Chapter 2582: Nine-Patterned Pill Completed

The fourth day arrived quietly.

Ye Chen, sitting cross-legged, had a hint of pain etched between his brows. As the essence of the immortal herbs merged into him, his divine body gradually dissolved bit by bit, truly fusing with the essence.

This was an extremely painful process.

Although he was also becoming a Dan Ling, unlike Xuan Nu and Luo Xi, who had dissolved almost instantly upon entering the Dan Furnace, his process was different. He was dissolving slowly, merging gradually with the essence.

In comparison, his transformation into a Dan Ling involved far more torment.

This not only depended on the alchemy technique but also on the alchemist.

Dan Shen's mastery of alchemy was unparalleled, far surpassing that of Dan Mo and others. Allowing the Dan Ling to dissolve instantly could affect the success rate of the pill, so this gradual fusion was the proper way.

By the fifth day, Ye Chen had no physical body left, only his Yuan Shen remained.

By the seventh day, his origin, Dao principles, and the divine essence of the Emperor's Dao had all become part of the Dan Zong Ling.

On the eighth day, his Yuan Shen began to thin out gradually.

Ye Chen opened his eyes, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

By the ninth day, no trace of him remained in the Dan Furnace. He had fully fused, forming the prototype of a pill. Dao principles surrounded it, the sounds of the Great Dao echoed, and one by one, the Dan patterns slowly etched themselves, crystal clear and brimming with immense Dan essence.

As for Dan Shen, his face was deathly pale, his breath weak and depleted, with beads of sweat clearly visible on his forehead.

Refining a Jiuwen Dan was no small feat; even at the peak of Zhun Di level, the consumption was overwhelming. He stuffed pills into his mouth one after another to replenish his exhausted magical power.

"Last one."

Dan Shen murmured softly, tossing the final immortal herb into the Dan Furnace. He carefully controlled the flames, burning the herb to extract its essence and slowly merging it into the pill's prototype.

With the herb's integration, another Dan pattern appeared on the Didao Shen Dan.

"Almost, almost."

Watching the Dan patterns etch themselves and the pill's prototype gradually become more rounded, Dan Shen was overwhelmed with excitement. His old eyes bulged slightly, bloodshot, as if he could already see the supreme Emperor's position.

"Master?"

A call rang out from outside the mountain, from Dan Jun.

People outside were curious, and so was he. He wondered if his master was truly passing on his alchemy legacy to Ye Chen. If so, he needed to speak up—he was Dan Shen's true disciple, so why pass it to an outsider?

He also needed to ask Dan Shen if he was still considered his disciple.

"Get out."

That was Dan Shen's response.

Compared to refining the Didao Shen Dan, everything else was insignificant. Even if it were his own son calling, it would be the same.

The word "get out" made Dan Jun's divine body tremble, and he stumbled back a step, thinking he had misheard. But the word thundered like ancient lightning in his divine sea.

He hadn't misheard—Dan Shen wanted him to leave.

Once again, Dan Jun gritted his teeth in resentment. His once humble expression twisted into something ferocious in an instant. He felt unjust and couldn't believe that for Ye Chen's sake, his master would scold him like this.

Then, more people arrived: Dan Zong and Dan Feng.

They had clearly heard the earlier "get out." Instinctively, they assumed Dan Shen was still angry about the previous alchemy duel and taking it out on Dan Jun.

"Uncle-Master?"

"Get out."

"Senior Brother?"

"Get out."

The two "get out" commands left Dan Zong and Dan Feng completely stunned.

"What's going on? What's wrong with Dan Shen?"

"Normally so gentle and kind, he rarely loses his temper. But today, he's this irritable—scolding his disciple wasn't enough; he dragged his junior brother and nephew into it too. The three top alchemists in Dan Shen Hall besides him have all been cursed out."

"For Ye Chen's sake?"

The immortals in Dan Shen Hall weren't few—many had come to visit and happened to overhear. While Dan Zong and the others were baffled, so were they, puzzled by this outburst that didn't match the Dan Shen they knew.

"See that? For Ye Chen, he's even scolding his own people."

On a small mountain peak, Tai Yi said with a sigh, hands clasped behind his back.

"How much must he favor Ye Chen?"

"This is the first time I've seen Dan Shen this angry."

Si Ming clicked his tongue in amazement.

"This should put your mind at ease!"

Tai Bai glanced at Yue Xin.

She had been at Dan Shen Hall since nine days ago and hadn't left, unwilling to stop worrying until she saw Ye Chen.

Yue Xin looked bewildered, not quite understanding.

More and more people arrived. Dan Shen Hall was vast, with many peaks, and figures stood on nearly every one—mostly Xian Jun level, hands clasped as they waited expectantly, like spectators at a show.

"Nine days have passed; he should be coming out soon."

"He's probably integrating Dan Shen's alchemy mysteries, or maybe in seclusion."

"Those three 'get out' commands were really commanding!"

Dan Shen Hall was bustling that day, filled with chatter. There were alchemists from the hall and visiting guests, all crowded together.

Boom!

Amid the discussions, a boom echoed through the heavens.

A golden light shot straight from the base of Dan Shen's immortal mountain into the sky, piercing a massive hole in the vast expanse. Mystical visions followed—colorful phenomena burst from the blue sky, and in the depths of the misty immortal fog, illusions appeared: divine dragons coiled, phoenixes cried, white tigers roared, and Xuanwu paved the way.

"A pill?"

Everyone was astonished, looking up in unison to see a golden immortal pill. Though only the size of a grape, it radiated golden light, resembling a blazing sun at first glance.

"Heavens! A Jiuwen Dan?"

An elderly Xian Jun exclaimed, his eyesight sharp enough to spot the nine Dan patterns etched on the golden Shen Dan, glaringly prominent.

"It's a Jiuwen Dan, it's a Jiuwen Dan."

More people saw it—immortals from outside and alchemists from Dan Shen Hall. Each one's eyes gleamed, and many licked their lips. After so many years, Dan Shen had produced another Jiuwen Dan, a legendary feat in the alchemy world.

"The ninth Dan pattern, full of pill essence."

Dan Zong was watching too, his heart pounding. He could tell it was a genuine Jiuwen Shen Dan.

"No wonder he hasn't come out for nine days—Uncle-Master was refining a pill?"

Dan Feng said instinctively.

"Master wasn't deliberately scolding us; we disturbed his alchemy."

Dan Jun said this with conviction, though it felt like self-deception, giving himself a reason for being scolded.

His master still cared for him, surely.

Boom! Boom!

As people watched, booming sounds erupted. The clear sky darkened instantly, with rolling black clouds above and lightning flashing within, accompanied by a powerful pressure.

This was Dan Lei—each bolt capable of leaving marks on the universe.

"In my lifetime, I actually get to see a Jiuwen Dan."

Hao Tian Xian Jun was thrilled, stepping off his mountain peak and heading straight for Dan Shen's immortal mountain to get a closer look.

But before he could steady himself, a suddenly manifesting sword struck him, sending him flying. His body crashed through over a dozen mountain peaks as he tumbled.

The attacker was, of course, Dan Shen.

Dan Shen finally emerged from the mountain, soaring into the sky and standing in the air, holding a buzzing immortal sword. The usually gentle and kind man now exuded thick killing intent and immense pressure, signaling that anyone who dared enter this domain would be slain without mercy.

No one needed him to say it—they wouldn't dare approach.

That day's Dan Shen had an icily terrifying aura. Not just outsiders, but even his own alchemists felt a chill in their hearts. It was the first time they'd seen him like this; even during his battles with Shura Tian Zun, he hadn't been so fiercely menacing.

Dan Shen lowered his gaze toward Dan Zong, Dan Jun, and Dan Feng, his eyes flashing with murderous light.

Dan Zong saw it and felt his mind momentarily daze.

Having been with Dan Shen for thousands of years, he knew what that look meant—it was telling them to leave.

Knowing that, his mind reeled.

I'm Dan Zong! Your brother in arms, with a bond of life and death between us! And yet you're guarding against me like this?

Dan Shen said nothing, his gaze growing even more fierce.

Dan Zong shook his head with a bitter smile, grabbing Dan Feng with one hand and Dan Jun with the other, silently retreating from Dan Shen's immortal mountain.

In that moment, he felt an unprecedented chill in his heart, as if he no longer recognized Dan Shen. That fierce gaze was too frightening.

Dan Shen withdrew his eyes and scanned the surroundings, his gaze sharp and cold.

The crowd of Xian Jun coughed awkwardly, and those who had been midway turned back.

The current Dan Shen, in his quest to protect the pill, showed no favoritism, even to his closest kin. Since he'd driven out Dan Zong and the others, anyone else stepping into that domain—blood relative or not—would face attack.

Dan Shen ignored everyone, focusing only on the sky and the Didao Shen Dan.

In his eyes, there was only it. This might be his chance to attain the Emperor's position, and looking at it felt like gazing at the throne itself.

Boom! Boom!

The Dan Lei grew more rampant, no ordinary lightning. Bolt after bolt struck the Didao Shen Dan, sending it flying each time. Every strike made the onlookers' hearts tremble, and Dan Shen's heart ache with fear that the Shen Dan might be destroyed.

Fortunately, the Didao Shen Dan was resilient enough to withstand the Dan Lei.

No one knew when the lightning finally dissipated.

In the vast void, only the Didao Shen Dan remained, like a blazing sun, radiating billions of rays of light, accompanied by ancient visions and the resounding sounds of the Great Dao.

"Jiuwen Dan, it's complete."

People murmured, their minds lost in awe.

Witnessing the emergence of a Jiuwen Dan was like witnessing the birth of a Great Emperor—profound in significance.

And they were all fortunate to have witnessed this historic moment.

Not exaggerating, in that instant, many elderly Xian Jun flashed with greed, tempted to seize the pill.

The Didao Shen Dan was too dazzling—who wouldn't want it? If swallowed, it might even lead to becoming a Great Emperor.

In the face of the Emperor's position, all else was meaningless.

Greed clouded the minds of many who had otherwise sound judgment.

But sadly, no one dared to make a move.

Dan Shen's killing intent was too strong, and that domain was inscribed with Emperor Dao array patterns. Anyone foolish enough to enter would be attacked by Dan Shen in the next instant, and even if they survived, the array patterns would erase them.

Hao Tian Xian Jun was a bloody example of that.

At that moment, he was still sprawled on a mountain peak, groaning.

"It's done, it's done."

The most excited was Dan Shen. His aged body trembled violently, tears streaming down his face. Even the resonating immortal sword slipped unnoticed from his hand as he reached out with both hands to catch the pill.

The Didao Shen Dan descended, tracing a brilliant arc through the void.

However, as it fell, it suddenly halted in mid-air.

Under everyone's gaze, the Didao Shen Dan burst with light and, visible to the naked eye, transformed into a human figure. Tall and upright, with black hair cascading like a waterfall, the facial features etched themselves out one by one. Though unclothed, it was enveloped in mystical Dao essence that formed illusory garments.

"Ye Chen?"

The crowd stared in collective shock.

The perfect Didao Shen Dan had turned into Ye Chen's form, standing in the void with eyes slightly closed, casually stretching his neck. The light on him surpassed even that of the Shen Dan, with profound Dao principles winding around him and ethereal Great Dao sounds echoing through the universe.

The little stone spirit of the Da Sheng realm was now a thing of the past. The current Ye Chen was a genuine Zhun Di.