Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1086: Useless?

The initial tier of Heaven Turning Pills were procured by various entities, predominantly within the auction gallery.

The second-tier pill was acquired by Crimson Arrow Manor. Having abandoned hope for the grand prize, they committed all resources to securing the second-tier offering. After all, any tier of the Heaven Turning Pill could facilitate advancement to a Major Realm; the efficacy simply varied in proportion to the Major Realm. Thus, a second-tier pill could still aid Crimson Arrow Manor’s Patriarch in reaching the Essence Ignition Realm. While not a guaranteed success like a third-tier pill, the significantly increased probability of advancement made it immensely valuable, even for those aiming beyond the Essence Gathering Realm.

With Wei Yuanjie sidelined from competing for the primary prize due to the painting incident, the third-tier Heaven Turning Pill fell into Wei Liheng's possession with minimal resistance. The Ember Palm Pavilion did, however, collaborate with Wei Yuanjie to mount a token challenge, driving up the price for someone else.

"This situation... Your Highness, it is exceedingly problematic..." the Inner Court Elder of the Ember Palm Pavilion conveyed to Wei Yuanjie, his expression clouded with concern as he observed Wei Liheng’s triumphant celebration.

"Worry not, that particular pill holds no value," a voice chimed in from behind them. Turning, they beheld the masked Talisman Master accompanied by three other men. Two of these men wore masks, while one, an elder with white hair and a beard whom they did not recognize, stood unmasked. It was this elder who spoke.

"And who might you be?" one of the three Elders inquired tentatively, even as Kwon Qianhong delivered his concluding remarks nearby. Simultaneously, the Inner Court Elder of the Ember Palm Pavilion experienced a sudden realization, his eyes widening in astonishment.

"My name is Chu Ren, and I represent the Eternal Duality Valley," Chu Ren responded with a smile.

"You are... our clandestine associates..." the Inner Court Elder murmured, prompting the other two to swivel their heads toward him in surprise before re-examining Chu Ren with heightened scrutiny.

A collective gulp echoed as they noted the two masked individuals accompanying Chu Ren were cultivators at the Essence Ignition Realm and Essence Gathering Realm, shattering their prior assumption of their mysterious partners' vulnerability.

"Indeed," Chu Ren affirmed with a nod and a smile. "It is a pleasure to finally converse in person, as you have long desired. My apologies for the delay; unforeseen circumstances on our end impeded this direct meeting until now."

"But... why now?" the Inner Court Elder questioned.

"H-how is this even possible?" At the very same moment, an Outer Court Elder, who had remained silent until then, voiced his bewilderment. They had only ascended from a lower world approximately two years prior, an insufficient timescale for achieving such profound cultivation levels as demonstrated by the two masked figures.

"I surmise your primary, and undoubtedly more pressing, concern at this juncture is the Heaven Turning Pill falling into the possession of the fifth prince, implying the Seven Extreme Swords Sect will be the ultimate recipients," Chu Ren stated with a chuckle.

"Y-yes! What did you mean by the pill being useless... wait, surely not... is there something amiss with the pill?" the Inner Court Elder asked, his voice laced with anxiety. A sudden flicker of understanding ignited in his eyes, bringing with it a ray of hope, bordering on elation.

"I understand! Did you substitute that pill long ago, providing us with the genuine article, and that’s how you obtained it?!" another Outer Court Elder exclaimed, realization dawning on his face. The other two nodded in agreement, their expressions seemingly confirming this hypothesis.

"Certainly not. Do you imagine the Soaring Feather Trading Company would fail to notice if we submitted a counterfeit for auction? No, the pill presented at auction is genuine, nearly identical to the one we initially provided," Chu Ren refuted this guess swiftly. Anticipating their next query, he continued, "However, it remains a significant liability for whomever currently possesses it. Consider this: had you not struck a bargain with us, and instead, someone else acquired that pill through auction? Could they truly utilize it?"

The three Elders paused, their brows furrowed in contemplation, but comprehension gradually dawned in their eyes.

Observing their dawning understanding, Chu Ren elaborated slightly to expedite the process. "If the pill's ownership were discreet, as was your situation, it would constitute an entirely different arrangement. You would have the luxury of entering secluded cultivation to consume it. But this pill, its ownership publicly declared, merely places a target upon its owner. How could anyone possibly find the opportunity to utilize it under the constant surveillance of the other two Sects? In this scenario, would you not anticipate the Crystal Wood Sect and yourselves ambushing the Seven Extreme Swords Sect the moment their Elder attempted to take the pill and enter seclusion?"

A sudden wave of realization washed over the three Elders; they exchanged glances, bewildered that this critical yet obvious detail had escaped their collective notice. Indeed, the pill would prove utterly useless if there was a constant threat preventing the Elder from entering seclusion. An interruption during an advancement attempt would risk Qi Deviation, leading to certain death. Thus, the pill transformed into an exceedingly expensive and prized prop, capable of being possessed but never utilized.

Smiles began to grace their lips, and laughter was poised to erupt when, unnoticed by them, Kwon Qianhong concluded his thanks to the auction participants and congratulations to the victors. He then added one final announcement, a sort of advertisement, reminding everyone about the upcoming tournament.