Chapter 103

Chapter 103: The Disappointing Fourth Layer

The clue from the first jade slip cooled Zhou Luo’s initial excitement a great deal.

He gathered his composure, cast aside that jade slip containing the clue to the Golden Bell, and picked up another one.

After taking a deep breath, he peered at the jade slip.

White light surged forth, illuminating the surroundings.

Zhou Luo returned once again to that vast, blank white space.

The white-haired but youthfully complexioned old man still wore a calm smile as he gazed at him kindly.

"Please state the order in which the herbs are added when refining the Gold Origin Pill."

"You have twenty breaths to provide your answer."

It was yet another pill-refining question.

And still concerning a top-level first-level pill.

If this were Wang Yu Wei or her like, they would definitely have failed to answer.

It seemed the question was random and didn’t account for the jade slip user’s actual skill level.

"Gold Origin Grass, Sandalwood Root, Stone Orchid Grass…"

Zhou Luo rattled off the names of eight different herbs in succession.

"Answer correct. This is your clue."

The old man nodded and reached out his hand; a slip of paper drifted from his palm, floating in mid-air as it slowly unfolded.

"At the small stall marked ‘Shuo Feng’ in the eastern section of Nan Street Market in Maple Leaf City, there’s an ordinary-looking stone; hidden inside it is a Flaming Crystal."

The clue was in Maple Leaf City?

Zhou Luo’s pupils contracted ever so slightly.

That was most convenient.

Moreover, the Flaming Crystal was a crucial material for refining a top-level first-level Flaming Pill, and its market value was never low.

If he could simply obtain a top-grade material like this for free, it would surely be a big win.

"Do you wish to verify its authenticity?"

The old man’s voice cut through Zhou Luo’s train of thought.

Ah, right.

This clue might be true or a fake.

To verify it, he could either retrace the steps—return to Maple Leaf City and personally visit Nan Street—or refine a pill.

The first option wouldn’t expend much effort, but if the clue was false, he’d have hoped in vain.

The latter was the relatively safer bet.

After all, he’d never shied away from pill refining in the past.

It couldn’t possibly involve a second-level potion.

"Yes." Zhou Luo’s tone was firm.

The elder replied with a hint of laughter, "Once you successfully refine a cauldron of Gold Origin Pills, you’ll know whether the clue is genuine or fake."

As he finished speaking, a blinding golden light erupted between them, and a furnace abruptly appeared. A small wooden table materialized beside it, holding all the ingredients needed to concoct the Gold Origin Pills.

Zhou Luo pondered thoughtfully.

It seemed the subsequent pill refining was intrinsically linked to his earlier answer.

Without hesitation, he strode forward, fixed his gaze on the Purple Gold furnace, gathered the ingredients, and began pill refinement.

The elder stood by cheerfully, watching in silence.

Roughly half an hour later.

The fragrant aroma of potion filled the air—the Gold Origin Pills were successfully refined.

The elder then waved his hand, causing both the furnace and the remaining ingredients to vanish instantly.

"This clue is fake!"

He declared calmly.

Zhou Luo’s face darkened, a violent urge to curse surging in his chest like ten thousand galloping horses.

After slaving away to refine these…

Fine.

Actually, it wasn’t hard.

But still, I put in the effort.

And the clue turns out to be fake?

The impulse to unleash his wrath nearly overwhelmed him.

Unfortunately, the elder gave him no chance.

As the white light faded, he found himself seated before the wooden table once more.

Back in reality, a wave of dizziness washed over Zhou Luo, accompanied by deep exhaustion.

The next instant, the Spirit Xiyu on his chest glowed softly. A cooling sensation flowed into his consciousness sea, easing his discomfort considerably.

So pill refining drains spiritual energy too, Zhou Luo mused silently, eyeing the now-closed jade slip.

Currently, he was a top-level first-level Pill Master. Yet after refining just one cauldron of Gold Origin Pills, he’d already grown weary in spirit.

If I were still just a peak first-level Pill Master, the toll would have been far heavier.

Yet while in the illusion, he had felt nothing at all.

No wonder the fourth floor restricts us to five jade slips a day.

Without limits, someone might easily become obsessed with distinguishing true clues from false, only to have their spirit splinter within the illusion and collapse utterly.

This gambling-like quest for clues could truly become addictive.

It was just… amazing. Out of the two jade slips he’d activated, though one offered a genuine clue, it had already been discovered by others, leaving him with nothing.

It turned out investigating the clues was even harder than imagined.

Once his spirit was mostly restored, Zhou Luo picked up the third jade slip and entered its illusion.

Then.

He obtained a false clue.

And due to refining elixirs, his spirit was depleted again.

Thankfully, the Spirit Xiyu allowed him to recover swiftly.

After resting for a quarter-hour.

Unwilling to give up, Zhou Luo picked up the fourth jade slip.

This time.

He received yet another false clue.

Damn it!

Zhou Luo stared at the jade slip, his face pale, feeling utterly deceived.

Was this Immortal Sect so ruthless? Couldn’t they provide one genuine clue?

Having refined pills three times now, Zhou Luo’s mind was severely strained, fatigue washing over him in waves.

He had no choice but to stop.

Fortunately, the chairs here were suitable for meditation.

Zhou Luo simply sat cross-legged on one and began cultivating to replenish his energy.

He initiated the Spirit Gathering Technique, and the Fire Spirit Ring on his finger emitted a crimson light.

The surrounding spiritual energy began converging toward him, flowing through his skin into his meridians.

Zhou Luo felt vast currents of spiritual energy surging through him—at least double the usual amount outside.

If only he could cultivate here every day!

Two hours later, Zhou Luo opened his eyes; the spiritual energy in his Qi sea had increased once more.

Feeling much more refreshed, he took a deep breath and reached for the final jade slip.

It must be a real clue!

He shouted inwardly.

Yet, his luck was truly abysmal.

Another false message.

Frustrated, Zhou Luo returned to reality and glanced at the time.

The entire morning had passed like that.

He had gained nothing but a few faint wisps of spiritual energy to show for it.

He left his seat and returned the five jade slips to their place.

However, once set back in position, the jade slips flashed with white light and vanished from sight.

Zhou Luo’s expression changed.

It could change locations too?

That meant he might draw them again in the future?

No way!

Zhou Luo, who had just thought the Immortal Sect was extravagantly wealthy, suddenly felt differently.

This is outright daylight robbery!

Leaving the fourth floor, Zhou Luo stepped out of the Scripture Depository. Gazing at the blazing sun overhead, he abruptly felt the fourth floor wasn’t as fantastic as he’d imagined.

He shook his head, dismissing these unrealistic thoughts.

He walked toward the alchemy room, intending to complete today’s coursework first.

Compared to concocting pills while trapped in illusions, doing it in reality was noticeably easier.

Meanwhile, during the pill concoction, Zhou Luo abruptly realized his mental strength seemed to have improved somewhat.

The strength of one’s mental strength directly impacts a Pill Master’s capabilities.

A Pill Master with formidable mental strength could utilize more medicinal ingredients at once and concoct more potions.

Conversely, a Pill Master with weaker mental strength struggled.

Often, mental strength was also a key criterion for gauging a Pill Master’s realm.

No wonder Wang Yu Wei had previously mentioned a Pill Master who stayed on the fourth floor for nearly a year and broke through upon leaving.

He probably succeeded by daily "opening blind boxes."

Though there was no gain on the first day,

Fortunately, Zhou Luo could remain on the fourth floor for the next month.

Thus, in the following days,

He would finish his coursework in the mornings and head to the fourth floor in the afternoons to "open blind boxes," while diligently practicing cultivation.

Regrettably, his luck didn’t seem particularly good.

Although he discovered some real clues, they were either difficult to obtain or too easy yet held little value.

Hardly worth pursuing.

A month swiftly passed, and a new assessment loomed once more.

Zhou Luo would also forfeit his access to the fourth floor.

Yet he truly couldn’t accept this.

So, unsurprisingly, he secured first place again in the second month.

Lu An, who had intended to redeem his previous defeat, suffered another Waterloo.

"I refuse to believe this!"

In the second month, Zhou Luo returned to the fourth floor.

Staring at the towering bookshelf, he strode toward it with unwavering resolve.