The Break Character Art

Elixir Cauldron Peak.

"Most important for us alchemists is learning to break free of the limits of our thinking. Pills don't necessarily have to enhance the strength of the person taking them. Take this Ten Ox Strength Pill I concocted, for example." Wu Ming held forth in the Elixir Cauldron lecture hall, explaining the principles of alchemy in a way that was both thorough and easy to understand.

The disciples below quickly took notes. These precious principles of alchemy were difficult to hear about anywhere else.

Alchemists outside the sect valued passing down their techniques. As the saying went, "Teach your apprentice everything, and you'll starve your master to death." That made learning the principles of alchemy out in the world a difficult and arduous task.

Elixir Cauldron Peak was different. They were eager to impart everything they knew, teaching all their ideas to the new junior brothers and sisters in one go.

Alchemists outside the sect clung to tradition, insisting that the ways of their ancestors could not be changed. That made it difficult for them to understand Elixir Cauldron Peak's principles of alchemy.

Seeing the junior brothers and sisters listening attentively, Wu Ming felt rather pleased with himself.

This year, Ask Dao Sect hadn't recruited only five people—Lu Yang, Meng Jingzhou, Man Gu, Tao Yaoye, and Li Haoran. It was simply that the five of them were so talented and had stolen the spotlight at Ask Dao Sect, causing people to unconsciously overlook the other new disciples.

Aside from those five, there were many other disciples with dual or triple spiritual roots, or with other exceptional abilities. They would become the backbone of Ask Dao Sect in the future.

The disciples listening to the lecture were the latest batch who had chosen to become apprentices at Elixir Cauldron Peak.

They had studied at Elixir Cauldron Peak for over a year, but were still trying to get the hang of alchemy.

"Many cultivators have a habit of swallowing pills in the middle of a fight, unleashing several times their usual strength. That sudden burst catches their opponent off guard and wins them the battle."

"Winning is all well and good, but this method sends several times your usual strength surging through your meridians. Meridians are only so wide. Forcing such a surge through them can cause serious damage, and in severe cases, even harm your foundations and hinder your cultivation."

"As alchemists, our duty is to heal the sick and save lives. We should do everything we can to prevent this from happening."

"So I devoted myself to research, even visiting a friend next door who specializes in summoning arrays. At last, I developed this Ten Ox Strength Pill."

"The pill contains a miniature summoning array. After you take it, your body becomes the medium, summoning ten water buffalo to help you fight your enemies."

"Senior Brother Wu, where do these ten water buffalo come from?" asked a cute junior sister who had been listening attentively.

Wu Ming smiled. "I called them over from the spirit fields."

Most of the food served in the cafeteria and restaurants was grown in Ask Dao Sect's own spirit fields.

Growing such high-quality rice and other food required excellent soil, fertilizer, and farming methods.

The Azure-Eyed Water Buffalo Clan worked hard in the spirit fields. The clan members were immensely strong and powerful, with members ranging from the Qi Refining Realm all the way to the Nascent Soul Realm. They even had an old Ox King in the Spirit Transformation Realm, a truly terrifying existence.

When the Third Elder was young, his hot-blooded enthusiasm had gotten the better of him, and he'd gone to the spirit fields, pushed a buffalo aside, and plowed the land himself all night. The buffalo mentioned in that story belonged to the Azure-Eyed Water Buffalo Clan.

The Azure-Eyed Water Buffalo Clan loved nothing more than butting heads with their horns. Wu Ming had contacted them to see if they would be willing to be summoned during battles, and they had readily agreed.

"As alchemists, you must learn to think like I do—to put yourselves in the pill-taker's shoes and ask why they want to take the pill, whether it has any side effects, and whether there might be a better solution."

Wu Ming had written a paper on his Ten Ox Strength Pill and submitted it to Pillfire, an authoritative publication in the world of alchemy. Its editor had been so astonished by Wu Ming's wildly unconventional idea that he passed the paper along to an authoritative publication in the world of summoning instead.

It had now been successfully published.

Wu Ming knew his idea was far ahead of its time and that cultivators would need time to adapt. So he had set the Foundation Establishment-grade Ten Ox Strength Pill at a very low price: only one hundred contribution points.

Even the fried dough sticks sold in the cafeteria cost one hundred and fifty contribution points.

Wu Ming had also thoughtfully listed its effect on the exchange board: "Take this pill to gain the strength of ten oxen."

Lu Yang fell into deep thought.

If the pill was fake, then why did it really give the person who took it the strength of ten oxen? Its description and effects were perfectly accurate—not a bit of exaggeration.

But if the pill was real, something still felt off.

What exactly was the problem?

He couldn't figure it out.

The ten Foundation Establishment Realm water buffalo were plump and strong. As they charged toward the tiger demon in unison, they cut an imposing sight.

Faced with these savage bulls, the tiger demon wouldn't dare let them hit it, even if it were in the Golden Core Realm, let alone just half a step into it.

However strong the tiger demon was, it couldn't match the strength of a bull demon.

As the saying went, Elixir Cauldron Peak might be unreliable, but its pills had never failed to deliver their effects. The ten savage bulls it had summoned would definitely defeat the tiger demon.

Man Gu and Meng Jingzhou relaxed without even realizing it.

The battle was decided. The tiger demon had no way to turn things around.

The tiger demon's eyes bulged, its fur stood on end. It seemed to know it couldn't defeat the ten water buffalo.

If that was the case, then it would drag one of them down with it!

Just then, a loud crash rang out as the mountain god temple collapsed.

The temple had already been on the verge of collapsing. One careless hit from the ten water buffalo was all it took to bring it down.

For a moment, dust mingled with the pouring rain and blocked everyone's view.

The tiger demon seized its chance, pushing off with all four limbs and leaping high into the air to evade the buffalo. Then it pounced at Lu Yang with lightning speed!

This human had to die!

The water buffalo were heavy-bodied and poor at jumping. They didn't react in time to this sudden turn of events.

Man Gu and Meng Jingzhou cried out in alarm. They had let their guard down, and it was already too late to rescue Lu Yang.

Everyone present was thrown into a panic. Only Lu Yang remained calm.

He had long since guessed that the tiger demon would make a desperate final attack and take him down with it.

Everyone knew that a cornered beast fought most viciously!

Lu Yang neither dodged nor retreated. He used the spell "shrinking inches," shrinking himself and his sword together.

The tiger demon's pounce hit nothing but air. Lu Yang appeared directly beneath it and returned to his normal size. Azure spiritual energy coursed along the blade, gathering at its tip.

"Break!"

Lu Yang unleashed the Break Character Art. The Azure Edge Sword was unstoppable as it pierced the tiger demon's thick hide. With a wet splurt, it stabbed through the demon's abdomen, its bloodied tip emerging from its back.

He had learned this sword move at Heaven Gate Peak. Of all the sword techniques, it had the greatest offensive power. A single strike could drain most of his spiritual energy, so he couldn't use it lightly.

During the fight, Lu Yang had already figured out the tiger demon's weakness: the very center of its abdomen was the only place on its body with poor defenses.

Lu Yang released Sword Qi. Thin as ox hair, azure-blue Sword Qi blossomed inside the tiger demon, like countless needles piercing through it.

Crackling sounds like firecrackers came from inside the tiger demon, traveling up its spine and straight to the crown of its head.

Blood streamed from all seven orifices as the tiger demon fell to the ground.

Lu Yang panted heavily and leaned against the wall, signaling Man Gu and Meng Jingzhou to help Lanting deal with the demons.

Seeing her husband dead, the tigress grew even more ferocious and fought desperately. Lanting could barely hold down the cornered beast.

Before Man Gu and Meng Jingzhou could join the fight, the water buffalo demons turned and charged at the tigress.

The tigress failed to dodge in time and was trampled and gored until she was a bloody mess.

The battle was over.

Lanting opened her mouth, thinking of all the strange rumors about Ask Dao Sect that her senior sisters had told her. She had never believed them before, but now she believed them seventy percent.