The stone door opened, and Chen Xiaoming stepped forward. His figure blurred into the void as faint, formless ripples of soul power radiated outward in all directions. In an instant, they surged beyond the boundaries of the Pill Tower, spreading across the Holy Pill City and beyond.
A strange clarity rose from within his heart. Through the vast power of his soul, Chen Xiaoming gazed down upon every corner of the city—as though this entire world lay within the palm of his hand.
As Chen Xiaoming immersed himself in the might of his newly ascended Imperial Soul Realm, the entire Pill Tower—and even the broader Holy Pill City—shuddered under an unseen pressure, as though the very essence of soul force bore down upon them.
Several Alchemical Masters were visibly shaken. They sensed the overwhelming surge of spiritual power and immediately began speculating which elder of the Pill Tower had achieved a breakthrough. Deep envy flickered in their eyes.
Without hesitation, these experts moved, heading toward the Pill Tower.
Those alchemists with weaker cultivation, however, merely sensed an oppressive force weighing down on their souls. Yet, they could not comprehend the true source or nature of it.
Whoosh, whoosh.
Just as Master Xuan Kongzi stood dazed within the Pill Tower, two figures darted out—a man and a woman. The man was an elderly figure with dark, weathered skin; the woman, a lavishly dressed noble beauty.
"This... is truly an Imperial Soul Realm!"
As they approached and stood beside Xuan Kongzi, the immense soul pressure radiating from Chen Xiaoming struck them head-on. The sheer might of it left them unable to raise even the thought of resistance.
"Phew..."
Chen Xiaoming exhaled gently, reining in his expansive soul force. As his eyes opened, a beam of soul light burst forth, shaking the three towering figures of the Pill Tower and forcing them to involuntarily retreat several steps.
"My apologies," he said with a soft smile. "I lost control of my strength for a moment."
Chen Xiaoming's tone was apologetic—but whether or not he had truly lost control was another matter entirely.
Still, looking at his honest and simple smile, his rustic, sincere expression—how could such a man have done it on purpose? Absolutely impossible. Well... at least that's what Chen Xiaoming believed.
Xuan Kongzi exchanged glances with the two who had arrived. A faint smile played across their lips as they shook their heads, seemingly unbothered. Yet their gazes sharpened, eyes gleaming as they stared at Chen Xiaoming with renewed intensity.
Just a few days ago, Chen Xiaoming had not possessed such formidable soul power. And now... he had already broken through?
Impossible!
As a 9th-Tier Alchemy Master, Xuan Kongzi might not match Chen Xiaoming in raw cultivation, but his soul power surpassed most. Even for him, this leap was inconceivable.
"I just refined a batch of pills," Chen Xiaoming said casually. "Since you're all here, would you care to take a look?"
His gaze swept over the three, recognizing them all from previous introductions. These were indeed the Three Pill Sovereigns of the tower.
Now that the three giants stood together, Chen Xiaoming couldn't help but feel a flicker of mischief. He decided it was the perfect moment to present them with a little "gift" he had just meticulously prepared.
With a flick of his right hand, a small jade bottle appeared in his palm. He gently flicked the cap, and a rich, intoxicating medicinal aroma immediately wafted forth.
The instant the scent escaped, the eyes of the three Pill Sovereigns lit up. At their level, they could often judge the quality of a pill from just a whiff of its fragrance.
For a pill to release such potent aroma the moment it was uncorked—it meant its medicinal essence had been flawlessly preserved and fully activated.
This kind of peak refinement was rare even for experts like them.
As the scent drifted in the air, Xiao Xun'er, standing nearby, instinctively inhaled. A trace of the pill's fragrance entered her body—and her expression shifted. Without hesitation, her figure darted backward.
"Hmm?"
Xuan Kongzi frowned slightly. He took a small breath himself—and immediately his brow furrowed. The dark-skinned elder and noblewoman beside him reacted the same.
The woman's gaze toward Chen Xiaoming sharpened, a look of disgust clearly written on her face. The old man said nothing, but with a subtle movement, blocked off the other side of the room, as if to seal off any potential escape.
Only Xuan Kongzi remained deep in thought. He extended his finger and drew some of the lingering pill fragrance into his body.
A thick, overwhelming scent of blood energy surged within him. Yet Xuan Kongzi's expression remained calm. He did not circulate Dou Qi to resist it. Instead, he closed his eyes and quietly attuned himself.
Chen Xiaoming observed with interest, then lightly flicked his wrist, sealing the bottle once more to prevent further loss of its potency.
"This... this pill... how is it even possible?"
Moments passed. When Xuan Kongzi finally opened his eyes, deep shock swam within them. This wasn't the first time Chen Xiaoming had left him speechless—but even now, he found it hard to believe.
"Hmph. It's just a demonic pill," the noblewoman snorted coldly, her gaze full of hostility as she prepared to strike—only to be stopped by Xuan Kongzi.
"It's not a demonic pill. That's a Blood Vitality Pill!"
Xuan Kongzi's bitter chuckle broke the tension as he explained. He knew now that the others had misunderstood. To be honest, he had too—at first.
After all, the dense bloody aura was alarmingly similar to that of evil pills forged with human blood essence. The Pill Tower had once encountered such things—and swiftly executed the culprits.
But after careful inspection, he realized it was different. This pill's restorative effect on the body's life force and vitality was clearly aligned with the function of a Blood Vitality Pill.
And more importantly—the recipe for the Blood Vitality Pill had come from him.
"Mhm. As expected of President Xuan Kongzi," Chen Xiaoming replied with a mild smile. He didn't mention that he had forgotten to ask Yao Lao for the recipe and simply used the one Xuan Kongzi had provided earlier. It was just a basic first-tier pill, after all.
The Blood Vitality Pill had a simple purpose: to replenish the body's blood and vitality.
"It really is a Blood Vitality Pill?" the noblewoman and the old man asked in unison, turning toward Xuan Kongzi for confirmation.
That overwhelming bloody energy had even them feeling uneasy. Could a mere first-tier pill truly achieve this?
"Release."
Chen Xiaoming enveloped the surrounding area with Spatial Force, erecting layer upon layer of spatial barriers. Then, with a light command, he dispelled the force sealing the jade bottle.
Boom!
A torrential wave of Blood Vitality erupted. The jade bottle exploded, releasing a crimson medicinal fragrance that engulfed the space.
The surge of vitality roiled like a rising tide, its fearsome pressure sweeping out. At the center of the blood-red mist, a single scarlet pill floated silently in midair—about the size of a dragon's eye fruit.
Its smooth, gleaming surface bore nine golden circular marks, arranged in perfect symmetry—each exuding terrifying energy.
The three Pill Sovereigns stared at the nine golden markings, utterly stunned—more shocked than they had been at Chen Xiaoming's soul breakthrough.
Their eyes went wide—wider than oxen, almost ready to pop from their sockets.
Xuan Kongzi swallowed hard, all trace of masterly composure gone.
"A Nine-Marked Blood Vitality Pill!"
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