Several days later, within the Savage Beast Immortal City in the Southern Desolate, Fang Bai’s reputation spread quickly; almost all the immortals in the city knew that Alchemist Fang was both an alchemist and an artifact refiner, with an astonishing success rate.

In the Immortal Realm, both alchemists and artifact refiners are sparse, and those who hold dual professions are even rarer.

Immortals are always eager to befriend alchemists and artifact refiners, so after Fang Bai’s fame spread, many Immortal Sects, Immortal Gates, and Loose Cultivators came to Fang Bai’s stall, calling him brother and friend.

Very soon, Fang Bai accumulated extensive connections within the Savage Beast Immortal City.

Fang Bai felt the time was ripe and immediately began issuing a reward.

The reward content was essentially that Fang Bai’s crucial friend, Antarctica Immortal Emperor, had been kidnapped to the Southern Desolate, and if any immortal could help find him, dead or alive, they would receive five goblets of Water of Life from Fang Bai.

The reward detailed Antarctica Immortal Emperor’s attire and physical characteristics to aid in the search by the immortals.

Since immortals were unaware of what the Water of Life was, at the end of the reward, Fang Bai especially explained the miraculous use of Water of Life for immortals.

"A drop of Water of Life can allow an Immortal King Realm Expert to ascend one minor realm?"

"A goblet of Water of Life can allow an Immortal Emperor Realm Expert to ascend one minor realm?"

"Oh my, what kind of immortal water is so miraculous?"

"It’s too unbelievable!"

"This is the ultimate treasure!"

"Is it real?"

"It should be real, right? Alchemist Fang wouldn’t ruin his reputation!"

"Let’s go ask Alchemist Fang Bai, and take a look at that Water of Life!"

...

Soon after Fang Bai issued the reward, tens of thousands of immortals flocked to his stall, to inquire and hope to catch a glimpse of the Water of Life.

In response, Fang Bai was well-prepared.

He temporarily concealed the Five Elements Space Ring and from a common Space Immortal Ring worn on his finger, summoned five egg-sized clumps of Water of Life.

The black Water of Life floated in front of Fang Bai, trembling and releasing a formidable life force, all immortals sensed its extraordinary nature, their eyes lighting up.

"If any of you doubt the miraculous use of this Water of Life, you can bring an Immortal King over to test if they can achieve ascension!"

Fang Bai smiled as he put away the other Water of Life, leaving only one drop outside, his gaze quickly swept over the tens of thousands of immortals before him.

Tens of thousands of immortals immediately grew restless, thinking the opportunity was rare, not knowing if it would come again, so most immortals scrambled to step forward and try.

A small number of immortals remained apprehensive, standing still.

Fang Bai continued, "However, let me say something upfront: the power of this Water of Life is too strong, and there will be certain risks upon consumption. If anything unexpected happens, I won’t be responsible!"

Upon hearing Fang Bai’s words, more than half of the immortals who were scrambling forward immediately backed off.

Although immortals sometimes have a determination and will to fight to the death for certain treasures in order to ascend, something as miraculous as Water of Life, which they have never heard of, poses uncertainty—if taking it leads to unexpected demise, it would be too unworthy.

Fang Bai saw the tens of thousands of people suddenly grow quiet, looking at each other, unsure of their decision. He did not rush; he simply smiled at them.

Fang Bai believed that rare treasures are irresistible, and sooner or later, some immortal would be willing to take the chance.

Sure enough, the scene remained silent for just ten breaths, before an immortal stepped forward and said to Fang Bai: "Since no immortals dare to try, then let me do it! Anyway, my lifespan is short, dying a few years earlier or later makes no difference!"

That immortal was white-haired and bearded, small in stature, frail and aged; Fang Bai noticed he had the cultivation of a fifth-tier Immortal King Realm and understood that his lifespan was indeed short. If he couldn’t ascend, he likely had only a few decades left to live.

"An immortal willing to gamble on fortune," Fang Bai thought.

Fang Bai watched the skinny immortal stand before him, noticing the glow of hope in his eyes as he stared at the Water of Life, which made Fang Bai smile slightly.

For that skinny immortal, consuming the Water of Life, if ascension succeeds, could extend his lifespan by hundreds of years, giving him that time to diligently cultivate, and potentially ascend further, forming a virtuous cycle.

And if ascension fails, the price paid would only be dying a few decades earlier.

Just as Fang Bai envisioned, the skinny immortal stood there with a mindset ready to gamble. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Don’t worry too much," Fang Bai said with a grin to the skinny immortal. "There’s certainly a chance of failure in consuming the Water of Life, but the chance of success is greater! So... good luck!"

To encourage immobilizing all parties to find Antarctica Immortal Emperor, Fang Bai naturally could not allow the skinny immortal’s attempt at consuming the Water of Life to fail. Therefore, throughout the process, Fang Bai would stand guard. If at any moment things seemed to go awry, he would intervene, ensuring the skinny immortal ascends successfully no matter what.

The skinny immortal was willing to attempt with a mindset of facing death, yet still felt some anxiety. After hearing Fang Bai’s words, he managed to pull a slight smile, saying: "Thanks to Alchemist Fang, I hope that I succeed! If I ascend, you will be my benefactor who gave me new life!"

"Consume this drop of Water of Life and await the miracle!"

Fang Bai nodded, and with a thought, the drop of Water of Life moved towards the skinny immortal’s mouth.

After hesitating for a few breaths, the skinny immortal took a deep breath, glanced longingly at the surrounding scenery, then quickly opened his mouth and swallowed the drop of Water of Life.

"To the Alchemy Room! I will protect you!"

Under the watchful gaze of tens of thousands of immortals, Fang Bai and the skinny immortal entered the Alchemy Room behind the stall.

The stall was guarded by the three female immortals, Fang Yun, Qin Yaorao, and Xia Chenyu.

Fang Bai’s prestige in the Savage Beast Immortal City was now exceedingly high, not even Immortal Emperor Realm Experts would easily provoke him, therefore, even though Fang Yun and the other two female immortals were charming and beautiful, no blind immortal dared to bother them.

During the time the skinny immortal was in seclusion cultivating, few immortals left; they all waited to see if the Water of Life was as miraculous as Alchemist Fang claimed.

If the skinny immortal indeed ascended, it would prove the miraculous use of the Water of Life, and they would surely frantically search for Antarctica Immortal Emperor in the Southern Desolate.

If one drop of Water of Life allowed an Immortal King to ascend, one goblet could let an Immortal Emperor ascend; the value and rarity of the few goblets Fang Bai had placed as rewards are self-evident.

Given the Isolation Formation surrounding the Alchemy Room, immortals outside had no way to detect any commotion inside or know what had transpired after the skinny Immortal King consumed the Water of Life.

However, according to Alchemist Fang, consuming the Water of Life might lead to ascension in no more than ten days, therefore the tens of thousands of immortals remained patient in their wait.

Naturally, the immortals hoped the skinny immortal would successfully ascend, proving the Water of Life’s miraculous nature, and justifying their efforts to search for Antarctica Immortal Emperor.