Chapter 673 - 620: Alchemy
The thing Xiong Yanhong regrets the most at this moment is not that he didn’t agree to Wen Su and stay by the Immortal Monarch’s side to cultivate, but that he couldn’t save the old Clan Leader.
During cultivation, he is often corroded by Demon Thoughts, with scenes from the past constantly replaying before his eyes.
He still remembers, when he was young, he and his brother were bullied by others, their parents thought they were useless, and it was the old Clan Leader who told him that it takes patience to break out of a cocoon and become a butterfly. His cocoon was thicker than others, so he needed more time and more strength.
Later, under the earnest guidance of the old Clan Leader, he became stronger and stronger, so strong that no one dared to bully him.
To repay the old Clan Leader, when the family faced difficulties, he resolutely chose to hide in the shadows, abandon the Dao and fall into Demon, removing all obstacles for the Xiong Family.
From then on, the resources in the family, the old Clan Leader would always let him choose first, and he had a share of all the precious Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, even his brother envied him.
He cultivated the Demon Dao, his identity sensitive, the Xiong Family needed him, yet disliked him, only the old Clan Leader treated him the same as always.
To Xiong Yanhong, the old Clan Leader was more important than anyone.
He cultivates not to become an Immortal, but just to fulfill the old Clan Leader’s wish.
To make the Xiong Family the most prosperous family among the Nine Great Star Alliances!
"Cough cough cough... Tell Yanhong, birth, aging, sickness, and death are the constants of life, even a Cultivator cannot avoid them, let him cough cough cough... not worry."
Xiong Yanhong suddenly snapped back to reality, finding himself standing in the backyard of the Xiong Family, in the courtyard where the old Clan Leader rested, hearing the voice from inside the old Clan Leader’s room.
He suddenly couldn’t remember why he was there or what he was doing before, although somewhat puzzled, his mind was instantly drawn to the aged silhouette on the night window.
"Clan Leader, are you really not going to try that method?"
"Cough cough cough, no more, I have taken the Life-Extending Elixir eight times already, one more time and the Heavenly Tribulation might descend immediately, leaving me with no soul even, for now cough cough cough... I will survive for half a year more, to see these children of the Xiong Family."
"But Clan Leader, the Great Medicine refined with human body Essence is different from the Life-Extending Elixir, if someone is willing to deplete their cultivation to refine it for you, you could resist for another three years, there is progress with the Rejuvenating Immortal Dew, you can’t give up now."
"Cough cough cough... enough said, go... go and take the spoils from the Demons from this battle cough cough cough... give it all to Yanhong, let him choose cough cough..."
Standing in the courtyard, Xiong Yanhong suddenly clenched his fist, and when the old servant who served the old Clan Leader came out, he walked over without hesitation and inquired about the life-extending method mentioned.
Being able to cultivate to this day, it’s all given by the old Clan Leader, sacrificing some cultivation for the old Clan Leader, what does it count as!
*
At the entrance to the Divine Palace, the three people saw the Essence Qi on Xiong Yanhong’s body surging towards his Dantian, knowing Jiang Yuebai’s plan had succeeded!
How the Dream Demon can peep into the deepest obsessions of the human heart is a racial talent, no one knows the principle.
The Thorn did well, hitting the nail on the head, making Xiong Yanhong even if puzzled, unwavering.
Moreover, he is now severely injured, his senses not as sharp as during his peak, so he won’t notice the clues in the short term.
Zhuge Ziyin sat across from Xiong Yanhong with a slumped face, the surprise in his eyes unable to be suppressed from then until now.
Initially, he thought Jiang Yuebai was crazy, daring to think of having the enemy refine medicine for her breakthrough.
Even just before taking action, he thought it was a pipe dream.
But who knew, it actually worked!
This alone, the daring spirit to think and do, made Zhuge Ziyin feel inferior.
Jiang Yuebai did not notice Zhuge Ziyin’s gaze, she looked towards the ladder formed by the flowing water that led straight to the sky behind her.
Refining medicine requires at least twelve hours, Xiong Yanhong is seriously injured, and has consumed a lot of Essence Blood Power, the time might be even longer.
If she waits here, everything in the depths of the Divine Palace will definitely be taken away by Shen Mingjing.
"You guys go," Zhuge Ziyin suddenly spoke, "I’ll watch over here, when the Great Medicine is refined, I’ll keep it safe for you, and then come find you."
Jiang Yuebai looked at Zhuge Ziyin in surprise, "Are you sure?"
Zhuge Ziyin pursed his lips and nodded, "My... my injuries have yet to heal, staying here to both heal and watch him, you guys go quickly, the opening of the Divine Palace is difficult, don’t waste the opportunity."
Jiang Yuebai thought, her Cloud Mushroom can restore even Ao Juan’s source injuries, can’t the minor injuries and poison on Zhuge Ziyin’s body be healed?
If not for capturing Xiong Yanhong, she wouldn’t have been willing to hasten the Cloud Mushroom’s growth.
Zhuge Ziyin may be arrogant, but he is not of bad character, he speaks and acts credibly, plus the current relationship between the Heavenly Interference Sect and the Zhuge Family, Jiang Yuebai can trust him.
Jiang Yuebai saw through it but chose not to speak, instructing Thorn with a word, also leaving the Soul Bottle for Zhuge Ziyin, which contained Evil Ghosts she captured from the Yin Side earlier, Thorn’s rations.
Thorn cultivated Mirage Demon Skill, relying entirely on the devouring of large quantities of Evil Ghosts.
"Feed it every half an hour, I’ll leave this place to you, be careful."
Jiang Yuebai took out the Array Plate of the Hidden Immortal Array, concealing the two within the Great Array.
Just as she was about to leave, she turned back and gently using Divine Thought, took off Xiong Yanhong’s Storage Ring from his hand.
"I’ll take this first. When we return to the Zhuge Family I’ll share the loot... pfft! Share the spoils."
Zhuge Ziyin’s eye twitched, Lu Nanzhi’s expression remained indifferent, this was very much like Little Bai!
Jiang Yuebai happily kept the Storage Ring, and together with Lu Nanzhi, hurried towards the Inner Hall of the Divine Palace.
*
Meanwhile, outside the Secret Realm.
On the plaza in front of the Immortal Palace gates, the preliminary selection of arena battles had been completed, determining the top ten in each level. After resting for a day, the final competition would be held.
Bai Jiuyou sat in a corner, repairing her damaged Armor.
Chu Guirui squatted nearby, having been cast a Silence Spell, her eyes shimmering as she watched Bai Jiuyou dismantle Armor components.
Bai Jiuyou tilted her head slightly, and Chu Guirui knew what she wanted, quickly picking it up and offering it with both hands.
Xie Jingshan sighed and shook his head, thinking to himself that Chu Guirui had never been this attentive to him as her master, feeling a pang of sadness!
This girl was just like Jing Chujun, obsessed with the way of Artifact Refining.
Watching the entire preliminary selection, Xie Jingshan discovered that the Nine Rivers Realm was full of talents, clearly stronger and more professional than their competitions back in the Earth Spiritual Realm.
Even the Earth Spiritual Realm had gifted individuals like Yun Shang, Ge Yuchan, and Hee Wangchen, but the environment limited their development.
Heavenly Interence Sect rooting itself here was urgent, otherwise, the time and energy everyone lost would be hard to recover.
In this competition, the only thing that made Xie Jingshan feel something unconventional was Bai Jiuyou.
She sat in the corner of the arena the whole time, reading from a Jade Scroll, drawing Armored Maps, winning ninety-nine consecutive matches with a battered and broken Armor.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t complete the final match, as her Armor was blown up by a kid from the Lou Family named Lou Cunming.
Bai Jiuyou was clearly surprised at the time, then she unexpectedly conceded directly and stepped off the stage.
Even so, Bai Jiuyou still secured the first place in the preliminary selection with an absolute advantage, far surpassing the record of the second place.
Or rather, she crushed the second place.
Moreover, Bai Jiuyou really gave Xie Jingshan the illusion of facing Jiang Yuebai. Look at the poor disciples of the Zhuge Family around her.
Because Bai Jiuyou did not forget to read on the stage, and had completed the Armored Maps required for next year’s assessment ahead of time, causing quite a few Zhuge Family disciples to curse under their breath and secretly grip a Jade Scroll in their hands, memorizing while watching the battle.
The elders and True Monarchs of other families saw the Zhuge Family disciples being so diligent and self-motivated. While they admired the Zhuge Family’s scholarly ethos, they secretly urged their own disciples, causing them to suffer in silence.
Besides, Xie Jingshan also noticed that the tactics and moves used by Zhuge Family disciples in the arena bore shadows of Jiang Yuebai.
Just like the Little Spider setting up a Child and Mother Linked Array, surely devised by Jiang Yuebai, as most Zhuge Family disciples were using it and it never failed, with many people falling to this Child and Mother Linked Array.
Back when Heavenly Interence Sect and Guiyuan Sword Sect joined forces for a minor competition, Xie Jingshan had borrowed Jiang Yuebai’s Child and Mother Linked Fire Array, breaking Hee Wangchen’s Floating Dragon Binding Array in one swoop, and killed all around.
That was the first highlight moment in Xie Jingshan’s youth, the pride and joy of that day remained unforgettable to him to this day.
But now, even though he slayed thousands of Demons on the battlefield between the two clans, turned the tide single-handedly, saving countless Human Clan cultivators and earning reverence, he couldn’t find that pure joy from that day.
Xie Jingshan chuckled bitterly, leaning against the stone pillar of the plaza, his gaze no longer as youthful and pure as before, only maturity from experiencing vicissitudes, with a mind full of concerns.
At this moment, he suddenly saw a small glint of light shoot out rapidly from inside the Immortal Palace like a stream of water, rushing quickly into the entrance of Kunxi Secret Realm.
Xie Jingshan abruptly stood straight, that was... Wen Su?
Feeling an anomaly by instinct, Xie Jingshan left Chu Guirui to Bai Jiuyou for care and directly hid his figure, following silently.