Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, I am your second master.

The environment here is oppressive to the soul, but it feels strange. It must be a deliberately set obstacle, since some participants are too weak, and it would be a disgrace to the Pill Tower if they died here.

After familiarizing himself with the surrounding space, Xiao Li released his soul power. The space here didn't seem to suppress his quasi-spirit realm soul much. Perhaps a certain level of soul power would give him a significant advantage in this space.

This first stage eliminates those contestants with weak soul power.

Xiao Li walked slowly, and on the way he encountered an illusion. This illusion directly looked at the things or objects that people miss the most. The first thing Xiao Li saw was Yun Yun. Yun Yun was waving to him and told him that she was pregnant.

For some reason, Xiao Li instantly sobered up upon hearing the word "pregnant." Those two words alone triggered a jolt in him. His girlfriend, whom he hadn't seen for years, suddenly appeared and announced her pregnancy; he felt like he was being cuckolded.

Next, Xiao Li encountered Zi Yan, Wang Ming, Xiao Lin, Xiao Ting, Xiao Zhan, Mang Tianchi, Yun Shan, Su Wanyin and others. Because he was on guard, Xiao Li was not distracted and focused on walking forward.

Xiao Li's steps were firm. After walking for an unknown amount of time, the thick gray fog in front of him gradually faded away, and then a huge, twisted black hole, about ten feet in size, appeared not far in front of him.

"Should I pass through here? Could this be another illusion? My mind is full of thoughts of passing the level. What if this is an illusion and I'm going to explode?"

Xiao Li hesitated when he arrived at the entrance to the black hole.

Tread~

Footsteps approached, and an old man with a red beard walked over. He looked at Xiao Li with a puzzled expression, wondering why he didn't go in, but he didn't think too much about it and went in directly.

"Um... Am I overthinking this?" Xiao Li scratched his cheek and walked straight in.

After passing through the black hole, Xiao Li arrived at an open space, where things had returned to normal. Although the surrounding space was still distorted, it did not affect this open space. It was clearly a spatial resting point constructed by the experts of the Pill Tower.

In this open space, people stood in twos and threes, but most of them were scattered. Xiao Li didn't care about that. He found a quiet place to sit and waited for the second level to begin.

Suddenly, an old man with a pointed mouth and shrunken cheeks appeared in front of Xiao Li and roared at him, "Get out! This place is mine!"

Xiao Li: ? !!! !

Xiao Li saw through this arrogant Dou Zong and vowed to destroy him when he entered the Pill Realm! So arrogant! Being arrogant is one thing, but coming here to be arrogant too!

Xiao Li didn't want to cause any conflict at this time; he simply wrote the names of the people in his notebook and planned to settle accounts later.

When the Dou Zong saw Xiao Lizhen get up and move aside, he grinned and said, "Trash, hahahahaha."

People around looked over, their eyes filled with disdain and mockery.

In the corner of the open space, an elderly man with white hair and beard sat there, looking at Xiao Li's position with a frown.

"A late-stage mortal realm cultivator driving away a half-step spirit realm cultivator? No, he's not even a half-step spirit realm cultivator yet; he's probably only one barrier away from reaching the spirit realm. Tsk~ He's really lived a long time; he can see everything."

This kid is clearly not as simple as he seems. He got here so quickly, yet his cultivation is only at the Dou Huang level. Shouldn't he think about why? Is it because there are too many Dou Huangs at this Pill Gathering, causing this guy to lose his mind? I'll go watch the show later.

This old man was the hermit cultivator from the Southern Region of Central Plains, Tianhe Sanren, whom Xuan Kongzi had mentioned.

At the spatial passage, the Dan Tower member opened his eyes and said calmly, "It's almost time to enter the Dan Realm. Everyone who enters should come here to receive a mission list, a map of the Dan Realm, and a spatial stone. The list contains the medicinal herbs you must find inside. Only by collecting all the herbs on the list can you successfully pass this test."

I won't go into the details of the map's purpose; it shows the exit point of the Pill Realm. Once you've collected all the medicinal herbs, head there.

As for the space stone, it's for survival. If you encounter a life-threatening situation, you can crush the space stone, and you will be automatically sent out of the Pill Realm. However, crushing the space stone also means you lose your qualification to continue participating in the competition. Do you understand?

The old man from the Pill Tower explained some matters concerning the Pill Realm to everyone, making Xiao Li understand that the Pill Realm was in ruins and not suitable for staying for long. The competition would last for ten days, and the Pill Realm also had many rare and precious materials and magical beasts.

After Xiao Li listened, the old man from the Pill Tower began distributing items, while Xiao Li followed behind the Dou Zong who had told him to get lost, suppressing the ever-growing corners of his mouth.

The sharp-mouthed, shriveled-cheeked Dou Zong was unaware that he was being targeted; he was fantasizing about what it would be like if he won the championship!

Chapter 90 Old man, you can fight too, huh?

Upon entering the Pill Realm, Xiao Li was greeted by a desolate scene, but he noticed a mountain range in the distance, lush and vibrant with life.

"Is this the Pill Realm? The energy here is exceptionally abundant, but there seems to be some violent element in the energy. Could this be the reason for the Pill Realm's decline? Perhaps it's because the powerful figure who created the Pill Realm has fallen, and no one can manage this Pill Realm, leading to this problem."

Xiao Li sensed the unique environment of the Pill Realm, but unfortunately, his cultivation level was too low to comprehend anything in this space opened up by a Dou Sheng.

"Where is that old man?" Xiao Li was already eager to find the Dou Zong who had told him to get lost earlier.

Xiao Li followed the old man into the Pill Realm, so he should be not far from him.

Xiao Li transformed his fighting spirit into wings and began searching the surroundings.

Just a few miles away from Xiao Li, the old man from before was here, and he had just discovered an excellent medicinal herb.

"The Evergreen Spirit Vine, what a wonderful thing! It's exactly the medicinal herb I need. Excellent, excellent! This is a great start! I, Huang Yan, will surely shine brightly in this alchemy world!"

"At that time, I will be promoted from the Yellow Nether Sect to the Heavenly Nether Sect. If the Heavenly Nether Sect is not suitable, then the Earthly Nether Sect or the Profound Nether Sect will not be bad either."

This old man, Huang Yan, is from the Huangming Sect. The Huangming Sect is one of the three major sects affiliated with the Tianming Sect, and it is also the weakest. The sect leaders of the Diming Sect and Xuanming Sect are both Dou Zun powerhouses, while the sect leader of the Huangming Sect is only at the peak of Dou Zong, and he has very few resources.

(P.S.: In the original novel, Chen Tiannan, the sect leader of the Xuanming Sect, was only a two-star Dou Zun, which was about the same as the peak Dou Zong of the Huangming Sect.)

Huang Yan wanted to make a name for himself at the Pill Gathering and gain the appreciation of the Tianming Sect. Even if he couldn't enter the Tianming Sect, entering the Diming Sect or the Xuanming Sect would be good too.

"Got you!"

While Huang Yan was still lost in his fantasy, a golden and silver figure rushed over and broke Huang Yan's legs.

"Aaaaaaah! Who?!" Huang Yan felt a sharp pain and then his legs broke.

"Of course it's me. Old man, you think you're so tough? Just because you're a Dou Zong doesn't mean you can bully me, a Dou Huang, at will?" Xiao Li stepped forward, looking at Huang Yan with a smile.

"It's you!" Huang Yan was surprised. He had only seen a Dou Huang who wanted to bully him, but he never expected that this Dou Huang would have such methods. Huang Yan really regretted why he had relied on his high cultivation to humiliate others.

Moreover, this Dou Huang didn't react on the spot but instead entered the Pill Realm to kill him, like a venomous snake, delivering a fatal blow when he was most relaxed.

Xiao Li placed one foot on Huang Yan's face: "Weren't you very arrogant just now? I still prefer your unruly attitude from just now. Why don't you go back to your old self?"

"You little beast, I..."

puff~

Xiao Li then had the Earth Demon Puppet kill the Dou Zong: "I don't like this answer at all."

Xiao Li released his soul power and drew Huang Yan's soul over.

"Trying to run away?" Xiao Li grabbed the illusory soul.

"I'm just a remnant soul now, and you still won't let me go?" Huang Yan wanted to beg for mercy, but Xiao Li didn't want to give him the chance.

Xiao Li took out a special porcelain bottle and then wrapped Huang Yan's remnant soul in Yang Fire. Since the Yin Yang Heart Flame devoured the Fallen Heart Flame's sub-flame, it also gained the Fallen Heart Flame's special attack effect on the soul.

Although Yang Fire is inexhaustible and can save people, Xiao Li can control Yang Fire to only release Heart Flame, and not easily wear down Huang Yan's soul power, thus putting him into a deep sleep.

Xiao Li stuffed Huang Yan's soul into a specially made porcelain bottle. The soul of a Dou Zong expert was of great use. Since Xiao Li's soul power increased, he suddenly remembered that the Earth Demon Puppet making book might be in the Black Corner Region.

After the Pill Gathering ends, I will go and take a look. It seems that the process of making the Earth Demon Puppet requires a Dou Zong soul. I will keep this soul as a backup. Moreover, the soul of a Dou Zong expert is a good thing in itself. If I burn his mind completely with the strange fire, only a ball of pure soul essence will be left.

Unfortunately, it's against the natural order, so Xiao Li doesn't plan to use it often. He finds it a bit unpleasant, and it wouldn't be good if he were to suffer retribution someday. He'd rather let the Soul Palace handle such matters, and then reap the rewards once they've become powerful enough.

"Wow! Evergreen Vine! Just the medicinal herb I need, thank you!" Xiao Li was overjoyed when he saw the section of green vine.

Xiao Li glanced at the Dou Zong's storage ring, found nothing of value, pursed his lips, and then threw it away. As for the Dou Zong's corpse, Xiao Li didn't intend to keep it either. It was just a four-star Dou Zong, and Xiao Li had no interest in collecting trash. The lowest-ranking corpse Xiao Li had was a five-star Dou Zong, and he even had several Dou Zun corpses.

"Next, we need to find the remaining two medicinal herbs. According to the location marked on the map, it's in the Ten Thousand Medicines Mountain Range. There are probably quite a few seventh-tier magical beasts there, and even some eighth-tier ones. I'm scared."

However, this Pill Realm is indeed an opportunity. If I can elevate my soul to the Spirit Realm here, I can save many years of arduous cultivation.

Xiao Li took out an ancient animal skin scroll from his storage ring: "This is a special medicinal liquid collected by Yin Gu that can advance a mortal soul to the spiritual realm. It requires Star Soul Ganoderma, Pill Spirit Elixir, Willow Wood Soul Marrow, and Earth Core Soul Marrow."

These are all top-tier items! What are we going to do? We'll just have to see if we can find them. It's specifically noted here that to collect the Earth Core Soul Essence, you need to be careful of the Earth Yellow Essence, which must be over a hundred years old.

Xiao Li scratched his head, not thinking too much about it. He could only go to the Ten Thousand Medicines Mountain Range alone to find medicinal herbs. This was the only place where he could improve his spiritual realm. If that didn't work, he would have to patiently absorb the spiritual energy between heaven and earth.

Xiao Li flew towards the direction of the Ten Thousand Medicines Mountain Range.

Peng——

hiss--

Xiao Li heard the sounds of fighting and immediately stopped to watch the commotion.

"Hmm? A Dou Huang, no, three Dou Huangs are fighting a sixth-order python demonic beast. Wait! This is the Earth Yellow Python! You really can't recognize it if you don't look closely. If there's an Earth Yellow Python here, then there must be Earth Yellow Essence here!"

Xiao Li crept up quietly. The three Dou Huangs joined forces to suppress the Earth Yellow Python, but Xiao Li felt that the Earth Yellow Python could have dodged several times but instead stubbornly resisted. Xiao Li felt an indescribable strangeness when he saw this scene.

hiss--

Just as Xiao Li was pondering, another Earth Yellow Python pounced out from a large tree, biting a Dou Huang in the mouth. Then, the Earth Yellow Python's body coiled around him, breaking his bones!

"So that's how it is. There are two Earth Yellow Pythons guarding the Earth Yellow Essence here. Hey~ I was wondering why. Sixth-tier magical beasts are so intelligent that they can even speak human language. How could they be so stupid as to not dodge attacks they could have avoided?"

Xiao Li secretly summoned the Earth Demon Puppet, and then summoned the Heavenly Blaze Sword in his hand.

"Damn it, there are two Earth Yellow Pythons! That Earth Yellow Essence must be very old! We're going to..."

laugh--

A black slash and a golden and silver figure swept past, instantly slicing down the two earth pythons!

Xiao Li, dressed in a black robe, looked at the two Dou Huangs, his Heavenly Blaze Sword stained with the blood of the Earth Yellow Python.

"roll!"

The two Dou Huangs left without a second thought. The three of them together couldn't kill a single Earth Yellow Python, but now that two people had appeared, they could kill it instantly. If they didn't run now, when would they?

Xiao Li flicked the blood off his sword, then looked in a certain direction: "You've been watching for so long, you should come out by now!"

. . . . . .

"Not coming out? Earth Demon Puppet!"

Xiao Li immediately ordered the Earth Demon Puppet to capture the person. Before long, the Earth Demon Puppet brought back a Dou Zong who was barely recognizable as a human.

Here's a question, and I'd like to combine everyone's opinions: how many Dou Sheng bone marrow particles can be extracted from a complete two-star Dou Sheng skeleton? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

(Note: In the original novel, Xiao Yan obtained the remnants of the Creation Saint's bones and extracted three gelatinous particles.)

Chapter 91: Earth Core Soul Essence

Xiao Li looked at this Dou Zong. This guy had been spying on him for some time. Xiao Li had been paying attention to him the whole time. Spying on him was one thing, but he was also carrying a murderous intent.

Since they carry killing intent, they are enemies. Xiao Li does not like to use his cultivation to bully others, but he always puts his own life first. Therefore, in this place, anyone with killing intent is an enemy.

Xiao Li looked at the pit where the Earth Yellow Python was sitting. Inside the pit was a dark yellow root that was about the size of two fists.

Rehmannia glutinosa is a rare medicinal material made from the condensed power of the earth. If the energy is rioting during practice, this Rehmannia glutinosa essence and some pills made from it can have a very good inhibitory effect.

The piece of Rehmannia glutinosa that Xiao Li saw was about the size of two fists. A hundred-year-old piece of Rehmannia glutinosa is about the size of a fist, so this piece of Rehmannia glutinosa must be at least five hundred years old.

"Let me see the detailed information about Rehmannia Essence. Rehmannia Essence is related to the Earth Core Soul Essence. What exactly is the relationship between them?"

Xiao Li opened an ancient book and the animal skin scroll that Su Wanyin had given him, which contained some information about Rehmannia glutinosa.

"Rehmannia essence is born from the condensation of the calm and profound pure power of the earth, but this statement also has its limitations. Once Rehmannia essence has grown for a hundred years, it will stop growing in size due to energy saturation. This is why Rehmannia essence that is over a hundred years old is so rare."

The scroll records that if Rehmannia glutinosa can live for far more than a hundred years, then what nourishes its growth must not be the power of the earth, but other spiritual substances of heaven and earth!

In other words, this piece of rehmannia essence, which looks about the size of two fists, is surrounded by other spiritual treasures of heaven and earth, and it is very likely to be the essence of the earth's core! Holy crap, amazing! Let's dig!"

Earth Core Soul Essence is an extremely rare treasure of heaven and earth. Moreover, this thing has an insane attraction for alchemists because it can forge the soul!

The so-called soul forging means tempering and refining. In other words, this earth core soul essence can wash away the impurities of the soul!

Xiao Li began digging in the soil. After digging for several meters, he finally unearthed something: a large piece of snow-white jade.

"What is this? Let me see. Oh~ it's the Earth Core Jade Mother, a treasure that suppresses violent energy. This thing can also reduce the probability of going into qi deviation. Not bad, not bad."

Xiao Li flew up from the pit with the jade in his arms. As soon as he came out, he saw an old man with white hair and beard sitting not far in front of him.

The old man had white hair and beard, and his alchemist robes from the Danta were different from Xiao Li's. The old man's robes were more gorgeous and valuable. Most importantly, the badge on the old man's chest had a full eight stars!

Eighth-rank alchemist!

"This senior..." Xiao Li looked wary, his earth demon puppet poised to strike.

"Ahem, young friend, there's no need to be so wary. I just happened to be watching you. How should I put it? When you were forced away by a Dou Zong at the outer spatial resting place, I started to notice you."

An eight-star Dou Huang, yet possessing soul power infinitely close to the Spirit Realm. Such achievements at such a young age truly make this old man ashamed. Let me introduce myself: I am a rogue cultivator named Jiang Tianhe, self-styled Tianhe Sanren, though most people call me Venerable Tianhe.

The white-haired, white-bearded old man introduced himself, saying that he was the biggest dark horse of this year's Pill Gathering, as Xuan Kongzi believed.

"Greetings, Venerable Tianhe." Xiao Li clasped his hands in a fist salute to Venerable Tianhe.

"Hmm, get up. I saw it. You killed that Dou Zong as soon as you came in. Your methods were swift and I like them very much. I wonder if you have a master? I would like to take you as my disciple." Venerable Tianhe asked.

"I'm sorry, Venerable One, but I already have a teacher," Xiao Li said, clasping his hands in greeting.

"Alas, what am I thinking? Your achievements must be due to the guidance of a renowned master. I was being too attached to appearances," Venerable Tianhe sighed.

He then looked at the Earth Core Jade Mother in Xiao Li's hand: "Your Earth Core Jade Mother is quite good. Young friend, you are lucky. Open this Jade Mother and you should find the Earth Core Soul Essence inside."

"Is Senior trying to seize it by force?" Xiao Li asked warily, after all, the Earth Core Soul Essence was related to whether he could advance to the Spirit Realm.