Pill Beasts

Lin Ming and his group stepped onto the Pill Hall Third Floor. Under their feet was a smooth, cool, black jade-like floor, reflecting the ancient minerals scattered in the dome that emitted a faint glow.

Looking around, compared to the hustle and bustle of the two floors below, this place seemed spacious and quiet, but the invisible pressure had increased several times over.

Here, upon their arrival, one could vaguely see some figures, some sitting alone in the shadows of a corner, like lurking venomous snakes; others gathered in twos and threes, maintaining a delicate distance from each other, forming a temporary but fragile alliance.

These people were far less numerous than those on the lower two levels, but each of them possessed a powerful and fierce aura, with faint halos of Dou Qi flowing around them. Their eyes flashed with sharp light, as sharp as lightning, and even the weakest among them had the cultivation level of Dou Zong.

Among them were even a few exceptionally subtle yet powerful auras, like hidden currents in the abyss, held back but not unleashed, yet even the perceptive Lin Ming had to glance at them and take them seriously.

It was an old man shrouded in a black cloak, his body gaunt and skeletal, with a faint, deathly aura swirling around his fingertips;

In another location, a handsome young man dressed in fine clothes, with an almost otherworldly face, was playing with a Blood Jade Pendant. A half-smile played on his lips, and his gaze swept over the crowd with the cold indifference of someone scrutinizing merchandise.

Of course, to reach this third level, shrouded in deadly poison and unknown dangers, one would have needed real skills and trump cards; otherwise, they would have long since become nourishment for the ancient formation's operation, just like those black-faced, unseeing corpses on the second level.

The sudden entry of Lin Ming and his group, with their steady steps and refined aura, especially Lin Ming at the head, whose profound and imposing presence, along with the clearly not weak Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, and others behind him, undoubtedly attracted the attention of many figures hidden in the shadows or in the open.

A series of scrutinizing gazes, some filled with apprehension, others with a hint of apprehension, and still others with pure indifference, were projected from all directions like invisible spider webs. They were mainly focused on Lin Ming, and then swept over the Qing Lin, Zi Yan, Xiong Zhan, Di Kong, and others behind him, each with their own distinct aura, as if assessing the strength and threat posed by this new team.

However, after this brief period of being stared at, no one approached to strike up a conversation or provoke them.

Everyone here is a dangerous individual; their hands are stained with blood to varying degrees, and they are all wary of each other, vigilant against possible attacks from any direction.

No one wants to easily break this fragile balance, become the target of public criticism, or benefit others, unless there is a clear and absolute conflict of interest or a sense of fatal threat.

Although there were many people scattered throughout the Pill Hall Third Floor, an eerie, almost stagnant silence pervaded the entire space.

Only the thick, almost impenetrable, corrosive toxic gas in the air, intertwined with the ancient, lingering Medicinal Fragrance of cinnabar, silently spoke of the danger and hidden opportunities of this place, creating a chilling atmosphere.

"I wonder if there are any legendary Tier 9 Medicinal Pill on this third floor? If there are, that would be wonderful. Maybe eating one would make me grow a little bigger."

Zi Yan's amethyst-like eyes curiously scanned the surrounding alchemy rooms, some closed and some open, all more ornately decorated, a look of anticipation appearing on her beautiful face.

As she spoke, she unconsciously licked her lips, as if she could already smell the aroma of an exquisite delicacy.

"Forget about Tier 9 Medicinal Pill."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ming gently shook his head and explained in a steady voice, "Those kinds of pills have already gained sentience and can be considered Heaven and Earth Rare Item. Even ancient Dou Sheng Expert would have valued them as if they were their own lives."

"Such a rare item, whether it's due to the exhaustion of lifespan or irreparable injury leading to its demise, can be revived or have its fate Defying Fate by Tier 9 Medicinal Pill. Therefore, even if the master of this Ancient Ruins was once Dou Sheng, if Tier 9 Medicinal Pill truly existed, he would surely have consumed it before his death to prolong his life. So, finding such an item here is rather wishful thinking."

Lin Ming's words were both a response to Zi Yan and a way of educating the Five Elements Sect members behind him, preventing them from having too many unrealistic fantasies.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Ming, who possessed the foresight to know what the most precious item in the Pill Hall was, no longer delayed.

Although he knew that they hadn't arrived early enough, and he didn't know if the item had already been taken by someone who arrived earlier, according to his memory, the thing had a special shape and extremely restrained energy. Even if an ordinary person saw it, without special methods or extensive knowledge, they wouldn't recognize it at all and would simply ignore it as a useless object or an ordinary small beast.

Therefore, Lin Ming still held considerable hope for this.

Then, with Lin Ming's eyes slightly closed, his vast, ocean-like Soul Power spread out like an invisible tide, centered on him, permeating every corner of this expansive palace and every subtle fluctuation of energy.

A moment later, Lin Ming suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, a look of undisguised joy flashing across his face, his eyes gleaming like stars in the dark night.

Immediately, he lowered his voice, his tone urgent, and said, "Found it! Follow me, keep your breathing still, and don't make a sound!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Ming took the lead and walked away like a ghost, hugging the shadows of the wall, towards an inconspicuous corner deeper into the third floor.

Lin Ming moved with extreme lightness and speed, yet without making a sound.

Upon hearing this, the members of the Five Elements Sect perked up and immediately focused their attention, following closely behind.

Di Kong and the others suppressed their fighting Dou Qi to the extreme, even deliberately softening their breathing, and one by one, they imitated Lin Ming, using obstacles such as corridor pillars and broken alchemy furnaces to conceal their figures.

Their cautious, stealthy manner, combined with their status as powerful figures, made them appear somewhat comical, like thieves.

Zi Yan pouted, feeling that this wasn't satisfying enough, but in order not to ruin Lin Ming's plan, she still did as he said. As for Qing Lin, she carried out Lin Ming's words without any hesitation, nervously clenching the hem of her clothes, her emerald eyes warily observing her surroundings.

Although Xiong Zhan was enormous, he tried his best to shrink his body and landed silently, showing agility that was inconsistent with his size.

Led by Lin Ming, the group tiptoed past several areas with chaotic energy fluctuations, seemingly where battles had taken place, and finally arrived at the entrance to a rather secluded alchemy chamber located in a corner.

Compared to the grandeur of other alchemy chambers, the door to this alchemy chamber appeared exceptionally simple, even somewhat dilapidated, and the runes carved on the door were blurred and inconspicuous.

"Creak..."

At the entrance to the alchemy room, Lin Ming gently placed his palm on the door, releasing a soft burst of Dou Qi. The seemingly closed door creaked open with a slight, dry friction sound, revealing the scene inside the alchemy room to everyone.

Everyone's eyes darted around anxiously, but their brows furrowed in unison.

The interior of the alchemy chamber was small, only a few feet in diameter. Compared to the alchemy chambers they had seen before, which were as grand as palaces, this place was undoubtedly much more cramped and shabby.

The interior was in complete disarray, as if it had been ransacked.

Overturned shelves, shattered Jade Bottle, and scattered remnants of unknown medicinal herbs covered in a thick layer of dust, with a musty smell permeating the air.

Of course, even if the area is small, it doesn't mean much if it contains great treasures.

But looking at the mess before me, as if locusts had swarmed through, it was clear that it had been repeatedly visited and ransacked countless times!

This small alchemy room, which had been visited before, was now empty, messy, and practically devoid of anything but trash.

Wrong...

Etc!

Everyone's gaze suddenly fixed on a corner at the very back of the alchemy room.

There, hidden beneath a pile of broken wood and scattered dried herbs, was a living creature!

It was a small animal covered in snow-white fur, curled up there, seemingly dozing off.

It resembles a cat in appearance, but its body is exceptionally plump, round like a large ball of fur, with almost no visible neck and short, adorable limbs, making it look endearing overall.

Moreover, no energy fluctuations could be sensed from it; it appeared to be just an ordinary, harmless little beast that had wandered into this place by mistake.

Seeing this, Di Kong and the others from the Five Elements Sect exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment, silently muttering to themselves:

"The Sect Master rushed us here just for this little beast? Could it be... that the Sect Master, usually so dignified and composed, secretly enjoys such fluffy pets? It seems we'll have to keep an eye out for similar little beasts to give the Sect Master after we get out; perhaps that will win him favor..."

"Huh! Lin Ming, when did you start liking these little beasts?" Zi Yan, who also saw that the alchemy room was in a mess except for the little beast, was filled with doubt.

However, she didn't think much of it. Since Lin Ming liked it, she would go and get it for him. Zi Yan immediately added, "But it's fluffy and really quite cute; it must be very comfortable to hold. I'll go get it now."

After saying that, Zi Yan immediately set off, grinning as she prepared to catch the little beast and play with it.

"Zi Yan, don't move!" Upon seeing this, Lin Ming's expression turned serious, and he quickly reached out to stop Zi Yan, his arm as firm as an iron clamp.

At this moment, Lin Ming's gaze was fixed on the seemingly harmless, plump white beast, his eyes filled with fervor and solemnity. Then, he uttered words, one by one, that left everyone present dumbfounded and almost doubting whether they had misheard:

"Zi Yan, don't be impulsive. This isn't just any ordinary little beast; it's a medicinal pill!"

"A pill that has reached the Tier 8 Peak! Moreover, judging from its inner spiritual essence, completely concealed Medicinal Fragrance, and such a perfect living creature form, this is at least a Tier 8 Medicinal Pill that has undergone Eight-Colored Pill Lightning. It may even be a super-top-grade Tier 8 Medicinal Pill that has undergone the baptism of Nine-Colored Pill Lightning, or even a semi- Tier 9 Medicinal Pill!"