Chapter 137: Different Treatment by Rules, Understanding the Ancient Ruins
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Wang Teng, on the other hand, showed no dissatisfaction toward Yu Xian in his eyes.
In fact, there was even a trace of smugness.
Look! Just look!
Yu Xian refined pills for me three times, and didn’t take a single coin!
But for Ling Yuan? He just asked for a single pill to be refined and was charged eighty thousand spirit stones!
Who’s close and who’s not — it’s clear at a glance!
Ling Yuan’s expression remained calm, but deep in his eyes, a trace of anger was suppressed.
That damn Xu Haojian — I had intended to befriend him, but who would’ve thought he’d take advantage of me by exchanging a mere Purple Jade Pill for my Eight-Cloud Forbidden Air Formation, and after gaining such a huge benefit, turned his back on me!
Now he dares to ask for eighty thousand spirit stones just for one refining!
Even the alchemists in the Medicine King Valley who helped rogue cultivators never charged this outrageously!
Just wait…
Getting back my eighty thousand spirit stones won’t be that easy!
If the refinement is successful, there’s still some room to breathe.
But if he fails even after taking the money…
Then this grudge will never be forgiven!
As for the other three — Sun An at late Foundation Establishment, Jiang Shanyu at mid-stage, and Zhou Zong at early-stage — all looked gloomy.
This Xu Haojian… they had thought he was decent and worth befriending at first, but he turned out to be such a petty man!
Charging such an outrageous price just for refining a pill?
Absolutely insane!
Clearly a bootlicker, fawning over Wang Teng!
But what he didn’t know was that Ling Yuan was already at the brink of a breakthrough and would soon reach Foundation Establishment perfection!
By then, Wang Teng — who had been stuck at Foundation Perfection for decades with no hope of advancement — wouldn’t be much of a backer! He and Wang Teng both would be finished!
But Yu Xian didn’t care about their thoughts.
He had never intended to linger long at this Ancient Ruin anyway.
If he wasn’t lucky enough to be chosen in this round, he would leave immediately. He had more important matters to attend to and didn’t plan to waste too much time here.
Exploring the ruin if the chance came was fine, but waiting for the next or the one after? Never.
Inside the room, Yu Xian had already begun heating the furnace.
From his storage bag, he took out spirit herbs for a fourth-tier mid-grade treasure pill — the Spirit Accumulation Breakthrough Pill.
Its effect could be summed up in one word: fierce!
Whether it was from early to mid Foundation Establishment, mid to late, or late to perfection — this pill could support it all.
Of course, as always, pills were only assistance. Whether a cultivator could break through depended on their foundation, cultivation, technique, willpower—
And just a sliver of luck.
That sliver of luck — often the most critical.
Some people had everything — strong foundation, top-tier cultivation, excellent methods — yet still couldn’t break through. It was simply because they lacked that last spark of luck. A matter unspeakable to others.
Yu Xian’s hand waved steadily, his movements precise.
He followed the pill recipe meticulously, and even the tiny losses were due to his still-growing cultivation level.
The pill furnace emitted warm mist, the Eight-Cloud Forbidden Air Formation blocking the medicinal fragrance from spreading.
No one outside knew whether the pill refining was a success or a failure.
Time passed — one hour.
Everyone outside began to shift their expressions.
Why was it taking so long?
He wasn’t the legendary Nine Heavens Holy Lord who spent thousands of years refining a Nine-Turn Golden Pill!
Did he fail and was afraid to come out?
Ling Yuan’s expression became sharper, his gaze more murderous.
Even Wang Teng frowned — when Yu Xian refined three batches of pills for him, it hadn’t taken this long. Did he really fail?
Hmm… he’d have to think about how to help him save face.
But just when impatience was beginning to stir and Ling Yuan even gestured to Zhou Zong to knock on the door—
The door suddenly opened.
Yu Xian walked out, hands behind his back.
The crowd stirred. Ling Yuan quickly masked his coldness with a smile. “Ah, fellow Daoist, you’re finally out. Was the refinement difficult?”
Yu Xian nodded. “It was quite difficult. I struggled to grasp the fire control…”
With just that one sentence, Ling Yuan’s smile froze. A cold light flashed in his eyes.
The other three all sneered — ill-intentioned.
So he failed… and dared to drag it out this long?
“But it was ultimately successful.”
Yu Xian’s next words caught them all off guard.
Ling Yuan’s expression twitched, caught between joy and rage by the emotional rollercoaster.
Yu Xian ignored their expressions and flipped out a jade bottle. “Fourth-tier mid-grade Spirit Accumulation Breakthrough Pill. Please confirm, Daoist.”
Ling Yuan gulped, forced himself to calm down, and put on a smile. “Oh, oh! Daoist, even if slow, a successful pill is worth everything! You truly are a master! I sincerely admire you!”
He took the jade bottle and quickly peeked inside — his joy visibly deepening.
A mid-grade Spirit Accumulation Breakthrough Pill!
Eighty thousand spirit stones — totally worth it!
These pills often sold for over 130,000 in large cities and major markets.
Yu Xian said flatly, “Don’t call me a master. Any further needs?”
“Haha… no, no more.”
Ling Yuan dryly laughed. “I only came to check on your safety, and you not only are well but even refined the pill… I have nothing else to ask.”
Seeing Yu Xian remain indifferent, Ling Yuan couldn’t keep speaking. He just laughed awkwardly and said, “Ahem… then I’ll take my leave!”
With that, he turned, muttered a polite farewell to Wang Teng, and walked off with his three companions.
Wang Teng smirked and followed for a bit — before returning.
“Daoist, honestly, helping Ling Yuan refine that pill… might as well have fed a dog.”
Wang Teng shook his head. “At least dogs are grateful. That guy’s two-faced, all sweet talk and backstabbing. I’ve had my share of it — no proof, but I’m never wrong about this kind of thing.”
Yu Xian replied, “Refining pills is by fixed price. That is the rule. Who he is has nothing to do with me, and I don’t plan to have anything to do with him.”
“Oh, I see.”
Wang Teng nodded, but his gaze turned cautious. “Then, fellow Daoist… about me. You promised me three pill refinements, and they’ve all been used. If I ask for another, will I need to pay spirit stones too?”
“Of course.”
Yu Xian replied calmly, “Rules cannot be broken.”
Wang Teng’s gaze dimmed slightly.
But then Yu Xian smiled. “However, for you, one refinement will only cost one thousand spirit stones. I’ve been staying under your roof these past days, and you’ve treated me well. I won’t forget that.”
Wang Teng’s eyes lit up immediately.
Such contrast changed everything for him.
He laughed. “Daoist, that’s basically a gift! I’m unworthy of such kindness!”
Yu Xian replied with a soft smile, “One thousand isn’t cheap. Back when I was in Qi Condensation, I would’ve gone through hell and fire for it.”
Wang Teng nodded with emotion. “Yes, yes… the days of Qi Condensation were hard. Took me decades to step into Foundation Establishment… so difficult!”
The suffering of Qi Condensation — no Foundation cultivator wanted to go through that again.
Yu Xian waved it off. “Let’s not talk about the past.”
Then he turned serious. “Daoist, about the Ancient Ruin — how long until it opens? What’s it like inside? Please tell me so I can prepare.”
Wang Teng raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Ah, almost forgot. It’ll open in two or three days. I’ve asked around many times over the past twenty years, talked to people who’ve gone in and come out — I know the basics. I was planning to talk to you about it.”
Yu Xian’s eyes brightened. “Please, let’s talk inside.”
“Come on, let’s go.”
Wang Teng entered the hall with Yu Xian.
They sat down, and Yu Xian poured tea.
Wang Teng explained, “This Ancient Ruin was discovered ninety-nine years ago. Including this year, it’s the hundredth. It opens once a year or every two years — sixty-something times so far. The opening schedule isn’t fully understood, but it can be roughly predicted.”
Yu Xian nodded quietly.
Wang Teng continued, “Inside is a grand ruin-city, sprawling over ten thousand miles.”
A city that big… Yu Xian thought to himself, that’s massive.
“It’s said to be a city where ancient powerhouses lived. Back then, spiritual energy was thick, and even common folk could rip tigers apart with bare hands. It was a time when gods and demons feared humanity…”
“Ahem…”
Yu Xian softly coughed.
Wang Teng snapped out of his passionate monologue about ancient humans.
“Hehe, sorry. I got carried away.”
He composed himself. “Each time the ruins open, it lasts a month. After one month, all survivors are teleported out automatically — no matter where they are in the city. They get to keep whatever they’ve acquired.”
Yu Xian asked, “What dangers are inside? Any way to defend against them?”
“Most returning cultivators gained something — cultivation boost, treasures, or even ancient inheritances.”
Wang Teng paused, “But the most commonly reported dangers are the Eight Generals.”
“Eight Generals?”
Yu Xian frowned. “What are they? Ghosts? Corpses? Ancient cultivators?”
Wang Teng shook his head. “Neither ghosts nor zombies, nor living cultivators. They are the resentful will of eight ancient generals.”
Resentment… Yu Xian narrowed his eyes. The will of resentment taking form?
How much hatred would that take!?
“They constantly patrol the city. But since the city is massive, most people never run into them. Still, they’re deadly.”
Wang Teng added, “There’s also the ‘Holy King’s Might.'”
Yu Xian raised a brow. “What’s that?”
Wang Teng said, “A Foundation Perfection cultivator told me — he didn’t meet the generals, but he did encounter the ‘Holy King’s Might,’ and nearly died.”
Yu Xian blinked. What is it? Why the mystery?
Wang Teng finally said, voice trembling, “It was just one sentence, rolling across heaven and earth like the world itself was collapsing.”
Yu Xian leaned in.
“The sentence was: ‘I am no longer Heaven’s Son…'”
Yu Xian frowned. “What does that mean? Don’t mortal kings all claim to be Heaven’s Son? Though it doesn’t mean much in our world.”
“Exactly…”
Wang Teng smiled bitterly. “Perhaps in the ancient times, there was no distinction between mortals and cultivators? Maybe kingdoms were run by cultivators.”
Yu Xian nodded. “So how do you defend against this Holy King’s Might?”
“You can’t.”
Wang Teng shook his head. “But if you kneel and bow, it won’t harm you. It’s terrifying, but not deadly if you submit. I’d rather face this than the Eight Generals.”
“Anything else?”
Yu Xian asked again.
“Yes. Two more things: the Heart-questioning Spring and the Death-crossing Bridge.”
“The Spring is like a giant lake — if your will isn’t strong, you’ll get lost in it forever, until you’re ejected at the month’s end. It’s harmless but useless — who wants to bathe for a month?”
“The Bridge, though… it’s terrifying. Like the legendary Bridge of No Return. Once you step on, there’s no turning back. Either you cross — or you die.”
As for maps? Impossible to draw.
Everyone gets teleported to random places in the ruin.
And Yu Xian understood — the true dangers are those no one came back to speak of.
Those… are the ones that really kill.
Ancient Ruin City.
Eight Generals. Holy King’s Might. Heart-questioning Spring. Death-crossing Bridge…
Yu Xian’s gaze flickered with deep thought.
