotate, absorbing ambient energy to sustain its flame and continue nurturing itself.

When Che Wuyou first regained consciousness, the pill was on the verge of destruction, lacking energy and nearing collapse. At just the right moment, he reignited it, allowing it to break through the final barrier and complete the formation.

Although the resulting pill was a top-tier Yellow Grade, fourth level, it was nonetheless a success—the first second-grade pill he had ever refined. Overjoyed beyond measure, Che Wuyou marveled at his fortune, feeling as if even heaven had smiled upon him.

With a smile and a shake of his head, he split the Three-Star Pill in two, administering half to Yun Fan and half to Zhang Qing’er. Both were gravely weak, and the process required considerable effort. Yet with such a miraculous pill in hand, Che Wuyou was confident he could save them even at death’s door.

After they took the pills, their bodies remained fragile, and fearing they might not endure the medicinal effects, Che Wuyou forcibly applied the Golden Finger technique to their slumber acupoints, plunging them into a deep sleep to slowly absorb the pill’s power and gradually restore their vitality.

Finally, Che Wuyou cast a glance at the distant, vague crowd before rising from the ground. Supporting the weak Zhang Qing’er and Yun Fan, he limped towards the pillar of energy. This time, no obstacles hindered their progress. With the Essence of Earthfire’s disappearance, the second layer’s barriers had become meaningless. In moments, the golden light blazed, and the three vanished swiftly from the second layer, entering the third.

Long after Che Wuyou had left, the other youths of the second layer began to approach the energy pillar, eventually entering the third layer one by one. Although they knew some had preceded them, none realized it was Che Wuyou and his companions, as all they saw were faint, indistinct figures moving ahead.