Chapter 497 - 12: One Pill a Day

In the Mingxiao Eastern Domain, on the West Shore of the Illusory Sun Sea, dozens of exquisite and majestic peaks of varying sizes stood tall along the coastline.

Nestled among the mountains was an exceptionally flat, gloomy valley that widened the deeper one ventured. The cliffs on both sides were draped in ancient vines, interspersed with vibrant flowers as brilliant as embroidered clouds, filling the air with a fresh, sweet fragrance.

At the far end of the Gloomy Valley cascaded a waterfall, which fed a ten-odd-acre Ping Lake of vast, clear water. Peach, plum, wintersweet, and osmanthus trees, representing all four seasons, grew in scattered clusters along the shore, their blossoms opening in unison.

Beside the lake grew thousands of crimson bamboo stalks, most over a foot in diameter. They soared toward the heavens, blocking out the sun like a vast expanse of red clouds, a dazzlingly vivid sight. A wide path circled west around the lake, its edges lined with lush, jade-like grass and exotic, blooming flowers that dazzled the eye with their myriad colors.

After leaving the Jade Emperor Sect, Fang Cheng released the Life Soul Elder. He then traveled east, crossing hundreds of thousands of miles of void to reach this location. He chose this scenic spot to place his Jade Tower and take up temporary residence while he awaited the appearance of the Feathered Immortal Tree.

The remaining factions that possessed an Ancient Profound Talisman were either too distant or had a Tribulation Realm Great Power presiding over their sect, making them opponents he couldn’t handle for the time being.

Even back outside the Jade Emperor Sect, Fang Cheng had been unwilling to get overly entangled with Yan Zongdao. If he had attracted the attention of the sect’s other Dharma Cultivators, escaping would have been difficult.

The ten great Mystic Sects of the Mingxiao Domain had profound foundations and were truly not to be underestimated.

The first thing he did upon arriving was inscribe the Ancient Profound Talisman he had obtained from the Jade Emperor Sect onto the Immortal Copper Treasure Box.

It turned out that the Ancient Profound Talismans required for the six faces of the Treasure Box were not specific; it seemed any Ancient Profound Talisman could trigger the box’s unusual phenomenon.

Fang Cheng had a plan. He knew the secret of this treasure had to be unraveled slowly, step by step. It would be best to wait until he successfully joined the Red Profound Association; perhaps then, everything would fall into place.

After dealing with these matters, inspiration struck, and he once again performed a ritual to refine a Dream Spirit Incarnation.

This time, however, he recorded the two Ancient Profound Talismans into a jade slip. He then placed both the Immortal Copper Treasure Box and the jade slip into the Incense Grand Array, using the two items as catalysts to project the Dream Spirit.

Within the Dream Spirit World, Fang Cheng’s spiritual-sense incarnation began as usual, steadily cultivating to raise its Cultivation.

After reaching the Life Soul Realm, it began to comprehend the wondrous uses of the Ancient Profound Talisman and created its own Dual Cultivation Technique. From then on, with a harem of wives and concubines, its Cultivation soared, and it quickly became one of the top experts in the Dream Spirit World.

The greatest benefit of practicing a self-created technique was that it was closer to the Dao itself!

It seemed to be an even greater step than when Fang Cheng himself used the Creation Golden Talisman to comprehend a technique to the Perfect Realm.

Attaining the Dao!

Benefitting from this, the Dream Spirit Incarnation’s Cultivation and Divine Techniques allowed it to dominate all Cultivators of the same level. It could even fight those of a higher realm and remain undefeated.

Building on this foundation, the Dream Spirit Incarnation eventually became the patriarch of a sect and successfully broke through to the Tribulation Realm!

Guided by Fang Cheng’s subconscious, the Dream Spirit Incarnation tried various methods to open the Immortal Copper Treasure Box.

In the end, it was all for naught.

Even with a Tribulation Realm Cultivation and all manner of powerful Magical Artifacts, it still failed to open the Immortal Copper Treasure Box.

「After that.」

To survive its heavenly tribulations, the Dream Spirit Incarnation continuously studied the Ancient Profound Talisman and created another powerful Divine Technique: one that could summon a projection of a Tier Five Celestial Demon from the Outer Void down into the Lower Realm.

This method allowed the projection to retain seventy to eighty percent of the Tier Five Celestial Demon’s power without letting the demon’s true body enter the Human Race Heaven—the best of both worlds.

The only price was a "Celestial Demon Sacrifice."

With this method, the Dream Spirit Incarnation managed to withstand two heavenly tribulations.

But when the third heavenly tribulation arrived, the Dream Spirit Incarnation was ultimately overwhelmed. It was annihilated, reduced to ash and smoke, thus ending that particular dream projection.

After this, Fang Cheng ran the projection several more times, but the results were always the same.

No matter what bizarre experiences or incredible fortuitous encounters the Dream Spirit Incarnation had, it could never open the Immortal Copper Treasure Box.

...

「That day.」

The sky was clear, the air crisp.

In the Gloomy Valley, the sound of the waterfall was ethereal. The lake’s surface was a tranquil sheet of turquoise, as clear and smooth as a mirror.

From a distance, the water’s surface reflected the floating clouds above, creating a silvery, rosy sheen.

A small boat drifted on the lake. From beneath its black canopy, the faint sound of a woman’s soft humming could be heard.

The boat swayed gently, sending ripples spreading across the water. Touched by the morning sun, the concentric circles shimmered like golden scales.

After a long while, a man lifted the curtain flap, a look of pure contentment on his face as he gazed out.

He looked relaxed and languid, holding a Profound Gold Smoke Gun. He flicked his finger to light it, took a deep drag, and exhaled a plume of smoke. "I never expected the morning scenery here to be so exquisite," he said, "It certainly complements the pleasures of Dual Cultivation."

A stunning young woman emerged from beneath the canopy. She walked barefoot to the edge of the boat and sat down, extending her long, shapely legs to dip her jade-like feet into the cool, clear water.

The young woman wore a form-fitting cyan gown that revealed her every curve. Her bearing was graceful, and her lovely face was bright with a seductive charm.

This cold, noble Demon Emperor had, in just a few short days, transformed into an obedient and lovely concubine. Both in bed and out, she was very much to Fang Cheng’s satisfaction.

In the lake, dozens of Seven-Star Carp swam around her fair, slender, and delicate feet.

Li Huan glanced at Fang Cheng with her beautiful eyes and said shyly, "Does my lord have to do this every time he refines the medicinal power of a Tier Four Spirit Pill? Does that mean we’ll have to... every day?"

Fang Cheng chuckled. "There aren’t that many Tier Four Spirit Pills."

Indeed, with Li Huan’s help, Fang Cheng’s speed at refining Tier Four Spirit Pills had increased dramatically, reaching a rate of almost one per day!

This beauty of the Demon Race was not only a rare stunner but also a Top-grade Tripod Furnace. Only after experiencing her did he truly understand her unique flavor and wondrous benefits.

A Dual Cultivation partner at the Dharma Realm was most suitable for refining Tier Four Spirit Pills.

Unfortunately, the Tier Four Spirit Pills he had acquired from the Qiankun Saint Sect’s Treasure Vault, as well as those Jingyuan had presented to him, were almost depleted.

Otherwise, by his calculations, it wouldn’t be long before he could attempt to break through the bottleneck to the Mid-Dharma Stage.

During this period, in his spare time, Fang Cheng also exchanged cultivation insights with Li Huan, passing on his experience in adapting during combat to improve her practical fighting abilities.

Li Huan felt so blissful she had forgotten all thoughts of home; the initial despair of ’falling into a monster’s clutches’ had long since vanished.

A smile graced Li Huan’s lips as she whispered, "When the Feathered Immortal Tree appears this time, its canopy is sure to be filled with all sorts of heavenly materials and earthly treasures. With my lord’s abilities, how could you possibly miss out on treasures that can increase one’s Magical Power?"

She paused, a peculiar glint in her beautiful eyes. Lifting her feet from the water, she turned to face Fang Cheng and said affectionately, "When that time comes, I will accompany you back to this Gloomy Valley, and we can properly refine them together."

Before she could finish, Fang Cheng’s powerful hands seized her soft, slender waist and pulled her into his embrace.

Li Huan’s long, slender legs wrapped around Fang Cheng’s waist, revealing the elegant curve of her body and her round, peach-like hips.

Fang Cheng felt a surge of delight. Witnessing this once-haughty Demon Emperor transform into a charming, passionate woman who reveled in pleasure was one of his few amusements these days.

Just as they gazed into each other’s eyes, affection blossoming between them, a heaven-shaking BOOM suddenly echoed from the distance.

Immediately after, a vast wave of energy washed over them, causing the plants and trees in the Gloomy Valley to tremble.

If Fang Cheng hadn’t already enveloped the Gloomy Valley with a restrictive spell, the scenery would have been destroyed in an instant.

The two flew up from the boat, rising into the air to look out toward the distant Illusory Sun Sea.

They saw a mountain-high wave crashing toward the shore.

Dark clouds raced across the sea as a gale picked up. The waves rose like cliffs, churning violently. In the distance, brilliant flashes of light indicated that Cultivators were engaged in a fierce battle.

"The Feathered Immortal Tree hasn’t even appeared yet, and they’re already fighting out at sea...?"

Li Huan murmured, looking into the distance.

Fang Cheng’s gaze was profound. After staring into the distance for a moment, he said, "I’m afraid some other treasure has appeared first."

...