Xiao Yan’s first goal was the Ten Thousand Medicine Mountains, one of the three red-circled locations. Although he wasn’t sure if what he needed was there, he had to make the journey regardless. The area of the Pill Realm, if truth be told, might be due to its gradual decline, amounted to less than a third of the size of the Pill Territory. But don’t underestimate this third; with the myriad of heavenly treasures in this space, few forces on the continent would not be tempted by it. Having such a space was equivalent to possessing an inexhaustible and unlimited treasure trove of rare medicinal herbs, which also testified to the vast heritage of the Pill Pagoda.
With Xiao Yan’s speed, traversing the Pill Realm would take no more than a day and a night. So by the afternoon, Xiao Yan had reached the vicinity of the Ten Thousand Medicine Mountains, marked by a circle on the map.
On the way, Xiao Yan had encountered many other participants. Most of them chose to avoid him from a distance, clearly wary of his sudden attacks. Such occurrences were not uncommon in the Pill Realm, as everyone was a competitor here, and the elimination of another person increased one’s own chances. Thus, almost everyone harbored some degree of caution and ill intent towards others.
Xiao Yan paid little attention to those who avoided him. Since they posed no threat, he did not attack them as he had done with the previous burly man. He merely cast a brief glance before rushing away.
However, not all the participants were like this. While on his journey, Xiao Yan truly encountered several strong individuals at the Battle Sect level. Though their strength couldn’t match that of Huang Yi, it was still formidable. Moreover, most of these individuals were advanced in age, evidently renowned elder powerhouses.
Xiao Yan didn’t take the initiative to attack these figures, but fortunately, they seemed to understand and sensed that provoking him would be troublesome. They exchanged a distant glance and then went their separate ways.
Without these interferences, Xiao Yan’s journey was remarkably smooth. Apart from encountering two powerful magical beasts along the way, everything went smoothly.
The two magical beasts that attacked Xiao Yan surprised him. He found that the magical beasts here, perhaps due to the violent energy mixed in the ambient energies, were even more ferocious and fierce than those in the Dou Qi Continent.
Apart from the two attacking magical beasts, Xiao Yan faced no other obstacles. After traveling for nearly four or five hours, the Ten Thousand Medicine Mountains, as indicated on the map, came into his view.
The name “Ten Thousand Medicine Mountains” hinted at the exceptional nature of the region. Upon first sight, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned by the imposing mountains. The energy concentration here was incredibly high.
The mountains resembled a coiled dragon, winding and undulating, with dense fog floating in the air. This fog was not natural but condensed from the rich energy. The dangerous terrain was filled with the roaring of beasts, each growl brimming with violence.
Xiao Yan hovered at the edge of the mountain range, frowning as he gazed at the fog-covered mountains. Even without setting foot on the mountains, he could sense with his keen spiritual perception that this place was far from benign.
As Xiao Yan pondered, a commotion suddenly arose below. He was taken aback and slowly descended, only to see that outside the mountain range, on a small hill, many tents stood, and numerous figures moved in and out.
“Are all these people here for the Pill Conference?” The sight of so many people gathered here surprised Xiao Yan. In other places, upon meeting, participants either fought or fled, but here they coexisted peacefully?
Xiao Yan frowned, pausing for a moment before moving to a spot near the hill and then flying low over it.
To his surprise, no one stopped him. Some people glanced at him and then turned away.
This left Xiao Yan slightly puzzled. He walked towards the center of the hill, where he saw a large crowd, probably numbering over a hundred.
Seeing the mass of people, Xiao Yan’s mouth slightly opened, and his brows furrowed. What were so many participants doing here?
“Everyone, I’m sure your maps have this place marked with a red circle. The Ten Thousand Medicine Mountains indeed contain the items you need, but you should know that the things within this range are not easily taken.”
Xiao Yan approached the crowd, and a somewhat familiar voice echoed from within.
“Song Qing? What is he doing here?”
Hearing the voice, Xiao Yan’s eyebrows raised, and he looked through the crowd, spotting Song Qing standing on a large stone. He was the youngest Elder of the Pill Pagoda.
If Song Qing was here, Cao Ying must also be nearby.
Xiao Yan’s gaze shifted, and he spotted Cao Ying sitting gracefully on a boulder, her figure drawing admiring looks from the surrounding crowd. No matter where she went, she always had a seductive allure.
“Looks like they’re gathering here because of the Ten Thousand Medicine Mountains.”
Xiao Yan turned his attention to the mysteriously foggy mountains, nodding slowly. He could sense many powerful beings within.
Song Qing’s words were met with murmurs of agreement. These were people who had previously rushed into the mountains, only to be chased out by numerous magical beasts. Many of those who were slower had already perished.
“As far as I know, the Ten Thousand Medicine Mountains are filled with magical beasts. The leader is a beast at the peak of the seventh rank, perhaps even nearing the eighth rank. This beast has moved many rare items to its lair, including many of the items we need.”
Song Qing stood on the stone and spoke, drawing gasps from the crowd. Even Xiao Yan’s expression changed; a beast at the edge of the eighth rank was as formidable as a true Dou Zun, and snatching something from such a beast would be anything but simple. Even he would find it very challenging. With his current strength, defeating the beast with the Destructive Fire Lotus wouldn’t be difficult, but entering a weakened state in a place surrounded by enemies was extremely dangerous.
“The beast is accompanied by many powerful magical beasts. Acting alone, unless you reach the Dou Zun level, you won’t get the items. So, I suggest we unite temporarily to deal with the beast. Once it’s defeated, the other beasts will scatter.”
Despite the murmurs, Song Qing continued, knowing that the presence of the beast made their task impossible.
Everyone present understood this and, after a moment, nodded. Of course, though they nodded, not many were foolish. Trusting others at this time was risky, but Song Qing proposed an agreement.
“Until the beast is defeated, no one can harm their companions. Anyone who breaks the pact will be dealt with by the rest.”
Song Qing’s proposal was met with a round of agreements. He held a reputable position in the Pill Pagoda, and his word carried weight.
Song Qing smiled, pleased with himself, glancing at Cao Ying. Gathering these talented alchemists before her was no small feat.
Xiao Yan, unperturbed by Song Qing’s persuasion, thought that if these people united, it would be a force to contend with. When the time came, maybe he could find a chance to fish in troubled waters and get what he needed.
After a moment, Xiao Yan nodded subtly. Just as he turned to leave, a whistling sound filled the air, and he saw several figures approaching, led by a young man in white holding a pale purple fan.
Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed, a cold smile tugging at his lips. “Finally, we meet…”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage