Above the azure sky, an energy pillar over six meters thick shot straight into the heavens, gathering into a strange cloud that lingered for a long while.
Before the medicine cauldron, whose flames were gradually subsiding, Yan Kuan slowly sat up from the ground. He glanced at the pillar shooting into the sky and frowned slightly.
With a wave of his hand, the crimson flames transformed into dazzling, multicolored Empyrean Flame. The pillar immediately trembled violently and rapidly drew in its light. Moments later, a faint glow drifted down from within the pillar and came to rest above Yan Kuan's palm.
The glow gradually receded, revealing its true form: a colorful pill the size of a longan. Its surface was perfectly round, and faint multicolored pill patterns still remained upon it.
As that strand of colored light fell into Yan Kuan's hand, the pillar reaching into the heavens and the glowing clouds in the sky gradually turned illusory before finally vanishing completely.
After all the phenomena faded, Yan Kuan lowered his head to look at his palm. His joyful face carried a trace of exhaustion. He was indeed tired, but he was also truly delighted.
Being able to refine a Sixth Grade Peak pill like the Rank-Advancing Pill meant that his alchemy had crossed a certain threshold. He could now attempt to refine Seventh Grade pills.
"Brother Li, is that the Rank-Advancing Pill you mentioned? The one that can help Four Extremities Realm experts advance into the Dragon Transformation Realm?"
Sun Wukong, the Third Valley Lord of Ten Thousand Demons Valley, stared at the round Spirit Pill in Yan Kuan's palm, his eyes filled with curiosity. After Yan Kuan nodded, he reached out to grab it.
However, just as his fingers closed, the Rank-Advancing Pill turned into a streak of rainbow light and shot away. It circled Yan Kuan's body, moving with remarkable spirituality.
Sun Wukong stared at the Rank-Advancing Pill in astonishment. "Is that still a pill? It actually knows how to dodge?"
"Third Valley Lord, your knowledge is rather shallow. I told you before that pills above the Fifth Grade possess spirituality, though most only have the vaguest awareness. Ordinary Sixth Grade pills would not possess such spirituality."
Yan Kuan smiled and waved his hand. The Rank-Advancing Pill floating beside him flew back into his palm on its own. He took out a Jade Vial and placed it inside. "But when refining this Rank-Advancing Pill, I used Empyrean Flame to help it condense at the end, bringing its quality close to the Seventh Grade."
Listening from the side, Yan Qiang looked at the Rank-Advancing Pill that had made the Jade Vial float and clicked his tongue in amazement. "A pill merely close to the Seventh Grade already has such spirituality. Wouldn't higher-grade ones be able to speak?"
Yan Kuan considered it before replying, "That may only be possible for pills above the Ninth Grade. As far as I know, pills above the Seventh Grade possess abundant spirituality. After some pills leave the cauldron, they may fly away on their own if one is careless, leaving the exhausted alchemist dumbfounded."
"Eighth-Rank pills can transform into Pill Beasts resembling spirit beasts. Once successfully refined, they must still be tamed. As for Ninth Grade pills, treasures of that level are rarely seen in the world. Their intelligence is almost no different from that of ordinary living beings."
A slightly aged voice suddenly rang out from beyond the field. "Such miraculous alchemy is something I have heard of for the first time. Brother Li, your inheritance truly is extraordinary!"
"Big Brother has left seclusion."
Delight appeared on Sun Wukong's face. He then looked toward a pavilion outside the square, where a figure was slowly approaching.
The figure looked like an elderly man, yet his life force was vigorous.
The First Valley Lord of Ten Thousand Demons Valley was an Immortal Crane that had attained the Dao. He had already lived for six hundred years, yet his complexion was excellent. He was truly white-haired with the face of a child.
The three Valley Lords of Ten Thousand Demons Valley all had extraordinary origins. The Third Valley Lord was supposedly descended from a degenerated branch of the Fighting Saint Ape Clan that had remained on the Human Ancestral Star. Once his cultivation reached a certain level, he would evolve into a form with a thunder-god's mouth and Fiery Golden Eyes, resembling a Fighting Saint Ape.
The First Valley Lord, meanwhile, was an Immortal Crane that had attained the Dao and cultivated a human form. It was said that he had obtained part of the ancient sword immortal inheritance at Shu Mountain. His strength was incomparably formidable. After cultivating for six hundred years, he had reached the great perfection of the Dragon Transformation Realm.
Among the known leaders of the various sects, this Old Crane was either the strongest or close to it. Unless a Great Divine Power Expert emerged, no one could suppress him.
Having inherited part of Shu Mountain's Immortal Sword lineage, he had remained in seclusion for years, focusing solely on breaking through into the Immortal Platform Realm. Unless it concerned the life and death of Ten Thousand Demons Valley, he would not leave seclusion.
The Second Valley Lord of Ten Thousand Demons Valley was a Spirit Cat that had attained the Dao. He possessed the bloodline of an Ancient Demon God and spent most of his time wandering abroad in search of Immortal Mountain ruins, rarely involving himself in the valley's affairs.
The first-generation Valley Lord had been his ancestor and the founder of Ten Thousand Demons Valley. He had departed during the Warring States period, leaving behind the inheritance of the Three Lives Art for the Second Valley Lord to inherit.
Since the Second Valley Lord wandered abroad and the First Valley Lord remained in seclusion, nearly all affairs of Ten Thousand Demons Valley were managed by the Third Valley Lord. That was why Yan Kuan had mostly dealt with Sun Wukong before this. This was his first meeting with the First Valley Lord.
"Greetings, First Valley Lord."
Yan Kuan gave the First Valley Lord a slight bow. Old Crane returned the gesture with a smile. His face was rosy, his hair snowy white, and his bearing vigorous. As he looked at the Jade Vial in Yan Kuan's hand, his eyes were filled with astonishment, and his heart was deeply shaken.
He had attained the Dao earlier than Monkey. Although the world had already begun entering the End of Dharma, when spiritual energy was drying up, some powerful cultivators from before the Tang dynasty had not yet exhausted their lifespans. He had witnessed a few grand occasions and knew something about pills.
Most of the pills he knew of might possess stronger medicinal effects than the Rank-Advancing Pill in Yan Kuan's hand, but few possessed such spirituality. More importantly, this Rank-Advancing Pill was not particularly high-grade, and the materials used were not especially precious. That made it all the more miraculous.
"First Valley Lord, I heard that you once received an ancient sword immortal inheritance."
After exchanging pleasantries with Monkey and Old Crane, Yan Kuan felt that certain matters could now be discussed. He turned to the First Valley Lord and said, "Do you know where I spent the three years before coming to Ten Thousand Demons Valley to refine pills?"
"I would like to hear the details."
The First and Third Valley Lords exchanged glances, both somewhat puzzled. However, they knew Yan Kuan must have a deeper meaning in saying this, so they followed his lead.
"I spent three years in seclusion at the Immortal Sword Sky Pool of Shu Mountain."
Yan Kuan's words were calm, but they caused a storm to rise within the hearts of the two Valley Lords of Ten Thousand Demons Valley. They abruptly looked at each other, their eyes filled with doubt.
Yan Kuan continued unhurriedly, "I inherited Grand Sage Red Pine's legacy and can be considered his Cross-Generation Disciple. Naturally, I also wish to fulfill his old wish. I heard that the people of Ten Thousand Demons Valley once gained something from the Hanging Coffins throughout Ba Mountain."
Monkey was the first to lose his composure. He gave an awkward laugh and said, "Brother Li, who did you hear that from?"
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