Earthfire Cavern

Hu Donghan smiled faintly, raised a hand, and gently waved, summoning the Medicine Spirit Ghost. "If we're talking about how I cultivate spirit herbs, it's actually quite simple. I merely rely on this Medicinal-Scent Ghost."

The reason Hu Donghan had sealed off the area around the Small Medicine Field was simply that he did not want anyone discovering the Medicine Spirit Ghost's secret of cultivating spirit herbs. When the Medicine Spirit Ghost was not cultivating herbs, however, Hu Donghan did not mind letting it show itself—after all, according to the sect's records, Medicinal-Scent Ghosts were exceedingly rare. Before Hu Donghan went to see the Mad Demon Ancestor, he had not known that anyone else in the sect possessed a Medicinal-Scent Ghost. Now, the only fellow who had owned one was already dead as a doornail, so there was naturally no need to worry about his lies being exposed.

Moreover, because Medicinal-Scent Ghosts were extremely rare, there was naturally little research concerning them. Even if someone discovered the Medicine Spirit Ghost's abnormalities, Hu Donghan could claim ignorance and brush it aside.

"Medicinal-Scent Ghost? You're saying this is the Medicinal-Scent Ghost's effect?"

After hearing Hu Donghan's explanation, Wang Ruolong was somewhat disappointed.

There was simply too little historical information concerning Medicinal-Scent Ghosts. Thus, aside from possibly increasing the growth speed of spirit herbs by twenty percent, there were no records whatsoever of what other effects they might possess.

Hu Donghan said, "If Senior Brother Wang doesn't believe me, you can inspect the spirit herbs within this area of roughly one mu. This one-mu patch of spirit herbs is the range within which the Medicinal-Scent Ghost can have an effect. Those two Six-Section Grass plants ended up like that because of the Medicinal-Scent Ghost as well."

"So that's how it is." Wang Ruolong nodded, disappointment coloring his expression. "Earlier, I was thinking that the spirit herbs in your one-mu field were brimming with spiritual energy and carried a pleasing medicinal fragrance. In terms of growth efficiency, they were probably more than twice as fast as ordinary medicine fields! I had thought Junior Brother Hu had some excellent method for tending spirit herbs, but it turns out it was because of the Medicinal-Scent Ghost."

Yet immediately afterward, Wang Ruolong became full of energy again. "Then Junior Brother Hu, you intend to join our Earthfire Hall!"

"That's right. I do indeed intend to join Earthfire Hall." Hu Donghan nodded without denying it.

Wang Ruolong immediately burst into delighted laughter. "Good! Good! Good! Since that's the case, Junior Brother Hu, come with me to Earthfire Hall and meet the other alchemists. Also, if you want to join Earthfire Hall, you must pay a visit to the Hall Master! The old Hall Master is also a Spirit Transformation Ancestor of the Yin Soul Sect, bearing the title Heaven-Seizing. With the Heaven-Seizing Ancestor backing you, even if you leave the Enforcement Hall, you won't need to worry about anyone causing trouble!"

After all, alchemists and artifact refiners were both groups that required talent. In the entire Yin Soul Sect, Earthfire Hall had only six hundred members in total. Four hundred were artifact refiners, while two hundred were alchemists. Such rare talents would never be executed unless they committed some grave mistake—

Of course, these two groups could practically all be called technical shut-ins. On ordinary days, they could not even be bothered to step out of Earthfire Hall's gates. Even when they did go out, it was always like Wang Ruolong earlier—rushing in, rushing out. Getting into disagreements or conflicts with others? That was practically the stuff of legends.

However, when Hu Donghan heard that they were going to Earthfire Hall and that he would have to meet an Ancestor, he could not help hesitating. "We're going now? And I have to meet the Heaven-Seizing Ancestor?"

Wang Ruolong immediately nodded. "Of course! There aren't many people in Earthfire Hall to begin with. Every additional person is another treasure. The Heaven-Seizing Ancestor has ordered that whenever a newcomer joins, they must go pay their respects!"

After saying that, Wang Ruolong curled his lips. "All right, all right! You don't need to worry about anything. What the Heaven-Seizing Ancestor values is whether someone can benefit Earthfire Hall and whether they can benefit the Yin Soul Sect! Even if you truly have some good treasure on you, the Heaven-Seizing Ancestor could not be bothered to spare it a glance... Besides, the Ancestor is kind-hearted. Even junior disciples like us can usually ask him questions, or even crack a joke or two. You don't need to worry!"

Wang Ruolong understood quite well what Hu Donghan was thinking, and his words were full of disdain—if one had to name the wealthiest place in the entire Yin Soul Sect, it would unquestionably be Earthfire Hall. The Heaven-Seizing Ancestor was also utterly devoted to alchemy and artifact refinement; ordinary objects simply could not catch his eye.

"Yes, I understand." With Wang Ruolong putting it that way, Hu Donghan also understood—perhaps the only thing of his that the Heaven-Seizing Ancestor might take notice of was the True Exposition of the Ghost Path. However, Hu Donghan had never told anyone about the True Exposition of the Ghost Path, so there was naturally no need for concern.

Seeing Hu Donghan agree, Wang Ruolong was naturally overjoyed. He directly controlled his medicine cauldron, brought Hu Donghan with him, and soared into the air toward the Yin Soul Sect's main peak.

This time, flying with Wang Ruolong was only the second time Hu Donghan had flown through the air since his journey to the Yin Soul Sect.

They flew swiftly, and in no more than five or six minutes, they had entered the main peak.

Flying was forbidden within the main peak. Wang Ruolong brought Hu Donghan down at the mountain gate, then dragged him along in a whirlwind toward Earthfire Hall.

Earthfire Hall held no low status within the Yin Soul Sect, so the area it occupied was naturally not small. It directly occupied an entire mountaintop of the main peak.

Yet although it was broad daylight, aside from some twenty Enforcement Hall disciples outside and two dull-eyed fellows inside holding alchemy furnaces, there was not even a ghostly shadow to be seen throughout the entire Earthfire Hall!

Wang Ruolong led Hu Donghan straight into the inner hall, and no one even stopped them.

"The outer hall of Earthfire Hall was originally arranged by the sect to deal with miscellaneous matters. But the people of Earthfire Hall are usually too lazy to come out, so this outer hall is merely for show." As Wang Ruolong continued dragging Hu Donghan farther inside, he quickly introduced the place. "The inner hall of Earthfire Hall is the true essence of Earthfire Hall. Down from the secret chambers of the inner hall lies Earthfire Hall's core, the Earthfire Grotto. Based on their distance from the Earthfire, the Earthfire Grotto is divided into three levels. So long as our hall's people have time, they are all inside the Earthfire Grotto refining pills, forging magical artifacts, and the like..."

As Wang Ruolong spoke, he had already brought Hu Donghan into a secret chamber in the inner hall. "Each level of the Earthfire Grotto is also divided into separate areas. The artifact refiners' side clangs and bangs all day long, so they have their own section. We alchemists are on the other end. Generally speaking, the two sides are divided left and right. As long as we take the left path, we can't go wrong."

As Wang Ruolong spoke, he led Hu Donghan into the first level on the left, then shouted loudly, "Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers, I've brought a newcomer to Earthfire Hall!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

The moment Wang Ruolong's words fell, explosions rang out from the stone caves of all sizes around them.

Hearing those explosions, Wang Ruolong shrank his neck and grabbed Hu Donghan's hand. "Quick, go! Hurry and come with me to pay respects to the Ancestor."

The two had just descended to the second level when several people in the passage behind them roared in fury, "Wang Ruolong, I'll fuck your ancestors for eighteen generations!"