A moment later.
Xiao Yan's figure appeared in what appeared to be a relatively barren mountainside. He casually carved out a simple cave, then sat down cross-legged, with two Storage Ring appearing in his hands.
The two Storage Ring, now separated from their owner's life force, had their soul imprints destroyed without warning. After a thorough search, Xiao Yan was indeed quite satisfied.
Besides the abundant resources in the Storage Ring, the two Storage Ring contained a total of seven Fragrance-Nurturing Pill, the most important item for the Cang Ridge Secret Realm expedition. Adding these to the three he already had, Xiao Yan had already collected half of the required number to clear the realm in just a few days. With a little more care in the future, he figured collecting twenty Fragrance-Nurturing Pill wouldn't take too much effort.
Upon realizing this, Xiao Yan immediately stopped thinking about it and put the item away. Then he closed his eyes, sat cross-legged, and began to recover the Origin Qi he had consumed in the previous battle.
The Heaven Flipping Seal truly lives up to its reputation as the seventh seal among the Eight Emperor Seal Techniques. Its power is comparable to High Intent Grade Dou Technique of the Intent Rank, and the amount of Origin Qi required is also terrifyingly large. Even with Xiao Yan's current cultivation level, he probably can't use it more than a few times. However, after this battle, Xiao Yan has developed a stronger interest in the eighth seal.
The legendary Saint Class Dou Technique —I wonder just how terrifying they are!
After resting for half a day in the valley, just as Xiao Yan was preparing to leave the next day, a strange feeling suddenly entered his heart.
"Huh?"
Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, and a look of joy appeared on his face. He quickly squatted down, spread one palm on the rock beneath his feet, closed his eyes slightly, and the Spiritual Strength in his brow quietly spread out, extending dozens of feet around him along the ground before falling silent.
"Buzz..."
After a long while, at a certain moment, a strange fluctuation flashed by like a fish leaping out of the water, but Xiao Yan suddenly opened his half-closed eyes, and a surprised smile appeared on his lips.
Since entering the Cang Ridge Secret Realm, Xiao Yan has discovered that he seems to have an extremely subtle connection with the earth in this secret realm, to the point that his Spiritual Strength can detect some medicinal herbs that cannot be found under normal circumstances. In fact, the sensitivity of his Spiritual Strength is much higher than that of the outside world.
This sudden, peculiar feeling was something Xiao Yan had never experienced before. After some reflection, he only vaguely realized that he had encountered this peculiar situation several times along the way since he set off for the Pill Tower. However, at that time, he was only focused on traveling and there were many hidden experts in the outside world, so he did not investigate it in depth. But now, in this Cang Ridge Secret Realm, when he carefully sensed it, everything became so clear.
After much deliberation, Xiao Yan could only vaguely guess that it might be related to the Flame Lingzhi Mushroom given to him by Huo Xing Pill Tower. After all, according to Huo Xing and his sister, the cultivation of the Flame Lingzhi Mushroom was combined with the power of the earth's veins. Perhaps it was this special power that gave Xiao Yan some ability to sense rare and precious materials under his good fortune. This was similar to some high-level magical beasts.
About half an hour later, the moment that strange aura surged out again, Xiao Yan's figure also vanished from the mountain cave in an instant.
At the same time, in a mountain stream not far from here, a figure in black robes suddenly appeared. His eyes, filled with firelight, were fixed on a stream flowing from a crevice in the opposite rock. His gaze then fell on a pool of water several feet wide on the ground.
The pool water looked slightly murky, making it impossible to see if there was anything unusual in it. Even with a general scan using Spiritual Strength, one could only detect a patch of silt. To an ordinary person, this small puddle of water would hardly be worth a second glance.
However, this seemingly ordinary pool of water was precisely where Xiao Yan had sensed that hidden aura earlier. If he was not mistaken, there should be some kind of rare magical beast beneath this pool.
"Now that I'm here, I've naturally sensed your presence. Aren't you afraid that your stubborn refusal to reveal yourself will attract even more powerful individuals?"
Xiao Yan paused in front of the pool for a few minutes, but still saw no movement from beneath the water. He frowned slightly and began to threaten him with a hint of impatience.
"Gurgle..."
Not long after Xiao Yan finished speaking, the originally calm pool water in front of him indeed surged, and streams of green water surged out. After the water streams solidified, they soon turned into a strange person with unusually long limbs, a swollen body, and fleshy tumors all over his body.
"It really is Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad!"
Xiao Yan grinned, revealing a satisfied smile.
This beast was none other than the living creature with the animal skin he had seen at the exchange meeting not long ago. However, compared to the former, Xiao Yan's purpose in coming here this time was not just that.
"I never imagined that someone below the Yuan Zun could discover my existence. I thought this barren place was an excellent hiding spot; even during several Pill Gathering gatherings, no one found me. Even Tier Eight Alchemist couldn't find me without a thorough investigation. How did you, a Tier Seven Alchemist, manage to do that?"
Despite sensing the cultivation aura of the human before him, the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad seemed unafraid, simply asking questions based on its own suspicions.
Xiao Yan remained noncommittal, simply flicking his finger to retrieve several jade boxes from his Storage Ring, and then said:
"These things should be enough to exchange for a few Purple Spirit Reed Flower."
Upon hearing this, the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad ignored it, sneered, and said with considerable disdain:
"I have no interest in exchanging anything. Take your things and leave. And don't try to threaten me with those probing words again. I only showed myself to you to avoid trouble, don't mistake that I'm easy to bully!"
After saying that, the beast fearlessly turned around again, transforming into a pool of clear water and disappearing into the pond. This scene made Xiao Yan frown.
Purple Spirit Reed Flower is a medicinal herb that grows alongside the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad. Its effects are similar to those of the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad, both serving as an aid in the process of refining pills. A small amount can significantly increase the success rate of pill refining. Moreover, the medicinal effects of Purple Spirit Reed Flower are even better, which is why it is coveted and sought after by the vast majority of alchemists.
Wherever the Purple Spirit Reed Flower grows, it is almost always guarded by the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad. This beast feeds exclusively on the Purple Spirit Reed Flower, and only the poison sac on the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad can perfectly store the Purple Spirit Reed Flower, thus preserving its medicinal properties for a long time. As a result, many treasure hunters are quite polite when they see the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad, often willing to pay a great price to exchange for the Purple Spirit Reed Flower.
Of course, there were also those who were decisive and ruthless, who forcibly killed the beast and extracted its poison sac to store the Purple Spirit Reed Flower. However, the effect was often extremely poor because the poison sac was removed from a dead animal. Moreover, the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad was extremely difficult to capture. Over time, few people on the continent had the idea of forcibly killing the beast anymore.
This is why the beast didn't even glance at Xiao Yan's offer before stubbornly diving into the pool.
Now that the Purple Spirit Reed Flower is within reach, Xiao Yan will certainly not give it up easily. If he can get his hands on such a treasure, wouldn't it be a great help to him at the Pill Gathering? If he wants to compete with those Tier Eight Alchemist, this item is probably indispensable. Of course, he must get his hands on it!
"If you are dissatisfied with the conditions I have offered, then I have nothing more to say. I am determined to obtain the Purple Spirit Reed Flower, so..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Yan suddenly stomped his foot on the ground. In an instant, a strange black energy rapidly disappeared into the earth. The Power of the Great Dao quickly enveloped the entire mountain stream, including the area dozens of feet below the ground. Xiao Yan's threatening gaze once again focused on the pool water.
"You dare! You want to kill me and steal my treasure? Even Yuan Zun expert would have to think twice. You think you can do that?"
Sensing the unusual activity around it, the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad suddenly roared from beneath the water, causing the surface of the pool to churn with splashes.
Ignoring everything else, Xiao Yan slowly stepped forward, unleashing a powerful aura imbued with icy killing intent. Sensing this aura, the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad in the water was clearly surprised, not expecting this human to actually intend to kill it. It immediately twisted its body, covering its surface with a strange film of water, and then disappeared into the ground in a flash, surprisingly without causing the slightest disturbance on the ground.
However, this tried-and-true escape method was blocked this time by a strange black barrier dozens of feet away from the pool. Every time it tried to pass through the barrier, its figure would reappear not far from the barrier, as if the barrier was a cage from which it could not escape no matter how hard it tried.
"It's actually the Great Dao of the Void!"
He gasped inwardly, but the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad wasn't too concerned. As long as the opponent wasn't Yuan Zun expert, there was a way to break through this barrier!
Instantly, the beast exuded an aura belonging to a powerful Yuan Zong expert. Judging from its cultivation level, it had actually reached the level of Six-Star Yuan Zong. It was quite remarkable that it had been able to cultivate to this level in the barren mountain belly.
Noticing the movement of the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad, Xiao Yan sneered. He stretched out one hand, and with a thought, a ball of crimson flame, as hot and flowing as magma, appeared in his palm—it was the Volcanic Stone Flame!
As soon as the Volcanic Stone Flame appeared, Xiao Yan didn't hesitate. Before the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad could break the Great Dao of the Void restriction, the ground beneath his feet began to writhe strangely. Terrifying high temperatures spread rapidly, melting rocks and turning the earth crimson in an instant, transforming it into a pool of blood-red magma. With a wave of his hand, the Xiao Yan exploded, revealing a magma hand that tightly gripped a hideous demonic beast—none other than the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad.
"You... you actually possess something so incredible!"
Upon seeing the Heavenly Flames in Xiao Yan's palm, the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad was immediately alarmed. Its hiding technique was only effective when buried underground, and even ordinary experts of the Great Dao of Rock could not capture it. However, it did not expect to suffer a crushing defeat in front of the Heavenly Flames today.
"Even if you kill me, the Purple Spirit Reed Flower you obtain is destined to be short-lived. You should think this through!"
Feeling the increasingly powerful force emanating from the magma hand, the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad became somewhat panicked and could only resort to threatening Xiao Yan in return. However, the latter merely chuckled and said:
"It's alright. As long as the medicinal power of the Purple Spirit Reed Flower can last until the end of the Pill Gathering, that will be enough."
For Xiao Yan, the Purple Spirit Reed Flower was only used as an aid in refining the Creation Pill. As long as it could be effective at the Pill Gathering, it would already satisfy his needs.
After saying that, Xiao Yan's control over the magma palm gradually strengthened, and no matter how the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad struggled, it was unable to break free for the time being. Judging from this, it seemed that it could only obediently submit to being slaughtered.
"Fine, fine! I'll agree to your terms: release me, and I'll give you the Purple Spirit Reed Flower!"
The Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad was now truly terrified. The terrifying high temperature assaulted its entire body, and even though its internal Origin Qi was surging outwards, it was still to no avail. If this continued, it would truly die at this person's hands!
"No need. I don't like people who go back on their word. Let's just leave it as it is."
Xiao Yan spoke coldly, and at the same time, the power he exerted over the Heavenly Flames in his hands became even more ferocious. The Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad was immediately panicked and, in its fear, suddenly cried out:
"You madman, I'll give you the Purple Spirit Reed Flower Liquid, is that alright?"
" Purple Spirit Reed Flower Liquid?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered slightly, and his surprised gaze fell on the Spiny-Scaled Poison Toad's flushed face.