Chapter 262: A Great Opportunity—Solar Essence Flame
After speaking, Shen Mo turned and left the safe house.
At this point, no matter what, he had to deny everything.
As long as he refused to admit it, all accusations were baseless.
Once he confessed, he would be forever marked with shame.
Elder Token!
Hearing these words, the elders in the safe house reacted visibly, their expressions shifting.
Some even looked greedily at Shen Mo and He Tianchou, unable to hide their desire.
Yang Wenyuan was among them.
The Elder Token was a treasure!
With it, entering the Fire Pill Palace would never be a problem again.
It granted unrestricted passage through the killing formations, as though walking on flat ground!
Shen Mo swept his gaze across the room, his faint smile radiating confidence.
"Do you believe everything Shen Mo says?"
"Moreover, even if I have it, who dares to take it?"
His gaze exuded unshakable confidence.
The elders, having heard of Shen Mo's reputation, lowered their heads wherever his eyes landed.
Whether out of fear or due to scheming their own plans, none dared meet his eyes.
Shen Mo paid them no further attention and instead watched Shen Mo's departing figure thoughtfully.
He noticed that Shen Mo had instead stumbled upon an opportunity because of this.
And not just any opportunity—a monumental one!
[Recent Opportunity: Blamed by the elders and forced to leave the safe house. Overwhelmed with anger, Shen Mo coughed blood uncontrollably. That night, guided by a dream, he went straight to Furnace 11 in the Groundfire Zone. Half a month later, he discovered a budding Solar Essence Flame and successfully subdued it with his Solar Melting Fire Constitution.]
Shen Mo took a deep breath, calming his excitement.
It's here, it's here!
Solar Essence Flame!
Just hearing the name, he knew it was on par with the Azure Lotus Heart Flame!
He couldn't let someone like Shen Mo, a scheming and unprincipled person, obtain it.
Not because he wanted it for himself.
Definitely not!
"Furnace 11... If I remember correctly, it's one of the operable furnaces."
"Elder Three and Elder Seven might be using it for alchemy."
Shen Mo thought deeply and turned to He Tianchou to inquire further.
He Tianchou smiled after hearing Shen Mo's question. "That's right. My master, Elder Three, will be using Furnace 12 for alchemy this time, while Elder Seven will be using Furnace 11."
"But before entering the Fire Pill Palace, my master already mentioned that while Furnace 12 is usable, controlling the fire is notoriously difficult."
"That's why he and Elder Seven agreed to work together at Furnace 11."
Shen Mo nodded. "Good. Thank you."
He Tianchou was surprised. "You're planning to go there? It's dangerous! That's already considered the depths of the Fire Pill Palace."
Shen Mo smiled. "Opportunity and crisis are two sides of the same coin. Perhaps there are greater treasures there—maybe even the pill formula for a Pure Nascent Infant Transformation Pill."
He Tianchou burst into laughter, joined by Ouyang Wei and Liu Ruyun nearby.
"Alright, you go ahead. I'll rest here for a while, and then I'll form a team with Ouyang Wei and the others to explore the deeper zones as well."
"If you run into trouble, who knows? Maybe I'll get the chance to help you out," He Tianchou said sincerely.
Shen Mo nodded and bid farewell to He Tianchou and the others.
After pondering for a moment, Yang Wenyuan exchanged a glance with his followers, and a few of them immediately followed Shen Mo, leaving the safe house as well.
Furnace 11 was located deep within the Fire Pill Palace.
The temperature there was higher, the fire beasts stronger, and the killing formations more potent.
Few dared to venture there without a perfected Nascent Infant Stage cultivation.
From the safe house, even with the Inner Sect disciple tokens of the Nine Cycles Pill Dao Sect, it would take at least half a month to reach Furnace 11.
With the Elder Token of the Nine Cycles Pill Dao Sect in his possession, Shen Mo's speed would be significantly accelerated.
If he set out now, he would undoubtedly reach Furnace 11 in the Groundfire Zone ahead of Shen Mo.
"Perfect, that top-tier Earth-grade pill furnace is also near Furnace 11. I can take both in one trip."
"Once I have these two treasures, I'll be ready to refine the Crimson Scaled Pill and the Pure Nascent Infant Transformation Pill."
"With a slight enhancement in my cultivation, I'll be ready to claim the most important treasure."
As Shen Mo traveled toward Furnace 11, he quickly formulated his plan.
Seven days later, Shen Mo arrived beneath Furnace 11, just as he had predicted.
The journey had been smooth, with no significant obstacles. Along the way, he had even slain a few fire beasts, acquiring two fire beast spirit crystals—an unexpected boon.
As for the greedy eyes following him, they had vanished completely after he passed through several powerful killing formations. Clearly, they couldn't keep up with his pace.
Now, Shen Mo stood beneath Furnace 11, gazing up at the towering structure, which rose fifty zhang into the air.
Furnace 11 was one of the few remaining operational furnaces within the Fire Pill Palace, used for alchemy.
The furnace radiated intense heat, fueled by the raging groundfire beneath it.
At this moment, two figures hovered above the furnace, engrossed in their alchemical work.
One was an elderly man with white hair and a thin frame.
The other was a middle-aged man with a hooked nose and deep-set eyes.
They were none other than Elder Three and Elder Seven.
Shen Mo observed them thoughtfully.
This time, Elder Three and Elder Seven had entered the Fire Pill Palace together to refine pills for the sect.
Elder Three was known for his neutrality—some might even call him a fence-sitter. He always supported the winning side.
In contrast, Elder Seven was closely allied with Elder Yang Qiye, the Second Elder, their relationship unbreakable.
If only Elder Seven were present, Shen Mo might have faced some danger.
However, with both Elder Three and Elder Seven present, Shen Mo felt assured of his safety.
Shen Mo's arrival didn't go unnoticed.
As Nascent Soul stage cultivators, the two elders sensed his presence from afar.
"Hmm? Isn't that the young disciple from the Tenth Peak?" Elder Seven raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Shen Mo.
Elder Three also looked at Shen Mo, then turned to Elder Seven with a faint smile. "I suppose he's here treasure hunting."
"How amusing, to be searching for treasures here of all places," Elder Seven sneered. "Doesn't he know I'm refining pills here?
If he disturbs my work and valuable ingredients are lost, who will take responsibility?"
Elder Three chuckled without commenting further.
"Greetings to Elder Three and Elder Seven," Shen Mo called out, cupping his hands respectfully. "I am here to seek treasures and have no intention of disturbing your alchemical work."
Elder Three smiled warmly and replied, "No harm done. I am not the one refining pills—I am merely assisting Elder Seven."
"I will be here for a few more days, so feel free to search for treasures at ease."
Hearing this, Elder Seven frowned slightly.
Shen Mo felt reassured.
Elder Three's words carried two meanings:
First, it was Elder Seven, not Elder Three, who was refining pills.
Second, Elder Three's presence for the next few days would maintain balance, ensuring Shen Mo's safety.
It was clear that Elder Three was hedging his bets, unwilling to offend either side.
Shen Mo cupped his hands again. "I understand, Elder Three."
Without further ado, Shen Mo began carefully examining the surrounding area, searching for a path to the underground chamber of Furnace 11.
Watching Shen Mo's actions, Elder Seven sneered coldly. "I've already searched this area thoroughly. There are no treasures here."
"He's wasting his time searching for something that doesn't exist."
Elder Three laughed heartily. "Don't mind him, focus on your pill refinement.
Our task is simply to refine pills. Elder Seven, don't get distracted and risk failure in your work."
"That's a responsibility I cannot bear."
Elder Seven snorted. "I know what I'm doing. I don't need you to lecture me."
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