In the lush, verdant mountains, the peaks pierce the heavens like razor blades, an imposing and magnificent sight. In a particularly steep crevasse of a mountain range, a massive stone protruded outward. Upon this stone sat a black-robed youth in a meditative pose, his eyes tightly shut. In front of him was a colossal scarlet medicinal cauldron. Within the cauldron, a jade-green flame rose and fell. If one looked closely, they could vaguely see a multicolored liquid slowly writhing within the flames.
The multicolored liquid, under the intense heat of the flame, constantly bubbled at the surface. Each time a bubble burst, the volume of the liquid subtly diminished. This contraction was quite minuscule; if not observed carefully, it would be nearly imperceptible. However, over time, the gradual accumulation of this diminishment became significant. As the multicolored liquid grew thinner, a faint outline of something black began to emerge. A closer look revealed that within the liquid there was a pitch-black, ancient ring! The black ring now had a more refined and profound luster than before. Occasionally, when the ring glowed, one could notice that the volume of the liquid was discreetly shrinking, indicating that the pure medicinal essence was being absorbed by the soul inside the ring.
Awakening the Pharmacist Elder’s slumbering soul was a tedious and slow process. However, Xiao Yan was well-prepared. Even after a month without any response from the ring, he did not show any signs of worry or unease. He occasionally opened his eyes, gazing at the ring within the liquid, and then sighed softly before continuing his work with renewed focus.
In the tranquil mountains, devoid of the noise of the outside world, occasional beasts passing by would sense the terrifying aura emanating from the peak and hastily flee. Thus, the area around the mountain remained exceptionally quiet. Time passed quietly, and nearly two months had gone by since Xiao Yan entered the deep mountains. Most of his time during these two months was spent by the medicinal cauldron, only occasionally leaving for brief periods.
As time slipped away, the multicolored liquid, originally the size of a hand, had shrunk to the size of a thumb, just enough to completely envelop the pitch-black ring. The color of the liquid had also changed significantly, indicating that much of the medicinal potency had been compressed into the ring…
At the summit of the peak, Medusa sat cross-legged on a green stone. Her narrow, closed eyes slowly opened, and she cast a quick glance at Xiao Yan’s position below. Her rosy lips moved, and a cold laugh sounded: “It has been two months. You must be reaching your limit. If you continue, someone else might need to save you.”
Despite the distance, Medusa’s cold laughter still reached the ears of the pale-faced young man below. Hearing the voice, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes. His Dou Qi surged, and he again propelled a streak of jade-green flame from his fingertips into the medicinal cauldron. After completing this, he looked up and smiled at the mountain peak: “What? Are you worried about me?”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I’m worried that if you die, I won’t get the ‘Resurrection Pill’!” Medusa sneered, her lips curling.
“Ha ha, don’t worry. I can still hold on. You’ll definitely get your pill,” Xiao Yan replied, a smile stretching across his pale face. For almost two months, he had continuously used his Dou Qi to drive the Lotus Heart Flame, and had also used his soul power to control the flame perfectly. The exhaustion was immense, but he managed to endure. Such a level of expenditure, even a Battle Emperor-class expert would find exhausting, let alone him?
After speaking, Xiao Yan refocused entirely on the medicinal cauldron. “Stupid and stubborn!” Medusa frowned, muttering to herself, “What does his life or death have to do with me? Why am I saying such things to him?” She shook her head, puzzled. This behavior was out of character for her, yet despite her words, her gaze kept drifting back to Xiao Yan, worrying that he might fall off the cliff due to exhaustion.
As time passed, the multicolored liquid surrounding the pitch-black ring had thinned to a mere layer. Sitting steadily on the massive stone, Xiao Yan’s body began to tremble slightly. The jade-green flame in the cauldron flickered, a sign that Xiao Yan was nearing his limit.
Seeing Xiao Yan sway, Medusa’s frown deepened. Just as she cursed inwardly, her body began to emit a soft, multicolored energy. Gritting his teeth, Xiao Yan endured the waves of fatigue and dizziness, staring intently at the black ring in the flames, desperately draining the Dou Qi from every part of his body. He felt that the moment of the Pharmacist Elder’s awakening was close!
His remaining Dou Qi, under constant strain, flowed out ever more slowly. Eventually, it began to sputter and run dry. His mind, now overcome by fatigue, started to blur, and his body swayed even more. “You’re digging your own grave!” Medusa muttered, gritting her silver teeth. Leaning forward, she prepared to intervene and rescue the stubborn fool.
Xiao Yan’s vision blurred further, and he knew he had reached his limit. But he couldn’t give up now… Biting his tongue, the sharp pain momentarily cleared his mind. He frantically circulated the ‘Burning Decree’ technique, squeezing out the last bit of Dou Qi in his body. It surged into the medicinal cauldron, and as it did, his vision turned from blurry to dark. His head drooped, and he finally lost his balance, sliding off the smooth boulder and tumbling down towards the misty cliffs.
“Damn it!” Seeing Xiao Yan fall, Medusa cursed, her lithe figure leaping forward to rescue him. But just as she moved, her expression shifted: “Why should I save him? Someone like him deserves to die!”
As Medusa hesitated, Xiao Yan’s fall accelerated. If he hit a rock in the mist, he would be reduced to a bloody pulp.
Medusa’s eyes followed Xiao Yan’s descent, and after a moment of intense hesitation, she finally bit her silver teeth, her body shaking as she transformed into a multicolored light and rushed down the mountain. In a few breaths, she appeared above Xiao Yan.
Just as Medusa took action, the multicolored liquid in the scarlet medicinal cauldron on the massive stone completely merged with the pitch-black ring. As the liquid merged, the ring violently trembled, emitting an invisible ripple that spread out like ripples in water, striking the inner walls of the cauldron. The clear, bell-like sound echoed through the mountains, and as the ripple spread, a violent wind arose, forming a green wave that swept across the forest and reached the horizon!
Naturally, Medusa sensed the sudden burst of the sound. But she had no time to consider it, focusing on Xiao Yan, who was now within arm’s reach. The light in her wild, narrow eyes flickered as she once again struggled between saving and not saving him.
Her first instinct was to kill the annoying guy on the spot, but a deeper part of her soul resisted this urge, silently driving her to save him. After a moment of internal conflict, Medusa’s eyes hardened, and she growled, “Bastard, consider yourself lucky. I’ll take your life with my own hands in a year!”
With that, she extended her graceful arm and grasped Xiao Yan’s robe. Just as she was about to pull him to safety, her expression suddenly changed, and she swung her palm fiercely behind her, striking the air. A loud boom echoed, followed by a wave of energy that shattered the nearby cliff wall, creating cracks.
“Who’s there? Come out!” she shouted, her foot lightly touching the air, stabilizing her stance. Her face turned cold as she issued the challenge. No sooner had the words left her mouth than a strange suction force surged forth. In the next instant, the unconscious Xiao Yan slipped from her grasp, only to be caught mid-air by a phantom figure. “Medusa, if you want to take my disciple’s life, you must first ask for my permission!” An aged roar, like thunder, resounded through the sky. The vast soul power was enough to make even Medusa’s expression change.
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