Clutching Qin Wan'er, Shan Hu moved with the speed of lightning, instantly leaving the boisterous Golden Tripod Club of Longcheng. He employed the Art of Void Displacement, traversing the entire city in seconds, landing within the core Spirit Gathering Array on Dragon's Hidden Mountain.
Qin Wan'er was astonished by the dense spiritual energy surrounding them, which was so thick it felt almost liquid. The concentration of spiritual energy here was several times purer and grander than what she had felt while cultivating in the Nine Tripods Sword Pavilion in her previous life!
She lifted her head from Shan Hu's embrace, her eyes complex—filled with the ecstasy of reunion and the worry of past grudges.
"Master... you truly returned," her voice was still choked with emotion, but her gaze was resolute. "Your cultivation..."
Shan Hu set her down and gently stroked the top of her hair, his eyes filled with boundless indulgence. "Rest assured, Wan'er. A mere demise was but a small trial for this Emperor. My current cultivation, though less than one ten-thousandth of my peak, is more than sufficient to suppress this mortal world."
He didn't explain the details of his rebirth, simply pointing to the core of the Spirit Gathering Array: "This is the place of cultivation this Emperor prepared for you. Your former Nine Heavens Moon-Grabbing Art is best suited for practicing here. I will rebuild your Dao foundation and help you step onto the true Immortal Path."
Qin Wan'er looked at the wondrous sights around her. All her confusion and unease were swept away by immense joy. Her Master had returned, and he was as powerful as ever, always ready to arrange everything for her.
"Yes, Master!" She performed a respectful, deep bow, her eyes now free of worldly sorrow.
After settling Qin Wan'er in the core of Dragon's Hidden Mountain and leaving her an Upper-Grade Spirit Stone for cultivation resources, Shan Hu proceeded to the alchemy chamber in the mountain.
Wang Xiaotian was only in the early Foundation Establishment Stage. Shan Hu was confident that with his current peak Ninth-Layer Qi Refining cultivation, combined with the Immortal Emperor's divine abilities and combat experience, he could easily slay him. But to be safe, and to quickly restore his strength, refining the Foundation Establishment Pill was the most pressing matter.
He turned his attention to the last auxiliary herb in his storage ring—the Nine-Leaf Purple Ganoderma.
This five-hundred-year-old Purple Ganoderma was mild yet potent in medicinal properties, making it the perfect binding agent.
Shan Hu meticulously took out all the core and auxiliary ingredients:
Five-Element Core Ingredients: Primordial Geng Metal, Thousand-Year Spirit Turtle Herb, Deep Sea Dark Crystal, and Five-Colored Earth Heart (already purified by Su Qingxue).
Medicinal Catalyst: A Fire Ganoderma imbued with extremely strong fire attributes.
Binding Agent: Nine-Leaf Purple Ganoderma.
Shan Hu's experience in the Dao of Alchemy was immense. He didn't need a conventional pill furnace; he only needed the purest True Fire of Heaven and Earth. He sat cross-legged, forming a hand seal with his left hand, and drawing upon the spiritual energy of the world with his right. An azure flame, the Nine Heavens Profound Fire, instantly condensed in the center of the chamber.
The Nine Heavens Profound Fire was not ordinary True Fire but the ultimate flame used by the Immortal Emperor to refine Immortal Pills. Although it was just a wisp of residual flame now, it was enough to instantly shape the mortal-grade pill.
He first cast the Thousand-Year Spirit Turtle Herb into the Profound Fire. The herb instantly melted into emerald green medicinal liquid, which coalesced without dispersing.
Next came the Primordial Geng Metal and the Deep Sea Dark Crystal. These materials, the most rigid and strongest, slowly dissolved in the Profound Fire, turning into golden droplets and deep blue crystals.
The Five-Colored Earth Heart was the hardest to handle due to its dense earth nature, but under the heat of the Nine Heavens Profound Fire, it gradually softened into a sticky, multicolored medicinal paste.
The five-element medicinal liquids had been separately purified. Finally, Shan Hu threw in the Nine-Leaf Purple Ganoderma and the Fire Ganoderma together.
The Purple Ganoderma transformed into a purple mist of ethereal energy, instantly wrapping all the medicinal liquids, preventing any potential conflicts between the five elements during the refinement process. The Fire Ganoderma turned into a scarlet essence, providing the final fire-attribute catalysis.
Shan Hu locked his Divine Sense onto the medicinal mass, his hands forming seals like dancing butterflies, and the power of the True Fire immediately contracted.
The alchemy had entered the most crucial stage of pill formation.
Meanwhile, in Longcheng, a towering murderous intent was brewing against Shan Hu.
Wang Xiaotian was furious after hearing Wang Xu's exaggerated report.
"Arrogant brat! How dare he claim to take this old man's life within three days?!"
He summoned all the Wang family's ancient martial experts and retainers, and at the same time, issued three top-level communication orders:
First: Notify the main Wang family in the Capital, requesting two Innate Stage Elders to immediately rush to Longcheng for support. Second: Contact the "Black Tortoise Society," a rogue cultivator organization friendly with the Wang family, promising the reward of a Foundation Establishment Pill to lure a Foundation Establishment Master from the Society to assist in the battle. Third: Send people to closely monitor all movements of the Qin family, especially the possible hiding place of the mysterious youth.
"I, Wang Xiaotian, have dominated Longcheng for a century! I will not allow a mere boy to trample upon my authority! If he seeks battle, I will grant him a burial without a grave!" Wang Xiaotian's eyes gleamed with killing intent. The night sky of Longcheng became heavy and oppressive due to his rage.
Yet, no one knew that the arrogant youth was currently doing the one thing that would determine Wang Xiaotian's fate: bringing the Foundation Establishment Pill to its final completion.