Xia Guo immediately lost consciousness when he collided with the tree, and a moment later, he disappeared from the forest with a red flash.
Li Yun then turned his attention to the remaining disciples who were still trapped in his illusion and sent them on their way. He attacked each of them lightly, just enough to eliminate them. Not long after, they too disappeared, leaving Li Yun with a couple more points.
After dealing with them, he deactivated Raging Heaven, and a sharp, overwhelming pain surged through his body.
Seeing that no one was around, Li Yun quickly took out a bottle of blood and gulped it down. Moments later, the pain subsided, and he felt a sense of relief.
'I need to find a solution for the backlash from Raging Heaven. I can't keep relying on blood every time I use it.'
Li Yun thought seriously. He realized how dangerous it would be if he had to depend on blood every time he used Raging Heaven.
What worried him even more was the Chaos Seed within him. Currently, it was only in its first form—the black-colored form. Yet, he could already feel the immense strain on his body. He shuddered at the thought of evolving it to its second form, the red-colored Chaos Seed.
If the power increase was as dramatic as he feared, his body might not be able to withstand the pressure. It wasn't just about managing the blood cost anymore; it was about survival. Would his physical limits break before he unlocked its true power?
'I need to strengthen my body. That will be my top priority once the selection assessment ends.'
Li Yun made a mental note. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly stopped.
'Is that…?'
He focused his attention on the bushes where the disciples had ambushed him and spotted a root with a pure, milk-white color hidden among the foliage.
"Beastbane Root?!"
Li Yun exclaimed and immediately used his sword to cut away the bushes, revealing a single white root the size of a finger.
"It really is a Beastbane Root!"
He was overjoyed. Taking out a jade box, he carefully uprooted the root and placed it inside.
At that moment, as he prepared to leave, he realized something.
'Xia Guo was my fortune bringer, and I eliminated him... Sigh.'
Li Yun sighed at Xia Guo's unfortunate elimination and began searching for a tree with thick branches. After some time, he found one in the distance and climbed to the top, finding a hollowed-out space as if a chunk had been removed, leaving a perfect spot to hide.
"Just what I needed."
Li Yun entered the hole and sat down. The space was compact but sufficient for him to sit in peace.
He then took out his cauldron and furnace from his storage ring, setting them up. He didn't use the cauldron he found earlier in the forest because it required pill fire to operate, which he currently didn't possess. For now, he had to rely on traditional methods or his own way.
Heating the furnace with spirit stones, he retrieved a jade box containing the Three Petal Lotus.
He opened the jade box, and the radiant glow of the Three Petal Lotus spilled out, lighting up the dim space with its soft, healing aura. He carefully lifted the lotus, feeling its potent energy surge through his fingers before gently tossing it into the cauldron. The lotus settled inside, its petals slowly releasing a faint mist as the heat from the furnace began to activate its properties.
Next, Li Yun took out the bottle of Purple Poison he had obtained from the Poison Eater. The poison inside was thick and viscous, shimmering with a dangerous violet hue. He knew this was where things would get tricky. A slight misstep could ruin the concoction—or worse, create a deadly mix that would backfire on him.
Holding the bottle of purple goo, Li Yun smiled.
'This is the key ingredient.'
Purple Poison was infamous for its lethal toxicity, capable of killing even a 9th level Qi Training Realm martial artist if utilized effectively. However, it had another, lesser-known but equally dangerous function—its ability to emit a powerful scent that could attract beasts from miles away.
This trait was often overshadowed by its deadly poison, making it difficult to notice or activate under normal circumstances.
Only through specific means, such as alchemy, could this potent aroma be extracted and harnessed, turning the Purple Poison into an invaluable tool for setting up beast ambushes or creating diversions.
Li Yun intended to do just that.
With a deep breath, he unsealed the bottle and carefully poured a few drops into the cauldron. The reaction was instant—the mist from the lotus turned a deep shade of purple, swirling around the cauldron like a malevolent fog. The poison mixed with the lotus's essence, causing the entire concoction to shift into unknown territory.
However, before the situation inside the cauldron escalated anymore, Li Yun closed the lid.
He then placed the remaining Purple Poison back into his storage ring for future use.
After adjusting the furnace's heat, he began concocting the pill. Ten minutes later, the process was complete.
Soaked in sweat, Li Yun pulled out a jade bottle from his storage ring and opened the cauldron. A blue pill popped out, and Li Yun quickly caught it, placing it into the bottle.
The pill he concocted was a normal Three Petal Lotus Pill, made from the top-grade human-rank Three Petal Lotus. However, the addition of Purple Poison had transformed the pill into something entirely new.
'I'm glad I stored the pill immediately after concocting it. Any mistake would've ruined everything.'
He felt relieved as he stored the jade bottle containing the mutated Three Petal Lotus Pill.
"Now, for the climax."
Li Yun exited the tree hole, climbed to the top, and scanned the surroundings for a suitable place to execute the final part of his plan. He needed an open area, free of trees and bushes.
From atop the tree, he spotted a barren land far in the distance, beyond which lay a desert. But the barren land would do.
"The number one rank in the combat assessment, here I come."