Watching Old Wang fall into a deep sleep, Xiao Li continued refining pills, completely immersed in the process and unable to pull himself away.
Strangely enough, Xiao Li particularly enjoyed the process of alchemy: using flames to burn medicinal ingredients, remove their impurities, and refine a pile of herbs into a pool of medicine liquid.
Finally, he used the flames to condense the medicine liquid into a plump, complete pill.
Xiao Li especially loved the instant the pill formed. Seeing a round, full pill appear before his eyes was simply exhilarating.
(Author: What Innate Alchemy Saint Physique? Xiao Li: That's way too low-level!)
Who knew how much time had passed.
Xiao Li intermittently refined another two Purple Heart Breaking Barrier Pills. One of them was of exceptional quality, and Xiao Li put it away to take when he broke through to Seven Star Dou Grandmaster.
"Mm~ Li'er's technique is becoming more and more polished." Old Wang suddenly sat down beside Xiao Li and said with a chuckle.
"Teacher, have you rested enough?" The fatigue on Xiao Li's face instantly gave way to alertness.
Old Wang said, "Mm! First, about alchemy: before condensing the pill, let the medicine liquid undergo warm nourishment for a little longer. Do not rush to condense it during this stage. Heat control is extremely important during the tempering and purification process.
"Take making soup, for example. You know about that, right? To make a delicious pot of soup, controlling the heat is crucial. Being impatient will only make mistakes more likely.
"This was something an old gentleman taught me when I was young. That old gentleman was a true master! Just a few pointers from him benefited me immensely.
"That old gentleman said that alchemy was like carving. Only by devoting oneself completely and refining every detail with care could one create a magnificent work. This was also a matter of attitude.
"I can tell that you truly enjoy alchemy, but you are still young in the end. You are too rash and restless, unable to settle your mind, always wanting to be faster. Alchemy cannot be rushed."
"Yes! Calling you 'thank you' feels a little distant, Teacher, but I can't think of any better words. Thank you for your guidance, Teacher." Xiao Li listened very seriously.
"Mm~ As long as you took it to heart. Now, take a look at what this old man gained this time." Old Wang said with a faint smile.
"Could it be the gains from the Dou Zun ruin, Teacher?" Xiao Li was also very curious. Dou Zuns were exceedingly rare on the Northwest Continent, and there was not even a Dou Zong in the Jia Ma Empire.
The Storage Ring on Old Wang's hand flashed, and several different objects appeared on the ground.
Xiao Li examined them carefully. There was a colorful scroll, a black scroll, and a piece of parchment whose material he could not identify.
The slightly yellowed parchment was covered in seemingly random patterns, with a finger pointing at one of the lines.
Besides the two scrolls and the strange parchment, there was also a crude wooden box.
"Li'er, these are this old man's gains this time." There was some displeasure in Old Wang's tone; he clearly felt these things were of little use.
Xiao Li opened the colorful scroll and scanned it. He was immediately shocked. It was a poison scripture, and the colorful scroll was named the Seven Colored Poison Scripture.
Xiao Li looked at Old Wang with an odd expression, while Old Wang drank greedily straight from the teapot.
Sensing Xiao Li's gaze, Old Wang turned to look at him. "What is it, Li'er?"
"Ah? Nothing, nothing. Cough, cough. Teacher, could this Dou Zun have been a Poison Master?" Xiao Li changed the subject.
"It seems he really was. Apparently, he was called Dark Poison Venerate or something. You can tell from the name that he was no good person. This Seven Colored Poison Scripture should have been his work," Wang Ming said calmly.
Xiao Li suddenly had a rather bad thought about his teacher. Then, he looked toward the second scroll.
After looking it over, Xiao Li discovered, "Hm? This is a method for making a Flying Dou Technique? Mysterious Rank High?"
Old Wang nodded. "This thing is somewhat useful. When I have time, I'll make a trip to the Magical Beast Mountain Range, kill a Rank 5 flying Magical Beast, and make you a pair of wings."
Xiao Li's mouth twitched. It all matched up. Every single part of it matched up.
Xiao Li looked at the yellowed parchment. In one corner of it was something shaped like a lotus flower.
Seeing Xiao Li pick up the parchment, Old Wang said, "This should be an incomplete map. I do not know what it records, but based on my experience, it should point to some Heavenly Treasure."
Xiao Li was somewhat speechless. His teacher's knowledge truly could not compare to Old Man Yao's. Although he had encountered many fortuitous opportunities, he was ultimately only a Dou Emperor and a Rank 6 Alchemist. He had never seen the scenery from greater heights.
Xiao Li knew what this incomplete map was! It was the incomplete map of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame!
Xiao Li looked at Old Wang, already forming a rough plan in his heart. Teacher should be the dried skeleton Xiao Yan discovered in a cave several decades later. When Teacher's lifespan neared its end, he would follow the example of those before him and leave behind his inheritance. That must have been Teacher's plan.
Xiao Li set a goal for himself. Old Wang likely had only another ten to twenty years left. He had been too seriously injured in his youth, damaging his life essence.
Old Wang's lifespan was much shorter than that of an ordinary Dou Emperor.
Pills that prolong life... the Azure Void Longevity Pill can extend one's life by nearly ten years. A Grade 6 Pill. Becoming a Rank 6 Alchemist within ten years should not be a problem. Then I can add some years to Teacher's life, and Grandfather's as well.
Grandfather's time is nearly up too, but if he breaks through to Dou Emperor, his lifespan can increase further, so he does not need the Azure Void Longevity Pill. What Grandfather needs more is a Dou Spirit Pill.
Xiao Li was already considering how to save his teacher and clan. The Xiao Clan would face a great calamity in the future, and he had to make preparations in advance.
The Xiao Clan's future enemies were the Misty Cloud Sect and the Soul Hall.
However, the current Misty Cloud Sect was different from the one in Xiao Li's memories. At this time, the Misty Cloud Sect was simply the number one sect of the Jia Ma Empire, a holy land for cultivation.
The current Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Shan, was a Seven Star Dou Emperor with considerable strength.
Moreover, according to Old Wang, among the Dou Emperor Experts of the Jia Ma Empire, Yun Shan's temperament suited him best. Jia Xingtian of the Royal Family enjoyed scheming about this and that, which Old Wang disliked. Hai Bodong of the Mittel Family was too cold in temperament, just like his Ice Attribute Dou Qi. Old Wang and he were merely acquaintances who nodded when they met.
Old Wang's evaluation of Yun Shan was that he was free-spirited by nature and loved quiet cultivation, placing little importance on power. As for Jia Xingtian's wariness toward the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Shan simply turned a blind eye.
That was because Yun Shan understood that internal conflict was meaningless. The Jia Ma Empire was already weak, while the Chu Yun Empire, Golden Vulture Empire, Mu Lan Empire, and Serpent-People Tribe watched it like tigers eyeing prey.
The Jia Ma Empire could not afford internal strife.
Xiao Li could roughly guess what had happened. Yun Shan's nature had originally been fairly good. Vulture Protector of the Soul Hall had probably tampered with him when he broke through to Dou Zong. When it came to methods involving souls, the Soul Hall was far ahead of everyone else.
What a world of disasters. In roughly fifty or sixty years, Hun Tiandi would blood-sacrifice the continent to break through to Dou God. What a headache.
Fortunately, there's still Xiao Yan! With Xiao Yan as my safety net, things aren't at their worst. As long as I don't court death, I can wait until Xiao Yan becomes a Dou God. Once the Dou God Bloodline is activated, I can coast straight to Dou Sheng. Then, after going to the Greater Thousand World, being some sort of second-in-command in the Endless Flame Domain wouldn't be bad either.
Xiao Li had already planned out his great Lying Flat Cause. Risk his life? What a joke! He would never risk his life in this lifetime. He would just quietly develop and keep life going.
Let Xiao Yan do the risking.
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