345: First Transformation Peak of Dou Zun

After the meeting in the Myriad Serpent Mountain Range, Jiang Donghua did not flee far. Instead, at the extremely enthusiastic invitation of the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect, he brazenly moved into a secluded courtyard within the Five Poisons Sect, a place with the most tranquil environment and the richest energy.

What caught the entire Five Poisons Sect off guard was that this mysterious Venerable Donghua, for more than a month, barely stepped out of his residence, yet he became the most impactful and revered presence within the sect's memory.

The reason was simple: this esteemed Venerable seemed to be an Alchemy Grandmaster obsessed with alchemy!

Every four or five days, the sky above the courtyard would inevitably see a violent surge of heaven and earth energy, dense dark clouds gathering, and streaks of silver Pill Lightning, like enraged dragons, tearing through the sky, striking fiercely at the specially constructed alchemy room in the courtyard with the might of heaven and earth!

The deafening thunder and the Soul Power fluctuations of the Pill Lightning, which made everyone's soul tremble, filled all the Five Poisons Sect disciples with both fear and yearning.

The Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect, a Dou Zun Expert known for his sinister and ruthless demeanor in front of others, now stood respectfully outside the courtyard like an apprentice, often sensing the immense energy and precise control contained within the Pill Lightning. His heart was already in turmoil, and his reverence for Jiang Donghua had reached its peak.

“seventh-grade pills, and judging by the power of this Pill Lightning, it's definitely not ordinary seventh-grade low-tier pills!”

The Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect cried out in his heart.

“This Venerable Donghua is not only a Six-Star Dou Zun in strength, but also an Alchemy Grandmaster who is at least Seventh-Grade Intermediate!”

“Such a person, let alone in this remote place, even in the entire Central Plains, would be a distinguished guest that major powers would eagerly try to win over!”

The slight reservations he had due to the Hall of Souls had now completely vanished.

What Hall of Souls? How could it compare to this genuine Alchemy Grandmaster right before him?

If he could gain his favor, even a few pills that slipped through his fingers would be enough for him and the Five Poisons Sect to benefit endlessly!

He even secretly thought that if this Venerable truly wished it, he would willingly surrender his position as Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect!

What made the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect even more flattered was that when Venerable Donghua was occasionally in a good mood, he would casually give him a few pointers on Dou Qi cultivation, and even on the art of using poisons.

Often, just a few words would hit the core, giving him a sense of sudden enlightenment, and his long-stagnant cultivation actually showed a faint possibility of progress!

This kindness made the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect even more devoted to Jiang Donghua.

Under his strict orders and influence, Jiang Donghua's status within the Five Poisons Sect became extraordinarily transcendent, second only to him, the Sect Master. In some aspects, his say was even more significant than his own.

All disciples knew that a Master Alchemist, whom even the Sect Master revered like a god, lived in the back mountain courtyard and must not be disturbed.

However, no one knew that the Pill Lightning that descended punctually every few days was merely a deliberate illusion created by Jiang Donghua.

He was indeed refining pills, on one hand using the medicinal ingredients collected by the Five Poisons Sect for practice and resource reserve, and on the other hand, this frequent Pill Lightning perfectly concealed the greater heaven and earth energy fluctuations that might occur when his strength broke through.

One day, more than a month after the roar of the Pill Lightning became a common occurrence.

Inside the quiet room of the courtyard, Jiang Donghua sat cross-legged, with no Medicine Cauldron or flames around him, only an ethereal purple Dou Qi slowly circulating like a tide.

In front of his vision, the translucent panel's experience value finally reached the critical point.

“Realm: Nine-Star Dou Zun (8999 / 9000)”

“Realm: Nine-Star Dou Zun (9000 / 9000)”

“Realm: First Revolution Dou Zun Peak (0 / 45000)”

There was no earth-shattering commotion, no visible lightning tribulation; everything happened naturally.

The Dou Qi stars within his body seemed to break through some kind of shackles, instantly expanding and condensing. The surging river of Dou Qi became even more vast and profound, and his Soul Power also surged, reaching a new height in his perception and control of heaven and earth energy.

First Revolution Dou Zun Peak!

Jiang Donghua slowly opened his eyes, a flash of purple light in his pupils, as deep as the starry sky.

He felt the surging power within his body, and a faint curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Thoughts flashed through his mind rapidly. Even with Jiang Donghua's temperament, seeing the experience requirement of forty-five thousand points, he couldn't help but secretly gasp.

“Forty-five thousand is truly an astonishing number.”

He smiled silently, but then, after a second thought, he felt relieved.

First Revolution Dou Zun Peak meant that the immense Dou Qi accumulated from One-Star to Nine-Star had to undergo its first complete compression, refinement, and fusion. Its difficulty and required energy were far beyond a simple star-level increase.

And this would need to be repeated nine times before one could touch the threshold of the extraordinary Half-Saint!

“The path of cultivation, as expected, becomes increasingly difficult the further one goes; each step is like an insurmountable chasm.”

He gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

“At the current AFK speed, it will take one hundred and four days to complete the First Revolution, which is indeed much slower than before.”

However, he was not discouraged in the slightest.

To possess this panel was already a heaven-defying fortune. Moreover, the strength of a First Revolution Dou Zun Peak was enough to make him a formidable figure in the Central Plains, giving him the confidence to handle most storms.

Just as he was sighing, the clearly ingratiating and urgent voice of the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect came from outside the courtyard, his Soul Power intertwined with Dou Qi, clearly entering the quiet room.

“Venerable Donghua! The auspicious time is approaching; today is the perfect day for you to avenge your blood feud!”

“Have you finished refining your pills? If you have, please come out quickly; we should depart for the Illusion Sound Platform!”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Donghua's lips curved into an imperceptible arc.

Blood feud?

That reminded him; today was indeed the day to cast the net.

He rose to his feet, the purple Dou Qi circulating around him instantly retracted, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, all flowing back into his body, not a single trace of aura leaking out.

He pushed open the door of the quiet room and walked out slowly.

Outside the courtyard gate, the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect was rubbing his hands, waiting with a face full of smiles.

However, when his gaze fell upon Jiang Donghua, who walked out of the courtyard, the smile on his face involuntarily stiffened slightly, and a hint of indescribable surprise flashed deep in his eyes.

It had only been over half a month since they last met, yet this Venerable Donghua felt somewhat different to him again.

The Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect couldn't pinpoint exactly what was different.

His appearance hadn't changed, his clothes were the same, but he just felt more profound.

When those calm eyes looked over, it wasn't two people looking at each other, but rather him alone gazing up at an boundless starry sky. A inexplicable sense of insignificance arose from the bottom of his heart.

There seemed to be an indescribable aura about the other party, a peculiar feeling as if he was more harmoniously integrated with the surrounding heaven and earth, yet subtly transcending it.

If he had to describe it, it was like an unpolished jade that had been polished smoother and more translucent by time, its brilliance contained, yet appearing more precious and unfathomable.

“Could it be that your alchemy skills have improved again, Venerable?”

The Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect couldn't help but ask tentatively, his tone even more respectful than before.

He could only attribute this change to the other party having another breakthrough in alchemy, as the improvement in an Alchemist's realm often led to a qualitative change in Soul Power, thereby affecting one's temperament.

Jiang Donghua was noncommittal, neither admitting nor denying it. He simply glanced at him indifferently, his tone flat and unwavering.

“It's getting late; let's go.”

This calm attitude, on the contrary, made the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect even more convinced of his own conjecture. His reverence for Jiang Donghua deepened a few more points, and he quickly bowed, saying,

“Then let's tear through space and go.”

“Yours is too slow; I'll do it.”

He casually flicked his sleeve, and an invisible spatial force immediately enveloped the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect.

The Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect only felt a blur before his eyes. The surrounding scenery instantly became hazy and distorted, and he plunged into a kaleidoscopic tunnel.

Just a moment later, the dizziness of spatial transition suddenly disappeared, and his feet once again landed on solid ground.

He looked closely and was shocked to find that he and Venerable Donghua were no longer within the Five Poisons Sect, but rather on a mountain peak shrouded in mist!

In the distance below, a stone platform resembling a giant jade plate was faintly visible amidst the surrounding mountains. Where else could it be but the Illusion Sound Platform?

What kind of terrifying spatial control was this?!

Even some Six- or Seven-Star Dou Zun might not be able to achieve such effortlessness, could they?

At this moment, the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect's assessment of Jiang Donghua's strength involuntarily rose by a large margin, and the last trace of wavering he had due to the Hall of Souls completely vanished.

Following this Venerable would definitely lead to a brighter future than following the Hall of Souls!

Jiang Donghua ignored the Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect's shock. He stood with his hands behind his back on the mountain peak, his gaze calmly overlooking the Illusion Sound Platform below. The mountain wind rustled his robes.

“Blood River Heavenly Venerable, has he arrived?” he asked indifferently.

The Sect Master of the Five Poisons Sect quickly composed himself and replied respectfully.

“Replying to Venerable, according to the plan, Blood River Heavenly Venerable should already be hidden within a specific spatial node near the Illusion Sound Platform, waiting to make his move once Mu Qingxian is poisoned.”

“Hmm.”

Jiang Donghua nodded slightly, his eyes deep.

“Then let's wait.”