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"I obtained something... a transparent bottle containing a single blood-red pill," Xiao Li said.
"According to the brief information inscribed on the bottle, this type of pill can forcibly raise someone at the level of a Da Dou Shi to the Dou Wang realm in a very short time."
"However, once this pill is used, the person's remaining lifespan is limited to only three years."
"In other words, this pill essentially trades all remaining life for three years of Dou Wang-level strength."
Everyone present was dumbfounded and deeply shocked.
To gain power far beyond one's current level at the cost of life force—such a method was truly bizarre.
...
High up in the sky, strong winds howled.
Wei Yang and Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on the massive head of the Tiger Eagle Beast, gazing out into the distance.
The others had each found spots to rest across the broad back of the flying beast.
A short while later—
Xiao Yan flipped his palm, and a slightly strange transparent bottle appeared in his hand.
Carefully handing the bottle to Wei Yang, Xiao Yan then released a soul barrier to envelop the two of them. Only then did he lower his voice and speak.
"Brother Wei, this is the so-called Life Devouring Pill. My second brother actually obtained two in total. This is the remaining one... and perhaps the very last one on the continent."
"Oh?" Wei Yang received the bottle and lowered his head slightly, his gaze peering through the glass to observe the blood-red pill inside.
The pill was entirely crimson, about the size of a longan fruit.
It looked quite mystical—at first glance, it resembled a transparent orb filled with blood.
At the very center of the pill, a faint dark red glow flickered. If one looked closely, it was as if a tiny eye was embedded within. The overall appearance exuded an eerie, unsettling aura.
Wei Yang stared intently at the blood-colored pill. With his powerful soul perception, he could vaguely sense that this pill was somewhat different from ordinary pills.
But as for exactly how it was different—he couldn't say. It just felt strange at first sight.
Nonetheless, no matter how bizarre it was, this Life Devouring Pill was the highest-grade pill Wei Yang had ever seen in all his years.
"A peak Tier 7 pill—Life Devouring Pill," Wei Yang murmured, a hint of awe in his eyes.
"My master once said that when a pill reaches a certain tier, it can even develop a trace of intelligence. I wonder if this one has," Xiao Yan said.
"Peak Tier 7? Probably not yet. You haven't opened it to check?" Wei Yang asked.
"No," Xiao Yan shook his head and pointed to the bottle.
Wei Yang withdrew his gaze from the pill and swept his eyes toward the bottle's opening. There, etched into the stopper, were faint energy marks. Looking carefully, they seemed to form some sort of sealing pattern.
"As expected of a peak Tier 7 pill—even the container is specially engraved with a seal to suppress its energy." Wei Yang raised his brows in surprise.
Normally, he would casually apply a few sealing inscriptions when storing pills.
But unlike those casual methods, this bottle was clearly made with deliberate care and attention to detail.
At this moment, Wei Yang had no intention of opening the bottle rashly. After all, there were still many powerful experts from the Black-Corner Region following behind. A pill of this tier, once exposed to the world, would likely cause an uproar or even trigger unusual phenomena.
The Life Devouring Pill was a serious matter—one that required caution.
"To think this old man would have the fortune to witness a legendary pill like the Life Devouring Pill in his lifetime..." Yao Lao's voice slowly echoed in the ears of both men.
"I have to say—the alchemist who created this kind of pill back then must have been unbelievably talented and brilliant!"
His voice, too, carried a mixture of apprehension and admiration.
As Yao Lao's words fell, a scroll dyed blood-red slowly emerged and floated into Wei Yang's hand.
"This is?" Wei Yang lowered his head, eyes fixed on the scroll.
A faint crimson glow seeped from its surface, as if the very object carried a lingering scent of blood.
Moreover, there wasn't a single visible seam or opening—no edges or flaps. It looked just like a tightly sealed jade cylinder.
"This came along with the Life Devouring Pill. It's the pill formula," Xiao Yan explained in a low voice.
Wei Yang nodded slightly and gave Xiao Yan a glance. "Such a priceless formula, and you're handing it over to me? Could it be that you're hoping...?"
Just holding this scroll made his hand feel hot—it was that valuable. A formula like this was truly beyond estimation.
Yet despite its worth, Xiao Yan handed it over to him without hesitation.
"Mhm," Xiao Yan nodded, expression heavy. "My second brother only has one year of life left. I'm hoping that you, me, and Master can work together to study both the Life Devouring Pill and this formula—perhaps in this one year, we might be able to discover a way to break its side effect."
"I see." Wei Yang wasn't surprised; clearly, he had already guessed Xiao Yan's intentions.
"Senior, even you couldn't decipher it?" Wei Yang asked softly.
"Mmm... this Life Devouring Pill was the crowning achievement of a legendary alchemist of that era. It was created through a unique combination of luck and mastery—almost a one-time miracle. Attempting to unravel it will not be easy,"
Yao Lao admitted honestly, without any arrogance. "Still, there's a fundamental truth in alchemy you both should remember: For everything that exists, there is a counterpart. For every poison, there is an antidote."
"Like the saying: Within seven steps of a poison, there lies its cure?" Wei Yang recalled an old phrase.
"...That's right. Though it's a bit exaggerated, the core idea is the same," Yao Lao pondered for a moment before nodding. "Seven steps to an antidote—it's a vivid way to express the principle that all things are balanced by their opposite."
"With the talent you and Xiao Yan possess in the alchemy, and with my experience and knowledge, perhaps within one year, we really could find a way to break the Life Devouring Pill's effect."
Yao Lao had confidence in his own insight and judgment, but more than that, he truly admired the raw talent and creative intuition that both Wei Yang and Xiao Yan displayed in alchemy.
That was precisely why Xiao Yan had not hesitated to hand over the formula and the last known Life Devouring Pill to Wei Yang—to study it together.
"I'll do my best," Wei Yang agreed without objection.
After all, to an alchemist, this kind of task was immensely challenging—and equally tempting. Very few alchemists could resist such a puzzle. Wei Yang was no exception.
Not to mention... he was getting an unimaginably precious pill formula for free—why would he refuse?
"Then I'll trouble you to invest some thought into studying this. If it can be resolved, that's the best outcome. If not, we'll just have to accept fate," Xiao Yan sighed.
"Throughout the research process, the three of us will need to share insights regularly," Yao Lao added.
"Mm," both Wei Yang and Xiao Yan slowly nodded in agreement.
As the saying goes: Three cobblers, with their wits combined, could rival Zhuge Liang.
And this trio—Yao Lao, Wei Yang, and Xiao Yan—was far beyond just three cobblers. It was a lineup of near-immortal-level genius.
Still, even with such a team, they knew full well that uncovering a solution would not be easy.
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