541: Chapter 541 A Century After the Furnace Was Sealed

Early the next morning, Su Ming walked out of the Star Gazing Cliff along the stone path and saw Immortal Master Master Xuan Heng standing with his hands behind his back on the square outside the Star Pivot Hall from a distance.

The deep blue Daoist robe remained motionless in the morning breeze. Master Xuan Heng’s gaze was fixed on the depths of the sea of clouds, as if he were deducing some extremely profound Formation.

Su Ming stepped forward quickly and stopped three zhang away from Master Xuan Heng, just as he was about to bow in greeting.

"Revered Master! Revered Master, wait for me!"

Accompanied by a series of extremely rapid whistling sounds, a fiery red streak of light galloped from the mountain path on the other side of the Formation Peak, coming to a sudden halt at the edge of the square.

The light dissipated, revealing Luo Feng’s face, which was somewhat blackened by smoke. The Personal Disciple Daoist robe he wore had several large holes, with scorched marks around the edges. He was tightly clutching a Black Iron Formation Plate that had already split in two, with extremely faint black smoke still rising from the fracture.

"Which Formation eye did you blow up again?" Master Xuan Heng didn't look back; his voice was as calm as a withered well.

Luo Feng chuckled twice.

"I didn't blow up a Formation eye. I was just testing the latest Miniature Chain Explosion Formation in the back mountain. I ran into a bit of a Bottleneck and wanted to ask Revered Master for advice..." As Luo Feng spoke, he leaned in, his gaze sweeping over Su Ming twice. "Junior Brother Su is back?"

Master Xuan Heng slowly turned around, his gaze lingering for a moment on Luo Feng’s face, which looked like a calico cat's.

"To Danding Peak."

"Danding Peak?" Luo Feng naturally stuffed the broken Formation Plate into his Storage Pouch. "Revered Master, this Disciple's problem with the explosion Formation isn't urgent. I heard that the fire pulse of Danding Peak has been a bit abnormal lately. This Disciple happens to be going for an on-site survey to collect some data for the Formation Peak. I'll go with you!"

Master Xuan Heng stared at him for a few breaths.

He knew his student too well. Luo Feng wasn't going to survey any fire pulse; he clearly saw that what was to be done today was of no small importance and wanted to tag along to join the fun, and perhaps see if he could scavenge some top-grade fire-attribute Materials from Danding Peak to use as Puppet cores.

"Follow. Mind your mouth." Master Xuan Heng didn't refuse. With a wave of his large sleeve, he led the way down the mountain.

Luo Feng felt as if he had been granted a great amnesty. He quickly winked at Su Ming and followed closely behind.

The three were silent all the way, passing through the mountain gate of the Formation Peak and stepping onto the long chain bridge leading to Danding Peak.

As they drew closer to Danding Peak, the temperature in the surrounding air began to rise significantly. The crisp star Spiritual Qi that was originally on the Formation Peak was gradually replaced by an extremely scorching and manic earth pulse fire Qi.

Su Ming clearly felt that his Ruoshui Art, which had been running smoothly, showed an extremely slight sluggishness under the suppression of this extreme environment.

"Water and fire clash; Danding Peak has drawn out the entire underground fire pulse to use as a Formation base." Su Ming calculated silently in his heart, imperceptibly adjusting the path of his spiritual power circulation and completely withdrawing his outward Aura into the depths of his Dantian.

Elder Qing Yang's Immortal Cave was not built on the most luxurious summit of Danding Peak, but on an extremely quiet platform halfway up the mountain.

The three followed a small path overgrown with weeds to the end, where an extremely dilapidated courtyard gate stood half-open.

No rare Spiritual Plants were grown in the courtyard; instead, it was piled high with neatly chopped Spiritual Firewood. The air was filled with an extremely rich medicinal fragrance, which even carried a faint hint of scorched smell.

A thin, red-faced old man was sitting on the doorstep.

He wore a gray Daoist robe that hadn't been washed in who knows how long, with sleeves rolled high, revealing two arms like withered branches. In his hand, he held a rag of indistinguishable color, vigorously wiping a three-legged, two-eared dark red Pill Furnace in front of him.

The surface of the Pill Furnace was covered with complex flame runes. As the old man wiped, those runes would occasionally flash with an extremely faint red light.

Master Xuan Heng did not make a sound to disturb him, but walked straight into the courtyard and stopped in front of the cracked stone table in the center.

Luo Feng stood beside Su Ming, tilting his head to look at the old man, and whispered, "This old man is Elder Qing Yang? He looks like a fire-tending Menial Worker..."

"Shut up." Master Xuan Heng's voice was extremely low.

Luo Feng immediately shut his mouth and stood up straight properly.

Master Xuan Heng slowly raised his right hand and wiped it extremely steadily across his Storage Pouch.

Three extremely exquisite jade boxes appeared side by side on the stone table.

Master Xuan Heng didn't speak; instead, he flicked open the lids of the three jade boxes in turn.

"Buzz—"

At the moment the jade boxes opened, three distinct yet extremely terrifying Auras, like three invisible storms, violently intertwined and collided within the small space of the courtyard.

The faint blue cold light emitted by the nine nether mysterious lotus instantly condensed a thick layer of frost on the surface of the stone table; the crimson heatwave from the phoenix nirvana branch, hot enough to melt gold and stone, instantly evaporated the frost into a large cloud of white mist; and the green light representing extreme vitality from the ten-thousand-year void azure stone marrow forcibly carved out a vibrant Domain within the white mist.

The red-faced old man sitting on the doorstep abruptly stopped his action of wiping the Pill Furnace.

He slowly put down the rag in his hand.

The manic atmosphere in the surrounding air didn't seem to have any effect on him. He stood up, and his thin, withered body actually emitted a steady Aura like a mountain at this moment.

He walked step by step to the stone table, lowered his head, and his withered fingers hovered in mid-air, slowly brushing over the three main ingredients one by one.

He didn't touch them; he merely felt the fluctuations of the intertwined spiritual power.

The courtyard was deathly silent, with only the slight rustling sound of the wind blowing through the pile of Spiritual Firewood.

A full half a cup of tea's time passed.

Elder Qing Yang finally raised his head. In those eyes that were originally cloudy, two extremely piercing glints were now burning.

His gaze didn't look at Master Xuan Heng, but directly bypassed the stone table and fell on Su Ming and Luo Feng.

"Which one is the medicine master?" Qing Yang's voice was extremely hoarse, like two pieces of dry wood rubbing against each other.

Su Ming didn't hesitate; he stepped forward, folded his hands in front of him, and bowed deeply.

"Junior Su Ming greets Elder Qing Yang."

Qing Yang didn't immediately tell him to rise, but squinted his eyes and looked Su Ming up and down.

"Late Foundation Establishment Stage." Qing Yang withdrew his gaze. "The dao foundation is indeed damaged. Moreover, the repair technique is extremely crude, actually attempting to forcibly stitch it with star power. It's simply nonsense."

Su Ming remained in a bowing position, but waves of shock rose in his heart.

His dao foundation being damaged and repaired with star power via Kintsugi was one of his biggest secrets. This Elder who had sealed his furnace for a hundred years had actually seen through all his secrets with just one look.

Qing Yang turned his head and looked at Master Xuan Heng, who had remained silent.

"You are quite generous." A mocking cold smile appeared on Qing Yang's withered red face. "nine nether mysterious lotus, phoenix nirvana branch, and this drop of ten-thousand-year void azure stone marrow. These three things, even if a Nascent Soul Stage Great Perfection Cultivator saw them, they would be unable to resist killing and looting. You, Master Xuan Heng, for a Foundation Establishment Stage Junior, actually brought out such Heaven-Defying items. Aren't you afraid that his fragile vessel won't be able to bear this immense fortune and will be directly blown to pieces?"