Chapter 76: The Supreme Pill Master (Part Four)

At the village entrance
The sun was just rising
"Brother Chen..."
Su Chen, carrying his bag, turned around and saw a beautiful woman standing at the village entrance.
"Afang?"
Su Chen was surprised.
"Brother Chen, are you leaving the village?"
Afang smiled, a forced smile.
Su Chen nodded.
"I know Brother Chen is a martial artist, and my parents have said that Brother Chen will leave the village one day,"
Afang said, her head bowed.
Su Chen remained silent. He was no longer the cowherd Su Chen.
"Afang, thank you, and Uncle Wang and Aunt Wang too. I've already spoken to the City Lord of Nangong, and soon someone will bring you to the city to live a life of luxury."
Afang's large eyes filled with tears: "Brother Chen, can I hug you?"
Su Chen nodded, not refusing.
Afang pleaded, "Brother Chen'er...this isn't what I want."
"I want to leave with you. Take me with you."
Su Chen shook his head.
The world of martial artists isn't for ordinary people. Afang lacks the aptitude for martial arts and cannot become a martial artist.
Su Chen said softly, "Afang, life is short. I'm just a passerby. Perhaps in the future you'll meet a boy who moves your heart, you'll marry and have children, and live a happy and fulfilling life. Why be so persistent?"
The woman in his arms hugged him tightly: "But none of them are you, Brother Chen'er. I only love you."
Su Chen left. He knocked Afang unconscious, took her home, and then embarked alone on the path of leveling up, fighting monsters, and making a name for himself.
Nangong Tao would protect Afang's family for life.
Life's journey is long, and he could never stop for one person.
......
Dragon Sky Dynasty
Imperial Capital
Su Chen narrowed his eyes.
After three months of investigation, he finally understood his current location.
After much wandering, he returned to the Eastern Region of Tianxuan.
More than two thousand years had passed, and the Eastern Region had undergone many changes.
With the destruction of the Xuan Yuan Holy Land, only eleven holy lands remained in the Eastern Wilderness. However, a thousand years ago, a powerful Saint King-level expert arrived in the Central Region, known as the Invincible Saint King. His reputation was well-deserved; he overwhelmed the many holy lands and lineages of the Eastern Region, leaving them unable to raise their heads.
That Saint King was actually a sworn brother of the patriarch of a small sect called Zhenyu Sect. After helping the Zhenyu Sect avert its annihilation crisis, he voluntarily became a guest elder of the Zhenyu Sect.
With a Saint King in charge, the Zhenyu Sect directly filled the vacancy left by the Xuan Yuan Holy Land. Although the Saint King didn't stay at the Zhenyu Sect for long, he left behind a foundation: a Saint King weapon that could be easily revived, and several Saint Artifacts.
The Zhenyu Sect became the Zhenyu Holy Land.
Su Chen twitched his lips.
The Prison Suppressing Sect—wasn't that the sect he founded in his fifth incarnation?
Originally, it was just a sect established after the Holy Land's destruction, to pass on the legacy of the Prison Suppressing Emperor. Unexpectedly, in just over two thousand years, it had developed into a powerful lineage within the Holy Land.
And he had transformed himself into the patriarch of a Holy Land?
That's quite something.
It was an unintended consequence, exceeding even the last wish of the old man with the goatee, the Prison Suppressing Emperor.
"Good sworn brother! It's a pity you were born at the wrong time."
Su Chen thought to himself, if he had endured for a few hundred more years in that life to wait for Fang Bubai, would he have been able to win effortlessly?
Unfortunately, let alone a few hundred years, even at the end of his lifespan, even if he exhausted all the resources of the Zhenyu Sect, he wouldn't last more than a few years.
Su Chen felt a pang of regret.
“This young master has arrived in the capital.”
Su Chen paid the fare and got out of the carriage.
He had come to the capital of the Longxiao Dynasty for two purposes.
One was to participate in the Longxiao Dynasty's Alchemy Conference.
After three months, besides learning about the Zhenyu Holy Land, Su Chen also understood Su Weichang's identity.
The old man was a sixth-grade alchemist of the Longxiao Dynasty, known as the Eight Desolate Alchemist King.
His reputation was renowned, but his luck was poor; he was always second best. Finally, due to a gambling match, he was severely injured, his cultivation level plummeting from the Tongxuan Realm to the Lingpo Realm. Disheartened, he chose to retire from the cultivation world.
"Old man, take a good look at how the number one alchemist is made!"
Eliminating the old man's eternal humiliation of being second best was Su Chen's first objective.
Another objective... Su Chen wanted to use the Dragon Sky Dynasty as a springboard to obtain the qualification to go to the Prison Suppression Holy Land.
After all, he was practically the founder of the Prison Suppression Holy Land.
Currently, there was another important task.
Su Chen arrived at the entrance of the Alchemist Guild.
"Young master, are you here to participate in the alchemist assessment?"
A beautiful maidservant greeted him with a smile.
The young man before him was clearly a scion of a wealthy family; his demeanor made it impossible to look down on him.
Su Chen nodded.
"Su Chen, assessment for a first-grade alchemist."
First-grade alchemists were not rare in the capital. The maidservant quickly helped Su Chen complete the assessment procedures.
A moment later, Su Chen emerged from the alchemy room, a first-grade alchemist insignia now appearing on his chest.
“Continue with the second-grade alchemist assessment,”
Su Chen announced.
Less than an hour later.
“Third-grade alchemist assessment!”
Less than half a day later, Su Chen emerged again, continuing, “A fourth-grade alchemist assessment!”
Four grades in one day!
The entire Alchemist Guild was astonished. This young man was actually going to take the fourth-grade alchemist assessment!
Now they couldn't make the decision. Fourth-grade alchemists held a very high status in the Dragon Sky Dynasty, so they quickly summoned the vice-president.
Several geniuses from the Alchemist Guild were also with the vice-president.
“So you're the one who wants to take the fourth-grade alchemist assessment?”
The vice-president was surprised.
Su Chen nodded.
The vice-president said, "Becoming a fourth-grade alchemist isn't so easy. Many are injured during the assessments each year. With the Alchemy Grand Assembly approaching, shouldn't you reconsider?"
Su Chen didn't change his mind, firmly stating, "This junior wants to give it a try."
The vice-president didn't try to dissuade him further, leading Su Chen to the alchemy room.
One day later.
The Alchemy Guild was in an uproar. When Su Chen emerged again, he wore the badge of a fourth-grade alchemist. Without a doubt, he had succeeded!
In less than two days, an ordinary person had transformed into a esteemed fourth-grade alchemist.
Such a thing had never happened before in the entire Dragon Sky Dynasty; it was a miracle worthy of being recorded in the history of the Alchemy Guild.
The vice-president was moved, feeling a sense of appreciation for talent: "Young brother, do you have a master?"
Su Chen thought of the old man and nodded, saying, "This junior's master is the Eight Desolate Pill King."
"What a pity... wait... what did you just say?"
The vice president's eyes widened instantly, and everyone in the Alchemy Guild froze, wondering if they had misheard.
"The Eight Desolate Pill King?"
"Isn't that the legendary Pill King of the Dragon Sky Dynasty? He's been missing for two hundred years without a trace!"
"Hiss! So he's a disciple of the Pill King, no wonder, no wonder!"
Everyone's gaze towards Su Chen instantly changed.
A sixth-grade alchemist... Pill King-level alchemists are few and far between in the entire Dragon Sky Dynasty, let alone the second-ranked Eight Desolate Pill King!