Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Black Cauldron City
The location of the Alchemist Conference was not in Qian Country, Yun Country, or Meng Kingdom.
In short, it was not within the territory of any of the Lower Three Kingdoms.
At the border of the three countries, there was a city. This city was grand and expansive, occupying a vast area. Although it bordered all three kingdoms, it was not governed by any of them.
The city was named Black Cauldron City. The reason for this name was because from a distance, the shape of the city resembled a massive black cauldron standing on the earth.
This Black Cauldron City was a city established by the Pill Alliance, and was completely within the jurisdiction of the Pill Alliance, superior to the Lower Three Kingdoms.
The location for this Alchemist Conference was precisely in Black Cauldron City.
Similarly, as the city set up by the Pill Alliance in this location, to a certain extent, the Pill Alliance of the Lower Three Kingdoms had to abide by its jurisdiction and restrictions.
Moreover, because of the transcendent status of Black Cauldron City, it attracted a large number of pill refiners. However, only a fraction of them belonged to the Pill Alliance, a large part of the pill refiners were outsiders, hoping to enter the Black Cauldron City and step into a broader path of Alchemy Tao.
It can be said that for pill refiners from the Lower Three Kingdoms, Black Cauldron City served as a place of pilgrimage, with pill refiners desiring to come here at all times.
Of course, not everyone could freely enter Black Cauldron City. The most important criterion was that if one was not a pill refiner, without the invitation and permission of Black Cauldron City, one could not enter the city.
The so-called “non-pill refiners” does not mean that you can be considered one just by understanding a little bit of a pill refining book, but you must have registration records with the Pill Alliance.
If you don’t, but you have high pill refining accomplishments, then what can you do?
At the gate of Black Cauldron City, there was an assessment. If you indeed had high pill refining skills, you could be assessed on the spot and could enter the Black Cauldron City upon passing the test.
This was only the most basic requirement. To enter Black Cauldron City, you must pay fifty Essence Pills, and if you stay in the Black Cauldron City for a month, you must pay again.
If you pay five hundred Essence Pills at once, you can stay in the city for a year.
The Essence Pill was widely accepted among martial artists and pill refiners alike, and was considered a necessary pill for cultivation.
Also, to enter Black Cauldron City, one must abide by all the rules in the city. Any violation of the city’s rules will be investigated and then punished by the Pill Alliance.
Although the cost of entering Black Cauldron City was high, there were still many pill refiners entering the city each year. Among them, some gained a lot while some achieved nothing.
Because the Alchemist Conference was to be held, Black Cauldron City had already banned any outsiders from entering the city a month ago and had started preparations.
The Pill Alliance from the three countries almost arrived at the Black Cauldron City at the same time.
Outside the city, a golden path was laid out for ten miles. The City Lord of Black Cauldron City and many members of the Pill Alliance stood outside the city gate to welcome the arrivals from the three countries.
The City Lord of Black Cauldron City was an elderly man with the vitality of a young man, whose age, although advanced, didn’t stop him from being tall and upright, with eyes full of sparkle, towering like a mountain.
Standing next to the City Lord of Black Cauldron City were two other elderly men. One had messy hair resembling a bird’s nest and looked drowsy, slovenly in appearance.
The other was neatly dressed in a simple yet pristine outfit, without a speck of dust on his unwrinkled robe.
These two elders, standing next to the City Lord of Black Cauldron City, formed a stark contrast.
However, these two people had a standing in Black Cauldron City, second only to the City Lord, and were well-known figures.
The rest of the crowd were not ordinary people either. Most of them held a certain position in Black Cauldron City and were all part of the Pill Alliance.
The City Lord of Black Cauldron City was named Zhuge Cang, the slovenly old man was Lu Wuwei, and the neat and tidy old man was called Chen Mu.
The Pill Alliance from the three countries had not yet arrived, but these three had already started chatting.
“Which country do you two think will stand out in this Alchemist Conference?” Zhuge Cang asked with a light smile.
Lu Wuwei rubbed his eyes and said listlessly, “Who else could it be? Surely, Yun Country.”
Zhuge Cang then looked at Chen Mu and asked, “What about you, brother Chen?”
Chen Mu’s expression was calm as he said, “Although Yun Country is strong, Qian Country and Meng Kingdom are not weak. It’s hard to say.”
Lu Wuwei snorted, “You old piece of wood, always indecisive. Asking you is like asking for nothing.”
Chen Mu snorted in response, too lazy to argue with Lu Wuwei.
Zhuge Cang smiled lightly, “However, this year’s Alchemist Conference should bring some interesting young talents. I’m looking forward to that.”
Lu Wuwei asked surprisingly, “Brother Zhuge, do you know something already?”
Chen Mu also looked at Zhuge Cang, indicating that he should share some information.
Zhuge Cang looked at the two of them, “You two must have also heard about something. In Yun Country, a rare talent has emerged.”
Hearing this, both Lu Wuwei and Chen Mu seemed to have thought of something, their faces filled with astonishment.
“Brother Zhuge, are you talking about that Zhao Shenkong who is rumored to possess the Hundred Refining Body?” Chen Mu asked.
Zhuge Cang nodded, sighing, “I initially thought that the rumor of the Hundred Refining Body was exaggerated. How could such a rare physique appear in the Lower Three Kingdoms? But while the rumor may be exaggerated, it was not entirely baseless. This time, we will have the opportunity to see for ourselves.”
“The Hundred Refining Body! This is a physique that pill refiners dream of and yet cannot attain. I wonder how Zhao Shenkong came to possess it,” Lu Wuwei exclaimed.
“The Hundred Refining Body could be either inborn or acquired. Those born with it are even more terrifying, deemed the perfect physique for pill refining. As for those acquired, they are slightly inferior but still extremely rare,” Chen Mu explained.
Zhuge Cang smiled, “In addition to Zhao Shenkong of Yun Country, there are also two interesting youngsters in Qian Country.”
“A Su Xiaotong and a Fang Lin, I’m more interested in Su Xiaotong, who seems to be a natural born talent of Alchemy Tao,” said Chen Mu.
“I think Fang Lin is not bad,” Lu Wuwei snorted.
Chen Mu spoke lightly, “Although Fang Lin is not bad, compared to talents like Zhao Shenkong and Su Xiaotong, he is somewhat lacking.”
“What is he lacking?” Lu Wuwei asked somewhat discontentedly.
“Talent!” said Zhuge Cang and Chen Mu almost at the same time.
Lu Wuwei had nothing to say, in fact, he also felt the gap between Fang Lin and talents like Su Xiaotong and Zhao Shenkong laid in talent.
Even if you possess Shaking Three Mountains or Soul Commanding Pill Flame, it’s hard to make up for the talent and physique naturally superior to others.
“As for Meng Kingdom, I haven’t received much information. However, it seems that a Poison Pill Master will participate this time,” said Zhuge Cang with a poker face.
Upon hearing the words Poison Pill Master, Chen Mu and Lu Wuwei’s eyes slightly tensed.
“They are here! The members of the Pill Alliance from the three countries have arrived!” At this moment, a cry of surprise echoed from the distance.