Lin Lan heard Zhao Li's words and felt a lump in his throat. He was stunned for a long time, then shook his head and sighed deeply:
"Ah, truly a monster. This kind of talent is truly despairing. I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to reach the Ninth Grade in this lifetime."
In a flash, he thought back to when he first met Zhao Li. From then until now, only a few short decades had passed, yet that frail, mature child had long since become a formidable figure.
Lin Lan thought about his own growth over the years. In these decades, Zhao Li had held nothing back from him. His progress during this time could be described as incredibly fast, even far exceeding the sum of his first half of life. But later on, he subtly felt the limit of his potential. Without other fortuitous encounters, even the hope of breaking through to Dou Sheng seemed slim.
"Forget it. To have such a disciple, I've seen sights I never dared to imagine. This life has been worth it."
Lin Lan was only down for a moment before stroking his beard and smiling. His figure also disappeared into the Medicine Mountain Grand Formation.
Zhao Li didn't know what Lin Lan was thinking. Having traveled the Continent for the past ten-plus years, he had found many good things, enough for him to refine another Ninth Grade Golden Pill.
As soon as he entered the Medicine Mountain, he felt that the Dou Qi concentration here was very high and active. With each breath, it mixed with a Medicinal Fragrance several times stronger than before, entering his nose and mouth and making the Dou Qi already surging like a flood within him even more turbulent.
"If I could stay in this environment for a long time, my cultivation speed might increase by more than thirty percent. As for these Medicinal Ingredients, their growth rate might reach five times. No wonder the Medicinal Fragrance is so strong, it can even escape from the Formation."
Zhao Li raised his hand and felt the airflow gliding over his fingertips. He already had a basic understanding of the effectiveness of the Formation here. Then he shook his head slightly again, saying with some regret:
"Unfortunately, the Dou Qi is concentrated, but the area is too small and the quantity too little. It has no effect on existences above the King level."
Thinking of this, a thought flashed through Zhao Li's mind. If someday the overall Dou Qi concentration in this Pocket World could reach the level of this Medicine Mountain, it would undoubtedly have a huge impact on those who were just starting to cultivate in the Pocket World. With the combined efforts of Cultivation Techniques, Dou Qi, and teachers, their foundations would undoubtedly be incredibly solid.
However, with his current level of Formation mastery, if he were to actually set up a Formation covering this Pocket World, its effect would definitely be greatly reduced. In the final analysis, it was because the Pocket World did not have a core that could convert energy on its own.
The Origin of the Dou Qi Continent allowed these Pocket Worlds to exist so that its master could reach Dou Di and feed back into itself, not for it to endlessly extract from itself.
"The seed of the Formation has been planted. My strength alone is absolutely no match for the wisdom of their thousands upon thousands of people. For now, we just have to wait for them to 'Hundred Flowers Bloom, Hundred Schools Contend' and break through again and again."
Zhao Li knew that while the road ahead was winding, no matter what, a bright future would surely come. He was full of confidence in this.
Suppressing the thoughts that couldn't be realized for now, he stopped thinking too much and refocused his attention on the Medicinal Garden.
Green Wood Vine, Ice Soul Grass, Dragon Blood Ginseng...
Everywhere he looked were Medicinal Ingredients that were quite precious outside. Although their age wasn't long, barely reaching the hundred-year mark, they were still rare treasures for Alchemy. And here, they grew in patches.
Don't think that a hundred years sounds short. In this world, under the demand of countless Alchemists, being able to grow for a hundred years is already considered Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
As for thousand-year or Ten Thousand Years Medicinal Ingredients, unless they are in dangerous places or Ruins that have reappeared after disappearing in the long river of history, they are almost impossible to find elsewhere.
In this world, those Medicinal Ingredients that grow for Ten Thousand Years and only appear when the protagonist arrives to be collected by them are, after all, only a very small number. More often, they are discovered and collected during their growth process and turned into Pills.
Zhao Li went deeper along the way, taking the Medicinal Ingredients he needed.
With his current Alchemy Technique, refining Pills was no longer limited by the number of ingredients but had reached a deeper level – Medicinal Power.
In other words, he could accurately extract the essence of Medicinal Power needed for a Pill. If one plant wasn't enough, then two. If two weren't enough, then three.
What? You say there aren't two identical flowers in this world, nor two identical Medicinal Ingredients, and even the same type of Medicinal Ingredient will have conflicting Medicinal Power?
Zhao Li didn't know how they would conflict when they were all transformed into their most fundamental essence, being from the same root and origin.
The Medicine Mountain seemed vast, but Zhao Li quickly circled it. All the necessary ingredients for refining Pills were now complete. He didn't delay any longer. After sorting everything out, he began to refine the Pills.
As soon as he made his move, Lin Lan, who had come to observe, couldn't understand.
"No Fire, no Medicine Cauldron, what kind of medicine is he refining?"
Lin Lan watched as those Medicinal Ingredients were constantly being washed by the Power of Heaven and Earth that made his heart palpitate, feeling extremely confused.
And seeing that those Medicinal Ingredients could remain intact under the washing of the Power of Heaven and Earth that could make him perish, he doubted his life even more.
Am I too weak, or are they too strong? Could it be that the attack only looks terrifying?
Lin Lan speculated in his heart, but immediately after, he saw patches of black cracks appearing in The Void. He quickly dispelled the doubt in his heart. Although he didn't understand, he still watched Zhao Li's performance intently.
Zhao Li's attention was also focused on the Medicinal Ingredients in front of him at this time. Under his control, each washing of the Power of Heaven and Earth was like a large hammer striking the Medicinal Ingredients, taking away the impurities and leaving only the essence of Medicinal Power.
It was only in this Pocket World that Zhao Li dared to operate like this. If he were outside, he would only be able to obediently use a Medicine Cauldron and Flame.
But in the Pocket World, he was almost like the Heavenly Dao here, having reached the extreme in controlling this aspect.
As Time passed, the Medicinal Ingredients disappeared, turning into drops of Medicinal Liquid wandering in the energy river.
Buzz!
Zhao Li suddenly clenched his hand, and those Medicinal Liquids emitting a misty radiance instantly gathered together. The moment they came into contact with each other, a violent Energy Fluctuation erupted, causing a buzzing sound to emanate from The Void.
The Medicinal Liquid within that Ball of Light seemed to have consciousness, constantly crushing each other, wanting to establish a hierarchy. Thus, stimulated by their mutual struggle, the various Medicinal Liquids seemed to be divided into several camps, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth each returning to their positions.
Finally, only five Balls of Medicinal Liquid remained in the field. Because of the support of other Medicinal Ingredients, they even manifested Phantoms, glaring fiercely and confronting each other, neither willing to submit.
In fact, at this point, any single Ball of Medicinal Liquid could condense into a Profound Pill on its own. However, what Zhao Li was going to refine was a Ninth Grade Golden Pill, the most peak Pill in this world!
Zhao Li knew it was the final moment and did not dare to be careless. With a thought, a ball of clear, bright yellow Flame appeared in his hand.
This Flame was precisely his Life Flame, condensed by referencing Beast Flame, like a part of himself. For Zhao Li, nothing was more suitable than this Life Flame to be the carrier for the Power of Rules he had comprehended.
Zhao Li flicked his finger, and the Flame in his hand was like a waking giant dragon, pouncing towards the several Balls of Light that refused to submit to each other, swallowing them into its belly.
-----------
Machine Translation by: beta.randomtranslator.com
Read 1400+ original & fanfic translations and Translate for Free at: www.randomtranslator.com