Hai Bodong, Refreshed and Rejuvenated

"My lord, you're back."

Hai Bodong came over with a fawning smile.

"Don't worry. Your pill isn't going anywhere."

Su Yun reassured him.

He took a medicinal herb from his Storage Ring. It was the Sand Mandala he had casually picked in the desert on his way back.

"Thank you, my lord!"

Hai Bodong was overjoyed.

"Mm."

Su Yun immediately began refining the pill, using the fifth-grade medicinal cauldron Mittel Tengshan had prepared for him.

Though the Poison Breaking Pill was also a Sixth-Grade Pill, it was far less difficult to refine than the Sect Breaking Pill. There was no need to make a special trip to borrow a cauldron from Fa Ma.

"I still need to replace this with a better medicinal cauldron soon. A fifth-grade cauldron simply doesn't match my status."

Su Yun thought of Han Feng again.

If he killed Han Feng, not only would he gain a Heavenly Cauldron, but he would also gather the three Heavenly Flames needed to refine the Poison Pill.

Azure Flame churned within the medicinal cauldron. Hai Bodong wore a tense expression and even summoned Mittel Tengshan to stand guard for Su Yun.

He had waited decades for this. Whether he could succeed depended entirely on this batch of pills. Nothing could go wrong.

"Elder Hai, you worry too much. Looking across the Jia Ma Empire, who would dare disturb Lord Su?"

Mittel Tengshan smiled.

Yet, to his surprise, someone truly came looking for Su Yun at that very moment.

Ya Fei approached with graceful steps and whispered a few words in his ear.

"Sect Leader Yun and Pill King Gu He?"

Mittel Tengshan frowned.

Hai Bodong snorted. "What are they here for?"

Ya Fei replied softly, "In reply to Elder Hai, Sect Leader Yun and the Pill King only said they had urgent business with my lord. They did not reveal anything else."

She knew Hai Bodong's identity.

After officially joining Su Yun's side, Hai Bodong no longer needed to conceal himself. Even though his cultivation had yet to recover, no one would risk offending Su Yun to harm him.

"Teng Shan, guard this place. I'll go meet them!"

"Very well."

Since it concerned the Poison Breaking Pill, Hai Bodong took the matter very seriously.

In the Mite'er Family's main hall, crystal chandeliers poured down warm light. Yun Yun, dressed in a moon-white gown, sat upright on a white jade chair, her hands folded on her knees, calm and composed.

Gu He was nowhere near as composed as Yun Yun. He paced back and forth across the hall, his heavy footsteps echoing continuously as he kept glancing toward the door.

A faint look of helplessness appeared between Yun Yun's brows. "Big Brother Gu He, what is meant to come will come."

Bitterness rose on Gu He's lips. "Sect Leader, you're not an alchemist. You don't understand how important Heavenly Flames are to me."

"Put your mind at ease, Big Brother Gu He. Though Yun Yun is not an alchemist, I understand that a person can only refine one Heavenly Flame.

Su Yun already possesses the Nether Poison Flame. Keeping another Heavenly Flame would be useless to him.

Even if we bid for it, how many people on the Northwest Continent could offer a greater price than a Sixth-grade Alchemist like you?

The Misty Cloud Sect will also do everything in its power to help you."

"The Sect Leader is right."

After thinking it over, Gu He found it reasonable. Some of the anxiety faded from his face. They had rushed over so quickly because Gu He had learned beforehand that Medusa had obtained a Heavenly Flame.

He had gathered a group of powerful experts and headed for the Tagor Desert, arriving just in time to witness Su Yun and Medusa fight fiercely.

Thus, Su Yun had returned to the Imperial Capital on the front foot, and they had followed right behind him.

"Little Yun Yun, Gu He."

Hai Bodong strode over.

"Elder Hai."

Yun Yun had a gentle temperament and offered the salute of a junior.

The old man before her was a powerhouse of the same generation as her teacher. Though he had fallen into decline for a time, now that he had sought refuge with that ancient powerhouse, he would likely return to his peak very soon.

After all, Su Yun's alchemy was even superior to Gu He's.

"Mm. My lord is refining pills and cannot see you yet."

Hai Bodong said carelessly.

"I see."

Yun Yun nodded. Judging by the speed at which Su Yun had refined the Sect Breaking Pill that day, they would not need to wait long.

Yet that wait lasted another half day. A pill-forming phenomenon appeared above the Mite'er Family estate, medicinal fragrance permeating the air as energy ripples slowly spread outward.

"It succeeded!"

Hai Bodong was beside himself with joy.

"Only This Sect Master would refine it for you with just one set of ingredients. What Sixth-grade Alchemist would be willing to do that otherwise?"

Holding a pill the size of a longan, Su Yun entered the hall and flicked his finger. The pill turned into a streak of light and flew toward Hai Bodong.

"Thank you, my lord!"

Hai Bodong thanked him again and again.

"Go. Once you recover your strength, serve This Sect Master well."

"Yes!"

Hai Bodong left, leaving only Su Yun, Yun Yun, and Gu He in the hall.

"This Sect Master already knows why you have come."

Su Yun sat down, resting his elbow on the white jade armrest, his wrist supporting his chin as he crossed his legs.

Gu He probed cautiously, "Then, may I ask..."

"Heavenly Flames are immensely valuable and can only be encountered by chance. What sort of price can you offer?"

"Earth Tier Fighting Skills, Sixth-Grade Pills... Whatever you ask for, I can find it!"

Gu He waved his hand grandly. For the Heavenly Flame, he would be willing to spend everything he had.

"Not enough."

Su Yun shook his head. "A thousand years of worldly change may alter the value of some things.

But rarity commands a price. There are only twenty-three Heavenly Flames on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Forget a thousand years—Heavenly Flames will remain scarce and immensely valuable even ten thousand years from now.

Even Eighth-grade Alchemists may not each possess a Heavenly Flame. This Sect Master will eventually travel to the Central Plains. If I find a suitable buyer, exchanging it for Heaven Tier Fighting Skills or Eighth-grade Pills... would not be impossible.

Your offer is far too poor."

Gu He and Yun Yun both froze.

That was right. Their sights were limited to the Northwest Continent, but Su Yun had already set his eyes on the Central Plains!

"This, this..."

Gu He was rendered speechless. With his capabilities, how could he possibly produce Heaven Tier Fighting Skills and Eighth-grade Pills?

Su Yun showed little interest. "This Sect Master has no intention of selling the Heavenly Flame. Go back."

Gu He still wanted to struggle. "Lord Su..."

"Teng Shan, see the guests out!"

Su Yun swept his sleeve.

Mittel Tengshan hurried into the hall and escorted the two of them out.

"Sect Leader, what should we do now?"

Gu He smiled bitterly.

For a moment, Yun Yun had no solution either. She looked toward Mittel Tengshan. "Patriarch Mittel, could you perhaps speak on Big Brother Gu He's behalf? The Misty Cloud Sect will repay you generously."

Mittel Tengshan smiled. "Please don't make things difficult for me. Lord Su's thoughts are not something a subordinate like me can fathom."

Gu He and Yun Yun remained silent for a long time.

The next day, a powerful Dou Huang aura rose within the Imperial Capital.

Chilling energy coiled around Hai Bodong like frost mist shrouding his body. More than half the wrinkles on his face had faded, revealing a cold, sharply defined visage and a fierce glint between his brows.

"Hahaha, it's been so long since I felt this refreshed!"

"Congratulations, Elder Hai!"

Joy appeared on Mittel Tengshan's face. No matter how powerful Su Yun was, he remained a lofty master whom Mittel Tengshan both respected and feared. Hai Bodong felt far more familiar.

After examining him briefly, Su Yun nodded. "A Two-star Dou Huang. Not bad."

Hai Bodong walked before Su Yun and dropped to one knee. "I am willing to serve my lord with utmost loyalty!"

"Mm."

Su Yun raised his hand slightly, using the power of heaven and earth to lift him up before beginning to paint a grand picture.

"Your cultivation has not fully recovered yet... This Sect Master knows of a Fifth-grade Pill, the Spirit Recovery Purple Pill, which can restore cultivation lost due to sealing.

Serve This Sect Master well, and you will not lack benefits."