166: A spiritual beast that can refine elixirs

Midnight Gao Sou returned to Mingshui Heaven with his people.

His mood was somewhat complex on the way back.

Originally, he had mobilized Cultivators from the Great Love Sect to set up a formation in Mingshui Heaven, intending to monopolize resources, then unite to meticulously search for and seize the rumored Nascent Soul Inheritance.

However, before the Immortal Cave even opened, he was in a stalemate with other players. The Great Love Sect ultimately couldn't dominate, and Midnight Gao Sou's idea of monopolizing the Immortal Cave could only be shattered.

After the Immortal Cave opened, the Great Love Sect players quickly dispersed. No matter how he commanded, it was useless; everyone had their own ideas. There were countless people like Jiang Yezi who grabbed treasures and ran, and the crucial point was that Midnight Gao Sou couldn't even reprimand them.

Only old acquaintances like Old Potato and Watermelon Prince could team up and act with him.

'Alas.'

Midnight Gao Sou sighed inwardly.

Before, in Green Emerald Heaven, they had let players enter the Immortal Cave en masse to search for treasures. In the end, only the most worthless Cultivation Techniques and skills were uploaded, and not a single truly precious Legacy was uploaded.

This time, they learned their lesson and personally led the team, but the result was no different... It still depended on himself.

Midnight Gao Sou secretly sighed and returned to the Spirit Peak with Old Potato and others. The Spiritual Qi around them was dense, and a faint medicinal fragrance could be smelled.

This medicinal fragrance was initially very light, just faint and elusive, but as Midnight Gao Sou and the others went deeper, it became increasingly rich, as if a Pill Furnace had just been opened.

"Is someone doing Alchemy here?"

Old Potato exclaimed in surprise.

Players have a Lifespan acceleration function, which can not only accelerate cultivation but also accelerate Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Qi gathering, and so on; almost all stationary, tedious work can be accelerated.

However, accelerating Lifespan also simultaneously accelerates resource consumption and has a relatively large impact on the surrounding environment. Generally, one needs to find a safe and stable Immortal Cave and prepare all resources before daring to perform Alchemy or Artifact Refining.

But now, in this Immortal Cave, countless players are gathered, and fierce battles could break out at any time. In such a situation, someone dares to perform Alchemy on the spot?

"The medicinal fragrance is spreading; this Medicinal Pill should be almost done. Anyone who can perform Alchemy in this environment must have incredibly high Alchemy skills."

Watermelon Prince stroked his chin: "Then the grade of this Medicinal Pill certainly won't be too low. Perhaps he just happened to find excellent Alchemy Materials and discovered that the surrounding spiritual energy was suitable, which is why he took such a risk."

Old Potato also nodded in agreement: "He didn't even have time to set up some means to conceal the aura, letting the medicinal fragrance spread freely. It must have been a sudden incident, so we..."

With that, Old Potato looked at Midnight Gao Sou and made a gesture across his neck with his hand, clearly indicating an intention to kill for treasure.

Midnight Gao Sou hesitated for a moment, then Star Fiend in his mind said:

"Judging from the spiritual energy involved in this medicinal fragrance, this should be a rank 6 pill, almost complete. The medicinal fragrance is rich, and when it is fully refined, a Pill Flower will emerge. You'll know when you see it."

Midnight Gao Sou nodded and led the group onward.

They traversed the narrow mountain path through the Spirit Peak mountain range and soon arrived at a somewhat cramped valley.

Here, Spiritual Plants were lush, Spirit Flowers bloomed, and sparse spiritual vegetation grew vigorously. The Spiritual Qi was abundant, making one feel refreshed and invigorated, and Cultivation Techniques circulated much faster.

In the center of the valley, a three-person-tall Pill Furnace burned with Blazing Fire, continuously emitting a medicinal fragrance so rich it almost solidified, astonishing everyone.

Beside the Pill Furnace was only a small monkey, holding a palm-leaf fan and gently fanning the flames.

Star Fiend said: "This should be a Spirit Beast with a long Lifespan. Perhaps it was taught Alchemy by its owner and once helped watch the Pill Furnace. During the long period of Mingshui Heaven's blockade, it explored on its own and actually gained the ability to perform Alchemy."

Midnight Gao Sou also looked at the small monkey in surprise.

It looked very small, only half a person tall, with golden fur that shimmered. It was both cute and noble, and it exuded the unique medicinal fragrance of an Alchemist.

Old Potato was rubbing his fists, already impatient.

Midnight Gao Sou seemed to have thought of something and asked Star Fiend: "If it has been doing Alchemy all these years, how many Medicinal Pills would there be? And where would it have put them?"

Star Fiend laughed heartily: "Spirit Beasts without their masters are all playful and fond of fun. Alchemy is merely a hobby. After the Medicinal Pills are made, they are either consumed or smashed. How could they be properly preserved?"

Hearing this, Midnight Gao Sou could only sigh inwardly. He had thought he had found a treasure trove.

However, he looked at the small monkey again, his eyes darting.

A Spirit Beast capable of refining rank 6 pills—if brought back to the Great Love Sect, wouldn't it directly become a Divine Beast guarding the sect?

Wouldn't the Great Love Sect no longer lack high-grade Medicinal Pills?

Thinking of this, Midnight Gao Sou quickly said:

"This monkey should be a Spirit Beast. It can perform Alchemy. We'll capture it alive later and find a way to bring it over."

Old Potato and the others' eyes also lit up. A Spirit Beast that could perform Alchemy was incredibly valuable.

Just then, the Pill Furnace gently shook, and the Blazing Fire below receded. The small monkey's paw lifted, as if forming a magical incantation, and the rich medicinal fragrance overflowed.

A blue mist rose, swirling above the Pill Furnace, floating dozens of meters high. It branched out like tree limbs and suddenly bloomed into a brilliant blue flower, beautiful and captivating, its fragrance lingering for a long time.

Midnight Gao Sou and the others' hearts pounded as they witnessed this scene.

"Pill completion with a blooming flower, it is indeed a rank 6 pill."

Everyone looked at the Pill Furnace with eager eyes, wishing they could open it right now.

Having played in the Xuanhuan World for so long, they had also learned many Xuanhuan settings.

For example, in the Xuanhuan World, the more powerful something is, the more unusual phenomena it can display.

When Qi Refining breaks through to Foundation Establishment, whether successful or not, there will be unusual phenomena.

When refining artifacts, if the grade reaches a certain level, it will also attract various unusual phenomena, the most common being the earth gushing Blazing Fire.

And Alchemy also has corresponding unusual phenomena that can be used to judge different grades.

From rank nine to rank seven, there is only a medicinal fragrance. Skilled Alchemists can judge the grade by the scent, but most Cultivators are oblivious.

It's different at rank six. Rank six pills are considered the pinnacle of mortal Medicinal Pills and the starting point of true Immortal Pills, hence they are called the King of Pills.

When a rank six pill is completed, the medicinal fragrance overflows, and the scent blooms into a Pill Flower that lingers for three days.

Therefore, when Midnight Gao Sou and the others saw the Pill Flower, they instantly understood that there was a rank six pill in the Pill Furnace, and this Spirit Monkey was an extraordinary rank six Alchemist.

Midnight Gao Sou's heart was ablaze, and he stepped forward, wanting to capture the Spirit Monkey.

Just then, Watermelon Prince finally reacted and grabbed Midnight Gao Sou.

In the other party's bewildered gaze, Watermelon Prince decisively spoke:

"Have you ever considered what the actual strength of a Spirit Monkey capable of refining rank 6 pills would be?"

Midnight Gao Sou, whose head was hot with excitement, was startled, but after thinking about it, he consoled himself:

"A rank six Alchemist is generally only at Immortal Foundation strength, right? It's said there are even Mortal Foundation Cultivators who become rank six Alchemists. We should be able to take it down."

Watermelon Prince then said: "What do you think is the strength of a rank six Alchemy Spirit Monkey in Mingshui Heaven?"