"It's highly likely that the Dao Inscription Immortal was involved!"
"Every True Immortal script character corresponds to a law of the Immortal Realm. To so effortlessly combine and fuse countless characters…"
Li Fan's expression was grave as he retrieved the Immortal Realm chess piece. Its divine aura, lost when its unfolding ceased, made it seem like an ordinary object resting in his hand. He tried to reactivate it, but the piece remained unresponsive.
"As expected, it requires the Medicine King Sect's life-giving green energy."
"Moreover, unfolding the chess piece consumes energy. Its failed attempt means it needs time to recharge." Li Fan toyed with the smooth, cold piece, pondering.
In the distance, at the heart of the Star Sea, the black Qi, stirred by the Immortal Realm's aura, hadn't subsided after the unfolding stopped. Instead, it accelerated, spreading relentlessly as if to engulf the entire Star Sea.
Li Fan frowned, contemplating. He used the Grand Method of the Supreme Armour. Due to frequent use near the Profound Immortal Vessel, the Star Sea consciousness no longer responded to his attempts at communication. But from his limited perception… the Star Sea's fundamental will seemed completely oblivious to the encroaching black tide! This blindness was terrifying. It was like a body riddled with parasites while its owner remained unaware.
Such a bizarre scenario could only mean the true nature of the black Qi far surpassed the Star Sea's fundamental will! What Li Fan saw was merely a superficial manifestation.
"A harbinger of the Dao Obliteration Calamity…"
"I may not have much time left." A flicker of apprehension crossed Li Fan's eyes. He brought the Medicine King Sect members, sheltered by the wooden sword's illusion at the edge of the black sea, back to the Xuanhuang World.
"Senior…" Medicine King Sect Master Liu Ruchen hesitated. Enveloped by the illusion, they were unaware of their brief trip to the Star Sea's heart. From their perspective, the chess piece had simply malfunctioned during fusion, tearing through the sky and escaping.
Li Fan's expression was calm. "Don't worry, I intercepted and retrieved the Immortal Realm chess piece…"
Liu Ruchen sighed in relief.
Li Fan sighed slightly. "We were too optimistic. Sun Piaomiao's Immortal Realm chess piece isn't easily revived. The backlash from its failed unfolding nearly cost us our lives. Fortunately, I managed to contain it."
Though they hadn't seen the black Qi, the Medicine King Sect members had felt the impending sense of doom. They nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Senior, for saving us."
Li Fan waved his hand dismissively. "It was nothing. The important thing is figuring out how to unfold the chess piece. Sun Piaomiao must have left clues."
"Unfortunately, his descendants haven't paid attention, leading to the loss of crucial information."
Shame washed over the Medicine King Sect members. Since learning of their ancestor's incredible power, they had been searching for any overlooked information about Sun Piaomiao, hoping to find valuable clues. But too much time had passed. Aside from the travelogue, their ancestor existed only in oral teachings. Their search had yielded nothing concrete.
"Senior, I believe that if there are any hidden messages, they must be within the Medicine King Sect's former grounds!" Liu Ruchen suddenly declared. "We left in haste, taking only the essentials to avoid alerting the Ten Sects. Everything else was left behind…"
The other members echoed Liu Ruchen's suggestion.
"The old Medicine King Sect grounds…" Li Fan pondered, then instantly transported the Medicine King Dao Integration realm cultivators to their destination.
Weeds choked the desolate land, littered with scattered rocks. Nothing remained to suggest that this was once the site of the renowned Medicine King Sect. Li Fan, however, had obtained its exact location from Jiao Xiu.
"This is where the main hall stood… the alchemy workshop… Forging Mountain…" After some examination, the Medicine King Sect members identified remnants of familiar structures, their voices filled with nostalgia and lament.
"Although there are no statues of our ancestor within the sect, I recall Master mentioning a place related to him…" Liu Ruchen frowned, searching his childhood memories.
Li Fan, having previously searched Liu Ruchen's soul, knew what he meant. "Are you referring to Sun Piaomiao's alchemy workshop?"
"Yes, that's right!" Liu Ruchen exclaimed, nodding vigorously. "When I first succeeded in refining a high-grade pill, I became complacent. But Master scolded me, saying that when Ancestor Piaomiao achieved success in alchemy, celestial phenomena manifested, and the fragrance of the pills drifted for thousands of miles. A single whiff was said to have a slight medicinal effect. Legend even speaks of pills gaining sentience. He said the gap between me and our ancestor was immeasurable. Hearing that, my pride instantly vanished…"
"Ancestor Piaomiao refined countless pills, but kept none for himself, distributing them all to those in need. This is what it means to heal the world and benefit all beings."
"Out of respect, even after his disappearance, we never occupied or utilized the place where he practiced alchemy. This rule became ingrained, its origins eventually forgotten, until it was simply known as a forbidden area…" Liu Ruchen explained as he searched.
"Ah, I found it, it's here." His aura surged, unearthing buried ruins.
Despite the passage of over ten thousand years, Li Fan could still discern the structure's original form: a massive square stone.
"Ancestor Piaomiao is said to have refined pills without a cauldron, using spiritual energy as fire and heaven and earth as his furnace. He simply preferred to sit on this large stone while refining."
"Over time, the stone absorbed the lingering fragrance of the pills. Later, the Medicine King Sect built a structure around it."
"However, every generation of sect masters confirmed it was just an ordinary stone." Liu Ruchen sniffed the air, a delighted expression on his face. "Smell it, even after ten thousand years, a faint fragrance remains."
Li Fan enveloped the square stone with his divine sense, examining it thoroughly. He, too, detected the faint aroma. But unlike Sun Piaomiao's other relics, concealed by unknown means, this stone seemed utterly ordinary.
Of course, there was a simple way to verify. A sword beam flashed from his fingertip, striking the stone. It instantly crumbled into dust.
Liu Ruchen abruptly stopped speaking. Facing Li Fan's indifferent expression, he dared not utter a word. He watched as the stone dust swirled in the air before settling.
Ever cautious, Li Fan examined the dust again. It was indeed ordinary. The faint fragrance originated from the fragments themselves. True Return didn't react either.
"You were wrong. This stone isn't special. Think of something else." Li Fan said flatly.
Liu Ruchen nodded sullenly. The other elders, embarrassed, resumed their search for clues.
Except for one. His attention remained fixed on the stone dust, his curiosity piqued.
"Senior…" he began.
Li Fan looked at him with interest. The man's information surfaced: Ruan Tianxiao, a Dao Integration realm cultivator of the Medicine King Sect. Unlike the other elders, who used spiritual plants for their medicine, Ruan Tianxiao preferred animal, Demonic Beast, and even human tissues. While effective, his methods were bloody, violent, and somewhat shocking, making his "flesh pills" unpopular.
"Speak freely," Li Fan encouraged.
"That ancestral stone, after shattering, resembles a pill."
"In its stone form, it was still in the process of being refined. Only after shattering was the pill truly complete…" Ruan Tianxiao said carefully.
"Elder Ruan, how can you speak such nonsense before Senior?"
"Indeed, if that were true, why did the fragrance weaken after the stone broke?"
"Where is the pill?" After observing for a moment, the other Medicine King Sect Dao Integration realm cultivators voiced their objections.
Ruan Tianxiao didn't argue, but smiled faintly. "To verify whether these fragments are truly a pill…"
"We simply need to consume them!"
"Senior, I'm willing to test it myself!"
Silence fell.
Li Fan narrowed his eyes, studying Ruan Tianxiao. He extended his right hand, and an invisible whirlwind gathered the stone dust, forming a sphere. He tossed it in his hand, sensing it one last time. "It's still stone."
"Are you certain this is a pill?"
Ruan Tianxiao's gaze was fixed on the stone sphere. "I constantly test medicines on myself. Over the years, my body has developed an instinct for beneficial pills."
"To me, the fragrance of this stone pill surpasses any I've encountered a thousandfold!" Ruan Tianxiao declared firmly.
Li Fan pondered. He thought of Mo Rubin at the Fishing Pond, tirelessly experimenting but failing to uncover its secrets. One couldn't perceive the Fishing Pond without the perspective of an angler. Similarly, one couldn't discern the stone pill's secrets without the perspective of an alchemist.
"Interesting."
—
Feeling unwell, that's all for today.
Recommending the new book by Gu Zhen Ren, already over 100,000 words and ready to be devoured.
Within a volcano, a mechanical immortal palace left by ancient sages awaits a successor. A mother sacrifices her life to obtain the palace's seal, bequeathing it to Ning Zhuo before her death.
The Buddha-Heart Demon Seal! Cultivating oneself as a Buddha, transforming others into demons. This seal allows one to inscribe heart seals, commanding mechanical creations with minimal effort. Normally, controlling such creations places a heavy burden on the mind. But Ning Zhuo can control myriad creations with ease.
Ning Zhuo: "Mother, I will not fail you. I will claim that immortal palace!"
Indeed:
Immortal puppets, imbued with spirit,
Ingenious craftsmanship, reaching the ultimate truth.
Opening a new realm,
A world of wonders, rivaling the heavens.
Ancient bells transmit the Dao,
Dancing in the moonlight's gentle glow.
A true body with myriad forms,
Who in the mortal world can stand against them?
(End of chapter)