Alchemy

Bai Yuan and his group continued racing deeper into the Star Dou Great Forest.

However, they did not dare venture too far in. Once they could no longer sense any commotion in the distance, they stopped.

"Second Disciple," Bai Yuan called.

The white-haired beauty behind him immediately understood. Her entire body changed at once, turning into a towering tree that enveloped everyone.

Moreover, this tree was much taller than before. Now that they were somewhat deeper within the Star Dou Great Forest, it did not seem out of place at all. Instead, it blended into the surrounding environment as though it had always grown there.

The illusion array engraved upon the Second Disciple activated, making the tree fit even more naturally into its surroundings. Even the windows and such completely vanished.

The interior layout had not changed much, clearly having been deliberately preserved by Bai Yuan's Second Disciple.

Xiao Wu stared in astonishment.

Was she truly a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast that had rebuilt her cultivation?

The moment the thought surfaced, Xiao Wu immediately rejected it. Once a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast rebuilt its cultivation and took human form, it could not transform back.

Unless it was one of those legendary Fierce Beasts, which could freely shift between human form and Soul Beast form.

But if she really was a Fierce Beast...

Bai Yuan set Ning Rongrong down.

The girl's face was still flushed. She occasionally stole glances at Bai Yuan, but seeing that he showed no expression whatsoever, she could not help feeling disappointed.

Bai Yu carefully set Wang Qiuer down, then flung Xiao Wu out and asked, "Master, how should we deal with her?"

Xiao Wu was still struggling. Her breathing had become somewhat difficult, and her large eyes could not help rolling upward.

Bai Yuan activated the Wood Spirit Array, and the vines in Xiao Wu's mouth finally withdrew. "Xiao Wu, do you want a fate worse than death?"

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Xiao Wu coughed violently for a while before snapping, "If you have the guts, kill me!"

"Killing you would be useless," Bai Yuan said. "So I'll give you one more chance to choose. Do you want a fate worse than death?"

"Eldest Sister Mother, how is Master Father going to make her suffer a fate worse than death?" Curiosity showed in Wang Qiuer's golden eyes.

Without another word, Bai Yu took Wang Qiuer's little hand and pulled her upstairs, seemingly worried that something inappropriate for children might happen.

"Master, I'm taking Qiu'er upstairs."

"Mhm." Bai Yuan nodded.

Ning Rongrong looked over as well. She did not want to watch anyone being tortured, so she followed Bai Yu and the others upstairs.

"Young Master Bai, I'll go up too."

"Alright," Bai Yuan said.

In an instant, only Bai Yuan and Xiao Wu, who was tightly bound by vines, remained.

"I..." Xiao Wu wanted to say she was not afraid, but when she thought of the constant suffocation just now and that lingering despair of being on the verge of death, the words suddenly would not come out.

"Looks like you're afraid." Bai Yuan crouched down and gently stroked her face, which was mottled with bruises and swollen in several places from the beating.

Xiao Wu lowered her head in silence.

Afraid?

In a moment of impulse, when rage surged to one's head, perhaps one feared nothing. But after calming down, lingering dread would return.

Yet she had no intention of responding to Bai Yuan.

Even if she truly was terrified.

Bai Yuan said calmly, "Xiao Wu, don't worry. Under normal circumstances, I don't hit people. Right now, I only want to ask you one question: who do you think is more important, Da Ming and Er Ming, or your brother Tang San?"

Xiao Wu froze. She had thought that if she stayed silent, brutal torture—or even inhuman humiliation—awaited her.

And now he was only asking this?

Xiao Wu instinctively felt relieved.

After hesitating, she still said, "They're both important."

Bai Yuan smiled. "Then if you had to choose one side, which would you choose?"

Xiao Wu smiled but did not answer.

Bai Yuan continued on his own, "This is a scene from the future that I saw. Da Ming, Er Ming, and you will all become Tang San's Soul Rings and Soul Bones, becoming the foundation for his ascension to godhood."

Xiao Wu was startled, then instantly regained her composure.

"You're trying to deceive me again? I won't fall for your tricks this time."

Bai Yuan smiled. "Believe it or not, it makes little difference to me. I'm chatting with you only to give you an opportunity. If you can help me kill Tang San, I'll sincerely take you as disciple as well."

"You must be dreaming!" Xiao Wu sneered.

Bai Yuan said nothing more and merely formed hand seals.

"Wood Spirit Array!"

"Earth Spirit Array!"

Vines once again plugged Xiao Wu's mouth, leaving her struggling to breathe and in unbearable discomfort, yet without endangering her life.

A large pit appeared out of thin air, burying Xiao Wu inside. As before, Bai Yuan left her a ventilation hole.

"Xiao Wu, think it over carefully. If you change your mind, you can tell Ning Rongrong when she brings you food."

The earth covered her over, and everything returned to normal.

Bai Yuan walked to the "wall" and reached out to touch it.

"Master." A thought-voice called to him.

Bai Yuan nodded. "From now on, your name will be Mu Junwu."

"Thank you for bestowing me a name, Master," Mu Junwu replied.

Bai Yuan left and headed upstairs as well. For the time being, he had no intention of teaching the Wood Emperor Longevity Scripture to Mu Junwu.

After all, he could still only bind one disciple. He had to hurry and help Bai Yu achieve a breakthrough.

As he passed the kitchen on the second floor, Bai Yu was teaching Ning Rongrong how to stir-fry. Ning Rongrong was learning earnestly, while Wang Qiuer watched curiously from the side, her three golden eyes blinking away.

Sensing Bai Yuan passing by, the three of them greeted him together.

"Master."

"Master Father."

"Young Master Bai."

Bai Yuan nodded in response. "I'm going upstairs. Don't call me for this meal."

"Alright," Bai Yu replied.

Ning Rongrong felt somewhat disappointed. She felt that her cooking skills had greatly improved and had wanted Bai Yuan to properly taste her food, but he said he would not be eating this meal.

Wang Qiuer stepped forward and hugged Bai Yuan. "Master Father, Eldest Sister Mother said that not eating is bad for your health."

Bai Yuan was speechless and said with a wry smile, "Alright, alright. Your master will eat before going upstairs to handle matters."

"Yay!" Wang Qiuer was delighted.

A smile appeared on Ning Rongrong's face as well, and she stir-fried even more seriously.

However, it was obvious that being able to cook well on one's third attempt would require extraordinary talent. This time, Ning Rongrong messed up again, and the stir-fried vegetables came out charred black.

But Bai Yuan did not make her eat it as he had last night. Instead, he had her deliver it to Xiao Wu. Before Xiao Wu came to her senses, he only needed her to stay alive.

Since they could not waste food, they gave it to her.

After the meal, Bai Yuan arrived at the top floor.

Aside from a bed and windows, there was also an Alchemy Furnace that appeared to be made of bronze.

This was the Alchemy Furnace Bai Yuan had forged himself.

In terms of quality, it was barely sufficient for refining Foundation Pills.

"There's only one batch of these materials. I hope I can produce a few more Foundation Pills." Bai Yuan lit the fire with the Fire Spirit Array, added the various medicinal ingredients, and began refining.

At the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The battle there had entered its most intense stage. No one knew how many Soul Beasts had already been killed by the terrifying aftershocks of the battle.

However, after the Dragon Duke Snake Matriarch arrived and unleashed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the three Soul Beasts fell into an absolute disadvantage.

Every one of them was covered in wounds.

The Azure Bull Python was in the worst state. In order to save the Titan Giant Ape, which had been surrounded by Bone Douluo and the Dragon Snake Couple, it had been directly severed of one horn by Sword Douluo.