Chapter 165
Inside the mountain cave, two formless flame cauldrons encapsulated the fiendish spirits, and the raging Spiritual Flame was purging all the violent and negative emotions from them.
This was the first time Lu Bu had processed spirits in this way. The last time, he had directly used the Devouring Ancestral Talisman, resolving everything in mere moments. However, with Tianhuo Zun zhe present, Lu Bu refrained from deploying it this time.
Nearby, Tianhuo Zun zhe watched the flames in the cauldrons with fervent anticipation. Once the purified soul energy was refined, his own strength would further solidify, and his soul's integrity would reach new heights. At that point, he could finally set his sights on regaining a physical body.
Time passed unnoticed, and an entire day went by.
Under Lu Bu's relentless efforts, the fiendish spirits were soon completely purified. Yet, Lu Bu frowned slightly these two spirits were clearly weaker than the one he had consumed last time.
Oh, of course.
The last fiendish spirit had been infused with Protector Mu's own soul, which explained its superior quality. It made sense that these two couldn't measure up.
"Yao Lao, pick one," Lu Bu said with a faint smile.
"Haha! Lu Bu, your kindness is something I will never forget!" Tianhuo Zun zhe burst into laughter, excitement flashing in his eyes. He eagerly swallowed one of the purified soul energies and retreated into the storage ring.
"Lu Bu, this refinement will take some time. Be cautious you'll be on your own for now," Tianhuo Zun zhe said as he prepared to enter seclusion.
"Don't worry about me, Yao Lao. I can handle myself," Lu Bu replied, still smiling.
"Very well, then. Haha!" Tianhuo Zun zhe's laughter echoed briefly before fading into silence, and even the faint ripples of his soul presence disappeared.
Lu Bu chuckled lightly and waved his palm, summoning the Devouring Ancestral Talisman. It glimmered in his hand like a vortex, instantly absorbing the remaining purified soul energy and refining it.
The next day.
Lu Bu slowly opened his eyes, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Just one step away… I'm only one step away from reaching the peak of the Mortal Realm," he muttered. "These spirits really were weaker than the last one."
With a sigh, he realized that using fiendish spirits to reach the Spirit Realm wasn't a reliable strategy. He'd have to return to his earlier plans seeking the Soul Hall's hidden soul source or searching for rare treasures and resources to aid his advancement.
Raising a hand, Lu Bu flicked his fingers, and a deep blue storage ring twirled into his palm. It was the Sea of Shadows Storage Ring his spoils from Han Feng.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Lu Bu let his boundless soul power pierce through the ring's defenses like a fine needle. Han Feng's soul was still alive, trapped with Xiao Yan, but… so what? What could Han Feng possibly do now?
Crack.
A faint sound echoed through the cave like a whisper from a ghost. Lu Bu's consciousness delved into the storage ring, and the moment he surveyed its contents, his previous sense of wealth vanished.
Inside the ring, countless jade boxes filled with rare herbs floated in neat rows, alongside scrolls of cultivation techniques, Dou Techniques, and other treasures beyond measure.
"As expected… Killing one master is worth more than looting an entire city. What a fortune!" Lu Bu marveled. Yet his primary focus remained unchanged he had taken down Han Feng for his collection of alchemical recipes.
As a self taught alchemist without formal lineage, Lu Bu's alchemy skills were decent, but he lacked proper formulas especially for seventh tier and above pills.
Since advancing to the seventh rank as an alchemist, Lu Bu hadn't crafted a single seventh tier pill. Part of this was due to his lack of suitable recipes, and the other part was his insufficient stock of high grade medicinal ingredients. As a result, his title of "seventh tier alchemist" was somewhat hollow.
But now, with Han Feng's collection, that problem was solved. Though Han Feng was only a sixth tier alchemist, his trove included several seventh tier recipes, many stolen from Yao Lao himself. These recipes alone could tide Lu Bu over for the foreseeable future.
A flash of blue light revealed a black scroll in Lu Bu's palm. As he unrolled it, the words glowed faintly in the dim cave light:
"Lesser Assist Pill: A seventh tier high grade pill capable of enhancing the strength of a Dou Zong by one star."
The description was succinct, but the effect was extraordinary. Like the Dou Ling Pill and the Imperial Extreme Pill, this was a rare and potent pill for improving cultivation strength. What's more, Han Feng had thoughtfully prepared all the required ingredients. Lu Bu could start refining it immediately.
"What a generous man…" Lu Bu sighed, a faint smile crossing his lips. "Han Feng, you're such a good person. If Yao Lao weren't against it, I'd honestly consider keeping your body by my side just to express my eternal gratitude."
Shaking his head, Lu Bu stood up and stretched lazily. "Time to head back to the Inner Academy. I'll refine this there no one would dare disturb me with Su Qian around."
Northern Region of the Black Corner Domain.
Boom!
A silver streak of energy crashed against the void, ripples spreading outward like waves.
As the ripples spread, a massive, near endless barrier became faintly visible in the air a defense so vast it was suffocating.
"Hahaha… I've finally found the weak spot!" Mo Tianxing laughed maniacally. "Hahaha! A few more days, and this damn barrier will be shattered!"
His spirits were soaring. The wounds he had sustained previously were already healed, and he felt that in a few days, he might even break through his current bottleneck.
"Congratulations, Sect Leader! Heaven rewards those who persist!" said Elder Feng respectfully, his tone full of flattery.
"By the way, I've heard that Han Feng and the Jia Nan Academy are at each other's throats?" Mo Tianxing's eyes gleamed as he recalled the rumors from his sect.
"Yes, it's true… and all thanks to Sect Leader's clever scheme," Elder Feng said with a smile. "Hahaha, just one piece of information from you, and those two factions have been tied down, leaving us free to claim the real prize!"
"Hehe… once we've absorbed the treasures in this secret realm…" Mo Tianxing's eyes turned cold, and a chilling murderous intent radiated from him. "I'll make those two mongrels pay for what they've done."
"I'll torment that brat… no, I'll make him watch as I torture that woman! Right in front of his eyes!" Mo Tianxing's voice was filled with venom, his face twisted with hatred.
"I'll make him understand what it means to wish for death!"
Elder Feng's smile mirrored the icy chill in Mo Tianxing's voice. "We will, Sect Leader. We'll make them pay with their blood!"
His younger brother's corpse had never been found, and this debt... if not pinned on that pair of dogs, then who else? A brother's murder demanded retribution!
This hatred would not be settled until vengeance was exacted!
At the Inner Academy, the moment Lu Bu walked into his pavilion, a soft "swish" sound signaled the sudden appearance of Zi Yan, who jumped out in front of him, her face puffed up with anger.
"You jerk! Where did you run off to again? I finally waited for you to show up, and then you disappeared again!!" Zi Yan roared furiously.
"Do you know I've been chewing raw herbs for an entire month? I haven't had a single pill to eat! I'm starving to death!"
Lu Bu: "..."
The Hungry Dragon's Roar... terrifying.
The members of the Sacred Gate who noticed their former sect master returning were just about to step forward and greet him warmly when...
Wait.
The new sect master had appeared, and she didn't look happy. How frightening! Time to leave quietly.
They all awkwardly redirected their steps and silently walked away in a different direction.
"Ahem… Then I'll make you some pills," Lu Bu said, coughing lightly as he clenched his fist.
"That's more like it!" Zi Yan huffed and puffed twice before leaping into Lu Bu's arms. "Let's go. Let's head into the mountains. The Inner Academy is boring so dull I could die!"
"Alright, that works. I'll take the chance to refine some pills while we're out," Lu Bu replied with a small smile, spreading his Green Lotus Core Flame wings as he took off into the sky.
"Great! Lu Bu, I'll help you stand guard, but you've got to make me some pills to eat, okay?"
"Sure… By the way, where's Xiao Yan? Did he return to the Inner Academy?"
"Don't know, don't care. Probably like you fighting and then running off somewhere. Who knows where he is."
"Oh, then he's probably refining another Heavenly Flame somewhere..."
As they chatted, Lu Bu carried Zi Yan as they flew off into the distance.
On top of a tree canopy, Su Qian stood watching the pair disappear into the horizon, clutching his chest in anguish.
His "little cotton padded jacket" (as he affectionately thought of Zi Yan) had always been a bit leaky, but at least it was still his.
Now… he had nothing left.
She had been stolen right out from under him.
My heart aches so much I can't even breathe!
To the east of the Inner Academy, at the base of a mountain near a cascading waterfall:
Thud!
A deep, heavy sound echoed as a massive, crimson cauldron landed on the ground. The cauldron was adorned with lifelike engravings of countless magical beasts.
The Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron!
A legendary item on the Heavenly Cauldron Rankings, no weaker than Yao Lao's Black Demon Cauldron.
This single artifact alone justified Lu Bu's battle with Han Feng. In the original story, Xiao Yan, after obtaining this cauldron, finally stopped blowing up his cauldrons every three days for dramatic effect.
"Looks like that kid will just have to keep blowing his cauldrons up," Lu Bu murmured, patting the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron with a smile.
With a wave of his sleeve, the Green Lotus Core Flame surged forth, enveloping the cauldron in blazing flames.
The cauldron was marked with Han Feng's soul imprint, making it unusable without his consent. But… since when did Lu Bu care about his permission?
Han Feng's storage ring was his now. Why not this cauldron too?
Crack.
A clear snapping sound echoed as Lu Bu's soul power invaded and wiped out the soul imprint. From this moment forward, the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron belonged to Lu Bu.
Sitting on a nearby rock, Zi Yan watched Lu Bu curiously. She didn't know why, but the aura of this cauldron felt agreeable to her she didn't dislike it. At least, it wasn't as repellent as the Invisible Flame Snake had been.
There was also a similar feeling when she was near Xiao Yan, but somehow Lu Bu felt better. His scent was comforting no matter how much she smelled it, she never got tired of it.
With a pop, the Green Lotus Core Flame ignited inside the cauldron. Lu Bu raised his hand, tossing five or six medicinal ingredients into the cauldron. The fierce flames immediately consumed them, refining and purifying them.
Zi Yan's eyes lit up, and her cheeks tingled as her mouth watered.
"Red Refined Dragon Ginseng, Three Leaf Green Ganoderma, Cloud Spirit Fruit... All my favorites! Hehehe..." she giggled, her drool nearly spilling out.
Soon, a light pop sounded as the lid of the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron opened. Colorful pills of various hues flew out, which Lu Bu deftly caught and stored in multiple jade bottles.
"Here you go. All done."
"Wow, wow, wow!" Zi Yan eagerly grabbed the jade bottles, practically glowing with happiness as she began munching on the pills. Her little face was pure bliss, her bright eyes curving into crescent moons.
Finally, she didn't have to gnaw on raw herbs anymore!
"Zi Yan, I'm going to refine some more pills now," Lu Bu said, patting her head. "I'll need you to stand guard for me this time. These pills are different."
"Oh… Oh! Don't worry. Leave it to me… Ahem! Lu Bu, as long as I'm here, no one will interrupt you," Zi Yan declared, puffing out her chest proudly. But after a moment of hesitation, she grew quiet and sat more demurely, whispering softly.
Lu Bu glanced at her, speechless. If it weren't for her chipmunk like cheeks stuffed full of pills, she might have looked like a graceful little lady carved from jade.
Refocusing on his task, Lu Bu turned his attention back to the cauldron. This time, he was preparing to refine the Lesser Assist Pill, a seventh tier high grade pill. The difficulty was no joke.
If not for the refined pure soul energy he had recently absorbed from the fiendish spirit, he wouldn't have dared to attempt such a pill.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Bu closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. With a flick of his finger, over forty different medicinal ingredients floated out of the Sea of Shadows Storage Ring, suspended mid air.
Watching Lu Bu's focused expression, Zi Yan instinctively knew he was being serious. Subconsciously, even the sound of her chewing pills softened, as though afraid of disturbing him.
The next moment, Lu Bu picked up a bright red herb called the Fire Lotus Scarlet Fruit and gently placed it into the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron. The roaring green flames engulfed it, refining it into a radiant, red and green liquid in no time.
With a soft bang, a ripple of cyan and red energy collided with the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron, causing the ferocious energy inside to tremble momentarily, even making the Green Lotus Core Flame flicker slightly.
The Fire Lotus Scarlet Fruit, despite its unremarkable name, contained an incredibly violent energy. If a sixth rank magical beast were to consume it, its body would likely explode. Only a seventh rank magical beast might have the capability to safely ingest it.
However, no matter how ferocious the energy, it couldn't shake the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron. Lu Bu felt fortunate to have obtained it. If he were still using his previous fifth tier Blazing Flame Cauldron, it might not have exploded immediately, but the results wouldn't have been much better.
With precise movements, Lu Bu tapped his fingers, sending more than ten additional medicinal ingredients flying into the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron. The purpose of these ingredients was to neutralize the violent medicinal energy of the Fire Lotus Scarlet Fruit.
The Lesser Assist Pill's purpose was to allow someone at the Douzong level to effortlessly increase their strength by one star without suffering any adverse effects. Hence, leaving any of that violent medicinal energy unchecked was out of the question.
However, by the time Lu Bu finished neutralizing the Fire Lotus Scarlet Fruit's energy, a full ten days had passed. And there were still four more ingredients that needed to be similarly neutralized...
"As expected… high tier seventh grade pills are no joke to refine…" Lu Bu took a deep breath, popped a Dou Qi recovery pill into his mouth, and continued to manipulate his flame with renewed focus.
The rich medicinal aroma had already spread far and wide. Above him, Zi Yan hovered in the air, her purple gold eyes gleaming with draconic might, exuding an oppressive dragon aura that scared off nearby magical beasts, sending them scurrying in terror.
Lu Bu paid no attention to this, instead concentrating solely on the colorful medicinal liquid inside the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron.
Time passed bit by bit, and the dense collection of medicinal herbs floating in the air was gradually reduced to liquid, becoming part of the cauldron's contents.
Lu Bu proceeded carefully and methodically, not daring to rush. Every step was executed flawlessly before moving on to the next.
This cautious approach was slow and time consuming, but it ensured stability. As long as no major mistakes occurred, success remained within reach.
Watching this, Zi Yan's head began to spin. She'd always known alchemy was complex, but this was the first time she realized just how painstakingly tedious it could be. Just watching it made her scalp tingle, let alone attempting to do it herself.
"Good thing I have Lu Bu… hehehe," Zi Yan thought with a smug smile, feeling rather pleased with herself. No problem here I just need to eat and drink for free. No need to make my own pills.
Meanwhile, back in the Inner Academy, Xiao Yan, who had been missing for ten days, finally returned.
His first order of business was to meet with First Elder Su Qian. While the Inner Academy had its own reasons for targeting Han Feng, it had all started with Yao Lao and Xiao Yan's request.
This operation had indirectly helped Yao Lao clean house. While both parties had their respective interests and motives, it was only proper for Xiao Yan to express his gratitude.
"I must thank you, First Elder Su Qian. Without the Inner Academy's assistance, I don't know when I'd have been able to eliminate that rebellious disciple," a voice, aged and hoarse, spoke through Xiao Yan's mouth.
"Senior Yao is too polite. This operation was something the Inner Academy needed to do regardless. There's no need for thanks," Su Qian said, waving his hand. "How is Xiao Yan now?"
"Not bad. After refining the Ocean Heart Flame, he's now at the one star Dou Wang level."
Su Qian's expression shifted slightly at this. These prodigies were becoming more monstrous by the day first Lu Bu, jumping directly to an eight star Dou Wang, and now Xiao Yan, stepping straight into one star Dou Wang after refining the flame.
As they spoke, Yao Lao smiled faintly and placed a jade box on the table in front of Su Qian. "This is a Snow Spirit Pill. I believe you're familiar with its effects…"
Su Qian's eyes lit up instantly. The Snow Spirit Pill was a high level auxiliary pill capable of tripling a Dou Zong's cultivation speed.
Looking at the pill, Su Qian found himself momentarily at a loss for words. How could he refuse such an item?
"This… many thanks to Senior Yao. I owe you a favor. If there's anything you need, just ask," Su Qian said with a respectful bow.
"Haha…" Yao Lao nodded slowly, his smile steady.
However, at that moment, both their expressions turned serious as they simultaneously looked toward the eastern mountains of the Inner Academy.
"Someone's refining pills?"
"And high grade ones at that?"
"Shall we take a look?"
"Let's go!"
Time continued to pass, and in the blink of an eye, a month had gone by.
During this month, while Zi Yan occasionally found herself bored, she spent most of her time dealing with trouble. The enticing aroma of the medicinal ingredients attracted countless magical beasts, many of whom came looking for trouble. Zi Yan dealt with most of them herself, though she couldn't take care of all of them.
In the end, Lu Bu was forced to give Zi Yan control over one of his spatial puppets. With the puppet under her command, Zi Yan launched a bloody counterattack against the surrounding magical beasts, thoroughly driving away all those with designs on the pills.
"How much longer is this going to take…?" Zi Yan muttered. She had initially thought that once all the ingredients were added, the process would be over. But two weeks had passed since then, and the refining was still ongoing.
Rumble!
Just as that thought crossed her mind, the sky suddenly darkened. Black clouds rolled in, oppressive and heavy, with muffled thunder rumbling and flashes of lightning illuminating the sky.
Zi Yan's expression changed dramatically, though a look of delight quickly followed. She flapped her Dou Qi wings and hurriedly took cover under a large rock just as Lu Bu had instructed her before.
The appearance of pill lightning meant the pill was complete!
"Hahaha… It's finally done!" Lu Bu laughed heartily, his joy palpable. The pent up tension in his chest was swept away as he tilted his head back and roared with laughter.
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