The Eternal Saint of Alchemy

Master Gu Yuan shook his head and sighed, "That person really laid a net that's impossible to guard against. How many times have you been there? Starting from Shahe Town, you'd probably have to cross the western border of Daqing to reach the basin."

Xiao Fan calculated that Shahe Town, Black Sand Sea, Flame Abyss, Rift Valley, Black Mountain, and Basin did indeed bypass the western border of the Daqing Empire.

However, the trip yielded considerable gains: the array foundation was complete, the second-grade realm was reached, three volumes of the Pill Saint's manuscripts were obtained, a bronze furnace key that could open the dual-colored furnace was acquired, and a bottle of pure fire essence was obtained.

Han Fei hummed a little tune and continued on his way. He looked at Xiao Fan through the rearview mirror and grinned, "Brother Xiao, are we going back to Dan Tower, or should we find a small town and grab something to eat? I've been eating wild grass for two days already."

Xiao Fan smiled and said, "Then let's rest in Lingwu City for two days. Also, please help me organize these three parchments."

Han Fei shouted and jerked the reins, pulling the carriage even faster. Outside the window, the mountains gradually turned green, with wisps of smoke rising from chimneys and fields beginning to emerge.

Xiao Fan leaned against the carriage, closed his eyes to rest, and recalled the contents recorded on the three parchments.

The art of Yin and Yang integration is profound and complex; Xiao Chen has only memorized a rough outline. To truly comprehend it, he needs much more practice. Fortunately, he has already activated the bronze furnace once, and with the Thunderfire Token and the bronze disc in hand, he can return at any time to nurture and cultivate it.

He reached out and touched the small jade bottle in his arms. The essence inside the bottle had not yet dissipated, but it was even more lustrous than when he had just taken it out.

After these few days of nurturing, that wisp of essence has made significant progress. Once we return to the Pill Tower, we'll find a secluded place to refine it again, and I believe the meridians' resilience will reach another level.

The afternoon sun shone warmly on the carriage. In the distance, the outline of the Daqing Empire's mountains was faintly visible through the gray-blue mist.

Three days later, Xiao Fan and his group left Lingwu City and headed northeast.

The terrain here is flat, with harvested fields on both sides of the road, offering a wide view.

So good that they could see a dead tree on the official road, blocking their way.

Han Fei pulled on the reins, muttering, "Which bastard put this tree in the middle of the road?"

As he was saying this, he was about to jump out of the car to move the tree, but Xiao Fan grabbed his shoulder.

"Don't go down," he said.

Xiao Fan lifted the curtain, jumped down from the carriage, and glanced at the surrounding fields.

The crops in the farm were neatly arranged, but there was one patch of land that had been trampled on.

His gaze fell on the trampled stubble, where there was an unnatural mound shrouded in a faint black mist, making it difficult to spot even in the twilight.

Just as he was about to remind Gu Yuan, the mound suddenly exploded.

Three gray figures suddenly sprang out of the mound and rushed toward the carriage in a triangular formation.

They were incredibly fast, exuding a chilling aura, and their cultivation levels were all around the first rank of the Tribulation Realm.

Each of the three men wielded a black dagger, carving three barely perceptible marks in the twilight as they stabbed towards Xiao Fan's throat and ribs, respectively.

Xiao Fan advanced instead of retreating.

With a flick of his left hand, the flames of creation condensed into a crimson-gold shield, blocking the dagger aimed at his throat.

A beam of silver light shot out from the Thunderfire Token, drawing a silver arc in mid-air and striking the gray shadow that was attacking the left rib.

The gray figure grunted and was sent flying by the sword strike, rolling twice on the edge of the field before coming to a stop.

The third gray shadow's dagger was only three inches away from his right rib.

Xiao Fan turned around and dodged the knife, then thrust his right elbow back, striking the man squarely in the chest.

The full-force attack of a second-grade Tribulation Realm expert was astonishing. The man groaned and staggered back a few steps.

The three gray figures missed their target and quickly huddled together, returning to the base of the tree. The leader wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, revealing a pair of narrow eyes that coldly stared at Xiao Fan from under his hood.

"So you have the Thunderfire Token."

Xiao Fan stood before the carriage, the Flame of Creation surrounding him, blocking the three streams of cold energy. "Black Flame? Or perhaps, you're from the Earth Fire Hall?"

The man grinned, revealing a row of uneven teeth.

"The people of the Earth Fire Hall might not dare to do anything to you, but we can. The legacy of the Grandmaster of the Void Pill shouldn't belong to him alone."

Xiao Fan remained unfazed. He slightly lowered his feet, his hands hanging down, and crimson-gold flames and silver lightning patterns lit up simultaneously.

“That’s right, he shouldn’t be the only one.” He took a step forward, the withered grass on the ground being pushed back by the blast of air. “So, you can stay.”

After saying that, the person disappeared.

The power of creation and the power of thunder and fire flowed simultaneously in his meridians. This was the first time he had used two completely different spiritual powers in battle at the same time.

With his left hand, he unleashed a burst of crimson-gold flames at the leading gray figure, drawing a blazing arc in the air. With his right hand, he pointed at the second gray figure, a silver lightning bolt as thin as a needle tip, yet with unparalleled precision.

The leader was shocked. He held his short knife horizontally in front of his chest, but the palm strike dented it. He staggered back a few steps before regaining his balance.

The second gray figure struck by lightning was not so lucky. The lightning struck the wrist holding the knife precisely, numbing the entire hand. The dagger slipped from the hand and stuck in the mud by the roadside.

Seeing his companions suffer repeated setbacks, the third gray figure turned to flee.

Without even turning his head, Xiao Fan flicked his hand, and lightning and fire flew from his fingertips, piercing the opponent's ankle with perfect accuracy.

He staggered and fell to the ground, rolled a few times, and could no longer get up.

The entire process took no more than twenty breaths.

Of the three assassins at the first rank of the Tribulation Realm, one was seriously injured, one was crippled, and one was taken prisoner.

Xiao Fan stepped forward and squatted down. The man's hood had fallen down, revealing a tall, thin face. He looked to be around forty years old, with tightly closed lips and a trembling right hand.

"Who is it?"

"Blackfire Sect," the man gritted his teeth. "We're just small fry on the periphery. We were sent here to seize the Thunderfire Token. I don't know who gave the order."

Xiao Fan looked at him intently for a moment to make sure the other person wasn't lying.

He stood up and nodded slightly to Gu Yuan.

Master Gu Yuan stepped forward, affixing several spirit-binding talismans to the three men, binding them tightly before throwing them to the roadside. These talismans provided several hours of protection, enough time for them to report to the authorities in town.

When the carriage started moving again, the sky was already a deep blue.

Han Fei, still shaken, muttered to himself as he hurried on his way, "Three first-grade Tribulation Realm cultivators, each one fatal. Luckily, Brother Xiao, you broke through, otherwise..."

"Last month, I could still handle it." Xiao Fan leaned back against the carriage, his hands crossed on his knees, and said calmly, "Even if I couldn't beat them, I could run away. At least I wouldn't get completely thrashed."