249: Chapter 249 Encounter

Bang!

On Yanyang Peak, a violent explosion rang out, but the Chen Family Cultivators did not think much of it or feel that anything major had happened, because that was where Chen Lingtong was located.

"Failed again!" Chen Lingtong sighed.

"The foundation establishment pill is indeed difficult to refine. Three consecutive furnace batches have all failed. No wonder foundation establishment pills are far from enough in the Immortal Realm. This is not just a lack of resources, but the inherent difficulty of refining the foundation establishment pill itself," Chen Lingtong lamented.

She had been studying Alchemy for at least thirty years, especially with Li Qingling personally teaching her for twenty years, yet she had only raised her Alchemy skill to the Tier 2 High Grade. It seemed only a step away from the Tier 2 Top Grade, but in reality, this step was truly not easy.

"Continue, hurry up and refine them. Right now, the Family's foundation establishment pills are far too scarce. Quite a few Family members forcibly attempted Foundation Establishment without a foundation establishment pill and died from their bodies bursting apart."

This was also normal; after all, not every Family member possessed the talent of Chen Changqing and the others.

Another month passed, and a hum! sounded. This time, the Pill Furnace did not explode; instead, a wave of medicinal fragrance drifted out.

Chen Lingtong was excited. She had finally refined a batch of foundation establishment pills. She hurriedly lifted the furnace lid and took a peek inside, where two glowing white medicinal pellets lay quietly.

"It is still quite a bit worse. Back then, Seventh Aunt could produce four or five foundation establishment pills in a single furnace, with at least three. I cannot compare at all; I still need to keep up the good work."

The refinement of each batch of foundation establishment pills took at least close to a month. Failing twice and succeeding once over the past half year meant that this probability was actually very high. Among all the members of the Chen Family, aside from Li Qingling, no one else could compare to her.

Even outside the Chen Family, how many people could compare to her?

She took out the two foundation establishment pills, stored them in a jade box, rested for a month, and then restarted a new round of refinement.

As for Chen Lingyi, after entering the Foundation Establishment Stage, he was either in closed-door cultivation or taking care of the children. More a decade ago, he had married Chen Lingtong. Although both were members of the Chen Family, because they were both fourth-generation Family members, their blood relation was distant.

Coupled with the fact that the two of them had Cultivated and competed together in their early years, they gradually developed some romantic feelings for each other. After getting together, they were also very promising, giving birth to a son and a daughter.

Among them, Chen Lirong had Four Spiritual Roots, while Chen Liyuan had Three Spiritual Roots.

Situations like theirs also appeared in various families.

...

"I have finally broken through to the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment. It is just the right time to go back and check on the Family." A streak of crimson-gold escape light continuously shuttled among a cluster of mountain ranges.

Passing by the territory of the Giant Sword Sect, Chen Lingyang finally manifested from within the escape light.

The territory of the Giant Sword Sect was very close to that of the Chen Family. Although the other party only had one Purple Mansion Master, there were relatively many Foundation Establishment Cultivators within the Giant Sword Sect. Coupled with the fact that the Giant Sword Sect intentionally condoned its Disciples in stirring up trouble, the Chen Family's relations with the Giant Sword Sect had not been very good over the years.

It was only due to the Purple Mansion Masters on both sides that they had not resorted to drastic measures.

The mountain gate of the Giant Sword Sect was chosen at Chiyun Peak of the former Yun Family, but Chiyun Peak had now been renamed Giant Sword Peak.

As for that Yun Family back then, after experiencing multiple major battles, not only did the remaining few Foundation Establishment Cultivators die or pass away from old age, but even the Family members withered away completely.

Now, the strongest Cultivator within the Family was only at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining Perfection, and there were barely a hundred Family members left, completely turning into a small Qi Refining clan at the mercy of others.

Chen Lingyang looked carefully for a while, then headed towards the direction of Wuyue Mountain.

This time, he had been stuck at the Perfection of the Third Layer of Foundation Establishment for only four years. Originally, he estimated that it would take ten years to break through the shackles, but halfway through, he encountered a Tier 2 Spirit Medicine. Relying on that Tier 2 Spirit Medicine, he was able to smoothly break through to the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment.

Swoosh!

A sound of piercing wind came from his front-left. Chen Lingyang looked straight over. What was this?

Just a few miles away from him, a Green-skirted Woman was continuously coming towards his direction.

Behind her, dozens of Cultivators wearing the attire of the Giant Sword Sect were closely following.

Seeing this, Chen Lingyang immediately left in another direction, unwilling to get entangled with these people.

However, that Green-skirted Woman had long noticed Chen Lingyang, and seeing that the other party was different from the group of Cultivators hunting her down behind her, she immediately headed towards Chen Lingyang. This was her only straw to grasp for saving her life.

If the other party refused to help, she could only choose to commit suicide; at the very least, she would not be humiliated by that pack of beasts behind her.

Chen Lingyang also noticed that the other party was coming towards his direction, and his brows furrowed. He had no choice but to head away from the direction of the Chen Family. The Chen Family's relationship with the Giant Sword Sect was very poor, and if he really stayed here, it was hard to say whether this group of Giant Sword Sect Cultivators would attack him.

"Fellow Daoist, save me," a cry for help came from behind him.

"Fellow Daoist, why are you trying to harm me?" Chen Lingyang looked at the Green-skirted Woman who was already very close to him behind him and questioned.

Hearing this, the other party felt somewhat aggrieved. She simply did not want to die, so upon encountering Chen Lingyang, she instinctively called out for help.

But seeing Chen Lingyang's cold expression, she belatedly realized that the Immortal Realm only had interests and strength. If she could not produce sufficient benefits, the man in front of her would definitely not help her.

After all, helping her was equivalent to offending the entire Giant Sword Sect.

The Green-skirted Woman wiped away her tears and put on a brave front. "Sorry to have bothered you, Fellow Daoist."

Finished speaking, she turned her head and left in another direction.

Seeing the other party like this, Chen Lingyang also felt somewhat soft-hearted. However, if the Family suffered unprovoked disaster because he privately rescued an unrelated Cultivator, then he would be a sinner of the Chen Family.

Although the Chen Family was already very powerful, there were still many times when they remained extremely helpless and could only drift with the tide.

"Quickly pursue! We cannot let her escape. Right, Junior Brother, that woman just now fled to the side of that man; the two of them definitely have an unspeakable secret. Make your move and capture him," said a Grey-robed Elder.

Beside him, a Red-robed Young Man nodded and headed towards Chen Lingyang's direction.

Seeing this, Chen Lingyang did not want to cause trouble, but the other party still came to look for trouble with him.

That Red-robed Young Man's cultivation was not high, only at the second layer of Foundation Establishment. However, he had concealed his aura at the first layer of Foundation Establishment to make the other party think they could defeat him. Coupled with the fact that he had undergone disguises and so on when venturing out previously, it was completely normal that the other party did not recognize him.

"Since you want to attack me, do not blame me for making a move as well."

Chen Lingyang immediately made his move. What he conjured out was a cyan-gold Flying Sword, which he had previously obtained by killing a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Because he could not expose his identity, he had no choice but to use this to attack.

Seeing that Chen Lingyang still wanted to attack him, the Red-robed Young Man wore mockery and disdain in his eyes as a giant sword soared into the sky, sweeping horizontally toward Chen Lingyang.

Chen Lingyang feigned being unable to match him, dragging the other party along while fighting to leave the territory of the Giant Sword Sect.

Exchanging blows in the territory of the Giant Sword Sect—who knew whether new Foundation Establishment Cultivators would arrive from the other side? If they did, it would be troublesome.

He looked in the direction where the Green-skirted Woman had fled earlier and ran along after them.

That woman's cultivation was only at the first layer of Foundation Establishment, and hunting her down were two more Foundation Establishment Cultivators, among whom one was at the fifth layer of Foundation Establishment and one at the third layer.

As for those Qi Refining Cultivators, they were also chasing closely behind.