Chapter 2344: Understanding Pills

Chapter 2344: Wu Dan

Boom! Bang! Boom!

In the vast starry sky, thunderous roars echoed endlessly. The cultivators of the various heavens were highly motivated, engaging in sparring sessions that never ceased. After enduring the invasion of the Tianmo and the flames of war from the Honghuang era, they understood the importance of combat strength. Even in times of peace and recovery, they did not forget to cultivate, often using battles to gain enlightenment.

In the eastern region of the starry sky, a sea of people gathered. Another intense sparring match was underway, one participant being the second Yanluo of the Mingfu, Chu Jiang Wang, and the other Wu Ji Zi from the seven sons of Donghua. Both were at the peak Quasi-Emperor level, representing the pinnacle of strength.

"You are no match. Let Xiao Yao Zi take your place."

Chu Jiang Wang stood tall and unyielding, like a steadfast mountain. His dark Xuan-black robe fluttered majestically, exuding an aura of authority and solemnity. His bright eyes shone with divine light, piercing in all directions.

"It's just a spar."

Wu Ji Zi smiled, his aura ethereal, like an immortal king of Wuji. He carried a carefree and unrestrained demeanor, never forgetting his original aspirations as a peak Quasi-Emperor.

Chu Jiang Wang said nothing. He stepped forward, shattering the starry sky, and thrust out a palm that manifested a vast mountain and river.

Though illusory, this mountain and river was vividly real, evolved from the Dao itself. It was both a secret technique and a vision, enveloped in the dim light of the underworld, forming a complete realm with its own interwoven laws.

Wu Ji Zi dared not underestimate it. He instantly transformed into a Dao sword, slashing out with a strike that disrupted the heavens and earth, its power devastating and overwhelming. The mountain and river of the great realm were cleaved apart in an instant, and yin and yang collapsed.

Chu Jiang Wang's expression remained unchanged. He crossed the void in a single step and closed in, delivering a massive Palm Strike that sent Wu Ji Zi staggering backward. Before Wu Ji Zi could steady himself, Chu Jiang Wang flipped his hand for another palm.

Puff!

Wu Ji Zi spat blood, having taken two direct hits from Chu Jiang Wang and nearly exploding.

"Exhilarating."

Wu Ji Zi laughed heartily, regained his footing, and charged from west to east.

Chu Jiang Wang remained silent, responding only with his most powerful attacks.

Boom! Bang! Boom!

The battle erupted fully, with explosive sounds filling the star domain and creating a tremendous commotion. This forced the surrounding spectators to retreat repeatedly, as the aftershocks of a peak Quasi-Emperor clash were no joke.

It was clear that Wu Ji Zi was at a disadvantage, unable to match Chu Jiang Wang.

Indeed, in terms of combat power, Qin Guang Wang was on the same level as Tai Xu Zi, Chu Jiang Wang on the same level as Xiao Yao Zi, while Wu Ji Zi was on par with Song Di Wang. His cultivation was still a step short.

"The second Yanluo under the Ming Emperor is truly formidable."

"The third son of Donghua is not weak, but he picked a tough opponent."

"To really fight, it would take Xiao Yao Zi."

The crowd's eyes gleamed as discussions buzzed. Traveling far to watch this battle had not disappointed them. Whether Chu Jiang Wang or Wu Ji Zi, both were ruthless figures of legendary prowess.

In a corner of the crowd, Jian Fei Dao and Dong Huang Tai Xin were also present. They hadn't come specifically to watch; they had stumbled upon it while wandering the mortal world and decided to join the excitement.

Now, the two of them appeared utterly ordinary, without any trace of cultivator aura. They looked more like a pair of mortal spouses enjoying their honeymoon.

This was evident from Dong Huang Tai Xin's flawless, immortal-like face, which bore a faint flush, suggesting she had shared some intimate moments with Jian Fei Dao. The scene must have been quite passionate.

"No suspense."

Jian Fei Dao spoke leisurely, already foreseeing the outcome.

"Boring. Let's go."

Dong Huang Tai Xin withdrew her gaze, not caring whether Jian Fei Dao agreed, and pulled him along. With the day still young, they could find another spot to share their ideals.

Amid the rumbling sounds, the two gradually walked away.

There were many others on honeymoons, such as Jian Xian and Xian Mu, Xuan Yuan Di Zi and Yao Xin, Jiang Tai Xu and Feng Huang, Di Ji and Liu Dao, Tian Shuo and Bai Zhi—too many to count.

Among them, Liu Dao was the most awkward, still in the midst of his tribulation response, with Di Ji accompanying him every step. He was on edge the whole time, clueless as to what she saw in him.

While some were paired up, others were solitary.

Like Tun Tian Mo Zun, who moved like a walking corpse, carrying a wine jug and drinking as he went, directionless and aimless. His figure was desolate and weathered, as if he wouldn't stop until reaching the edge of the universe.

Or Chi Mei Xie Shen, dragging her weary body across star after star. Wherever great dangers lurked, her shadow could be seen, all in search of materials for refining pills.

"If you're tired, take a rest."

Qin Guang Wang appeared from nowhere, his face slightly pale, with a trickle of fresh blood at the corner of his mouth. It seemed he was injured.

Chi Mei Xie Shen gave a tired smile but said nothing.

Ah!

Qin Guang Wang sighed and brushed past her. Before leaving, he left behind a precious box containing a red immortal fruit, a material for refining the Return Soul Pill.

A glimmer of light flashed in Chi Mei Xie Shen's dim, beautiful eyes. When she turned back, Qin Guang Wang had already gone far.

"Thank you."

Chi Mei Xie Shen finally smiled faintly and continued on her way.

Only after she had gone did Qin Guang Wang stop and look back, gazing at her graceful figure with a pang of heartache and reluctance.

Who said the Yanluo were heartless? He had fallen for someone he shouldn't, back in the Honghuang era and even now. The great god of the Chi Mei clan had always only had Mu Liu Qing in her heart.

And he was merely a passerby.

Yet, the affairs of the heart were strange things. Knowing there was no hope, he still foolishly strove for her hopes, traversing one dangerous place after another, just to help her find materials for refining pills, in the hope that the one called Mu Liu Qing could return to the world.

Chi Mei Xie Shen was fortunate, not only because Qin Guang Wang helped her, but because many others did as well.

On her lonely journey, she encountered all sorts of people: the various heavens' sword gods, Kunlun goddesses, Yaochi immortal mothers, Da Chu emperors, Di Zun divine generals, and the various heavens' emperor sons. Each reunion brought some surprise. She was not alone; it seemed the entire various heavens were aiding her, not for any other reason, but to ensure that lovers had no regrets.

As the tenth emperor of Da Chu, he was not idle either.

The night at Heng Yue was peaceful and serene.

In the Ling Dan Ge, immortal light radiated everywhere, and the fragrance of pills filled the air. Stepping inside, one saw pills of all kinds suspended in the air—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet—ranging from one to eight patterns, countless in number. Under the moonlight, they resembled tiny stars, dazzlingly brilliant.

It could be said that these pills encompassed nearly all types from the refining domain: some for extending lifespan, some for foundation building and body tempering, some for nourishing the primordial spirit. It was a dizzying array.

Ye Chen moved among the pills, pausing at each one for a moment. Using his Lun Hui Yan, he deduced the essence of every pill, extracting the lingering intent within and imprinting it in his divine sea, seeking to integrate and comprehend the mysteries of refining pills.

Xu Fu was there too, hands clasped behind his back, wandering among the pills just like Ye Chen, though he put on a show of it. However, he was destined to see nothing. Without a special immortal eye, he couldn't detect the intent in the pills. His understanding of refining pill mysteries was far behind Ye Chen's.

"What are you two up to?"

The tranquility of the Ling Dan Ge was broken by a woman's voice. It was Qi Yue, entering from outside, her expression one of surprise at the scene.

"Enlightening the Dao. Well, more accurately, enlightening on pills."

Xu Fu spoke meaningfully.

"Not bad."

Qi Yue gave a dry laugh, her expression odd. She believed Ye Chen was enlightening on pills, but Xu Fu doing so seemed unlikely, no matter how he pretended.

As if seeing through Qi Yue's doubtful look, Xu Fu felt awkward and stopped pretending. He slinked away, pulling out his wine jug and drinking leisurely. Ye Chen's enlightenment on pill mysteries would be shared with him, so he just needed to wait.

With nothing else to do, Qi Yue found a comfortable spot and sat quietly, hands supporting her chin, staring blankly at Ye Chen. As she watched, her eyes grew dazed.

Xu Fu glanced at her imperceptibly. As a master, how could he not know his disciple's thoughts? He had realized it in his previous life and even tried to play matchmaker, but to no avail.

The Ling Dan Ge fell into a long silence: one drinking leisurely, one gazing blankly, and one enlightening on pills intently.

On the first day, Ye Chen collected the one-pattern pills, having imprinted all their intent. As the Dan Sheng of Da Chu, he was determined to hone his refining skills, not even overlooking the intent of one-pattern pills. He aimed to comprehend from the lowest level upward, as mysteries knew no hierarchy.

On the second day, he collected the two-pattern pills.

On the third day, the three-pattern pills.

On the sixth day, the six-pattern pills.

On the seventh day, the seven-pattern pills.

On the eighth day, the eight-pattern pills.

It wasn't until the ninth day that he finally sat down, merging the intents of the pills one by one. Like enlightening on the Dao, he sat in solemn meditation, focusing on enlightening pills and comprehending their mysteries.

Xu Fu was there every day, either sipping wine or standing idly with hands clasped.

Outside, Qi Yue came again—or rather, she came every day.

"In the past, you wouldn't visit for three or five months, but lately, my disciple has been so diligent." Xu Fu sighed. "I just don't know if she's here to see me or someone else."

"Want a drink? If not, I'll take it away."

Qi Yue retorted impatiently.

"It's a gift from my disciple; how could I not drink?" Xu Fu chuckled.

Qi Yue shrugged it off and turned to leave, busying herself with tasks like sweeping the courtyard or clearing dust for Xu Fu. She had no intention of leaving and would occasionally glance at Ye Chen, often losing herself in thought.

Xu Fu clasped his hands, feeling like a bright light bulb.

Ye Chen was unaware of all this, his mind wandering through the intent of the pills, pursuing their most fundamental mysteries. To refine the Nine-Turn Return Soul Pill, he had to thoroughly understand what a pill was; otherwise, it was impossible. Just as with enlightening the Dao, without grasping its true essence, one could never reach its peak.

In the following days, visitors occasionally came to the Ling Dan Ge, such as Yang Ding Tian, Zhou Da Fu, and Pang Da Chuan, who hadn't gone out for training and often dropped by. After chatting, they would coax some pills from Xu Fu—free of charge, of course. This was how the group of senior brothers carried on.

Coinciding with another outer sect grand competition, the atmosphere was lively, with astonishing talents emerging one after another. The older generation had stepped back, making way for the new. Heng Yue's sect leader, Liu Yi, was still in seclusion, having advanced to the peak of Great Saint.

Everything proceeded in an orderly manner.

In the Ling Dan Ge, Ye Chen sat for nine days straight.

On the tenth night, he opened his eyes again, his gaze filled with enlightenment. He had grasped the essence of refining pills, taking the best and discarding the rest, fully integrating the mysteries.

"From your expression, it seems you've gained something."

Xu Fu approached.

"Pills are like the Dao—vast and profound."

Ye Chen grinned and infused all the refining pill mysteries into a divine sense, sharing them unreservedly with Xu Fu.

"Not in vain did I teach you."

Xu Fu smiled broadly and went off to enlighten on pills.

Ye Chen stretched lazily and, seeing the stars above, took out the Soul-Nurturing Treasure Lotus Lamp.

Nian Wei's soul had solidified considerably, but when she could be revived remained unknown.

Qi Yue glanced over and exclaimed in surprise, "Is that... Nian Wei?"

"Still in the revival stage."

Ye Chen replied with a smile.

"She is the benefactor of the entire various heavens."

Qi Yue spoke softly with a smile. She had heard of Nian Wei's sacrifice of the Tai Chu Shen Huo; without her, it wouldn't have perfectly merged, leading to Ye Chen's Quasi-Emperor seal and the absence of the Tong Ming crisis.

In short, without Nian Wei's sacrifice, the various heavens would not have their current prosperity.

As Xu Fu's disciple, she was quite sensible. She took the Treasure Lotus Lamp, having looked after Nian Wei's soul during Ye Chen's enlightenment. It was only brought out at night, as daylight was forbidden.

"Thank you."

Ye Chen smiled and waved his hand to summon the refining furnace. Having comprehended the mysteries, the next step was to enlighten through actual refining. No amount of theory compared to hands-on practice.

The immortal fire ignited, making the furnace gleam golden.

Who would have thought that the Great Saint of Da Chu was refining a one-pattern pill? His technique was skilled and unhurried, tossing in herbs one by one, every movement carrying the essence of the Dao.

Pills were like the Dao; he was enlightening on pills as much as on the Dao. Starting from scratch, like when he first learned refining, he would comprehend pill by pill to achieve step-by-step rebirth.

An eighth-tier refining master refining a one-pattern pill was not humiliating; it was about returning to simplicity.

Not far away, Qi Yue quietly guarded the Treasure Lotus Lamp, finally having something to do.

The next day, before dawn, Xu Fu emerged from his room.

He was slightly different today, his eyes deeper and more profound. This night's enlightenment had been a fortuitous opportunity, advancing his understanding of the pill's true essence.

Seeing Ye Chen refining, he quickly approached. Noticing it was a one-pattern pill, his expression turned strange. The esteemed Dan Sheng refining a one-pattern pill—who would believe it if word got out?

"Are you that bored? Enlightening like this?"

Xu Fu clasped his hands. "On a one-pattern pill?"

"One-pattern is the beginning; nine-pattern is the great Dao."

Ye Chen laughed. "To achieve the great Dao, one must not forget the beginning. The path of the Dao is also the path of pills—this is what you taught me back then."

"Well..."

Xu Fu coughed dryly, feeling awkward. He had said those words, but they were just to fool juniors; he hadn't really meant them.

In that simple exchange, both fell silent. Ye Chen refined quietly, while Xu Fu watched quietly.

This scene lacked romance and wasn't visually appealing, but Ye Chen was unhurried. However, Xu Fu gained another flash of insight.

Upon reflection, he couldn't remember how many years it had been since he refined a one-pattern pill—or rather, he had long looked down on them and hadn't bothered. Now, seeing Ye Chen refine one, he understood its meaning.

Without the beginning of that one-pattern pill, how could there be the great Dao of the nine-pattern pill?

"I get it."

Xu Fu's furrowed brow finally relaxed, and he let out a long breath, filled with emotion. He had been shortsighted, always chasing high-tier pills without truly enlightening on them or linking refining to the Dao. Thinking about it, he had truly failed.

With that, he also summoned a furnace and lit the true fire.

After an unknowable number of years, he returned to his old craft—specifically, a one-pattern pill. But this time, in refining, he would also focus on enlightening both pills and the Dao.