Daoist Law Battle, Ascension Essence Pill

Chu Yun took the pill bottle and tucked it into his robes.

Wu Datou was slightly surprised; the scene he had anticipated, where Chu Yun would refuse to accept it, did not occur. He thought it over and felt uneasy, just about to urge Chu Yun to feed the pill to the beast on the spot.

However, Chu Yun had already spoken: "Come, this time, fire a barrage of water bullets, one wave every ten breaths. Begin."

"Oh." Wu Datou blinked, having no choice but to swallow the words that had reached his lips. He prepared to find another opportunity.

The training continued until the sun dipped below the horizon and the three elders returned.

"Oh, why is Datou here?" When Old Red Spear arrived at the training grounds and saw Wu Datou acting as a sparring partner under Chu Yun's command, he immediately burst into laughter.

"Datou pays his respects to the three Centurions!" Upon seeing Old Red Spear and the others, Wu Datou's expression became respectful, his face filled with sincere reverence.

Back when he was just a lowly soldier, he had greatly admired the prestige of the three elders, and they had often looked after him. Now that he had become a Centurion and the three elders had retired, his respect and affection for them remained unchanged.

"What Centurions? We're just retired old fogies," Old Monkey Qiao said, waving his hand.

"Hmm, you're doing a good job as a sparring partner, Datou." After understanding the reason for Wu Datou's visit, Old Fish King patted him on the shoulder in commendation.

Old Red Spear, however, reached out to Chu Yun: "Lady Shu sent over a Foundation Strengthening Pill? Let this old man have a look."

Ginger is still spiciest when old; he felt there was something suspicious about such a change in Lady Shu.

Chu Yun handed the Foundation Strengthening Pill to him. The three elders took turns examining it, but they could find no fault.

"It is indeed a Foundation Strengthening Pill. It seems Lady Shu doesn't want the Island Master to blame her upon his return. Foundation Strengthening Pills are very helpful for mutated spirit beasts. Little Chu, hurry and feed it to your Fire Fox." Old Red Spear handed the pill back.

Chu Yun took a look. Based on his own experience, he also found no issues. This Foundation Strengthening Pill was neither a poison pill nor a defective one; the medicinal fragrance was pure, and the pill was plump and round.

"Hmm, I will feed it after the eggshell is finished," Chu Yun said as he tucked it back into his robes. Though he said this, he was sneering inwardly.

Anything sent by Lady Shu was less safe than the Demon Essence Pills or Blood Qi Pills he had seized from pirates. If he were in his past life, he might have believed in this "goodwill." But having been reborn into this life, Chu Yun had long since understood Lady Shu's true nature.

A vicious woman's heart—that was exactly her!

Moreover, the Heavenly Fox was not a mutated spirit beast. Chu Yun would not be foolish enough to use this pill to feed the Heavenly Fox. However, the three elders and people like Wu Datou had yet to see through Lady Shu's essence.

Chu Yun did not refuse; he feigned agreement to brush the matter aside.

"Datou, come back tomorrow to be my sparring partner. That's all for today; you may go," Chu Yun continued.

"Oh." Wu Datou nodded and walked out of the manor, dazed. It wasn't until he returned to Shu Family City that he suddenly slapped his forehead and cried out, "Ah!"

Lady Shu had instructed him to urge Chu Yun to take the pill on the spot—how could he have forgotten?

"Damn it, my brain..." He slapped his forehead in regret, unaware that, in fact, he had been led by the nose by Chu Yun from the very beginning, trapped in a state of absolute passivity. It wasn't that he had forgotten; it was that Chu Yun had held the initiative the entire time.

"Forget it, I have to go back for sparring tomorrow. There will still be a chance." Thinking of this, Wu Datou felt relieved.

However, when he went to the Salt Field Manor the next day, Chu Yun informed him that he had already consumed the Foundation Strengthening Pill.

Wu Datou was dumbfounded.

He stared at Chu Yun for a long time without a word. He had many suspicions in his heart, but how could he question him directly? Even if he did, the other party would insist on it—what could he possibly do?

"What are you standing there for? You seem distracted, Datou." Chu Yun, seizing the opportunity, scolded him instead.

Wu Datou was a simple and honest man. Even years later, when he looked back on it, he felt it was truly strange—how had he so easily obeyed Chu Yun's every word?

In the blink of an eye, two more days passed.

On the morning of the fourth day, Chu Yun brought the Heavenly Fox and arrived at the Earth Altar once again.

The Earth Altar was a white stone structure, covering six acres and standing over two zhang high—roughly the height of three or four grown men stacked on top of each other.

The Earth Altar had a circular structure, simple yet magnificent, without excessive carvings or decorations. If viewed from the air, it looked like a white jade plate nestled between green mountains and blue waters.

The first assessment of the Coming-of-Age Ceremony took place within the Spirit Pressure Tunnel inside the Earth Altar. The second assessment was held on the spacious plaza at the top of the altar.

The morning sea breeze blew, the sky was clear, and the morning light spilled down, bathing the Earth Altar in a solemn and majestic glow.

The Earth Altar Spirit Beast Master stood in the center of the plaza. Standing before him were the three youths: Chu Yun, Shu Da, and Shu Er. Besides them, the plaza was crowded with people.

The content of the second assessment was a Daoist technique battle. It tested the Spirit Beast Master's ability to train their spirit beasts, and spectators were permitted.

Among the onlookers were, naturally, Lady Shu, Old Red Spear, and others. The rest mostly came from Shu Family City and Salty Salt Fishing Village. However, there were also many who had traveled from as far away as Distillery Fishing Village and Vine Arrow Mountain Village.

In the customs of the All-Star Archipelago, the Coming-of-Age Ceremony was a unique and grand event. At its most elaborate, dozens of youths would participate together, competing against one another. The battles would continue for days and nights, a spectacle of unprecedented scale. After it ended, the enthusiasm of the islanders would persist for a month or two. Whose youth had taken first place, whose youth had lost in such a pity—such topics were always eagerly discussed by the people.

The situation this year, however, was somewhat special.

There were only three youths aged thirteen who possessed the qualifications of a Spirit Beast Master.

Yet, the enthusiasm of the islanders was even higher. This was because all three were sons of the Island Master, Shu Tianhao, and the future Island Master would certainly be chosen from among them.

As for the rivalry between brothers, who was superior and who was inferior—the gossip-loving souls of the masses burned fiercely.

"General Wu, how did you handle the matter I entrusted to you?"

Lady Shu sat on a high-backed red sandalwood chair, her expression somewhat tense. Around her were four Spirit Beast Masters, each occupying a side, forcing a fifty-pace radius of space out of the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd at the Earth Altar.

"Reporting to My Lady, it has all been taken care of. Your subordinate personally coached Young Master Chu Yun for three consecutive days. Young Master Chu Yun is naturally intelligent and holds himself to strict standards. The training volume for the spirit beast Fire Fox was high, and it has made great progress."

Wu Datou reported everything exactly as it happened.

Lady Shu gave a cold hum in her heart, but her tension eased significantly. She knew Wu Datou's character; looking at it this way, the matter was as good as done.

"Plus, with the Ascension Essence Pills I've given my sons over these past three days... as one side gains and the other wanes, why should I fear that little beast Chu Yun turning the tables?"

Thinking of this, a sinister smile quietly surfaced at the corners of Lady Shu's mouth. She adjusted her posture slightly, feeling that the wide-backed sandalwood chair was truly excellent—comfortable to sit in and steady as a rock.

"First match, Chu Yun versus Shu Da." At this moment, the Spirit Beast Master at the Earth Altar shouted aloud, announcing the results of the draw.

The surroundings fell silent in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, only Chu Yun and Shu Da remained in the center of the plaza.

"Kid, it's not too late to beg for mercy now. That way, you'll avoid my Sea Burst Crocodile bullying the weak and blasting that little fox at your feet into mincemeat. Hahaha!" Shu Da crossed his arms; he was tall and broad-shouldered, his physique far more robust than his age would suggest. The gaze he cast at Chu Yun was filled with condescension, contempt, and disdain.

The Heavenly Fox, possessing extremely keen senses, immediately felt Shu Da's hostility. It flicked its tail, baring its sharp teeth, its pitch-black eyes locked tightly onto Shu Da.

"Very good, the fighting spirit is burning bright." Within the crowd, Old Red Spear nodded secretly. That the Heavenly Fox's battle intent was ignited so easily showed that it was a natural-born fighter, rich in combat talent.

"Strange, why is this Fire Fox still so spirited?" Lady Shu, however, frowned slightly.

Shu Da swept a disdainful glance at the Fire Fox, slapped the Immortal Pouch at his waist, and let out a great roar: "Come out, Sea Burst Crocodile!"

ROAR!

Blue light flashed, and a towering Sea Burst Crocodile appeared on the plaza, jaws agape in a roar. With its sharp claws and teeth and a thick, monstrous body, a tyrannical aura instantly radiated outward.

The crowd went quiet, then erupted into an uproar.

"How is this Sea Burst Crocodile so massive? Compared to it, that Fire Fox is practically an infant."

"It grew so fast; it actually has 15 years of cultivation. How is that possible?"

Exclamations of shock rippled through the crowd. Chu Yun's eyes also narrowed. After studying it carefully for a moment, he chuckled, "No wonder you are so confident; so you've been feeding it Ascension Essence Pills."

"Hahaha, your dog eyes are quite sharp, aren't they? That's right, a full 10 Ascension Essence Pills! My Sea Burst Crocodile has now passed its minor Demon Tribulation, shedding its status as a juvenile beast and successfully advancing to a minor demon! You're finished, Chu Yun. This time, I'm going to defeat you in full view of everyone!"

Shu Da laughed wildly, feeling victory was already in his grasp, his demeanor arrogant and overbearing.

The clamor of the crowd rose to a new height.

"Ascension Essence Pills, 10 of them, did you hear that? My god, did I hear that right?"

"One Ascension Essence Pill costs 1,000 Earth-Fiend Stone Coins. A full 10 is 10,000 Earth-Fiend Stone Coins! Such wealth, such extravagance!"

"The Sea Burst Crocodile has a full seven years of extra cultivation, simply smashed into existence with money. Lady Shu is truly worthy of being someone who married in from Ning Family Island; she is just that wealthy."

The surrounding people sighed, yet none felt there was anything unfair about it.

Using medicinal pills to boost a spirit beast's cultivation was permitted during the coming-of-age ceremony. The All-Star Archipelago was a place where strength reigned supreme, and financial power was a form of strength. The islanders saw nothing wrong with it.

The crowd simply marveled at Lady Shu's truly lavish methods. A full 10,000 Earth-Fiend Stone Coins, just like that, thrown away.

"Giving your own children 10 Ascension Essence Pills, yet giving Young Master Chu Yun only one Foundation Strengthening Pill. Lady Shu, you... sigh, it seems the rumors were true after all!"

Wu Datou glanced at Lady Shu beside him, finally seeing the woman's true colors, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart. He had originally held out hope for Chu Yun's Fire Fox to win, but now, that hope seemed slim indeed.

"This is bad. The kid Chu Yun's Fire Fox only has 8 years of cultivation and is still a juvenile beast. Shu Da's Sea Burst Crocodile, however, already has 15 years of cultivation and is a minor demon! It's a suppression of rank; damn it!" Old Red Spear exclaimed.