Immortality: Starting with the Fruit of Taiyin

From only being able to refine inferior products, to occasionally refining a genuine pill, and then to being able to refine genuine pills every time.

Even improving the proportion of genuine products and the yield of pills, until occasionally being able to refine a high-quality pill... every bit of progress is built upon countless medicinal materials.

Even geniuses can only shorten the time and number of attempts involved, but cannot improve their alchemy skills out of thin air through so-called enlightenment.

Therefore, when the forces in the cultivation world that possessed high-level alchemists reached a consensus, they unanimously began to dump first-grade mid-to-low-grade pills at the cost of alchemists at the "minor success" level.

For them, this dumping is also unprofitable; if they don't make money, it means that almost all the lower-grade first-level alchemists from outside are losing money.

Even alchemists who meet the sect's standards can barely break even and don't even earn a penny of their hard-earned money.

In this way, the only options available to Han's Pill Pavilion are whether to suffer a large loss or a small loss; there is no possibility of not suffering a loss.

Of course, losing money is one thing.

Wang Xuan knew that as long as the Han family had the ability, they would eventually continue to invest.

Because the major powers in the cultivation world are not philanthropists. They are willing to raise the threshold for alchemy at any cost, naturally in order to earn back the resources tenfold or a hundredfold later.

Raising the entry threshold for the industry is just the beginning; what follows is the monopolistic exorbitant profits of high-end industries.

Wang Xuan was extremely familiar with this set of operations.

As for whether this behavior will lead to a situation where geniuses with inferior spiritual roots but exceptional talent in various arts and crafts will find it difficult to stand out, thereby reducing the number of high-level craftsmen... that will definitely happen.

Wang Xuan knew from a moment's thought that the lack of pills and talismans of the third rank and above was exactly what those multinational chambers of commerce and forces that controlled everything wanted to achieve.

They can use this to continuously harvest all the Core Formation cultivators outside of Chen Kingdom's Nascent Soul faction, earning huge profits without bloodshed.

In this process, every extra third-tier spiritual item that can be acquired could potentially offset a significant portion of the profit deficit from first-tier pills.

Looking at the entire Chen Kingdom, the Tianshan Sect, the only Nascent Soul sect capable of putting up any resistance, must have received ample compensation from them.

In this way, Nascent Soul True Monarchs can indirectly weaken the various vassal sects and families of the Chen Kingdom without lifting a finger; and transnational forces can make huge profits in the realm of high-level spiritual objects simply by paying some spirit stones.

In the end, the money for the Nascent Soul cultivator was returned in full, and the money for the vassal was split 30/70... No wonder Wanze Immortal City, one of the largest immortal cities in Chen Kingdom, was jointly controlled by the three major merchant guilds and the Tianshan Sect.

This is a powerful alliance between a local strongman and a foreign power, where the former consolidates its position and the latter reaps the rewards, while only the middle and lower classes suffer.

"Tsk tsk, the world of cultivators is truly more about capital than capital itself... But then again, this makes sense."

"If you possess absolute power, a longer lifespan, and the advantage of striking first, it would be a huge joke if you could still be overthrown by the forces under your command."

Even if such an exceptional individual occasionally appears, it cannot change the overall trend.

I sighed softly, even though all of the above were just speculations.

But judging from the appearances and deducing the inside story, Wang Xuan estimated that it should be pretty much correct.

No matter what kind of world it is, human nature will never change.

Even if talent doesn't equate to intelligence, as long as you live long enough, copying homework is never too difficult.

Shaking his head inwardly, Wang Xuan had no particular opinion on the matter, but he couldn't help but sigh at the difficulties that lay ahead.

After all, it won't be long before he becomes a member of the rogue cultivators.

Anyway, no matter what.

"As a newly established Foundation Establishment family, even if the Han family doesn't expect a second-tier alchemist, they must want to cultivate a first-tier high-grade alchemist who can refine pills for Qi Refining stage breakthrough."

"After all, breakthrough-level pills are among the very few first-level pills that command extremely high premiums and are considered strategic resources by Foundation Establishment forces."

"Only when rogue alchemists reach this level can they barely make a profit by refining pills."

"What I didn't expect was that this Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Han family is really rich..."

Wang Xuan didn't quite understand; in fact, he had been puzzled by this for a long time.

Logically speaking, someone who has just advanced to the early stage of Foundation Establishment might not even be able to obtain a second-tier spiritual vein that can be passed down through generations, let alone train an alchemist.

Such wealth is nothing compared to that of ordinary fake pills.

"Forget it, these things have nothing to do with me."

"It is said that wealth should not be flaunted. The Han family dares to spend money so ostentatiously. Even if they have obtained some great opportunity, they must have the means to protect their wealth."

"I'm not a member of the Han family, so there's no need for me to worry about this too much."

Without thinking further, Wang Xuan left the quiet room and looked at the sky outside the courtyard.

Another year and a half has passed, and Qingniao has recently successfully entered the late stage of the first tier.

Even with a superior bloodline, reaching this stage wouldn't be something that can be accomplished in just a few years to break through to the second tier.

But that's enough... because barring any unforeseen circumstances, the calamity facing the Nanhua Sect is probably just around the corner.

……

Time flies, and several months have passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, in the State of Chen, in the Nanyun Mountains.

The Nanyun Mountains are located in the eastern part of Chen State, the core of the state.

Its mountains stretch for nearly a thousand miles, with undulating peaks and valleys, full of spiritual energy.

To ordinary people, this was undoubtedly an insurmountable chasm that separated the east and west of a state.

In the eyes of cultivators, this magnificent mountain range, though far inferior to the vast and unfathomable Wanze Mountain Range, is still an insurmountable peak.

Of course, what cultivators consider "insurmountable" is not its height.

Rather, it is because countless years ago, the essence of heaven and the turbidity of earth converged and evolved here, forming a third-grade superior spiritual vein, as well as a rare spiritual cleansing pool.

Above the spiritual vein lies the grand formation of the Nanhua Sect, a renowned Core Formation power of the Chen Kingdom.

As one of the six major sects outside the Tianshan Sect of Chen State, and one of the eight great families, Nanhua Sect has two Grand Masters in the late Core Formation stage, with at least one of them permanently stationed in the sect.

In addition, there were more than ten Core Formation and Pseudo-Core Formation cultivators. The third-grade superior sect-protecting array covered a hundred miles and connected to the earth's veins.

Without a doubt, this is the holy land in the eyes of rogue cultivators, and the supreme sect revered by the Lesser Immortal Clan.

Even if the Nascent Soul sect of Chen Kingdom suppresses everything, it will never easily ignore the voices of these Core Formation forces.

After all, even a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator cannot rule the Chen Kingdom alone.

As long as their fundamental interests are not involved, the Tianshan Sect is still willing to give these vassals enough respect on the surface...

On this day, however, a message arrived flying straight up to the highest heavens.

A moment later, an unfathomable divine sense descended from the sky, invisibly covering the entire mountain gate.

From this moment on, the gates of Nanhua Mountain are a place where one can enter but not leave.