Chapter 538: Chapter 536: Alchemy Dao Profound Arts
"Alchemy Attack?"
Xu Yang paused slightly, gazing at the three elders’ mysterious expressions, and pondered, "Poison Pill? Evil Elixir? Forming arrays with pills?"
"Hahaha."
The purple-robed elder laughed heartily, shaking his head, "Those are but minor arts."
"Alchemy Attack, as ordinary people understand it, is much as you imagine; refining special pills to play key roles in battle. But those can only be called auxiliaries."
"Boy, the four of us old fogies have been studying somewhat more intricate techniques. They aren’t yet perfected, but the results are extraordinary."
The gray-robed elder smiled slyly, "Your Celestial Refining Divine Tripod and Spirit Fire are quite unique and give you a significant advantage in the Alchemy Dao. If you can master this method, maybe you’ll have a way to defeat Xiao Ming."
"Want to give it a try?"
Xu Yang’s eyes lit up, and he agreed instantly, "Of course!"
For four powerful Tier Eight alchemists to work together on this, anyone could tell with their toes it must be remarkable.
Even if it’s not perfect, it’s worth a try.
Moreover, with the Celestial Refining Divine Tripod and Heaven-Burning Divine Fire, his advantage in this area was truly extraordinary.
Perhaps when the time comes, he really could give Xiao Ming a surprise.
"Take a look at this first."
"Inside are the theories we’ve developed over the years, the four of us old fellows."
The purple-robed elder handed Xu Yang a scroll.
Xu Yang took it with both hands, his face solemn.
The very first line after opening it caused fierce waves in his eyes.
Tripod is Heaven and Earth, Fire weaves the Universe, Pill contains the Profound!"
The literal meaning of this line was clear enough, but how to actually do it?
To realize it, to turn it into real combat power, was almost inconceivable.
For a moment, Xu Yang couldn’t help feeling itchy inside.
He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and kept reading.
He read and read for a full quarter of an hour.
Every word on that ancient scroll was seared deeply into his mind.
It gave him the shock and doubt of encountering a new world.
Shocked by the sheer audacity of the idea, doubtful as to whether it could really work.
"Tripod of Heaven and Earth, Fire Universe, Pill Profound Skill!"
The purple-robed elder spoke.
"This is what the four of us old guys came up with: The tripod, vessel for alchemy, can contain all things. Fire, the key to refinement. Pill—no need to say more."
"If you take these three, and return them to heaven and earth between, the meaning gets much simpler."
Xu Yang nodded slightly; this, he could grasp.
"But this technique, how is it to be carried out?"
He couldn’t even begin to imagine.
The three elders exchanged glances, then the purple-robed elder smiled: "Come with me."
All three stood up quickly.
Xu Yang, full of curiosity and doubt, followed as they strode into the air.
Whoosh!
The purple-robed elder flicked his sleeve, and suddenly the world turned upside down, the scenery racing backward with astonishing speed.
In a blink, a secret realm appeared before their eyes.
Its edges ended in void, the whole area was small enough to see the limits at a glance.
"Look."
The purple-robed elder pointed at something.
Xu Yang followed his gesture, pupils contracting abruptly.
He saw, floating between heaven and earth, dozens of pill beads the size of a dragon’s eye.
The pill beads encircled, clustering around a giant blue-green tripod.
Within the tripod surged clumps of vivid viridian Spirit Fire.
"This is..."
"Hiss!"
Xu Yang was stunned.
He saw those pill beads suddenly stirring, and from within emerged strange and uncanny spiritual shadows, resembling weeds, spirit wood, or blossoming flowers...
All were plant spirits.
As these plant spirits appeared, spiritual energy surged wildly around them.
They made indescribable noises, causing ripples to roll through the air, their tiny bodies trembling as if forming seals and casting techniques.
At once, the giant tripod shuddered, and Spirit Fire swept forth.
Whoosh!
The green flames spread, gradually coiling around several hundred yards of heaven and earth.
"Casting spells?"
"These plant spirits have astonishing intelligence, nearly on par with superior-grade pills; each seems to possess sentience."
"They’re actively guiding the Spirit Fire..."
Xu Yang was utterly shocked, unable to believe these were really pills.
He scrutinized those pill beads, and finally saw that though slightly different from ordinary medicine, they were genuine pills, refined with plant essences.
Pills possess spirit; they manifest, perform the profound!"
Hiss!
The transformation continued.
Xu Yang’s eyes widened, nearly forgetting the outside world.
The three elders exchanged silent glances—then vanished without a trace, leaving no ripple behind.
"That... the Tripod of Heaven and Earth, how was it achieved?"
Xu Yang suddenly noticed, above the region ringed with Spirit Fire, there lingered a blurred aura.
On closer look, it was a tripod shadow.
A vast tripod shadow, enveloping all directions.
Tripod of Heaven and Earth!
Fire Universe!
Pill Profound Skill!
It looked as if it had all been realized.
But Xu Yang’s mind was still tangled—how could a Martial Artist perform this?
At a certain moment—
The plant spirits abruptly grew indistinct, the ripples they gave off peaking and erupting into a violent storm.
Swish, swish!
Boom!
The spiritual force entwined in this domain, drawn from plant essence, rushed forth, gathering above each pill bead, and in Xu Yang’s stupefied gaze, transformed into sword beams, blades, grand seals, mountains—myriad divine techniques and visions.
The sight left him utterly dumbfounded.
Rumble!!
Dozens of techniques blasted in unison, covering the sky and burying all beneath.
The force unleashed was at the Peak of True Monarch.
In the dazzle, everything faded to emptiness.
Heaven and earth stilled, quiet on all sides.
The giant tripod was tranquil.
The pill beads lay in deathly silence.
Suddenly, the spirits surged forth again.
The cycle resumed.
Xu Yang’s eyes flashed with emotion; abruptly, he drew near, hesitated, then plunged straight in.
Buzz!
It was as if he’d stepped into an entire domain.
"No... this isn’t a domain!"
Xu Yang’s face changed in shock, his eyes wide—"It’s united fully with heaven and earth, no distinction between self and other. Just as a Martial Artist’s will can cover as much territory as it commands, so can this be wrapped around by it."
Like a domain, yet not one.
The pill spirits and giant tripod took no notice of his arrival, moving on as before, repeating their art.
Xu Yang summoned all his concentration, extended his will, and sensed closely.
Again and again, he was utterly immersed in it.
...
In the mountains, the four elders sat in meditation.
Gu Jun was still in the midst of fusion.
"What do you think, will that kid gain anything?" murmured the purple-robed elder.
"Hard to say."
"At first, even though we came up with that thing, none of us could master it ourselves, couldn’t find the secret thread."
The gray-robed elder shook his head, sighing, "But that kid is a genuine talent—if he manages even a faint comprehension, he’s worth teaching with all care."
"Heh, if he really can display it, when the quota battle arrives, and the seven great powers bear witness, us four old geezers will be famous indeed."
Envisioning that scene, the gray-robed elder couldn’t help but wet his lips and laugh with glee.
The other three exchanged a glance, then joined in laughter.
Just imagining that felt wonderful.
The next day.
A stunning aura shot skyward from the back, shaking the mountains and wilds.
It was like the birth of an earth-dragon; peaks quaked in its wake.
"That old rascal, causing such a commotion."
The purple-robed elder grouched, turning for a look.
Whoosh!
A figure soared into the air, robes billowing, black hair flying, a boundless, turbulent aura erupting from his form like an ocean, raging furiously and unfettered.
"Hahahahaha!"
Gu Jun’s laughter was pure exultation.
He possessed a physical body!
Ascend to Divine Heaven!
The overpowering sensation nearly made him drunk with it.
The War King Clan had prepared this vessel for him, and with the Heaven and Earth Nurturing Elixir, the transformation was beyond imagination.
With a mere thought, he could see the endless Spirit River stretched before him.
The elation faded—no matter that he’d reached Divine Heaven, beneath the Spirit River he still felt but a tiny mote.
Gu Jun drew a deep breath, carefully restraining his aura, and stepped down.
"My thanks to the four elder brothers."
He approached respectfully and cupped his hands in salute.
These days, following the four, he’d also gained greatly in the Alchemy Dao.
The purple-robed elder joked sourly, "Tsk, now you’ve got a body, even your tone has changed."
Gu Jun’s mouth twitched, then he hastily smiled, "What are you saying, old brother? I’ve been the same all along; before I had a body I was this way, and with a body, I’m still the same, hehe."
Lucky that Xu Yang wasn’t here—otherwise, the teacher’s dignity would be utterly lost.
Gu Jun secretly rejoiced; only after flattering the elders did he breathe easy.
"Where’s the kid? Has he left?"
"No, he’s in that domain of Alchemy Dao."
"Huh?"
Gu Jun was frozen, "But that thing isn’t even finished yet!"
