Chapter 3023 — The Melancholy Mystic Dust

"Look further down and you'll see for yourself. This auxiliary oral formula for the heart method can only be cultivated once the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art itself has reached the third layer of great perfection. Otherwise, even if you cultivate it, it won't achieve the effect of simulation and emulation," Jiao Yazi said.

"The third layer, is it..." At that moment, Wei Zhao's heart brimmed with excitement. The first thing he thought of was the combined-attack heart method he had obtained from the hidden Zhuang family. If this universal auxiliary oral formula of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art really worked, and could simulate that combined-attack heart method, then Wei Zhao could join forces with Han Jingyi, Guan Xin, and even Bai Lingtou to refine pills together. Every kind of third-grade pill would no longer be a dream—and once everyone's strength rose to the heaven tier, perhaps even fourth-grade pills could be refined!

But the prerequisite was the third layer of great perfection in the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art. That looked easy enough—the second layer had reached great perfection before long—but it had been achieved through a stroke of rare luck. The third layer surely would not be so fortunate.

At that thought, Wei Zhao drew a deep breath. It gave him all the more drive to cultivate diligently. If he could circulate this universal oral formula, then the strength of Wei Zhao and everyone around him would leap forward in quality! One might even say that the pinnacle of the late heaven tier was no longer a mere dream!

Wei Zhao might not be skilled at pill refinement, but Han Jingyi, Guan Xin, and Bai Lingtou were. All Wei Zhao had to do was provide them support, letting the three of them fuse their strengths to refine pills together!

Yet once the excitement passed, Wei Zhao grew calm. After all, the third layer of great perfection in the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art was not something to be reached overnight, so for the time being he put such thoughts aside and decided to first cultivate the third layer of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art and practice the condensing and forging fire.

Though the things were already in his hands, Wei Zhao still planned to stay at home a while longer before leaving. After all, he wanted to keep his father company too, so in the days that followed, Wei Zhao settled back into a plain country life.

Apart from daily cultivation, Wei Zhao went hunting on West Star Mountain with Ergoudan every day, which more than satisfied Old Man Wei's appetite for meat!

Of course, with Old Man Wei's strength, hunting on the mountain himself would have been more than enough. But the key problem was that whenever Wei Zhao was away from home, Old Man Wei scarcely bothered to light the stove at all!

As for the bamboo slip scroll the strange heaven-tier man had given him, Wei Zhao did not open it. It was meant for "Li'er"—and though in the strange man's eyes Wei Zhao was Li'er, Wei Zhao was not the sort to pocket another's belongings. He decided that once he returned, he would first let Uncle Qing take a look. If Uncle Qing agreed to let him see it, then he could read its contents with a clear conscience.

Of course, Wei Zhao understood in his heart that this was merely a formality. Given the bond between Uncle Qing's family and himself, even without the matter of Sun Jingyan, Uncle Qing would not hesitate to let him look on account of the eldest and youngest ladies. The man had even passed on his Mad Fire Fist martial technique to him—what was there left to hide?

But it was a matter of respect for Uncle Qing. After Wei Zhao returned, he put the bamboo slip scroll away and never touched it again.

……………………

At the Xuandan Sect, in the chamber of Ancestor Xuanchen, Xiao Yi hurried over from the Five Luminaries Sect, for a matter of the highest importance had occurred there!

Ancestor Xuanchen was just then discussing the matter of Wei Zhao with Kang Jingming. These past few days Kang Jingming had been utterly miserable, yet he dared not speak of it and could only endure in silence! There was no other reason—it was simply that Tian Canbian intended to betroth Xiao Taohong to him, Kang Jingming!

Xiao Taohong was overjoyed, but Kang Jingming was not. If Xiao Taohong married him, she would lose her position as Tian Canbian's serving maid—and the only reason Kang Jingming had pursued her in the first place was that she was a favorite at Tian Canbian's side. Now that she was losing her maid's position, what use was she?

Xiao Taohong was a woman plain beyond plain; how could Kang Jingming possibly take a fancy to her? The women he had toyed with before were all beauties of Xiao Fen's caliber, and he had even set his sights on Guan Xin—proof enough that Kang Jingming's standards were quite high. As for Xiao Taohong, plainly put, she was only useful to him.

But since Ancestor Xuanchen had happily brought him this news, Kang Jingming could hardly say much. After all, Tian Canbian had already made the decision, and Ancestor Xuanchen did not know the truth. If he were to speak the truth, not only would Ancestor Xuanchen be displeased, but Tian Canbian would be displeased as well—and Xiao Taohong even more so!

If by some chance Xiao Taohong refused the marriage and stayed at Tian Canbian's side, and then spoke a few bad words about him, Kang Jingming—even as Ancestor Xuanchen's disciple—would have a bitter cup to drain in the face of Tian Canbian's wrath!

So the situation now was this: whether he wanted Xiao Taohong or not, he had to have her—he had no choice but to marry her!

Thus Kang Jingming could only put on a pleased look and say, "Thank you, Master, for your concern over your disciple's private life!"

"Mm, you are my disciple. I heard you were fond of Xiao Taohong, and I couldn't simply ignore it. While you were presenting that cauldron vessel to Young Master Tian, I asked for Xiao Taohong back on your behalf. In truth, you made this opportunity yourself—without that cauldron vessel, Xiao Taohong would have had to serve Young Master Tian a while longer, and you would have had to wait!" said Ancestor Xuanchen.

"Yes, it seems your disciple did a good deed after all!" Kang Jingming nodded, yet inwardly he was full of lament, wishing he could slap himself twice. That business with the cauldron vessel had been a wretched mess—he had thought it a good deed at the time, but now it looked like digging his own grave!

Not only was Ancestor Xuanchen not particularly pleased—now he himself was displeased as well!

"By the way, Master, now that Wei Zhao has recovered, shall we still refine the Limit Qi Gathering Pill?" Kang Jingming suddenly thought of a very important question and asked hurriedly.

"Mm... yes, we must refine it!" Ancestor Xuanchen nodded. "But there's no rush for the moment. First refine a Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pill for the Tomorrow Upon Tomorrow Sect—after all, they count as one of our allied sects."

"Yes, Master!" Though Kang Jingming wanted to refine the Limit Qi Gathering Pill for Wei Zhao first and then poison Wei Zhao to death with it, since Ancestor Xuanchen had ordered him to refine the Marrow-Washing Bone-Cleansing Pill, he could only follow his master's wishes.

As the two were speaking, a hurried knocking came at the door of Ancestor Xuanchen's chamber! Ancestor Xuanchen frowned and asked, "Who is it? What is it?"

"Master, it's me, Xiao Yi!" Xiao Yi's voice came from outside.

"Oh? Come in!" Hearing that it was his eldest disciple, Xiao Yi, Ancestor Xuanchen bade him enter. RS