Chapter 758: Danger Lurks in the Calm
Chapter 758: Danger Lurks in the Calm
"What's more, I've noticed that the natural limitations of their materials restrict the variety of beasts their furnace can handle. If we were to use our Medicine King True Cauldron, we could probably smelt several times the number of beasts in a single go."
"Imagine the kind of monster we could create then."
"I fear that even Yushan and I together might not be enough to subdue it."
Liu San shook his head slightly. "It's like a potent poison—highly effective, but regrettably, it comes with too many restrictions."
"If only we could find a way to control a power at the Dao Integration level," Liu San mused with a sudden sigh.
Xu Bai's eyes narrowed, but his expression remained impassive. He followed Liu San's train of thought, remarking pensively, "Elder Liu, you have a point. The Xuanhuang Realm today is a place of endless wonders and oddities. It's not impossible that a method for controlling Dao Integration cultivators actually exists."
"I'll make some inquiries. If such a thing is possible, wouldn't our Medicine King Sect be able to produce a new Dao Integration-level combatant on a regular basis?"
At these words, Liu San couldn't suppress a flicker of excitement.
"Perhaps then," he continued, his voice tinged with hope, "the Medicine King Sect could finally re-emerge into the world, openly and with our heads held high."
"It's a goal worth planning for," Xu Bai agreed.
"Oh, Young Master," Liu San proposed, "Elder Ruan is still slumbering within the Medicine King True Cauldron. He has conducted extensive research on the bodies of demonic beasts. Perhaps if we were to awaken him, he might know of a way."
"..."
Memories belonging to Liu Yihang instantly surfaced in Xu Bai's mind.
Ruan Tianxiao, one of the Medicine King Sect's Dao Integration elders.
Unlike the other elders, who primarily used spiritual plants in their alchemy, Ruan Tianxiao had a habit of incorporating the tissues of animals, demonic beasts, and even humans into his medicines.
While the results were undeniably potent, his methods carried an overpowering stench of blood and slaughter, and were considered shocking and grotesque by most.
Consequently, Ruan Tianxiao's "flesh pills" were never widely accepted.
He was a reclusive man who kept to himself within the Medicine King Sect, forming no close bonds with anyone.
After a long moment of deliberation, Xu Bai frowned and made his decision. "Elder Ruan was never on good terms with the others. If he were to awaken and suddenly learn he's been transported thousands of years into the future, I fear he might not have any desire to remain with our Medicine King Sect."
Liu San couldn't deny the logic in that. "That is a real possibility."
"However, Elder Ruan's techniques with flesh pills are truly unique. These Myriad Phenomena Fused Beasts..."
Xu Bai appeared conflicted as well. "Let's do this: once we've officially acquired the Empire's technology, we can reassess the situation and decide then."
"If we can manage to mass-produce the fused beasts on our own, there's no need to rush waking Elder Ruan. If we run into problems we can't solve, it won't be too late to wake him then."
This was Xu Bai's final word on the matter.
Liu San nodded in agreement.
With that digression concluded, it was time for them to part ways. Xu Bai had to return to Tianliang Prefecture, and Liu San needed to get back to Longevity Valley.
After they separated, Xu Bai gazed thoughtfully in the direction Liu San had disappeared.
"Was that a test? Or merely a coincidence?"
"Perhaps something that happened earlier made him suspicious. After all, even though a Dao Integration cultivator can't resist the changes brought on by the Truth Inducing Fruit and its Heavenly Venerate power, it's still possible for him to sense that something is off about himself."
"To be safe, my original body should probably leave Longevity Valley for now."
Li Fan was a man of swift and decisive action.
The moment the thought crossed his mind, his original body acted without hesitation. He simply left a message, stating he had to leave for a while on important business.
Before Liu San could return, he slipped out of Longevity Valley unnoticed.
"I should find someone from the Five Elders Association," a sharp glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes, "and confirm the exact effects of this Truth Inducing Fruit."
He put away the Dissociation Disc for the time being and made his way directly to Shuo Feng's residence.
Meanwhile, back in Tianliang Prefecture, Xu Bai secretly sought out the Garrison Court cultivator he had dealt with before—the spy from the Five Elders Association.
His name was Liu Wenyu.
"Fellow Daoist Liu," Xu Bai began, "I hear you still haven't generated your Heavenly Profound Treasure Mirror?"
Xu Bai opened with this question.
A shadow passed over Liu Wenyu's face, but he refrained from saying anything inappropriate.
Instead, he replied with a meaningful tone, "It will be soon. Though many cultivators in the Alliance still harbor reservations about the Heavenly Profound Treasure Mirror and are reluctant to generate one..."
"...the official resolution has apparently been passed. Every member within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance system must generate a Treasure Mirror within their body. We of the Garrison Court are to be the very first to achieve full compliance. And that's just the first step."
"I believe it won't be long now before every cultivator under the heavens carries a Treasure Mirror within them."
"Hmph. When that day comes..." Liu Wenyu trailed off.
An unconcealable flicker of terror crossed Liu Wenyu's eyes.
"I don't see the problem," Xu Bai said with a dismissive smile. "The device is truly miraculous. It saves a great deal of trouble."
"What? You've already generated one?" Liu Wenyu's face paled, and he instinctively moved to retreat.
But Xu Bai caught him by the arm.
The Finality Disc materialized above Xu Bai's head, casting a faint, ghostly white light that enveloped them both.
"Relax. A mere Heavenly Profound Treasure Mirror is nothing to our Heaven Overturning Association," Xu Bai declared, his expression arrogant and his tone direct.
"Heaven Overturning Association? I don't know what you're talking about," Liu Wenyu stammered, his face ashen as he shook his head frantically.
He tried to wrench free from Xu Bai's grasp, desperate to escape.
But Xu Bai's next words stopped him dead in his tracks.
"I've made it so obvious, and you still don't see it? For a spy from the Five Elders Association, your instincts are disappointingly dull."
Xu Bai shook his head slightly. "I'll be blunt. We, the Heaven Overturning Association, possess a method to block the Heavenly Profound Treasure Mirror's surveillance."
His words were spoken calmly, but they struck Liu Wenyu like a clap of thunder.
"Impossible! That's absolutely impossible!" he cried out, losing his composure. "Even we are completely powerless against it..."
Liu Wenyu's words died in his throat. His face turned livid. "You were tricking me?"
Xu Bai chuckled. "If I were lying, I imagine the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance's Garrison Court would be here by now to execute us both on the spot."
"Why don't you wait patiently, Fellow Daoist Liu? Things have already come this far; you can't escape now even if you wanted to."
Liu Wenyu's expression shifted rapidly through a series of emotions before he finally relented. He retracted his foot and slumped into a chair.
He began an anxious wait.
Time trickled by, each moment stretching into an eternity for him.
Yet, after what felt like half a day, there was still no sign of any disturbance outside.
Liu Wenyu was instantly gripped by shock and disbelief. He looked up at the Finality Disc hovering above them, his eyes wide with incredulity.
"This thing... it can really block the Heavenly Profound Treasure Mirror's senses?" he asked, his face a mask of utter astonishment.
"Would we call ourselves the Heaven Overturning Association if our name was just for show?" Xu Bai replied coolly.
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