Chapter 168: Ascending the Fourth Floor Requires Skill, Fifth-Tier Pill Shocks All

Since the last time the jade pendant heated up and led Yu Xian to acquire the Great Pill Body Tempering Technique, six years had passed.

Until now, within the Golden Scale Pavilion, there was certainly no danger.

That meant the heating of the jade pendant could only point to one cause—an extraordinary treasure!

Yu Xian reached up to touch the Yusheng Jade Pendant hanging at his chest, exhaled gently, and regained his calm.

A year ago, when he arrived at the Golden Scale Pavilion, the pendant didn’t react.

Even during his four months in the artifact refining house on Mount Yueyan, it had remained inert.

Now it suddenly heated up—clearly, the treasure triggering the reaction had only recently arrived, possibly just now.

That meant the treasure was extraordinary.

Just like with the Great Pill Body Tempering Technique—at first, Yu Xian hadn’t thought much of it.

But as his cultivation deepened, he realized more and more how terrifying the technique was.

If cultivated to its peak, its power would be unimaginable.

So what was this new treasure causing the pendant to react?

Filled with curiosity, Yu Xian descended the stairs, first to gather the materials for refining Yin Pills.

Afterward, he planned to follow the pendant’s guidance.

If he found it, he’d buy it. If not, there was nothing he could do.

The second floor was crowded.

It was the prime area for early Foundation Establishment and peak Qi Condensation cultivators to shop.

Yu Xian didn’t linger.

He quickly spent thousands of spirit stones at the Spirit Herb Pavilion on the second floor, gathering all the herbs he needed for the Yin Pills, then returned to the third floor.

This time, Yu Xian calmed his mind and swept his gaze across the entire floor, feeling the warmth of the pendant against his chest, testing its intensity as he moved around.

He followed the fluctuations in warmth, using it to gauge the distance between himself and the treasure.

Unconsciously, Yu Xian reached the staircase leading to the fourth floor and was about to step up.

“Stop.”

A calm voice sounded just as he moved.

“So it really is on the fourth floor…”

Yu Xian murmured with some helplessness and turned with a smile, bowing slightly.

“Junior greets Senior.”

In a corner, a young man had appeared at some point.

He looked at Yu Xian calmly and said, “Stand down. Without a Golden Core cultivation, you cannot go to the fourth floor.”

“Senior, is there no room for flexibility?”

Yu Xian thought for a moment and bowed again.

“I have some wealth and wish to buy something that isn’t available on the third floor.”

“Wealthy, are you?”

The young man gave him a glance and replied coldly, “Then why didn’t you bring an attendant? Stop looking for trouble. The third floor has everything a normal Golden Core cultivator would need. If not for your connection to Master Yue, I wouldn’t even bother warning you. The formation would’ve taught you a painful lesson.”

Yu Xian’s eyes narrowed.

He hadn’t left Mount Yueyan in months—how did this person know he was connected to Master Yue?

It seemed that despite appearances, the Golden Scale Pavilion was under constant surveillance by powerful cultivators.

“Oh, Master Yue? He’s my big brother—my dear, dear brother.”

Changing his approach, Yu Xian laughed dryly and said,

“Senior, why not do my big brother a favor and let me have a look upstairs, even if just for learning’s sake?”

“Big brother?”

The young man frowned. “Master Yue is your brother?”

“Indeed.”

Yu Xian nodded seriously. “Absolutely real. Senior can go ask him if you don’t believe me.”

“Still no.”

The man shook his head.

“If your big brother wanted to go to the fourth floor, he’d be allowed—his artifact refinement skills are good enough. But you? Foundation Establishment stage, no special skills—you’re not qualified.”

He paused, then added suspiciously,

“Unless… you have Master Yue’s level of artifact crafting skills. Can you refine fifth-tier artifacts?”

Yu Xian showed a helpless smile.

“Sadly, I’m dumb in that field. I can’t even refine third-tier artifacts without blowing them up.”

“Ha.”

The man sneered and turned to walk back into the shadows.

“But I’m decent at alchemy. If I can refine fifth-tier pills—would that grant me access to the fourth floor?”

This sentence made the young man freeze on the spot.

He turned to Yu Xian, shock on his face.

“You can refine fifth-tier pills?”

Yu Xian bowed slightly.

“To be honest, I can barely manage lower-tier fifth-rank pills. I don’t dare claim success with mid- or high-tier ones.”

“Is that true?”

The man frowned and walked up to Yu Xian. His cultivation was still hidden, but his presence exuded tremendous pressure.

Yu Xian’s instincts screamed danger—this man could kill him instantly!

“Don’t lie to me. You’re gambling with your life if you are.”

Yu Xian was dead serious.

“Senior, I wouldn’t dare.”

The pressure slowly lifted, and the man finally chuckled.

“A Foundation Establishment brat refining fifth-tier pills? Interesting.”

Soon after, a few more Golden Core cultivators joined the fourth-floor exchange. When they saw Yu Xian, confusion arose:

“Isn’t this kid a servant? Why is he here?”

Before anyone could react, the Golden Core cultivator Fang Jue spoke with a smile:

“This is Yu Xian. He’s no servant. He’s here to participate in our trade exchange. He’s a fifth-rank alchemist.”

“Fifth-rank alchemist?”

Their eyes widened in disbelief.

“He’s only Foundation Establishment stage!”

Fang Jue nodded.

“He can refine low-tier fifth-rank pills. Quite extraordinary.”

Introductions followed:

Wang An from Qianshi Cave, 18,000 miles south of Mo City.
Li Shuxian, a beautiful woman from Zifeng Forest, 30,000 miles northwest.
Lin Feng from Dafeng Trading Market, 50,000 miles away.

They each offered polite greetings to Yu Xian, albeit with suspicion or amusement.

Soon, trading began.

Fang Jue placed six treasures on the stone table, none of which Yu Xian recognized.

But his jade pendant didn’t react—so none were the treasure.

Other cultivators presented their own items.

But Yu Xian suddenly noticed something.

The pendant grew warm—faintly.

Not scorching hot like when it warned him of the Tianmo illusion or led him to the Great Pill Body Technique.

This warmth came from a single item placed by a cultivator named He Butong.

It was a block of wood, the size of a palm.

But Yu Xian recognized it instantly—

It was a fragment of the Great Elm Tree’s trunk!

The very tree the old Taoist had butchered years ago… the one that protected Yu Xian’s village… and his mother…

This piece was part of its body!

Sixth-tier material, He Butong claimed.

Yu Xian’s fists clenched in his sleeves.

That tree—clearly no evil being—had been framed.

How could a sixth-tier demon allow villagers to gnaw at its leaves if it meant harm?

That old Taoist—he murdered Yu Xian’s tree mother for personal gain!

The pendant’s faint warmth confirmed: this wood was linked to the truth.

Yu Xian slowly calmed his breathing and waited.

When the time was right, he stepped forward.

“Senior He, may I buy that wood from you?”

Before He Butong could reply, Li Shuxian interrupted with a laugh:

“I’d like it too. I want to make a meditation cushion.”

Yu Xian’s eyes darkened slightly.

Sit on it? You’re not worthy.

He turned to He Butong.

“Senior, I’ll refine a fifth-rank pill for you free of charge. If I fail, punish me as you see fit. Will you sell me that wood?”

That stunned everyone—especially Li Shuxian.

Fang Jue smiled in admiration.

This youth was honest and respectful, yet determined and cunning.

He turned to Yu Xian and said,

“Stay here with Master Yue. Buy whatever you need at 30% off. Once you reach late Foundation Establishment, fifth-rank pills will be no issue for you. Maybe you’ll reach Golden Core and even craft sixth-rank pills.”

Yu Xian bowed.

“Thank you, Senior!”

Fang Jue nodded and asked,

“You came to the fourth floor for something not found on the third. What is it?”

Yu Xian paused thoughtfully.

“It’s called the Crystal of Resentment. I heard it can be used in a formation.”

Everyone looked at him sharply.

“That’s a seventh-rank item,” Fang Jue said.

“It’s extremely rare—even ghost cultivators rarely obtain one.”

Yu Xian acted surprised.

“Ah, I thought it was fifth-rank. I wanted it for a pill furnace my brother could help make. Seems I overreached.”

Fang Jue smiled.

“No shame in not knowing every treasure.”

He then gestured.

“Come. You don’t need to return downstairs. See for yourself what true cultivation treasures look like.”

Yu Xian followed quietly.

Though he stood at the edge of the pavilion, his heart burned with resolve.

Westward… the enemy is in the west.

Now, he finally had a lead.