Of his spirit artifacts, aside from the Green Abyss Sword that his Grand Master Yuan Zhengfeng had personally forged for him, the remaining ones had already long since been indiscriminately burned.
Currently, it was the glowing dark green bamboo cane inside the Internal Crystal Furnace that was Yan Zhaoge’s most costly expense.
Still, Yan Zhaoge felt no heartache at all as he looked smilingly at the dark green bamboo cane.
Despite those great expenses, the potential currently revealed by this treasure that Yan Zhaoge had personally refined from nothing and gradually developed into how it was now was really just the tip of the iceberg.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 814: Golden pill pointing the way
HSSB814: Golden pill pointing the way
After leaving the dark green bamboo cane in the Internal Crystal Furnace for refinement and completing the corresponding arrangements, Yan Zhaoge no longer had to keep an eye on it.
Now, the process would gradually be completed over time. Upon final completion, the furnace would automatically open on its own.
After travelling for quite some time, Yan Zhaoge’s group finally arrived at the Jade Sun Mountain Range’s Solitary Heart Peak.
Gazing far away into the distance, there was a dense, fiery red forest on the southern slope which seemed as though a mighty fire was blazing as the winds buffeted its branches and leaves.
“Heavenly Flame Trees, and what a dense forest of them this really is,” Yan Zhaoge nodded slightly.
With the jade necklace’s map guiding the way, he no longer needed to search the area himself after arriving at Solitary Heart Peak as he would be able to head straight for the cave located down below.
A massive gorge existed between two mountain peaks above which a large amount of Heavenly Flame Trees grew, their leaves blotting out the sun and obscuring the heavens.
Yan Zhaoge entered the gorge, heading downwards.
Gazing upwards, while the gorge had already been narrow initially, as the light was blocked by the leaves of the trees, darkness instantly fell over the gorge as just mere slivers of sunlight penetrated through the gaps between the leaves.
In the depths of the gorge, they had arrived at a location which virtually never saw the light of day all year round.
The Heavenly Flame Trees were red during all four seasons, their leaves virtually never ever falling.
With no sunlight visible, the environment within the gorge was exceptionally cold, gloomy and wet.
Yan Zhaoge realised after observing for a while, “No wonder there are no organisations or powerful experts who have come to reside here.”
The numerous Heavenly Flame Trees that were congregated together would devour the flourishing life force and spiritual qi as well as the thriving flame essence qi that was extremely hot and blazing.
In the valley down below, it was instead gloomy with dense cold qi permeating the area.
At first glance, Yan Zhaoge had still thought that a rare land of the twin extremities of fire and ice might possibly form beneath this environment, making for a rare precious fountain of spiritual qi.
Still, after careful observation, he discovered that the yang qi and yin qi here had formed a strange equilibrium. Not only did they not aid in each other’s growth, they instead diminished each other.
Therefore, Solitary Heart Peak’s environment was extremely mediocre. There were few who would think anything of it.
The Northern Ocean Clone stayed in the Myriad Dragon Palace to cultivate, assaulting the bottleneck towards the fifth level of the Martial Saint realm.
Yan Zhaoge exited the palace, sitting on Pan-Pan’s back and letting his steed descend to the depths of the gorge.
After searching for a bit, he found the cave that was depicted in the image from the jade necklace.
Going inside, Yan Zhaoge’s party found that this cave was extremely dark and deep, connected to many places down below.
In the cave, it was hard to get one’s bearings.
Still, Yan Zhaoge had long since thought about this as he carefully retrieved a small brocade box.
Opening the box, golden light instantly flickered within the darkness of the cave. Borrowing the golden light, one could even see faint purple qi rising up from within the brocade box.
Yan Zhaoge gazed at the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill in the box, “If I deduce rightly…”
As he thought this, the pill within the brocade box actually shook slightly before slowly and haltingly rising into the air.
Yan Zhaoge did not prevent this Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill from flying out of the brocade box. Instead, his spirits rose as he followed after the pill that had begun flying on its own.
The grade of the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill was too high such that the spiritual qi within this pill as well as its spirituality were actually far from as simple as how they looked like now.
It was just that due to the gradual passing of time over the years, in order to preserve its spirituality, the golden pill had sealed the leakage of its own spiritual qi.
In other words, this pill was like a lifeform which was currently in a deep slumber.
It was like an animal hibernating, its vitality and spirituality concealed deep within as it suffered not the assault of the merciless elements.
Therefore, Yan Zhaoge had thought of a plan on the way here.
If this really was the path to the hidden treasure that Sun Zhongda spoke of, if that hidden treasure really was a supreme treasure like the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace, if this Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill was really concocted of the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace, if the spirituality of this pill was still mostly preserved, why, the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill might be able to guide the way for him here.
There were many preconditions and suppositions here. If one of them were to be unsound, the plan would immediately fall short.
Therefore, Yan Zhaoge had been very relaxed, not bearing too much hope regarding this. He could just slowly think of another plan at most if he really did fail.
Still, it looked like his luck had been quite good. From how the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill was acting up now, his earlier plan had actually succeeded?
“The behaviour of this Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill is equivalent to affirming Sun Zhongda’s guess,” Yan Zhaoge’s eyes shone.
Sun Zhongda had guessed that the hidden treasure he was looking for was very likely the legendary supreme treasure of the dao of alchemy from the Pill Hall of the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace, the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace.
This had still just been a guess at the end of the day. There was no actual proof that they would be able to find something as it could only exist as mere speculation.
From Yan Zhaoge’s experiment with the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill, it had been proven that this guess was very likely a correct one.
Firstly, a path towards the hidden treasure was indeed concealed within this cave.
Next, within had to exist a pill cauldron or medicinal furnace which could concoct this Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill.
And, there was an eighty percent chance that it was precisely the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace.
For such a miraculous effect to be had with such deep markings imprinted on the pill, the pill able to still react like this following so many long years and across a perhaps extremely distant space, it was not something that an ordinary pill-concocting treasure would be able to achieve.
Finally, even if it was not the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace, its quality should also not be any lower than that.
This treasure did exist for sure, its worth rivalling a city’s.
Facing this sort of prospective fortune, Yan Zhaoge naturally had to try his luck.
If the Pill Hall still existed and they managed to locate it as a result, that would be really be priceless.
Of course, they might run into danger on this quest as well, with many
competing with them over it.
Yan Zhaoge followed after the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill, watching it zooming in mid-air.
As they continued advancing, it was soon evident that the speed of the pill was gradually increasing.
After travelling through the densely connected cave for a while, the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill finally stopped. It circled a pile of stalactites, hovering in mid-air as it shook slightly.
Yan Zhaoge halted, silently reaching out with his senses.
Even with his sensory abilities, it was only after a long time that he discovered some anomalies.
Without further ado, Yan Zhaoge retrieved the Cloud Commanding Spear and pierced right through a stalactite.
That stalactite did not break. Instead, a tiny black dot appeared where the spear tip touched.
The black dot gradually expanded as it transformed into a dark spatial crevice.
Yan Zhaoge nodded slightly. A tiny crevice had once been ripped out amidst space here, a dimensional passageway hence being formed.
Afterwards, the crevice had healed. Still, it was like a scar over a wound as traces of it could still be sought out.
Yan Zhaoge’s earlier spear had ripped the wound apart again.
After storing the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill and the Cloud Commanding Spear, Yan Zhaoge leapt into the Myriad Dragon Palace which transformed into a streak of light, speeding rapidly into that spatial crevice.
Traversing multiple layers of space, Yan Zhaoge now finally ended up within a foreign dimension.
Just feeling the spiritual qi flow of this foreign dimension somewhat, Yan Zhaoge knew that this place was extremely huge.
Unlike the previous foreign dimensions he had been to, the space here was exceptionally stable such that even a battle between numerous Martial Saints here might not cause the dimension’s collapse.
As opposed to calling it a foreign dimension, this could really be called a world in its own right.
Being able to form such a space, there was definitely an extraordinary entity here. Either it was a human or it was a treasure.
History's Strongest Senior Brother Chapter 815: Realm of divine pills, seven distinct levels!
HSSB815: Realm of divine pills, seven distinct levels
Gazing all around, Yan Zhaoge saw that there was a layer of faint purple qi in the skies here which resembled clouds.
Golden light vaguely emanated from these purple clouds, resembling sunlight that was obscured.
Still, the heavens and the earth were completely empty. While there were mountains and rivers visible, no other living entities could be seen.
Yan Zhaoge sniffed lightly and was able to smell a faint medicinal fragrance.
He strode forward once more, resuming his advance.
The world before him was seemingly without end. As he took out the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill again, this divine pill had instead fallen silent, not moving at all.
It was like returning to this foreign dimension had left it feeling incomparably satisfied at having returned to from whence it came.
Yan Zhaoge kept the Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill once more, next starting to advance based on his own sensory abilities.
Primarily relying on his senses of smell and taste, Yan Zhaoge distinguished the density level of medicinal fragrance located all around him and headed towards where it was more abundant.
Indeed, after flying for a bit, Yan Zhaoge’s heart jolted slightly. He landed atop a mountain peak.
Carefully searching the area, Yan Zhaoge soon found a speck of mild blue light partway down the mountain on a jutted outcropping of rock.
As he neared, he saw that the blue light seemed to be socketed within the overhanging rock cliff.
The source of the light was clearly a black pill around the size of a grown adult’s thumb, its surface flickering non-stop with a blue lustre.
Carefully looking over, tides seemed to be unceasingly rising and falling in the interior of the black pill. As he got close to it, the sound of the beating of waves even resounded by Yan Zhaoge’s ears.
“Profound Essence Black Water Pill…” After thinking a little, Yan Zhaoge managed to identify this pill.
This was an invaluable pill for those who cultivated in water-type martial arts or whose martial arts were related to the essence and qi of water.
It would be rare indeed in this world to find a pill which, when consumed, would allow the cultivation base of the one who had consumed it to immediately soar by leaps and bounds.
Yet, there were always exceptions to these things. The Profound Essence Black Water Pill was one of those. It would immensely benefit those who cultivated in water-type martial arts or who cultivated with the help of the essence and qi of water.
The results would be instantaneously visible for those beneath the Martial Saint realm.
While the effects were not so immediately obvious for Martial Saints, it would still be of great benefit to their daily cultivation, saving much effort for them in their usual cultivation process.
Seeing this divine pill, it was not the pill itself that Yan Zhaoge was most concerned about.
Instead, it was the fact that this Profound Essence Black Water Pill was similarly one of the efficacious medicines created in the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace in the past.
Yan Zhaoge pricked a golden needle within, infusing his true essence and carefully sensing and examining the changes within.
“Huh?” A moment later, a puzzled look appeared on Yan Zhaoge, “If I am not wrong, unlike that Encompassing Abundance Golden Pill, it seems it hasn’t been long since this pill was concocted?”
He surveyed his surroundings, “Even though this dimension is unique, able to seal the leakage of the pills’ spiritual qi and help the pills to preserve their spirituality, if this pill was really concocted in pre-Great Calamity times, it still shouldn’t have been preserved to this extent.”
“It feels like… it was just a matter of somewhat over a decade ago that it was concocted?”
Yan Zhaoge’s pupils dilated abruptly, “Someone has beaten us to this place. After arriving here, he even used the Profound Sky Purple Gold Furnace for pill concoction?”
He frowned, suppressing his doubts as he first carefully kept that Profound Essence Black Water Pill before continuing to advance forward.
As he travelled, Yan Zhaoge discovered a few random pills scattered along the way.
Resplendent Clear Longevity Pill, Purple Qi Golden Jade Pill, Supreme Miraculous Star Flying Pill, Divine Sky Pill, Broad Coldness Pill…these various scattered pills had all been produced in the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace in the past.
While some of them emanated ancient vibes, possibly being left behind from before the Great Calamity, there were also some which felt very new, seeming like they were recently concocted.
Yan Zhaoge quickly kept all the pills that he came across. Still, he no longer specifically looked for them as he accelerated his rate of advance.
It could already somewhat be said that Yan Zhaoge’s present gains were already utterly ludicrous.
If others were to learn about this, they would probably collectively go crazy all at once.
Even the likes of the Grand Xuan Dynasty, the North Sea Sword Pavilion and the Whale Breath Sect would be greatly desirous of his wealth.
Yet, Yan Zhaoge was naturally not content and satisfied with what he had gained thus far.
After yet some more time had passed, Yan Zhaoge finally saw a somewhat different scene.
Atop the great earth before him stood a tall pagoda that flickered with radiance. It also resembled an altar.
There were seven levels in total to the tower which was shrouded by golden light with streams of purple qi rising straight up into the heavens from its peak like a column of smoke.
After arriving in the sky, the purple smoke would come into contact with the purple auspicious clouds in the sky, a distorted image that resembled a vortex ne
xt being formed.
The exceptionally strange thing was that that rotating smoke column just appeared so silent.
Yan Zhaoge pondered for a moment before treading upon that tall pagoda.
The tall pagoda indeed had mechanisms in place. Still, it possessed no hostility or offensive capabilities.
Yan Zhaoge was swept along by that purple column of smoke which resembled a pillar that supported the heavens as his figure immediately shot up into the purple clouds up above.
After entering the purple clouds, all was dense in the world before him as he was unable to distinguish up from down and left from right.
Still, a door of golden light soon appeared.
Yan Zhaoge did not hesitate in the least as he strode through that door of golden light. When the glow faded, all was clear again before his eyes.
The surrounding scenery was just the same as earlier. Still, sensing his surroundings carefully, Yan Zhaoge discovered that had had already shockingly entered a whole different world.
While the flow of spiritual qi here was similar to the previous dimensional space, there were minute yet obvious differences which made it very easy for one to determine that these were two different dimensional spaces.
“No, perhaps it should be said that this dimensional space is far vaster and more mysterious than I previously thought,” Yan Zhaoge stroked his lower chin.
Turning and gazing over, he indeed saw the same tall pagoda that was seven floors high erected there. Still, there was no purple smoke that surged into the heavens from the top of this pagoda.
Feng Yunsheng said, “From the looks of it, this place is divided into levels? We have travelled from a lower level to a higher level.”
Yan Zhaoge nodded even as he glanced at that tall pagoda before him.
Did this pagoda signify that this unique dimensional space was divided into seven levels in total?
“Then, how do I go to the next level? Is there another pagoda elsewhere?” Yan Zhaoge shrugged, knowing that the mechanism of this pagoda would in all likelihood send him back to that previous, lower level if it was activated.
Still, it remained unknown if that level had been the bottommost one.
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