Forced to become a pure and innocent female pharmacist in order to cultivate immortality.

"Sigh! Let them be. Either of them is better than us now. What can we say?" Yun Yun sighed and smiled.

Time passed slowly. There were no challenges at the top or bottom levels, and Ye Liuyun was happy to relax. However, starting from the third day, the situation changed. The lower levels began to be contested.

The several thousand extra cultivators began to get anxious, while Ye Liuyun started to find some amusement.

That's because people kept entering the bottom level where Ye Liuyun was, which is the thousandth floor.

However, the fact that they could even get into the hundredth floor meant that they were all bottom-tier cultivators, some even at the Nascent Soul stage. Ye Liuyun didn't look down on them and used them to test the effects of the combined pills.

For example, how to maximize the power of a certain type of pill; randomly taking pills doesn't actually yield very good results.

For example, Ye Liuyun discovered that some pills with the same attributes could be combined to potentially double the power of a certain attribute.

For example, combining Thundercloud Pill, Heavenly Thunder Tempering Pill, and Thunder Control Pill allows Ye Liuyun to continuously release lightning power. If Thunderstorm Pill is added, the lightning power he releases will become violent and ferocious.

The other attribute-based pills are similar. Ye Liuyun has also begun to try new fusion pills. She currently only has two types of fusion pills, which is not enough.

Furthermore, not all pills can be fused together; some pills, if forcibly kneaded together, will be rendered useless.

Finally, under Lin Qingyou's guidance, Ye Liuyun began to combine pills according to the principles of mutual generation and restraint of attributes, based on their attributes and characteristics.

She concocted some more highly destructive pills, but they still couldn't surpass the lethality of the core pill.

And so, the Trial of the Prodigies ended precisely at midnight.

"I hereby announce that the Trial of the Prodigies has officially ended. Those who occupy the thousandth floor of the Tower of Prodigies will enter the final Dao Discussion Trial. At the same time, these thousand people will be granted the right to freely join any faction of the Supreme Response Sect," the Moon Fairy announced.

Those cultivators who had not reached a certain level all sighed in disappointment.

Their journey has come to an end, and on the other hand, after the trials concluded, everyone's names appeared on the surface of the Tower of Pride.

They were then all teleported out. After they came out, the Heavenly Pride Tower immediately flew towards Tianyi City and landed in the center of the most conspicuous square in Tianyi City, where it stood tall.

Not only their names, but also the images of Ye Liuyun and his companions appeared on the Tianjiao Tower, allowing passersby to admire their heroic figures.

This is what truly makes him famous throughout the cultivation world of Nanling.

Chapter 387 Sword Pierces the Sky (6000 words)

After announcing the end of the eighth trial, the Moon Fairy added another sentence.

"The ninth trial, the Dao Discussion Trial, is actually no longer a regular trial. Regular trials end at the eighth trial, which means that the Southern Ridge Gathering is basically over."

"The ninth trial will take place in three days at the Enlightenment Platform of the Supreme Response Sect. This is a test of your comprehension, unrelated to your cultivation level. The specific method of the competition will be explained on-site. Now go back. You thousand people are already the brightest stars of this Southern Ridge Gathering. Your names will stand tall in Tianyi City for three hundred years. Three hundred years later, new trial participants will challenge your positions."

After speaking, the Moon Fairy left. Ye Liuyun and the others were quite excited after listening to her.

She never imagined that she would become famous throughout Nanling, but she never expected that it would happen today.

However, just as Ye Liuyun was marveling at her impending fame, someone suddenly grabbed her lower back and pinched it hard, causing her to jump far away in pain.

"Damn it!" After landing, Ye Liuyun quickly looked behind her and saw Lin Aoxue standing there with her arms crossed, looking at her with a displeased expression.

"It's me? What are you going to do about it? You bastard!" Lin Aoxue cursed angrily.

Ye Liuyun touched his waist, then walked up to Lin Aoxue, glared at her with wide eyes, and said angrily.

"What, you lost to me and you're not convinced? Let me tell you, a loss is a loss, no matter how you lost, anyway, you begged for mercy," Ye Liuyun reminded him.

Lin Aoxue felt furious when she thought about what happened yesterday. She had actually admitted defeat and begged for mercy from Ye Liuyun. It was truly shameful.

"You? Hmph! Alright, today is a happy day, how about we have a three-hundred-round battle when we get back? Let's see who's stronger, how about it?" Lin Aoxue's displeasure vanished suddenly, replaced by a playful grin, as if she had changed her expression.

Ye Liuyun, who was initially quite smug, became slightly intimidated upon hearing Lin Aoxue's words, because she had never won against her.

But this time, having finally gained the upper hand, we can't back down no matter what. We must rise to the challenge and succeed even if it seems impossible.

"Alright, three hundred rounds it is. Whoever collapses from exhaustion first is a coward," Ye Liuyun solemnly agreed.

As the two talked, their eyes blazed with intense passion, neither of them willing to admit defeat.

"Hey? Brother Yu, why are those two arguing again?" Yan Yu and Chen Yao said to Lin Aoxue and Ye Liuyun, who were facing off not far away, and then walked over.

Upon seeing Yan Yu and Chen Yao approach, the two immediately snorted coldly and turned their heads away to look in other directions.

"What's wrong? Why are you arguing as soon as you come out? By the way, little sister, you got first place, right? This should be a happy thing, but why do you seem completely unhappy?" Yan Yu asked, puzzled.

They were overjoyed, one getting third place and the other fourth. They knew that from tomorrow onwards, they would be extraordinary.

"It's nothing. Someone lost to me and wasn't convinced. We even made a bet to fight three hundred rounds." Ye Liuyun glanced at Lin Aoxue sideways as he spoke.

Lin Aoxue became somewhat agitated upon hearing this.

"You only won once, and you keep bringing it up? I've beaten you countless times, why don't you say that? What's there to be proud of? You're despicable and shameless. I beat you with real skill, while you beat me purely by cheating," Lin Aoxue retorted.

"Hehe, I won. Anyway, I won. What can you do about it? Just tell me, did you beg for mercy? Did you... cough cough... never mind, it's not embarrassing for you here." Ye Liuyun said, and seeing that many people were gathering around, he quickly shut up.

Murong Huan and his group have arrived. When there are outsiders present, there are certain things that cannot be said casually.

"Junior Sister Lin, congratulations! I never expected you to win first place in the Trial of the Prodigies. Now I have to admit that the sect's approach was correct," Murong Huan said with a smile.

Lin Aoxue nodded.

"Everyone, senior brothers and sisters, didn't you all achieve rankings? But why do you all seem a little unhappy?" Lin Aoxue stopped arguing with Ye Liuyun.

Upon hearing this, Murong Huan and the others chuckled.

“We are self-aware. Although we are top disciples in the Cloud Sect, in reality, if we join the Supreme Response Sect, our status will decline and we will not be as comfortable as we are in the Cloud Sect. So we never even considered joining the Supreme Response Sect,” Murong Huan explained.

Lin Aoxue was taken aback. After thinking about it carefully, she realized that if all these people joined the Supreme Response Sect, the next generation of the Yun Sect would collapse. It was probably already agreed upon before they came.

They were just there to collect some rewards; once the competition was over, they would go home.

"Is that so?" Lin Aoxue fell into deep thought.

“We will definitely go back. However, Junior Sister Lin, you are destined to become an important disciple of the Supreme Response Sect. You can’t escape becoming a direct disciple. And these two fellow Daoists, by the way, I don’t know how to address you. I am Murong Huan, the eldest disciple of the Cloud Sect.” Murong Huan then turned his gaze to Yan Yu and Chen Yao.

When they came out, the first thing they did was look at the top ten. They found that three of Ye Liuyun's four friends were in the top ten.

"I am Yan Yu, and I am sworn sisters with Ao Xue and Liu Yu."

"My name is Chen Yao, and so am I. I'm ranked second, so I'm the second sister."

The two of them quickly answered.

Murong Huan nodded.

"I see. You two are also exceptionally talented. It's truly a stroke of great luck that you two were able to come together. Junior Sister Lin, let's go, we should head back," Murong Huan said with a smile.

Lin Aoxue nodded, and so everyone went back together.

As for the Yunzong and Yunxiazong sects, they were overjoyed.

After Lin Aoxue won first place, the Supreme Response Sect immediately notified Qin Yi.

The gist of it is that Yun Sect has made an indelible contribution by cultivating a genius disciple like Lin Aoxue. After discussions among the higher-ups, Yun Sect's request was agreed upon, and they were given another three hundred years. In other words, Yun Sect no longer needs to worry about being forced into a mid-level sect struggle due to a lack of strong disciples.

Qin Yi was overjoyed to receive this reply. Three hundred years was more than enough time. If three hundred years wasn't enough for them to produce another Nascent Soul cultivator, then their Yun Sect was truly doomed.

However, the sect that benefited the most this time was not the Yun Sect, but the Yunxia Sect. You should know that the Yunxia Sect originally thought that there was only one Lin Aoxue, but now, three disciples who originally belonged to the Yunxia Sect have been taken by the Taishang Ganying Sect.

The Supreme Response Sect has already dispatched a powerful expert at the Nascent Soul realm to Yun Yun to inform her and the others.

Of course, these things no longer concern Ye Liuyun. She wasn't particularly concerned about what benefits the Yunxia Sect had gained, but Lin Aoxue would definitely be more interested.

The group chatted and laughed along the way, and their trip to the Southern Ridge was a great success. However, not all sects were happy; some were joyful while others were sorrowful.

Back at their lodgings, they were all exhausted. They decided to talk about it tomorrow.

However, as soon as they returned, Lin Aoxue grabbed Ye Liuyun and, under the questioning gazes of Chen Yao and Yan Yu, went back to their room.

"Huh? The two of them... This feels a bit ominous tonight." A strange smile appeared on Yan Yu's face.

"Let's not talk about them, Brother Yu. Do you think we should do 'that' today too?" Chen Yao asked with a grin.

Yan Yu chuckled upon hearing this, then swept Chen Yao up in his arms.

"Okay, let's play until we're exhausted today," Yan Yu said with a smile.

Looking around, in Lin Aoxue's room, the outside couldn't hear how much noise was coming from inside, but in reality, the two of them started arguing as soon as they closed the door.

Lin Aoxue launched a surprise attack on Ye Liuyun first, tackling him to the ground.

"You dare to bully me? You're finished! Tonight I'll show you what I'm capable of. Aren't you always so sexually frustrated? Don't worry, I'll satisfy you tonight." Lin Aoxue roughly ripped off her headdress and accessories, throwing everything in her way aside.

"I... I'm not afraid of you." Ye Liuyun braced himself and accepted the challenge.

She also casually took off everything on her body except for the copper ring, and the two embraced each other, taking things from one another.

However, despite their seemingly aggressive demeanor, they gradually softened and calmed down after close contact.

Don't be fooled by Lin Aoxue's fierce appearance; it's just a facade.

Of course, what happened in the room next was hard to describe. Anyway, it was more intense and unrestrained than usual, and it probably lasted the longest ever.

Normally, Ye Liuyun would be defeated by Lin Aoxue in no time, but this time, she showed some backbone and, for the first time, defeated Lin Aoxue in this aspect.

Of course, it's hard to say whether Lin Aoxue gave in to her or she insisted on doing it herself, but in any case, Lin Aoxue was the one who collapsed from exhaustion first.

Around 5 a.m. the next day, the two calmed down from their intense argument, and the sky gradually brightened.

Inside the room, the two embraced intimately. Although they were both exhausted, they didn't sleep but chatted instead.

"Hey kid, I already told you, I usually let you have your way, but you can't do that now," Ye Liuyun said weakly.

"Shouldn't I be the one letting you win? I didn't even use my full strength. By the way, what are your plans after you go back?" Lin Aoxue asked with her eyes closed.

Ye Liuyun had never really thought about this question.

“I don’t know. I’ve already told you about my situation. My current power has reached its limit. I still have several decades before the next stage. By the way, you will definitely become a direct disciple of the Supreme Induction Sect. There are so many long-distance teleportation arrays in the Northern Region. Why don’t you find a way to get the Supreme Induction Sect to build a teleportation array between the two places? That way, even if we are separated, we can still meet at any time,” Ye Liuyun suggested.

Upon hearing this, Lin Aoxue immediately opened her eyes.

“That’s a good idea, but I feel it’s unlikely,” Lin Aoxue said.

“Give it a try. If it doesn’t work, there’s nothing we can do. The reason I don’t plan to stay in the Supreme Response Sect is because I’m really not suited to stay here right now. You should understand what I’m trying to say,” Ye Liuyun said.

Lin Aoxue naturally understood what Ye Liuyun was referring to; the Supreme Response Sect was doing well.

However, for Ye Liuyun, there were only disadvantages and no advantages; she was even preparing to find an opportunity to leave the Yun Sect.

After all, she's been recklessly concocting medicines every day, so finding a quiet, secluded place is the most suitable option. Besides, Ye Liuyun's immortality will inevitably raise suspicions sooner or later.

She might be fine for a hundred years, but what about five hundred or a thousand years? By then, all the other cultivators will have either grown old or died, and she will still be alive and well. People will definitely be suspicious.

It's quite nice living in Bixia Valley right now, it's peaceful and quiet, but Yunzong isn't suitable for staying for long either.

“Sigh! That’s true. If you stay with the Supreme Response Sect, they will definitely try to find out your secret. Your secret cannot be known to the world. I can only imagine what they would think or what they would do to you if they knew that you are immortal.” Lin Aoxue said with some worry.

“Yes, that’s why I can’t stay in the Supreme Response Sect for now. Even if I were to come, it wouldn’t be now. At least wait until you’ve made a name for yourself in the Supreme Response Sect and become its leader.” Ye Liuyun chuckled.

Lin Aoxue nodded, agreeing with this statement. Despite the power of Ye Liuyun's pills, if the other party truly wanted to deal with Ye Liuyun, they wouldn't give him the chance to use them.

So either she is invincible and Ye Liuyun is indispensable, or Ye Liuyun is invincible and fearless of any danger; one of them has to rise to prominence first.

Lin Aoxue was aware of Ye Liuyun's situation and knew she needed time, so she had to be Ye Liuyun's protector; she needed even greater power.

The two talked a lot, but it all came down to the same thing: each has their own path to walk, and since their paths are different, they can't force each other.

Around noon, the Supreme Response Sect began distributing rewards to the participants of the first eight trials; they directly gave them spirit coins.

There's no need to reward you with treasures or anything like that, as those aren't particularly valuable. Instead, just reward you with spirit coins, which you can use to buy whatever you want in Tianyi City or the disciple market.

They can be bought at the disciples' market of the Supreme Response Sect, so during this period, the businesses of those shops in Tianyi City and the disciples' market suddenly became very popular.

The rewards are substantial. Passing the first level rewards 1 million spirit coins, and so on, with the reward reaching the eighth level being 8 million spirit coins. For most cultivators, let alone 8 million, even 1 million would be quite good.

Of course, for cultivators from major sects, perhaps it's just so-so; they might not even look down on it.

The rewards for cultivators who pass the eighth level of the Heavenly Pride Tower are different from those for others. From this point onward, rewards are based on ranking. The specific rewards will be announced after the Dao Discussion Conference ends.

Before leaving, the cultivators from the Southern Region would definitely spend all their spirit coins, as these coins don't circulate in the Southern Region.

And so, three days later, the Daoist Conference officially began at the Enlightenment Platform of the Taishang Ganying Sect.

All the high-ranking members of the Taishang Ganying Sect were present to watch the event in person. The Enlightenment Platform is located at the very top of the Taishang Ganying Sect's Heavenly Dao Peak.

This Enlightenment Platform is no ordinary platform; it was constructed using extremely expensive materials and complex array formations and restrictions, with a Heaven-Reaching Stele at its center.

It is said that this object is an ancient treasure that can communicate with heaven and earth. When the trial participants immerse their minds in the inscription, different magical phenomena will appear according to the path they cultivate.

The grander the extraordinary phenomenon, the higher the person's comprehension, and the greater their future achievements will be.

This stage is not required for everyone to participate; the thousand people in the Tianjiao Tower can volunteer to go on stage or choose to give up.

This trial has no ranking and is only valuable to those who want to join the Taishang Ganying Sect.