Chapter 536: Chapter 534: Heaven and Earth Nurturing Elixir
That’s right, it really was picked up.
After a long moment, Shi Feng said with a wry smile, "Mr. Zuo, you’re in quite an elegant mood."
"I know you’re anxious, come with me."
Shi Feng saw how eager Xu Yang was, and didn’t waste any words. With a sweep of his sleeve he wrapped up Xu Yang, and the two vanished from the spot.
A few breaths later.
Deep within the secret realm, a secluded valley.
Mountains loomed all around, ancient trees reaching to the sky.
"This is where the alchemists of my War King Family usually gather." Shi Feng introduced.
"The environment here really is excellent."
Xu Yang marveled.
"Just some old fellows—don’t much like chatting with the younger generation." Shi Feng chuckled.
"Hmph, from a mile away, I could hear someone badmouthing us. Shi Feng, is this how you do your job as Patriarch?"
An annoyed voice called out from within.
Shi Feng hurriedly apologized, "Mr. Hong, please forgive me, forgive me."
At this, Xu Yang couldn’t hold back a chuckle of surprise.
He followed Shi Feng deeper inside.
Soon they saw four old men drinking tea and playing chess, the fragrance of the tea wafting all about, making for a delightful scene.
What stunned Xu Yang was seeing Gu Jun squatting at one side, looking obedient—almost like an attendant.
When Gu Jun saw Xu Yang, his expression grew awkward; he cleared his throat and quickly stood up.
"Why did you suddenly show up, boy?"
Xu Yang’s mouth twitched. His teacher was a renowned Pill Sovereign, yet here he was acting like a servant boy.
Still, it was understandable.
Not one of these old men’s cultivation could he see through.
Without doubt, they were all Shenxiao Realm powerhouses.
Shenxiao experts, and clearly Tier Eight Alchemists—able to effortlessly refine the eight-tier pills required for Shenxiao cultivators.
In the presence of such titans, it’s no surprise he’d act like a junior.
"So this is your disciple? Looks rather unremarkable, doesn’t he?"
The four old men all turned to look Xu Yang up and down.
"Disciple Xu Yang, greets the four esteemed seniors." Xu Yang hastened to salute respectfully.
"Speak, what brings you here?" One old man looked at Shi Feng.
Shi Feng said nothing, instead looking to Xu Yang.
"Teacher, I’ve found the Earth Spirit Milk."
Xu Yang grinned broadly.
At those words, Gu Jun trembled, unable to suppress the excitement on his face.
He’d been waiting for this day for far too long.
Even the four old men paused, leaving Gu Jun undisturbed.
Everyone could understand Gu Jun’s feelings in this moment.
After a while—
Gu Jun nodded heavily at Xu Yang, "Good."
Between master and disciple, nothing more needed to be said.
Gu Jun turned and bowed solemnly to the four old men: "I’ll have to trouble you gentlemen to lend your aid once more."
"Hahaha, it’s a trifle!"
"It’s only a Heaven and Earth Nurturing Elixir, isn’t it?"
"For a mere Heaven and Earth Nurturing Elixir, the four of us working together is overkill—but since you’ve behaved yourself today, let’s treat ourselves to a little extravagance."
The four laughed and stood up, stretching without a care in the world.
Gu Jun’s face flushed red. He bowed deeply again in gratitude.
Xu Yang was overjoyed for his teacher.
At last, the day had come.
With these four lending their strength, nothing could go wrong.
"Don’t worry."
Shi Feng said, "Your teacher’s spirit has already reached the Peak of True Monarch. For a physical body, the Heaven and Earth Nurturing Elixir is indeed the perfect choice—but our Shi Family has also made some preparations."
Xu Yang’s gaze filled with surprise and curiosity.
"A millennia-old spirit embryo, thousand-year-old spirit elixirs, spirit essence, and fragments shed from Stone Spirit’s molting—all have been fused and roughly forged into a physical embryo."
"Once the Heaven and Earth Nurturing Elixir is refined, they can be merged. At that time, as soon as your teacher regains a physical body, he’ll ascend straight to Shenxiao Realm by relying on its accumulated power!"
"With such a foundation, his new body will be among the very best at the Shenxiao level—no weaker than special Spirit Bodies; if opportunity allows in the future, reaching Heaven-Human Realm isn’t impossible."
Of course, Shi Feng only said the last sentence in passing.
The current Spirit Realm environment was already too thin to support one more Heaven-Human cultivator.
Even if there were such an opportunity, the other five Heaven-Human elders wouldn’t allow it!
With one more, the balance would be broken—not to mention the spirit essence would be divided, weakening all their powers.
Xu Yang was immediately stirred with excitement.
An embryo refined from such resources was truly unimaginable.
He glanced at the elated Gu Jun, and bowed in gratitude: "Many thanks, Patriarch!"
None of these resources were commonplace—all were of staggering value, any one of which would spark mad competition.
Especially the fragments shed from the Stone Spirit—such things were almost unheard of!
The Shi Family needn’t have gone this far.
Yet Shi Feng only waved it off without care: "We’re all family, aren’t we?"
Xu Yang silently made note of the Shi Family’s kindness.
Half an hour later.
In a clearing deep within the valley—
There stood a giant cauldron of purple-gold, its body carved with all kinds of exotic ancient beasts, vivid and lifelike as though they might leap out at any moment, radiating an awe-inspiring, ancient might.
The four elders sat cross-legged around the cauldron, with all the spirit elixirs set out at their sides.
The four were quietly adjusting their states.
Gu Jun stood by anxiously, watching over it all.
"This cauldron is the spirit vessel bestowed by heaven and earth, called the Ancient Beast Divine Tripod. While it was being formed, it absorbed the essence and souls of countless ancient beasts, granting it fearsome power. Amongst the seven great powers, almost nothing compares to it for alchemy."
Shi Feng introduced proudly.
Xu Yang was inwardly shocked.
This cauldron was the finest he’d ever seen.
Even Gu Jun’s Ancient Saint Cloud Tripod paled so utterly as to be unworthy of carrying its shoes.
The Celestial Refining Divine Tripod might have a greater origin, but at least for now, with his power, he couldn’t draw out anything like the might of this Ancient Beast Divine Tripod.
"Old Gu, what kind of face is that?"
One of the purple-robed elders suddenly glared at Gu Jun, clearly displeased.
"Eh?" Gu Jun looked baffled.
The elder sneered, "With the four of us handling this, why the anxious face? You doubt our ability? Or would you rather do it yourself?"
Hearing this, Xu Yang’s mouth twitched; he could barely keep a straight face.
It was a bit inappropriate, but really too embarrassing.
Gu Jun’s face twitched, awkwardly scratching his foot. He seemed desperate to turn away, but held back, looking to the old men with pleading eyes, as if to say: My disciple’s watching, at least leave me a shred of dignity!
But the four old fellows clearly had no intention of sparing his face.
After a snort, they got right down to the refining.
Each of the four took charge of a quarter of the ingredients.
One after another, spirit herbs were calmly tossed into the cauldron. A staggering flame flickered with a bronze hue; its surges gave the sense of some primordial ancient beast lurking within.
Even from a distance, Xu Yang felt his whole body heating up, his minghuo trembling.
The terror of it was self-evident!
The four seemed to have worked together many times—their proficiency and ease unmatched.
Even during the process, they traded teasing jests.
By now, even Gu Jun had set his nerves aside, filled with anticipation.
Xu Yang watched quietly, comparing it to his own alchemy—while he had both the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod and Divine Fire, he simply could not match their effortless mastery.
It was like clouds and flowing water—such a high, aesthetic beauty to it all.
"I haven’t actually done any alchemy myself lately,"
Xu Yang mused inwardly.
Time passed slowly.
Half a day later—
A surge of astonishing aura shot up to the heavens.
One elder suddenly shouted, "Soul Seal!"
The pill was for Gu Jun; before it fully formed, the Soul Seal would be infused, making integration much smoother.
Of course, infusing the Soul Seal was also the greatest test of the alchemists’ skill and control.
After all, the addition of a Soul Seal could easily cause the pill to rupture.
But for these four, there was no such concern.
Gu Jun’s expression grew solemn; his form rippled, and a Soul Seal shot into the cauldron like lightning.
BOOM!
ROAR!
It was as if an ancient beast howled, bursting out from the tripod.
Right after, a torrent of heaven and earth essence surged down, gathering as clouds, pouring endlessly into the cauldron.
The four elders made lightning-fast seal gestures, casting countless Seal Skills into the mix.
The cauldron hummed, its flames gradually dimming.
An astonishing spiritual might began to overflow from within.
Xu Yang couldn’t help but hold his breath, fixing his eyes tightly on the tripod.
The pill was about to take shape.
