Pill Tower
The Inner Domain of Sacred Pill City seems to be a completely different world from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
There are no throngs of people here, no deafening noise; there is only a profound tranquility and solemnity.
Rows of quaint buildings, exuding the aura of time, are neatly arranged on both sides of the wide and clean streets. The air is filled with a faint, lingering Medicinal Fragrance that has lasted for years. Taking a breath of it is refreshing and invigorating.
Most of the people walking here are dressed in Alchemist robes, with a calm demeanor and sharp eyes. The badges they wear on their chests are at least Fifth Grade, and occasionally Tier 7 or even higher-grade Alchemist can be seen hurrying by, drawing awe-inspiring glances from passersby.
This is the true core area for Alchemist, and the most central and revered place in this area is the colossal tower that stands between heaven and earth, like a divine miracle— the Pill Tower!
Following behind Elder Sheng, Lin Ming looked up at the legendary building, and even with his composure, a look of awe flashed across his eyes.
The Pill Tower is not an ordinary stone or ironwood tower. Its entire body is a warm, grayish-white color, as if it were forged from countless powdered medicinal herbs refined to perfection and some kind of mysterious jade. The tower's surface is as smooth as a mirror, yet one can faintly see countless fine, capillary-like, mysterious patterns flowing slowly within, radiating boundless Soul Fluctuation and Life Aura. The entire giant tower soars into the clouds, its end invisible to the naked eye, its tip hidden in the swirling mist, as if connected to the heavens.
It stood there silently, yet it seemed to be the soul core of the entire Sacred Pill City, its invisible pressure enveloping all directions, preventing anyone from having the slightest thought of desecration.
Just by getting close, Lin Ming could feel a comfortable throbbing coming from his Spirit Realm Grand Perfection of the Spirit Realm, as if a wanderer was returning home. Some kind of ultimate truth of heaven Supreme Principle and the Origin Power contained within the tower were actively resonating with him.
"Hehe, anyone who sees the Pill Tower up close for the first time will feel the same way as you." Elder Sheng noticed Lin Ming's shock and a proud smile appeared on his face.
"This tower was not built by human hands. According to ancient records, it was naturally formed over countless years by the founder of my Pill Tower and many sages and great masters of ancient times, who gathered the power of heaven and earth and combined countless rare and precious materials. It is an immeasurable treasure in itself, the foundation and symbol of my Pill Tower."
Lin Ming took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and slowly nodded. Such a divine object was indeed beyond imagination.
The closer one gets to the Pill Tower, the clearer the invisible pressure becomes, but at the same time, the nourishment felt by the soul also becomes more pronounced. Within a hundred feet of the tower is a spacious white jade plaza. At the edge of the plaza, guards clad in light silver armor, exuding a sharp aura, stand solemnly, their eyes like lightning, scanning everyone who approaches. The strength of these guards is generally at the Peak Dou Emperor level, with the leader even reaching the Dou Zong level!
"Elder Sheng!" Upon seeing Elder Sheng arrive, the Leader of the guards immediately bowed and saluted. His gaze swept over Lin Ming and Elder Yao with a hint of curiosity and scrutiny, but he did not stop them.
Elder Sheng nodded slightly and led the two directly to the dark metal gate at the bottom of the Pill Tower, which was ten feet high and tightly closed. The gate was engraved with patterns of the sun, moon, stars, flowers, birds, insects, fish, and various intricate Medicinal Cauldrons, exuding an ancient charm.
Elder Sheng stood before the door, his expression solemn. He formed a strange hand seal, and a gentle yet vast Soul Power surged from his body, flowing into the door.
"Buzz--"
With a deep hum, the patterns on the door seemed to come alive, stars shifted, plants grew, and the Medicinal Cauldron shone. A soft light shone through the crack in the door, and then, the incredibly heavy door slid open silently, revealing a deep and bright space behind it.
"Follow me." Elder Sheng stepped in first.
Lin Ming and Elder Yao exchanged a glance, then Lin Ming followed closely behind.
The moment Lin Ming stepped into the Pill Tower, he felt a lightness throughout his body, as if he had passed through an invisible membrane. The scene inside the tower broadened his horizons even further.
The space inside the tower is countless times more vast than it appears from the outside, clearly due to the use of extremely profound Space Power. The first thing that catches the eye is an enormous, dome-like hollow structure. Looking up, one can see higher levels extending upwards like star rings, reaching the horizon in a deep and mysterious way. Soft and bright light pours down from somewhere, illuminating the entire space as bright as day, yet without being dazzling at all.
The Medicinal Fragrance in the air became even stronger, almost imperceptible. Moreover, this Medicinal Fragrance was not singular, but a perfect fusion of thousands of different medicinal energies. Inhaling it not only accelerated the circulation of one's Dou Qi, but also brought an unprecedented sense of comfort and vitality to the soul. The surrounding walls were not solid, but rather seemed to be formed from condensed energy, Radiant Flow, constantly displaying the phantom images of various medicinal herbs, the formation of elixirs, and even some blurry Human Form practicing alchemy, all exuding a natural and profound Daoist charm.
Occasionally, figures dressed in special robes from the Pill Tower would pass by, some hurrying along, others lost in thought. The Soul Fluctuation emanating from them, even the weakest, reached the level of 6th Grade Alchemist, with Tier 7 and Tier 8 alchemists not uncommon. This place was truly a paradise for Alchemist!
"The Pill Tower is divided into multiple levels. The higher you go, the higher the licensing requirements become, and the more precious the pill formulas, scriptures, and resources you can access," Elder Sheng explained as he led the way. "The guild leaders usually meditate or handle affairs on the top levels. Let's go directly to the 'Starry Sky Council Hall'."
They didn't linger on the ground floor. Elder Sheng waved his sleeve, and a Space Power enveloped the three of them. The next moment, the surrounding scenery changed rapidly, as if they were traveling through a tunnel of light. In just a few breaths, when the surroundings stabilized, they were already in a completely new environment.
This place felt like a miniature starry sky. Beneath one's feet lay a smooth, mirror-like black ground reflecting the twinkling starlight. Above one's head was not a roof, but an endless, deep night sky, with twinkling stars and the Milky Way stretching across the sky, exuding a tranquil yet vast atmosphere. A light mist permeated the surroundings, and within the mist, three ancient-looking thrones, seemingly formed from condensed stars, were vaguely visible, suspended in the void in a triangular shape.
At this moment, two figures were already seated on two of the thrones.
One of them, whom Lin Ming had met before, was Xuan Kongzi, one of the three giants. He smiled and nodded when he saw Lin Ming and the others.
On the other throne sat a beautiful woman dressed in a light blue dress. She had a lovely face, a gentle and graceful demeanor, and a pair of bright, clear eyes that seemed to see right through people.
When her gaze fell upon him, Lin Ming immediately felt a gentle yet incredibly pure Soul Power sweep over him, as if it could see through even the deepest secrets of his soul. This made him slightly uneasy, and he immediately became vigilant.
"This is President Xuan Yi," Elder Sheng introduced respectfully.
"Junior Lin Ming greets President Xuan Yi." Lin Ming bowed.
"Heavenly Flame Venerate, please sit." As Lin Ming bowed, Xuan Kongzi's gaze fell on Elder Yao, and a Cushion was brought over.
As Elder Yao President Xuan Yi in a gentle voice, like a spring breeze. "No need for formalities. Indeed, heroes emerge from among the young. High-Grade Spirit Realm soul at such a young age... even Yao Chen back then was far inferior to you at your age. No wonder even the proud Yao Chen has mentioned you many times."
Lin Ming was taken aback. Why would the Venerable Yao bring him up for no reason?
At this moment, Xuan Kongzi introduced himself, saying, "Lin Ming, the reason Elder Sheng invited you here is twofold: firstly, he wanted to see you, this suddenly rising star among Alchemist, in person; secondly, there are some matters he needs to discuss with you."
His tone turned serious. "The Elder Mu Gu is just the beginning. The Soul Hall is determined to obtain the Pill Gathering and the Three Thousand Burning Flame. They act secretly and ruthlessly. You have come into their sights, so you must be extra careful from now on."
Lin Ming nodded solemnly, "Thank you for the reminder, Chairman. I understand."
"We summoned you here not merely to remind you," the President Xuan Yi said gently. "We hope that you can become an important force for our Pill Tower in this Pill Gathering, in our fight against the Soul Hall."
She paused, looked at Lin Ming, and slowly said, "Your Soul Power far surpasses that of your peers; this is your greatest advantage. The Three Thousand Burning Flame is a top-ranked Heavenly Flames on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, possessing the characteristic of immortality and indestructibility, making it extremely difficult to subdue. To gain its approval, besides strength and opportunity, powerful Soul Power is a crucial factor. We don't yet know exactly who the Alchemist the Soul Hall has sent this time is, but just in case, we need you to stop him, or rather, defeat him, in the final stage."
Lin Ming hesitated for a moment, then did not immediately agree. Instead, he asked, "May I ask the two presidents, the Pill Tower is full of geniuses, and Miss Cao Ying and Brother Dan Xuan are both outstanding. Why did you choose a junior like me?"
Xuan Kongzi and Xuan Yi exchanged a glance. Xuan Kongzi smiled and said, "Cao Ying and Dan Xuan are indeed exceptionally talented, but they... are still lacking in skill. And we've said this not only to you, but also to Yao Chen's disciple Xiao Yan. It's always good to be on the safe side."
Having said that, he looked at the two giants without further thought and said in a deep voice, "The Soul Hall and I have a long-standing grudge. It is my duty to disrupt their plans. Since you two leaders trust me, I am willing to do my part!"
"Very well!" Xuan Kongzi clapped his hands and laughed. "Since that's the case, then it's settled. Before the Pill Gathering begins, you can use this token to freely enter and exit the first five floors of the Pill Tower and read most of the pill formulas and classics there. If you have any questions about alchemy, you can come to me or Xuan Yi at any time."
As he spoke, he flicked his finger, and a stream of light shot towards Lin Ming. Lin Ming caught it; it was a token that was neither gold nor wood, warm to the touch, with an ancient character "Dan" engraved on the front and a starry sky pattern on the back, echoing the starry sky above the council hall. The token contained a special spatial and Soul Imprint.
"Thank you very much, Xuan Kongzi!" Lin Ming was overjoyed. This was an opportunity that was priceless! The collections of the first five levels of the Pill Tower were enough to drive any Alchemist crazy.
"Prepare well, the Pill Gathering approaching, and many powerful figures will gather there." The President Xuan Yi encouraged gently, "We are all looking forward to your performance at the Pill Gathering."
Leaving the Starry Sky Council Hall, accompanied by Elder Sheng, Lin Ming and Elder Yao began to tour the areas within the Pill Tower that they had permission to enter. The first place he went to was the "Myriad Scrolls Pavilion," which housed a collection of ancient books. Stepping inside was like entering an ocean of books, with countless light scrolls formed from the Soul Power floating in mid-air, categorized and radiating vast informational fluctuations.
From the lowest-grade first-rank pill formulas to the rare Tier 7, everything was available. Lin Ming had also seen quite a few incomplete Tier 8 formulas. In some areas protected by special Restriction, Lin Ming could even vaguely sense more powerful fluctuations, which were likely the real Eighth Grade Pill Recipe and knowledge involving Ninth Grade Treasure Pill or even higher levels!
Lin Ming immersed himself in it with great eagerness. With the Soul Power of Spirit Realm Grand Perfection, his reading and comprehension speed far exceeded that of ordinary people. Many of his previous confusions about alchemy were answered here, and some ingenious ideas broadened his horizons.
For the next few days, Lin Ming hardly left his house, immersing himself entirely in the Myriad Scrolls Pavilion of the Pill Tower and some of the open alchemy Quiet Room. Like a giant sponge, he frantically absorbed the alchemy knowledge accumulated by the Pill Tower over thousands of years, and verified it with his own learning. His alchemy skills were accumulating and improving at an astonishing speed.
Elder Yao was more interested in the ancient records and fragments about Soul Cultivation within the Pill Tower, and often perused them alone.
During this time, Lin Ming could sense that the atmosphere in Sacred Pill City was becoming increasingly tense, with more and more powerful auras converging from all over the continent. The Pill Gathering was drawing ever closer.