"Is it a Gu Severing Pill? But its effect is only temporary," Shi Jian muttered, suspicion lacing his tone.
The expert smirked, pulling out four small bottles and placing them on the table. "I've got a bunch of them right here."
With a nod to each other, they both vanished into thin air.
Meanwhile, Elder Le, Xiao Chen, and the other Mo Sect disciples made their way back to the Mo Sect, where Sect Leader Mo Yuan was waiting eagerly. As soon as they arrived, Elder Le recounted everything that had transpired during the competition.
Mo Yuan's eyes gleamed with excitement, and he muttered under his breath, "Two lower realms... two lower realms..." over and over again. His excitement was palpable.
"Our Mo Sect is destined to rise once again. We must surpass the glory of our past," Mo Yuan declared, his voice filled with ambition. "Today, I leave the sect in your care. Elder Le will guard me as I prepare to break through to the Soul Transformation Realm."
"Sect Leader," Xiao Chen interjected, "if you give me a little time, I can attempt to refine a Soul Ascension Pill. This pill refines the soul, fortifies divine sense, and stabilizes internal qi, ensuring a safe and smooth breakthrough."
Mo Yuan laughed heartily. "Ha! Of course, I'll wait. I'll leave myself in your capable hands, Alchemist Elder Xiao Chen."
Xiao Chen gathered the rare and potent herbs necessary for the pill and made his way to the alchemist's chamber. Even with the support of his advanced AI, the pill refinement process was far from easy. It took numerous attempts to successfully concoct the pill—a delicate balance between Grade 3 and Grade 4. This was the most complex pill Xiao Chen had ever worked on, pushing the limits of his alchemy skills.
As he focused intensely, pouring all his knowledge and energy into the cauldron, something unexpected happened. Midway through the refinement, Xiao Chen's consciousness entered a strange trance-like state. His surroundings blurred, and he felt an ethereal connection with the herbs before him—something he had never experienced before. It was as if he could sense the very essence of each herb, understanding their properties on a deeper, almost instinctive level.
In that moment, a breakthrough occurred. His mind cleared, his senses sharpened, and he could intuitively feel how the herbs harmonized, their energies intertwining perfectly. Once difficult and unstable, the pill's refinement process now flowed with an effortless grace. This newfound clarity left Xiao Chen in awe as he realized his understanding of alchemy and perhaps even his connection to the natural world - His breakthrough in Dao of Alchemy.
With his newfound epiphany in alchemy, he revolutionized the conventional methods by applying his insights rather than blindly adhering to the standard steps.
During the refining process, Xiao Chen remained unaware of the extraordinary phenomena unfolding outside. In the skies above the Mo Sect, heavenly signs appeared—storm clouds swirling with dazzling celestial light as tremendous amounts of Qi converged over the alchemy room, forming a vortex that drew the attention of every cultivator within miles.
From the depths of the cauldron, a powerful and unprecedented aura radiated. Xiao Chen could feel a profound connection to the pill forming, something that far surpassed his usual understanding of alchemy. He had pushed himself to the brink, and the fruit of his efforts now lay before him—a Transcendent grade Grade Soul Ascension Pill, a creation not seen in the Iron Root World for generations.
The AI documented the entire process and proposed a name for this unconventional refining method. Without much hesitation, Xiao Chen declared, "Heavenly Alchemy Way."
The results confirmed that his approach to alchemy was indeed heading in the right direction
The pill glowed with an ethereal, otherworldly light, exuding a power that promised to transcend the limitations of mortal cultivation. Such a creation had been nothing more than legend—until now.
Sect Leader Yuan and the others noticed the strange phenomena happening in the sky, recognizing that they were somehow connected to Xiao Chen in the Alchemy room. They chose to overlook it.
Meanwhile, in Celestial Jade City, an old man, former leader of the Shi Clan, pondered, "What in the heavens is happening with the Mo Sect? First, it was the awakening of the Sword Domain, then their victory in the sect competition, and now these Heavenly signs appearing above them again."
The old man, Chen Yufeng, was once the revered clan leader of the Wudang Sect—a Taoist sect that pursues balance and harmony, rooted in principles that frown upon unnecessary killing. For some time, he had been residing in Celestial Jade City, following a lead on the long-lost celestial treasure of the Wudang Sect, the Yin-Yang Mirror.
In the vast Ironroot World, only a few treasures are naturally formed, categorized into Celestial Artifacts, Spiritual Artifacts, and Combat Artifacts.
These rare natural treasures are unique in that they require no refinement to harness their power. Instead, craftsmen enhance their usability by adding supplementary materials without altering the treasure's essence. This contrasts with blacksmiths, who refine raw materials to create new items.
The Yin-Yang Mirror, forged from the rare Yin-Yang Stone, is one such natural treasure. In ancient times, skilled craftsmen encased the stone in additional materials to make it resemble an ordinary mirror. However, its true power lies in its ability to reveal the hidden nature of all things, exposing unseen energies, deceptions, and dark intentions. The mirror can dispel illusions, counteract dark magic, and even reflect harmful spiritual attacks to their source.
The Yin-Yang Mirror is of immeasurable value to the Wudang Sect, and recovering it has been a long-cherished dream, symbolizing the restoration of the sect's honor. The mirror was lost during the Great Demon War 300 years ago, and since then, the sect had no trace or information about its whereabouts. Recently, a potential lead surfaced, but even though the sect is unsure of the validity of the claims, they have resolved to pursue it, driven by the hope that their long-lost treasure might finally be within reach.
Finally, that lead led him here to Celestial Jade City
Chen Yufeng was taken aback by the sudden rise of talent within the Mo Sect. Their growth was unexpected, and he began to consider visiting them soon, representing the Orthodox Alliance.
Currently, he waited at the Jade Restaurant, his thoughts interrupted as a cloaked figure approached, face obscured.
"So, you're the one?" Chen Yufeng asked.
"You could say that," the stranger replied calmly.
Chen Yufeng attempted to probe the identity of the cloaked figure, but even with his Spirit King cultivation, he found himself unable to uncover any information. The stranger presented himself as an ordinary mortal, devoid of any visible cultivation, adding to the enigma surrounding him.
"Where is it?" Chen Yufeng's voice carried the weight of his expectations.
"Patience, Elder Chen Yufeng. Business is business. I won't make this difficult for you. All I ask is to allow me to join the expedition to an unknown-grade realm recently discovered by an orthodox faction," the man proposed.
Chen Yufeng raised an eyebrow. " I am surprised you're aware of that realm. Only a few know of it. The future of the orthodox factions seems grim," he sighed.
After a pause, Chen Yufeng nodded. "Fine. I'll secure you a place in the upcoming expedition. Now, tell me where the mirror is."
"It's in the Sun Moon Holy Palace. They have it," the stranger revealed.
Chen Yufeng pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright. You may go."
Without another word, the mysterious man melted into the shadows, disappearing as quickly as he had arrived.
Meanwhile, Chen Yufeng found himself lost in thought. It seems our suspicions were true. The Sun Moon Palace has betrayed us, perhaps even betraying all of humanity. The last confirmed sighting of Elder Ti and the others - entrusted with the Ying-Yang Mirror for their battles against the demons - was in the company of the then Fourth Young Master of the Sun Moon Palace, who now occupied the esteemed position of Palace Master. Before the war erupted, that young master had made a bold request: the Ying-Yang Mirror in exchange for any other treasures of their choosing. The Ying-Yang Mirror is the compliment treasure known to enhance their unique Sun Moon cultivation technique, making them particularly valuable. But we rejected the offer, and now they have seized it for themselves.
Retrieving the Ying-Yang artifact from the Sun Moon Palace will be an exceptionally challenging endeavor. First and foremost, we lack sufficient evidence of their betrayal, which leaves us without any justification to confront them directly or rally public opinion against them. If they were to openly seize treasures belonging to others, it would tarnish their honor and prestige as humanity's saviors and no one would support or trust such a force. At present, we find ourselves powerless in this situation, forced to bide our time and wait for a future opportunity.
If we were to act rashly, Others would look down upon us, branding us as aggressors rather than victims. This may even cause a fraction in Orthodox alliance and other hidden forces may take advantage of the situation too.
The implications of confronting the Sun Moon Palace without clear evidence are dire.
The Eight Palaces stand as the pinnacle of humanity, their legacies etched into the annals of history over countless eons. For as long as written records have existed in this era, these Palaces have served as stalwart defenders of humanity against invading forces.
Many sects have risen and fallen throughout the ages, each striving for greatness, yet only one palace has met with destruction—the infamous "Deva Palace." The true circumstances surrounding its downfall remain a closely guarded secret, deliberately omitted from human history, leaving only speculation and whispers.
Aside from the Palaces, the ancient era is shrouded in obscurity. It was a time when it was said that Martial Gods roamed the world, ruling over all other races with an iron fist. Their immense power and divine presence left a lasting impact on the fabric of reality, yet their stories have become mere myths, fading into the depths of time. Chen Yufeng couldn't shake the feeling that the fate of the Wudang Sect and the potential retrieval of the Ying-Yang Mirror hung in a precarious balance. With each passing moment, the urgency of their situation became more apparent.