In the lush, verdant mountains where few tread, the occasional roar of a beast would startle countless birds resting in the forest, causing them to take flight in a flurry of white silhouettes that painted a magnificent scene. Within these endless mountain ranges, there was a peak that shot straight up to the sky, not large in size but extremely steep, almost vertical, making it unscalable for even ordinary beasts unless they could fly.
At the peak, amidst swirling clouds, a young man sat cross-legged, beside whom stood a silver figure, immobile, their empty gaze slowly sweeping around, ready to strike at the first sign of disturbance. Any creature, human or beast, that dared approach the peak’s airspace would be dispatched in an instant, as if the figure was a perfect guardian.
After maintaining this posture for about two hours, the young man slowly opened his eyes. His pale face gradually regained some color. “Little one, your strength is too weak, but thankfully, your body is sturdy enough. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to withstand the infusion of my soul power,” a voice chuckled in his mind as he opened his eyes.
Xiao Yan smiled and asked, “What level of strength has Elder Heavenly Fire regained now?”
“About the level of an eight-star Grand Master, and it will be difficult to improve further. To return to the Dou Zun realm, I need a body with a high compatibility with my soul,” the Heavenly Fire Venerable mused for a moment before adding with a sly grin, “But, little one, you promised to help me with a body.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but smile. The Heavenly Fire Venerable was a great ally, and if he could help him regain Dou Zun strength, it would benefit both of them. “The original body and soul were a perfect match. If I were to possess any random body, the effect would be minimal. So, I have to create a custom body…”
Xiao Yan spoke softly, recalling the method that the Pharmacist Elder had once mentioned. With the right materials, he should be able to create a suitable body. “Then I’ll leave the creation of the body to you. Remember, make sure it’s the best, no shortcuts. Even though I haven’t crafted a body before, I know that the quality of the materials is crucial for the future results,” the Heavenly Fire Venerable said with a smile.
“Rest assured, Elder Heavenly Fire, I will create the best body for you,” Xiao Yan replied with a smile.
“Hehe, that’s good. You can rest assured, little one. Before you finish the body, I won’t let anything happen to you,” the Heavenly Fire Venerable laughed, genuinely grateful to Xiao Yan. If the latter hadn’t brought him out of the magma world, he would have ceased to exist, and there’d be no possibility of having his own body again.
Xiao Yan smiled, knowing that with this powerful protector, he would have more security walking through the Central Plains. “But even with this protection, improving my own strength is still the most important. After all, I can’t always rely on others.”
With a slight frown, Xiao Yan fell into thought. He then moved his hand, and a jade-green bottle appeared in his palm. Tilted, a dragon-egg-sized pill rolled out, spreading a unique fragrance that invigorated the senses. This was the Imperial Dan, and this particular one was the best among those he had crafted. He kept it for a critical moment, and now it came in handy. The Imperial Dan could boost a Dou Wang’s strength by one or even two stars, but it also depended on luck. Some who took the pill did not experience a rise in strength, and if it failed, it would have no effect a second time. Those who took the Imperial Dan often prayed silently that they wouldn’t be one of the unlucky ones.
As the pill rolled on his palm, Xiao Yan finally exhaled softly, opened his mouth, and swallowed the pill. It dissolved instantly, turning into a warm, surging medicinal energy that rushed through his body. As the tremendous pure medicinal energy surged in, Xiao Yan’s lips trembled slightly. Fortunately, his meridians were quite resilient, otherwise, he would have struggled to absorb such a large amount of energy. As the medicinal energy flowed through his meridians, Xiao Yan took a deep breath and, with a flick of his mind, the Lotus Heart Flame burst from various parts of his body, rushing into his meridians to wrap around the energy, taming it as it flowed along the route outlined by the Burning Decree cultivation technique.
As the medicinal energy raged within Xiao Yan, the space around him rippled violently, and streams of energy gathered above his head, forming a vortex that slowly seeped into his brain. With the power of the Heavenly Fire, purifying this energy wasn’t difficult. The more it came, the more he could refine. As the medicinal energy gradually volatilized, everything fell into a steady rhythm. For Xiao Yan, the Imperial Dan’s medicinal energy, though powerful, didn’t cause him to panic. Everything went smoothly, like flowing water. Only time would tell if it raised his rank by one or two stars.
Once Xiao Yan entered a slow refinement state, the peak became quiet, with only the ground puppet steadfastly guarding its post. Phoenix Rest Mountain was well-known across the Central Plain Northern Region, not because of any phoenixes, but because it was the home of the North Wind and Thunder Pavilion. The Wind and Thunder Pavilion was divided into four sections: East, South, West, and North, with the East Pavilion being the strongest, followed by the other three. Even so, any one of the three pavilions alone could be considered a top-class force in the Central Plains. Combined, they rivaled the top factions in the Northern Region.
Phoenix Rest Mountain was steep and rugged, shrouded in a dense fog, giving it an ethereal feel. The mountain peak was split by a giant axe, with numerous buildings hidden in the greenery, barely visible. The most eye-catching feature was the enormous silver tower on the highest peak. This tower, which pierced the sky, was called the North Thunder Tower. Covered in brilliant silver, one could hear faint thunder rumbling from within. This was the sacred cultivation ground of the North Wind and Thunder Pavilion, accessible only to outstanding performers.
On the top floor of the North Thunder Tower was a vast hall, currently occupied by several people. A mighty aura pervaded the room, striking fear into the guards at the entrance. “Elder Cloud’s Soul Lightning Tablet has been shattered…” In the center of the hall, atop a silver throne, sat a figure in a silver robe, their gray eyes slowly surveying the crowd below. His voice, though not loud, carried a strong oppressive force, making it hard to ignore.
Upon hearing this, the faces of the three old men seated below changed. They knew very well about the Soul Lightning Tablets, each containing a fragment of their soul. If any of them perished, the corresponding tablet would break. Thus, if Shen Yun…
“Who dares to harm someone from the North Wind and Thunder Pavilion in the Northern Region? Could it be the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion?” one of the old men, clad in black with long silver eyebrows, growled darkly.
“We don’t know yet. This time, Elder Cloud accompanied Hong Chen to Tianbei City, right? Elders Feng, Lei, and Dian, please investigate what happened. Regardless of who did this, even if it is the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, capture them first. No one can kill our people without consequence,” the silver-robed figure on the throne said calmly.
“Yes, sir!” The three elders immediately stood up, bowed, and then vanished in flashes of light. As the elders disappeared, the hall fell silent again. After a while, the figure on the throne rose, waved their sleeves, and the hall echoed with booming thunder. “Who dares to touch our North Wind and Thunder Pavilion here? They’re really bold. I must catch them, or we’ll be a laughingstock.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage