After forming a team, Xu Ming and Ning Shanhai didn't go anywhere else. Instead, they took out some tea and pastries and sat down to chat.
Just as Xu Ming said, the other party did indeed want to exchange ideas on Dao of Formations and Dao of Alchemy with Lin An.
But as the conversation deepened, Xu Ming's gaze towards Lin An changed from normal at first to shocked, and then he fell silent.
He discovered that his understanding of the Dao of Formations was actually somewhat inferior to Lin An's.
"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Lin. I had misunderstood before," Xu Ming said earnestly.
"Brother Xu, you're too kind. It was just a sudden thought of mine. I hope it can be of some help to you," Lin An replied politely.
He deliberately kept it, otherwise, as an Immortal array master, he could have easily silenced Xu Ming.
"I wonder what insights Brother Lin has into the Dao of Alchemy?"
Xu Ming changed the subject. If he was inferior to his opponent in Dao of Formations, did that mean his opponent was also proficient in Dao of Alchemy?
The two immediately began discussing Dao of Alchemy, and Ning Shanhai even became interested and joined in.
Lin An's Dao of Alchemy were only at the initial stage of the Sovereign Rank, naturally inferior to these two.
He gained a great deal from discussing philosophy with these two men.
During the discussion, the system's voice would occasionally ring in his ears.
[You gained insights from the discussion, your alchemy proficiency increases by 10,000.]
[You gained insights from the discussion, your alchemy proficiency increased by 50,000.]
[You gained insights from the discussion, your alchemy proficiency increased by 100,000.]
[...]
Hearing these notification sounds, Lin An finally understood why everyone liked to sit and discuss theories.
Working in isolation will ultimately not work.
Of course, for Lin An, the increase in proficiency was nothing; it would be faster to just invest attribute points.
It's good to save some attribute points, since I have nothing else to do right now anyway.
The three of them discussed the Dao for a full day and night, and before they knew it, the second day had arrived.
Boom...
Suddenly, the heavens and earth trembled, and the rules of heaven and earth surged. A crack appeared in the sky.
The crack expanded rapidly, eventually transforming into a massive vortex.
"Look, the Pill Forest Heavenly Stele Ruins have opened!"
Millions of people at the scene turned their gazes toward the vortex, their eyes shining.
The Pill Forest Heavenly Stele Ruins, a once-in-a-century event, have finally been opened.
"The ruins have been opened, but it's a pity I can't continue my discussion with you two," Xu Ming said, still feeling unsatisfied.
Although the discussion only lasted a day and a night, he gained a lot.
Especially Lin An, although his Dao of Alchemy were not as good as his own, he always managed to offer some unique insights that were refreshing.
"It's alright. After we finish exploring the ruins, the three of us can invite some friends to discuss the Dao."
Ning Shanhai said with a smile, " Lin An, please don't hold back when the time comes."
After a discussion, Ning Shanhai acknowledged Lin An and addressed him as a fellow Daoist.
"Of course it's possible." Lin An nodded.
"Young master, would you like us to clear the way for you?"
At this moment Li Tan and the other two came up and asked.
The ruins have been opened, and people are already entering them.
With over a million people, it would take a considerable amount of time for everyone to enter the ruins.
"No need, the three of us can go together."
Lin An said, "The ruins will be open for a month, so you don't need to wait here."
Li Tan and the other two nodded in agreement, but they still decided to wait here for a month.
"Gentlemen, let's set off too," Lin An said, looking at Xu Ming and Ning Shanhai.
Although Xu Ming and Ning Shanhai were a little surprised that the three elders of the Li Clan were accompanying Lin An, they didn't find it too strange, considering that Lin An had done the Li Clan a favor and that the Li Clan was known for repaying kindness.
"Walk."
The two immediately nodded, and then they both transformed into streaks of light and flew towards the entrance.
With their combined cultivation at the Sovereign Realm Ninth Grade, the three of them faced no obstacles and easily arrived at the entrance.
Without hesitation, the three of them stepped inside.
Then came a dizzying spin, and when the three opened their eyes again, they found themselves in a misty place.
"This is a poisonous substance that enters the body; we can each find rare and precious materials to refine it into elixirs," Ning Shanhai said.
Xu Ming and Lin An nodded, and then the three of them each chose a direction to search for rare and precious materials.
The search was not difficult, and Lin An quickly collected more than twenty kinds of rare and precious materials.
Without even needing to take out the furnace, Lin An simply waved his hand and directly melted and purified these rare and precious materials, quickly turning them into pills.
It only took less than five minutes in total.
The elixir was not of high grade; it was only of the King Rank.
However, after the pill was successfully refined, a wisp of pill energy flew out and landed on Lin An, directly neutralizing the poisons that had invaded his body.
At the same time, the elixir energy also transformed into a guide; as long as one followed the direction of the guide, one could leave this area of poisonous fog.
"As expected, this stage is mainly for selection."
Lin An thought to himself, if he couldn't even get past this hurdle, then there was really no point in trying to comprehend the Pill Forest Heavenly Stele.
Let's leave this place first.
Lin An immediately flew off along the path of the elixir energy, without intending to wait for Xu Ming and Ning Shanhai.
The three of them had already agreed before entering that they didn't need to waste time on each other, since the Pill Forest Heavenly Stele would only be open for one month.
A quarter of an hour later, Lin An successfully passed through the poisonous fog area with the help of the guide and arrived at a valley surrounded by mountains, resembling a pill furnace.
The valley is shrouded in colorful Danxia landforms, while a crimson lava river meanders through the valley floor.
The surface of the river still held the remnants of medicinal herbs that had not been completely burned, and a rich medicinal fragrance permeated the air.
In the center of the valley stand seventy-two jade tablets, each of varying heights and without inscription.
Lin An looked around and realized that he was now all alone in the valley.
"It seems I'm the first one to arrive."
Lin An wasted no time, crossed the crimson lava river, and arrived at the Heavenly Stele in the center of the valley.
"Is there no way to go any further?"
Lin An arrived at the first Heavenly Stele and found that he could not proceed further. It seemed that he could only pass the test of the Heavenly Stele.
Lin An immediately extended his divine sense and landed on the first celestial stele.
Suddenly, a message appeared.
How can the Nine Deaths Soul-Returning Grass and the Netherworld Heart-Rotting Lotus be neutralized?
Both of these medicinal herbs belong to the King Rank; the former is a precious healing elixir, while the latter is a highly poisonous substance.
Lin An for a few seconds and then came to an answer.
"The first method uses Mystic Ice Jade Marrow as a medium, supplemented by Three-Transmutation Spirit Fire, to first burn away 70% of the toxicity of the Netherworld Heart-Rotting Lotus, and then uses the juice of the Nine Deaths Soul-Returning Grass for reverse extraction, which can be used to refine a holy medicine for healing."
"The second method involves soaking the Nine Deaths Soul-Returning Grass in rootless water for three hours, then refining it with the Netherworld Heart-Rotting Lotus to create a top-grade poison pill."
"The third method..."
Lin An answered with his divine sense, quickly reciting fifteen methods.
Buzz...
At that moment, the first celestial stele lit up, and then a stream of light Lin An An's brow.
[You have gained insights into Dao of Alchemy; your alchemy proficiency has increased by 500,000.]