Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation
Chapter 450 - 47: Racing to Escape
Master Jade Pill has passed away!
Upon receiving Guo Wanzhi’s message, Li Ji’an narrowed his eyes.
His second-tier medical skill could sense the lifespan and could ascertain that Master Jade Pill still had about twenty years left.
He immediately headed towards the Pill Peak of Dongli Sect.
Outside the temporary alchemy room where Master Jade Pill resided, there was already a group of people handling things.
Mostly shaking their heads and sighing.
"Junior Brother!" Guo Wanzhi’s eyes were red, she seemed to have lost her spirit.
"Senior Sister, what’s going on? A month ago, Grand Master was fine, how did this happen suddenly..." Li Ji’an asked in a deep voice.
Guo Wanzhi was overcome with sadness, unable to help it, tears streamed down like rain: "I had been in seclusion recently, focusing on alchemy. I was suddenly summoned by friends from Dongli Sect, and upon my arrival, Grand Master had already passed away."
"Ping’an, Wanzhi, my condolences!"
"Just now the True Man of Dongli Sect had already inspected, and the Peak Master passed away naturally. Perhaps due to prolonged alchemy exhausting his mind!" consoled a Pill Master from Biyun Sect.
Li Ji’an nodded slightly, then walked into the alchemy room together with Guo Wanzhi.
Inside the alchemy room, several Fake Pill True Men were still conducting further detailed investigations.
"There are no traces of others’ magical power remaining, nor any marks of magical combat."
"Nor was any anomaly found on Master Jade Pill himself."
"It should be within two hours."
"Farewell, Friend Jade Pill."
...
The investigation results were consistent, ruling out the possibility of Demon Dao infiltration causing harm.
Li Ji’an came to Master Jade Pill, slowly kneeling down.
Feeling the lifeless body of the elder, he performed the ritual bow.
In his past life, Master Jade Pill indeed taught him quite a lot about Alchemy Dao knowledge.
And after his Core Formation, he discovered the wonders of Alchemy Dao by chance, and dedicated his life to its study, a Pill Master to be respected.
"Grand Master." Guo Wanzhi was already lying on Master Jade Pill’s knee, wailing.
In the moments when others weren’t paying attention, Li Ji’an took a drop of Master Jade Pill’s Essence Blood.
Afterwards, he listened to the recount by the Pill boy who discovered Master Jade Pill’s death at the alliance.
Finally, Guo Wanzhi represented Biyun Sect’s Pill Cauldron Peak to collect Master Jade Pill’s body, waiting for the end of the battle to return to the sect for burial.
That evening, upon returning to his temporary cave mansion, Li Ji’an appeared to recover through cultivation, yet actually activated Master Jade Pill’s Essence Blood with the Faceless Mask.
"Fortunately, it’s still there." With his Divine Sense seeing that deep cloud cluster in the Faceless Mask, Li Ji’an felt somewhat relieved.
Originally thinking Master Jade Pill had passed away, soul scattered, now there was a trace left.
Immediately not delaying further, he fused his Divine Sense with the residual soul of Master Jade Pill.
Since it was only a trace of residual soul, much memory was missing.
Moreover, the Divine Soul absorbed by the Faceless Mask was fragmented pieces, so it was quite easy to find the memory fragments of the last period.
"It’s him!" Moments later, memory fragments from four days ago surged into Li Ji’an’s Sea of Consciousness.
Within, through Master Jade Pill’s perspective, Li Ji’an saw a young man suddenly appear in the alchemy room.
It was indeed Master Chunyuan.
"Calculating by time, the old thief must have settled the demon cultivator harassment halfway before returning to this place!" Li Ji’an was startled in his heart.
...
"This junior greets the Pill King senior!" While Master Jade Pill was wholly focused on alchemy, he saw Master Chunyuan suddenly appear and quickly paid his respects.
"No need for formalities. I heard recently that you have refined the Ancient Soul Pill?" Master Chunyuan asked lightly.
"Reporting to the Pill King senior, indeed so." Master Jade Pill admitted with slight pride and immediately took out a newly refined Six Gods Condensing Essence Pill.
Master Chunyuan was slightly surprised, inspected Master Jade Pill carefully, then with a cautious demeanor, swept the soul pill up with magical power.
"Truly a superior soul pill!" After a careful sensing, his eyes lit up, surprisingly looking at Master Jade Pill.
"Years without seeing, your alchemy skill has improved once again, truly commendable!"
Receiving the praise from the Pill King, Master Jade Pill was filled with delight: "Thank you for the Pill King senior’s praise."
"May I take a look at the pill formula?" Master Chunyuan attempted to probe again.
Master Jade Pill was noticeably taken aback.
However, the next moment he handed over the assembled Six Gods Condensing Essence Pill formula as requested.
"Good, good, the formula from the flourishing era of ancient soul cultivators truly stands out."
With a skeptical attitude, after comprehending for a while, Master Chunyuan suddenly happily found that this pill formula truly had no issues.
"You have done a great service! With this formula, our Divine Sense will surely advance to another level."
"I have little lifespan left, being able to leave this formula to the world is also considered a fulfillment of virtue." Master Jade Pill seemed quite composed about it.
"Oh?" Master Chunyuan once again unexpectedly scrutinized Master Jade Pill.
"Not sure if this formula can be passed to disciples or students?"
Master Jade Pill shook his head: "This junior only recently comprehended it, and just started testing it successfully a month ago, now still under optimization, not yet passed down to students."
"Good!" Master Chunyuan was instantly delighted.
Meanwhile, Master Jade Pill was suddenly trapped by a strong magical power.
"Pill King senior, you..." Master Jade Pill’s face changed abruptly.
Master Chunyuan didn’t waste any words, a light green pill medicine was thrust into Master Jade Pill’s mouth.
Immediately, Master Jade Pill felt the vitality in his body drain away rapidly, making his already elderly flesh even more decrepit.
"Soul search!" The next moment, Master Chunyuan reached out with a hand to grasp at Master Jade Pill’s head.
Master Jade Pill only felt his sea of consciousness shaking, his awareness blurring, and all past events uncontrollably flashing by like a slideshow.
Afterwards, he fell into endless darkness, losing consciousness...
After reading the fragments of memory, Li Ji’an’s expression was as grim as water.
Master Jade Pill was wholeheartedly dedicated to contributing to the Alchemy Dao in the cultivation realm, while Master Chunyuan was filled with selfish desires.
One was obscure and buried in the Alchemy Dao, the other revered by the world, selfish and even attempted to refine Human Pill medicine dreaming of Rejuvenation.
When compared together, their qualities are clearly distinct!
"Chunyuan old thief, I will surely end you in this life!" Having confirmed the truth of Master Jade Pill’s demise, Li Ji’an set his target.
Three months later, the front lines began to urgently demand more pill medicine.
The escort team needed to provide protection nearly every seven or eight days.
By this time, the front lines were already beginning to lose stability.
Only four months of magical combat, and the Boundless Domain was well-organized, with alternating teams, now still maintaining peak combat power.
In contrast, the Three Sects Alliance was already exhausted.
Moreover, as the Boundless Domain progressed, they increasingly avoided direct clashes with the Three Sects Alliance Army, only conducting orderly attrition, even when multiple times they saw the Three Sects Alliance weakening. If the other side forced a charge, it could cause the complete collapse of the Three Sects Alliance Army, yet they still only harassed, not attacking to kill.
Although the casualties in this war were minor, in reality, it was like boiling frogs in warm water, the defeat was already decided!
At the same time, True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws had still not appeared, causing everyone within the Celestial Cyan Domain to feel a chill.
They realized, perhaps as the rumors suggest, the True Monarch had already perished in the Black Water Swamp!
"Li Ping’an, tomorrow you will lead this batch of pill medicines for escort, be sure to deliver them to the dao friends on the front line!" That day, Li Ji’an received the message and hurried to the escort team hall, where a young cultivator instructed.
Previously, Master Zhang in charge had temporarily gone to the rear to gather alchemical ingredients, and the escor team’s leader was now the young man before him.
This person was impersonated by Master Chunyuan before.
A true disciple of Ten Thousand Laws Palace, and a clan descendant of the same lineage as True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws and Master Chunyuan.
It was rumored that the current True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws held great expectations for him.
His bone age was even ten years younger than Li Ji’an, yet his magical power was already comparable to Li Ji’an, and due to his cultivation technique potentially reaching Celestial Level, his magical power was much stronger and purer than Li Ji’an’s.
"Senior Brother Sima, my cultivation is shallow, if I encounter demon cultivators, I’m afraid..." Li Ji’an furrowed his brow, revealing extreme lack of confidence.
The current True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws, and Master Chunyuan, were both surnamed Sima.
Furthermore, the Sima Race now dominated the Ten Thousand Laws Palace.
Unlike the Biyun Sect and other sects, the True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws in the palace was the true sovereign, able to act without considering others’ opinions.
This led to factions forming within the Ten Thousand Laws Palace, and any lineage of the True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws must be outstanding in any era, sharing abundant spiritual talents with the True Monarch.
When Sima Yu heard this, he couldn’t help but furrow his brows, then reassured: "Junior Brother Li doesn’t need to worry, with our clan patriarch’s methods, how can demon cultivators dare to use the same tactics again? Just go ahead."
Li Ji’an nodded slightly, reluctantly agreeing.
He wasn’t truly worried about further demon cultivator raids, since demon cultivators had now fully taken control, even wishing for the Three Sects Alliance Army to be completely worn out. Hence, there was indeed no need to send more people to raid spiritual talents.
What he worried about was Sima Yu escaping silently!
Given his current insight, he saw no chance of victory for the Celestial Cyan Domain in this battle.
However, since the true disciple of Ten Thousand Laws Palace was still here, he harbored some expectations.
In the worst-case scenario, when these true disciples ran away, he could follow suit without delay.
Before leaving, Li Ji’an took a gamble by leaving an imprint of the Thousand Mechanisms Blood Attraction on him.
Upon seeing the escort team members this time, Li Ji’an’s emotions stirred again, realizing that all were true disciples of the Three Sects, not a single one from Ten Thousand Laws Palace.
"Are they going to flee?"
He instantly became vigilant, the Thousand Mechanisms Blood Attraction continuing to sense.
Sure enough, the next day, within his sensing, Sima Yu left Dongli Sect, fleeing northwest.
Li Ji’an forcibly suppressed his impulse to just leave, speeding up the transport of pill medicine supplies to the front lines.
A day later, Li Ji’an delivered the pill medicine supplies.
Meanwhile, he quickly sent messages to Xiao Changfeng, Xiaoqiao, and Yan Qingwan.
Fabricating hearing rumors of True Monarch of Ten Thousand Laws no longer being within this domain, and then informing them of Sima Yu’s escape.
In fact, by now, the news about True Monarch’s demise was almost considered fact by everyone, they also widely knew that they had no reinforcements left.
The result was despair over this battle.
Yet, the world is vast, and there are all sorts of people; it never lacks those selfish individuals like Master Chunyuan, nor does it lack those with selfless dedication.
At least several True Pill Masters of Ten Thousand Laws Palace and most of the higher-ups of the Three Sects were still unwilling to give up.
Furthermore, quite a few sect disciples held a determination to die rather than allow demon cultivators to massacre this domain.
Most of them were raised with sect teachings since childhood, focused entirely on cultivation, with little exposure to worldly matters, their understanding of the righteous and the demonic stemming from the sect, firmly believing that if demon cultivators occupied the Celestial Cyan Domain, all cultivators within the domain would surely suffer harm by the demon cultivators.
"Ping’an, go! Leave this domain, find any means to reach the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain!" To Li Ji’an’s surprise, upon receiving his message, Xiao Changfeng and the others immediately urged him to flee!
Li Ji’an said no more, quickly returning to Dongli Sect.
As soon as he returned, he was informed that the true disciples of Ten Thousand Laws Palace had gone north to escort a batch of supplies for aid, estimating it would take some time, leaving Li Ji’an in charge here temporarily.
Li Ji’an immediately used the excuse of receiving front-line secret orders to resign from the task and handed it over to a chief true disciple of Dongli Sect.
Subsequently, he rushed to the Pill Peak, summoning Guo Wanzhi from her closed-door alchemy practice.