After refining the Life-Ending Essence-Boosting Pill, Zhang Tianhuo was no longer nervous. He quickly took out the Heaven Grade Precious Herbs needed to refine the Three Flowers Dew Pill and began his preparations.
The moment you saw Zhang Tianhuo's gaze, you knew that he had entered that calm, composed state he always had while refining pills. You knew this might be the side of Zhang Tianhuo that possessed extraordinarily high alchemy talent. Whenever he finished refining a batch and began refining a second furnace of pills, his state of mind improved tremendously.
Very quickly, you saw Zhang Tianhuo tempering each medicinal ingredient, extracting its essence and removing its impurities. Every step was incomparably meticulous. Although you did not understand alchemy, even to an outsider like you, Zhang Tianhuo's movements were filled with artistry. Watching him refine pills was a pleasure.
Once Zhang Tianhuo had skillfully finished tempering them, he began placing the Precious Herbs into the Four Symbols Furnace one by one. His practiced alchemy techniques left not a trace of hesitation in his movements, as though everything lay within his control.
Three days later, Zhang Tianhuo opened the pill furnace. There were three pills inside, but one of them appeared somewhat dull, clearly because the heat had not been sufficient. The other two, however, gave off a rich pill fragrance. They even emitted soft murmurs like those of children—precisely the hallmark of Heaven Grade Pills, which possessed a measure of spirituality.
The moment Zhang Tianhuo saw them, he swiftly took out two exquisite Jade Bottles and placed the two pills inside. Once the pills had entered the bottles, Zhang Tianhuo could no longer conceal the smile on his face. He quickly ran toward you. "Father, your son has not failed your expectations. I refined two Three Flowers Dew Pills."
You looked at Zhang Tianhuo with the smile of a loving father, then quickly withdrew it. After coughing, you said, "Not bad. I was not mistaken about you. But I hope you will guard against arrogance and impatience, and continue advancing along the path of alchemy. My expectations for you do not end here. One day, you will surely be able to refine Saint Grade Pills. Of that, I have no doubt."
Hearing your words brimming with trust, Zhang Tianhuo nodded in agreement, though he still could not suppress the excitement in his heart.
"All right. You are a Void God Realm martial artist, yet you still act like a child. Jing'er is waiting outside for your good news as well. Once we return, I will give you a proper celebration."
After speaking, you seemed to recall something and continued, "That Four Symbols Pill Furnace shall be the gift from your father for your advancement to Heaven Grade Alchemist."
"Thank you, Father!"
In the 580th Year, after completing your deduction of a Mysterious Grade Sabre Technique and integrating its essence into Thousand Mountains Twilight Snow, you finally raised Thousand Mountains Twilight Snow's power to the Earth Grade Low-Rank. Your strength increased greatly.
In the 596th year, ...
In the 647th Year, ...
In the 685th Year, ...
In the 743rd Year, your cultivation rose to the Late Infant God Realm.
At the same time, as your strength steadily grew, the Ye Family had become the strongest force in all of Yang Prefecture, occupying the greatest number of resource sites. Even the Jiang State authorities had to show you some respect here.
That same year, the Blazing Sun Holy Land once again sent people to invite you, asking you to join the holy land as one of their Elders. You rejected their request once more.
Until you could determine whether the Blazing Sun Holy Land had been completely corrupted by evil demons, you had no intention of having any dealings with that holy land. If the Blazing Sun Holy Land did not welcome you, you could simply go to another country and continue developing. With your current strength and the Ye Family's power, other countries would clearly be especially eager for you to join them.
Perhaps to avoid driving you away, the Blazing Sun Holy Land had always been gentle in its invitations. Once they learned that you had no intention of joining the holy land, they did not press the matter too hard. After all, every Infant God Realm expert was a pillar of a nation and a powerful foundation for it.
After all, during the Demonic Beast Tide that came once every five thousand years, experts like you would be needed to provide assistance. Otherwise, even a force as powerful as the Blazing Sun Holy Land could not possibly resist the Demonic Beast Tide alone.
The Demonic Beast Tide was part of a Contract between the Sky Flame Empire and the eastern Demonic Beasts of the Demon Race. This Contract prevented eastern experts from casually entering the East Luo Great Forest to slaughter Demonic Beasts and seize their materials, while Demonic Beasts were likewise forbidden from casually entering human territory to plunder.
So long as the top-level combatants of both sides did not enter the fray, the war between the two races would not escalate and allow the third-party Devil Race to exploit the opening. Nor would war cause a loss of top-level combatants, leaving the Human Race and Demon Race unable to contend against the Outer Realm Sky Demons.
Against the Devil Race and the Outer Realm Sky Demons, the Demon Race and Human Race often joined forces to fight their enemies. They could be considered half-allies.
For humanity, the Demonic Beast Tide every five thousand years ensured that lower-level Martial Artists did not forget the cruelty of war, preventing them from becoming so comfortable that they knew only internal strife. It could also give rise to true martial geniuses through the Demonic Beast Tide.
As for the high-level figures of the Demon Race, it was simply because Demonic Beasts reproduced too quickly and their numbers were too great. Organizing a Demonic Beast Tide could also serve as a great wave washing away the sand. Through such wars, a small portion of Demonic Beasts could undergo Bloodline Ancestral Return. Thus, a tide once every five thousand years was just right for the Demon Race.
In the 765th Year, a major event occurred within Jiang State. It took place in Jingzhou near Yang Prefecture: Ganyang Palace, Jingzhou's top force, obtained a strand of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
This strand of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi had been obtained by Ganyang Palace's Grand Elder within a special large Secret Realm. It was a relatively common strand of Minor Pure Spiritual Qi, capable of increasing a Late Infant God Realm expert's chance of breakthrough by thirty percent.
Four Ganyang Palace Elders had also entered the Secret Realm alongside that Grand Elder. After obtaining this strand of Minor Pure Spiritual Qi, one of those Elders leaked the news.
As a result, all of Jingzhou had become the target of the entire Jiang State. After the news spread, many Martial Artists from neighboring nations frequently entered Jiang State, seeking to uncover the truth.
Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was not only tremendously useful to Late Infant God Realm experts; its value alone was astonishing. Often, even several Saint Grade treasures could not be exchanged for a single strand of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
You were skeptical of the matter. Because it was relatively close, you arranged for several Ye Family disciples to investigate the news, verify whether it was true, and find out which forces were interested in this strand of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
If Half-Saint experts or stronger were competing for it, you would not enter the fray and would immediately withdraw. But if only Infant God Realm Martial Artists or weaker were competing, you could consider it and test your own strength.
You personally did not enjoy fighting over treasures, but this strand of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi truly was not something Ganyang Palace could possess. Placing a treasure of this level within a force that possessed only Spirit Condensation Realm Martial Artists was like inviting disaster—they could not possibly protect it. To them, this Minor Pure Spiritual Qi would bring harm rather than benefit.
Even if you entered the fray, this strand of spiritual qi would most likely end up being contested in the hands of other Martial Artists.