Pill King Gu He: I Will Never Take a Master!

"Hehe, you've got a good eye. 👹💗 😝ൠ"

Zhang Yuan was amused by the decisive action of the Nether Sea Flood Dragon Beast and reached out to place his hand on its head.

"Don't resist anymore. I'll send you into the Primordial Mirage Dragon Pearl that I control. You can absorb Dragon Qi inside to your heart's content until you complete your bloodline advancement."

The Primordial Mirage Dragon Pearl?

Yun Yun and the others silently recited the name in their hearts, and couldn't help but think of the scene when Medusa suddenly disappeared earlier. They guessed that she had been teleported into this bead.

As expected of Zhang Yuan, who has a mysterious background, he certainly has many tricks up his sleeve.

Zhang Yuan, unaware of everyone's thoughts, had already activated the Ancient Void Realm for teleportation.

The Nether Sea Flood Dragon Beast immediately felt its body enveloped by a spatial teleportation force, but made no attempt to resist.

The next moment, it was transferred to the Ancient Void Realm and appeared within the Dragon Qi clouds above Gravity Peak.

"Roar!!!"

Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, the Nether Sea Flood Dragon Beast was somewhat wary, but after inhaling a large amount of Dragon Qi, it directly lost its ability to speak.

Dragon Qi, all around it is Dragon Qi, it is now in an ocean of Dragon Qi.

Relying on this Dragon Qi, it can not only repair all injuries, but also advance its bloodline.

It has been stuck at the Peak Sixth-tier for a long time, and once its bloodline advances, its strength will soon follow suit.

At that time, he will be Seventh-tier Nether Sea Flood Dragon!

The Nether Sea Flood Dragon Beast decisively entered a state of swallowing and spitting.

Inside the council hall of the Stone Desert City Lord's Mansion, although everyone was prepared, they still couldn't help but be surprised when they saw the Nether Sea Flood Dragon Beast suddenly disappear.

"It will probably take a few days. Once it completes its transformation, I will release it," Zhang Yuan said to Jia Xingtian.

"Great!" Jia Xingtian clenched his fist excitedly.

Once the Nether Sea Flood Dragon Beast's bloodline advances to the Seventh-tier, he will unleash the Imperial Family's resources and do everything in his power to help it break through.

Once the Imperial Family possesses a Seventh-tier guardian magical beast comparable to a Dou Zong powerhouse, their status and competitiveness within the Nine Abyss Mansion, as well as their position against the surrounding empires, will be greatly enhanced.

Zhang Yuan picked up his teacup, his smile unchanged, and asked, "Next?"

"I'll go first." Seeing Gu He Yun Yun didn't seem to be in a hurry, Gu He didn't offer any more politeness and asked, "Young friend, why did you send someone to summon me here?"

He was an Alchemist, and most people would ask him to refine pills, so he assumed Zhang Yuan would do the same for the favor he owed him.

Hearing that Jia Xingtian needed the Primal Bone-Shaping Pill only reinforced this idea in his mind, but Zhang Yuan did not do so.

"I'm not here to ask you for anything," Zhang Yuan said with a smile, "But to offer you a fortuitous opportunity."

Gu He was taken aback upon hearing this. "Give me an opportunity?"

If someone else said that, he would think it was a joke.

As Sixth-Rank Alchemist, Gu He was not only renowned in the Jia Ma Empire, but also a guest of honor in some surrounding empires and forces, possessing a powerful network of connections.

If he agrees to refine pills, he's giving others a chance; who would give him a chance?

But if the person speaking is Zhang Yuan, whose background is mysterious, whose strength and talent are monstrous, and who has connected the Misty Cloud Sect, the Jia Ma Empire Royal Family, the Nalan Family, the Mittel Family, and the Snake People tribe in a short period of time, then that's a different story.

But he grew increasingly curious: he and the other person were not related, so why would the other person offer him such an opportunity?

"Master Gu He, you've been Sixth-Rank Alchemist for a while now, haven't you?" Zhang Yuan asked instead of answering, his smile friendly.

"It's been almost ten years." A look of reminiscence flashed in Gu He's eyes.

"How many decades does one have in a lifetime?" Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "Master Gu He, would you like to break through to the seventh rank?"

Gu He's breath hitched, and his mind trembled as he asked, "The opportunity you speak of, young friend, could it be something that can help me become a seventh-rank cultivator?"

Gu He wasn't stupid; on the contrary, he was quite clever. Just by recalling the previous conversation, he guessed what Zhang Yuan was going to do.

"Hiss~"

Yun Yun and the others' hearts also tightened.

Rank 7 Alchemist is someone even Dou Zong powerhouse would fawn over; a guest of honor for top-tier forces on the continent; and someone all forces in the Northwest Continent would try to win over.

Even if the Imperial Family's Nether Sea Flood Dragon Beast successfully advances to a higher level, it still has to be polite to Rank 7 Alchemist.

If Zhang Yuan can even do something like this, it's far more terrifying than helping them all become Dou Zong.

"Sure," Zhang Yuan nodded. "I can use my connections to get you apprenticeship with a powerful Alchemist. With his guidance, I guarantee you'll break through to the seventh rank within five years, and the Eighth-Tier isn't impossible."

Generally speaking, Alchemist needs to possess the strength of Dou Emperor to refine Rank 6 Pill, a seventh-grade Dou Zong, and Eighth-Tier Dou Zun. However, Alchemist with strong talents, such as Little Yan and Gu He, can refine Rank 6 Pill even though they are both at the Peak Dou Wang.

Therefore, Gu He might not be unable to refine seventh-grade pills at the Peak Dou Emperor, and he could refine low-grade Rank 8 Pill at the Peak Dou Zong.

Following the original trajectory, Little Yan destroyed the Misty Cloud Sect and became Dou Emperor in a year. After that, he left the Jia Ma Empire and spent seven or eight years becoming a peak Eight-Star Dou Zun. He then returned to the Mystic Yellow Fortress to face forces such as the Lion Underworld Sect. At that time, Gu He, who was the Pill Hall of the Flame Alliance, was already Dou Zong and Rank 7 Alchemist.

In other words, relying on Gu He He's own talent, and with the help of the Flame Alliance, which has gradually developed into one of the top three forces in the Northwest Continent, he can become Dou Zong and Rank 7 Alchemist in about ten years.

If he could receive guidance and instruction from the Old Yao, along with his own resources, it would be entirely possible for him to become Rank 7 Alchemist within five years.

This is not only an affirmation of Gu He's talent, but also an affirmation of Old Yao's and his own abilities.

"Become an apprentice!?"

Gu He and the others were surprised once again.

What level of Alchemist can guarantee that a Sixth-Rank Alchemist will break through to the seventh grade within five years?

"Young friend, I cannot agree to this." Gu He resolutely refused.

Given Zhang Yuan's current level of expertise and strength, he had no doubt about the veracity of the other party's words.

Moreover, as Sixth-Rank Alchemist, he could certainly sense whether a stronger Alchemist could guide him to improve, so Zhang Yuan had no reason to lie to him.

Even though there was a better future ahead of him, he couldn't agree to it.

This wasn't out of arrogance, but because he had reasons for not being able to agree.

"You won't agree?" Zhang Yuan was somewhat surprised that Gu He refused so readily. "You don't want to break through to the Dou Emperor as soon as possible, you don't want to know more pill formulas, and you don't want to become Rank 7 Alchemist as soon as possible?"

"A quick start leads to a quicker path. If you become Rank 7 Alchemist sooner, you can accumulate resources more quickly to break through your limits and eventually reach the Eighth-Tier."

"You may not know this, but as Sixth-Rank Alchemist, you should be able to sense that to refine Rank 8 Alchemist, you need to elevate your soul to another level, and this requires a soul-refining technique."

"These things are readily available to you if you're willing to become an apprentice."

Because Gu He was talented and of good Human-grade, he was willing to offer more advice.

If Gu He could become Old Yao's disciple, it would benefit both parties and bring them closer.

Faced with such enormous benefits, would Gu He refuse?

"Young friend, there's no need to persuade me any further," Gu He shook his head and said, "A wise man knows what to do and what not to do."

"Even if I can never improve my Soul Realm to become Rank 8 Alchemist, or even Rank 7 Alchemist, I will never take on a master."

"It's not that I, Gu He, am arrogant, but I have my reasons for not becoming an apprentice."

At this point, Gu He paused and said, "If you don't mind, young friend, I can join the Nine Abyss Mansion like Sect Master Yun Yun Elder Jia."

"I believe a Sixth-Rank Alchemist should be able to earn the Origin Points and Mission Points you just mentioned. If they accumulate enough, they should be able to exchange for guidance from a high-level Alchemist, as well as methods to enhance their soul, right?"

Zhang Yuan was somewhat surprised.

He could tell that Gu He wasn't being arrogant.

In particular, the final addition shows that Gu He guessed that his so-called "opportunity" was an attempt to win him over, and that being willing to join Nine Abyss Mansion was a gesture of goodwill, recognition, and a statement of commitment.

But this surprised him even more.

Given the shortcut of becoming an apprentice, why would Gu He choose the more difficult path?

"Master Gu He, I don't need to elaborate on how amazing it is that he can guide you to break through to the seventh rank of high-level Alchemist within five years. If you can become his disciple, you will definitely benefit, and I believe you understand that."

"I don't think you're an arrogant person, so why are you unwilling to become my disciple?"

Zhang Yuan wasn't trying to offer any specific advice or guidance; he was simply curious.

"It's not that this past is something that can't be talked about."

Gu He lowered his head and pondered for a moment before recounting his past.

He has an older brother named Gu Te, and the two brothers have relied on each other since childhood.

Thanks to Gu Te's relentless efforts to earn money, he was able to study at a martial arts school in his youth and became a Dou Zhe at the age of fifteen, which shows he has considerable talent.

Inside the martial arts school, a member of a collateral branch of a local small family was studying there. Jealous of his talent, he led a group to surround and ambush him in order to secure the position of a direct disciple of Da Dou Shi. He was forced to jump off a cliff, but this misfortune turned into a blessing as he had a fortuitous encounter and discovered the cave dwelling left behind by a senior powerhouse.

The senior, who called himself Dan Chenzi, was a Peak Sixth-Rank Alchemist from Central Region. He traveled to the Northwest Continent in pursuit of his idol Venerable Yao. During his travels, he became enemies with a Dou Emperor poison master in the Chuyun Empire. The other party brought several Dou Wang to cause him trouble, and he killed them all, but he himself was also poisoned by an incurable poison.

At the end of his life, he left behind a High Xuan Tier fire-attribute cultivation technique, several Profound Tier fire-attribute Dou Technique, and all the knowledge Sixth-Rank Alchemist had acquired throughout his life, for someone destined to receive it.

If someone is able to inherit his mantle, he hopes that the other person will have the opportunity to fulfill his unfulfilled wish and travel the entire Dou Qi Continent along the path of his idol.

At the end of his autobiography, Dan Chenzi wrote a lot about the deeds of the Venerable Yao, expressing extreme admiration and inspiring people to aspire to be like him, believing that a rogue cultivator should be like him.

When he became Dou Zhe, he tested his Dou Qi attribute, which was fire with a trace of Wood Attribute. He had the potential to become Alchemist, depending on whether his Soul Power could meet the requirements.

Having inherited Dan Chenzi's skills, he tried alchemy while recuperating from his injuries. Unexpectedly, he had a great talent and quickly mastered the basics, thus beginning his "legendary" life.

"In my heart, Senior Dan Chenzi is my teacher. I owe all my achievements to him, so I will not take a second person as my teacher," Gu He said solemnly.

The legacy left by Dan Chenzi changed his life, giving him everything he has today. In his heart, there will always be only one master: Dan Chenzi.

What he didn't say was that more than twenty years had passed since he became Alchemist. After becoming Dou Wang and Sixth-Rank Alchemist, he wanted to go and fulfill Dan Chenzi's last wish, but he was delayed because he saw Yun Yun.

He has decided that once he breaks through to the Dou Emperor, he will formally confess his feelings to Yun Yun. If she accepts, he will stay in the Jia Ma Empire to develop his career; if she rejects him, he will venture out to the Dou Qi Continent and seek the opportunity to become Rank 7 Alchemist.

Joining Zhang Yuan's Nine Abyss Mansion would not affect his plan.

Yun Yun and the others immediately looked at Gu He with newfound respect.

I never imagined that this Pill King had such a past.

"I see."

Zhang Yuan also came to appreciate Gu He's character even more.

A person who can stay true to themselves in the face of huge profits is admirable.

But at the same time, a strange look appeared in his eyes.

If Gu He knew that the person who wanted to take him as a disciple was Yao Chen, whom both he and Dan Chenzi greatly admired, how would he choose?

(End of this chapter)