Chapter 674 - 668: Wood Spirit Cyan Profound

When Shen Haoran and Ji Lingxuan arrived at the Medicine Hall, they instantly caused a huge sensation. Like celebrities, the two were surrounded by the people of the Medicine Hall, all of them staring with fervent gazes. They looked as if they wanted to pounce on Shen Haoran, drag him home, and study him. After all, this was the winner of the Pill Emperor competition, someone who had refined a Seventh Grade Elixir in a single day and even produced a Pill Cloud. It was a veritable miracle in the Alchemy Realm!

Staring at the intense gazes all around him, Shen Haoran couldn’t take it, despite being rather thick-skinned. He grabbed Ji Lingxuan and fled toward the deepest part of the Medicine Hall, finally managing to shake off the crowd.

"Phew..." Shen Haoran let out a long breath. ’That was terrifying. It’s true what they say: fame brings trouble. Being this famous isn’t a good thing at all. I get recognized everywhere I go.’ Shen Haoran much preferred to lay low and make his fortune quietly. He still wasn’t used to this feeling of being the center of attention.

When Shen Haoran reached the depths of the Medicine Hall, Yao Wuchen was already there waiting for him.

"Miss Ji, a pleasure!" Seeing Shen Haoran and Ji Lingxuan, Yao Wuchen hurried forward to greet Ji Lingxuan with a bow. ’Even though I’m the Hall Master of the Medicine Hall, in the eyes of the Ji Family, this place is nothing more than a slightly larger apothecary. Perhaps the Pill Hall Master of the Human Race would be qualified to speak with the Ji Family, but our Medicine Hall is not.’

Ji Lingxuan gave a slight nod in response to Yao Wuchen’s friendly gesture, then her gaze returned to Shen Haoran. In the young woman’s eyes, it was as if only Shen Haoran could stir any emotion within her.

Yao Wuchen could see it too—that Ji Lingxuan’s world revolved around Shen Haoran. He turned to Shen Haoran and said, "Shen Haoran, your reward is ready. Come, I’ll take you to it!"

At his words, Shen Haoran nodded lightly, a fiery look appearing in his eyes. ’The Wood Spirit Cyan Profound is almost in my grasp. Lady Ya can be healed, and I’ll be one step closer to awakening my Chaos Divine Body.’

Led by Yao Wuchen, Shen Haoran and Ji Lingxuan arrived before a well in the deepest part of the Medicine Hall. Yao Wuchen pointed to the dark, deep opening and said, "The Wood Spirit Cyan Profound is down there, but we’ve placed a Seal on it. This is the Token to undo the Seal. However, I advise you to think twice. The Wood Spirit Cyan Profound is a Heaven and Earth Spirit, after all. Its Refinement will not be simple. Even getting close to it is difficult."

"What do you mean? Logically, possessing a Heaven and Earth Spirit, especially the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound, should be incredibly helpful for you Alchemists. Why haven’t you attempted its Refinement? Why offer it up as a reward for the Pill Emperor competition instead?" Ji Lingxuan asked, puzzled. Heaven and Earth Spirits were something every Martial Artist dreamed of obtaining. Why would the Medicine Hall just give it away instead of using it themselves?

"Sigh... It’s not that we didn’t want to attempt its Refinement. We tried, but we failed. We even lost dozens of Elders in the process. The Energy of that Wood Spirit Cyan Profound is too terrifying. No one dares to provoke the might of a Heaven and Earth Spirit. We can only wait for the destined one to appear," Yao Wuchen said with a long sigh.

"As everyone knows, the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound represents the way of life in this world. But extremes beget their opposites. The life force contained within the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound is so overwhelmingly vibrant that it has turned into an aura of death. Anyone who gets close to it will have their own life force drained away, leaving them as nothing but a pile of withered bones. I myself once tried to attempt its Refinement, but before I even got near it, I could feel the life force in my body draining away at a frantic pace. It was a good thing I escaped in time. Otherwise, I would have died in there long ago!" Yao Wuchen said, glancing at the deep well with a shudder.

Hearing this, Shen Haoran’s brow furrowed tightly, but it soon relaxed. ’This is the Refinement of a Heaven and Earth Spirit, after all. When has it ever been easy for me?’

"So the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound is Sealed down there, correct?" Shen Haoran said, stepping onto the lip of the well and peering into its dark opening.

"Correct. Whether you go or not is up to you. You must think this through," Yao Wuchen said softly.

"I’m going. Of course I’m going. That’s a Heaven and Earth Spirit!" A slight smile played on Shen Haoran’s lips. ’No matter what, I have to get the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound today. This is a risk I have to take.’

"Brother Haoran, I’ll go with you!" Ji Lingxuan stepped forward to stand beside Shen Haoran.

"Since you’ve decided, please be careful. But rest assured, the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound is under a Seal placed by the Elders of my Medicine Hall. If you feel anything is wrong, you can retreat. I can exchange the reward for something else," Yao Wuchen instructed.

Shen Haoran gave a slight nod. Then, wrapping an arm around Ji Lingxuan’s soft, slender waist, he leaped into the deep well.

WHOOSH... The well was unnaturally deep. After what felt like an eternity of falling, Shen Haoran finally saw the bottom. He immediately unfurled his Vermilion Bird Wings, allowing them to land steadily on the ground.

Shen Haoran and Ji Lingxuan looked around. As far as the eye could see was an ocean of emerald green. A verdant light enveloped the entire Underworld, giving it a dreamlike feel. Shen Haoran followed the light to its source. In the center of a vast, open plaza, a jade-green pearl was bound by several ghastly white chains. Within the pearl, a cluster of emerald flames flickered faintly. This was the source of the green halo bathing the cavern.

"The Wood Spirit Pearl, and the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound!" Shen Haoran cried out in delight upon seeing the jade-green pearl and the emerald flame. This was the Spirit Seed of the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound and the Wood Spirit Pearl.

With a joyful expression, Shen Haoran started to walk forward, but after just one step, Ji Lingxuan pulled him back.

"Brother Haoran, look at those skeletons!" Ji Lingxuan said, her expression grave as she pointed to the dozens of ghastly white skeletons not far away.

Following Ji Lingxuan’s reminder, Shen Haoran looked ahead as well. Dozens of skeletons lay silently on the ground, their bones looking exceptionally pale, as if they would shatter at the slightest touch.

"There isn’t a trace of life, and it’s the same for this underground space. It seems Yao Wuchen was right. When life force reaches its extreme, it becomes an aura of death. This Wood Spirit Cyan Profound is absorbing the life force of all living things around it!" Shen Haoran said in a low voice after sensing the aura flowing through the space.

"Then what do we do? By the looks of it, we won’t even be able to get close to the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound!" Ji Lingxuan’s brows furrowed slightly as she gazed at the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound’s Spirit Seed.

"Not necessarily. I have an idea I want to test. Wait for me here!" Shen Haoran said to Ji Lingxuan, and without waiting for her reply, he strode forward.

Shen Haoran began to approach the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound. As the distance between them rapidly closed, he felt a strange Devouring Power erupt from the Spirit in the distance. The life force in his body began to drain away at an alarming rate, and his once supple skin started to wither at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Seeing this, Shen Haoran’s expression remained impassive. Within his Primordial Small World, the two Spirit Seeds of his other Heaven and Earth Spirits trembled slightly. Two rays of light, one black and one yellow, burst forth from his body, blocking the emerald Devouring Power and preventing it from corroding his body. The rapid draining of his life force also stabilized.

’It really worked!’ Shen Haoran rejoiced internally. He then turned his fiery gaze toward the Wood Spirit Cyan Profound in the distance...