Pill Hall

These corridors leading into the depths of the main hall had clearly been thoroughly cleaned and ransacked by the treasure hunters who later flooded in when Lin Ming and his group entered the Ancient Forest.

The surrounding area was in complete disarray, with broken tiles and furniture debris scattered everywhere. The pavilions that were originally relatively tidy and perhaps held some hidden opportunities were now destroyed as if they had been hit by a hurricane, with large holes blasted into the walls.

This sight made everyone shake their heads, thinking to themselves that these guys really had no bottom line when it came to looting.

Seeing that the path had been destroyed to this extent, it was clear that there could be no survivors. Lin Ming and the others completely lost interest in a detailed investigation and immediately increased their speed, transforming into streaks of light as they sped toward the center of the main hall.

However, as they hurried on their way, they discovered some unusual signs.

Along the way, they encountered many groups of treasure hunters who were in a hurry and had strong breathing.

These groups weren't running around like headless flies; rather, they seemed to have a clear goal, all heading in the same direction, their faces mostly showing eagerness and greed.

"Huh? These guys... seem to be heading that way?" Qing Lin's emerald eyes flickered as he noticed this phenomenon.

Upon seeing this, Lin Ming and the others were slightly moved. They exchanged glances, all seeing the curiosity and speculation in each other's eyes.

"Follow them and see," Lin Ming decided immediately, speaking in a low voice.

Such a large crowd converging in the same direction must mean something is attracting them! Perhaps they've discovered some important treasure trove, or maybe... traces of Heaven Tier Dou Technique?

After making their decision, Lin Ming and his group stopped rushing around blindly and instead quietly blended into the hurried crowds, maintaining a certain distance and moving quickly in the direction of the flow of people.

"It smells like medicinal pills..."

After following the procession through several wider corridors with relatively less damage, Lin Ming suddenly stopped, his nostrils twitching slightly, and a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

Lin Ming is also extremely sensitive to various energies and auras, especially those related to alchemy.

Upon hearing Lin Ming's words, Zi Yan also sniffed the air, and then immediately exclaimed excitedly, "And it's a very strong, pure Medicinal Fragrance... It seems that the quantity of medicinal pills ahead is quite considerable, and their grade is probably not low either. If I'm not mistaken, what lies ahead should be... a pill storage room! And one of the core pill storage rooms of this Ancient Ruins!"

"Oh? Pills?!"

Upon hearing those two words, everyone present's eyes lit up instantly! So much so that after speaking, Zi Yan couldn't help but lick her lips.

In this world, High-Grade Pills are always a highly tempting form of currency! They can enhance strength, break through bottlenecks, heal injuries, and save lives; their value is immeasurable.

What's more, the pills here were left behind by an ancient Dou Sheng Expert! Just thinking about their quality and efficacy is enough to make one's heart burn with desire, and their allure is multiplied!

At this moment, Lin Ming, who possessed the memories of the Original Work Memory, smiled and said, "Let's go! Let's take a look!"

The corridors inside the main hall were interconnected, like a huge maze. Amidst the flickering light and shadow, countless figures moved through them, creating a series of whooshing sounds.

However, Lin Ming did not wander around like a headless fly. He twitched his nostrils slightly, capturing the faint fragrance of medicinal pills in the air. Moreover, with his vast Soul Power far exceeding that of ordinary people, he acted like the most accurate compass, penetrating layers of walls and obstacles to sense the direction where the energy was most concentrated.

"Keep up!"

With a low shout from Lin Ming, his toes lightly touched the dusty old floor tiles, and his figure shot out like an arrow, his speed suddenly increasing. With his clothes fluttering, he instantly overtook the several hesitant teams in front of him, leaving behind a blurry afterimage.

Behind him, the members of the Five Elements Sect were also greatly encouraged, their Dou Qi roaring out without reservation, pushing their speed to the limit, and following closely with great enthusiasm.

After traveling at full speed for about half a cup of tea's time, Lin Ming, who was leading the way, finally slowed down and stopped in a somewhat open area.

Everyone's attention was instantly drawn to a majestic palace in front of them, exuding a grand and ancient aura.

The palace was built of an unknown material, its entire body a dark blue-green color. The traces of time were etched on it, yet it still could not conceal its solemnity and majesty.

Above the main gate of the palace, a huge plaque hangs high, with two ancient characters in a graceful and elegant style, shining brightly.

"The Pill Hall!"

Lin Ming's gaze sharpened, and he muttered something under his breath, a slight burning desire coursing through him. This was one of the goals of this trip!

However, Lin Ming's gaze quickly shifted downwards. At this moment, the main gate of the Pill Hall had already been forcibly smashed open by brute force. The heavy door panels were shattered on the ground, and faint sounds of commotion and the clash of Dou Qi could be heard coming from inside. Clearly, many who had gotten there first had already frantically searched inside.

"It seems someone has already arrived. Let's go, be careful and on guard."

Lin Ming turned his head and gave a deep order to the people behind him. Then, without further hesitation, he moved and took the lead in entering the surprisingly spacious palace.

Upon entering the first floor of the Pill Hall, a scent mingled with the Medicinal Fragrance, dust, and a faint stench of blood immediately hits you.

Looking around, the hall was in complete disarray, as if it had been swept by a hurricane.

A series of bloodshot figures, like mad robbers, stormed into the Pill Refinement Room scattered around, smashing through any obstacles with their fists and palms, and frantically looting everything in sight.

Occasionally, a fierce and Killing Intent battle would erupt over the discovery of a single pill, with flashing Dou Qi auras and splattering blood, adding to the already chaotic scene.

Lin Ming casually swept his gaze across the first level, his Soul Power spreading out like mercury, before shaking his head slightly.

Most of the pill-making rooms here had been looted. Even if there were any remnants, they were just ordinary pills of low grade, which did not arouse his interest at all.

"The real treasures wouldn't be kept in a place like this. Go upstairs!"

With a wave of his hand, Lin Ming dashed towards the depths of the Pill Hall without hesitation. The group weaved through the chaotic crowd, their powerful aura subtly spreading out, causing some ill-intentioned individuals to restrain themselves and dare not easily obstruct them.

Soon, they found the stairs leading to the next floor.

The moment everyone stepped into the second floor of the Pill Hall, a Medicinal Fragrance several times stronger than that of the first floor wafted into their nostrils. At the same time, a very faint yet slightly tingling, sweet-smelling scent was also mixed in.

"Poison gas!"

Lin Ming remained unfazed, as if he had expected this.

Then, Lin Ming flipped his hand and took out a Jade Bottle from his Storage Ring, pouring out several perfectly round and translucent pills that emitted a cool and refreshing aura.

This is Detoxification Pill that he usually improves and refines based on some ancient alchemical formulas; its effects are extraordinary.

"Take this Detoxification Pill; it will protect you from the poisonous gas here." With that, Lin Ming handed the pill to Zi Yan, Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, and the Di Kong behind him.

No one disagreed with this assessment. Sect Master Lin Ming was not only incredibly powerful but also an Alchemy Grandmaster, so no one doubted his judgment.

He immediately took the pill, swallowed it, and a cool stream of air slid in from his throat, circulating through his limbs and bones, completely neutralizing the subtle poisonous gas he had inhaled.

After taking the pills, everyone felt much safer and followed Lin Ming as he officially entered the second level.

His gaze swept across the ground and then settled on some stiff corpses lying in the distance.

The corpses had blackened faces, bizarrely purplish lips, and wide-open eyes, their deaths gruesome. Judging from their appearance, they were clearly unlucky individuals who had previously wandered into this place but failed to detect or resist the poisonous gas, ultimately succumbing to poisoning.

"Tsk, no wonder there are far fewer people on the second floor than on the lower floors. It seems someone has been tricked..." A member of the Five Elements Sect clicked his tongue upon seeing this, saying with lingering fear, while also expressing even greater gratitude and admiration for Lin Ming.

The group paused briefly on the second floor and conducted a cursory search.

The alchemy chambers on the second floor were significantly more refined and better defended than those on the first floor, but most of them were also wide open and ransacked.

They searched for a long time but only found some pills of decent quality, which were far from meeting their expectations. It seemed that the really good stuff was either hidden in a more secret place or had already been snatched up by someone else.

Lin Ming seemed to have expected this, and his face did not show much disappointment. After seeing that everyone had confirmed that they had not gained anything more, he was unwilling to waste any more time here, and his gaze turned directly to the passage leading to the third floor.

The energy fluctuations and concentration of poisonous gas emanating from that passage were stronger than those on the second level.

"Let's go to the third floor. The real treasure is there!" Lin Ming's voice was calm, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.

"However, the second layer contains poisonous gas capable of killing even Dou Emperor and low- Dou Zong. The third layer will certainly not be peaceful either. Everyone should be careful later."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions became more solemn, and they quietly circulated their internal Dou Qi, preparing to deal with any unexpected situations at any time.

As Lin Ming stepped into the dimly lit passage, the light seemed to dim for a moment, and an even stronger sense of oppression came over him.

The passage wasn't long, and soon the view opened up before us.

The third floor of this Pill Hall is much larger and more complex than the two floors below.

The surrounding area was no longer filled with small alchemy rooms, but instead featured numerous Alchemy Room of considerable size, resembling independent palaces. With carved beams and painted rafters, and decorated in a simple yet magnificent style, they far surpassed the two floors below in both grandeur and scale.

The Medicinal Fragrance in the air was almost tangible; taking a breath made one feel their Dou Qi slightly boiling.

But in contrast, there is a colorless and odorless, yet all-pervasive, highly poisonous gas!

The poisonous gas here is so concentrated that it can not only corrode the Protective Dou Qi, but also penetrate the skin and subtly erode a person's meridians. If it weren't for the high-grade Detoxification Pill that Lin Ming had given them in advance, even Dou Zong expert probably wouldn't be able to hold out for long here.

"The poisonous gas here is extremely concentrated and can corrode the internal Dou Qi. Be extra careful when circulating your Dou Qi and try your best to protect your vital organs."

Lin Ming took a deep breath, feeling the process of the toxin trying to invade his body but being neutralized Detoxification Pill the antidote, and spoke up again to remind him, his voice echoing softly in the empty third floor.

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded solemnly, not daring to be careless in the slightest.