Chapter 165: Chapter 165: The Martial King Pill is Complete

"Killing you would be like slaughtering a dog!"

"Wiping you out would be like killing a chicken!"

Jiang Chen’s words echoed in Qin Lie’s mind.

The threat made Qin Lie tremble from head to toe.

He knew of Jiang Chen’s reputation but had never experienced it firsthand. Hearing such cutting words now, he couldn’t help but stumble back several steps.

He was terrified Jiang Chen would actually kill him.

After all, with his Cultivation as a Warrior of the Eighth Heaven, he was nowhere near the level of Yang Tian and Xiao Gu—two men Jiang Chen had already killed.

He took a few more steps back, glaring at Jiang Chen and gritting his teeth.

"Fine, Jiang Chen. We’ll see about this."

Qin Lie then whirled around and fled Jiang Chen’s office.

He was afraid Jiang Chen would use some bizarre method to kill him.

Jiang Chen could only shake his head at such people.

’Nothing but insignificant clowns.’

’If it weren’t for your father, you wouldn’t have lasted a second in front of me.’

Putting the matter aside, Jiang Chen headed out.

He needed to return to the Jiang Family to perform Alchemy.

He now had all the ingredients for the Martial King Pill; the Nine-Year-Old Flower and Xing’er Hong were in his possession.

So, he was going to start refining the Martial King Pill.

As he walked, Jiang Chen continued to ponder.

’It’s no coincidence that Murong Xiangming gave me the Nine-Year-Old Flower and Xing’er Hong.’

’She brought them specifically for me.’

Jiang Chen was no fool. He knew perfectly well that Murong Xiangming had given him the items on purpose, even if he didn’t understand her intentions.

As for how Murong Xiangming knew he was looking for ingredients like the Nine-Year-Old Flower and Xing’er Hong...

It had to be because the Jiang Family had put out a public notice with a reward.

’Murong Xiangming must have heard the news.’

’Hm?’

Suddenly, Jiang Chen realized a frightening possibility. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

The thought stopped him in his tracks.

He stroked his chin, lost in thought.

’The Jiang Family put out the notice and the reward for the Nine-Year-Old Flower and Xing’er Hong... so why did Murong Xiangming bring them directly to me?’

’Does she know that *I’m* the one who needs them?’

This was a very serious problem.

After all, Murong Xiangming hadn’t delivered the ingredients to the Jiang Family; she had delivered them to Jiang Chen personally.

A cold sweat trickled down Jiang Chen’s back.

’She knew I needed them... Has she figured out my secret?’

Jiang Chen was finally beginning to understand. That Murong Xiangming was an incredibly intelligent woman.

She had apparently seen through his ruse.

He had invented a mysterious master to explain his abilities, and many people believed the story.

But there were always some who didn’t.

And not only did Murong Xiangming disbelieve the story of the mysterious master...

...she had guessed that he, Jiang Chen, was the one who refined the Purple Gold Quality Foundation Strengthening Pill.

This realization came as a massive blow to Jiang Chen.

’Where did I slip up?’

He found Murong Xiangming to be truly terrifying.

She didn’t seem to have any ill intent, but if word of this got out, he, Jiang Chen, would have a world of trouble on his hands.

Jiang Chen mulled it over the entire way back to the Jiang Family estate.

He just couldn’t figure out how Murong Xiangming had discovered that he was the one who had refined the Purple Gold Quality Elixir.

Finally, Jiang Chen shook his head.

’Forget it. If I’m really exposed, so be it.’

’I’ll just have to deal with whatever comes my way.’

Jiang Chen decided not to dwell on it for now.

He entered his room.

It was time to get to work refining the Martial King Pill.

During his competition with Xiao Gu, he had used the Fire-igniting Technique to draw down the True Sun Fire for his Alchemy.

That was an extremely difficult maneuver, not one to be attempted lightly.

This time, he certainly wouldn’t try to use the True Sun Fire again. With his current abilities, he couldn’t yet wield it with perfect control.

He would stick to an ordinary charcoal fire.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he took a deep breath.

"HAAAAH!"

He exhaled the turbid air, his mind becoming as calm and placid as an untouched well.

To succeed in Alchemy, one’s heart had to be like still water, allowing for mastery over every detail.

’Time to begin.’

Jiang Chen brought out a Pill Furnace.

He maneuvered the furnace, preheating it over the flames.

At the same time, the complete procedure for refining the Martial King Pill formed in his mind.

Jiang Chen knew four different methods to refine the Martial King Pill.

This time, he would only be using one of them.

Once the Pill Furnace reached the proper temperature, Jiang Chen began adding the ingredients, one by one, following a precise sequence.

After placing all the ingredients into the Pill Furnace,

He began the long process of refinement.

「An hour later.」

Jiang Chen steadied his mind.

By now, all the ingredients had melted into a liquid state.

The further into the process he went, the more precision was required.

’Time to refine the impurities. I must be meticulous.’

Fortunately, this was a process Jiang Chen could handle with ease.

Even so, he didn’t dare to be the slightest bit careless. Whenever he performed Alchemy, no matter what Elixir he was refining, Jiang Chen strove for perfection.

It was like creating a work of art; he poured his heart and his very life into his Alchemy.

It was this dedication that had earned him the title of Pill Emperor in his past life.

The Martial King Pill was not an easy Elixir to refine.

It was a complex process.

Therefore, the refinement proceeded slowly.

「A full six hours later.」

Jiang Chen could finally breathe a little easier.

However, he couldn’t relax completely. The removal of impurities was now at its most critical stage.

"HUMMM!"

Suddenly, a unique medicinal fragrance wafted from the Pill Furnace.

Jiang Chen pursed his lips and continued the refinement.

The fragrance grew stronger and stronger.

After a while, the Pill Furnace itself even began to vibrate.

Jiang Chen hastily stabilized it. The final moments of the Martial King Pill’s creation were at hand.

"PFFT!"

The Pill Furnace stopped vibrating.

Everything seemed to fall silent.

Only an even richer medicinal fragrance began to fill the room.

Jiang Chen let out a long sigh of relief.

Everything had gone smoothly.

"Collect!"

He beckoned toward the Pill Furnace.

"SWOOSH!"

Ten black Elixirs flew out.

The Martial King Pill was black in color.

However, a miraculous golden halo encircled each one.

It was a pill halo, a sign of the Elixir’s quality.

This was a Gold Quality Martial King Pill—no, it should be considered Purple Gold Quality.

For hidden within the golden halo was a trace of purple-gold light.

A purple-gold pill halo signified a Purple Gold Quality Elixir.

A Martial King Pill was enough to raise a Martial Cultivator’s Cultivation to the Martial King Realm.

And the higher the quality of the Martial King Pill, the more potent its effect.

The very best could elevate a Martial Cultivator all the way to the Peak of Martial King Nine Heavens.

Making them comparable to a Martial Arts expert.

’A pity. These I’ve refined can only raise someone to the Martial King Fifth Heaven, and no higher.’

Jiang Chen felt a little helpless.

He was currently unable to refine higher-quality Elixirs; he needed to keep training and break through to the next level.

After all, he wasn’t the Pill Emperor of his past life anymore.

He had to take things one step at a time.

’Also, a Martial Cultivator who consumes a Martial King Pill will have their Cultivation trapped in the Martial King Realm for the rest of their life, unable to break through.’

This was the pill’s greatest drawback.

Even Jiang Chen couldn’t change this fundamental limitation of the Martial King Pill.

Of course, here in Hanwu City, many people would never even reach the Martial Master Realm in their lifetimes, let alone achieve the Cultivation of a Martial King.

Therefore, for some, obtaining a Martial King Pill to ascend to the Martial King Realm was actually a blessing.