The pills needed by grandmaster martial artists, if they were to match the speed of martial artists taking Innate Martial Pills, would need effects comparable to Qi Gathering Pills.
The grandmaster medicinal diets Xu Chuan had previously researched were still too crude.
Of course, that was also because his knowledge was limited at the time, having never encountered the many spirit herbs recorded in the immortal cultivation world.
Now he was confident he could research true Grandmaster Martial Pills.
During this period of concentrating on researching Grandmaster Martial Pills, he also took time to refine batches of Minor and Major Martial Pills, Innate Martial Pills, and Five Elements Returning to Origin Pills to assist Xu Mingyuan and the others.
Currently, there were few innate realm guards in the Xu family, so each of them could enjoy the benefits of Innate Martial Pills.
This included Li Zhi who held the position of Qingjiang County Magistrate, as well as Cheng Fei, Shen Guang, and others.
Many peak Postnatal martial artists were also bestowed quite a few Qi-Drawing Pills to help them enter the innate realm as soon as possible.
As for affiliated families, currently only small amounts were bestowed to those the Xu family trusted.
With Five Elements Returning to Origin Pills, Xu Mingyuan finally became the last of the five Xu sons to reach innate perfection after Xu Mingxuan.
Before long, Xu Deling broke through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining. Wu Tao and others who took pills also made various progress.
Xu Mingxian took time to replace the low-grade Spirit Gathering Array at Jade Cold Pool.
Afterward, he devoted full effort to researching how to use the spiritual qi from the Three Absolute Dragon Locking Grand Array to arrange the Four Symbols Heaven Force Array.
After half a month of deep thought, he finally came up with a fairly safe method: using the Jade Cold Pool area as the main control hub, opening branch channels to the four directions he had determined.
Once the main hub was opened, spiritual qi could be channeled to support activating the Four Symbols Heaven Force Array.
Family protection grand arrays were meant to be used only at critical moments anyway.
However, doing this meant that as the Four Symbols Heaven Force Array was activated repeatedly or for extended periods, it would inevitably affect the Three Absolute Dragon Locking Grand Array, creating flaws in it and gradually weakening its sealing power.
Xu Mingxian left the final decision on this matter to Xu Chuan.
After hesitating for a long while, Xu Chuan ultimately had Xu Mingxian implement the plan.
Regarding subsequent impacts on the Three Absolute Dragon Locking Grand Array, they would take it one step at a time. Once activated, he could use daily divinations to inquire about fortune and misfortune, which could also maximize avoidance of sudden disasters.
However, Xu Mingxian also frankly stated that as the Four Symbols Heaven Force Array was activated and the Three Absolute Dragon Locking Grand Array developed leaks, it might increase the surrounding spiritual qi concentration—a kind of feedback.
And this was one of the key reasons that ultimately led Xu Chuan to make his decision.
Immortal cultivators ultimately couldn't escape dependence on heaven and earth spiritual qi. This was why those families and sects all had to establish roots in places with relatively high spiritual qi concentration.
Spiritual qi was fundamental. Pills were just auxiliary means to promote one's own growth.
For example, some ordinary spirit medicines could improve their growth speed several or even ten times in spiritually abundant areas.
As for most high-order spirit medicines, they couldn't even survive unless planted in such places.
Having obtained Xu Chuan's permission, Xu Mingxian began acting according to his plan.
Two months later.
Xu Chuan developed Grandmaster Martial Pills. Because the materials were rare, what the Xu family had previously collected wasn't much.
Fortunately, these were also enough for Xu Chuan to refine five or six furnaces.
Several dozen medium and superior-grade Grandmaster Martial Pills were also sufficient for Xu Mingwei to break through to grandmaster perfection.
Currently, he was the only grandmaster in the Xu family. They could slowly collect more materials.
Five or six of the cultivated guards successively broke through to innate realm. peak Postnatal martial artists surged by several dozen more.
They divided into two herb-gathering teams, taking turns every ten-plus days to survey Broken Fang Mountain Range searching for rare medicinal materials and spirit medicines recorded in the Spirit Medicine Compendium.
The Azure Fire Eagles would also accompany them.
The Xu family didn't cultivate these people easily and naturally didn't want them to die carelessly.
Occasionally when Xu Mingxuan and Xu Mingshu tired of cultivation, they would also go along with the herb-gathering teams.
Whenever this happened, Xu Dezhao would also follow along to gain experience.
He mainly wanted to witness demon beasts and fight them, but demon beasts in Broken Fang Mountain Range weren't that numerous. After over a dozen trips, they might not even encounter one.
However, they did pick some rare medicinal materials or spirit herbs of several dozen years' age.
…
Time passed quickly.
Imperial City, Dan Hall.
After traveling for half a year, Yun Zhongzi finally returned.
"Chief, you've returned." Steward Chen stepped forward to greet him.
Yun Zhongzi nodded slightly, "Is everything well in the hall?"
"Naturally all is well. Elder Xu and Elder Yunding can both refine superior-grade Divine Sense Pills."
"Oh, Fellow Daoist Yunding also refined them?" Yun Zhongzi was slightly surprised. Based on his estimation, Daoist Yunding's pill Dao accomplishments were slightly inferior. It shouldn't have been so quick for him to refine superior-grade Divine Sense Pills.
"He was even two or three months earlier than Fellow Daoist Xu Zhen. Fortunately he was here, otherwise all the major families would have directly stormed the Dan Hall demanding pills."
"It wouldn't come to that, would it? Isn't Fellow Daoist Sansu still here?" Yun Zhongzi's brow furrowed slightly, and the hand stroking his beard suddenly paused.
"Elder Sansu went out traveling not long after Elder Yunding refined superior-grade Divine Sense Pills."
"Went out traveling? Did he say when he would return?"
"Return date uncertain."
"Alas~" Yun Zhongzi's eyes revealed a melancholy expression as he sighed deeply, "Forget it, let him be. At least he didn't directly say he was leaving the Dan Hall."
Having said this, Yun Zhongzi returned to the third floor of the Dan Hall to meditate and recuperate.
As time passed, the name Daoist Sansu gradually faded from memory in the Imperial City. Only a few people still remembered him.
…
Half a year's time passed.
With the help of Grandmaster Martial Pills, Xu Mingwei broke through to grandmaster perfection in one go.
That day, he activated the secret method in the Innate Five Elements Creation Art to convert innate true qi into magical power.
A grandmaster perfection martial artist's frontal combat power matched an immortal cultivator who had just entered the ninth layer of Qi Refining.
However, ultimately this wasn't following the cultivation method's proper path of entering the Dao through martial arts after innate perfection and converting to the immortal Dao.
During Xu Mingwei's conversion process, he consumed quite a bit. In the end, he only became an immortal cultivator at the peak of the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
He broke through in a bamboo dwelling at Jade Cold Pool.
The instant of breakthrough, a powerful aura erupted from the bamboo dwelling.
Xu Chuan probed with divine consciousness and discovered he only had cultivation at the peak of the seventh layer of Qi Refining.
"At least he has peak seventh layer of Qi Refining. Much better than the worst-case scenario I anticipated of peak fifth layer of Qi Refining. The rest can be rapidly improved by taking superior-grade Qi Gathering Pills."
Under Xu Chuan's divine consciousness probe, that savage dragon-like qi and blood as well as physical body were all preserved. Breaking through to grandmaster perfection martial artist, his strength had increased by another large margin.
Now he could easily use the Ink Flood Dragon Bow. With pure strength, shooting out several dozen or even a hundred arrows consecutively was no problem.
"Shitou, you've finally entered the immortal Dao." Xu Chuan's face showed gratification.
Xu Mingwei nodded and smiled, "From now on, I can help Father with many things. If there are matters, I can also stand in front of you."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan shook his head with a laugh, then tossed Xu Mingwei a basic storage bag, "From now on you can store the Ink Flood Dragon Bow and Ink Flood Dragon Arrows in the storage bag. Inside are two bottles of superior-grade Qi Gathering Pills Father prepared for you. When you finish them, just tell Father. No need to be polite with me. Now Yunnu is at mid eighth layer of Qi Refining. You must hurry and catch up."
"Yes, Father." Xu Mingwei grinned.
"Oh, I almost forgot." Xu Chuan took out another porcelain bottle from his storage bag, "Inside is one Breakthrough Pill. After you stabilize your realm and become familiar with immortal cultivator cultivation methods and using magical power, you can take it to help you break through to the eighth layer of Qi Refining."
"One pill can directly make me break through?" Xu Mingwei was stunned, a trace of disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"How could you understand the miraculous fortune-creating power of pills? Of course, this pill is also very precious. Without this pill, having just embarked on the immortal cultivator path, you'd likely need two or three years before breaking through the bottleneck of the eighth layer of Qi Refining."
Xu Chuan gazed at Xu Mingwei and continued, "Qi Refining late stage, even we with true spiritual root aptitude will encounter bottlenecks. As for miscellaneous spiritual root aptitude immortal cultivators, the bottleneck resistance is even greater. Usually those who can reach the eighth or ninth layer of Qi Refining are at least sixty or seventy years old. pseudo spiritual roots, without pill fortune-creation, might not break through to Qi Refining late stage in their entire lives."
"Father has some precious pills on hand. Once our Xu family obtains soul restriction secret techniques, then every core clan member will have to have one planted, including those who receive our Xu family's focused cultivation, to prevent soul searching from revealing our Xu family's secrets."
Mentioning soul searching, Xu Mingwei also changed color at hearing it. His face became solemn, "Father's thinking is correct. Immortal cultivator methods are strange and varied. In the future we must have various means to prevent prying into our Xu family's secrets. Selection for cultivation must also be cautious. At regular intervals we must also examine whether their loyalty to our Xu family has deteriorated. Human hearts change. When weak they may be genuinely grateful, but the power, benefits, and pleasures that strength brings can corrupt the mind."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan nodded slightly, "You've considered things very thoroughly. Just go ahead and do it."
"Yes, Father."
"By the way," Xu Chuan continued, "After you break through to the eighth layer of Qi Refining, take the Ink Flood Dragon Bow and spar with Father. Let me see your current strength."
Xu Mingwei nodded.
Xu Chuan left him to continue stabilizing his realm here. Just as he stepped out the door, he saw Xu Mingxuan, Xu Mingshu, along with Xu Dezhao and Xu Deling crowded not far from the entrance.
"What are you all doing?" Xu Chuan shook his head with a laugh.
Xu Mingshu asked, "Father, did Elder Brother break through?"
Xu Chuan smiled and nodded, "Why don't you all hurry and go cultivate so you can quickly keep pace with him?"
"Yes, Father (Grandfather)."
Returning to the bamboo dwelling, he saw Zhang Wanqing wearing an elegant green robe, sitting cross-legged on a cushion, holding a pill Dao text. Sometimes her brow furrowed as if understanding but not quite, sometimes the corners of her lips curved up as if she'd gained insight.
Xu Chuan smiled gently, "Not bad. Neither arrogant nor impatient. Based on my examination of your pill Dao medicinal principles a few days ago, you're about ready. Starting today, formally begin learning pill refining. Start with Minor Martial Pills."
Having said this, Xu Chuan swept his wide sleeve. A flash of light came from the storage bag, and a pill furnace flew out, then grew explosively with the wind from a few inches to several feet in size.
"This pill furnace is a low-grade magical artifact that I once used. I've now erased the imprint on it. You can refine it."
"Thank you, Father."
With the grandmaster martial Dao research successful, the Xu family's martial Dao system was complete.
During the day, Xu Chuan also had more time to guide Zhang Wanqing in practicing pill Dao. Of course, he also wouldn't abandon his own cultivation. After more than half a year had passed, he was already approaching the late stage of the ninth layer of Qi Refining.
Half a month later.
Ten-plus li from Jade Cold Pool.
"Shitou, this area is open with no obstructions. Attack with full force."
"Father, be careful."
Xu Mingwei slapped his storage bag. The Ink Flood Dragon Bow flew out and grew explosively to normal size.
Previously, because he wasn't an immortal cultivator, he couldn't refine magical artifacts and thus couldn't make them shrink or expand.
Xu Mingwei grasped the Ink Flood Dragon Bow. Behind him floated nine pitch-black iron arrows, each one a low-grade magical artifact.
Xu Chuan was positioned one or two li away from him.
Xu Mingwei drew the bow and nocked an arrow. The arrowhead scattered cold gleams. When aimed at Xu Chuan, Xu Chuan's heart immediately arose with a sense of warning.
He immediately slapped his storage bag. A pill furnace flew out.
It was the Phoenix Furnace.
This was forged by an ancient cultivator imitating the ancient treasure Phoenix Nine Revolutions Furnace. Pill furnaces weren't only used for refining pills, some powerful pill furnaces also had extremely strong offensive power.
The Phoenix Furnace was this type. It contained a Radiant Fire Array inside. Activating the technique could release large amounts of radiant fire from within, with stronger than ordinary fire-attribute superior-grade spells.
Following Xu Chuan's request, Xu Mingwei first didn't use magical power, only shooting arrows with pure strength.
Whoosh~
A black light shot straight toward Xu Chuan like lightning.
The instant the Ink Flood Dragon Arrow was shot, Xu Chuan immediately activated the Phoenix Furnace. The furnace lid lifted, and a vast expanse of crimson-purple radiant fire gushed out like a tide, forming a thick fire wall under his control.
Boom~
The black lightning collided with the fire wall, immediately erupting with turbulent waves of air that rippled outward in all directions.
Crack crack crack~
After several breaths, the fire wall shattered. The arrow continued toward Xu Chuan. However, having been obstructed, its power was mostly consumed. Its speed was far from the heart-stopping pace of the beginning. Xu Chuan easily dodged.
Xu Mingwei activated the Ink Flood Dragon Bow. The shot Ink Flood Dragon Arrow immediately automatically flew back and landed before him.
After examining it carefully, he smiled bitterly, "Father, the radiant fire from your pill furnace is truly terrifying. After resisting for just a few breaths, both I and the Ink Flood Dragon Arrow were scorched. Without magical power protection, after ten-plus times like this, it would likely be damaged."
"How can the power of a superior-grade magical artifact compare to a low-grade one? And mine is high quality even among superior-grade magical artifacts, forged by an ancient cultivator. Its power is naturally formidable."
Xu Chuan smiled, "However, your arrow Dao truly hasn't disappointed me. It wasn't in vain that I found an magical artifact refining master to forge this set of bow and arrow magical artifacts for you. Even just drawing the bow and shooting arrows with pure strength, because of its focused penetrating power at one point, the power also exceeds ordinary superior-grade spells. Probably only superior-grade spells specializing in defense could withstand it. Next try a full-force strike. But first let Father set up multiple radiant fire walls."
Xu Mingwei smiled.
Xu Chuan spent several dozen breaths setting up three layers. After all, two layers were already comparable to superior-grade defensive spells. But then thinking about it, he added three more.
This was already his limit.
It was also the effect of the Nine Flames Formula.
Six thoughts as one, each fire wall was no different from the first. It would be very difficult for others to achieve.
"Remember, don't shoot directly at Father!"
Xu Mingwei smiled faintly. The next instant, two beams of brilliant light burst from his eyes. Magical power from the eighth layer of Qi Refining surged forth, infusing into the Ink Flood Dragon Bow and Ink Flood Dragon Arrow.
Only an immortal cultivator's magical power could trigger a magical artifact's power.
The Ink Flood Dragon Bow was a middle-grade magical artifact. The Ink Flood Dragon Arrow was only a low-grade magical artifact. Yet when he nocked the arrow and aimed at himself, Xu Chuan felt a sense of life-and-death crisis arise in his heart.
Only when Xu Mingwei shifted the arrowhead slightly did this feeling disappear.
"It seems I underestimated it." Xu Chuan thought silently, "Previously it approached the attack power of a superior-grade magical artifact. Now triggering the magical artifact's power and using magical power, it's definitely not as simple as one plus one. It likely rivals the power of high-quality magical artifacts."
Xu Mingwei's eyes transformed into eagle eyes. His gaze flowed, seemingly able to see the weak points of the fire wall, greatly surprising him.
After becoming an immortal cultivator, this talent seemed to have new changes.
He didn't think much about it and immediately gave a light shout.
"Break!"
Along with his words, another black lightning shot out explosively, its speed even surpassing the previous attack.
Bang bang bang~
In the blink of an eye, three layers of fire wall were broken through, making Xu Chuan's eyelids twitch.
Something's wrong, how is the power so great?!
Then came two more sounds of fire walls shattering.
In just a few breaths, only one fire wall remained before Xu Chuan.