Demoness, Stop! - Chapter 46 - Chapter 46 – Hot Topic

Yuzhu Peak.

Jiang Li was practicing in a certain great hall when a figure suddenly hurried in.

Xu Qingxin’s face showed surprise mixed with delight as she smiled and said, “Junior Sister, something big has happened in the sect. You’ll definitely be interested…”

Jiang Li smiled and asked, “What is it, Senior Sister?”

Xu Qingxin still looked somewhat incredulous as she said, “Just now, the sect’s annual alchemy competition’s top ten and the champion have been announced. Guess who won first place this time — you definitely wouldn’t have guessed!”

Jiang Li shook her head and said, “You know I just joined the sect recently. I don’t know many people yet.”

Xu Qingxin said, “Li Yu — it’s Li Yu. He’s only been studying alchemy for a few months and already took first place in the tournament. He even outperformed the disciples of two fourth-rank alchemists…”

Hearing about Li Yu, Jiang Li immediately became interested. “What’s the alchemy competition? What happened with Li Yu? Senior Sister, tell me…”

After a moment, Xu Qingxin looked at Jiang Li’s silly grin and shook her head. This little girl seemed even happier about Li Yu’s victory than if she herself had won.

She sighed a bit and said, “Looks like it really was a wise decision to suggest Junior Brother Li study alchemy back then.”

Then her tone shifted, tinged with regret. “It’s a pity his talent is average, and he cultivates five spiritual veins. His future achievements will inevitably be limited. Otherwise, the sect’s high-ranking alchemists would have long been fighting over taking him as a disciple.”

Every year, the apprentice competition was the time when senior alchemists fiercely competed for disciples.

In previous years, the champion was always heavily sought after — except this time for Li Yu.

His talent was looked down upon by third-rank alchemists, while second-rank alchemists felt it was too much of a stretch to take him as a master. So this awkward situation arose where no one was interested.

Jiang Li snorted lightly. “That just means they lack foresight!”

Xu Qingxin said, “You can’t really blame them. Junior Brother Li cultivates too many spiritual veins. It’s easier at the Qi Refining stage, but once he reaches Foundation Establishment, his cultivation will barely progress. Cultivating five meridians is basically giving up on Immortal Dao and choosing the alchemy path…”

Jiang Li thought for a moment and said, “I want to learn alchemy too. When I become a third-rank alchemist, I’ll refine pills for him myself!”

Xu Qingxin was both amused and exasperated. “Learning alchemy wastes a lot of cultivation time. You have the Heavenly Spiritual Vein, and cultivation is most important. Master won’t agree to you studying alchemy. Even if she did, can you support Li Yu to Foundation Establishment? What about Golden Core and Nascent Soul? Those breakthroughs can’t just rely on pills…”

Seeing Jiang Li’s downcast look, Xu Qingxin sighed gently. “Junior Sister, you should know, there’s no possibility between you and Junior Brother Li…”

Jiang Li lowered her head, a trace of sadness flickering in her eyes. When she looked back up at Xu Qingxin, she smiled again and said, “Senior Sister, you’re overthinking. Li Yu and I aren’t that kind of relationship. He likes someone more like Senior Sister Zhou…”

Now Xu Qingxin was confused. She stared at Jiang Li blankly and asked, “Not that kind of relationship? Yet you treat him so well?”

Jiang Li replied matter-of-factly, “If he were me, he’d do the same for me. We agreed long ago—‘Though fortune and fame come, never forget each other.’”

Xu Qingxin thought for a long time, then finally shook her head.

She grew up in the sect and practiced by the master’s side. She never had friends like that and couldn’t understand such a relationship. Though three years older than Jiang Li, her experience in matters of the heart was far less.

Master once said that although Junior Sister Jiang started cultivation late, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Perhaps she would reach Nascent Soul even earlier than herself and Junior Sister Qin.

Jiang Li sighed and said regretfully, “Senior Sister, next time something like this happens, you have to tell me earlier so I can go see it…”

Xu Qingxin silently thought, luckily she hadn’t gone herself. If she had seen Li Yu publicly teasing a beautiful female disciple in front of so many people, she wouldn’t know what to think.

In her heart, she still believed that Junior Sister Jiang had some feelings for Li Yu.

…

At this moment, Zixiao Peak.

Zhou Zixuan looked at Li Yu in surprise and asked, “Why did you bring me here?”

After the competition ended and the top ten winners received their rewards, Li Yu had brought her here.

Li Yu smiled and said, “You helped me so much, of course I want to thank you. Come with me, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Zhou Zixuan felt a little shy. Though she had helped Li Yu, refining spiritual liquid was something any disciple from Biyun or Danding Peaks could do well. But given their relationship, there was no need for formalities. She smiled and said, “Then you’d better be prepared to spend big…”

Soon, Li Yu led Zhou Zixuan to a building.

It was a seven-story small building, with a plaque above the first floor entrance that read “Piaoxiang Pavilion” (Fragrant Pavilion). From the name alone, it was easy to guess this was a tavern.

Though this place was Kunlun’s cave heaven, there was still some worldly atmosphere.

The purpose of the Fasting Pills was just to keep disciples from starving, but it could not satisfy their cravings for good food. The Piaoxiang Pavilion offered proper meals and spirit wine. Li Yu had wanted to come here for a long time but had always been reluctant to spend spirit coins.

This time, having won thirty Meridian Clearing Pills in the competition at once, it was the perfect chance to treat Sister Zhou.

They chose a refined private room on the third floor. A young female disciple waiting inside softly asked, “What would you two like to order, Senior Brother and Sister?”

Li Yu looked at the jade menu hanging on the wall and said, “Stewed spiritual pigeon, braised silverfish, lotus leaf golden pheasant… also a platter of spirit fruits and a pot of exquisite nectar.”

Li Yu ordered six or seven dishes, mixing meat and vegetables, plus the spirit fruit platter and a small pot of fruit drink.

The female disciple smiled after taking the order and said, “Please wait a moment.”

Zhou Zixuan quietly glanced at the prices on the jade menu, her pretty face flickering with surprise. She tugged Li Yu’s sleeve and said, “Li Yu, maybe we should go… this is too expensive.”

Just the dishes Li Yu had ordered cost more than three hundred spirit coins. She only earned about three hundred spirit coins in half a year at Biyun Peak. One meal would cost her half a year’s salary…

No wonder there were so few customers here. Ordinary disciples didn’t have that many spirit coins. Even if they did, they would save them to exchange for pills, not spend on meals like this.

Li Yu patted her hand and said, “Just relax and enjoy the meal. I have plenty of spirit coins. Don’t you know alchemists are very wealthy?”

Since the Meridian Clearing Pills were restricted for purchase, Li Yu now had spirit coins he couldn’t spend easily. Occasionally indulging a bit was actually good for cultivation.

Kunlun Cave Heaven was its own realm, without day or night. Practicing here for a long time could make one sick from being cooped up. Sometimes you needed to relax. After so long cultivating, you deserved some enjoyment…

Zhou Zixuan shook her head and advised him, “Even if you have spirit coins, you shouldn’t waste them here. You need to save up to exchange for Meridian Clearing Pills. With so many spiritual veins, you need a lot of those…”

Li Yu smiled and said, “Alright, I know you’re thrifty. So its just for today…”

…

The Alchemy Competition was the annual grand event of Kunlun Cave Heaven. While Li Yu and Zhou Zixuan were dining at the Piaoxiang Pavilion, news of the competition’s process and results on Lingxu Peak had already swept through the other peaks like a hurricane.

Danding Peak was jubilant. Li Yu, as a new disciple, had won the top spot in the competition, and they all felt proud.

At the residence of a Foundation Establishment elder on another peak, Chen Ming heard the news. His expression showed some joy but also envy. Yet this did not shake the determination in his eyes. He gulped down several Peiyuan Pills and resolutely entered a certain room.

..

On a certain inverted peak, Lu Xingzhou stopped his cultivation and muttered, “Li Yu — is his alchemy talent really that high?”

He felt no guilt about almost causing the sect to miss out on a genius alchemist. To him, alchemy and forging were sideline arts, insignificant compared to the path of longevity.

..

Jiuhua Peak.

Zhao Wuliang stood respectfully beside a middle-aged man whose chest bore four pill markings. He lowered his head and said, “Sorry, Master. I have disappointed you.”

The middle-aged man simply smiled and lightly patted his shoulder. “The Heaven-Man Unity realm is so rare that even I, your master, have only reached it once in decades. You just lost out to luck. It’s alright.”

Zhao Wuliang thought for a moment and said, “I plan to advance to a first-rank alchemist.”

The man smiled and asked, “Have you decided?”

Zhao Wuliang gave a bitter smile. “It’s been five years, every year the same. Maybe I’m just not meant to be the champion.”

He could have been crafting first-tier pills long ago, but out of obsession with winning the championship, he had kept delaying it until now.

This time, he placed second again and had no spirit to wait for another year.

The man nodded and said, “Good that you’ve come to terms with it. First-rank pills won’t be difficult for you. I will make some Meridian Clearing Pills for you. Hurry up and reach Foundation Establishment. With your three spiritual veins, you should be able to advance to second-rank within five years.”

…

Cuiwei Peak.

A richly dressed woman comforted a pouty girl who was clearly unhappy. “You’ve only been practicing alchemy for a few years, and this is your first competition. Third place is already very good.”

The girl looked up and asked, “Master, is the realm of Heaven-Man Unity really that powerful?”

The woman sighed. “Of course. The last time I entered the Heaven-Man Unity was thirty years ago. It was because of that experience that I advanced to fourth-rank within ten years. In that realm, it’s not you refining the pills, but the pills refining themselves…”

The girl murmured, “But Li Yu has entered it twice in just a few months…”

The woman smiled. “Everyone has their destiny. You don’t have to envy him. Though the Heavenly Dao favors him, the Immortal Dao does not. Catching up to him is just a matter of time. Focus on advancing your cultivation, reach Foundation Establishment soon, then craft second-rank pills…”

The girl’s eyes darted as she said, “I think he must have some secret technique to enter the Heaven-Man Realm more easily. I’ll try to get close to him, befriend him, and see if I can find out anything…”