Once a cultivator draws Qi into their body and begins Qi Refining, their aging process slows significantly compared to ordinary mortals. It is entirely normal for someone in their seventies or eighties to look like they are in their fifties or sixties.
Upon stepping into Foundation Establishment, aging slows down even further. It is hardly surprising for a centenarian to retain the appearance of a middle-aged person. Figures like Master Ji and President Cui, despite being around two hundred years old, look no older than sixty or seventy. On top of that, they remain physically robust, full of vigor, and immune to all illnesses.
However, even though Foundation Establishment greatly decelerates aging, it is still a long way from true age preservation. Only by stepping into the Golden Core Realm can one truly freeze their appearance and achieve agelessness.
Yet forming a Golden Core is easier said than done—how many Golden Core cultivators can be found in an entire prefecture? Even if one stands a chance at forming a core, if success only comes after several centuries, their appearance will be frozen in the form of an elderly person.
Cultivators who cherish their appearance naturally seek ways early on to preserve their looks at their prime, preventing their youth and elegance from fading away. The Youth-Preserving Pill is the single best choice for this.
A Tier-4 pill, the Youth-Preserving Pill lives up to its name—consuming a single pellet locks one's appearance in place. Though its effects are remarkable, it is not without flaws: its duration is limited. Depending on the quality of the refined pill, it maintains one's appearance for roughly ten to thirty years. Once that period passes, another pill must be taken.
For wealthy cultivators, this is hardly an issue—it is simply a matter of buying extra spares. The real drawback is that the pill can only take effect five times in total. Similar to how longevity-extending items only work once per major realm, there is a hard limit.
Because of this five-use limit, the price of Youth-Preserving Pills varies drastically based on quality—low, medium, or high grade. Jumping up a single grade can multiply the price by tens or even hundreds of times.
Hundred Flowers City was home to many female cultivators, and word had it that disciples of the Hundred Flowers Sect were all exceptionally beautiful. They favored applying flower dew and bee nectar to their faces and cherished their looks above all else. Here, any refined Youth-Preserving Pill would find a ready buyer without trouble.
With this in mind, Shi Yu returned to the inn and immediately had Qingzhou set up a barrier. She then instructed Ji Yu and Mo Tong, “Go inquire about the market price for Youth-Preserving Pills in this city.”
Receiving their orders, the two departed without delay to gather information.
Qingzhou remained behind to guard her.
The Water Curtain Celestial Canopy unfolded a silent domain shimmering like rippling water. Shi Yu sat cross-legged within it, taking a moment to adjust her breathing before beginning the refinement process.
Inside the Fate-Tapping Bell, in the medicinal field beside the Life Spring water, the Nutmeg Orchid she had long forgotten had grown to the size of a tea tree. It bloomed with numerous crystal-clear orchids that looked as though they were carved from crystal. Their petals were translucent, tinged with a faint blush only at the tips, resembling a light touch of rouge on a young girl's cheeks—delicate, vibrant, and charming.
Shi Yu picked a few orchids, selected several auxiliary ingredients, and retrieved her pill furnace. Turning to Qingzhou, she said, “Qingzhou, this is a Tier-4 pill. An anomaly will manifest upon completion. Keep a close eye on it, and do not let the disturbance spill beyond the barrier.”
Qingzhou nodded. “Alright. Rest assured, Ah Yu.”
Saying this, he touched two fingers to his forehead, channeling a stream of pure spiritual Qi to reinforce the Water Curtain Celestial Canopy.
Refining a Youth-Preserving Pill was no easy task, so Shi Yu did not dare be careless. After warming the furnace, she added the spiritual plants one by one, focusing wholeheartedly on refining them. Soon, all the spiritual plants were liquefied into droplets of varying sizes floating inside the furnace cavity. These liquid Qi droplets centered around a main blob of pale pink liquid, gradually drawing closer and merging into one another...
This refinement process lasted a full half-day. By the time the pill was near completion and the anomaly emerged, it was already midnight. Ji Yu and Mo Tong had returned from gathering news and were waiting quietly to the side.
A hazy, ethereal mist rose into the air. Within the mist, several indistinct fairies dressed in feathered robes danced gracefully, their colorful ribbons fluttering amidst faint, hazy laughter. This was precisely the anomaly generated upon the completion of a Youth-Preserving Pill.
The phantom figures of the fairies fluttered around Shi Yu, bringing gusts of sweet fragrance. From time to time, their fingers lightly brushed against her cheeks in an extraordinarily intimate manner.
This anomaly lasted for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. It was thoroughly concealed by the Water Curtain Celestial Canopy; whether it was the colorful lights or the soft laughter, everything was contained within the room by the barrier, without spilling out in the slightest or attracting external attention.
Once the anomaly faded, Shi Yu unsealed the furnace and scooped with a jade bottle, catching all three pills as they rolled neatly inside.
The three pills were a pale pink color, each crystal clear and emitting a faint orchid scent, enveloped in a hazy pill halo. One of them was even etched with pill veins, possessing an exceptionally prominent aura and looking so beautiful that one could hardly tear their eyes away.
“Two high-grade, one supreme-grade.” Shi Yu stored them away with satisfaction and looked toward Qingzhou. “You can drop the barrier now.”
With a wave of Qingzhou's hand, like a giant whale swallowing water, the bowl-like dome of the Water Curtain Celestial Canopy transformed into a slender stream of water that coalesced into his palm and vanished. Only a faint mist remained in the air, bearing witness to its previous presence.
Turning her eyes back to Ji Yu and Mo Tong, Shi Yu asked, “How did it go?”
Mo Tong smiled slightly and said, “Our luck is quite good this time. The Young Sect Master of the Hundred Flowers Sect, Hua Qingrui, happens to be desperately searching for a top-quality Youth-Preserving Pill.”
Shi Yu blinked, her interest piqued. “Tell me the details.”
Beside them, Ji Yu chimed in enthusiastically, “I heard that Young Sect Master is breathtakingly beautiful, her beauty famous far and wide! I wonder what kind of gorgeous elder sister she is!”
That actually rhymed. Shi Yu glanced at him with a faint smile before turning her gaze back to Mo Tong.
Mo Tong cleared his throat and continued.
“This Young Sect Master Hua possesses extraordinary talent and originally had a chance to become the youngest Golden Core cultivator in the Hundred Flowers Sect. However, two years ago, she suffered severe injuries in a secret realm and fell a sub-realm, dropping from Foundation Establishment Realm Great Perfection back down to late stage Foundation Establishment.”
“Though her injuries have healed now, she has to cultivate her stage all over again... She is one hundred and thirty-one years old this year and has already taken four Youth-Preserving Pills. Right now, the time limit of her fourth pill is approaching its end.”
Hearing his explanation, Shi Yu understood immediately.
Had events unfolded normally, it would have taken only a few years for the Young Sect Master to form her Golden Core and freeze her appearance permanently. But with her severe injuries and fallen realm, who knew how many years it would take before she could attempt core formation again?
A Youth-Preserving Pill only works five times in total, and she had already consumed four, with the fourth nearing its expiration. Thus, her only hope was that her fifth and final Youth-Preserving Pill could last until she successfully formed her core, allowing her to stay eternally young.
The higher the quality of a Youth-Preserving Pill, the longer its age-preserving duration. Hua Qingrui naturally wanted to seek out the highest quality pill possible. With a status as exalted as hers, she certainly would not settle for a low-grade or medium-grade Youth-Preserving Pill.
Mo Tong continued, “To obtain a high-grade Youth-Preserving Pill, Young Sect Master Hua offered an astronomical price and widely distributed a recruitment order, hoping an alchemist could present one to her.”
Ji Yu grabbed Shi Yu's arm and giggled, “Sister, you need to act fast! I heard that some alchemists are already heading over with high-grade Youth-Preserving Pills!”
Shi Yu's eyes curved into smiles. “Then first thing tomorrow morning, we shall pay a visit to the Hundred Flowers Sect.”
Rate on N.U.
