Chapter 2023 - 9: Expectations
The ten alchemists spoke in unison.
"Alright, just like that. You are now about to enter the Dan King inheritance."
Jing Lingxi waved her hand, and four middle-aged men along with six young individuals stepped forward to stand in front of the ten alchemists.
"Zheng Yan, thank you for this!"
In the mirror, Lingxi patted the shoulder of a hawk-eyed man, as if asking.
"Eighth Brother, don’t worry. This journey is sure to meet everyone’s expectations."
The hawk-eyed middle-aged man bent slightly, speaking deferentially.
"Alright, you may start now. I’ll be waiting for your good news."
The eight elders smiled as they gazed forward.
"You three, go together. Make good use of this journey and experience it well."
Jing Lingxi turned around and spoke to Jing Mingyu.
Upon hearing this, the three nodded. Later, Yue Qingyao and Long Kui, along with two accompanying members, followed the hawk-eyed middle-aged man to the east of Qianye City.
It is said that the entire Jade Toad Mountain was hollowed out by the Dan King to form an underground city.
Many alchemists were excited thinking about all the treasures inherited from the Dan King.
If they could gain treasures from the Dan King’s heritage, it would greatly benefit their future achievements in Dan Yao.
Only Ao Cangsheng consistently appeared indifferent, as if the journey to inherit the Dan King couldn’t excite him.
Jade Toad Mountain is about two thousand miles from Qianye City. Before long, the group reached the entrance to the Dan King inheritance.
It was an enormous rock, shaped like Dan’s dew, which matched the style of a generation of Dan King very well.
Upon arriving at the entrance to the Dan King inheritance, the group of 27 suddenly stopped in their middle years and turned to the people."Because the Dan King’s estate has been restricted, all Celestial-ranked and above powerhouses will fall to the Celestial rank upon entry."
"So if anyone feels discomfort, don’t make a fuss."
Upon hearing this, they all nodded.
At this moment, Ao Cangsheng suddenly glanced at Li Canglan.
If a true Dragon Country powerhouse did not inherit the Dan King, he would have the chance to kill Li Canglan.
"Alright, now you can join me in inheriting the Dan King’s legacy."
The hawk-eyed middle-aged man finished speaking, then stepped forward to press the giant rock several times.
"Boom—"
The enormous rock slowly began to turn.
As the great rock rotated slowly, an opening about a foot wide appeared before the public.
As the cave appeared, the hawk-eyed middle-aged man took the first step forward, followed by the three Heavenly Pride and their entourage, then the ten alchemists, and finally the ten others.
This suspicion led Ao Cangsheng to doubt whether the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion invited so many alchemists here truly for an unknown longevity elixir?
With doubts in mind, Ao Cangsheng resolved to watch closely in the future.
After a long incense-burning time, Ao Cangsheng’s suspicions turned into certainty.
Such certainty arose because Ao Cangsheng discovered this array during later developments.
Had it only been one or two formations, Ao Cangsheng wouldn’t have doubted. But along the way, Ao Cangsheng discovered thirty to forty arrays.
Moreover, the arrays were located at the entrances of roads.
Initially, in a Dan King’s remains, the array wasn’t strange.
Yet in such special locations, encountering so many formations made Ao Cangsheng more skeptical of Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion.
Most crucially, the Dan King’s legacy had many arrays. As Ao Cangsheng passed through, he didn’t trigger even one. This puzzled Ao Cangsheng greatly.
Not long ago, Ao Cangsheng became firmly convinced due to a minor move by the middle-aged man.
Meaning, the hawk-eyed middle-aged acted discreetly to break the array.
Once everyone entered, the middle-aged man behind quietly activated the arrays.
These subtle actions by two middle-aged men concealed them from all alchemists’ sight, yet were accidentally discovered by Ao Cangsheng.
They would never have expected a gifted alchemist like Ao Cangsheng to be an Alchemy Master.
Through the actions of these two middle-aged men, Ao Cangsheng could determine they were both Array Masters, Fourth-Level Array Masters.
An hour later, Ao Cangsheng and others were finally led into the hall by the hawk-eyed middle-aged man.
This hall exuded grandeur. It was built by extraordinary individuals.
Outside the main hall stood two unicorn statues, with a large stone plaque marked with three characters for the palace.
Upon seeing these three characters, the other alchemists’ eyes suddenly expressed fierce admiration.
He was the Dan King, the Dan King who could refine life-sustaining elixir.
Such an alchemy monarch required people’s admiration even among the western Azure tribes, not to mention alchemists now.
Because of the "Dan King Palace" three characters, the remaining alchemists were more convinced this was the true relic of the Dan King.
The Dan King’s palace was magnificent. Though deeply buried underground, it wasn’t inferior to palaces.
On either side of the main hall stood twelve young boys and girls, all alchemy children.
Each held a black tablet in their hands.
On the solid plates was a Jade Bottle, a Jade Box, or a Brocade Bag.
The twelve boys and girls, without exception, all had an item on their tablet.
Seeing the items on the tablets stirred a gleam in the eyes of all the alchemists present.
"Eight elders have said you can consume these items yourselves, except for the life-saving elixir."
As the alchemists’ eyes sparkled, the middle-aged hawk-eye suddenly smiled and spoke.
With one word, all alchemists disappeared in a flash, rushing toward those Jade Plates.
Witnessing this, the middle-aged hawk-eye and the three Heavenly Pride faces suddenly broke into odd smiles.
Yet while their actions were hidden from other alchemists, Ao Cangsheng didn’t miss them.
Though Ao Cangsheng rushed forward, his speed was far slower than the other nine alchemists.
Furthermore, even as he rushed, he kept watching the middle-aged hawk-eye’s movements.
Thus, as Ao Cangsheng rushed toward those statues, the items on the tablet were snatched by other alchemists.
"What are you looking at, thief? Don’t engage in fighting!"
Li Canglan was a genuine Dragon’s might. Even if his strength fell to Celestial ranks, he remained a top alchemist.
So during this looting, he managed to seize two Jade Bottles and a Brocade Bag.
Li Canglan delightedly turned with his haul to see the delayed Ao Cangsheng, triggering the scene just now.
"Don’t worry, sooner or later I’ll kill your dog. Don’t fret!"
Ao Cangsheng coldly eyed Li Canglan, confident Li Canglan wouldn’t dare challenge him, and spoke loudly.
"Thief, you..."
As expected, upon hearing this, Li Canglan immediately struck his palm toward Ao Cangsheng’s forehead.
But as his palm was about to strike, Jing Lingxi’s shadow suddenly flashed through his mind.
Suddenly, Li Canglan hurriedly halted, his back drenched in cold sweat.
If he struck, regardless of whether Ao Cangsheng survived or not, his fate would be miserable.
Then, let alone the treasures inherited from the Dan King.
"What are you doing? Don’t you want to see what’s inside the Jade Bottle?"
"You alchemists, aren’t you curious about your own treasures?"
"Even if you’re not curious, I am. Better for everyone to open their treasures and see what’s inside."
At this moment, Jing Mingyu came curiously speaking to them.
Since Jing Mingyu had spoken, rejecting him in bad faith wouldn’t do.
Slightly hesitating, the alchemists opened the Jade Bottles, Jade Boxes, or Brocade Bags they had snatched.
As Jing Mingyu and others watched the other alchemists’ moves, Ao Cangsheng swiftly swept a Jade Bottle into his sleeve like lightning.