Chapter 150: Chapter 143: Golden Dragon Carp, Dragon Fish Pill

’Xiao Chan?!’

Chen Che quietly sized up the other man. They had both been in the Market for over a month, but this was their first real confrontation.

This man—a Traitor Disciple, an Evil Cultivator Fanatic, a Mother-Killer in the eyes of the world—was indeed formidable. An ordinary Ninth Layer Cultivator would have been utterly unable to block that sword strike moments ago. Yet he had not only intercepted it, he had even withstood the fiercer second attack!

’His strength far surpasses that of this world’s Ninth Layer Cultivators. And that’s not even counting the Soul-Calling Banner he’s carrying...’

His gaze fell upon the bundle on the other man’s back, which faintly emanated a black mist. Chen Che thought to himself,

’No wonder the Primordial Sect refuses to let him go.’

As the two appeared, the surroundings fell utterly still.

"Cao Xiong and his two companions have already left. Ordinary Primordial Sect disciples can’t find me, and Ye Jingzhou is in seclusion and won’t come out..."

Xiao Chan’s voice was hoarse.

He stopped twenty paces away, perhaps to guard against another attack from Chen Che, or perhaps to avoid putting Chen Che on high alert.

Perhaps, in his view, this was a safe distance that would put them both at ease.

"So, that’s why you dared to seek me out? You’re taking such a huge risk to find me. Are you planning to silence me for good, or do you want me to perform Alchemy for you again..."

Chen Che glanced at the ’safe distance.’ Even though they were a full twenty paces apart, he was seventy percent confident he could strike before the other man could even retaliate.

Xiao Chan was also sizing up the young Pill Master before him, whose fame had been rising recently.

But his gaze was full of envy. If not for the misfortune that had befallen him, he would likely be in a similar position now.

"Tributor Chen did me a favor. By the rules of the martial world, a favor must be repaid. I am not one to forget a debt of gratitude."

"So what about today?" Chen Che’s eyebrow twitched.

"To repay my debt!"

Xiao Chan’s voice was still hoarse as he said softly,

"I had prepared some Spirit Stones, but Tributor Chen might not care for such ordinary things. I also went out of my way to find a Flying Sword, but your Flying Sword seems to be even better than the one I found..."

’So, you just never got around to giving them to me?’

Chen Che’s expression remained unchanged, but he was somewhat incredulous. "You stayed in Jinyun Valley just to repay your debt to me?"

"No!"

Xiao Chan slowly shook his head.

"I have other reasons for staying in Jinyun Valley, but it’s not convenient to disclose them. However, rest assured, if I am ever captured by the Primordial Sect, I will kill myself immediately. I will absolutely not implicate you, Tributor Chen!"

’Other reasons?’

Chen Che was lost in thought. What reason could possibly be more important than one’s own life and safety?

However, what the man said was indeed true.

During his many days in the Market, Xiao Chan had never once visited him. If he had actually dared to use this as a threat, Chen Che wouldn’t have even waited for the Primordial Sect to act. Even with the Soul-Calling Banner in Xiao Chan’s possession, he would have killed him without a second thought.

"..."

Xiao Chan was silent for a moment, apparently unwilling to dwell on the matter. He changed the subject, "Have you heard about the Fish Dragon that appeared in the Black Water River today?"

Just as he spoke—

SPLASH!

A tremendous surge of water echoed out.

Both men simultaneously looked toward the Black Water River.

They saw a massive black shadow, like a Flood Dragon, breaking through the waves. Nearby boats rocked violently back and forth as if caught in a raging sea. Amid the colossal waves, a thirty-foot-long black-canopied boat was smashed to pieces with a loud CRACK.

The black shadow was, in fact, a golden carp over thirty feet long with a single horn on its head.

Amid shouts of alarm, the Cultivators on the boat fell into the water one after another, like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

"Help!"

The Cultivators screamed in terror as they hit the water.

They had discovered the Fish Dragon rapidly approaching, and they all scrambled to escape toward the shore. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

But before they could get away,

the Fish Dragon swung its body, and a whirlpool appeared on the turbulent river’s surface. The whirlpool started at only five feet across but swelled to seventy or eighty feet in the blink of an eye, swallowing the Cultivators on the water whole.

"Run..."

The river fell silent for a moment, then countless boats scrambled to flee the center of the river.

Chen Che’s eyes narrowed. "You mean that one?"

"Does Tributor Chen recognize this creature?"

Xiao Chan nodded gravely, his gaze fixed on the river’s surface, almost unable to look away.

Chen Che didn’t reply. Of course he recognized it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come here.

In fact, he didn’t just recognize it. He knew its scientific name was ’Golden Dragon Carp,’ an endangered species on Earth Element Star. According to research, the bloodline of this type of Demon Beast likely originated from a Flood Dragon of the Divinity Transformation Realm.

When its Cultivation reaches its peak, it will shed its fish body and transform into a Water Flood Dragon.

Mortals, not knowing any better, spread rumors, which gave rise to the legend of the carp leaping over the dragon gate.

Of course,

besides its delicious flesh, the main reason the Golden Dragon Carp was driven to near extinction was its most important effect: it could increase a Cultivator’s chances of achieving Foundation Establishment. Some Pill Masters even researched and created the ’Dragon Fish Pill’ using it.

To this day, there are still fewer than one hundred Golden Dragon Carp on Earth Element Star.

"Yes, that’s right, that’s the one! This fish can help a Cultivator with Foundation Establishment... But very few people know this, and even those who do wouldn’t deliberately spread the word."

Xiao Chan nodded slightly.

Anything related to Foundation Establishment was a major affair. Forget the truth; even a baseless rumor was enough to drive people into a frenzy. If word got out...

...all the Cultivators in Jinyun Valley would likely swarm here and wouldn’t rest until they had drained the Black Water River dry.

It wouldn’t just be a few straggling Loose Cultivators.

"I already know about this..."

Chen Che, who had initially been dismissive, suddenly raised an eyebrow. "Don’t tell me you have a way to catch it?"

"My ancestors researched this creature, so I happen to know its habits and preferences. At our peak, my Xiao Clan had three Foundation Establishment Cultivators. It’s a pity our descendants were not up to par. Even if they knew about this, it’s useless unless one reaches the Qi Refining Ninth Layer."

Xiao Chan didn’t hide anything.

’As expected...’

Chen Che finally understood.

Foundation Establishment was a critical step. Even if one met the three major requirements of Realm, Qi and Blood, and Divine Sense, there was still a chance of failure. He was already at the Eighth Layer, with Foundation Establishment just around the corner. Although Foundation Establishment Pills existed on Earth Element Star, their effectiveness was limited by the age of the materials...

At best, they could only increase the success rate by thirty percent.

There were plenty of students who failed their attempt at Foundation Establishment before the college entrance exams. Their Realm would drop, their Qi and Blood would be depleted, and their Divine Sense would weaken. Not only would they fail to get into the Four Greats, but they wouldn’t even be able to enter a Yiben Daoist School.

If he could catch the Golden Dragon Carp...

...at least for some time, he wouldn’t have to worry about Foundation Establishment anymore.

"Good!"

As the river surface calmed, Xiao Chan withdrew his gaze. "Once we get it, I’ll give you seventy percent of the fish. Does Tributor Chen agree?"

Chen Che nodded without hesitation. "Agreed!"

The risks and rewards went hand in hand, and the matter of Foundation Establishment was worth the gamble.

"I still need to make some preparations."

Hearing this, Xiao Chan’s mood lightened considerably.

Just then, the sound of footsteps seemed to approach from the distance. Having secured the agreement, Xiao Chan felt the matter was settled. His figure quickly retreated, disappearing into the darkness.

"I’ll contact you in seven days at the soonest, half a month at the latest."

...

SPLASH~

On the river, shouts were endless.

Two large boats sailed side by side, dragging a net between them. The formation was several times larger than the one used to capture the Little Chick that day.

The waves churned as the sailors held their breath in concentration.

"We’ve got it! It’s in the net!"

"We finally caught it! Pull it out of the water! Don’t let it escape!"

"PULL..."

...

Chen Che stood on the riverbank. He didn’t intervene, just quietly watched the two fishing crews work together on the river.

"PULL!"

From a distance, Chen Che saw the bearded Big Leader from that day, his hands gripping the fishing net, veins bulging on his arms. The dozen or so Cultivators behind him were all in the same state.

CRASH!

Carried by inertia, the two parallel boats slammed into each other.

Then,

the Golden Dragon Carp dragged them along at high speed. The boats skimmed across the water, kicking up a massive white wake that stretched for hundreds of yards. In that same moment, it abruptly switched from extreme motion to extreme stillness, flicked its massive tail, and sent the two boats flying like worthless weeds.

CRASH!

Amidst the overwhelming sound of destruction, the tumbling boats disintegrated. The Cultivators who fell into the water all cried out as they fled toward the shore.

Only after the river’s surface returned to calm did Chen Che withdraw his gaze and turn to leave.

...

"Dragon Fish Pill!"

Back on Earth Element Star, Chen Che immediately went online to look it up.

While the Golden Dragon Carp could enhance one’s chances at Foundation Establishment, its effects would be further amplified if refined into a Pill.

’It doesn’t seem too difficult to refine...’

Perhaps because the Golden Dragon Carp was now a protected species, the Pill Formula wasn’t hidden. Chen Che found it easily; it was even part of a lesson in ’The History of Pills’.

Dragon Fish Pill:

A Tier Two High Grade Elixir used to replenish depleted Qi and Blood and enhance the chances of Foundation Establishment.

Of course, the Golden Dragon Carp was the essential main ingredient, but there were also various supplementary materials to go with it. After checking it over several times to confirm the Pill Formula was correct, he memorized the rest of the supplementary ingredients.

However, his first choice was still to collect them from Yunzhou.

After all, the Medicinal Herbs there were of sufficient age, and nourished by Spiritual Qi, their medicinal properties would be much more potent.

DING-DONG~

Just then, a news alert popped up in the bottom right corner of his computer screen.

"Hm? ’Talented Student Fails Foundation Establishment, Rushed to Hospital’?"

Chen Che hadn’t intended to pay it any mind, but the headline caught him by surprise.

He quickly clicked on it.

He saw an ambulance Flying Boat streaking across the sky.

It stopped in front of the Rushou Affiliated Hospital, where a student with an aged face and withered, white hair was carried out and rushed into the emergency room. Two Golden Core Cultivators, having received the news, were neatly dressed as they walked into the ER amidst the cries of a woman screaming, "Save my son!" A nurse with a Foundation Establishment cultivation closed the doors behind them.

Then, a pretty female reporter appeared on screen:

"Rushou’s genius student, Chen Zhuo, has failed in his attempt at Foundation Establishment and has been rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment. According to reports, he was too eager for quick success, hoping to reach Foundation Establishment before the end of his second year of high school, and so he began the process rashly. Fortunately, he managed to dial 911 before losing consciousness."

"According to Mrs. Chen, she had no prior knowledge of Chen Zhuo’s attempt at Foundation Establishment."

"Pill experts state that the consequences of failing Foundation Establishment are severe. In mild cases, one’s Qi and Blood are depleted and Cultivation regresses. In severe cases, one can suffer from cultivation deviation and die from their body exploding."

"It is foreseeable that this talented student will not be able to recover anytime soon."

"Experts advise that underage students attempting Foundation Establishment must be accompanied by a parent and a High Tier Cultivator. Not only should various types of Foundation Establishment Pills be prepared, but one must also maintain open communication with the outside world and avoid entering seclusion privately. If an accident occurs, medical help can be sought in time."