The Fall of Zhao Kingdom

With every movement, a force of over two thousand kilograms erupted.

After the augmentation of Dragon Vigor Tiger Might, this could soar to over four thousand kilograms.

Under normal circumstances, only the powerhouses within the Flesh Phase Realm—no, the Tendon Phase Realm—could elevate their strength to such a level.

Qin Dongcheng, who had just stepped into the Flesh Phase Realm, possessed strength that did not fall short of most Tendon Phase Realm martial artists.

With the tenfold defensive boost provided by Heaven-Reaching Rhino Roam, it was hard to say who would win or lose even if he were to fight a Tendon Phase Realm martial artist head-on.

Most importantly, his muscles had become taut, a world of difference compared to before. Eight-pack abs had appeared on his stomach, and his physique was perfectly balanced.

If he were to return to his past life, even if his appearance remained as ordinary as before, Qin Dongcheng would never lack admirers or a girlfriend, purely based on this well-proportioned, handsome musculature.

Those celebrities in the entertainment industry known for their good figures would likely be unable to compare to Qin Dongcheng.

The great physique he had craved in his past life had been achieved just like that through the breakthrough of his realm; if he had been able to cultivate in his past life, he wouldn't have had to worry so much.

After adapting to his surging strength, Qin Dongcheng nodded with satisfaction and soon fell back into his cultivation routine—practicing punches, tempering his flesh, refining pills, and gathering herbs... just as if he hadn't broken through at all, his days remained calm and fulfilling.

However, the environment outside was not so peaceful. Not long after, Qin Dongcheng received news that Heyuan Prefecture, which bordered Luo Cloud Prefecture, had run into trouble again.

Zhao Kingdom, one of the top powers in Heyuan Prefecture, had been breached by demons, monsters, and ghosts, and Zhao Kingdom was very close to Luo Cloud Prefecture.

As Zhao Kingdom was breached, a large number of demons, monsters, and ghosts ravaged its territory while also entering Luo Cloud Prefecture, leaving the manpower in Luo Cloud Prefecture increasingly stretched thin.

What was even more terrifying was that the demons, monsters, and ghosts that breached Zhao Kingdom were primarily Ghost Spirits, interspersed with some Anomaly, while the number of demons and monsters was much smaller.

Ghost Spirits had no physical form and were difficult to deal with. Low-level martial artists lacked sufficiently vigorous blood energy and couldn't even project it externally, let alone inflict damage on Ghost Spirits.

Soon, a large number of low-level martial artists were killed by Ghost Spirits. The Five Elements Sect was also exhausted from dealing with them, and even high-level martial artists were stretched thin when facing the siege of large numbers of Ghost Spirits.

In desperation, the higher-ups of the Five Elements Sect ordered the Cauldron Hall to refine large quantities of Sun Flame Liquid to deal with the Ghost Spirits invading Luo Cloud Prefecture.

However, although Sun Flame Liquid was a low-level pill, its difficulty in refining was in no way inferior to the Soul Bewildering Pill, requiring quite a few intermediate alchemy techniques and methods.

The price of one bottle of Sun Flame Liquid was as high as ten taels of silver, comparable to many intermediate pills and ten times that of a Blood-Replenishing Pill; from this, one could see the value of Sun Flame Liquid.

Sun Flame Liquid had a great restraining effect on Ghost Spirits. As long as it was applied to a weapon, it could effectively damage Ghost Spirits, making it the most cost-effective item for restraining them.

Unfortunately, there were not many intermediate-level alchemists, and even fewer low-level alchemists capable of refining Sun Flame Liquid. With the output of the Cauldron Hall, it was impossible to meet the needs of so many disciples.

But the pressure from above was too urgent. With no other choice, the Cauldron Hall had to issue mandatory tasks, requiring all alchemists at the intermediate level or above to learn the refining method of Sun Flame Liquid and refine a batch as soon as possible to deal with the rampaging Ghost Spirits.

Those who already knew how to refine Sun Flame Liquid were entrusted with heavy responsibilities and required to refine it day and night without rest.

Even alchemy apprentices like Qin Dongcheng received a copy of the refining method for Sun Flame Liquid, allowing them to attempt to refine it as well.

If they succeeded, it could be used to offset several months of mandatory demon-slaying tasks, and the sect would also provide generous contribution point rewards.

The contribution points rewarded for one bottle of Sun Flame Liquid were as high as twenty points or more, far exceeding its normal market price, which showed the high demand the sect had for it.

Faced with such generous rewards, Qin Dongcheng, who was currently gathering contribution points to exchange for subsequent cultivation techniques, was immediately tempted.

With his current attainment in alchemy, it was not difficult for him to refine Sun Flame Liquid, and he could use this opportunity to master more intermediate alchemy techniques and experience.

Once he raised his success rate to over twenty or thirty percent, there was a high probability he could start refining intermediate pills, and it wouldn't take long before he could step into the level of an intermediate alchemist.

At that time, he could just happen to reveal his cultivation as a low-level alchemist to further elevate his status; that way, even if he took on more alchemy tasks to earn sect contributions, no one would suspect anything.

He prepared to build himself up as a genius in alchemy; otherwise, how could he earn a large amount of resources and treasures for cultivation? He could also legitimately hide in the headquarters and not go out, avoiding encounters with demons, monsters, and ghosts.

It was said that many official disciples had died during this Ghost Spirit invasion of Luo Cloud Prefecture, and Qin Dongcheng was a bit scared too.

Thus, he began to refine Sun Flame Liquid. The first attempt failed... the second attempt failed... the third attempt failed... After several full days, until the seventy-first time, Qin Dongcheng finally succeeded once.

"You have refined one bottle of Sun Flame Liquid. Congratulations on obtaining one harvest!"

Unfortunately, this time it did not trigger a critical hit; he only obtained one harvest, which was just one bottle of Sun Flame Liquid.

However, with the first success, Qin Dongcheng felt much more relaxed when refining Sun Flame Liquid again.

After all, having gained the experience of success, the probability of succeeding again would increase significantly.

The cost of Sun Flame Liquid was relatively high, at a full tael of silver. In other words, if he couldn't succeed once in ten attempts, he would be losing money.

Qin Dongcheng had refined it seventy-one times and failed seventy times, losing a full seventy taels of silver; the consumption was astonishing.

He had to raise the success rate to over ten percent in the future to make a profit.

When he succeeded for the second time, the number of failures was much lower; he succeeded in refining the second bottle of Sun Flame Liquid after only about fifty attempts.

This time, he only lost forty taels of silver, which was nothing to his net worth.

While refining Sun Flame Liquid, Qin Dongcheng never gave up on improving his cultivation realm, which was the most important thing to him and his greatest trump card.

Heaven Concealment Art, Phantom Movement Technique... were also steadily improving. One part effort, one part harvest; if there was a critical hit, there would be multiple harvests.

The feeling of his strength steadily improving was truly intoxicating.

Without realizing it, more than half a month passed, and Qin Dongcheng had refined several bottles of Sun Flame Liquid, nearly raising his success rate to ten percent.

"You have refined one bottle of Sun Flame Liquid. Congratulations on triggering a five-fold critical hit! You have obtained five times the rewards!"

Five bottles of Sun Flame Liquid, five times the alchemy experience, five times the alchemy skills, five times the alchemy methods... This critical hit directly raised his success rate to over ten percent. If he continued to refine Sun Flame Liquid in the future, at least he wouldn't lose money, though it would cost him time and energy.

With the help of this critical hit, he had also accumulated quite a bit of Sun Flame Liquid. It was time to turn in the task and obtain sect contributions.