For Your Parents' Sake

"There seems to be a powerful curse within these Ancient Ruins, or perhaps some other presence."

Xuan Kongzi ignored them and continued, "Everyone who enters the Yang Side becomes consumed by the urge to reproduce. Those with weaker cultivation even turn into beasts that know nothing but that primal act, until they finally die of exhaustion.

"However, most experts at Dou Wang or above can survive. They simply pay a rather steep price. As for those below Dou Wang, only one person has survived to this day.

"He was a Fifth-Rank Alchemist. Because of his poor aptitude for cultivation, he had remained at the Dou Ling stage."

Xuan Kongzi's words brought thoughtful expressions to several elders' faces.

"Do you mean that the strange power in these Ancient Ruins has less of an effect on alchemists, Chairman?"

"Correct. More precisely, it has less of an effect on those with powerful souls." Xuan Kongzi smiled and nodded.

"What about the Yin Side?" someone asked.

"The Yin Side... very few people have ever emerged from it intact." Xuan Kongzi's brows furrowed slightly.

"Apparently, the power of the curse on the Yin Side is extremely terrifying. Anyone below Dou Emperor who comes into contact with it will have red hair sprout all over their body, becoming a savage beast that knows only slaughter.

"Even Dou Huang experts who escape cannot shake off the curse's influence. Their eventual fate is still the same."

"This condition is almost irreversible."

"Then the Heavenly Flame..."

"The Heavenly Flame is located at the very heart of the Yang Side. Several Sixth-Rank Alchemists have already reached the end by relying on their soul power. However, there is also a seal there. None of those alchemists managed to break it, and they ultimately left in dejection."

Xuan Kongzi said evenly, "The reason I summoned you all here was to ask whether you have any suitable disciples or other candidates.

"Ideally, they should be Sixth-Rank Alchemists whose strength has reached Dou Emperor. Such people are best suited to entering the Ancient Ruins."

The moment he finished speaking, both Yao Lao's and the Pill Tower Grand Elder's eyes lit up.

A Dou Huang expert, a Sixth-Rank Alchemist-wasn't that a perfect description of their disciples?

Xuan Yi, sitting nearby, frowned slightly.

Cao Ying was simply too young, after all. Neither her soul nor her cultivation met the requirements, and Xuan Yi had no desire to send her precious disciple into such a place.

"I only called everyone here today to pass along this information. If there is nothing else, we can adjourn." Xuan Kongzi chuckled, and his figure vanished on the spot.

Some of the elders present also left immediately, while others briefly sank into thought. They each had a few disciples who were Sixth-Rank Alchemists.

Elder Li also had a disciple who was a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. Unfortunately, his cultivation had already broken through to Dou Zong. Elder Li shook his head regretfully and vanished from the Meeting Room.

Elder Li abruptly reappeared in the Alchemy Plaza. He looked around, and his pupils suddenly contracted when he saw Xiao Yan's medicinal cauldron.

"He actually... actually has a chance of succeeding?" Inside Xiao Yan's cauldron, a mass of golden liquid had already slowly taken shape. The immense medicinal power within it far exceeded that of an ordinary Emperor's Extreme Pill.

"Though he may not succeed this time, after repeated adjustments, he might really be able to refine this new version of the Emperor's Extreme Pill."

A flicker of fervor appeared in Elder Li's eyes.

"So this is a genius? Truly frightening." His gaze shifted again, and he saw a purple pill slowly rotating inside Dan Chen's cauldron.

He had intended to offer a few pointers, but upon seeing the serious expression on Dan Chen's little face, Elder Li abandoned the idea of disturbing her.

By then, quite a few students had already finished refining their pills.

"The changes you made to this Snow Spirit Pill are fairly good, but the proportions of the ingredients are very uneven. Also, the amount of the main ingredient, Snow Spirit Grass, must not be changed. Do you understand?"

Elder Li offered guidance to a young Third-Rank Alchemist.

"Yes, Teacher."

"Good!" Elder Li nodded in satisfaction. He took a delicate little spoon from his Storage Ring, scraped a tiny bit of powder off the Snow Spirit Pill, and put it into his mouth.

When refining pills, especially during experimentation, alchemists often needed to taste their medicines. Only through firsthand experience could they discern the strengths and flaws of a new pill.

"Hmm? You added Heavenly Poison Grass to this pill?"

"Yes. I wanted to fight poison with poison..." Before the boy could finish, Elder Li interrupted him.

"Nonsense! Heavenly Poison Grass is lethally toxic to anyone below Dou Wang. A single drop of its juice can poison a Da Dou Shi to death. You added an entire stalk-who below Dou Wang could possibly survive eating this?"

"Yes, Elder." The boy's face paled slightly.

"Still, the idea is good. Next time, you can substitute Five-Colored Leaf. Its toxicity is mild, and one leaf should be about the right dose." Elder Li's kindly expression returned, and he patted the boy's shoulder.

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher." Gratitude appeared on the student's face.

"Hehe, this is what we teachers ought to do." A faint smile appeared on Elder Li's face. It was precisely this sort of expression that fulfilled his sense of being a teacher and role model.

He circulated his Dou Qi, forced out the trace of medicinal essence inside him, spat a thick glob of phlegm onto the ground, and continued walking.

"Shi Hao, is this the Nine Revolutions Golden Pill you refined?" Elder Li looked at the plump Shi Hao with a cheerful smile.

"Yes, Teacher!" Shi Hao proudly thrust out his little belly and looked at Elder Li expectantly.

"Hehe." Looking at the little fatty's adorable watermelon-shaped haircut, Elder Li smiled and picked up the golden pill.

The golden pill gleamed with a pearly, jewel-like luster. It did indeed look somewhat like a high-tier pill.

Elder Li brought the golden pill to his nose and sniffed it, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Why does your pill have a foul, rank smell?"

"Teacher, didn't you say we should preserve the large intestine's source power?" Shi Hao stared at Elder Li with innocent eyes.

"I did say that..." Elder Li nodded and said, "That's right. The essence of the Nine Revolutions Qi-Connecting Pill lies in the large intestine. The substances inside the large intestine are the most important part of this pill."

"Did you preserve it deliberately?"

"I deliberately extracted it during the refining process." Shi Hao held his head high and puffed out his chest, looking confidently at Elder Li.

Elder Li nodded and said nothing more. Instead, he took out his little spoon and scraped some golden powder off the pill. A stench rushed into his nose.

Elder Li frowned slightly and glanced at Shi Hao beside him. Seeing the anticipation all over the boy's face, he finally put the golden powder into his mouth and carefully tasted it.

However, as he chewed it carefully, Elder Li's brows knitted tighter and tighter. Finally, his eyes widened, and he hurriedly circulated his Dou Qi and spat out a mouthful of golden-yellow liquid.

"You, you..." Elder Li clenched his teeth and glared at the startled Shi Hao.

Taking a deep breath, Elder Li looked at Shi Hao and said, "Shi Hao, if you want to become a professional alchemist...

"Hmm... for your parents' sake, tell me: what exactly was the large intestine essence you extracted?"