71: That damned evil cultivator possessed an innocent child!

The light of the shennong medicine cauldron was like a lush green cocoon, completely enveloping Lin Fan.

All external sounds, killing intent, and conflicts were isolated at this moment.

Lin Fan found himself standing in a boundless Void Realm, with a surging sea of clouds beneath his feet and a massive phantom image of the shennong medicine cauldron floating before him.

On the cauldron's body, the engraved patterns of plants and creatures seemed to come alive—the Azure Dragon tumbled in the sea of clouds, the Vermilion Bird cried out in the flames, the Black Tortoise carried a giant mountain, and the White Tiger roared at the sky.

Countless phantom images of rare flowers, exotic plants, spiritual reishi, and immortal ginseng bobbed at the cauldron's mouth, breathing out life essence so thick it wouldn't disperse.

"Successor of later generations."

That ancient and gentle voice rang out again, its tone carrying a hint of... curiosity?

"You carry the immortal slaying sword Sword Intent, and your killing aura pierces the heavens. Why... would you touch my Shennong Lineage's World-Saving Pill Cauldron?"

Lin Fan looked up at the massive phantom image of the Medicine Cauldron and grinned.

"I want the sword that kills, and I also want the cauldron that saves."

"Is there a problem?"

The phantom image fell silent for a moment.

"...Interesting."

"In that case, I shall let you give it a try."

"The Shennong Alchemy Dao prioritizes the Heart of Saving the World first, the Comprehension of Plants and Vegetation second, and the Control of Fire Intensity third."

"The first trial: The Heart of Saving the World."

As the phantom image's voice fell, the scene before Lin Fan's eyes suddenly shifted.

He found himself standing before a dilapidated village, with ruined walls and corpses strewn everywhere.

The air was thick with the stench of decay and blood, and faint sounds of weeping came from the distance.

In the center of the village, a small boy in coarse hemp clothes with a face covered in filth was holding an old woman, crying heart-wrenchingly.

"Grandma... Grandma, don't die..."

The little boy looked up, saw the suddenly appearing Lin Fan, and ran forward to question him:

"Why? Why did you come so late? It's all your fault! You're the one who killed Grandma! If you had come earlier, my Grandma wouldn't have died..."

Bah! This damn Evil Cultivator actually possessed an innocent child... wait, no... "I don't care! If you don't save my Grandma, I won't let you leave!"

Lin Fan looked at the little boy before him, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Little friend, what's the rush?"

"Looking at you, you must have a very good relationship with your Grandma, right?"

"I assume you want to be with her forever and never be separated?"

Looking at Lin Fan's smile, the little boy suddenly felt a bit creeped out.

He couldn't help but take a step back.

Lin Fan continued, "Life has its limits, but death is boundless."

"If you live, you can only accompany your Grandma for a dozen more years at most."

"But it's different if you're dead. Once dead, you can be together forever."

"So... do you still want me to save your Grandma?"

Lin Fan's smile grew increasingly eerie.

The little boy was so scared he turned tail and ran, not even caring about his Grandma's remains.

Lin Fan shook his head. "Children these days really have no filial piety."

With that, he pointed a finger.

The little boy died.

Next, Lin Fan, the greatest philanthropist in history, dug a deep pit for the Grandma and the little boy.

He carefully placed both their bodies into the pit and buried them.

"This way, you can be together forever."

"No need to thank me; it's just what I should do."

Afterward, he looked up into the Void Realm:

"Did I pass the first trial?"

The phantom image was silent for quite a while.

"...Passed."

"Your method of saving the world... is quite unique."

Unique? That means I didn't follow your script.

However, Lin Fan hadn't expected the other party to actually let him pass.

He had already prepared to use some twisted logic to lecture the other party if they questioned him.

Does the other party also think he did the right thing?

[Ding! The unique method of saving the world shocked the phantom image. prestige value +3000!]

[Current prestige value: 100,570!]

"What about the second trial? Hurry up."

The phantom image seemed to choke for a moment, but it still continued:

"The second trial: Comprehension of Plants and Vegetation."

The scene changed again.

This time, Lin Fan stood in a vast, boundless medicinal garden.

As far as the eye could see, there were rare flowers, exotic plants, spiritual reishi, and immortal ginseng. Countless Heaven And Earth Treasures that only existed in ancient texts grew here like weeds.

The fragrance of medicine filled the nose, and the Spiritual Qi was dense.

"There are a million types of medicinal ingredients here," the phantom image said. "Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, find three sets each of ingredients that conflict, ingredients that complement, and ingredients that neutralize each other, and explain the reasons."

"If you cannot, you will be eliminated."

Identifying plants and vegetation was a basic skill for an Alchemist.

But a million types of ingredients in the time of one incense stick... this was an almost impossible task.

However, Lin Fan just glanced at the garden and smiled.

"Is that it?"

He raised his hand and pointed to a completely crimson herb on the left with leaves that looked like burning flames.

"Red Flame Grass. Nature: intense, fire toxin."

Then he pointed to an ice-blue, jade-like herb on the right that emitted a cold aura.

"Ice Soul Flower. Nature: cold, ice toxin."

"The two conflict. If taken together, the ice and fire will clash, and the Meridians will be completely severed."

phantom image: "...Correct."

Lin Fan didn't stop and walked deeper into the medicinal garden.

"Azure Dragon Ginseng. Wood attribute, surging with life force."

"White Tiger Bone. Metal attribute, sharp and full of killing intent."

"Wood generates fire, metal generates water, but the life force of the Azure Dragon Ginseng is too abundant, and the killing intent of the White Tiger Bone is too sharp. When the two meet, life force and killing intent clash. At best, one's cultivation is completely lost; at worst, the body explodes—this is also a form of conflict."

phantom image: "...Correct."

Lin Fan then pointed to a pitch-black plant with strange purple flowers.

"Soul-Eroding Vine. Devours souls."

"Mind-Concentrating Fruit. Stabilizes the Divine Soul."

"When the two meet, the devouring power of the Soul-Eroding Vine will be neutralized by the Mind-Concentrating Fruit, becoming a tonic that nourishes the Divine Soul—this is neutralization."

phantom image: "...Correct."

Over the next period of time, Lin Fan strolled through the million-ingredient garden as if he were walking in his own backyard.

He pointed at will, casually stating the names, attributes, and principles of mutual generation and conflict of the medicinal ingredients.

Not only did he complete the three sets of each as required by the phantom image, but he also pointed out dozens of additional sets of rare medicinal ingredients' characteristics.

His speech was fast, and the knowledge points were dense. Some were even things the phantom image had never heard of—after all, Lin Fan had the System cheat, and the medicinal ingredient encyclopedia had long been etched into his mind.

The time for one incense stick was up.

Lin Fan had just finished speaking about the last set.

He brushed off non-existent dust from his hands and looked at the Void Realm.

"Did I pass the second trial?"

This time, the phantom image was silent for even longer.

So long that Lin Fan thought it had crashed.

"...Passed."

The phantom image's voice already carried a hint of numbness.

"Your Comprehension of Plants and Vegetation... can be called terrifying."

[Ding! The terrifying Comprehension of Plants and Vegetation shocked the phantom image. prestige value +3000!]

[Current prestige value: 103,570!]

"The third trial: Control of Fire Intensity."

The scene changed for the third time.

This time, Lin Fan stood in a simple and ancient Alchemy room.

In the center of the room was an ordinary brass Pill Furnace, with the furnace fire burning brightly.

On a stone platform nearby were dozens of processed medicinal ingredients and a Pill Formula.

Fifth-rank Medicinal Pill: Nine-Transformation Rebirth Pill.

Effect: Reshapes the Foundation and repairs Dao injuries. Effective for those below the Martial King rank.

Refinement difficulty: Extremely high.

"Use this Pill Formula to refine a furnace of Nine-Transformation Rebirth Pills," said the phantom image. "Refine three or more pills, with at least one pill having a pill vein, to pass."

A fifth-rank Medicinal Pill!

And it was a rare pill for repairing Dao injuries and reshaping the Foundation!

This level of difficulty... even many veteran Alchemists who had been immersed in the Alchemy Dao for decades wouldn't dare guarantee success on the first try.

But Lin Fan just glanced at the Pill Formula and smiled.

"Nine-Transformation Rebirth Pill?"

"Main ingredient: Life-Generating Grass. Supplementary ingredients: Jade Marrow Lingzhi, Thousand-Year Ginseng King, Earth Core Milk... The technique is Three-Transformation Nine-Refinement. The fire intensity requires three quarters of civil fire and one quarter of martial fire, repeated nine times."

"Is that it?"

He walked to the Pill Furnace and sat down cross-legged.

But he didn't start Alchemy immediately.

Instead... he spent ten thousand prestige value to exchange for the Divine-Grade version of the Nine-Transformation Rebirth Pill refinement insights (specifically for this one pill).

After absorbing all these insights, the corners of Lin Fan's mouth curled up, as if he had thought of something happy.

Don't ask; if you ask, it's because my wife is about to give birth...