Chapter 89: Astonishing Elixir, Exorbitant Price

Everyone was curious about the pill's effects. Su Yuan pondered briefly before casually flicking his wrist, sending a Seven-Colored Stellar Pill flying toward Li Qinglian. "Swallow it and test its effects. This old man has also never refined this newly developed pill before, so I'm unclear about its exact properties," Su Yuan said calmly. Hearing it was a newly developed formula, Li Qinglian's expression changed. She glanced at Elder Snow Sword, who remained expressionless, offering no advice. With solemn determination, Li Qinglian said, "Understood, Senior Su!" Since this pill was refined by a Divine Transformation elder and would ultimately be paid for by Elder Snow Sword, with two powerful cultivators overseeing the process, what could possibly go wrong? She sat cross-legged and swallowed the Seven-Colored Stellar Pill without hesitation. Su Yuan's eyes revealed a peculiar light. This pill represented the culmination of various secret techniques, combining insights from the Nine-Colored Celestial Fish, the Big Dipper constellation, and the Myriad Treasures Heaven-Earth Cauldron to create something entirely new - forged through celestial energies and array formations. Truthfully, he had only simulated its effects in his mind;the actual outcome remained uncertain. Li Qinglian was at mid Foundation Establishment stage with superior fire-wood spiritual roots, having formed a superior-grade Dao foundation during her breakthrough. The moment she swallowed the pill, spiritual energy from heaven and earth began rapidly converging toward her. Su Yuan reacted instantly, casually setting up a spirit-gathering array. Elder Snow Sword immediately took out spirit stones to place around Li Qinglian, ensuring she wouldn't lack spiritual energy. The onlookers watched with intense curiosity about the pill's miraculous properties. Li Qinglian's aura began rising rapidly. The spectators remained calm - such dramatic effects seemed normal after witnessing the extraordinary refinement process. But soon they noticed her aura's growth accelerating exponentially! An experienced cultivator observed, "That pill seems to have body-tempering effects too - this young friend's physical body is strengthening!" "Not just the body - her spiritual sense is expanding while her true essence intensifies. This is comprehensive enhancement!" Under everyone's gaze, within just two quarters of an hour, Li Qinglian effortlessly broke through to late Foundation Establishment, as if the bottleneck never existed. Elder Snow Sword showed astonishment: "Wait... Little Lian's true essence quality appears improved. Could her Dao foundation have actually been enhanced?" His words drew probing spiritual senses from numerous powerful figures, who confirmed that Li Qinglian's Dao foundation had indeed upgraded from superior-grade to supreme-grade! This was unprecedented. Dao foundations were notoriously difficult to improve, typically fixed at quality during the Qi Condensation to Foundation Establishment breakthrough, requiring rare treasures for secondary enhancement. Yet this pill alone had accomplished it! Since Dao foundation influenced Golden Core quality, a supreme-grade foundation meant higher potential ceilings! Li Qinglian's cultivation continued rising. After half an hour, her aura reached Foundation Establishment's peak! The spectators exchanged glances - this single pill had saved immense cultivation time while showing no signs of unstable foundations. Her Dao foundation quality had even improved further! Many cultivators already showed covetous expressions. Suddenly, Li Qinglian's face revealed struggle before firming with resolve. Her aura began climbing again! "What? She's attempting Golden Core breakthrough directly?" "Too risky! She just reached peak Foundation Establishment without stabilizing her cultivation or tempering her mental state!" "Elder Snow Sword, shouldn't you stop your disciple?" Friendly Nascent Soul cultivators advised from afar. Elder Snow Sword said impassively, "This is her choice. The cultivation path must be walked alone." Su Yuan was also surprised Li Qinglian would attempt Golden Core formation so soon. Internally visualizing her dantian, Li Qinglian guided her true essence toward the pill's residual medicinal power, intending to refine it into her forming Golden Core as heavenly treasure! Her Dao foundation manifested as a flame seedling, merging with the true essence center to begin Golden Core formation. Massive true essence condensed into a rough, pitted core prototype. Internal flames refined it smoother while seven-colored lights radiated outward, imprinting colorful Dao patterns on her skin! "It works!" Li Qinglian rejoiced inwardly, continuing the process. Two hours passed in a blink. Her aura underwent sudden metamorphosis - successful Golden Core breakthrough! "Now the inner demon tribulation!" someone reminded. Black energy materialized around Li Qinglian's forehead, invading her consciousness for the mental trial. The crowd grew solemn - this was the true challenge, why many cultivators sought worldly experience to temper their minds. Indeed, Li Qinglian's deepening frown and pained expression suggested impending failure. Elder Snow Sword sighed - failing the inner demon trial could mean cultivation regression at best, or qi deviation death at worst. Such was the arduous cultivation path. But then, seven-colored light erupted from her dantian, illuminating her forehead and vaporizing the black energy! Her pained expression smoothed as her chaotic aura stabilized, continuing to rise until settling at mid Golden Core stage - a full major realm advancement! Finally opening her eyes, Li Qinglian radiated post-tribulation joy. "Such... such pill effects! Heaven-defying!" "It actually protects against inner demons?" Elder Snow Sword urgently asked, "Little Lian, what happened?" "I thought the inner demons would consume me," she said shakily, "but my mind suddenly cleared, seeing through their illusions to break free easily." Nodding, Elder Snow Sword inquired, "Golden Core quality?" Golden Cores were classified as upper, middle, or lower grades, each with three tiers (nine total). Normally, superior Dao foundations could reach middle-grade cores, while supreme-grade might achieve upper-grade. Beaming, Li Qinglian revealed, "Upper-grade seventh-tier core!" She manifested her Golden Core - its size, density, and unique seven-colored glow confirming the assessment. Elder Snow Sword praised, "To reach upper-grade! With further tempering, you might achieve ninth-tier! Nascent Soul prospects!" Middle-grade cores typically maxed at seventh-tier with Nascent Soul potential, but upper-grade ninth-tier significantly improved Nascent Soul chances! Essentially, one pill had rewritten Li Qinglian's destiny! At under a century old with extended lifespan, the benefits spoke for themselves. The crowd's covetous gazes turned to Su Yuan's remaining pills - the ultimate breakthrough treasures! Enhancing foundation quality while protecting against inner demons rivaled multiple heavenly treasures! Su Yuan coughed: "Having witnessed the effects, let's auction the first pill. Starting bid: one top-grade spirit stone." "100 top-grade stones!" came immediately, equivalent to 100 million low-grade stones - whereas normal breakthrough resources might cost mere millions. Yet none considered this exaggerated, given the pill's guaranteed breakthrough and time-saving properties that could elevate ordinary cultivators to genius status with Nascent Soul potential - effectively manufacturing elite disciples! "500 top-grade stones!" bid a Heavenly Unity Sect's Nascent Soul elder, raising to 500 million equivalent. "800 top-grade stones!" countered a Nascent Soul rogue cultivator. "2000 top-grade stones!" the Heavenly Unity elder declared firmly. Whispers circulated: "That's Heavenly Unity's Nocturnal Chill True Monarch, right? Rumor says he had a late-born son with poor aptitude. No wonder he's bidding so aggressively!" "Who wouldn't want this for loved ones? This pill is practically divine - foundation reconstruction unheard of!" The price skyrocketed, with bidders constrained to financial competition under Su Yuan's presence. Finally, the pill sold for 99,990 top-grade spirit stones - nearly 100,000 - to True Monarch Nocturnal Chill. Whether the elder regretted the price was unknown, but Elder Snow Sword turned pale! This far exceeded his wildest estimates - he'd assumed a few hundred top-grade stones at most! Now he owed double that amount, needing to borrow from peers! Li Qinglian gasped, realizing her fresh Golden Core came with crushing debt. Elder Snow Sword transmitted: "Don't worry, dear disciple. Just focus on alchemy for the sect. Only 300 years of continuous pill refining should cover it!" Li Qinglian stiffened, almost wanting to spit the pill out - too expensive! Though of course she wouldn't;such heaven-defying opportunities were priceless even at 500 years' labor. "Actually, 300 years might be insufficient. Make it 500," Elder Snow Sword amended. Hearing this, Li Qinglian's eyes rolled back as she fainted.