The journey to the Pill Region was longer than expected. The Pill Region was not a city, but a vast territory surrounded by mountains and wreathed in Spirit Mist. Medicine fields and illusory pill furnaces could be seen everywhere, and the medicinal fragrance permeating the air was richer and purer than that of Ten Thousand Medicines Valley, potent enough to nourish a cultivator's Origin Qi.
"The Origin Qi of heaven and earth in the Pill Region contains 'Pill Essence.' Cultivating here for a long time greatly benefits both one's alchemy and the purity of one's Origin Qi." Mo Chen pointed to a valley below, shrouded in rosy light. "That is Pill Condensation Valley. Newly recognized alchemists in the region all go there to temper their pill flames."
Xiao Yan looked down at Pill Condensation Valley. Tens of thousands of pill furnaces filled the valley, their flames rising and converging into a golden sea of fire. The flames mingled with the Origin Qi of heaven and earth, forming a distinctive current of Pill Essence. Countless cultivators sat cross-legged beside the furnaces, absorbing Pill Essence with their eyes closed and reverent expressions on their faces.
"It truly is a sacred land of alchemy," Xiao Yan marveled sincerely. He had never seen such a grand spectacle of alchemy, not even at the Pill Tower on the Dou Qi Continent.
The closer they came to the heart of the Pill Region, the more extraordinary the cultivators they encountered became. On the way, they stopped to rest in a town called Medicinal Fragrance City. The largest auction house in the city was holding a pill auction, where a single top-grade Origin Emperor Pill fetched the astonishing price of ten million Origin Stones, leaving Xiao Yan dumbfounded.
"Alchemists hold an extremely high status in the Pill Region. A high-level pill can often sell for a sky-high price," Mo Chen explained. "Pills refined by the Pill King in particular are even harder to come by."
At the mention of the Pill King, Mo Chen's eyes filled with admiration. "The Pill King's name is Xuan Kongzi. He is not only the master of the Pill Region, but also the greatest alchemist recognized throughout the Great Thousand World. It is said that he can already refine emperor-grade pills, and his strength is unfathomable."
Xiao Yan's heart stirred. To be called the greatest alchemist, Xuan Kongzi's alchemy had probably reached a transcendent realm. If Xiao Yan could receive his guidance, his own attainments in alchemy would surely climb to a new height.
Seven days later, an enormous city floating among the clouds appeared before them.
The entire city was built of white jade. Countless patterns of medicinal herbs and pill furnaces were carved into its walls, and a golden plaque hung above its gates, bearing the words "Pill City" in bold, vigorous strokes. Pill Essence flowed faintly through the characters. Halls and palaces stretched across the city, and at its highest point, a palace shaped like a purple-gold pill furnace pierced the clouds. It was the residence of the Pill King Xuan Kongzi-the Pill King Hall.
"That's Pill City." Mo Chen pointed at the enormous city, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. "We've arrived."
After they entered Pill City, they saw that most of the cultivators in the streets wore alchemist robes and badges at their waists denoting their alchemy ranks, ranging from bronze to purple-gold. From time to time, elderly men with formidable presences passed by, and the surrounding cultivators all bowed respectfully to them. They were clearly alchemy masters of exalted status.
Mo Chen took Xiao Yan straight to the Pill King Hall. When the guards along the way saw the jade token at Mo Chen's waist, they respectfully let them pass.
Inside the Pill King Hall, the spiritual Qi was even denser. Nine distinct medicinal fragrances drifted through the air, forming an invisible barrier of Pill Essence that could automatically cleanse impurities from cultivators' bodies. In the center of the hall, an elderly man in purple robes, with a venerable, unadorned face, sat before a pill furnace. Holding a medicinal spatula, he stirred the liquid medicine inside with intense concentration.
The old man looked ordinary, yet he gave the impression that he had become one with the art of alchemy, as though he were a living pill furnace himself.
"Master." Mo Chen bowed respectfully.
The old man slowly turned around, revealing a pair of deep-set eyes. His gaze fell on Xiao Yan, assessing him, though without hostility. "You are Xiao Yan? Mo Chen has mentioned you many times."
This was none other than the Pill King, Xuan Kongzi.
"I am Xiao Yan, a junior. Greetings, Pill King." Xiao Yan cupped his hands in salute, secretly startled. Xuan Kongzi's presence seemed unremarkable, yet it was unfathomably deep and more mysterious than Elder Bai's. He had clearly surpassed the Origin Emperor Realm.
Xuan Kongzi smiled faintly and gestured for the two of them to sit. "There is no need for such formality. I have heard about what happened at Ten Thousand Medicines Valley. You fought the Shadow of Darkness with the strength of an Intermediate Origin Emperor and purified the dark energy in the Realm-Sealing Crystal. Not bad, very good indeed."
He paused, his gaze growing grave. "But did you know that the Shadow of Darkness was not an isolated case?"
Xiao Yan's heart tightened. "You mean..."
"Over the past six months, living beings corrupted by dark energy have appeared all across the Great Thousand World, from the Blood Shadow Cult in the Northern Region to Ten Thousand Medicines Valley in the Southern Region, and then the Demonic Sea in the Western Region. It is as though an invisible hand is driving the spread of darkness." Xuan Kongzi sighed. "I suspect that the main force of the Lord of Darkness may already have infiltrated the Great Thousand World."
The news made both Xiao Yan and Mo Chen's expressions change drastically. If that were true, the Great Thousand World would likely face a calamity.
"Then the Ancient Pill Hall..." Mo Chen could not help asking.
"The Ancient Pill Hall was the dwelling of the ancient Pill God. It contains not only secrets of alchemy, but also a 'purification pill formula' capable of countering dark energy," Xuan Kongzi said. "But extremely powerful dark creatures have made their lair inside. I have gathered ten Pill Venerates from the region, and we are preparing to explore it together in three days. Xiao Yan, are you willing to join us?"
Xiao Yan nodded without hesitation. "I am." Purifying dark energy and finding a way to oppose the Lord of Darkness were precisely the purposes of his journey.
A flicker of approval crossed Xuan Kongzi's eyes. "Good. During these three days, you may go wherever you like in the Pill Region and familiarize yourself with the surroundings. If you have any questions about alchemy, you may also come to me."
Xiao Yan did not remain idle over the next three days. He read a great many ancient texts in the Pill Region's library and learned more hidden accounts concerning the Domain of Darkness and the great ancient war. The Lord of Darkness, it turned out, was not a single individual, but an amalgamation formed from the countless negative emotions of the Domain of Darkness. He invaded the Great Thousand World once every thousand years, and the ancient Pill God had been one of the main forces that fought against him back then.
At the same time, Xiao Yan took the opportunity to ask Xuan Kongzi about alchemy. Xuan Kongzi's guidance often struck straight to the heart of the matter, clearing away Xiao Yan's confusion and giving him a deeper understanding of how Heavenly Flames and medicinal ingredients merged.
Three days later, a great many experts gathered in the square outside Pill City. Besides Xuan Kongzi and the ten Pill Venerates, there were a hundred elite disciples of the Pill Region, all experts in the Origin Emperor Realm.
Xuan Kongzi brought out an enormous pill boat. Its hull was covered in Pill Patterns, and it could fly through the air at tremendous speed. Everyone boarded the boat and flew toward the Fallen Pill Mountain Range, where the Ancient Pill Hall was located.
The Fallen Pill Mountain Range was a desolate stretch of mountains. It was said that the ancient Pill God had fought dark creatures here, and that his pill furnace had exploded and his pill flames had burned the mountains, creating the landscape as it was today. A layer of gray fog hung over the mountains, giving off a faint dark presence.
"Just ahead." Xuan Kongzi pointed to a gorge deep in the mountains, where the outline of a ruined palace could dimly be seen, shrouded in dense black fog.
The pill boat slowly descended. Just as everyone disembarked, several enormous dark creatures burst out of the black fog. They resembled giant wolves but had three mouths apiece. They were the Three-Headed Shadow Wolves recorded in ancient texts, their strength comparable to that of High-Grade Origin Emperors.
"Attack!" Xuan Kongzi gave the order, and the ten Pill Venerates acted at once.
The Pill Venerates did not attack directly. Instead, they formed hand seals, and pill furnaces floated before them, spewing pill flames of various colors. The flames formed a great formation that trapped the Three-Headed Shadow Wolves within. The pill flames contained pure Pill Essence, which was extremely effective against dark creatures.
"Awooo!"
The Three-Headed Shadow Wolves struggled in agony amid the flames, but were soon burned to ashes by the pill flames.
"That was only an appetizer." Xuan Kongzi's expression was grave. "The real danger is inside the Pill Hall."
The group carefully passed through the black fog and arrived at the entrance to the Ancient Pill Hall. The doors stood ten zhang high and were made of an unknown black stone. Twisted runes covered their surface, giving off dense dark energy utterly at odds with the Pill Region's Pill Essence.
"These doors have been sealed with dark energy." A Pill Venerate stepped forward to examine them, his brow tightly furrowed. "Forcing them open would likely cause an explosion."
Xiao Yan stepped forward and reached out to touch the doors. Sensing his Heavenly Flames, the runes began flashing violently and emitting a piercing hum.
"My Heavenly Flames may be able to undo the seal," Xiao Yan said. Netherworld Core Flame surged out of his body and spread over the doors.
"Sizzle!"
The eerie blue flames collided with the dark runes, producing a searing hiss. The runes quickly dimmed, and the doors began to tremble slightly.
"I'll help you!" Mo Chen brought out his pill flames as well. Seeing this, the other Pill Venerates infused their Pill Essence, lending Xiao Yan a hand.
With everyone working together, the dark runes on the doors were finally burned away completely.
Rumble!
The doors slowly opened, and an even denser dark presence swept over them, mingled with a faint medicinal fragrance.
The group exchanged glances, tightened their grips on their weapons, and filed inside.
The hall was dark and damp. Countless bones lay scattered across the floor, some human and some belonging to dark creatures. A brutal battle had clearly taken place here. Directly ahead was a long passage, its walls covered in murals depicting the ancient Pill God refining pills and fighting dark creatures.
"Look, that's the formula for the Nine Revolutions Purification Pill!" a Pill Venerate shouted excitedly, pointing at a mural.
Everyone hurried over to inspect it. The mural recorded the medicinal ingredients and refinement method for the Nine Revolutions Purification Pill in detail. It was precisely the purification pill formula they were looking for!
"Wonderful!" Mo Chen said excitedly.
Xuan Kongzi, however, frowned slightly. "This has gone too smoothly. I'm afraid there may be a trap."
No sooner had he spoken than heavy footsteps suddenly sounded from the far end of the passage, and the ground began to tremble violently.
A dark colossus twenty zhang tall emerged from the shadows. Its entire body was made of obsidian, and it carried an enormous stone axe. Eerie green flames burned in its eyes, and its presence had actually reached the Initial Origin Venerate level!
"It's a Darkness Guardian!" Xuan Kongzi's expression changed drastically. "I never expected a guardian of this level to be in the Pill Hall!"
The Darkness Guardian's gaze swept over the group. It abruptly raised its stone axe and swung it down at Xuan Kongzi, who stood at the front, with enough force to split mountains and shatter rock!
A new and vicious battle had formally begun in the ancient Pill Hall. What Xiao Yan did not know was that, deep within the hall, there was not only the purification pill formula, but also a secret closely bound to his bloodline.