Chapter 700 - 376: Bai Mo’s Long-Awaited Alchemy Session
Douluo Heaven, shrouded in misty rain.
A vast procession marches through the rolling fog, bearing the mist and rain.
At the front of the procession, Ancient Immortals donned in robes and crowns lead the way in formation.
At the rear of the procession, other Ancient Immortals in splendid attire stand in line silently.
In the center of the procession, surrounded by seven Great Tripods, a Fire Cloud floats gracefully.
Above the Fire Cloud, Bai Mo sits cross-legged, a fox holding an umbrella.
Whoosh...
The rain falls heavier still.
The Ancient Immortals’ crowns and robes are drenched, yet they move forward in formation, unfazed.
After all, over countless millennia, they have weathered numerous rains, becoming accustomed.
The two fox apprentices lean on their master’s shoulder, holding the Lotus Leaf Umbrella, listening to the patter of rain, their wide eyes betraying fear.
"Ying ying?"
"Ao ao?"
They can only see where the azure glow of the Great Tripod shines.
Beyond the azure glow, there is only an expanse of mist.
Bai Mo sips hot tea, smiling to comfort the apprentices.
"Don’t be afraid, with your master here.
"Let’s follow these Immortals and see the second secret they have found.
"Perhaps we can discover..."
Perhaps we can discover whose handiwork those tusked beast faces inside the Alchemy Furnace are!
...
This Douluo Heaven is surprisingly vast, seemingly boundless!
The second secret discovered by the Ancient Immortals is incredibly far, hidden deep within the endless mist and the ruins.
The Ancient Immortals lead the way, and occasionally, a leading Ancient Immortal finishes traversing his memorized path, turns with a smile to bow before the Emperor, disappearing into clouds of mist.
Occasionally, a successor quietly usurps the lead, guiding the procession to continue forward.
Gradually, Little Flower Arm and Hu Hufeng begin to understand why they feel afraid.
The two of them shrink into their master’s embrace, with heads resting against his chest, instantly feeling fearless!
"Ying ying!"
"Ao ao!"
The two foxes, delighted, retrieve pastries from the Small Medicine Box, enjoying them as they journey, crumbs covering their faces, eating with gusto. Suddenly, Douluo Heaven doesn’t seem so bad!
Finally, only one Ancient Immortal remains leading the way.
He stops, turns to Bai Mo, and bows solemnly.
His rain-soaked beard hangs heavy, dripping water.
Amidst the rain, his eyes are misty with tears.
"The last stretch of path has been walked for the Emperor.
"Years ago, my container was seized by the Alchemy Furnace, brought here and taken into the mist ahead.
"Over countless millennia, I’ve always yearned to enter, to see who took my container and what became of it.
"But I’ve never had the courage.
"I’ve seen other Immortals venture into the mist ahead, yet never did I witness anyone emerge.
"I fear I too will never return, each time I stand here my legs weaken, preventing me from advancing.
"I’ve often hated my cowardice, cursed my weakness.
"But as millennia pass, today I finally understand, perhaps my restraint was to preserve a useful life, to meet this day, to guide the Emperor on this path."
Tears stream down his face, his voice choking.
"Knowing the Emperor understands my plight, I can rest easy.
"It’s time for me to leave.
"I bow in gratitude to the Emperor!"
He kneels to the ground, his form inching into mist, dispersing into the all-encompassing mist, into the drizzling rain.
Bai Mo sighs, cradling the two apprentices, gazing forward, gazing towards the mist.
"So all the stolen containers have come here? What really lies here?"
His gaze pierces layer after layer of mist, witnessing ruins, broken walls, collapsed pavilions and towers, spotting in the distance a mountainous heap of containers, some rusty Copper Pillars...
"Hmm?
"Wait..."
Bai Mo refocuses on the trash heap, on the containers stacked like a rubbish mountain.
Among them are stone vats, stone buckets, and peculiar containers tinged with bronze hues, mismatched little tripods yet to escape their rocky nature. The critical point is, these objects are all engraved with runes, engraved with knowledge.
"Could it be... these are all Knowledge Containers?"
Bai Mo furrows his brow, uncertain.
He has seen only his own Knowledge Container, never others.
Thus, regarding Knowledge Containers beyond the Pot, he remains unsure of their appearance...
He gestures to summon several Ancient Immortals from behind, requesting them to present their Knowledge Containers.
He watches as the Ancient Immortals exhibit containers, leaving only five, mere oddities like stone vats and buckets, some even cracked or damaged.
Bai Mo understands, reassessing the distant mountain with conviction.
"Over countless millennia, from the Ancient Immortal Dynasty, the deceived Knowledge Containers have gathered there, stacked into a mountain?
"But, what purpose does stacking these things serve?"
Bai Mo ponders, casting a distant glance forward.
In his embrace, the two fox apprentices also try to glimpse the far-off scene like their master... but can only see rolling mist, lowering their heads bashfully, rummaging the medicine box, continuing to savor the pastries.
Bai Mo observes a while longer, furrowing his brow.
"The mountain appears to be quivering?
"Movement?
"Is someone handling the containers at the mountain’s base?"
He propels the Fire Cloud below him, shifting to the right, adjusting his view. Shortly after, he indeed sees a distant figure tampering at the mountain’s base.
Yet... that is not a person.
That is a beast!