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Chapter 898: The Opening of the Pill Sage Hall, Five Sects Enter Together
Chapter 898: The Opening of the Pill Sage Hall, Five Sects Enter Together
February 1st, 2025
Creak...
The ancient door, seemingly sealed for ages, emitted a peculiar and unpleasant creak as it opened.
And this was just a side pavilion.
The moment Luo Chen stepped inside, he stood there in awe.
The interior space, towering like the heavens, resembled a heavenly staircase with shelves upon shelves of books, each categorized and displayed in a semi-illusory and semi-solid state.
For the first time, Luo Chen truly understood the meaning of "a collection so vast it could feed an ox."
Could a side pavilion store such a vast collection of Dan Dao (Pill Dao) books?
Even Luo Chen, who had experienced the Lian Tian Magic King's Dao Tradition Transmission, couldn't help but marvel at Dan Sheng Chu Yan's accumulation of knowledge.
He extended his hand, and from the nearest black bookshelf, a book resembling condensed white clouds flew into his grasp.
Before he could even open it, a soft exclamation echoed within the hall.
"Hmm?"
"This book?"
Luo Chen caressed the book gently, as if it were alive.
With his Red-Eyed Golden Pupil, he looked down, and the swirling cloud energy around the book could no longer conceal its true form.
Luo Chen slowly raised the book and examined it closely.
"This is actually a pill!"
Surprisingly, this book, which appeared to be a conventional book, was essentially a pill.
The reason for its appearance was that someone had used incredibly advanced illusionary techniques, harnessing abundant spiritual energy to create a mirage, thus deceiving outsiders.
"Is this Dan Sheng Chu Yan's technique?"
"How could she have such a high level of mastery in illusions?"
In the cultivation world, illusions are often confused with soul techniques, but they are fundamentally different.
Illusions manipulate the five senses, causing people to make false judgments about what they see, hear, smell, touch, and even ingest.
Soul techniques, on the other hand, target the soul directly, and even if one seals off their senses, they are still vulnerable.
For example, Luo Chen's early pride, "Mirror Flower and Water Moon," was essentially a water-based illusion technique. By manipulating spirit energy, it caused people to misjudge everything they saw with their eyes.
Everything seen was an illusion, nothing more than a mirror flower and water moon! Due to this fundamental difference, even when Luo Chen later tried to optimize this technique for soul techniques, its power ceiling remained insufficient.
It was infallible against those of lower realms.
When used against peers, it could achieve remarkable effects.
However, when facing those of higher realms, it often backfired, sometimes even harming his own soul.
This flaw was only slightly improved after Luo Chen later referenced the Ghost Immortal's Tower of the Primal Beast to create the 'Guishen Breaker' soul technique.
But the 'Guishen Breaker' focuses on self-defense, misleading the spiritual consciousness and visual judgment of cultivators. Therefore, when facing powerful demon emperors like Huang Man and Bi Zheng, it was not enough. During battles, he rarely considered using this technique.
Getting sidetracked.
At this moment, the illusion technique left behind by Dan Sheng Chu Yan had clearly reached an extraordinary level.
Using the pill itself as a foundation, it manipulated spiritual energy to deceive anyone who came into contact with the pill, making it difficult for them to discern its true form, whether through touch, sight, or even scent.
It was only because Luo Chen had the well-cultivated Red-Eyed Golden Pupil that he could realize the truth in a short time; otherwise, it would have remained hidden.
"Why go through so much trouble just to leave behind a batch of pills?"
"Is this a display of skill or something else?"
Holding the "Dan Shu" (Pill Book), Luo Chen fell into deep thought.
But this contemplation lasted only a moment, and Luo Chen couldn't help but laugh at himself.
He had come here to gain advance knowledge about the Pill Sage Hall's trial, just like cramming for an exam. Why bother thinking about the materials and methods used by the exam setter to create study guides? Shaking his head, Luo Chen lowered his head and began to read the Pill Book.
The pill in his hand was familiar to him; it was just an ordinary first-grade pill—the Nourish Qi Pill.
It was also the type of pill that Luo Chen consumed the most during his Qi Refinement stage.
The Pill Book recorded everything about the Nourish Qi Pill! From principles to materials, refining techniques, required heat, and even the appearance and color after pill formation, as well as storage taboos, everything was listed.
Such detail meant that if someone with a bit of talent in pill refining obtained this book, it would be no less valuable than having a famous teacher.
With the help of numerous refining attempts, they would surely enter the realm with ease.
Luo Chen had never seen anyone summarize a low-level pill with such meticulousness, so even though its grade wasn't high, he found it fascinating.
However, no matter how interested he was, it was still just a first-grade pill, and Luo Chen quickly skimmed through it.
He raised his head to look at the countless Pill Books.
"Are these all study guides?"
"I was being overconfident earlier, delaying my preparation for the trial."
"There are only a few months left until the Pill Sage Hall's trial begins. Should I still have enough time?"
Luo Chen expressed some doubt, but he was confident in his heart.
For pill refining masters like him, quantity was never an issue; the problem was high-grade pills beyond their own refining techniques' grade.
Especially since Luo Chen's Pill Dao foundation had been tested in the Lian Tian Magic King's Pill Realm trial.
Therefore, he wasn't overly concerned.
As he held each Pill Book, the specific details of various pills flooded into his mind like a tidal wave.
As the days passed, the number of unread Dan Shu in the pavilion gradually decreased.
From the vast collection of first-grade Dan Yao to the scarce fourth-grade Dan Yao, Luo Chen's understanding deepened.
For an ordinary person, absorbing such a vast amount of knowledge in a short time would be overwhelming.
But Luo Chen felt no discomfort.
His endurance for pain and the vastness of his soul were more than enough to support the influx of knowledge.
In this seemingly forced cramming session, Luo Chen appeared to gain little, but in reality, he benefited significantly.
Throughout his journey, he had mostly relied on his own understanding of Dan Shu, with little guidance from renowned teachers.
The term "wild method" was both a mockery and a fact.
This situation persisted until Luo Chen encountered the Dan Shu of Qing Dan Valley, which brought about a slight improvement, and only completely changed after he passed the Dan Realm Trial and obtained the Lian Tian Magic King Dao Tradition Transmission.
However, there was a hidden drawback to this.
The Dan Shu of Qing Dan Valley was too elementary, mostly consisting of first and second-grade techniques.
The Dao Tradition Transmission of Lian Tian Magic King was too diverse and dated back too far.
It was said to encompass the human, demon, and monster races, but even ordinary Dan Zhi Shi who mastered one of these traditions could be considered a Dao Saint. How could anyone possibly master all three?
Even Luo Chen only sought out knowledge that was useful to him, absorbing it bit by bit.
And the term "dated back too far" was no joke.
The shortest time span between the knowledge in Lian Tian Magic King's Transmission and the present was a thousand years.
Xiu Shu practitioners were exceptionally intelligent, and the methods of cultivating Qi and refining Dan Yao complemented each other, leading to rapid advancements and drastic changes.
If Luo Chen clung to outdated methods, he would undoubtedly be left behind by the new mainstream Dan Shu.
The Dan Shu left by Daniang were all within a thousand years, and after extensive reading, Luo Chen finally filled in his last weakness.
...
Five months later!
Luo Chen emerged from the pavilion, and Ye Lingtian, who had been waiting for him, was outside.
"Are you confident?"
Luo Chen pointed to his head, "It's all in here."
Ye Lingtian heaved a sigh of relief.
But Luo Chen's next words made his heart skip a beat again.
"But whether it will work or not depends on the specific trial content."
Ye Lingtian could only smile wryly, "I don't know what Senior Sister Zhu Yan was thinking. The last three trials are extremely difficult, and although the first one is the simplest, it changes every time. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let you study hard for five months to tackle the first trial with brute force."
Luo Chen nodded, deeply agreeing.
If it were before, he would have never believed that the first trial would change with each hundred-year trial.
Ordinary Xiu Shu practitioners didn't possess such abilities. But after witnessing the illusion techniques of the Dan Sheng, he no longer doubted it.
Their Dan Shu was extraordinary, and their illusions could deceive even the most discerning. Combining the two, setting up a small Dan Yao trial would be a piece of cake.
Of course, such a setup would undoubtedly be incredibly intricate and unable to withstand brute force.
This was probably why the Transmission was suspended within the sect, and the three grand ancestors of the Abyss Sect didn't forcefully take it!
"The first trial of the previous three trials focused on appearance, materials, and medical effect, respectively. I wonder what this one will be about?" Luo Chen muttered, his slightly tired face showing a hint of curiosity.
Ye Lingtian waved his hand, "Go back and get some good rest. In a couple of days, when the time is right, the trial will begin, and we'll know then."
"Mhm."
Luo Chen nodded slightly and subconsciously turned to look at the Dan Sheng Hall, shrouded in clouds and mist.
His red-eyed golden pupil flashed, and a wisp of Ling Ji seemed to slip into the Dan Sheng Hall.
It seemed that to initiate the trial left by the Dan Sheng, this Ling Ji was indispensable.
If that was the case, then Daniang, who had set up these stringent trial conditions, must have been able to guide Ling Ji even when she was at the Yuanying Realm.
Luo Chen pondered this, feeling a sense of awe.
The universe's Ling Ji was vast and obscure, and even Transcendent Masters found it challenging to manipulate. How did Daniang, who was only at the Yuanying Realm before leaving the Abyss, manage to achieve this?
Suppressing his doubts, Luo Chen returned to Immortal Welcome Peak.
After half a year, Luo Lingxi's appearance hadn't changed much; he was still thin, weak, and fair-skinned, showing little growth.
Guided by the gentle woman from the Ye family, Luo Lingxi happily called out, "Father."
Luo Chen ruffled the little one's head, unable to suppress the thought that had been on his mind.
...
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Amidst the anticipation of many, the main hall of the Dan Sheng Hall opened in a cold and desolate atmosphere.
When Luo Chen arrived, there were only a handful of people around.
He scanned the area, immediately grasping the situation.
The one in the white-patterned black robe was Chen Mozzi.
The one in the golden-threaded cloud robe was Xinyan Sheng.
The one surrounded by several Dragon and Phoenix-patterned robe Xiu Shu practitioners, like the moon surrounded by stars, was Lu Chun.
Finally, the woman who arrived late, with an anxious expression, was undoubtedly Zhu Yu.
Luo Chen's gaze lingered the longest on Zhu Yu, as she gave him a sense of familiarity, reminiscent of the woman who had crossed the Star Gate years ago.
Is this the successor of Dan Sheng Chu Yan? As he examined others, he was also being scrutinized.
Chen Mozzi's heart whispered, "Indeed, he's young!"
Xinyan Sheng revealed a smile, "He only stayed in the pavilion for five months. We all stayed for at least a year, so he probably didn't learn much. Forget about the later three trials; I bet he'll be discouraged by the first one. This one is nothing to fear!"
Lu Chun's face clearly showed shock, for under the activated Dan Sheng Hall, a vast amount of Ling Ya surrounded the Xiu Shu practitioners, making it impossible for anyone to hide their realm.
The realm Luo Chen displayed was at least as high as the 5th layer of Yuan Ying! Among the five great masters, he was the most outstanding.
Lu Chun's heart suddenly became apprehensive. No matter what others said, in his opinion, the trial in the Dan Sheng Hall was very dependent on the practitioner's own realm.
With the highest realm, wouldn't Luo Chen have the best chance? Facing Luo Chen's gaze, Zhu Yu lowered her head first. This was the subconscious reaction of the Chu Clan practitioners after the departure of their ancestor, Dan Sheng.
But thinking of today's purpose, she stubbornly raised her head and glared at Luo Chen.
"The ancestor's transmission should be inherited by the descendants. How can it be left to you?"
Amidst the undercurrents, a deep and heavy voice suddenly descended from the sky.
"Ten years!"
"You only have ten years!"
"After ten years, the Dan Sheng Hall will automatically close. Whether you obtain the transmission or not, you will be forced out."
"Don't disappoint the sect's expectations."
It was the voice of the Abyss Sect's leader, Yu Ming Old Ancestor.
But no one sought the source of the voice, as the doors of the Dan Sheng Hall slowly opened.
Five figures, without any distinction of front or back, simultaneously entered the hall.
Outside the hall, silence suddenly descended.
Someone quietly asked, "Will they succeed this time?"
There was no answer.
High above on Mount Yanfu, suspended in the sky, Yu Ming Old Ancestor withdrew his attention.
Guiding Ling Ji was also a very difficult task for Transcendent Masters.
Unless they released their primordial spirits, freely communicating with the heaven and earth's energy, exploring Ling Ji in that vast ocean.
But in doing so, even the most powerful primordial spirits couldn't resist the assimilation of heaven and earth.
Therefore, for Transcendent Masters in the Shan Hai Realm, there were only two ways to guide Ling Ji.
The first was during ascension, when the primordial spirit manifested, and in that state of rising clouds, they could attract a large amount of Ling Ji. After all, with ascension imminent, why fear the assimilation of a realm?
The second method... required the support of a 5th-grade Spirit Vessel.
As the highest-grade Spirit Vessel in this realm, it was not just about the richness of spiritual energy.
This Spirit Vessel would naturally attract a small amount of Ling Ji.
As long as the Transcendent Master was willing to deplete the Spirit Vessel's foundation, they could borrow its hand to attract a significant amount of heaven and earth's Ling Ji.
For the Abyss Sect with its deep foundation, this depletion was usually bearable.
But the situation was different now! The 5th-grade Spirit Vessel was located on Mount Yanfu, and its primary function was to suppress the Lian Hua Qing He Xian.
"Ten years is already the limit!" Yu Ming Old Ancestor exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, somewhat expecting the result this time, but also somewhat pessimistic.
Tian Yuan Old Ancestor didn't understand, "Why doesn't Senior Brother seem optimistic about them?"
Yu Ming Old Ancestor nodded, "Chen Mozzi lacks talent, Xinyan Sheng has insufficient foundation, Lu Chun has a complicated mind, and Zhu Yu... is too hasty."
"What about Luo Chen?" He Ze Old Ancestor suddenly spoke up.
Yu Ming Old Ancestor hummed in agreement, "That's why I decided to initiate the Dan Sheng Hall trial early, as Luo Chen was favored by Chu Yan. But he... came too late."
Tian Yuan Old Ancestor frowned, "If not for the trip to Cangwu Mountain, Luo Chen would have arrived ten years earlier, and it would have been almost certain."
Yu Ming shook his head, an image of a withered figure flashing through his mind.
"Ten or eight years is nothing to Yuan Ying juniors. If we're talking about certainty, it should be Xuan Yan, but..."
"Perhaps he will also enter the Dan Sheng Hall!" He Ze spoke again.
"How so?"
"Why does Junior Brother say that?"
The two old ancestors asked in unison.
He Ze sighed helplessly, "Have you forgotten that his life-extending method has reached its limit? He has already passed on his Dan Dao writings to us. Now, with his time running out, wouldn't he want to see the things left behind by the one who walked before him?"
Perhaps that made sense?
Yu Ming and Tian Yuan exchanged glances, their faces showing a hint of expectation.
At this moment, inside the Dan Sheng Hall.
The five figures suddenly stopped.
Beams of white light crisscrossed in the void, flying around like living things.
A rich Dan fragrance filled the air, incredibly complex, almost making one's nose feel stuffy.
Writing desks were placed in the hall, with brushes, ink, and paper laid out.
A line of words slowly appeared.
【Recognize Dan through Fragrance, Pass by Hundreds】
Is this the first trial?
Luo Chen immediately reached out and grabbed at a beam of white light.
(End of Chapter)
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