"What is this?" Zhou Meng caught the True Human Pill Daniel tossed over, and his expression immediately shifted to one of seriousness. As the headmaster of Wudang, Zhou Meng may not have been an alchemist, but he had enough knowledge to recognize the profound nature of the pill in his hand.
Wudang, being a Taoist sect, had some understanding of alchemy. Although powerful alchemists were extinct in this world, Zhou Meng was well aware of the pill's remarkable properties.
Compared to artifact crafting, alchemy had all but disappeared in this world. Even the most prominent Taoist sects could only produce basic formulas for foundational cultivation—a far cry from the powerful pills of legend. These foundational pills were designed to aid children in cultivating, as it was well-known that starting martial training in childhood was most effective. Adults, by contrast, found it much harder to make significant progress once they began training.
However, there were exceptions—like Wang Ye. He had only started practicing after graduating from Huating University, yet within just a few years, he had become deeply proficient in Tai Chi and even mastered Divine Machine Hundred Refinements.
While Wang Ye's talent played a large role in his success, the resources provided by Wudang were also essential—yet another example of the advantages of wealth in martial training.
For someone like Daniel, with access to resources such as Blood Qi Pills, Qi Gathering Pills, Meridian Strengthening Pills, True Human Pills, and even Immortal Gathering Pills, creating a top-tier martial artist was entirely feasible, provided the individual wasn't completely untalented.
Take Zhuge Qing, for example. As the heir of the Zhuge clan, one of the most prestigious families, he had been laying the groundwork for his cultivation since childhood. Yet despite his upbringing, he still lost to Wang Ye.
Without Wudang's full support, Wang Ye would never have achieved such heights. The Divine Machine Hundred Refinements might be powerful, but it required vast amounts of qi to be effective. Without that foundational qi, even the greatest techniques were useless—much like how a Devil Fruit in the One Piece world would be ineffective without a strong physical body to support it.
The Old Heavenly Master was able to dominate the world with his Golden Light Spell because of the overwhelming amount of qi he possessed.
"This is a True Human Pill, capable of unblocking all the meridians, strengthening the yin and yang energies, and unlocking the body's full potential. Farewell." After explaining the pill's effects, Daniel disappeared in a flash of light, vanishing from the sight of Zhou Meng and his two disciples.
Given how amicable Zhou Meng had been, Daniel felt it wouldn't be right to take something without giving back, so he left the True Human Pill as payment. For him, it was no more valuable than a piece of candy.
"Master, are you alright?" After Daniel left, Yunlong Daoist noticed his master standing still, deep in thought. Concerned, he quickly called out.
"I'm fine." Zhou Meng turned, glancing briefly at Wang Ye before looking at the True Human Pill in his hand. "Xiao Ye, come here."
"Master, can we stop with that nickname?" Wang Ye's face was filled with resignation. Being called "Xiao Ye," like a eunuch serving in a palace, was far from dignified.
Times had changed, and sects had to adapt with them. Wudang wasn't stuck in the past. The entire back mountain was equipped with Wi-Fi, and even Zhou Meng had learned how to use a tablet to stay in touch with old friends.
"Take this," Zhou Meng said, breaking the protective outer layer of the True Human Pill. Immediately, a strange fragrance filled the air.
Alchemy was not just about shaping herbs into pills—it also required preserving the medicinal properties. The outer coating of the pill acted like a modern capsule, protecting the potency within.
"Master, should we verify it first?" Yunlong Daoist quickly intervened as Zhou Meng handed the pill to Wang Ye. Giving a mysterious pill from an unknown source to a disciple was risky. If anyone else had been in Zhou Meng's position, Yunlong Daoist would have protested much more forcefully.
"Do you think I would harm Xiao Ye?" Zhou Meng shot his disciple a stern look.
"Don't worry, Master won't hurt me." Without hesitation, Wang Ye took the pill and swallowed it. Almost immediately, his expression changed, and he sat down cross-legged, beginning to circulate his qi.
"Master, wasn't this a bit too hasty? We could have waited to verify its effects," Yunlong Daoist said with some frustration, watching as Wang Ye entered meditation. The pill was an unknown, and it seemed reckless to give it to Wudang's most promising disciple without first confirming its safety.
"What do you know?" Zhou Meng glanced at Yunlong Daoist before focusing intently on Wang Ye.
"How is this possible?" Yunlong Daoist gasped as Wang Ye's qi surged. Cultivators typically advanced slowly, step by step. Sudden leaps in power were rare, and methods that did allow for rapid growth often came with severe side effects. Such techniques were usually the domain of dark arts.
But Wang Ye's increase in qi, through a single pill, was unlike anything Yunlong Daoist had ever seen.
After a long while, Wang Ye stood up, his face glowing with energy. Yunlong Daoist immediately rushed over, asking, "How do you feel? Is everything alright?"
"Master, I feel great. There's nothing wrong," Wang Ye replied, brimming with vitality. The True Human Pill had no adverse effects.
"Yunlong, test Xiao Ye's strength," Zhou Meng suddenly commanded.
"Yes, Master," Yunlong Daoist responded.
"Come at me, Xiao Ye."
"Master, I'm not the same as before. Be careful." Wang Ye smiled as he launched into an attack with Tai Chi. He knew his master's strength well, so he didn't hold back, though he refrained from using the Wind Queen's Divination.
The power of Wind Queen's Divination was such that even against one of the Ten Elders, Wang Ye could put up a fight. Whether he could win was another matter, but he could certainly hold his own.
Bang.
Wang Ye's punch met Yunlong Daoist's, sending shockwaves through the air. Yunlong Daoist's face changed as he was forced to take several steps back.
"Master, be careful!" Wang Ye called out in surprise, quickly recovering from the shock of his own strength. He pressed forward, continuing his Tai Chi offensive.
This time, Yunlong Daoist took the fight seriously. The two exchanged blows, with neither gaining a decisive advantage.
"That's enough," Zhou Meng said after some time, signaling for them to stop.
"Master, this is unbelievable," Yunlong Daoist exclaimed. While Wang Ye had already been one of the most promising young talents—only Ma Xianhong could rival him among the younger generation—his growth after taking the pill was astounding. He had crossed over into the realm of the older generation's experts.
And what's more, his qi flowed smoothly, showing no signs of side effects.
"Master, you shouldn't have rushed to give the pill to Xiao Ye. We could have studied it first," Yunlong Daoist lamented, realizing the lost opportunity. Who knew what insights they might have gained?
"Do you really think you could replicate it?" Zhou Meng sighed. "Haven't you thought about what might happen if word of this pill got out?"
"I see… I understand, Master." Yunlong Daoist wasn't a fool. His master's words made him realize the potential consequences of such a pill becoming known. If it were to be leaked, the extraordinary world would be thrown into chaos. The Eight Great Arts had already caused enough turmoil. The True Human Pill could spark an even greater frenzy.
If the world learned that Wudang had access to such a pill—one that could elevate someone to the ranks of the strongest with a single dose—Wudang would become a target. Even the Wind Queen's Divination had already made Wudang a place of interest for those seeking power. After Wang Ye was expelled from the sect, countless extraordinary beings still infiltrated Wudang, hoping to steal its secrets.
Telling the truth wouldn't help either—no one would believe them. If Wudang had one True Human Pill, others would assume there were more, perhaps even a formula for making them.
Wudang was strong, but it couldn't withstand constant harassment. No one can stay vigilant forever, not even Daniel with his Haki.
For Daniel, the True Human Pill was no more than a snack, but in the extraordinary world, it was something far more valuable than even the Eight Great Arts. After all, the Eight Great Arts required talent to cultivate. The True Human Pill did not.
Because the times had changed, even the reappearance of the Eight Great Arts couldn't cause the same level of devastation they once did. Today, extraordinary beings couldn't act as recklessly as before. The Company wouldn't allow it.
That's why, even after Wang Ye was revealed to have mastered Wind Queen's Divination, figures like Wang Ai and Chen Jinkui simply monitored him rather than acting directly. No one dared to harm his family or take aggressive action.
Had this been the era of the Jia Shen Rebellion, Wang Ye would have been captured and tortured, and his family would have been used to force him to hand over the secret of the Wind Queen's Divination
, much like what happened to the bearers of the Eight Great Arts in the past.
"This must remain a secret. Understood?"
"Yes, Master."
"Yes, Grandmaster."
"The extraordinary world is entering another period of unrest." Zhou Meng sighed deeply as he watched Yunlong Daoist and Wang Ye leave. As Wudang's headmaster, he was well aware of recent events—Zhang Huaiyi's grandson had appeared.
With the reemergence of the Eight Great Arts, and now the presence of an unknown figure like Daniel wielding the True Human Pill, Zhou Meng knew that more chaos was inevitable. His only hope was that Wudang could avoid being caught in the storm.
"Bajiquan." Zhou Meng's handling of the True Human Pill and the speculations about it were unknown to Daniel, who was now focused on the Bajiquan manual he had just acquired.
Compared to Tai Chi, mastering Bajiquan was much simpler. It was a pure, hard-style martial art, and its techniques were widely known. Acquiring the manual had been easy.
Like Tai Chi, Bajiquan was widely practiced, but few had reached a high level of mastery. Zhuge Qing was one of the rare experts in the art.
Daniel found Bajiquan much easier to train in than Tai Chi. Hard-style martial arts suited him perfectly, and he made quick progress.
"Master Ma sure has a lot of free time." After hanging up a call from Ma Xianhong, Daniel sighed. He had left New Biyou Village because of a mission, which was to contact a regular person interested in the extraordinary world and see if they wanted to become a transformed person in New Biyou Village.
Some of these people had been found by Ma Xianhong through the internet, while others had come through unknown means, likely related to Ma Xianhong's sister's intelligence network.
Given Ma Xianhong's personality, it was unlikely he had built such an organization himself.
Some regular people, upon learning about the extraordinary world, would go to great lengths to join it. But the extraordinary world was not easy to enter. Even in Daniel's past life, becoming part of the martial arts world was nearly impossible for ordinary people.
Ma Xianhong now held the key to this world, offering a way in through his inclusive philosophy of receiving all without distinction. Many transformed people were deeply grateful to him for this.
One of those most thankful to Ma Xianhong was Liu Dang, a former boxing champion. He had achieved great success, winning multiple titles and becoming one of the most skilled fighters among regular people. But one day, he encountered a child who insisted on sparring with him. Initially, Liu Dang had no intention of fighting a kid, but the child idolized him, so he reluctantly agreed.
To his shock, the child proved to be tougher than any opponent Liu Dang had ever faced. Desperate to win, Liu Dang fought with all his might and eventually emerged victorious. Normally, his attacks would have severely injured or even killed someone, but the child walked away with only minor injuries, leaving Liu Dang both amazed and determined to uncover the boy's secret.
He eventually learned that the child was apprenticed to a blacksmith. Liu Dang joined the blacksmith as a disciple, but after a month, he was asked to leave because he lacked the necessary talent.
The blacksmith, it turned out, was an extraordinary being, though not a particularly powerful one. His abilities were limited to metalworking, but even so, Liu Dang, as a regular person, couldn't compare. If the child had been a little older and more advanced in training, Liu Dang would have lost the fight.
This situation was eerily similar to when Killua from Hunter x Hunter fought Zushi without knowing about Nen. Killua had a great aptitude for learning Nen, but Liu Dang had no such talent for cultivating qi.
After that, Liu Dang became obsessed with entering the extraordinary world. Despite being a wealthy boxing champion, he was clueless about how to break in—until he met one of Ma Xianhong's top-tier disciples, who promised to help him. Liu Dang abandoned his mundane life and moved to New Biyou Village, where he remained loyal to Ma Xianhong, even during the attack by the temporary workers.
Of course, Liu Dang was an exception among the transformed people, having been strong even before his transformation. Most of the others had been ordinary individuals.
The person Daniel had been sent to contact was similar. After Daniel demonstrated the power of qi, the man was eager to join. But after hearing Daniel's full explanation, especially about having to abandon his wealth to live in New Biyou Village, the man quickly changed his mind.
It wasn't Daniel's intention to scare him off—the man simply couldn't let go of his material possessions.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]