Zeng Wen, Today I'll Take On Ten

Zeng Wen, a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator and longtime resident of the Inner City Area.

He had once had hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment path, but unfortunately, after fighting someone years ago, he had damaged his foundation. In this life, Foundation Establishment was forever beyond his reach.

Though his foundation was damaged, his combat strength remained. He was still in the prime of life, so he ordinarily never lacked spending money.

Even when he ran out of Spirit Stones, he could make a trip into the Million Mountains. As long as he did not enter the inner regions and merely wandered around the outskirts, killing one or two Tier 1 Demon Beasts would be enough to earn him plenty of Spirit Stones.

As for what he did with the money he earned?

Why, naturally, eating, drinking, whor... Naturally, enjoying fine food, fine wine, and beautiful women!

He had recently been feeling strapped for cash and was planning to head into the mountains.

So, at the roadside stalls, he picked out a few talismans, bought several bottles of pills, and then purchased one or two handy Magic Tools.

It had to be said that while a trip into the mountains had a great chance of bringing in a large profit, the losses each time were considerable as well.

Those demon beasts were exceptionally crude, thick-skinned and tough-fleshed, and always easily damaged his Magic Tools.

They were nothing like the beauties of the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion, who could polish his Magic Tool until it gleamed slick and bright every time.

But today, his luck was good. He had bought an Aura Concealing Talisman, and although he had previously looked down on the Grain Avoidance Pills sold by that kid beside Old Taoist Chen, this time he felt their quality was no worse than those from the Spirit Medicine Pavilion.

Thus, he bought five bottles, intending to test their effects.

But just as he was about to leave, that kid called out to him.

"Fellow Daoist, would you be interested in learning about the All Wonders Pill?"

"All Wonders Pill? What is that?"

Luo Chen spoke in an exceedingly low voice. "The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of Heaven and Earth; the named is the mother of all things."

The fat cultivator Zeng Wen was a little dumbfounded. What did that mean?

Were you playing tongue twisters with me?

Luo Chen took a deep breath and said in the tone of one whose teachings could not be lightly imparted, "Thus, ever without desire, one may observe its wonders; ever with desire, one may observe its boundaries. These two emerge together yet differ in name; together they are called mystery. Mystery upon mystery, the gate to all wonders."

After saying that, he stared at Zeng Wen. "Fellow Daoist, do you understand the meaning of these words?"

Zeng Wen hesitantly nodded, then shook his head. "I don't understand, but it sounds very impressive."

Luo Chen could not help giving him a thumbs-up!

"Worthy indeed of a great Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator far beyond my realm. You sensed the profundity within them upon hearing them only once."

Zeng Wen blinked. Was that so?

That was right. This kid was only at the Third Layer of Qi Refining Stage. How could he understand those words that sounded so impressive at a glance?

"But what does this have to do with the All Wonders Pill you mentioned?"

Luo Chen pressed his lips together and continued softly, "Fellow Daoist, do you know the tale of Yun Zhonghe, a great figure of the Joyful Union Sect?"

"Oh, you mean Cloud Crane Supreme!"

"No, Yun Zhonghe!"

"Hm?"

"The Supreme's title must not be spoken directly, nor may it be treated lightly. You and I may simply call him Yun Zhonghe."

"Understood. Go on!"

"Then surely you also know how he cultivated the core Cultivation Method of the Joyful Union Sect, deduced it to its supreme heights, and thereby, with Early Stage Golden Core cultivation, overwhelmed a Fourth Order Beast Emperor!"

Zeng Wen nodded. Who had not heard of that?

Especially an old whoremonger like him, who frequented the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion year-round. When chatting with the ladies, he would always go through the following sort of exchange two or three times.

"Where are you from?"

"The Joyful Union Sect Outer Sect?"

"I know that place. Your sect has a Cloud Crane Supreme, right? He's damn impressive, reputed to be the number one person beneath the Nascent Soul!"

"It's a pity he is formidable, but the Joyful Union Sect is ultimately no place of kindness. Young lady, why remain trapped in a cage? Why not escape the sea of suffering as soon as possible?"

And so on and so forth. Whenever emotions ran deep, they could not help embracing one another and weeping bitterly, lamenting the hardships of cultivation.

Luo Chen had no idea that this senior's inner drama was so abundant, and continued his sales pitch.

"With a Golden Core body, he overwhelmed a Fourth Order Beast Emperor. What a glorious feat! From this, one could see what earth-shaking Divine Ability he comprehended from the Joyful Union Sect's core Cultivation Method!"

"Yes. How could I, Zeng Wen, not wish to glimpse such splendor? Alas, I was born two hundred years too late." Zeng Wen shook his head and sighed, his voice desolate.

"Though you cannot witness Mr. Yun Zhonghe's splendor from those days, you may still sense a trace of it."

"Oh? How so?"

"That extraordinary yet inexplicably impressive passage I spoke just now is said to have been one of Mr. Yun Zhonghe's insights."

"Really?"

"This junior does not know whether it is true or false. But years ago, I collected an Incomplete Pill Recipe from the Marketplace. It was said to have come from Heavenly Blade Peak!"

Zeng Wen's eyes widened, and his lips trembled slightly as he said, "Could it have been from the nest of that Fourth Order Demon Crane Empress back then?"

"Perhaps! It is only a pity that the Pill Recipe was far too incomplete. After I read it once, it vanished like smoke and dissipated like clouds. In my haste, I only remembered a small portion of it, then researched a Tier 1 Pill from it." Luo Chen looked somewhat dejected, unable to conceal the regret on his face.

Zeng Wen grew excited. "If it is real, even if it is merely skin and fur, it must be extraordinary. What effects does this All Wonders Pill have?"

Luo Chen lowered his head at an angle, looking somewhat bashful.

"To my shame, the All Wonders Pill has no great use. It merely has slight effects of strengthening virility, heightening pleasure, and consolidating the foundation while nurturing the origin."

It could heighten pleasure and consolidate the foundation while nurturing the origin too!

Was there truly such a miraculous pill in this world?

Recently, he had already begun to feel somewhat unable to keep up in battle after battle.

Zeng Wen felt only that he had encountered the treasure pill of his life. With Foundation Establishment hopeless, perhaps the All Wonders Pill would become what he relied upon for the rest of his days.

"Is it this one?"

Zeng Wen pointed at the exquisitely crafted jade bottle at the deepest part of the stall, which clearly stood apart from the rest.

Luo Chen nodded. "This junior is dull-witted. After exhausting everything I learned in my life, I barely managed to refine a single bottle. If Senior wishes to experience a trace of Mr. Yun Zhonghe's Great Dao, I am willing to sell it to you cheaply. Eight Low-Grade Spirit Stones—no, I feel as though I have known Senior at first sight, so five will do!"

Zeng Wen could not help hesitating. He picked up the jade bottle and pulled out its soft stopper.

A refreshing fragrance slowly drifted out. At the first sniff, his lower abdomen already stirred restlessly.

At the second sniff, pure spiritual energy rushed at his nose. Vaguely, it seemed as if stormy waves crashed against the shore while proudly facing the blazing sun overhead.

Looking closely, with the eyesight of Qi Refining Stage Level 9, he saw that the dark-red pill, the size of a longan, rolled about like meat jelly.

"Yin and yang blending, water and fire in harmony. It truly carries a trace of the flavor Miss Yu Xiang of the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion spoke of—the Dragon Tiger Convergence achieved when the Joyful Union Sect's core Cultivation Method reaches the Golden Core Stage."

"Fine. Your old brother feels as though he has known you at first sight. I'll take this bottle!"

"Five Spirit Stones, right? Here, take them!"

Luo Chen looked flattered and honored as he tightly stuffed the Spirit Stones into his robe.

"Take care, Senior. I will still be here next month. If Senior has need of anything, feel free to come find me. If there is anything unsatisfactory about the All Wonders Pill, please tell me directly. This junior will certainly do everything in his power to improve it for you!"

A pair of affectionate eyes watched the great Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator Zeng Wen walk farther and farther away, until he could no longer be seen.

Luo Chen could not help letting out a long breath.

The first sale of his new product had finally been made.

The first time was unfamiliar, the second time would be smooth. The next sale surely would not be far away.

He twisted his neck and felt his shoulders were somewhat stiff. Glancing sideways, he saw Old Taoist Chen Xiuping staring at him in utter shock.

His beard trembled, his lips quivered, and at last, gritting his teeth, he shouted a single sentence.

"I have never seen such a shameless person!"

Hehehe!

Luo Chen clasped his hands, then took another exquisite jade bottle from his robes and placed it among the remaining fifteen bottles of Grain Avoidance Pills.

Old Taoist Chen hissed as though air leaked through his teeth. "Didn't you say you had only refined one bottle?"

"It is one bottle! One bottle has ten pills. I divided them into ten bottles to sell. This is called small profits and quick turnover!"

His fists clenched!

Old Taoist Chen felt that he had encountered a rival rarely seen in his life!

At noon that day, Zeng Wen cast the Wind Riding Art, turning into a streak of azure light as he charged straight into the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion.

A female Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator blocked him head-on, saying directly that all the ladies were resting and no guests were being received for the moment.

Zeng Wen faced the Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator with the peak might of Qi Refining Ninth Layer and roared, "I am Zeng Wen. Today, I'll take on ten!"