Chapter 0989: Fellow villagers meeting fellow villagers
Since Sichen Qiutian requested it, Ning Cheng naturally wouldnât remain pretentious. With the Six Yin Soul Pill in hand and representing the Grand Essence Realm in the Five Grand Realmsâ Alchemy Competition without taking Le Xichenâs spot, why would Ning Cheng refuse?
âMany thanks, Senior Qiutian. This Ning Cheng will definitely give it his best.â Ning Cheng hurriedly thanked him.
Sichen Qiutian nodded and took out a golden token before handing it to Ning Cheng. âThis is the Dao Essence Pill Sageâs qualification token. Itâs the highest grade token that my Grand Essence Realmâs Pill Union can issue. Since you refined six top-quality Six Yin Soul Pills, this qualification token should rightfully belong to you.â
Ning Cheng wanted to refuse because he knew he wasnât yet a Dao Essence Pill Sage. More precisely, he was a few furnaces away from becoming a Dao Essence Pill Sage. It did not mean that he was one currently. However, he quickly thought of the value of this qualification token. In the entire Grand Essence Realm, apart from Dao Perfection powerhouses, even a Dao Fusion expert would need to think things through if they wanted to move against him.
Therefore, Ning Cheng thanked him once again before accepting the Dao Essence Pill Sageâs qualification token with both hands. He knew that he couldnât refine Dao Essence Dao Pills. Yet, he was the second alchemist in the Grand Essence Realm to possess the Dao Essence Pill Sageâs qualification token.
Not a single person at the Alchemy Discourseâs public square raised any objections to Ning Cheng receiving this qualification token. In their eyes, Ning Cheng wasnât only a Dao Essence Pill Sage but a Dao Essence Pill Sage who could refine top-quality Six Yin Soul Pills.
After Ning Cheng put away the Dao Essence Pill Sageâs qualification token, Holy Emperor Qing Yi walked onto the stage. âCongratulations to Pill Sage Ning and our Grand Essence Realm for gaining another Dao Essence Pill Sage. This time, there would be six pill sages representing the Grand Essence Realm in the Five Grand Realmsâ Alchemy Competition.â\nâThis time, there is one more person for the coming competition. Therefore, unlike the usual way we did things, the support from each clan and sect for the participating alchemists will be sent to them through the Pill Union. Each participating alchemist will then select the clan or sect that will support them. This marks the end of this Alchemy Discourse, and I thank all the alchemists and fellow daoists of my Grand Essence Realm for coming to attend it.â
Every time someone got selected to participate in the Five Grand Realmsâ Alchemy Competition, every clan and sect would come out to support their favoured alchemists. It naturally was for allocating quotas.
Moreover, this support wasnât just empty words but something substantial. Thatâs what Holy Emperor Qing Yiâs last words meant. That is, the supporting sects or clans had to take out things to share the burden and also entice the alchemists. The Pill Union would then take the list of things handed in and hand it over to the participating alchemists. The alchemist can then choose their âsponsorâ from the list provided.
âNing Cheng, if you have time, feel free to come to my abode to discuss the Dao of Alchemy.â As Ning Cheng walked off the stage, Sichen Qiutian extended an invitation to Ning Cheng.
Sichen Qiutianâs status in the Grand Essence Realm wasnât just that of a Union Master. In fact, his status was much higher than that of a sect master or clan leader of a major faction. Now Sichen Qiutian had personally invited Ning Cheng to come to his abode at any time. From this, everyone understood just how much Sichen Qiutian valued Ning Cheng. It genuinely was the highest honour anyone could get.
âOnce Iâm free, this junior and Brother Huotian will definitely come to seniorâs abode to listen to the teachings.â Ning Cheng hurriedly responded while also pulling in Sheng Huotian with him. Although he genuinely thanked Sichen Qiutian for the offer, Ning Cheng had no intention of wasting time discussing alchemy. He still had many things to do, so how could he waste time on words?\nSichen Qiutian laughed, âSince you call Junior Apprentice Brother Huotian your brother, I naturally canât be overbearing. From now on, you can call me Brother Qiutian as well.â
To other alchemists, addressing Sichen Qiutian in this manner was something they couldnât get to do even if they burned incense. But then again, Ning Cheng was a Dao Essence Pill Sage, with his Dao of Alchemy seemingly even higher than Sichen Qiutian.
Sichen Qiutian walked away and let other people come to meet Ning Cheng. Everyone seemed to feel that it was a supreme honour to even exchange a few words with Ning Cheng.
âPill Sage Ning, I have just received news that the spirit herbs you wanted have arrived in the Heaven Essence Sacred City.â An abrupt voice interrupted Ning Cheng and everyoneâs greeting.
Some people immediately recognised who the speaker was. With a dark face and incongruous slender eyes, the Void Star Sectâs Sect Master, Wu Bufeng[1].
After Wu Bufeng spoke up, the people surrounding Ning Cheng immediately quieted down. None of them could figure out what had gone wrong between Ning Cheng and the Void Star Sectâs Wu Bufeng. But they could guess that it had to do something with Wu Bufengâs refusal to let Ning Cheng borrow pill ingredients. From how it looked, he now wanted to give Ning Cheng the materials after seeing Ning Chengâs powerful Dao of Alchemy.
But then again, although many felt that Wu Bufeng had misjudged Ning Chengâs proficiency in alchemy, they didnât think it was out of place either.
But those who knew Ning Chengâs personality knew that Wu Bufeng was barking up the wrong tree. If not for the Silver Dragon Clanâs Gong Huayu, Ning Cheng wouldnât have received the Dao Essence Pill Sageâs qualification token. Nor would he have received the chance to go to the Five Grand Realmsâ Alchemy Competition. In fact, without Gong Huayuâs help, Ning Cheng wouldnât be currently receiving so many warm greetings but rather intense ridicule.\nNing Cheng looked at this dark-faced man and spoke up calmly, âIâm afraid you are mistaken. I have never met you, nor have I ever asked you for spirit herbs. If I have said anything wrong, I have already apologised.â
The dark-faced man instantly frowned. Ning Cheng had become a Dao Essence Pill Sage, and his status had indeed risen sharply. However, he was the Void Star Sectâs sect master and had personally said those words to request Ning Cheng to refine pills. But not only did Ning Cheng refuse, but Ning Cheng also refused it in such a tone, which made him extremely upset. So what if he was a Dao Essence Pill Sage? Any other time, his Void Star Sect could have easily crushed Ning Cheng to death, just like crushing an ant to death.
But right now, he was the one who wanted to ask for Ning Chengâs help. As such, he had no choice but to hold back. He looked back at Percy, hoping that Percy would come forward and speak. However, Percy simply stood there with his head lowered, not daring to lift it up. He didnât have the face to look at Ning Cheng. How could he ask Ning Cheng to help refine their pills after what had happened?
Previously, when Ning Cheng needed the Void Star Sectâs help, the Void Star Sect pretended to act dead. But now, when Ning Cheng had weathered the difficulties without their help, the Void Star Sect could only slap their faces after learning about his abilities. Why would he need to care about you when you now pretend that your previous âactâ wasnât true?
Ning Cheng didnât even give Wu Bufeng a chance to talk again and directly said to Yan Ji, Jian Sanshan, and the others, âLetâs go.â\nIt was still very early for the Five Grand Realmsâ Alchemy Competition, so Ning Cheng intended to take care of his affairs here. He wanted to go to the Grand Essence Ruins to look for the Exquisite Star Golden Hidden Leaf for Yan Ji before finding a way to return to the four great starry skies.
Ning Cheng was now a popular figure who everyone wanted to befriend. Therefore, once Ning Cheng stated his intention to leave, everyone immediately gave way to Ning Cheng.
âPill Sage Ning, please wait a moment.â Another voice called out to Ning Cheng.
âSo itâs the Star Stepping Tower Master.â Ning Cheng saw a woman in black walking over and immediately recognised her. This woman was both powerful and influential, so Ning Cheng didnât want to deal with her, nor did he want to offend her.
The woman in black nodded to Ning Cheng. âCongratulations to Pill Sage Ning for qualifying as a Dao Essence Pill Sage and representing the Grand Essence Realm at the Five Grand Realmsâ Alchemy Competition.â
âMany thanks.â Ning Cheng only said two words and nothing more. His intent was clear, if you donât have anything to do with me, I will leave.
The Star Stepping Tower Master didnât care about Ning Chengâs intent. She continued, âI wonder if Pill Sage Ning Cheng would be free to come to my Star Stepping Tower for a little chat? Last time, I received a bottle of Empyrean Consciousness Transmutation Pills from you, but I couldnât help you much, which made me feel sorry.â
Ning Cheng laughed coldly in his heart, âHave you ever felt sorry? Donât even dare to show teeth while laughing before this father. You wouldnât feel bad about it even if I were to give you a hundred bottles of Empyrean Consciousness Transmutation Pills.â\nâMany thanks for inviting me, but I have too many things to do. Iâm afraid I wonât have time to sit down with you. After all, I donât even have the time to respond to Lord Qiutianâs invitation.â Ning Cheng spoke in a respectful tone.
Ning Chengâs tone might have been respectful, but the intent behind his words wasnât respectful at all. Iâm not even taking up Sichen Qiutianâs invitation, so even if you invite me, I naturally wouldnât go. Everyone understands that not all people walk the same path.
The Star Stepping Tower Master frowned slightly and suddenly said, âI just want to discuss the matter of diplomas with you. I didnât have a high degree of education as a child because my family was poorâŚâŚ..â
Ning Chengâs heart thumped. He instantly understood a few things. This Star Stepping Tower Master might have something to do with Earth even if she wasnât from Earth. He thought back to some of the words he heard from the Star Stepping Tower Masterâs mouth and started to feel more and more certain about this conjecture.
If this woman in black was a kind-hearted person, Ning Cheng might have felt excited at such recognition. He would have immediately gone up to get to know each other. After all, when fellow villagers see fellow villagers after a long time, tears are bound to line their eyes.
However, Ning Cheng knew that this woman in black was a thick-skinned person who definitely didnât put other peopleâs lives at heart. He definitely wouldnât dare to recognise such a âfellow villagerâ. It would be equivalent to stabbing a âfellow villagerâ in the back when old villagers meet after a long time.
âSenior, what do you mean by âhigh degree of educationâ? What does it have to do with a diploma?â Ning Cheng asked as he looked at the Star Stepping Tower Master in bewilderment.\nThe Star Stepping Tower Master stared closely at Ning Cheng. It was just that Ning Chengâs eyes were pure, with not even half a bit of fluctuation.
âThen, let me ask you, you mentioned âmore than one diplomaâ. What does that statement mean?â
Ning Chengâs tone turned to nostalgia, âIt was from a friend I met long ago. He taught me a lot of things. He said that a diploma was a credential, a status of some sort.â
âA degree was a low-level credential, a PhD was a top-level credential, and whatever else in between was a lot of nonsense. Thatâs why I referred to the Pill Unionâs qualification tokens as a diploma. Whatâs wrong with that?â
âWhatâs that personâs name?â The Star Stepping Tower Master clenched her fists. She couldnât tell if Ning Cheng was serious or lying. But no matter what Ning Cheng said, she didnât dare do anything to Ning Cheng right now.
âHis name is Cang Wei. He was already a mighty Holy Emperor back then. I reckon he must have already surpassed the Dao Fusion Realm. But ultimately got besieged by others, causing him to fall to a lower-levelled interface where he met me.â Although Ning Chengâs words were the truth, the pretext was false. Cang Wei most likely didnât know anything about a diploma.
After saying this, Ning Cheng secretly said in his heart. âSenior Apprentice Brother Cang Wei, you canât blame me; this woman is too powerful for me to handle. In the future, if you happen to meet her, please take care of it for your little brother.â
The Star Stepping Tower Master didnât ask any more questions but stared at Ning Cheng for a while before speaking up with a light smile. âPill Sage Ning, come to my Star Stepping Tower when you have the time; Iâll be waiting for you.â\nLooking at the retreating back of the Star Stepping Tower Master, Ning Cheng finally sighed with relief. Go to the Star Stepping Tower? Letâs wait until he reaches the second step of Dao Confirmation. Even if you donât come to question me then, I will still come to question you. As for now, you can forget about it.
âTianhe, you go and talk with Ning Cheng. Also, on behalf of my 9-Revolutions Sacred Dao Pong, extend an invitation to him.â A woman with a few wrinkles on her face said as she looked at Ning Cheng walking out of the Alchemy Discourse Public Square.
âYes, Uncle Master.â Shi Tianhe hurriedly answered, and after she finished speaking, she immediately turned toward Ning Cheng.
âMaster, donât go to him right now.â Shi Yisheng called out to Shi Tianhe, who was about to go and greet Ning Cheng.
Shi Tianhe asked in confusion, âWhy?â
âThat woman following Ning Cheng is Yan Ji, from our 9-Revolutions Sacred Dao PondâŚâŚ.â Shi Yisheng spoke up in shocked disbelief.
âYan Ji?â Shi Tianhe naturally wouldnât keep a nameless woman like Yan Ji in her mind. So when Shi Yisheng mentioned it, she couldnât recall such a person at all.
Shi Yisheng hurriedly reminded her, âItâs that Yan Ji who was about to undergo spirit grafting; she was put in spirit cleansingâŚ..â
Without waiting for Shi Yisheng to finish, Shi Tianhe fully understood, and a chilling look appeared in her eyes. âWasnât she taken away by that witch together with Shui Yueke? How come sheâs beside Ning Cheng?â
[1] TL Note: âćŻä¸ĺ°â (Wu Bufeng) translates to âNot sealed/No need to seal.â\n
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