True Martial World - Chapter 1350: Tiny Seven-colored Snake

In the solitary cave, Yi Yun began circulating the Dragon Emperor Technique. The rich surrounding Yuan Qi immediately began surging toward Yi Yun like he was a whale sucking in water.

Soon, Yi Yun's body formed a Yuan Qi vortex.

Every breath Yi Yun took was the inhaling and exhaling of the Heaven Earth Yuan Qi in the ancient world.

Yi Yun's blood surged and rumbled like a raging river, coursing through his entire body again and again.

Just as great oaks grow from little acorns, Yi Yun was honing his body. As he fortified his foundation, his cultivation level was turning purer and more intricate.

Even without the River of Forgetfulness's water, Yi Yun could have done such a honing of his foundation. But it would have taken too much time. It might have taken decades or even more than a century.

Despite having cultivated in martial arts for so long, Yi Yun had always been rushing his cultivation. He never had the time to focus on honing his foundation as he did now.

The River of Forgetfulness's water had fully fused with Yi Yun's body. He sensed that the time he experienced was accelerating at a speed much faster than the time of the world around him. There was nearly a thirty times difference.

A time difference of thirty times meant that Yi Yun would experience a month while a day passed in the outside world.

At such a speed, Yi Yun could enter seclusion for two years and have sixty years' worth of cultivation.

To Yi Yun, who had only lived for a hundred plus years, using sixty years to hone his foundation would be quite an extravagant matter. It wasn't only Yi Yun, even other young geniuses would be unwilling to do so. It would waste the massive vital potential they had in their youth. However, Yi Yun had no such worries after imbibing the River of Forgetfulness's water.

"I have cultivated for more than a hundred years and time has never been on my side. I have never slowed down my cultivation speed but my cultivation level already far exceeds my peers. Although I would never suffer an unstable foundation due to the nine-leaf Dao fruits that I condensed, my cultivation is still too fast. Today, I can properly fortify my cultivation. I will use all the time I earned from drinking the River of Forgetfulness's water to accumulate my cultivation."

Yi Yun constantly inhaled and exhaled. Every breath would discharge foul air from his body and every inhale took in pure Yuan Qi.

After an unknown period of time, a slow, thunderous rumble emitted from the valley.

In the beginning, the thunder was soft but as the days went by, the thunder grew more intense, reverberating across the valley.

It was simply the breathing sounds Yi Yun made while he took in and discharged the Yuan Qi.

At that moment, Yi Yun's foundation had been tempered thousands of times. It was extremely well fortified.

His skin resembled beautiful jade and his bones were crystalline.

The corpses of mighty figures could remain intact after hundreds of millions of years because their bodies had been tempered into a powerful treasure.

With Yi Yun's repeated tempering, his body was no longer of mortal breed. Ordinary weapons would be incapable of slicing through his skin. His bones were extremely tough.

At that moment, he was in his peak state. Yi Yun's aura was rapidly rising.

This aura became stronger when a crisp chime was heard from the Nine-treasured Dao Palace in his dantian.

It was the chime of the Great Dao, a sound produced from the nomological insights Yi Yun had gained.

The chimes of the Dao Palace turned louder.

The Dragon Emperor Technique that Yi Yun cultivated in made it so that he required tremendous amounts of resources to have a breakthrough in cultivation realms. Without the River of Forgetfulness's water, he would require quite some time to break through to the ninth-storey Dao Palace.

But now, the ninth-storey Dao Palace was in its nascent form.

Every brick and tile was formed from Yi Yun's nomological insights.

Only with a robust foundation could he establish a truly tall building.

Yi Yun's foundation was infinitely robust, causing his Dao Palace to be a lot more magnificent than most warriors.

Gradually, the new Dao Palace storey appeared. A nine-storied nine-treasured Dao Palace was transcendent. It formed naturally and in an extremely harmonious fashion. It was filled with a brilliant beauty, as though such a Dao Palace ought to belong in the world.

"I'm at the ninth-storey Dao Palace."

At that moment, Yi Yun had perfected his Dao Palace realm. He had cultivated the Dao Palace realm to the extremum and be it his foundation or the final fruits of his labor, they were flawless.

However, not only did the increase of Yi Yun's aura not cease, it continued increasing exponentially.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

His breathing sounded like thunder as it rumbled throughout the entire valley.

Yi Yun opened his mouth to inhale, drinking all the remaining water from the River of Forgetfulness into his belly.

As Yi Yun continued his breathing, his surroundings formed a space of Heaven Earth Yuan Qi.

He was like a black hole that constantly absorbed the massive amounts of Heaven Earth Yuan Qi.

All the Heaven Earth Yuan Qi was so rich that it condensed into a mist, some wisps even forming pure Yuan droplets. They were all absorbed by Yi Yun again and again.

A tempestuous rumble continued sounding from his dantian.

After an unknown period of time.

Boom!

The nine-storied nine-treasured Dao Palace in Yi Yun's dantian began cracking.

The crack was constantly expanding, going across the entire Dao Palace.

The appearance of cracks in the Dao Palace meant that it was about to collapse. This did not indicate that Yi Yun's cultivation had turned problematic. It was a necessary step for Yi Yun before he could break through to become a Supremacy.

Once the Dao Palace completely shattered, the condensation of a nomological body would officially usher him into the Supremacy realm.

However, the whole process would require a long period of time. It was impossible to reach that in one step.

Yi Yun was in no hurry. He had plenty of time. Just a month or two would convert into three to five years under the effects of the River of Forgetfulness's water.

He had already made the decision to break through to the Supremacy realm in the Ancient Ruins world!

Just as Yi Yun was setting his mind at rest to accumulate power, he suddenly sensed the lifeblood in him stir.

The stir felt like something had tugged at it. It left Yi Yun puzzled.

He opened his eyes and looking tens of kilometers away, he saw an astonishing scene.

He saw more than ten men and women running. Quite a number of them were injured.

There were others in this mystic land?

Yi Yun was taken aback before he came to realize why. Aged Blackrock had previously mentioned that the world he was in was the most primitive Sinkhole. Aged Blackrock called it the Ancient Ruins world.

The Ancient Ruins world was not monopolized by the Nine Li Magus Empire. Other factions or races had territories in the Ancient Ruins world.

It was rare to encounter people from other factions here but it was not something to be overly surprised about.

…

At that moment, a group of white-dressed people were chasing a beam of light tens of kilometers away.

The moved in cadence, and cooperated very well. They would form a nomological imprint wherever they stepped. These imprints formed a web that blanketed the beam they were pursuing.

Yi Yun also managed to discern the beam as a tiny seven-colored snake. At the top of the snake's head was a sharp horn.

"Junior Brother Mo, use the Seven Severance Steps with me!"

"Junior Sister Song, flank it from the side!"

A bald man was giving instructions to his team as he moved as fast as lightning. They were closing in on the seven-colored beam.

"There's no path up ahead anymore!"

When the group of people reached a certain point, they saw a majestic array pattern ahead of them. They had arrived in front of an array.

The array was massive in power. But the bald man was delighted instead of alarmed when he saw it. He knew that it was the fortification array formation of another faction.

It was not easy to penetrate such a fortification array at all.

"Great! It has nowhere to escape to!" The bald man said jubilantly. "Split up and flank it from both sides. Prevent it from escaping to the sides. Junior Brother Mo, join me in capturing it from the front."

As the bald man spoke, he retrieved a black net from his interspatial ring. He aimed to use the net to capture the seven-colored snake.

And at that moment, the seven-colored snake slammed into the array.

"Peng!"

There was a loud boom as a golden barrier lit up. No matter how violently the seven-colored snake struck it, the golden barrier did not shake one bit. The seven-colored snake was confused by the sudden wall but it was also in a panic. It didn't care which direction it was fleeing towards, only that it needed to flee. It lashed out its tail, striking the golden barrier once again.

"Peng!"

The seven-colored snake did not hold back. It used tremendous force that even injured its scales. Yet, it could not force open the array.

Instantly, the seven-colored snake's amber eyes flashed with a look of despair.

"Haha! The Heavens are helping me. You won't be able to escape."

The bald man opened up his net. With his fellow disciples cooperating with him, they produced seals that locked down the space for several kilometers. The seven-colored snake was trapped and there was no way it could escape.

"Peng! Peng! Peng!"

The seven-colored snake continued its struggle by striking the golden screen. However, its strength was meaningless in front of the golden beam like it was an ant trying to shake a towering tree. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Everything it did was pointless. The black net was already tightening.

At this point, Yi Yun could not stand to watch any further. For some unknown reason, the seven-colored snake seemed to have a unfathomable connection with his lifeblood. This must have been why Yi Yun sensed the stirring of his lifeblood while he was in seclusion.

Yi Yun felt that he shared the same origins with the seven-colored snake. He empathized with the seven-colored snake's predicament like it was the loss of his own kind.

He wanted to save the seven-colored snake!

Just as Yi Yun had this thought, the golden barrier outside the array quivered gently. The barrier began rippling like water, as a hole the size of a bowl appeared.

The seven-colored snake that was reeling in despair was surprised when it suddenly saw the hole.

The black net was about to envelop it when the seven-colored snake reacted just in time. With a flick of its tail, it flew straight into the hole.

"Boom!"

The black net struck the golden barrier as the seven-colored snake transformed into a stream of light, entering the Nine Li Magus Empire's array.

The hole quickly closed the next moment, vanishing in a blink of an eye.

It was restored to its original state as though the hole had never existed. However, the seven-colored snake was already inside the barrier as it stared back at the men and women that were standing on the other side.

"What!?" The bald man was stunned. Success was almost at hand when the barrier suddenly opened, allowing the seven-colored snake to gain entry.

What happened!?

The bald man had a sunken expression. This failure at the cusp of success let him vexed.

"Senior Brother Wu, there's someone inside the array!" Someone suddenly shouted. He saw Yi Yun inside the array.

True Martial World - Chapter 1349: Ancient Ruins

"Senior, thank you very much." Yi Yun gratefully accepted the offer.

Yi Yun led Aged Blackrock out of the array. They did not go to the desolate lands again and instead headed straight for the Nine Li Magus Empire's palace.

Yi Yun knew that Patriarch Pillheart and the rest were likely searching for a way to open the array's entrance. In response, Yi Yun specifically requested Ling Xie'er to think of means to prevent them from entering.

It was not easy to enter the Herb Nurturing Array to begin with. And with Ling Xie'er now in the position of the array's fire seed, she could easily cause trouble for them. Therefore, she would have no trouble keeping them out.

Yi Yun followed Aged Blackrock and Nine Li Magus Maiden to an altar. There, he saw a teleportation array.

The teleportation array was situated on the dried river bed. It effused a strange aura that seemed to lead to somewhere unknown.

The trio entered the teleportation array together.

From where they were, the riverbed continued to a distant spot where they could see the river extend into the abyss. There was an indescribable feeling one felt while standing there, because it felt like time had come to a pause.

It was unknown how long the river that seemed like the River of Forgetfulness had been dried up for. It was truly fascinating that it could still give one such a feeling.

At that moment, Aged Blackrock produced a few hand seals, activating the teleportation array immediately. The scene before Yi Yun's eyes went into a blur as spatial fragments constantly brushed past him. He couldn’t tell how far they were traveling.

After a long while, Yi Yun finally felt his feet make contact with solid ground.

Yi Yun immediately saw that he was standing on a mountain peak that sat on a vast and ancient land.

Looking down, there were endless cliffs with no vegetation. Nor were there any biological auras. Amid the sand and gravel, there was a rich cadaveric air emanating throughout the area.

Yi Yun could not help but be alarmed when he sensed it.

Where is this?

What shocked Yi Yun even more was that he saw a riverbed that stretched across the land in a ceaseless manner.

"It's the River of Forgetfulness…" Yi Yun never expected that the River of Forgetfulness would continue on for such a distance, even reaching where they were.

And the riverbed here was many times wider than the riverbed in the Nine Li Magus Empire. Perhaps, this was where the River of Forgetfulness's was widest.

"You know about the River of Forgetfulness?" Aged Blackrock was somewhat astonished before he shook his head and said, "This isn't the real River of Forgetfulness, just a distributary of the River of Forgetfulness. My Nine Li Magus Empire began from one of the River of Forgetfulness's distributaries."

Aged Blackrock's words made Yi Yun's heart skip a beat. This vast river bed was only one of the many distributaries?

"This place has existed for a very, very long time. The history here far exceeds one's imagination."

Nine Li Magus Maiden walked forward a step, looked into the distance, and said softly, "We will never know what this place used to be. We are currently in a place called the Ancient Ruins world. Some people say that this is what the real Sinkhole is. It is the source of the Sinkhole in ancient times."

"My young friend Yi Yun, let's head to the mystic ground," said Aged Blackrock.

The teleportation array was located on a mountain range. And among the mountain range was a deep valley. When one looked up from the bottom of the valley, all they could see was a thin line of the sky. However, this sky was different from other places. It was not blue with astronomical objects dotting it. Instead, there were constantly twinkling spatial fragments.

"This entire mountain range belongs to my Nine Li Magus Empire. There is a defensive array that is perennially activated. And once you enter the mystic land, there will be even more array formations concealing and protecting you. You can be absolutely certain of your safety inside." Aged Blackrock explained as they proceeded forward.

Yi Yun could not help but ask, "Are there any other dangers here?"

"There aren't. However, the Ancient Ruins world is extremely expansive, with limitless profound mysteries. The most powerful factions in the Sinkhole will attempt to occupy a territory in the Ancient Ruins world, and all the Nine Li Magus Empire has accomplished is to occupy a tiny area," explained Nine Li Magus Maiden.

Aged Blackrock wanted to elaborate but he decided not to. After all, Yi Yun was only there to enter seclusion and so shouldn’t encounter problems.

The trio walked slowly in the valley that was void of life. Yi Yun could sense that he was passing through layers of membranes that emitted a terrifying aura. Clearly, those were the defensive array formations that Aged Blackrock had mentioned.

As they proceeded deep into the valley, a riverbed appeared in front of Yi Yun. Surrounding the wide riverbed were two towering cliffs.

The topographical features here effused a primordial aura. The riverbed went under the mountain.

Aged Blackrock and Nine Li Magus Maiden brought Yi Yun deep inside where there was a cave entrance. "We are here."

Yi Yun was standing in front of the cave's entrance when his pupils instantly constricted.

In the cave, there was a small deep pool.

The deep pool was about the size of a bowl. However, the black water within appeared bottomless. Such an endless pool seemed to go deep into the netherworld.

"This water is very shallow." Nine Li Magus Maiden walked to the side of the pool.

She extended her slim hand into it.

Instantly, the black water parted as the Nine Li Magus Maiden's hand extended to the bottom.

Yi Yun was astonished. It was not a deep pool at all. It was like the rain water that gathered in potholes after a light drizzle.

However, the black water in front of him was not as simple as rain water.

"This is the water from the River of Forgetfulness," said Nine Li Magus Maiden.

Water from the River of Forgetfulness?

Yi Yun gasped. The River of Forgetfulness was one of the twelve Fey Gods. Although he had come into contact with a few items related to the twelve Fey Gods over the years, he was still a great distance away from the actual twelve Fey Gods. Yi Yun never expected to encounter a tiny pool of the River of Forgetfulness!

A distributary of the River of Forgetfulness that had been dried up for hundreds of millions of years actually still had some of its water left in this cave. The Nine Li Magus Empire not only had the dried River of Forgetfulness, it also had some of its water. It was difficult to imagine how ancient its history was.

"The River of Forgetfulness's water can only exist in the River of Forgetfulness. When it leaves the River of Forgetfulness, it will dissipate into nothingness," said Nine Li Magus Maiden. "This water contains the power of time. Drinking it will allow one to have eternal youth, as though one's face is no longer affected by time."

"One will not age visibly?" Yi Yun's eyes lit up. "Can it extend one's life?"

"No…" Nine Li Magus Maiden shook her head gently. "Although one will have eternal youth, they will not be able to escape the samsara of life. One's end will eventually come. The day one is fated to die is the day one will die."

"Is that so…"

The effects of eternal youth Nine Li Magus Maiden mentioned were very attractive to warriors. But compared to an actual rise in cultivation level, it paled in comparison.

Yi Yun did not believe that the River of Forgetfulness's water only had the effect of giving one everlasting youthfulness.

Nine Li Magus Empire continued, "There is another interesting effect of drinking the River of Forgetfulness's water. Young Master Yi, you can experience it for yourself. In fact, this pool of water from the River of Forgetfulness was meant to be given to you as remuneration after you refine the pill. But now, I shall give it to you ahead of time."

Yi Yun had gotten Ling Xie'er to replace the original array fire, so the Nine Li Magus Empire was naturally not going to be stingy as they rewarded him ahead of time.

Besides, Yi Yun's cultivation level was insufficient. By helping Yi Yun increase his cultivation level, they would aid in Yi Yun's completion of the Herb Nurturing Array.

"This is too tremendous a gift." Yi Yun felt a little embarrassed. He hadn’t really done anything at this point.

Nine Li Magus Maiden shook her head. "Young Master Yi, there's no need to stand on ceremony. The Fate Changing Pill is many times more important to me than the water from the River of Forgetfulness. Although the water from River of Forgetfulness is precious. this mountain cave will produce a tiny amount of it every thousand years. This is the core mystic ground of my Nine Li Magus Empire."

"In addition, Young Master Yi should have already noticed that the Ancient Ruins world is odd in many ways.This mystic land of my Nine Li Magus Empire is one of those mystical places in the Ancient Ruins world. The Heaven Earth Yuan Qi and the nomological fragments are much richer here than in the outside world.

"Then I'll thank you, Your Highness. Thank you, Senior Blackrock." Yi Yun was not a pretentious person so he thanked them solemnly.

The Nine Li Magus Empire had provided him with a mystic land and the precious water of the River of Forgetfulness. It represented the sincere belief the Nine Li Magus Empire had in him.

Yi Yun knew that by providing the cultivation mystic land to him, the Nine Li Magus Empire was basically sacrificing resources that could have been given to its own geniuses. Yi Yun was one to square things of with others be it a grudge or kindness. By providing Yi Yun the River of Forgetfulness's pool of water, they received Yi Yun's heartfelt gratitude.

After bidding Aged Blackrock and Nine Li Magus Maiden farwell, Yi Yun went deep into the pool where he sat cross-legged.

To warriors, entering a few decades of seclusion was nothing. Cultivation knew no time.

"I wonder what special effects the water of the River of Forgetfulness will provide when I drink it."

Aged Blackrock and Nine Li Magus Maiden did not elaborate. This piqued Yi Yun's interest towards the water.

Water that contained the powers of time sounded extraordinary.

Yi Yun meditated for a moment before beckoning with an outstretched arm.

Immediately, the pool transformed into a flux of water that headed towards Yi Yun.

Yi Yun opened his mouth and imbibed it like alcohol, drinking the water from the River of Forgetfulness.

As the water entered his body, Yi Yun gradually felt that his body had entered an independent space. It was quite a spectacular feeling. When he cast his gaze out, everything in that world seemed to turn evanescent as though he was watching it from the opposite side of the river of time.

Yi Yun had comprehended space-time laws. He had even condensed a nine-leaf space-time Dao fruit. His sharp senses allowed him to feel that the time passing in his body was different from that of the outside world. Or it could be said that, he and the surrounding world were in completely different spaces.

The time which flowed for him was many times faster than his surroundings. However, Yi Yun could accurately grasp every second. It was as though the water of the river of time were flowing through his fingers drop by drop, allowing him a perfect grasp of time.

This was a very miraculous state. Was this the effect of the River of Forgetfulness's water?

Yi Yun made some inferences and believed that what he experienced as one or two years would be only a month in the outside world.

Drinking the River of Forgetfulness's water allowed Yi Yun's time efficiency to increase by at least twenty times!

Despite the twentyfold increase in time, he was ensured to have an absolute grasp of time.

Furthermore, Yi Yun remembered that the Nine Li Magus Maiden had said that the River of Forgetfulness's water did not extend one's life. The day one was fated to die was the day one would die.

Yi Yun originally thought that it was a limitation of the water's powers but now he knew. It was a manifestation of the water's powers.

This was equivalent to allowing Yi Yun to experience a period of time twenty times more than the actual time that passed in his life. This made his foundation turn more robust as it experienced long periods of time. Best of all, it would not expend any of Yi Yun's vital potential!

"So this is the power of the River of Forgetfulness's water." Yi Yun felt like he had discovered a door to a brand new world as his eyes flickered in a different light.

True Martial World - Chapter 1348: South Li Fire

"This is the Fate Changing Pill?"

Nine Li Magus Maiden asked in disbelief.

"I guess so…" Yi Yun nodded. The figure of the girl was likely the divine pill that had been nurtured for hundreds of millions of years.

The divine pill was formed from Heaven Earth essence. A refined divine pill would usually manifest some sentience. There were even legends of divine pills manifesting as divine beasts or divine trees after they were refined, allowing them to continue the process of refinement and cultivation.

So-called Heaven Earth sentient beings were as such. Many desolate beasts or powerful Fey were born from the Heaven and Earth.

However, the Fate Changing Pill was not only in the simple shape of a girl, it also contained a portion of the Nine Li Magus Maiden's aura.

Yi Yun looked at Nine Li Magus Maiden with a hint of embarrassment.

Although the girl was a divine pill, she was identical to Nine Li Magus Maiden. He was looking at her nude body right in front of Nine Li Magus Maiden. It felt strange no matter what the circumstances were.

He said, "The Fate Changing Pill is meant to defy the heavens and change fate itself. This one was created to change the fate of Your Highness. Senior Divine Alchemist seems to have refined a pill that conceived a wisp of Your Highness's soul."

Nine Li Magus Maiden nodded. She looked at the identical girl in front of her before she sighed lightly. "I have waited so long for this pill…"

Only the Nine Li Magus Empire knew how much it had invested in this pill.

Yi Yun looked at the slumbering girl in the lake as he ruminated.

He could sense that the cauldron in the middle of the lake had a fire plume inside of it.

That was one of the core aspects of the massive array. Although the fire-elemental Yuan Qi in the array was extremely rich, it was quite inferior to that of the Heretical God Fire Seed.

That wasn't a surprise. The Heretical God Fire Seed was one of the best fire seeds in the world. Even the divine alchemist would find it difficult to possess two fire seeds on that level.

He would naturally leave the best fire seed for his daughter in hopes of refining the most heaven-defying Elixir of Resurrection. As for the fire seed that was slightly inferior, he left it with the Nine Li Magus Empire.

It was the same with the cauldron…

Upon realizing this, Yi Yun extended his hand and beckoned. "Xie'er."

A lively girl immediately appeared beside Yi Yun.

Ling Xie'er was standing with bare feet above the lake. Instantly, the surface of the emerald-green lake was engulfed in flames. The flames immediately danced as though they were fishes playing hide and seek between Ling Xie'er's feet.

The burning flames and the girl's fair toes. Two things that should not have appeared together seemed to exist in peaceful harmony.

Aged Blackrock and Nine Li Magus Maiden were surprised by the sudden appearance of Ling Xie'er. With their powers of discernment, they could naturally grasp that she was an extraordinary being.

"This little girl sure is lively," praised Nine Li Magus Maiden.

"I'm just curious. What are you planning to do by summoning this little girl?" asked Aged Blackrock.

"I’m going to try and see if I can switch the array's fire." Yi Yun looked at Ling Xie'er. In alchemy, the fire was extremely important.

If the fire was insufficient, a divine pill could end up destroyed.

If this weren't the case, many alchemists or even divine alchemists would not go to the painstaking efforts they usually did in order to obtain an excellent fire seed.

From Yi Yun's point of view, the fire in the Herb Nurturing Array was clearly insufficient.

He wished to use the Heretical God Fire Seed to replace the relatively inferior fire seed. However, doing so was not easy.

"Xie'er, can you do it?"

"Yes, I can." Ling Xie'er beamed and sent Yi Yun a voice transmission. "I think I've seen this fire before. It will listen to me. Besides, I understand this array too."

"Then, give it a try. Remember not to force it," said Yi Yun gently.

Ling Xie'er immediately nodded. "Alright, Brother Yi Yun.'

She leaped up and immediately, like a fish, entered the lake and began swimming in it.

The lake was filled with the essence of water, the complete opposite of Ling Xie'er. But reality proved that when the water essence met Ling Xie'er, it was like a pet seeing its owner. It parted obediently.

Soon, Ling Xie'er arrived in front of the girl. She easily passed through the girl without any obstruction, and entered the cauldron.

Slowly, the Yuan Qi above the emerald-green lake's surface began transforming. The essence in the lake turned greener.

But Yi Yun knew that if someone were to enter the depths of the lake, they could possibly have their souls burned away.

Immediately following that, a red fire seed flew out from the bottom of the lake. It was grasped by Yi Yun, who was already prepared.

The fire seed struggled in Yi Yun's palm for a moment before transforming into the form of a tiny snake.

"South Li Fire." Yi Yun identified the fire seed. The fire seed had been recorded in the divine alchemist's notes.

The South Li Fire lacked intelligence. Its fear of Ling Xie'er was only instinctual.

But even so, it was still extremely precious.

Yi Yun planned on handing this fire seed to Ling Xie'er and allowing her to devour it. With that, he said to Aged Blackrock and Nine Li Magus Maiden, "Excuse me, this fire seed is of use to me. I wonder if perhaps I could keep this fire seed?"

"Of course, if I fail to refine the Fate Changing Pill, I will not remove the fire seed," said Yi Yun.

Nine Li Magus Maiden replied, "If you do manage to refine the Fate Changing Pill, the fire seed would no longer be of use to us. Young Master Yi, if you want it, you can naturally have it."

Yi Yun nodded. He first put away the South Li Fire.

At that moment, Ling Xie'er had completely replaced the South Li Fire, fusing with the array, becoming the new array fire for the Herb Nurturing Array.

It was not difficult for Ling Xie'er to do any of this.

However, switching the array fire was not enough.

Yi Yun still needed to switch the cauldron, but it was not a simple task.

Yi Yun needed to fully understand the Herb Nurturing Array to be able to replace the cauldron without damaging the pill.

Yi Yun understood the divine alchemist's notes and he had Ling Xie'er helping him. No matter how abstruse the Herb Nurturing Array was, Yi Yun was pretty confident about it. However, he needed time. And to eventually complete the Herb Nurturing Array, he needed his cultivation to support the process. Yi Yun felt that his strength fell short of his ambition at the moment.

"Your Highness, Senior Blackrock, I plan on entering seclusion for a period of time. Perhaps it will take quite a while. My present cultivation level is insufficient for completing this array," said Yi Yun.

Having seen Yi Yun switch the array fire with his own eyes, Aged Blackrock and Nine Li Magus Maiden, who were only hoping to give it a shot, now began to look forward to Yi Yun's refinement of the pill.

Of course, it was an extraordinarily difficult thing to do. There were many alchemist sages in history that had offered many unique explanations but they all eventually failed.

"Not a problem." Aged Blackrock nodded. With a thought, he added, "If our young friend Yi Yun wishes to cultivate, my clan has a mystic ground. If you were to cultivate there, you might obtain unexpected benefits."

"Oh? A mystic cultivation ground?" Yi Yun's heart was stirred.

"This mystic ground is the core of my clan. In fact, I was planning on bringing you there after your attempt at completing this Herb Nurturing Array was over…"

True Martial World - Chapter 1347: Silent Jade Immersed in Waters

When Yi Yun entered the Herb Nurturing Array, he felt like he had stepped into an abyss. There was a dark, twinkling red light that made him feel strangely suffocated. The Herb Nurturing Array's interior had gathered Heaven Earth Yuan Qi for hundreds of millions of years. Warriors with weaker cultivations would be unable to withstand such an environment at all.

"Be careful."

Aged Blackrock raised a thin barrier, enveloping Nine Li Magus Maiden within.

As for Yi Yun, he did not enter the barrier. He didn't even circulate his own Yuan Qi. Instead, he stood right in the turbulent Yuan Qi flux, fully experiencing the baptism of its energies.

"My young friend, Yi Yun. This is the array that Senior Divine Alchemist left behind. It has experienced hundreds of millions of years of constant activation. It's hard to tell if any danger will present itself," warned Aged Blackrock.

"It's alright." Yi Yun took a deep breath, inhaling the rich Heaven Earth Yuan Qi. He saw dark red lava flowing not far from him. Everything here was very familiar to him. The Herb Nurturing Array was nearly identical to the massive array in the Sun Burial Sandsea.

The only difference was that the array in the Sun Burial Sandsea had been buried underground for a long period of time. It nearly went into a hibernative state.

As for the massive array he was in now, the Nine Li Magus Empire had maintained its operations year after year. It retained its active state.

"Phew–"

The surging heat waves inundated Yi Yun. The temperature of the flames was not far from that of the astral fire Yi Yun experienced back in the Ascending Dragon Cauldron.

However, it was naturally nothing for Yi Yun. With the Heretical God Fire Seed, the heat waves could not affect Yi Yun at all.

Aged Blackrock was somewhat surprised seeing Yi Yun walk through the flames in such a composed manner. He never expected Yi Yun's attainment in fire-elemental laws to be that high. He could not help but raise his evaluation of Yi Yun by several notches. The hope he placed on Yi Yun also increased.

"This fire-elemental Yuan Qi is too strong."

Nine Li Magus Maiden peered at the stirring heat waves outside the barrier. She felt as though she was walking through Earth fire lava.

"If I didn't guess wrong, there will be a special fire seed in the middle of this array."

Back when Yi Yun entered the Sun Burial Sandsea, he found the Heretical God Fire Seed. It was also the core of the worldly array.

As for the Herb Nurturing Array he was in, its array formation was mostly identical to the one from before. Therefore, according to this reasoning, its core should also have a fire seed.

The only question was the level of the fire seed.

He sensed the direction in which the fire-elemental Yuan Qi was richest before heading towards it.

Aged Blackrock and Nine Li Magus Maiden followed behind. Following that, the flames turned stronger. But it was naturally nothing to Aged Blackrock. His Yuan Qi barrier easily withstood any heat wave.

Soon, Yi Yun arrived in front of a dark-red ocean.

The lava churned into tidal waves, as surging gases distorted space itself. To those watching from afar, it formed a picturesque but strange scene.

Yi Yun flew up and slowly floated across the lava ocean, preparing to fly into the deepest depths of it.

However, just as he came above the lava ocean, Yi Yun frowned slightly. This was an active array after all. Furthermore, he was already in the array's interior. Trying to traverse it would not be easy. If he got lost within, trying to leave would be problematic.

Yi Yun recalled the worldly array in the Sun Burial Sandsea. Although he had entered the array himself, there were many setups within it Yi Yun needed time to ruminate over.

"Brother Yi Yun, go here."

At that moment, Ling Xie'er's Yuan Qi voice transmission sounded in Yi Yun's mind. She was using her mental strength to directly point out a path for Yi Yun.

Yi Yun was delighted. "Xie'er, you know the path?"

"Yea… the core of this massive array is identical to the array I was in."

Ling Xie'er had spent hundreds of millions of years in the massive array in the Sun Burial Sandsea. It could even be said that Ling Xie'er was a portion of the Sun Burial Sandsea's array itself. Her knowledge of the array formation far exceeded Yi Yun's.

However, walking into the array and fixing the array, thereby completing the Fate Changing Pill, were two very different processes.

"Alright."

With Ling Xie'er guiding the way, Yi Yun was saved a lot of effort. Otherwise, seeking a path would have been quite a problem for Yi Yun.

"Senior Blackrock, follow me closely. Walk wherever I step."

Every step Yi Yun took, he would leave a Yuan Qi mark behind to lead the way for Aged Blackrock.

Although Ling Xie'er was leading the way, Yi Yun still took hours to fully traverse the fiery sea.

Finally, Yi Yun felt an enshrouding mist inundate him. The heat wave suddenly vanished, and through the mist Yi Yun could see an island.

This was a fascinating island located in the middle of the lava ocean.

It spanned about a thousand feet wide and its soil was dark red. Right in the middle was an emerald green lake.

Yi Yun took a deep breath. He knew that be it the island or the lake, they were manifestations of nomological array runes. They were a part of the Herb Nurturing Array that the divine alchemist left behind.

Yi Yun came in front of the lake. It was filled with clean and pure water essence.

"It's actually the fusion of water and fire refinement methods…" Yi Yun muttered to himself.

The refinement of pills was mainly done through fire refinement, but there were also water refinement methods. Mortals brewed their medicine with water, eventually creating a herbal concoction. Alchemists would also use such methods but they were more unorthodox. Few people used them.

The divine alchemist had actually chosen to combined the two methods to refine the Fate Changing Pill…

Yi Yun walked to the lake's side and looked into the water.

In the emerald-green lake, Yi Yun saw the shadow of a cauldron. The cauldron had eight chains wrapped around it. It was sitting silently at the bottom of the lake.

A Herb Nurturing Array needed a cauldron as a vessel. It was the same with the worldly array back in the Sun Burial Sandsea. Furthermore, the array used back then was the divine alchemist's Divine Alchemy Cauldron. In terms of quality, it was much better than this cauldron.

When Yi Yun shifted his gaze onto the cauldron and focused on it, he was stunned. Unbelievably, he saw a blurry figure slowly condensing above the cauldron.

The figure was affected by the water waves, constantly phasing as a result. Her facial features were beautiful and her eyes were shut. She was lying in the middle of the water, with her hands by her chest. Her legs were slightly bent.

She had a long and slim body, with fair and silky-smooth skin. Her black hair flailed behind her. She was stark naked inside the lake, as though she was a beautiful jade immersed in water.

And her skin seemed to envelop a layer of sunglow. It truly resembled the first light of dawn, like a silent jade immersed in waters.

The instant he saw the girl, Yi Yun was agape. He was momentarily embarrassed.

He never expected to see such a scene.

With his acute senses as an alchemist, he could tell at a glance that the girl was a manifestation of the Fate Changing Pill. And the girl's figure and eyes were identical to Nine Li Magus Maiden’s. Furthermore, she looked completely like Huan Chenxue.

He was stunned for a moment before he slowly turned back and blushed, when he saw Nine Li Magus Maiden behind him.

She noticed Yi Yun's gaze and furrowed her brows slightly. "What's the matter?"

"I might have seen the pill. It's a little unexpected. It's in the form of a girl but… it's a little inconvenient…"

Upon hearing Yi Yun's words, Nine Li Magus Maiden seemed to realize something.

"Elder Blackrock, stay behind," said Nine Li Magus Maiden to Aged Blackrock.

Aged Blackrock nodded and stayed in his spot. Nine Li Magus Maiden walked forward and came to Yi Yun’s side.

She looked into the lake as her eyes flashed with a look of astonishment.

"This…" Nine Li Magus Maiden stared intently at the figure for a while. She never expected that the pill Yi Yun mentioned was actually herself.

True Martial World - Chapter 1346: Changes in the Massive Array

When Patriarch Pillheart began meditating amid the incense, Ouming Yin had also begun conditioning his mind. He used a completely different method from Patriarch Pillheart. His was a special breathing technique to inhale and exhale the Heaven Earth essence.

People could see that the surrounding Heaven Earth essence automatically condensed into points of light, with him in the center of it all. The points of light gathered towards him.

After these points of light phased into Ouming Yin's body, they naturally vanished. Slowly, Ouming Yin entered an ethereal state which followed the concept of "No Law, No Shape, No Void, No Me."

"This is a Qi uplifting mystic technique that Ouming Yin inherited from his ancestors! The two alchemist sages are revealing their true abilities!"

The other alchemists were envious of Ouming Yin and the Pillheart Sect's deep roots and mystic techniques. They did not possess such Qi uplifting mystic techniques and could only meditate the standard way. Although the effects were weaker, they had to make do with it.

Many alchemists had already begun studying the divine alchemist's array. They held no illusion that they could crack the array but were only there to learn and broaden their horizons. The numerous array patterns all contained abstruse and profound alchemical knowledge. Understanding even a few of the array patterns was an opportunity in itself for them.

The Herb Nurturing Array was like a towering mountain, the peak of which they could not see. However, they had enough time to scale it just a little.

A few hours later, the meditating Ouming Yin suddenly retracted his aura. At the same time, Patriarch Pillheart opened his eyes. The Soul Oozing Incense was burnt clean!

They ended their Qi uplifting techniques simultaneously.

"Hehe, Curmudgeon Solitary, you opened your eyes the moment I retracted my aura. Why? Are you feeling anxious? Didn't you take several days to uplift your Qi in the past? Why did you stop after only a few hours? Are you worried about losing that Purple Numinous Herbal Soil and the divine alchemist heritage? If that's the case, wouldn't the Soul Oozing Incense have been burnt for nothing?"

Ouming Yin looked at Patriarch Pillheart in a derisive manner.

But in response, Patriarch Pillheart only gave a sneer. Without a sound, he beckoned with his hand, producing a mark. That mark flew into the ground and, following that, an array rune lit up on that piece of ground. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

The array rune was about ten feet long, and the rune on the surface coruscated as though it had come alive.

This is…

People looked at Patriarch Pillheart in astonishment. The alchemists who were ruminating over the array came to a stop without realizing it.

The array rune in front of them grew to an intense brightness, as if a tiny sun was being born!

This left them dumbfounded. Patriarch Pillheart had been meditating all this while and did not even spend any time studying the array rune. But now, the moment after he ended his meditation, his casual production of a mark was enough to trigger an array rune.

Seeing the resplendent array rune, everyone knew that it meant that Patriarch Pillheart had already understood the logic behind that particular array rune!

"How is he so fast?"

Everyone was astounded. Ouming Yin's expression instantly darkened. In truth, accomplishing that didn't necessarily mean much. He too could study an array rune and trigger it, but it would take time. Yet, Patriarch Pillheart had managed to do so almost instantly!

"You must have seen this array rune before," said Ouming Yin in a deepened voice.

"Never seen it before." Patriarch Pillheart sneered. "However, many things in this world stem from the same logic. Furthermore, I have seen a portion of the divine alchemist's manuals, so I can naturally draw parallels and inferences. It was enough to instantly figure out the profundity behind it," Patriarch Pillheart said proudly.

His words left people bemoaning their inadequacies before him.

The lot of them had studied for hours but had failed to make a chink in the profound array. Patriarch Pillheart had managed to see through one of the runes instantly. The difference was too massive.

"If this continues, won't Patriarch Solitary be able to crack this Herb Nurturing Array soon?"

When an alchemist made that comment, even he found it unbelievable.

"It can't be that fast… Patriarch Solitary already said he would take a century or two. However, there is no doubt that Patriarch Solitary is the person with the highest hopes of cracking this Herb Nurturing Array."

Many people were convinced of that conclusion. At that moment, the Pillheart Sect disciples were extremely proud. Their patriarch was far more impressive than anyone else.

"This is how brilliant our patriarch is. I have long heard that our patriarch is peerless in alchemy. No one can match him and it's truly my good luck that I managed to see him in action today."

"I think even the divine alchemist was not much better than our patriarch. There might come a day when our patriarch will become the next divine alchemist."

A few Pillheart Sect juniors discussed excitedly as if the person who cracked the array rune at a glance was them.

"What about that shortsighted Yi Yun?"

A Pillheart Sect disciple with tiny eyes suddenly recalled Yi Yun. Everyone looked up and scanned the area, and saw that Yi Yun was already deep in the desolate lands. They were baffled as to what he was up to.

"What an ambitious attempt without any sense of his pitiable limitations. His overestimation of his abilities is truly laughable," the tiny-eyed disciple sneered.

However, just as he finished saying that, his voice came to a pause. Following that, he looked in astonishment at Yi Yun's feet.

It was unknown when it had happened. But wherever Yi Yun walked, golden threads would appear.

The golden threads spread out like a spider web for hundreds of feet.

"What is… that?"

The tiny-eyed disciple was surprised. With him blurting out the question, many people looked in Yi Yun's direction.

They only saw the golden threads twinkling randomly. Although the twinkling glows were not very obvious, they were increasing in number.

Gradually, the golden threads gathered together.

The dimness in the glow continued like ambers that had yet completely finished burning, suffusing the last bits of light.

"What's so surprising about that? Patriarch cracked an array rune at a glance. This punk has been studying it for a long time. Making something happen after so long isn't anything impressive."

The tiny-eyed disciple kept up with his bluster but he was extremely astounded deep down. A godly person like the patriarch needed no explanation, of course he would make something happen. There was more than ten thousand people around and none of them had managed to cause a stir despite all this time. Yet, Yi Yun, someone who had yet to cultivate for two hundred years, was able to make the ground produce golden threads.

He didn't even understand the golden threads so how could he not be jealous?

"Wait, that is…"

Someone suddenly discovered something unbelievable. He pointed towards the constantly amassing golden threads. They were already in the form of a golden blob of light and growing taller. One end had already separated from the ground.

Following that, a scene that dropped their jaws happened. The blob of light expanded in mid-air and flattened, forming a golden door of light!

The door was about ten feet tall. Its surface was shimmering like mercury. It was unknown where it led to.

And this door appeared right in front of Yi Yun.

Yi Yun looked at the door of light and gently exhaled. He turned to look at the Nine Li Magus Maiden behind him. "Let's go in."

"What…"

The Nine Li Magus Maiden looked at the door in shock too. She knew that Yi Yun had found the entrance to the array!

All these years, so many alchemists, even alchemist sages, had come to study the Herb Nurturing Array. Their strategy was to study the array outside in.

But Yi Yun, he was going to start taking action from within!

Nine Li Magus Maiden showed no hesitation. She glanced at Yi Yun as her eyes shimmered with a strange glint. She nodded and said, "Alright!"

Following that, Nine Li Magus Maiden followed Yi Yun and walked into the door!

Aged Blackrock was also extremely shocked. He never expected the young Yi Yun to accomplish such a feat. It was actually possible that he could complete the array one day!

He was worried for the Nine Li Magus Maiden's safety, so he followed behind them.

At the next moment, the door vanished.

With the disappearance of the golden door, the desolate lands returned to their silent state as though none of the previous events had happened.

The ten thousand alchemists present, including Patriarch Pillheart and Ouming Yin, watched helplessly as the scene unfolded before them.

In that moment, Patriarch Pillheart's old face was as black as a wok's bottom.

"Patriarch, what did Yi Yun do…" The tiny-eyed disciple had yet to realize what had happened.

His question was like pouring salt on Patriarch Pillheart's wounds.

The disciple was truly rubbing his nose into it. He stared at the Pillheart Sect disciple. Yi Yun had found the array's entrance by himself but his Pillheart Sect's junior did not even understand what Yi Yun had done. This comparison made Patriarch Pillheart suddenly feel like the painstaking efforts he put into the Pillheart Sect were for nothing. He had nurtured a bunch of trash!

Patriarch Pillheart did not respond. But the abhorrent look in his eyes was enough to make the tiny-eyed disciple tremble. He realized he had said something wrong, something that incurred the patriarch's disgust.

The tiny-eyed disciple felt as though he had been punched in the head. A junior disciple like him was loathed by the patriarch?

"Yi Yun has entered the Herb Nurturing Array's interior!"

A Pillheart Sect elder could not tolerate seeing the junior in such a state, so he sent a Yuan Qi voice transmission to alert him.

But this alert scared the disciple out of his wits. "He entered the array's interior and will study the array from the inside?"

It was obvious what the difference between studying something from the inside and from the outside was.

The ten-thousand-strong alchemists present also understood what Yi Yun had done.

Everyone looked at each other, all at a loss for words. Previously, they thought Yi Yun was studying the array runes. But in fact, Yi Yun was only finding the array's entrance.

The spot he stood at from the beginning had already exceeded them. This was built on the foundation of ability. Even if they wanted to study it from the inside, they could not find the entrance.

"Can we enter too?"

Many people looked at Patriarch Pillheart.

Yi Yun's actions might have astounded them but Patriarch Pillheart had managed to figure out an array rune instantly. He was even able to trigger it. That had also far exceeded their expectations.

Perhaps Patriarch Pillheart would be able to find the entrance to the array too!

The Pillheart Sect disciples were extremely confident in their patriarch. They imagined that when their patriarch found the entrance, they could enter together. They were bound to gain more insights in the Herb Nurturing Array's interior!

Patriarch Pillheart walked deep into the desolate lands with a sunken expression. He wanted to search for the array's entrance.

Ouming Yin followed as well. His expression was equally ugly. Thinking back to the scene of him using the Qi uplifting technique, he realized he had done so for nothing. Compared to Yi Yun, his actions only made him look like a retard.

True Martial World - Chapter 1345: Soul Oozing Incense

Patriarch Pillheart narrowed his eyes as he looked at Yi Yun. He never expected that while the Pillheart Sect was trying to obtain Yi Yun's divine alchemist heritage, Yi Yun was also plotting to obtain his Pillheart Sect's Purple Numinous Herbal Soil.

This was akin to a lion almost catching a mouse, when the mouse suddenly and loudly proclaims that if the lion fails to catch it, the lion would have to slice off a piece of flesh for the mouse to eat.

How could Patriarch Pillheart not be angry?

"Do you really think that an ant like you who has only lucked out has the right to make a bet with my Pillheart Sect? Without the Nine Li Magus Empire protecting you, you would have long been crushed under my foot like an ant!"

As Patriarch Pillheart spoke, his aura was locked onto Yi Yun. He was like a primordial behemoth that was opening its mouth to devour Yi Yun.

But suddenly, a ice-cold chill befell the sky. It went from the back of his neck into his clothes, and all the way to the back of his feet. It left him stifled for a moment.

Then, he turned his head and saw Aged Blackrock staring coldly at him.

"Are you already turning a blind eye to my warning?" Aged Blackrock's voice already contained killing intent. "Humans are truly forgetful. Perhaps my Nine Li Magus Empire has been silent for too long, and people have come to think that my Nine Li Magus Empire stands aloof from the world. Yet they forget which factions have been decimated by my Nine Li Magus Empire. I've been warning you repeatedly but you seem to completely ignore my words and instead, continue making a scene in my Nine Li Magus Empire. My patience is limited. Do you not believe that if I were to ever find out that the Pillheart Sect took action against Yi Yun, I could wipe the Pillheart Sect from the annals of history!?"

Aged Blackrock spoke slowly but every word seemed like a dagger that stabbed into Patriarch Pillheart's heart.

Patriarch Pillheart's heart froze up. He knew Aged Blackrock was not joking.

"You… My Pillheart Sect has a hundred thousand disciples in total. You would massacre my Pillheart Sect for a mere Yi Yun?"

His Pillheart Sect had been in existence for tens of millions of years and it had countless estates and businesses, with numerous disciples. Yet, Yi Yun had only lived for a century or two. This was akin to killing an elephant for an ant.

Aged Blackrock sneered and said, "Do you think decimating your Pillheart Sect is an impressive task? My Nine Li Magus Empire has watched hundreds of millions of years pass. Throughout this long history, too many sects have been destroyed. Your Pillheart Sect has only been in existence for thirty million years. That's considered quite a while."

Upon hearing Aged Blackrock's words, Patriarch Pillheart was left reeling as though he had petrified. In his subconscious, he had indeed recognized the Nine Li Magus Empire as a supernatural existence. It would only fight with high and mighty factions and not intervene in other matters. He had forgotten that the Nine Li Magus Empire was truly a primordial behemoth. Aged Blackrock had vanquished numerous ancient factions.

Yi Yun remained silent as he stood to the side. The Nine Li Magus Empire was indeed a massive entity. They could easily destroy the Pillheart Sect on a whim.

Of course, Yi Yun knew that this was because the Nine Li Magus Empire had put high hopes on him, wishing that he could complete the heaven-defying Fate Changing Pill. Yi Yun was also determined to complete for his own reasons, no matter how difficult it was.

Patriarch Pillheart burned with anger as he looked at Yi Yun. But now, simply staring at Yi Yun left him shuddering in fear, much less cursing him. That was because the Nine Li Magus Empire was too terrifying. It could massacre an entire sect for no good reason. Who would dare try their luck against them?

"Oldie, you have some Purple Numinous Herbal Soil on you now, right? I can’t imagine that you would not have the most important wealth of the Pillheart Sect with you at all times. If you produce the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil, I can use the manuals left behind by my master to make a bet with you. Everyone here can be witness to it. I can swear on my Dao heart and will not be a sore loser."

Yi Yun was bent on obtaining the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil. It had everything to do with his cultivation of the Dragon Emperor Technique.

As for the divine alchemist's manuals, Yi Yun felt that he had no right to use the divine alchemist's legacy as a bet. However, he was very confident about the Herb Nurturing Array. It was definitely not something so easily completed.

Upon hearing Yi Yun's words, Patriarch Pillheart fell silent.

He did have twenty-five kilograms of Purple Numinous Herbal Soil on him. Although it was only a portion, the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil was extremely precious. It was what the Pillheart Sect relied on for survival. He had to ponder it seriously.

However, the divine alchemist's heritage was just too alluring. He did not wish to abandon it for he knew very well that if he gave up the chance, he and the divine alchemist's heritage would forever be parted. After all, the Nine Li Magus Empire had already said that they would wipe out his sect if they even tried to attack Yi Yun. Who would take that risk?

"You and I shall swear. Twenty-five kilograms of Purple Numinous Herbal Soil for all the manuals left behind by the divine alchemist. In addition, I want the Divine Alchemy Cauldron! The limit of the contest will be two hundred years! Whoever completes it first wins."

When Yi Yun heard the two-hundred-year limit, he was stunned. That long?

Although Patriarch Pillheart had added the condition of the Divine Alchemy Cauldron and the amount of Purple Numinous Herbal Soil had been reduced to twenty-five kilograms, Yi Yun still nodded. "Deal!"

From Patriarch Pillheart and the other alchemist’s point of view, two hundred years was a very short amount of time. That amount of time was just enough to get them running.

No one expected that the situation would develop to this stage. Yi Yun, a junior, had made a bet with Patriarch Pillheart.

"This Yi Yun truly doesn't know his place."

"If not for the Nine Li Magus Empire, his challenge against Patriarch would be a joke."

The Pillheart Sect disciples looked at Yi Yun as though he was a retard. In their eyes, Patriarch Pillheart was a godlike existence. He was peerless in the domain of alchemy after he became an alchemist sage a million years ago. He was the most experienced and powerful alchemist sage in the Heavenly South Great World at present.

Even the alchemist sage, Ouming Yin was Patriarch Pillheart's junior.

Yi Yun couldn't be bothered wasting his time with the Pillheart Sect. He turned towards the Herb Nurturing Array and began studying the array patterns meticulously.

And at that moment, Patriarch Pillheart surprisingly did not begin studying the array. People could see that Patriarch Pillheart had sealed off a portion of space, where he meditated within and breathed Heaven Earth Yuan Qi in and out. The Pillheart Sect disciples also placed long benches in the space. An unadorned incense cauldron was placed on all the benches. A fragrant incense stick was lit as they burned with spiraling smoke.

Patriarch Pillheart was preparing himself quietly in front of the incense cauldrons as though he was completely isolated from the world.

"It's the Soul Oozing Incense. Each stick is worth more than a million middle-grade Spirit Jade. With twelve lit, it's equivalent to burning more than twenty million Spirit Jade!"

Many alchemists present had a keen eye. They instantly recognized what incense Patriarch Pillheart was burning.

Top alchemists would follow a series of rituals before they refined any divine medicine. They would burn incense, bathe, and wash their hands. Some would even take a month to prepare themselves before they began any refinement.

This ritual was not done without reason. It was to allow one to reach the optimum state of mind.

The stage with the burning of incense was very particular. The incense burned were luxurious items made to enrich one's soul.

The lighting of one incense stick could heal a sickly mortal and extend their lives. Its effects on alchemists were much lower but it was still expensive. And the Soul Oozing Incense was one of the best.

To alchemists, burning twenty million Spirit Jade in one shot might not be anything. However, this was only the first time. The studying of the Herb Nurturing Array would continue on for one or two centuries. The incense would continue burning in the future which meant burning immense amounts of Spirit Jade.

"The Pillheart Sect does have deep pockets. Just the simple ritual of burning incense puts many other factions in their place."

Many a time, details meant everything. One did not need to count the number of experts a large sect had to determine its wealth. One could tell simply from the way they operated daily.

"A beard lathered is half shaved. The few days of easing one's mind might be nothing compared to two hundred years. Just Senior Solitary's cultivation of his mind far exceeds other alchemists!"

A black-clothed elder spoke. As he fawned over the Pillheart Sect, he looked disdainfully at Yi Yun. "Unlike others who are as anxious as a monkey. He hasn't even taken in as many as a few breaths after arriving in the Nine Li Magus Empire before beginning to study the array. It would be ridiculous if he can figure out anything."

From the elder's point of view, such a profound Herb Nurturing Array needed a long period of time to comprehend. Being anxious only ran counter to one's desires.

Yi Yun was indifferent to the discussion. At that moment, his mind was immersed in the Herb Nurturing Array, and he was completely focused…

True Martial World - Chapter 1344: Item that must be obtained

The Nine Li Magus Maiden's mortality made it so that she lacked any form of life preservation. With so many riffraff in the crowd, it was naturally unsafe for her to walk through.

At that moment, behind the Nine Li Magus Maiden, Aged Blackrock pressed down on the air, forming an invisible wave that spread out. Anyone who came into contact with the wave was pushed back by a tremendous force. They retreated back further and further.

"What's the matter?"

The crowd was infuriated. They were people of standing, so the sudden push made them unhappy. However, they did not dare protest because it was done by Aged Blackrock.

The wave went deep into the desolate lands, forming a path a hundred feet wide that was clear of any obstruction.

The Nine Li Magus Maiden stepped into the passage and said to the crowd, "I'm sorry. I’ve suffered from a frail body since I was very young. I can only inconvenience everyone to make way. Sorry to anyone I’ve offended."

The Nine Li Magus Maiden's voice was gentle, like a whistling wind in spring. It made the furious mob calm down.

"Who is this woman?"

They could tell that she enjoyed an extremely high status from the way Aged Blackrock treated her. She was definitely an important figure in the Nine Li Magus Empire.

But what really vexed them was that the path that was opened up by pushing them away was not only walked by the Nine Li Magus Maiden, but Yi Yun as well.

Yi Yun followed the Nine Li Magus Maiden and walked almost alongside her.

Everyone there was a true alchemist. Yi Yun was only a junior. What gave him the right to enjoy such preferential treatment?

People were unconvinced that Yi Yun deserved it, especially those from the Pillheart Sect. They were even more frustrated. Their Pillheart Sect had always been treated as esteemed guests no matter where they went. Yet here they were, reduced to being small players and belittled.

"Curmudgeon Solitary, you have always claimed that your Pillheart Sect is the number one alchemy sect in the Heavenly South Great World. But aren't you still being pushed aside to make way for a junior and a mortal? It doesn't seem that impressive to me!" said a white-dressed middle-aged man standing beside Patriarch Pillheart with a smile.

This white-dressed man was none other than Ouming Yin. Like Patriarch Pillheart, he too was an alchemist sage. Although he was generationally lower in standing than the Patriarch Pillheart, he thought highly of himself. He never showed much respect to the Patriarch Pillheart. This caused quite a rift between them.

"Isn't it the same with you? You claim to be the number one genius in the world of alchemy but in the eyes of the Nine Li Magus Empire, you are nothing but shit," said Patriarch Pillheart coldly.

That put an end to the verbal war with Ouming Yin, so instead the Patriarch Pillheart followed Yi Yun and the Nine Li Magus Maiden into the depths of the desolate plains.

He held back his anger for he wanted to fully comprehend the Herb Nurturing Array, smacking the Nine Li Magus Empire's figurative face in the process. At the same time, he wanted to settle scores with Yi Yun. The Pillheart Sect's Elders would not have died in vain.

Behind Patriarch Pillheart, many alchemists followed him into the desolate lands.

They walked rather slowly and, after an hour, they arrived in the middle of the Herb Nurturing Array.

"This is the array's core."

Although the alchemists that were present could not fully comprehend the Herb Nurturing Array, it was not difficult for them to identify its core.

At that moment, they saw Yi Yun begin to probe the area. He would stop in front of every array pattern for a moment to ponder over it.

When Patriarch Pillheart saw Yi Yun's actions, his expression sank.

"This little bastard obtained the divine alchemist's heritage out of sheer luck. Does he really think that he's some figure of importance? There he is, deliberately acting mysterious and putting on a show."

The Patriarch Pillheart knew that the Herb Nurturing Array was no trifling matter. If one's cultivation level was lacking, it would be impossible to probe it. It was the same even if one knew the theory behind a tiny portion of the array patterns. Furthermore, how could the heritage left behind by the divine alchemist be so easy to fully understand?

"Blackrock!" Patriarch Pillheart spoke again. Although he was a lot younger than Aged Blackrock, he did not think himself as Aged Blackrock's junior. He called to him directly. "The Nine Li Magus Empire has not mentioned what rewards it will offer if the pill inside this massive array is completed."

When Patriarch Pillheart said that, everyone looked over. Instantly, the din subsided. Everyone looked at Aged Blackrock, for all of them were concerned about the question.

Aged Blackrock looked indifferently at Patriarch Pillheart and said, "Everyone has different needs. When the time comes, my Nine Li Magus Empire will naturally fulfill the needs of person who succeeds as a form of remuneration. By asking me this now, are you doubting that my Nine Li Magus Empire can afford it?"

"Hehe." Patriarch Pillheart sneered. "How could that be? After all, we will be spending a century or two here. Isn't it better to decide on the remuneration before we invest so much? Don't you think so?"

"No." Aged Blackrock disregarded him completely. "You seem to be mistaken on one point. My Nine Li Magus Empire has never invited your Pillheart Sect to study this array. It was one of your Elders named Seven Kills that kept pleading before I permitted all of you to follow. Why do you now speak as though your spending of a century or two here is sacrificing your time for the Nine Li Magus Empire? If you are unwilling to do so, just leave. If you want some remuneration, show at least some ability to complete this array before we negotiate any further."

Aged Blackrock's response left Patriarch Pillheart at a loss for words. He had a twisted expression on his face. There was nothing wrong in what was said. Indeed, his Pillheart Sect had tagged along voluntarily.

If this were any other time, the Patriarch Pillheart would have lost decorum. But now, he kept his calm.

Patriarch Pillheart said with a heavy expression, "You are thinking too lowly of the tens of millions of years of heritage my Pillheart Sect has. Although you are powerful, you do not know a thing about alchemy. Please do not draw wild conclusions or it will only end up incurring insult on yourself."

"If the Pillheart Sect can complete this pill, I do not want anything from you. All I would ask is for the Nine Li Magus Empire to not interfere with the matter between the Pillheart Sect and Yi Yun!"

As the Patriarch Pillheart said that, he suddenly looked at Yi Yun with a cold glint in his eye.

Yi Yun stopped and turned to look at Patriarch Pillheart. He locked eyes with the old freak that had lived for tens of millions of years. The old freak had set his sights on him again after reeling off on his spiel.

"That can't be done." Aged Blackrock simply and directly rejected it.

"You…" Patriarch Pillheart burned with rage. He yearned to massacre the Nine Li Magus Empire but his strength was greatly lacking.

"If you cannot accept that, just leave. My Nine Li Magus Empire would not stop you."

Aged Blackrock sneered inwardly. He did not care if the Pillheart Sect stayed. In the history of the Nine Li Magus Empire, they had invited alchemist sages to complete the array but all of them failed. What could a mere Pillheart Sect accomplish?

Aged Blackrock didn't even put any hopes in Yi Yun. After all, it was too difficult to mend the array left behind by Senior Divine Alchemist. Its nurturing could produce something that could defy fate itself. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Just as the atmosphere turned tense, Yi Yun suddenly spoke out. "Senior Blackrock, thank you for speaking up for me. The Nine Li Magus Empire has already rendered a lot of help in my feud with the Pillheart Sect. I do not wish to trouble you any further."

Yi Yun smiled and looked back at Patriarch Pillheart. He knew that the Pillheart Sect would definitely not let the matter rest since he was still carrying the divine alchemist's heritage.

Besides, the Pillheart Sect had something Yi Yun needed. He needed the plantation methods for the Unwithering Grass so that he could make Longevity Extending Pills!

In fact, it was not only for Old Snake but for Yi Yun himself.

This plantation method involved the Pillheart Sect's most valued divine item. It could also be considered the core foundations of the Pillheart Sect!

Yi Yun said, "Your wish that the Nine Li Magus Empire would not intervene in our feud isn't anything at all. You want to obtain the divine alchemist's heritage from me and I happen to want something from you…"

"What do you want?" Patriarch Pillheart frowned. Yi Yun's indifferent expression made him extremely uncomfortable.

"Purple Numinous Herbal Soil!"

The Patriarch Pillheart's expression changed drastically when he heard Yi Yun's words.

The Pillheart Sect's possession of the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil was one of its core secrets. How did Yi Yun know?

Yi Yun continued, "You wish to obtain the divine alchemist's heritage without paying the price? Since you are that confident in your Pillheart Sect's alchemical heritage, we can give it a try. If you can complete this array, I will personally request that the Nine Li Magus Empire not intervene in our feud. But if I succeed in doing it, I want fifty kilograms of Purple Numinous Herbal Soil from the Pillheart Sect!"

Back when Yi Yun killed Su Boyang and company, he had used Poison Demon to devour and search their souls. He knew how the Unwithering Grass was planted. Unfortunately, it wasn't a problem with the technique but a result of the Pillheart Sect's special herbal soil—Purple Numinous Herbal Soil.

Through the use of Purple Numinous Herbal Soil, Unwithering Grass could be constantly grown.

Purple Numinous Herbal Soil was extraordinary. It was also recorded in the divine alchemist's manuals but even the divine alchemist had only received a tiny pot of the soil. Purple Numinous Herbal Soil was soil that had been stained with the blood of phoenixes and dragons, formed after absorbing the Heaven Earth essence for hundreds of millions of years.

Just like the Heretical God Fire Seed existed in this world, the soil also had its soil spirit that was even rarer.

If he obtained the Purple Numinous Herbal Soil, he could rear all sorts of spiritual herbs for double the results and half the effort!