Yun Ze nodded and said:"This formation is relatively basic and easy to learn. I'll find some time to write down the detailed method of arranging it and hand it over to you."
As the saying goes, teaching a man to fish is better than giving him a fish. Rather than setting up the formation for them every time, it would be better to teach them directly—it saved effort.
Writing out the method would take at most ten minutes, and once they had it, they could learn it on their own. As long as they weren't idiots, they'd be able to master it just by following the instructions.
"Thank you, Young Master."Di Tian and the others bent their bodies in gratitude, their voices trembling with excitement. Their heartfelt sincerity toward Yun Ze was plain.
Yun Ze waved his hand indifferently, stood up, and had Di Tian open a spatial passage to return to Mingdu.
After a hearty meal and a good night's rest, the next day, around eleven in the morning, Yun Ze dialed the communicator of Gu Ming, the dean of the research institute.
"Elder Gu, could I trouble you to come to the Dragon Phoenix Hall on Mingyue Street, southwest of Sun Moon Royal Academy? I'll give you the promised Hundred-Year Longevity Pill."
Yun Ze went straight to the point without any small talk, bringing up what Gu Ming cared about most.
The other end of the line went silent for a moment, followed by hurried, excited words:"Wait for me—twenty minutes!"
The call ended immediately. Gu Ming rushed out of the research room, his movements utterly unlike those of a two-hundred-year-old man near the end of his life.
Exactly twenty minutes later, Gu Ming and another elderly man arrived at the entrance of the Dragon Phoenix Hall.
At that moment, Yun Ze, Gu Yue Na, and Di Tian were waiting on the first floor. As soon as the two entered, they saw them.
"Hm?"Both Gu Ming and his companion narrowed their eyes and frowned deeply.
They stared intently at Di Tian. Their soul power activated instinctively, the natural reaction when faced with a terrifying opponent.
"This man is strong!"The same thought surfaced in both their minds, their muscles tensing uncontrollably.
Gu Ming was a Level 98 Super Douluo with a four-word battle armor. For even him to feel such overwhelming power meant the opponent's strength was beyond imagination.
The old man beside him was no ordinary person either—Level 97 Soul Power, a three-word armor master.
Yet Di Tian's aura was like an abyss, a prison, completely unreadable. Though he didn't release the slightest ripple of soul power, the oppressive sensation made them feel prickly and uneasy.
"Elder Gu, be careful," the companion said gravely.
Gu Ming waved him off and strode toward Yun Ze and the others. After a brief hesitation, the other followed closely.
"Elder Gu."Yun Ze and Gu Yue Na greeted him simply.
Gu Ming nodded but didn't ask about the pill right away. His eyes were fixed on the tall, black-clad Di Tian. He couldn't help but ask:"And this is…?"
He was almost certain—this person was an Ultimate Douluo, an extremely powerful one at that. Possibly even a Quasi-God!
"I come from a hidden family, the Yun Clan. I am also the vice-master of the Dragon Phoenix Hall. You may call me Yun Tian," Di Tian introduced himself, extending a hand.
Gu Ming memorized those words and extended his own hand."Gu Ming, Dean of the Federal Research Institute."
"Xu Chuan," the other man said, "I am Elder Gu's student, currently the Vice Dean of the Federal Research Institute."
Di Tian gave him a slight nod—an acknowledgment.
"Elder Gu, let's talk inside," Yun Ze said, leading Gu Ming and Xu Chuan into the building.
The first floor was a forging shop, divided into two parts. Over seventy percent of the area was dedicated to forging, while the rest displayed finished metals for sale.
A wall separated the two sections, with a metal door connecting them. The group stopped in the shop area, which was more finely decorated.
Once inside, Di Tian shut the door and turned on all the lights. The space became brightly illuminated.
Seeing him close the door, Xu Chuan instantly grew tense, stepping closer to Gu Ming, highly alert.
"Elder Gu, I won't trouble you to visit the upstairs floors this time. Forgive the inconvenience—please absorb the pill here."Yun Ze smiled lightly.
The second floor housed the transformed Emerald Swans tending to medicinal storage. The third floor was where Bi Ji refined pills. Higher up were rest areas and Yun Ze's own workshop. Compared to those, this ground floor was the most suitable place for Gu Ming to absorb the medicine.
"No problem."Gu Ming didn't care. His blazing gaze fell on Yun Ze, unable to hold back his urgency."The pill…"
Yun Ze chuckled faintly, taking a small emerald jade bottle from his storage ring and handing it to him.
"Inside is the Hundred-Year Longevity Pill. Once you take it, refine its energy immediately. With your cultivation, it should take no more than half an hour to fully absorb."
Gu Ming's withered hands trembled slightly as he carefully received the jade bottle. He couldn't wait to open it. Instantly, the rich fragrance of medicine filled the air.
"Ah…"Gu Ming let out a sigh of pleasure, tilting his face upward, arms spread wide, greedily breathing in the aroma. The comfort was indescribable.
Behind him, Xu Chuan unconsciously closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. The fragrance made his whole body feel light and buoyant.
As Gu Ming poured the pill out, his hands trembled uncontrollably. The instant the pill touched his palm, an overwhelming urge to swallow it surged within him.
Without the slightest doubt about possible side effects, Gu Ming popped the pill into his mouth and swallowed it whole.
He quickly sat cross-legged, circulating his soul power to refine it.
Xu Chuan had wanted to advise patience, but it was already too late. All he could do was guard by his teacher's side.
Yun Ze and Gu Yue Na found chairs and sat down. Yun Ze pulled out a book to read, while Gu Yue Na propped her chin with her hand, elbow on the counter, dazing off as she watched him.
Di Tian stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the counter, watching Gu Ming with amusement. On the counter beside him, a soul-tool video recorder was quietly running.
As the pill's medicinal energy spread through his five viscera, limbs, and bones, Gu Ming's body began to undergo miraculous changes.
His dry, bark-like skin plumped up, slowly regaining moisture lost to age.
Thin strands of hair sprouted from his bald scalp. Some of his white hairs even turned black. His blood vitality surged.
Witnessing this, Xu Chuan's eyes widened in shock. Even though he had prepared himself mentally, waves of disbelief still crashed through his heart.
Gu Ming himself could feel the changes. He was so overwhelmed with excitement he could barely restrain himself. If not for knowing that the medicine wasn't fully refined yet, he might have jumped up and danced already. The sensation of youth returning was simply too wonderful.
The refinement took about as long as Yun Ze had predicted—nearly half an hour.
"This… is this really me?"Gu Ming stared into the mirror Yun Ze handed him, pinching his no-longer-withered face in disbelief.
He now looked like a man in his fifties. Though traces of age remained, compared to before, it was like he had become an entirely different person.
His back was no longer hunched. His skin was no longer shriveled. The hair he had lost had regrown, mostly black now. His vitality and spirit had fully returned.
"Hahaha! Hahahaha!"After several minutes of staring, Gu Ming suddenly burst out laughing, uncontrollably joyful, tears brimming in his reddened eyes.
The feeling of regaining lost years was indescribable. At that moment, he was as happy as a child, dancing and laughing without end.
"Congratulations, Teacher!"Xu Chuan cried out in delight.