The Truth: Liu Tao's Realm Breakthrough

"Everyone saw it with their own eyes. During this live trial of Du Ling Juice, ten out of twenty martial apprentices broke through directly—and all in one go. That's already a fifty percent success rate. Even those who did not break through immediately personally experienced the realm advancement brought by Du Ling Juice."

Ximen Yaoji spoke eloquently, but Murong Guang cut in with a sinister tone.

"What if the medicinal power of your Du Ling Juice is simply too overbearing? Out of the twenty martial apprentices taking the medicinal bath, two suffered Demonic Fire Affliction and became cripples. If the others had not stopped their medicinal baths in time, who knows what fate would have awaited them?"

Murong Guang wanted to continue spouting nonsense, but Ximen Yaoji cut him off without the slightest courtesy.

"I, Ximen Yaoji, dare to guarantee that if the other martial apprentices who stopped their medicinal baths continue using Du Ling Juice, they will definitely enter the Five Soulforging Cauldrons."

"Guarantee what? That they'll suffer Demonic Fire Affliction again and have their cultivation ruined? What can you possibly guarantee with?" Murong Guang immediately retorted, refusing to give an inch.

"If any of you are willing to prove the worth of Spirit Herb Pavilion's Du Ling Juice, and should you suffer Demonic Fire Affliction and become crippled, I, Ximen Yaoji, am willing to serve you for the rest of my life."

Ximen Yaoji suddenly turned around and addressed the martial apprentices who had withdrawn from the medicinal baths, her face resolute and decisive.

"I'm willing!" "Me too!"

For a moment, several martial apprentices who had just stopped their medicinal baths stared into Ximen Yaoji's eyes, their gazes filled with infatuation. Without a second thought, they stepped back into the medicinal basins.

"Thank you." Ximen Yaoji let out a breath of relief. Support brought strength, and that strength silenced the crowd. Everyone watched the martial apprentices who had resumed their medicinal baths with tense expressions, as if they were watching bombs that could explode at any moment.

Having finally turned the situation around somewhat, Ximen Yaoji did not look back at the medicinal basins. Instead, she raised her voice. "Now, let us examine these two martial apprentices who used our Du Ling Juice and see what exactly caused them to end up in such a state."

Several people from Spirit Herb Pavilion supported the two martial apprentices suffering from Demonic Fire Affliction and brought them forward for everyone to see.

Ximen Yaoji looked coldly at the two of them. "You are martial apprentice disciples of the Liu Clan."

"Y-yes. Du Ling Juice harmed us. You... you must compen—" Liu Chengsheng, who was nearly forty years old, stared with vacant eyes and spoke weakly.

Before he could finish, Ximen Yaoji snapped, "Nonsense! You are not members of the Liu Clan at all. The soul qi of your Five Soulforging Cauldrons is not Qilin!"

Everyone knew that the Liu Clan's Soul Forging Realm cultivation was unique. Unlike outside cultivators, who could freely condense the soul qi of different savage beasts at each realm, the Liu Clan had to follow a fixed progression: White Tiger, Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Qilin, and Phoenix—the soul qi of divine beast subspecies.

"Hmph. Your Du Ling Juice has a problem, yet you're trying to shift the blame onto others. Why aren't these two martial apprentices disciples of the Liu Clan?" Murong Guang snorted and turned toward Nie Zhengxu, who still sat motionless in the guest seats. "Nie Zhengxu, you are an elder of the Liu Clan. Many people here know you. Tell Ximen Yaoji yourself—are these two disciples of your Liu Clan or not?"

When everyone's gazes swept toward him, Nie Zhengxu knew he could no longer stay hidden. He smiled bitterly. "They are indeed Five Soulforging Cauldrons disciples of my Liu Clan."

"Did you hear that, Ximen Yaoji?" Murong Guang said arrogantly. "If you still cannot give an explanation, then get the hell out of Bleser City with your tail between your legs."

"Fine. Since this Liu Clan elder has confirmed that these two disciples who failed their breakthroughs and became cripples are members of the Liu Clan..." Ximen Yaoji did not even glance at the mad dog beside her. Instead, she faced the crowd below the stage. "Clan Master Liu, please come up and examine these two disciples of yours. Let us see exactly what kind of beast soul qi lies within their Five Soulforging Cauldrons."

The moment Ximen Yaoji spoke, the expressions of not only Murong Guang but also Nie Zhengxu and the others changed.

"Fine." Liu Yandong readily strode onto the stage. He extended a hand to each of them and placed them on the pulse points of Liu Chengsheng and Liu Shu.

Liu Yandong's face visibly darkened further and further. Finally, he flung away their wrists and demanded harshly, "Why is the soul qi in your Five Cauldrons Realm not the Qilin soul qi of my Liu Clan?"

Liu Chengsheng could still hold his tongue, but the other younger disciple, Liu Shu, was already terrified. He immediately confessed. "C-Clan Master, I... I don't know either. Ever since I tried Murong Divine Pill Chamber's Zhe Spirit Liquid, the Qilin soul qi in my Five Cauldrons Realm was swallowed by the Taotie Soul Qi in their medicine."

"What a sin!" Liu Yandong let out a long sigh. "I warned you long ago that Murong Divine Pill Chamber's Zhe Spirit Liquid contains Taotie Soul Qi with devouring properties. Your Qilin soul qi at the Five Cauldrons Realm was devoured and mutated. Then you used Du Ling Juice for another medicinal bath. It contains pure Qilin soul qi, and our clan's cultivation method is extremely forceful. It will not be devoured by the mutated Taotie Beast Soul again. With fire and water so incompatible, your lives are ruined."

Boom! The entire venue erupted in an uproar.

"I believe this does not only concern the Liu Clan. Families with secret cultivation methods, if your disciples rashly used Zhe Spirit Liquid, not only would they have failed to break through, but their beast soul qi would also have been mutated by Taotie soul qi. If I am not mistaken, they will end up crippled just like these two Liu Clan disciples."

Seizing the opportunity, Ximen Yaoji once again pointed the spear at Murong Divine Pill Chamber.

"Yes! No wonder my family's disciple had been cultivating perfectly well, only for his realm to suddenly stagnate after trying Murong Divine Pill Chamber's Zhe Spirit Liquid." Many people from various clans suddenly understood.

"Murong Divine Pill Chamber is a fraud! Make them compensate us for our losses!"

At that moment, Liu Ding, hidden beneath a cloak, shouted at just the right time. As expected, a furious tide immediately followed.

"Murong Divine Pill Chamber is a fraud!"

"Murong Divine Pill Chamber, compensate us!"

Murong Guang had not expected the situation to spiral out of control so suddenly. Just as several people were chasing after him and beating him into a miserable state, a delighted cry suddenly came from behind a screen.

"Wonderful! I finally broke through!"

Murong Guang happened to have ducked behind the screen while fleeing from his pursuers. At a glance, he saw that the person crying out joyfully was Liu Tao, the female martial apprentice of the Liu Clan.

Wonderful! Heaven has not forsaken me! Murong Guang was overjoyed. Without hesitation, he smashed the screen down with one blow and shouted, "Do you see? There is another disciple of the Liu Clan here! She has been using our Murong Divine Pill Chamber's Zhe Spirit Liquid all this time, and she has now successfully broken through to Six Soulforging Cauldrons!"

As everyone's eyes turned toward her at once, Liu Tao cried out and hurriedly grabbed a large bath towel beside her, wrapping herself tightly so that only her frightened eyes were exposed.

"That's enough!" Murong Guang finally recovered some of his spirit. He swept aside the people pursuing him, and with the attendants from Murong Divine Pill Chamber who had rushed over to break up the fight, he was finally protected.

"Everyone, look carefully. This is Liu Tao, a genuine Five Soulforging Cauldrons disciple of the Liu Clan. She only entered Five Soulforging Cauldrons within the past year. Half a month ago, she began continuously using our Zhe Spirit Liquid, and she has now successfully broken through."

Murong Guang was immensely pleased with himself as he said wildly, "The claim that our Zhe Spirit Liquid hinders cultivation breakthroughs is utter nonsense! The Demonic Fire Affliction and failed advancements of these two Liu Clan disciples were entirely caused by Ximen's Du Ling Juice! They are the ones who should pay compensation, and they are the ones who should get out of Bleser City!"

Finally, he grabbed Liu Tao's hand and shouted, "Tell them that over the past half month, Zhe Spirit Liquid helped you condense a considerable amount of Five Cauldrons soul qi, allowing you to achieve a perfect breakthrough!"