"Interfered?"
Liu Ba's steps faltered slightly, confusion flickering across his face.
All along, he had assumed that the quota Qin Yi had "snatched" originally belonged to Zhou Hairui.
But from Zhao Ping's words, it seemed there was more to the story than that.
"Hehe…" Zhao Ping gave a dry laugh, scratching his cheek awkwardly. "Well, calling it 'interference' might be an exaggeration. You probably know already—our four mountain sects may appear independent on the surface, but behind closed doors, we do have some… exchanges."
"That Senior Brother Zhou happens to have some personal connections with a few of our City Lord's officials. Apparently, he thought the new recruits in Blood Feast Valley this year were all hopeless—none of them worth his time. He figured sending such useless disciples into the secret realm would just waste a precious slot."
"So, he made the decision himself to gift his quota to our Luoshan City."
"And wouldn't you know it—Feng Wuya just happened to please him. So naturally, the quota fell into his hands."
Zhao Ping paused, his grin turning a little amused.
"But who could've guessed that two days ago, Blood Feast Valley's entrance trial suddenly produced an exceptional new talent? Senior Brother Zhou, being the opportunist he is, immediately changed his mind and forcibly reclaimed the quota he'd already given away."
"And so—Feng Wuya's spot was gone, just like that."
After listening to Zhao Ping's explanation, Liu Ba finally understood the situation.
So that's how it was.
In short, the quota had always belonged to Blood Feast Valley—Zhou Hairui had only temporarily "loaned" it to Feng Wuya.
Now that the spot had returned to its rightful owner, there wasn't much Feng Wuya could complain about.
But then why had he stormed into the City Lord's mansion and made a scene?
Zhao Ping's lips curved into a peculiar smile. "Brother, don't forget—our Luoshan City has its own quota too. When Feng Wuya lost his, he naturally refused to accept it. In his eyes, he's far stronger than anyone in our city. So if Blood Feast Valley's spot was taken away, then at the very least, one of our city's spots should belong to him, right?"
"So, he came to the mansion to cause trouble."
Liu Ba's curiosity deepened. "And? What was the outcome? In the end, was he allowed to go to the secret realm?"
At that, Zhao Ping's expression turned oddly hesitant. He shook his head. "No idea."
"No idea?"
Liu Ba frowned. Judging by Zhao Ping's description, Feng Wuya's outburst had been quite dramatic. How could Zhao Ping not know what happened afterward?
Seeing Liu Ba's puzzled look, Zhao Ping sighed helplessly and spread his hands. "I'm serious, I really don't know. All we heard was that the City Lord personally intervened, called Feng Wuya into the inner chamber, and spoke with him privately. As for what they discussed—no one knows."
Liu Ba nodded slightly to himself.
That made sense.
If this matter blew up publicly, it'd bring trouble to everyone involved. Handling it privately was the wiser move.
If they reached an agreement, all the better—everything would be settled quietly.
Still, Liu Ba couldn't help wondering—would Feng Wuya actually be entering that secret realm after all?
If he did, then perhaps there would be… an opportunity.
If Qin Yi and Wen Shan joined hands inside the secret realm, they might be able to silence Feng Wuya once and for all.
After all, the secret realm was completely sealed off from the outside world. As long as it was done cleanly, no one would ever suspect a thing.
In fact, if the one who struck the killing blow was Wen Shan—a disciple of the righteous path—then the act would be perfectly justified. A righteous cultivator slaying a demonic cultivator? Who would ever question that?
But that was for later.
Right now, Liu Ba's attention was drawn elsewhere—to the mysterious "Boundary-Breaking Pill" Zhao Ping had mentioned with such confidence.
He was eager to see for himself whether the pill truly existed—and if it did, what it could really do.
Following Zhao Ping, Liu Ba soon arrived before an enormous, imposing hall.
The moment they stepped through the doorway, a dense, intoxicating fragrance of pills wafted toward them—so rich it almost felt tangible.
Liu Ba's gaze swept across the hall, and his breath caught.
Countless jade bottles lined the walls, each containing a single pill that shimmered with various hues of light.
Some radiated gentle warmth, others pulsed faintly with spiritual ripples.
Many of them were completely unfamiliar—even to him.
And that was saying something.
Within Liu Ba's mind lay the vast ocean of alchemical knowledge inherited from the San Cai Workshop, yet even with that, he couldn't identify half of what he was seeing.
Could it be… that the pills of Luoshan City surpass even those of San Cai?
The thought flickered briefly, but he quickly pushed it aside as a steward approached.
Liu Ba clasped his hands politely and spoke directly: "I have already reached the peak of the third level of Qi Refinement but am unable to break through the bottleneck. May I come here to request a pill for advancement?"
The steward's face lit up with a cordial smile. "Indeed. Once you reach the limit of early-stage Qi Refinement, you are entitled to receive a Boundary-Breaking Pill, free of charge. This pill will help you easily overcome the bottleneck."
"However, there are a few rules you must follow. First, after receiving the pill, you must take it immediately in the hall's inner chamber—you may not take it outside. Second, the pill cannot be claimed on behalf of another."
"But since you are already here in person, the first rule is of no concern."
Liu Ba nodded in understanding.
The steward then led him into a sealed chamber and handed him a small jade box.
"The pill is inside."
"This chamber will close once I leave—it cannot be opened from inside or out."
"But do not worry. The barrier can be broken easily once you reach mid-stage Qi Refinement."
"In other words, once you consume the pill and advance, you can leave naturally."
He smiled faintly. "But if you choose not to take it—well, then you won't be leaving this room anytime soon."
"Make good use of your time. Break through quickly."
With those words, the steward turned and left.
The heavy stone door slammed shut behind him with a deep rumble, sealing Liu Ba inside completely.
The echo faded, leaving behind only silence—and the faint fragrance of medicine.
It seemed the steward hadn't exaggerated; without mid-stage strength, forcing this door open would be impossible.
Liu Ba exhaled softly, steadying his mind. Then, with deliberate care, he opened the jade box.
Inside lay a single pill, about the size of a dragon's eye, glowing faintly with golden light. Its aroma was thick and pure—unmistakably extraordinary.
He lifted it between his fingers, studying it closely.
Every instinct told him something about this pill was off.
And yet, he couldn't deny it—the allure was irresistible.
If this pill truly worked as claimed, it would change everything.
No longer would cultivators need to meet harsh conditions or seek rare resources.
A simple pill could elevate them all to mid-stage Qi Refinement.
If true, even his avatars could be advanced in batches—an army of mid-stage cultivators born overnight.
The implications were staggering.
Whether true or false, he had to know.
There was no turning back now.
With firm resolve, Liu Ba brought the pill to his lips—and swallowed it whole.
Instantly, it melted on his tongue, releasing a torrent of spiritual energy that surged down his throat and exploded through his limbs and bones.
His meridians trembled. His dantian roared.
The Boundary-Breaking Pill had begun its work.