"Master is so lucky today!"

"Congratulations Master!"

Neither of the two simple-minded people, Yu Huo and Su Lian, understood what terrible things had just happened. They naively congratulated Yu Qiong.

Yu Qiong nodded slightly and comforted both of them. Then they left, feeling surprised and overjoyed.

Yu Qiong naturally wouldn't be that casual with Chen Chen.

That jade box could block out divine senses, but Chen Chen managed to detect the specific value of the treasures it contained. That was just too terrifying.

If he had just detected some of its aura, he wouldn't have hinted her to compare her most inferior treasure to Elder Ouyang's most precious one.

"Can this kid see through opaque things?"

After this thought flashed in her mind, Yu Qiong's gaze subconsciously became dangerous.

Chen Chen was frightened to see that look in her eyes.

'What is that woman trying to do? Is she trying to covet my ability?'

Thinking of this, he hurriedly laughed and said, "Ahem, when I was a child, an old man did some fortune-telling for me and said that I'm a blessed person because I had done a lot of kind deeds in my previous life... So, I'm a little bit talented and I'm extremely sensitive to all kinds of treasures. Master, don't be surprised, this is not a divine ability that just anyone can learn."

Yu Qiong shook her head disdainfully and said, "Who do you think I am? Why would I covet your divine ability? But you did a good job today, and I'm not a stingy person, take this."

Yu Qiong then handed a strange stone that had a black side and a white side to Chen Chen.

Chen Chen took the stone, only to be taken aback!

'Why is Yu Qiong so kind as to give me a treasure today? How can there be such a good thing? There must be something suspicious about this!'

Before he could continue thinking about it, Yu Qiong explained, "This thing is called the Yin-Yang stone. If you channel your spiritual energy into this Yin-Yang stone, the one I hold will be detected, no matter how distant you are from me."

"If you encounter any danger in the future, you can use this Yin-Yang stone to ask me for help. Remember, if you channel spiritual energy to the white side, it means that there's no danger. If you channel it to the black side, it means there is danger."

Chen Chen was moved at first, but as she explained further, the more he felt that something was amiss.

If he encountered danger, he could just use the communication token. There was no need for him to do it silently.

Besides, if there was no danger, why would he have to inform her?

After taking a careful look, he realized that there seemed to be the word 'win' carved vaguely on the white side of the stone and the word 'lose' carved on the black side.

"Damn!"

Chen Chen cursed furiously.

He had helped Yu Qiong but never planned to return the favor. She even gave him that stone for cheating!

'Is she asking me to help her cheat in the long term?'

'I can help her cheat, but she's gone overboard by using the excuse of giving me a way to call for help during times of danger! This is so shameless!'

However, he eventually figured out what Yu Qiong had in mind.

Yu Qiong probably felt that his hints were too obvious.

Although an expert of the Essence Soul realm wouldn't keep his divine senses on all the time, their senses were still sharp. If he kept hinting at her all the time, those who were smart would be able to tell that there was something suspicious.

"You're being so stingy even when you're asking me for help. Hmph!"

Chen Chen humphed coldly and then put away the Yin-Yang stone. He then said respectfully, "Master, don't worry, I'm well aware of my abilities, and I usually don't use this unless I'm in danger."

Chen Chen was trying to tell her that he wouldn't help her cheat all the time.

They then looked at each other.

After a long time, Yu Qiong waved her hand, and eight alchemy cauldrons appeared in the space at the side.

"I heard Yu Huo say that you can refine Foundation Establishment Pills, is that true? Since this is the case, you are also considered an alchemist. There are eight elixir cauldrons here, pick one."

When Chen Chen saw the eight alchemy cauldrons, he gained a new understanding of his assets again. The eight alchemy cauldrons were emitting several rays of light and each cauldron was on par with that of Yu Huo's.

Now it seems that this thing was not only linked to one's ability but also one's intelligence.

Chen Chen silently used the system to choose the most precious one and put it away. "Thank you, Master, since I've become an alchemist. Others might desire what I have. If I encounter any danger then, I'll use the Yin-Yang stone to ask you for help."

After saying that, both of them fell silent for a while before finally smiling in satisfaction.

...

After leaving Yu Qiong's place, Chen Chen began to scrutinize the alchemy cauldron that he had chosen.

The alchemy cauldron was called the Fire Essence Dipper Cauldron. It was a genuine treasure of which value could not be measured by Spirit Stones at all.

Logically speaking, novice alchemists should not be given such alchemy cauldrons because it would be too difficult and fatal.

However, Yu Qiong probably didn't have any rubbish against him and whatever he tossed out was a treasure of such a level.

"Ah, Master is so generous. In that case, I'll help her find the things that she lacks whenever I'm free."

Chen Chen smiled and answered.

Before returning, Yu Qiong told him the names of the three treasures, which seemed to be the starting material of some invincible treasure or herbs. Hence, he asked him to keep a lookout.

The treasures that Elder Ouyang used as a bet today were also ones of such materials.

Chen Chen had one of the three treasures that Yu Qiong mentioned.

However, he had already taken something from Yu Qiong today. Even if he took out those treasures, he probably wouldn't be able to cheat Yu Qiong out of more treasures.

He thought that he might as well give it to her when the time was right. Anyway, she still lacked three items, and she couldn't collect all three quickly.

While making plans, Chen Chen returned to his courtyard.

Without the slightest delay, he began trying to refine pills with the Fire Essence Dipper Cauldron. This time, he was refining a type of elixir to increase the cultivation level of Core Formation realm cultivators. It was called an Essence-Boosting Elixir.

Core Formation realm cultivators were the power of two states, so such Essence-Boosting Elixirs were extremely rare.

Putting aside the Foundation-Building Elixirs, Chen Chen's first deduction was also the formula for this Essence-Boosting Elixir.

The main material of the Essence-Boosting Elixir was the internal alchemy of demons, which Chen Chen had in abundance.

With the help of the Fire Essence Dipper Cauldron, Chen Chen refined the Essence-Boosting Elixirs, ten times in the afternoon.

In the end, he failed all ten times.

Chen Chen was not discouraged, however. Nearly 20 types of materials were required to produce the Essence-Boosting Elixirs and the fire had to be controlled. Hence, it was natural to fail too.

Besides, he was using a new alchemy cauldron.

...

The failure lasted for three days.

During those three days, Chen Chen spent the morning deducing the pill formulas before refining pills in the afternoon. Finally, he succeeded in refining the first "inferior-quality" Essence-Boosting Elixir today.

Chen Chen naturally gave it to Yuan Qingtian.

Yuan Qingtian was extremely touched. In his opinion, Chen Chen was refining elixirs day and night to help him improve his cultivation level.

'Now that's what I call a brother!'

Hence, not to mention that the surface of the elixir was pockmarked and of very poor quality, Yuan Qingtian would not hesitate to swallow it even if it was poisonous.

He didn't want to let his Senior Brother down!

"Senior Brother, the elixirs you've refined are not only very effective, but they also taste great too!"

After swallowing it whole, Yuan Qingtian did not forget to encourage Chen Chen.

After the first time, the subsequent refinements were much easier. In the next few days, Chen Chen would refine a few Essence-Boosting Elixirs every day and the quality of each batch would get better and better by each day.

Yuan Qingtian finally experienced the kind of treatment that the disciples of the great clans, who would be fed a ton of elixirs every day, received.

Half a month later, his cultivation level increased smoothly from the mid-stage to the late-stage of the Core Formation realm.

On this day, Chen Chen was still deducing the "Ancient Pill Formula," when he received a message from Xiao Wuyou in the messenger token.

"Disciple, an envoy, has come from Great Xia and said that the Black Pig King is overly arrogant. They're planning to send us support, but he wants to talk to you face to face about the details."

Chen Chen was a little surprised to see that news.

'How can there be such a good thing? It can't be that there's something suspicious in this too, right?'

However, after calculating the time, he reckoned that he should make a trip back. Once he had fooled his Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters to refine a batch of elixirs for the two states, he would go back.

Thinking of this, he replied, "Master, tell them to wait for me for seven days, I will come back after seven days."

After sending that message, Chen Chen asked Yuan Qingtian to come over and he handed a storage ring to him.

"Qingtian... This contains ancient pill formulas and their values speak for themselves. Go back and carve these formulas on the stone walls of the ancient Cave Abode. Remember to look for the Puppet Division Master and make the traces look older. Do you understand?"

Chen Chen's expression was solemn. Although his Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters were all honest and gullible, he couldn't insult their intelligence. He had to treat them like they were smart people.

That was also a form of respect.

"I understand! Rest assured, Senior Brother, I'll complete the task!" Yuan Qingtian answered solemnly.

After thinking about it, Chen Chen still felt rather worried, and he took out a large pile of protective treasures from his storage ring and handed them to Yuan Qingtian. He said, "Get going, tell me when it's done."

"Yes!"

Feeling cared for by his Senior Brother, Yuan Qingtian felt more and more touched. His eyes reddened and he left resolutely.

He knew that he wasn't holding an ordinary storage ring but the future of two states!