Chapter 149: Yang Mingshan's Breakthrough
After a dazzling display of the Pill Condensation Seal, Chen Dong slapped the Pill Furnace and shouted, "Begin!" Five streaks of golden light flew out of the furnace.
Chen Dong's True Qi surged as he changed the Dharma Seal in his hands and silently recited the Pill Collection Technique. At the level of a Mingxi Condensation Pill, the medicinal pill already possessed a sliver of worldly spiritual nature. It required a Pill Collection Technique to retrieve; otherwise, the Spiritual Object would choose its own master and the pill would instantly fly away.
As Chen Dong executed the Pill Collection Technique, the five streaks of golden light slowed down. He shouted again, "Collect!"
The five streaks of golden light flew into a porcelain bottle he had prepared beforehand.
Chen Dong chuckled and capped the porcelain bottle, instantly drawing thunderous cheers from the room!
"That was amazing, young man!"
"That's the first time in my life I've ever seen pills that can fly!"
"I didn't even dare to breathe the whole time. I only dared to speak after the pills were collected. That handsome guy is incredible!"
"With alchemy skills like that, I want to have his babies!" a boisterous woman from the Zhang Family declared.
"It was even more impressive than watching the Ancestor's alchemy!" The person who said this was instantly met with a volley of icy, murderous glares.
Old Ji spoke lightly, "That's enough. All of you, go back and reflect on what you've learned."
The core members of the Zhang Family resentfully accepted the order. "Yes, Ancestor!"
After the crowd had left, Old Ji walked up to Chen Dong and said, "I never imagined your alchemy skills were so profound!"
Chen Dong separated two Mingxi Condensation Pills, poured them into another porcelain bottle, and handed it to Old Ji. Due to the unique nature of Mingxi Grass, a maximum of five Mingxi Condensation Pills could be refined at once. It seemed to be a natural limit of the world; the more advanced and powerful a pill, the fewer could be successfully created in the end.
A successful refinement, and five pills to boot. Chen Dong was quite pleased himself. He smiled and said, "Senior, I also plan to refine a batch of Nine Yang Pills. Please allow me to borrow the Pill Furnace one more time."
Old Ji was delighted to receive the pills. Now, not only could she achieve the External Manifestation, but she could also leave one for the younger generation of the Zhang Family.
She said with a smile, "As long as you provide payment, you can use it as you please!" She had discovered that the pills Chen Dong refined were not only high-grade but also of exceptional quality. Cooperating with him was like picking up free money.
With that, Old Ji turned and left, preparing to break through immediately, leaving Zhang Baikou behind to watch.
Chen Dong portioned out one Mingxi Condensation Pill, gave it to Yang Mingshan, and then began refining the Nine Yang Pills.
Upon receiving the pill, Yang Mingshan swallowed it directly and sat down on the spot to meditate, preparing to break through to the External Manifestation. A flowering Mingxi Grass already provided absolute certainty of breaking through to the Celestial Stage, to say nothing of a pill refined from it. If he still couldn't break through to the Celestial Stage even with this, he might as well just smash his head against a wall and die. Besides, with Chen Dong right beside him, he felt completely safe.
Zhang Baikou's eyes were wide as she watched. She had never seen what a breakthrough to the External Manifestation looked like. Although she was only at the Grandmaster cultivation level, it didn't stop her from being curious.
Chen Dong, however, paid it no mind, continuing to refine his pills.
Two hours later, with a wave of his hand, Chen Dong beckoned nine crimson pills into a porcelain bottle.
At that very moment, Yang Mingshan reached the critical point of his breakthrough. His entire Celestial Shell began to rotate rapidly. As Yang Mingshan's eyes flew open, flashing with a golden light, his Celestial Shell abruptly stopped. Like a cracking eggshell, it split apart, then began to re-condense into a human form. It grew and expanded, finally forming a giant whose facial features were an eighty-percent match for Yang Mingshan's. A suffocating aura erupted from the giant, instantly sweeping through the entire Alchemy Room.
"Alright, Old Yang, rein it in. Stop showing off!" Chen Dong said contemptuously.
The giant dissipated into the air, and Yang Mingshan began to chuckle. "Thank you for bestowing the pill, Senior!"
Chen Dong shook his head. "You've reached the External Manifestation realm. Don't keep calling me 'Senior,' you're making me sound old. Just call me Chen Dong."
Only then did the few members of the Yang Family and Zhang Baikou snap back to their senses. The pressure from the External Manifestation had left them completely stunned. It was too powerful! A Grandmaster before the giant of the External Manifestation was like a mere child.
Chen Dong had just handed the newly refined Nine Yang Pills to Zhang Baikou when Old Ji, who had been gone for two hours, returned. She appeared somewhat younger, and a fearsome aura flickered in and out of existence as she walked.
She came to stand before Chen Dong, her brow frosting over as she looked at him and said in a cold voice, "Come on, kid. Let's see just how strong you are now!"
Chen Dong slapped his forehead, cursing inwardly. 'I knew it. This old lady has been wanting to teach me a lesson. She couldn't gauge my strength, so she held back until now.'
He turned to Yang Mingshan and said aloud, "You just broke through to the External Manifestation. This is a perfect chance to get familiar with your new power. Go and exchange a few moves with the senior!"
Yang Mingshan was surging with power and couldn't have asked for a better opportunity. He bowed to Old Ji and said, "Senior, please grant me your guidance!"
In terms of age, Old Ji was several decades older than Yang Mingshan, so it was normal for him to call her 'Senior'.
Old Ji shot Chen Dong a cold glare and said, her interest completely gone, "Forget it. If you're not willing to fight, then so be it!"
She only wanted to fight Chen Dong. She had no interest whatsoever in crossing swords with Yang Mingshan. If she fought hard and won, there was nothing to gain; if she lost, she would lose face.
Seeing Chen Dong remain silent, Old Ji continued, "Now that you're done with your alchemy, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Stay at the Zhang Family estate for a day. You can join us for the wedding wine tomorrow!"
'So soon?' Chen Dong offered a moment of silent prayer for Kang Ming. He was actually aware of the Zhang Family's ancestral rules: the Zhang Family only took in sons-in-law, they never married their daughters out. Furthermore, any children born had to take the Zhang surname. This was also why the women of the Zhang Family had higher status and worse tempers. Even though the Zhang women were all quite beautiful, few men were willing to accept the Zhang Family's Mourning Bottle.