Chapter 34: Alchemy Deal and the Grand Ascension Ceremony
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Quan Dao’s smile stiffened slightly.
He looked at Xiao Wusheng and said, “Brother Xiao, surely you’re joking?”
Xiao Wusheng replied calmly, “Why would I joke, Elder? Or are you implying my disciple hasn’t awakened the Ascension Token?”
“Hmph!”
Quan Dao glanced at the calm-faced Yu Xian and sneered. “He did awaken it, yes. But Brother Xiao, are you unaware of his spiritual root? A low-grade wood root! What use is Ascension for someone like him? It’s a complete waste of a precious slot! Even if I reported this to the Grand Elders or the Sect Master, I would still be in the right.”
“Elder, I must disagree.”
Xiao Wusheng smiled and shook his head. “Ascension is about the unknown. No one can predict the fortune one may encounter. There have been cases where even a high-grade root advanced to a perfect root upon Ascension. Why can’t my disciple, with a low-grade root, rise to high-grade, or even perfect?”
“Hah! Ridiculous!”
Quan Dao scoffed with growing disdain. “Low-grade ascending to perfect? That’s pure fantasy. You should focus on teaching him alchemy rather than indulging such foolish hopes. The Ascension Tokens are meant for true geniuses. Even if he ascends to a mid-grade wood root, it’s still meaningless.”
“But how is it meaningless?” Xiao Wusheng rebutted. “Even a single grade of improvement is valuable. If he hadn’t awakened the token, I wouldn’t argue. But since he has—it’s his destiny! As his master, I cannot just stand by and let someone else rob him of it.”
“Xiao Wusheng… what are you getting at?”
Quan Dao’s tone grew low and dangerous. “Are you saying that if I don’t let him ascend, you won’t refine pills for me? You think I’m at your mercy? Are you threatening me?”
Xiao Wusheng smiled faintly. “Not a threat. Just a negotiation. If the elder returns my disciple’s Ascension qualification, I will refine ten pills for you free of charge! And if I fail even once, I’ll repay the full loss myself.”
Quan Dao’s brow twitched.
Ten free pills—with a guarantee?
That was tempting.
But Yu Xian’s token… had already been promised to one of his favored disciples…
He pondered.
“Only those with exceptional talent awaken the token. Even though he’s a low-grade root, clearly he has great potential elsewhere—most likely in alchemy.”
After a moment of contemplation, Quan Dao finally said calmly, “Very well. I’ll grant him this opportunity. If his alchemy talent proves outstanding, perhaps our Baiyun Sect will have a grandmaster in the future who can refine fifth-tier or even sixth-tier pills! Then we wouldn’t need to beg the Medicine King Valley for a single pill in exchange for three sets of ingredients.”
“Many thanks, Elder!”
Xiao Wusheng bowed gratefully, his face beaming.
Yu Xian, however, stood still, fists clenched tight.
The Ascension right he himself had awakened…
Was now given back to him—like a favor.
At the cost of ten free high-tier pill refinements!
And if any failed, his master would have to compensate out of his own pocket!
Even master alchemists of the Medicine King Valley wouldn’t dare guarantee perfect success!
If he wanted, he could’ve rejected it…
But his master was already signaling him with a firm gaze—don’t act impulsively.
“Yu Xian! Are you not going to thank Elder Quan?” Xiao Wusheng’s voice rang sternly.
Yu Xian gritted his teeth and finally bowed low. “Many thanks… Elder Quan.”
He understood his master well.
In the four months they had spent together, he’d seen how determined Xiao Wusheng could be. Once his mind was set, only hard facts could change it.
Now, he had bartered and bargained for his disciple’s chance at Ascension.
Yu Xian couldn’t refuse.
This was his master’s… grace.
Quan Dao waved his hand indifferently, not caring for Yu Xian’s thanks. He turned back to Xiao Wusheng with a smile. “So, shall you refine my pills now?”
“Of course! Hand me the materials, and come collect the pills tomorrow.”
Xiao Wusheng said with a wide smile, bowing politely.
Quan Dao handed him a storage pouch. “Then I’ll trouble you, brother. I’ll return tomorrow.”
He glanced at Yu Xian again and chuckled, as if pitying Xiao Wusheng, then turned and left.
“Safe journey, Elder!”
Xiao Wusheng saw him off, smiling all the way, and only returned once the man was gone.
Seeing Yu Xian standing there with a stubborn expression, he laughed. “What’s wrong? Angry at your master?”
“Master… why did you go so far for me?” Yu Xian asked quietly. “I’d rather not ascend…”
“Don’t be willful.”
Xiao Wusheng’s smile faded. “Do you think cultivation is about fate? ‘What is meant to be, will be’? That’s nonsense. If you don’t fight for your chance, you’ll rot in the mud forever.”
“But…”
Yu Xian opened his mouth but found no words.
He knew. Cultivation was indeed about striving—risking blood and life for every step forward.
He just didn’t want his master to… beg for him.
“I’m already old.”
Xiao Wusheng walked up and patted Yu Xian’s shoulder. “But you’re still young. Your road won’t stop at Foundation Establishment. Besides, this Ascension Token is yours by right. If it means a chance at greater destiny, I’ll bow my head ten times over. For my disciple, it’s not shameful.”
“Master…”
Yu Xian’s lips tightened. He looked up, eyes firm. “I understand now.”
“You’re clever—brilliant even. Taking you as a disciple was the best decision I ever made.”
Xiao Wusheng laughed heartily and walked to the center of the courtyard. “Come, I’ll be refining another Blood Lotus Pill. Watch closely.”
Yu Xian followed.
And so another month passed.
Though cultivators paid little attention to mortal festivals, some days still held significance.
This year marked both the triennial Baiyun Sect recruitment and the twentieth-year Ascension Ceremony.
As one of the six great sects in East Continent, Baiyun Sect was a sacred ground for cultivation—revered by mortals and cultivators alike.
Families, kingdoms, and wandering cultivators from all over came to offer their children for testing. Only those with sufficient spiritual roots were accepted into the Outer Sect.
Of course, true prodigies—those with perfect or dual roots—would be accepted straight into the Inner Sect, perhaps even as direct disciples to the Jindan Elders.
But today wasn’t just about recruitment.
It was also the Grand Ascension Ceremony, held once every 20 years.
All disciples in the Foundation Establishment stage who had awakened an Ascension Token were eligible to enter the Ascension Secret Realm.
Inside: danger, yes—but also destiny.
Many who entered improved their spiritual roots—turning mid-grade to high-grade, or even high-grade to perfect!
Yet… survival wasn’t guaranteed.
Of the over 100 disciples sent in from all six sects, only 30–40 typically returned.
Now, atop the Crane-Beak Cliff of the Inner Sect—
The recruitment buzzed below.
But among the Inner Sect, it was time for the Ascension Ritual.
All Foundation Establishment and late Qi Condensation disciples stood in line, preparing to activate their Ascension Tokens.
Only the most talented disciples were eligible.
The top prospect was a disciple of Elder Song Xingtian—a triple-root talent, with two extreme-grade roots and one high-grade.
And at the very back, isolated from the rest… stood Yu Xian.
Sect Elder Song stood tall, his voice solemn. “Today marks our Sect’s Ascension Ceremony. Those with awakened tokens may attempt to enter the secret realm and seek their destiny!”
Disciples lit up with excitement.
Each Elder brought out their prepared tokens—some five or six, others over a dozen—handing them to their own disciples.
“Grasp the token. Call it with your blood. If fated, it shall respond.”
As Song Xingtian’s voice echoed, dozens of disciples pierced their palms and gripped their tokens.
Silence descended.
Even Yu Xian took out his token.
It had, at last, been returned to him by Quan Dao.
