Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 903 Fifth-Order Spiritual Herb, Starting the Refining Process!
Before Zhou Xun could finish speaking, the three forces all changed color.

The fiery blade behind the red-haired old man hummed and trembled, and the three-person sword formation of the Frost Pavilion instantly formed. The two black-robed men even floated back three steps like ghosts.

"What arrogance!" The Crimson Flame Blade Lord laughed in fury, his crimson beard and hair moving without wind.
"I have roamed the Northern Region for three hundred years, and this is the first time I have ever seen such an arrogant junior!"

The white-browed cultivator leading the Frost Pavilion coldly said:
"Are you aware that the Seven Profound Spirit Condensation Flower was first discovered by my Frost Pavilion?"

Zhou Xun stood with his hands behind his back, the faint light of the jade cup flickering in and out of his sleeves:

“The treasures of heaven and earth are meant for those who are destined to possess them.” With that, he took a step toward the direction of the spiritual herb.

"You're courting death!" Crimson Flame Blade Lord roared, his long blade transforming into a fire dragon as it slashed down.

Before the blade even arrived, the scorching heat wave had already scorched the vegetation within a hundred feet.

"Roar--"

Suddenly, Xiao Jin revealed his true form as a twenty-zhang-long azure-gold dragon, its scales gleaming with a cold metallic light in the firelight. Mysterious patterns lit up on its horns, and its entire body shone with a bronze luster.

"Mysterious Metal Body!"

"clang--"

The Crimson Flame Blade struck the dragon's tail, bursting into dazzling sparks, yet only leaving a white mark on the scales. The Blade Master's pupils constricted sharply; his Crimson Dragon Blade was a top-grade magic weapon, which had once shattered the scales of a peak fourth-tier demonic beast!

Before anyone could react, Xiao Jia had already transformed into its true form as a Xuanjia Armored Armored Armor. The earthen-yellow runes on its back armor lit up one by one, and its front paws slammed into the ground:
"Thousandfold Mysterious Light - Suppress!"

hum-

The air instantly solidified. Crimson Flame Blade Master felt as if he were trapped in a quagmire, unable to even move his fingers.

Immediately afterwards, the Crimson Dragon Blade was bound by dozens of earthen-yellow chains, and its flames visibly dimmed.

"Old fool, watch out for my claws!" The little golden dragon claws, accompanied by wind and thunder, aimed straight at the top of the swordsman's head.

Dao Jun barely managed to turn his head to avoid it, but his left shoulder was still torn open with three bloody gashes, and fragments of his robe splattered with blood.

"Cough cough." Dao Jun staggered back three steps, then suddenly shouted:
"Gentlemen! This boy's spirit beasts are already so powerful that neither of us can defeat him. Why don't we join forces to kill him first, and then discuss the ownership of the spirit medicine!"

The three from Frost Pavilion exchanged a glance, and the white-browed cultivator's ice sword suddenly reflected a dazzling cold light: "Frost Three Absolute Formation - Activate!"

In an instant, the temperature in the entire valley plummeted, and thick frost formed on the ground. Three sword lights intertwined to form a net, blocking all of Zhou Xun's escape routes.

At the same time, the two men in black robes chuckled sinisterly, and suddenly countless black Gu worms flew out from their sleeves, buzzing and flapping their wings, swarming towards Zhou Xun and his group like dark clouds pressing down.

"A joint effort, interesting. Very well, let's see what you're made of!" Zhou Xun smiled faintly, pinching his fingers together.

"Thunder is coming——"

In an instant, the sky above changed color, and rolling thunderclouds surged like angry waves. A bolt of purple-gold lightning tore through the sky and struck the black cloud of Gu worms with pinpoint accuracy.

"Shoot-"

In the blinding flash of lightning, tens of thousands of Gu worms instantly carbonized, filling the valley with a pungent, burnt stench. The two men in black robes groaned, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths as the backlash from the destruction of their natal Gu worms caused them to suffer.

"Thunder Dao Divine Power!" the white-browed cultivator exclaimed in surprise, causing the sword formation to pause.

Zhou Xun remained calm, his body crackling with lightning, electric snakes darting between his fingertips, and said in a cold voice:

"I'm giving you one last chance. Retreat now, and you can save your lives."
Crimson Flame Blade Lord grinned maliciously: "Playing tricks!"

He bit his tongue and spat out a mouthful of blood essence. Suddenly, the imprisoned Crimson Dragon Blade shone brightly with blood-red light, and ancient runes appeared on its blade. It broke free from its restraints and transformed into a hundred-foot-long fire dragon that soared straight into the sky!

"With my blood as a sacrifice, the fiery dragon will scorch the heavens!"

The entire sky was dyed blood red, and the fire dragon opened its mouth and spewed out flames that could burn mountains and boil seas.

Upon seeing this, the three members of the Frost Pavilion abruptly changed their sword formation, merging their three sword lights into one, forming a crystalline ice phoenix that joined the fire dragon.
They attacked Zhou Xun from both the front and the back!
At the same time, two dark figures approached Zhou Xun like ghosts—the two men in black robes! They extended their eerie blue bone claws from their sleeves, aiming straight for Zhou Xun's back!
Three divine powers in total, seemingly intent on killing Zhou Xun in one fell swoop!
Faced with this overwhelming barrage of attacks, Zhou Xun simply smiled.

He finally raised his left hand, which had been behind his back, his five fingers spread open, palm facing up, and a mysterious lightning pattern appeared in his palm.

"Thunder Prison, suppress it!"

Before he finished speaking, countless fine purple lightning threads suddenly lit up within a hundred feet radius of him. These lightning threads intertwined into a net, enveloping the entire battlefield.

Each lace thread exudes a chilling aura of destruction, and the air is ionized, releasing a faint smell of burning.

Transform the space, spanning thousands of feet, into a Nine Heavens Thunder Prison.
The two men in black robes were the first to suffer.

Their azure bone claws had barely touched three feet behind Zhou Xun when they were suddenly entangled by a burst of lightning.

The Yin energy on the bone claws melted away like ice and snow in the face of the supreme Yang lightning, and the lightning spread up their arms.

"what!"

Amidst piercing screams, the two black-robed figures convulsed, wisps of blue smoke rising from their bodies. Their black robes turned to ashes in the lightning, revealing their withered, skeletal forms beneath.

In the blink of an eye, the two living cultivators were turned into two charred corpses and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Only two Nascent Soul cultivators remained, their faces filled with terror, clutching their storage bags as they fled.

At the same time, the Ice Phoenix and the Fire Dragon also crashed into the lightning net.

"Zizzi-"

Amidst the sickening crackling of electricity, the crystal-clear ice phoenix shattered inch by inch.

The ice crystals, containing the power of extreme cold, vaporized directly in the lightning, turning into a sky full of white mist.

The three members of Frost Pavilion were struck as if by lightning. Their ice swords shattered simultaneously, and the backlash caused them to cough up blood and stagger backward.

"How is that possible? The three of us working together could easily kill even a peak Nascent Soul cultivator like you! Just what level of cultivation do you have?!"

On the other side, the Flame Dragon, which the Crimson Blade Lord was so proud of, was even more pathetic.

The hundred-foot-long fire dragon had barely touched the lightning net when countless lightning snakes burrowed into its body. The fire dragon writhed in agony, its blood-red scales peeling off piece by piece, before finally exploding into a shower of sparks with a deafening boom.

"puff!"

Crimson Flame Blade Lord spat out a mouthful of blood, his aura instantly weakening.

"Impossible! You're not a Nascent Soul cultivator, you're a Divine Transformation Heavenly Lord!"

"But how come you're not affected?"

Zhou Xun stood with his hands behind his back, not even the hem of his clothes was ruffled. He did not answer the Crimson Flame Blade Lord's question, but instead calmly surveyed the entire scene:
"Does anyone still want this Seven Profound Spirit Condensation Flower?"

The three from Frost Pavilion turned ashen-faced. The white-browed cultivator trembled as he cupped his hands, pleading, "Senior...Senior, spare our lives! We were blind to your greatness, we'll leave immediately!"

The Crimson Flame Blade Lord immediately knelt on the ground, banging his head against the earth: "This lowly one was blind and ignorant, failing to recognize the Heavenly Lord before me. I beg you to show mercy!"

Zhou Xun snorted coldly and waved his sleeve: "Get lost."

The three forces, as if granted a pardon, fled in panic.

Xiao Jin and Xiao Jia transformed back into human form and stood respectfully behind Zhou Xun.

"Master, why not?"

Xiao Jin made a throat-slitting gesture.

Zhou Xun shook his head: "They're just a few ants, not worth wasting time on. Besides, they haven't done anything wrong, so let's spare their lives."

Just then, Xiao Jia slowly walked up to the 'Seven Profound Spirit Condensation Flower', took out a jade box,
Carefully remove the medicinal herb and place it inside the jade box.

It was respectfully presented to Zhou Xun.

"Not bad!"

Zhou Xun nodded slightly and put the elixir into his storage bag.
It has only been three days since he entered the mountain, and he has already made such a harvest. This grand ceremony of descending to the realm is indeed worthy of its reputation.

"Let's go, keep searching. Such opportunities are rare!"

According to records, this grand ceremony of descending to the realm would last for a full year! One month later, in a certain valley.

Zhou Xun sat cross-legged on the ground, while Sun Yuanxuan beside him carefully tallied up the gains of the past month.

Her fingertips sparkled as she categorized each medicinal herb and placed them into a specially made jade box, her face filled with undisguised amazement.

"Young Master, this Grand Ceremony of Descending to the Realm truly lives up to its reputation!" Sun Yuanxuan exclaimed excitedly, holding a crimson spiritual herb shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings.
"We have already found eleven top-grade fourth-tier spiritual herbs!"

Little Jin leaned lazily against a boulder, toying with a crystal-clear spirit fruit between his fingers. Hearing this, he grinned:
"Hehe, this is just the beginning. With Master's intervention, those so-called Nascent Soul stage monsters won't even get a taste of the soup!"

Xiao Jia squatted to the side, carefully sealing a spirit herb that was entirely dark blue and had leaves like starlight, and whispered:
"There are also two fifth-tier spiritual herbs, among which the 'Mysterious Netherworld Star Soul Grass' is even rarer. It is said to be able to help a Nascent Soul peak cultivator stabilize their soul when breaking through to the Divine Transformation stage, and it is priceless."

Zhou Xun opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the mountain of spiritual materials piled before him, and nodded slightly:

"We certainly gained a lot."

Sun Yuanxuan sighed:

“In the past, a single fourth-tier spiritual herb would be enough to cause a bloodbath in the outside world, but in this realm, it is as common as weeds. It is hard to imagine if you don’t see it with your own eyes.”

Xiao Jin chuckled:
"That's because the master is there. Otherwise, if it were an ordinary cultivator, they would have been killed and robbed by those lurking demonic beasts, restrictions, or even other cultivators long ago."

Zhou Xun smiled faintly: "Opportunities and risks coexist. Although this place is prosperous, not everyone can emerge unscathed."

He raised his hand and waved it, storing all the spiritual herbs into his storage bag. Then he stood up.

With a wave of his hand, he carved out a temporary cave dwelling on the side of the valley.
"We've been traveling for a month, so we'll rest for a while. I plan to try refining a batch of pills, and you will all protect me!"

"Yes, Master, you can rest assured!"

Xiao Jin and Xiao Jia bowed in agreement, then sat cross-legged at the entrance of the cave, one on the left and one on the right.

Inside the temporary cave dwelling, Zhou Xun sat cross-legged on the ground, with the ancient Dan Yuan Cauldron placed in front of him. The cauldron was purplish-black, and the spiritual patterns and mythical beast designs on its surface were lifelike under the spiritual light.

"Seven Profound Essence Condensation Pill"

Zhou Xun took a deep breath, took out a fourth-grade high-quality calming incense stick, and lit it.

Wisps of smoke rose up, carrying the refreshing scent of sandalwood, which gradually calmed his mind.

Once his mind was clear and tranquil, he closed his eyes slightly and began to mentally rehearse the entire process of alchemy.

"The Seven Profound Spirit Condensation Flower needs to be tempered with Infant Fire for thirty-six hours to extract its essence, while the Star Essence Grass needs to be cleansed of impurities with True Essence."

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, each medicinal herb was disassembled and reassembled, revealing the exact flow of its medicinal properties.

Every detail, from the changes in the fire of the alchemy furnace and the timing of the fusion of medicinal liquids to the transformation of the alchemy techniques, was meticulously considered.

Several hours later, Zhou Xun suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with a sharp light.

"Now! Get up!"

He made a hand gesture, and the lid of the cauldron floated up.

The nascent soul within the dantian opened its eyes and spat out a stream of cyan-purple infant fire. The flame landed at the bottom of the cauldron and transformed into nine thunderfire lotus platforms, steadily supporting the dantian cauldron.

"Buzz-"

The cauldron trembled slightly, and a soft light shone from within.

Zhou Xun continuously adjusted his incantation based on the temperature changes until the inner wall of the cauldron glowed with a crimson light, at which point he stopped.

"The first step of warming up the furnace is complete."

He took out the Seven-Mysterious Spirit-Gathering Flower, a fifth-tier spiritual herb that emitted a seven-colored halo in his palm.

Lightning crackled from his fingertips, precisely slicing off seven petals, leaving only the stamen suspended in mid-air.

"Refining!"

A bluish-purple infant flame enveloped the flower's stamen, its intense heat distorting the air. The stamen gradually melted, transforming into a drop of crystal-clear jade liquid, its impurities being burned away by the lightning and fire, dissipating into wisps of black smoke.

Next is Star Essence Grass,

Zhou Xun formed a hand seal, and magical power surged from his palms, freezing the azure grass leaves. With a crisp "crack," the leaves shattered, leaving only the purest blue essence.

This process was repeated until all twelve auxiliary materials were processed, taking a full two days.

"melt!"

Zhou Xun changed his incantation, and all the medicinal liquids were poured into the alchemy furnace in sequence. The moment the flower stamen jade liquid met the blue essence, a dazzling light suddenly burst forth from the cauldron, and the fragrance of the medicine swept through the entire cave like a wave.

Sun Yuanxuan, who was guarding outside the door, was suddenly struck by the medicinal fragrance and felt her cultivation bottleneck loosening. She exclaimed in surprise:

"A fifth-grade pill has such miraculous effects!"

The medicinal liquid inside the cauldron had transformed into a fist-sized, amber-colored liquid, with mysterious patterns occasionally appearing on its surface.

"Congeal!"

As the final incantation was cast, the liquid suddenly split into three streams, each of which tumbled and shaped in the thunder and fire, gradually condensing into a pill-like form.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!
Two of the medicinal liquids suddenly trembled violently, and cracks appeared on their surfaces. Zhou Xun's pupils contracted, and his nascent soul abruptly stood up, pressing his hands lightly against the cauldron.

"Certainly!"

A vast divine consciousness enveloped the liquid like a giant net, forcefully stabilizing the medicine that was about to collapse.

"Buzzing—"

The runes on the surface of the Dan Yuan Cauldron lit up one by one, and a phantom image of the cauldron appeared. The medicinal liquid stabilized instantly when illuminated by this phantom image.

Zhou Xun dared not be negligent and unleashed seventy-two pill-condensing incantations in succession.

With each incantation, a clear and melodious sound emanated from within the cauldron, like a phoenix's cry echoing through the heavens.

Three more hours passed, and suddenly a soft "click" sound came from inside the cauldron.

Zhou Xun's expression changed slightly. He probed with his divine sense and found that two of the pill embryos had shattered at the same time, while only one was perfectly round with a surface shimmering with seven-colored light.

"One pill is enough."

He gave a wry smile and cast the final incantation to collect the elixir.

The cauldron lid swung open with a bang, and a pill the size of a longan shot out, landing in the jade plate.
Looking closely,

The pill was seven-colored, with naturally formed spiritual patterns on its surface, and upon closer inspection, it seemed as if a galaxy was flowing within it.

The rich medicinal fragrance solidified and formed a small, auspicious seven-colored cloud above the jade plate.

"A fifth-grade pill, truly extraordinary."

Zhou Xun carefully placed the pill into a jade bottle and sealed it before letting out a long sigh of relief.

"Although there is only one, it still signifies that Zhou Xun's alchemy skills have officially reached the fifth level!"

"Next time, when I refine the Nine Origin Star Dew, my alchemy skills will no longer be a hindrance!"

After resting for a while, Zhou Xun took out a pill to restore his mana and swallowed it. Several hours later, he had recovered to his peak condition.

"Young master, how is it?" Sun Yuanxuan asked in surprise.

"It's done!"

"Congratulations, young master, on becoming a fifth-tier alchemist!"

"Alright, we're all ready, let's continue our journey!"

(End of this chapter)