Heavenly Heart Pill

Only after reaching the Qi Gathering Stage, when a cultivator's Talisman Artifacts advance into Dharma Tools, Spirit Tools, or even Magic Treasures, will the gap between them and great demons like Flood Dragons or True Dragons slowly begin to narrow.

After Yan Chihuo retrieved the snake skull and placed his spoils into his Storage Ring, he headed toward the Cloud Soaring Sect. At first, he was somewhat worried; although he had changed his appearance, this skin belonged to that assassin, and he feared it might bear some secret mark that would allow the assassin organization to identify him. However, he reached the Cloud Soaring Sect without anyone coming to cause him trouble, and only then did he heave a sigh of relief.

As he walked along the mountain path, he heard a hawk's cry from the sky. Looking up, he saw a black speck flying from afar, which suddenly arrived right before him—it was a Black Eagle. This Black Eagle landed on the ground and immediately transformed into a burly man in black. Yan Chihuo felt that the aura emanating from this person was truly unfathomable, seemingly not much weaker than Wu Yunhe.

The burly man in black barked, "Who are you, daring to alter your appearance to enter my Cloud Soaring Sect!"

Although this was the first time Yan Chihuo had seen this person, he guessed it was the Black Eagle, one of the Three Mountain-Protecting Spirits. He hurriedly said, "Disciple Yan Chihuo, a disciple under Elder Ping, changed my appearance only because I was being hunted by enemies outside. I forgot to restore my original face for a moment; I ask Senior Eagle to forgive me."

Having said this, he handed over his identity token and peeled off the layer of skin from his body. The burly man in black took the token, channeled a strand of magic power into it, and glanced at Yan Chihuo before saying expressionlessly, "This treasure you used to change your appearance is not bad. In the Cloud Soaring Sect, I fear no one other than Wu Yunhe could refine it. However, you are Ping Qi's disciple; why would he be willing to refine this treasure for you?"

Yan Chihuo replied, "This is a treasure I obtained after killing an enemy outside; it has nothing to do with Elder Wu."

The Black Eagle said, "So that is how it is. Still, the person who refined this treasure is no simple character. With you using it to change your appearance, I fear no cultivator in the Body Tempering Stage could see through it." Having said this, he handed the identity token back to Yan Chihuo. Yan Chihuo took the token, bowed to the Black Eagle, and headed toward his own cave dwelling.

Seeing Yan Chihuo walk away, the Black Eagle muttered to himself, "Ping Qi's own aura is somewhat similar to that monkey's. How is it that this disciple is the same? Could it be because of their cultivation techniques?"

Yan Chihuo returned to his cave dwelling and rested well for the night. The next day, he went to Ping Qi's cave dwelling to pay his respects. Upon learning that Yan Chihuo had not only slain the Poison Python but also incurred the enmity of an assassin organization, Ping Qi said, "You really are a troublemaker, always inviting disaster."

He looked at the tiger-head tokens in his hand and said, "I do not know what this organization is, nor do I recognize these tokens, but I do know that in the East Cloud Kingdom, there is a force that secretly opposes our Cloud Soaring Sect. This force is extremely mysterious; our sect has spent great effort investigating it, yet we haven't even been able to find out the organization's name. Looking at it this way, this assassin organization might very well be that force."

Yan Chihuo said, "They hide their heads and tails, being so mysterious; their strength must be inferior to our Cloud Soaring Sect, otherwise why would they resort to such mystification?"

Ping Qi said, "What you say makes sense, but if this organization dares to strike at our Cloud Soaring Sect, their strength cannot be too far behind, even if they are weaker. They are likely only wary of Sect Master Tian Lingzi's superior cultivation. The Sect Master is already advanced in years; if no one else advances to the Dao Foundation Stage, the situation of our sect will not be optimistic after the Sect Master passes away."

He then asked, "Chihuo, what are your plans for your next step?"

Yan Chihuo said, "The Snake Sac is already in hand, so there is no longer any worry about being unable to suppress the virulent poison. The disciple intends to go into seclusion to break through to the Body Forging Late Stage."

Ping Qi nodded and said, "I see that your cultivation at the Body Tempering Middle Stage has reached its limit; it is time to push for the Body Forging Late Stage. How about this: go to the back mountain and find the monkey among the Three Mountain-Protecting Spirits. Tell him you are my disciple, and he will arrange a cave dwelling for you that is conducive to your breakthrough. Just call him Uncle-Master Yuan; among those in our sect, he has the best friendship with me."

Yan Chihuo was overjoyed and added, "Master, I also wish to ask you about two things. One is what this talisman is used for? Additionally, I obtained a few items from slaying that snake demon, and I ask Master to provide some guidance."

Having said this, he handed over the third talisman he had obtained from the Heavenly Evil Blood Demon, the two snake eyes, and the fist-sized round bead.

Ping Qi took them, looked at the talisman first, and said, "You brat, your luck isn't bad. This is a Flight Talisman, which can only be refined by wind-attribute cultivators at the Qi Gathering Stage or above. You know that whether it is a cultivator or a demon, apart from avian demons, one can only fly after reaching the Tribulation Stage. But the wind attribute is an exception."

Yan Chihuo asked upon hearing this, "Why?"

Ping Qi said, "Upon reaching the Qi Gathering Stage, the low-level wind-attribute spell Wind Control Art can advance into the Flight Technique. Therefore, wind-attribute cultivators are the only cultivators who can fly during the Qi Gathering Stage. This talisman has great utility; you must keep it safe."

He then picked up the two snake eyes and said, "I cannot distinguish what these two snake eyes are used for, no matter how I think about it. Aside from refining tools, they would be for alchemy. As for this bead, it is no simple matter."

Yan Chihuo's eyes lit up as he said, "Could this be from a Flood Dragon?"

Ping Qi said, "How rare are Flood Dragons? Where would you be able to encounter one? Although this Poison Python has some Flood Dragon bloodline, it is no easy feat to become a true Flood Dragon. This round bead is indeed a horn that the Poison Python had not yet grown, but the snake demon was not capable of growing it out."

Yan Chihuo said, "Master, then what is the use of this unsprouted Flood Dragon horn?"

Ping Qi said, "It can be used to refine the Heavenly Heart Pill, which will help you advance to the Body Forging Late Stage."

Yan Chihuo said happily, "This is truly a rare stroke of good fortune for me, but who should I ask to refine this pill?"

Ping Qi said, "Go to the Pill Pavilion and state your request. As long as you can pay the refining fees, someone will naturally refine the pill for you."

Yan Chihuo thanked Ping Qi and asked a few more questions regarding cultivation before departing for the Pill Pavilion.

The receptionist at the Pill Pavilion was a young man in his twenties, whose cultivation was identical to Yan Chihuo's.

Yan Chihuo explained his purpose and took out the snake bead.

The Pill Pavilion disciple glanced at the snake bead and said, "This is indeed a rare item. Very well, according to the rules of the Pill Pavilion, as long as you provide eighty Jade Crystals, we will refine it for you. Any missing auxiliary materials will also be provided by us."

Yan Chihuo asked, "I wonder when I can collect these medicinal pills?"

The Pill Pavilion disciple said, "Starting from today, come back in seven days to collect them."