How Rumors Are Born

The imperial city contains many strangely shaped buildings. Some were created arbitrarily by powerful beings, some lacked artistic merit, and others existed as symbols.

A bronze cauldron stands in a corner of the imperial city, towering like a small mountain. Its surface is smooth as a mirror and covered with various details, and its ancient beauty can be felt even from afar.

This is the most prosperous area of the imperial city, where every inch of land is incredibly valuable. The amount of Spirit Stone required to place such a bronze tripod here is astronomical.

Apart from a few major powers like the Land Money Merchant Guild, no one can afford this money.

Many elderly men with white hair and white robes, exuding the fragrance of elixirs, walked into the bronze cauldron with their hands behind their backs, looking down on everyone else.

Passersby looked at the bronze tripod with admiration and envy when they saw the elderly men entering it.

These are all renowned masters in the Dao of Alchemy, and many of them are pioneers of certain Pill Formula.

This is the Alchemy Alliance, representing the authority and pinnacle of Dao of Alchemy. Every year, countless Pill Formula announce their remarkable achievements to the outside world. It is a sacred place in the hearts of all Alchemist, except for the Alchemy Peak of the Ask Dao Sect.

Inside the bronze cauldron, taciturn Alchemist sat around an exquisite stone table, their faces expressionless.

A figure arrived late, signaling the start of the meeting.

He is Qingyunzi, the chief Alchemist of the Alchemy Alliance. His skills are so superb that he is undoubtedly the strongest Alchemist.

Those sitting here are all veterans of the alchemy world, possessing extraordinary skills, but they all acknowledge Qingyunzi's status.

Even the usually arrogant Seventh Elder admitted that Qingyunzi was the second-best alchemy master after him.

Qingyunzi smiled faintly, appearing unhurried. "This meeting, like always, aims to exchange insights on alchemy. Everyone is welcome to speak freely."

"Is it really okay to say whatever I want?" a master alchemist asked, raising his hand.

"Can."

The alchemy master's expression changed, and he slammed his fist on the table, angrily shouting, "Qingyunzi, you're already late! What are you pretending for? Everyone's been sitting here for ages, waiting for you!"

Clearly, acknowledging Qingyunzi's status as an alchemist does not mean tolerating his lateness.

"I'm so sorry, I was just studying Pill Formula and made a major breakthrough. I was so excited that I forgot the time."

"What kind of elixir are you studying? You seem quite engrossed in it."

Qingyunzi smiled mysteriously, "High Antiquity Pill Formula, the Fertility Pill."

"You've succeeded?!" Everyone was surprised. They all had the recipe for the Pill Formula, but no matter how they refined it, it could only make their dao companion look beautiful and healthy.

Recently, many beauty and skin-enhancing pills have been circulating on the black market. However, these are all defective pills that have been refined by these people. Apart from making the users look better, they are completely useless.

"Not yet, but I have some leads. According to my research, the owner of the Fertility Pill Formula is named Qinghe, and she seems to have a close connection with a certain immortal. Perhaps the Fertility Pill is also related to this immortal!"

"It's related to immortals? That makes sense." The crowd was initially surprised, but then they understood. It must be because there was a celestial fruit among the ingredients used in the alchemy, which was why they were unable to recover.

"Ha, I thought there was some major breakthrough, but it's just this?" The Seventh Elder scoffed at Qingyunzi's so-called research.

"Who do we have here? It's Wuji Zi from the Alchemy Peak. What are your thoughts?" Upon seeing the Seventh Elder, Qingyun Zi's calm demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp edge in his words.

Qingyunzi and the Seventh Elder exchanged a glance, their expressions sharp and confrontational.

Seeing this, no one dared to say anything, as everyone knew about the relationship between the two.

When they were young, the two fell in love with the same girl. After a struggle, mainly because the Seventh Elder pinned Qingyunzi to the ground and beat him, the girl finally chose the talented Seventh Elder.

This marked the beginning of their feud.

Because the Seventh Elder often concocted strange pills, it was difficult for anyone to judge the quality of his alchemy skills.

But one thing is certain: in terms of combat, none of the people present are a match for the Seventh Elder.

The Seventh Elder said slowly, "According to my research, the key to the Pill Formula is not the quality of the pills themselves, but the method of administration."

"Did you notice that the Pill Formula begins by stating the method of administration: 'Take it with river water; it can help with pregnancy.'"

Why specifically mention 'river water'? Wouldn't it be better to just use 'water'?

"With this question in mind, I searched through ancient books and consulted young scholars who had knowledge of High Antiquity times, and finally found the answer."

"The river water mentioned in the Pill Formula is no ordinary river water, but the Mother-Child River water that was refined by immortals in High Antiquity times!"

"Drinking water from the Zimu River will make you pregnant!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present was shocked. "What?!"

"The Mother-Child River?"

"Such magical river water?!"

Although the pills that the Seventh Elder refined were all very strange, he had never joked about such matters!

"Which immortal is it?" Qingyunzi asked urgently, disregarding his entanglement with the Seventh Elder.

He searched through ancient books and even borrowed a rare copy from the imperial palace, but he couldn't find the immortal's name. It was as if it had been deliberately hidden!

The Seventh Elder nodded calmly and revealed a secret. "It is Ying Tianxian."

Qingyunzi suddenly realized, "So it was him? That explains everything."

"What do you mean?" The crowd didn't understand why Qingyunzi said that. They had never heard of Yingtian Immortal refining the Mother-Child River.

Qingyunzi said mysteriously, "I found an ancient book in some ruins called <The Complete Book of Cooking>. Although it hasn't been fully deciphered yet, I'm certain of one thing: this book, which seems to teach people how to cook, actually contains hidden secrets."

Everyone was puzzled. The book's title suggested it was High Antiquity cookbook, so couldn't it be?

"At first, like you all, I thought it was a High Antiquity recipe, but after making a few dishes at random, I found that anyone who ate these dishes ended up unconscious!"

"This isn't a recipe, it's a poison manual!"

Everyone gasped. High Antiquity poison manual—it sounded terrifying.

"And the author of this poison manual is none other than Ying Tianxian!"

"Even elixirs and poisons are inseparable. Since Ying Tianxian was able to write this book on poisons, he must also be very knowledgeable about the principles of elixirs!"

"I've heard a High Antiquity saying: the greatest Alchemist don't find medicinal herbs, they invent them!"

"The Zimu River must be the medicinal material refined by Yingtian Xian!"

"No, perhaps the water of the Mother-Child River isn't medicine, but poison!"

"If you poison the opponent with the water of the Zimu River during battle, they will become pregnant and unable to fight, right?" Qingyunzi's eyes brightened as he spoke, feeling that his analysis was so logically connected, as if he had unveiled a mysterious veil from High Antiquity times!

"How many women must have become pregnant from the Mother-Child River water created by the Celestial Immortal?" Everyone marveled at the Celestial Immortal's power.

As expected of an immortal, to be able to refine such a wondrous item.

After the servant poured water for everyone, he quietly left. The people here were all alchemy masters, and they talked about immortals. He was terrified and dared not linger.

He was surrounded by his companions as soon as he stepped outside.

"How did it go? What did they say inside?"

This is the most prestigious Alchemist conference, representing the most cutting-edge knowledge in the alchemy world. Hearing even a little bit of it is enough for them to boast about.

The servant was somewhat embarrassed; he had been too frightened to listen carefully.

He tried hard to recall the conversation between the alchemy masters, but was somewhat unsure:

"It seems to be about the High Antiquity immortal Ying Tianxian who made countless women pregnant?"

His companions gasped.

This is High Antiquity secret.