70: The legacy of Shennong, the alchemy of saving the world

He walked into the light barrier first.

Inside the light barrier was a relatively well-preserved complex of buildings.

The paths were paved with bluestone, ancient trees towered into the sky, and the air was filled with a faint medicinal fragrance.

Directly ahead was a massive nine-story cyan tower, with three ancient, simple characters carved into its body: Wan Dan Pavilion.

The tower gates were tightly shut.

But standing on both sides of the tower gates were two stone statues.

They were not lions, nor were they Qilin.

They were two... Medicine Cauldron-shaped stone statues.

Lin Fan had just walked within a ten-meter radius of the tower gates.

Those two Medicine Cauldron stone statues suddenly came to life!

The stone surfaces cracked, revealing a cyan-black metallic luster underneath, and the cauldrons' mouths spewed scorching Alchemy fire, sweeping toward Lin Fan!

"Alchemy fire guardians!" Qin Yue exclaimed. "Earth Rank High Grade Puppets, containing Grandmaster-level Alchemy fire. Anything below a Martial King will be incinerated upon contact!"

Lin Fan, however, smiled.

"Alchemy fire?"

He raised his hand, and a mass of crimson-gold flame appeared in his palm.

Within the flames, a faint phantom of a lotus flower was blooming.

It was the Origin fire seed of the earth core fire lotus!

Although it hadn't been fully refined yet, its grade was far superior to ordinary Alchemy fire!

"Competing with fire?"

Lin Fan pushed the fire seed forward.

The crimson-gold flame collided with the cyan-black Alchemy fire!

Sizzle!

It was like boiling water poured onto snow.

The cyan-black Alchemy fire was instantly swallowed and assimilated by the crimson-gold flame!

The two Medicine Cauldron guardians trembled violently, the Formation patterns on their bodies flickering unsteadily, as if they had encountered their nemesis.

"Give me..."

Lin Fan raised his hand and grasped into the Void Realm toward the two guardians.

"Extinguish."

Poof! Poof!

The flames at the mouths of the two Medicine Cauldron guardians were extinguished simultaneously.

Immediately afterward, the Formation patterns on their bodies dimmed completely, turning them back into ordinary stone statues, motionless.

【Ding! Crushed the Alchemy fire guardians with the pressure of the earth core fire lotus, prestige value +2000!】

【Current prestige value: 97570 points!】

Lin Fan clapped his hands and walked to the front of the Wan Dan Pavilion tower gate.

There was no lock on the tower gate.

There was only a recessed imprint.

The shape of the imprint...

Was exactly that of a Medicine Cauldron.

"It requires a specific Medicine Cauldron to open?" Su Muyu frowned. "Where are we supposed to find that..."

Before she could finish speaking.

Lin Fan took out the bronze Pill Furnace he had previously obtained from the Sword Palace Alchemy Room from the System space.

Although it was damaged, its grade was not low.

He pressed the Pill Furnace onto the recessed imprint.

It fit perfectly.

Hum!!!

The tower gate vibrated and slowly opened inward.

A medicinal fragrance so rich it could not be dissolved rushed toward them!

Lin Fan stepped inside.

The first floor inside the tower was extremely spacious.

The four walls were covered in dense rows of jade compartments, each containing a Jade Slip.

A rough glance revealed at least ten thousand of them!

"This is... a Pill Formula pavilion?!" Qin Yue exclaimed.

Lin Fan casually picked up a Jade Slip and probed it with his Mental Energy.

【Formula for Grade 3 Medicinal Pill, Bone Tempering Pill】.

He picked up another one.

【Formula for Grade 4 Medicinal Pill, Sect Breaking Pill (Incomplete)】.

And another one.

【Formula for Grade 5 Medicinal Pill, Dragon Blood Nirvana Pill (Severely Incomplete)】.

"We're rich..." Wang Xiaoming and the others' eyes went wide.

Ten thousand Pill Formula Jade Slips!

Even if most were Low Grade, and even if many were incomplete, their value was simply immeasurable!

One had to know that what Alchemists treasured most were Pill Formulas!

Many Alchemists were willing to go bankrupt just to obtain a High Grade Pill Formula!

And here, there were tens of thousands!

"Collect." Lin Fan only said one word.

Everyone immediately sprang into action, beginning to frantically loot the Jade Slips.

Lin Fan, however, walked straight up to the second floor.

The second floor was the herb storage.

Rows of jade shelves were filled with jade boxes.

Although most of the jade boxes were empty—the herbs had long since decayed over the long passage of time.

But a small number of jade boxes still emitted a faint spiritual light.

Lin Fan opened one.

Inside was a Spirit Medicine that was ice-blue all over and shaped like an orchid; although the leaves were a bit withered, it still emitted a dense chill.

【Grade 6 Spirit Medicine, Ice Heart Orchid (70% efficacy lost)】.

He opened another one.

【Grade 5 Spirit Medicine, Red Blood Ginseng (50% efficacy lost)】.

"Not bad." Lin Fan collected all the Spirit Medicine that still had efficacy.

The third floor was the finished Medicinal Pill storage.

Unfortunately, Medicinal Pills were harder to preserve than herbs.

Most of the Medicinal Pills in the jade bottles had already turned into medicinal dregs.

Only on a cold jade platform in the deepest part did three jade bottles still emit a faint medicinal fragrance.

Lin Fan picked up the first jade bottle and poured out a golden Medicinal Pill the size of a longan.

On the surface of the Medicinal Pill were three pill patterns.

【Grade 6 Medicinal Pill, Nine Turn Golden Pill (Imitation, 90% efficacy lost)】.

"Nine Turn Golden Pill?" Lin Fan's eyes lit up.

Although it was an imitation, and although its efficacy was severely lost, it was still a Grade 6 Medicinal Pill!

He collected the Medicinal Pill and looked at the second jade bottle.

Inside was a Medicinal Pill that was crimson red all over with flame patterns on its surface.

【Grade 5 Medicinal Pill, Fire Cloud Pill (60% efficacy lost)】.

The third jade bottle contained a Medicinal Pill that was pitch black and emitted an eerie fragrance.

【Grade 5 Medicinal Pill, Poison Calamity Pill (Intact, highly toxic, lethal upon contact for anyone below a Martial King)】.

"Good stuff." Lin Fan collected all three bottles of Medicinal Pills.

He continued walking upward.

The fourth floor was the Alchemy room, which contained several Pill Furnaces of decent quality, but none compared to the bronze Pill Furnace he had previously obtained.

The fifth floor was the library, which housed a large number of books on Alchemy insights, herb guides, heat control techniques, and more.

The sixth floor...

The seventh floor...

The eighth floor...

When Lin Fan stepped onto the ninth floor.

He was stunned.

The ninth floor was completely empty.

Only in the very center was there a...

A small cauldron that was emerald green all over, with three legs and two handles, and countless patterns of plants and living creatures engraved on its surface.

The cauldron was only the size of a palm, yet it emitted an extremely rich aura of life.

It was as if this cauldron were the source of life itself.

【Detected Heaven Rank Low Grade supreme treasure: shennong medicine cauldron (Imitation)】.

【Description: Cast by the ancient Shennong to imitate the true shennong medicine cauldron, it contains a trace of the Law of Life, can autonomously nourish Spirit Medicine, improve the quality of Medicinal Pills, and suppress all toxicity.】.

【Status: Artifact spirit is dormant, requires a drop of blood to recognize its master.】.

shennong medicine cauldron!

Lin Fan's breathing stalled.

Heaven Rank Low Grade!

And it was a supreme treasure of Alchemy!

This thing was probably even more precious than the immortal slaying sword (Imitation)!

He reached out, wanting to take down the Medicine Cauldron.

But just as his fingertips touched the body of the cauldron...

Hum!!!

The entire Wan Dan Pavilion vibrated violently!

Outside the tower, that pale cyan protective light barrier instantly erupted with blinding cyan light, shooting straight into the clouds!

Throughout the ruins, everyone saw this pillar of light shooting into the sky!

"That is... the direction of the Pill Sect ruins!"

"A supreme treasure has appeared!"

"Quick! Hurry over there!"

In an instant, countless figures surged frantically toward the Pill Sect ruins!

Meanwhile, inside the tower.

Lin Fan had already bitten his fingertip, and a drop of blood containing the Qi and blood of the Ancient Desolate Sacred Elephant Body dripped onto the shennong medicine cauldron.

The blood merged into the body of the cauldron.

The emerald green body of the cauldron erupted with brilliant light!

An old and gentle voice resonated in Lin Fan's mind:

"Person of later generations..."

"Are you willing to inherit my Shennong lineage..."

"The Alchemy of Saving the World?"

【Ding! Triggered ancient Legacy mission: Shennong Alchemy of Saving the World!】

【Mission requirements: Pass the Alchemy trial】

【Mission rewards: shennong medicine cauldron (Imitation) fully recognizes master, Shennong Hundred Herbs Scripture (Incomplete Manual), prestige value +15000!】

【Accept?】

Lin Fan looked at the radiant Medicine Cauldron before him and smiled.

"The Alchemy of Saving the World?"

"It sounds..."

"Not as prestigious as the Immortal Slaying Sword Dao."

"However..."

He licked his lips.

"I want it all."

"Accept."

【Ding! Accepted Legacy mission!】

【Alchemy trial is about to begin...】

The light from the shennong medicine cauldron completely engulfed Lin Fan.

Meanwhile, outside the tower.

Su Muyu and the others watched the pillar of light shooting into the sky, their expressions grave.

"The commotion is too big..."

"Everyone in the entire ruins will be drawn here."

Qin Yue gripped her short sword tightly and looked toward the tower gate.

"We will guard here."

"Wait for Lin Fan to come out."

As she finished speaking.

On the distant horizon, dense black dots had already appeared.

The first batch to arrive...

Were reinforcements from the Sanctuary.

And...

The remnants of the Round Table Council.

Killing Intent filled the air once again.

And this time.

Lin Fan was still in the trial.