The Dragon Pattern Black Gold and Phoenix Blood Red Gold were both a size larger than a human head, nearly identical in shape and dimensions. Perfectly rounded and bearing an air bestowed by heaven, they resembled a dragon pearl and a phoenix treasure born together, then lost in the mortal world.
Clang!
Yuangeng lifted them, one in each hand, then suddenly exerted force and struck them together. The tremendous clash of heavy objects rang out, accompanied by the faint, harmonizing cries of a dragon and phoenix, echoing through the vast Primordial Mine Tunnel.
Several pitch-black dragon silhouettes and crimson phoenix silhouettes flickered beside Yuangeng, but soon vanished again into the black gold and red gold.
Worthy of being the finest divine materials of this era. There really is something to them.
Yuangeng carefully sensed the Dao resonance of the dragon patterns within the Dragon Pattern Black Gold. It truly possessed something of a True Dragon's imposing presence. Though this power was innate, it bore some resemblance to the illustrious path of Dragon Dao cultivation from the Immortal Ancient Era.
He had never studied the Dragon Dao, but he had heard of that renowned path. During the Immortal Ancient Era, the True Dragon Great Dao of the Primordial Ancient Realm had been formidable, producing two immensely powerful Immortal Kings and even surpassing the Immortal Domain.
Yuangeng had never seen the True Dragon Immortal King, but he had once watched from afar as the Immortal King Second Under Heaven sparred with another Immortal King in the Immortal Domain. It had been the most earth-shaking battle he had witnessed in his life. When those two supreme Immortal Kings fought, even the slightest trace of their might made one's primordial spirit tremble.
The Dao inscribed upon this Dragon Pattern Black Gold was clearly far from the level of the True Dragons of the Immortal Ancient Era.
Yuangeng closed his eyes and carefully contemplated the courses of those dragon patterns. A moment later, a strand of Lunar Essence immortal light flowed from his fingertip. Its radiance merged with the Dragon Pattern Black Gold and evolved into a dragon silhouette, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, an innate majesty rising from it.
"Interesting."
Yuangeng studied the dragon silhouette closely. As his source resonated with the immortal gold, he seemed to glimpse the fundamental method of the Dragon Pattern Black Gold.
Then he turned his gaze toward the Phoenix Blood Red Gold. Phoenixes had also been one of the strongest races of the Immortal Ancient Era. Unfortunately, they were extraordinarily rare, and Yuangeng had never seen one, leaving him no basis for comparison.
Still, an idea had already taken shape in his mind. Among this world's nine great immortal golds were Dragon Pattern Black Gold and Phoenix Blood Red Gold. Perhaps this was no coincidence, but rather the universe copying the spirit and form of those ancient supreme beings and imprinting them upon the immortal gold.
There were also Divine Mark Purple Gold, Immortal Tear Green Gold, Dao Tribulation Gold, and others. Each seemed like the vast universe's attempt to reproduce some supreme Dao from ancient history...
For a veteran Extreme Dao Supreme like him, comprehending such paths posed little difficulty. Perhaps a few decades would suffice to combine the fundamental method of an immortal gold with his own Great Dao and create several imperial forbidden techniques.
Indeed, the source Great Daos of this world's immortal golds held considerable potential for further development. If he were truly willing to devote the time, forging a path to becoming a True Immortal might not be impossible.
Unfortunately, his rapidly dwindling lifespan left Yuangeng no leisure to study the sources of immortal gold. His final limit was approaching. He needed to separate himself from the Dao Seed within his body as soon as possible and follow the path of using the body as a seed.
Accordingly, he needed to forge a sufficiently powerful weapon to carry his Dao Seed.
"You two, I also need some Primordial Life Stone. I hope you will oblige."
After putting away the Dragon Pattern Black Gold and Phoenix Blood Red Gold, Yuangeng recalled another treasure unique to the Primordial Ancient Mine. Unwilling to bother searching for it himself, he looked toward one of the chaos-shrouded mine tunnels and spoke.
Primordial Life Stone had been a specialty of the ancient mining region since before the Immortal Ancient Era. It was not a material for refining weapons, but something more akin to a medicinal ingredient, nurturing exceptionally unusual laws and primal vitality, with many wondrous uses.
During the Immortal Ancient Era, Yuangeng had heard that the finest Primordial Life Stones truly could bring the dead back to life. Even Immortal Kings would covet them.
The Supremes within the Primordial Ancient Mine remained silent. Only a moment later, two rocks shimmering with strange light flew out of a mine tunnel. These wondrous stones were shrouded in silver-gray immortal mist, each standing half a person tall. They resembled two enormous hearts, pumping out vast quantities of vitality with every beat.
"Oh?"
Yuangeng was surprised. He had not expected the Supremes of the Ancient Mine to be so generous. These two Primordial Life Stones were truly sizable. Although the quality of Primordial Life Stone in the Shrouding the Heavens era only reached the pinnacle of the Human Dao, it remained a supreme treasure. He had never expected to obtain it so easily.
"Let us forge a friendly bond. Emperor Jun acted of his own accord. Now that he is dead, all karma is settled. I hope you will distinguish clearly, fellow Daoist, and refrain from disturbing our slumber."
The fluctuations of a Supreme's divine sense emerged from the chaos-shrouded mine tunnel. After a little discernment, Yuangeng recognized the Supreme who had treated him so rudely earlier. Now, however, he was quite candid, voluntarily offering two Life Stones to ease their relationship and stating outright that he did not wish to fight Yuangeng.
Having lived through long ages, these self-slashed beings were fundamentally mad and unstable, yet their experience ran far deeper than that of emperors who died after two lifetimes. They understood profoundly the differences in combat strength between Extreme Dao Supremes. Seeking advantage and avoiding danger, they had no desire whatsoever to antagonize a terrifying Supreme like Yuangeng.
"If you intend to refine a Nine-Turn Pill, fellow Daoist, you may also seek me out. I can provide many of the most elusive divine materials, as well as primordial spirit fluid from ancient venerables, emperors' heartblood, and more. All are available for trade," another Supreme proposed through his divine sense.
Clearly, this was an old fellow who had lived for many years. Having slumbered in the ancient mining region for ages and occupied the universe's most precious treasure grounds, he seemed to have even participated in divine wars. His accumulated resources were beyond imagination.
"Unfortunately, I do not have that pill formula."
Yuangeng raised his hand and put away the two Primordial Life Stones. The Ancient Mine's attitude surprised him considerably. He had been prepared for a great battle, never expecting these people to be quite so "accommodating."
For now, however, he still had no intention of cooperating with the Self-Slashed Supremes. These people could be called the most unstable elements in the Shrouding the Heavens universe. Their primordial spirits aged and their lifespans dwindled; every step they took was a gamble with their lives. Even the Immortal Ancient Pact might not be able to restrain them.
Compared with these old fellows driven mad by their pursuit of longevity, the Qilin Emperor was not only emotionally stable but morally upright, making him an eminently suitable ally.
"Heh, heh! I very much look forward to seeing how deep the reserves of an ancient figure like you run, fellow Daoist."
That Supreme paid no heed whatsoever to Yuangeng's attitude. He gave a low chuckle, neither affirming nor denying anything.
Yuangeng did not answer. He could not be bothered to investigate who this Self-Slashed Supreme was. When Heaven and Earth underwent their great upheaval at the End of the Primordial Era, many Supremes would surely emerge to participate in the turmoil. He would not stand by then. He would thoroughly purge these unstable elements.
With that thought, Yuangeng took a light step within the Ancient Mine. Heaven and Earth trembled in the region around him, and he vanished from the spot in an instant, leaving not the slightest trace.
He needed to organize his knowledge of the Immortal Ancient Artifact-Refining Method. He also wanted to consult the Qilin Emperor on the intricacies of refining weapons through the Human Body Secret Realm method, so that he could forge an Imperial Dao Weapon.
Rumble!
Not long after he vanished, terrifying fluctuations suddenly erupted from the Primordial Ancient Mine. An immense suction arose from deep within the mine tunnels, drawing the starlight and moonlight across millions of miles surrounding the entire mine, along with the sages of the Hundred Clans who had ventured too close... into the deepest reaches of the black hole-like mine pit.
This sudden upheaval made every sage around the Ancient Mine shudder in terror. Many flew beyond the sky and cautiously looked down upon the Primordial Ancient Mine. Yet it was utterly dark there. Even light had been completely devoured, leaving nothing visible.
"Alas!"
Only after a long while did a hollow sigh emerge from the deepest reaches of the Primordial Ancient Mine. The Supreme's murmur seemed to carry an ancient, demonic power, echoing within people's hearts.
"A terrifying unforeseen variable..."
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