Chapter 47: Refining the Life-Extending Fruit

Shortly after Jiuyou departed, on Endless Island, within Dan Xuanzi's alchemy chamber.

A dark purple figure materialized silently in the room, its aura withdrawn like a bottomless abyss, its expression grave. The man simply stood there, yet the entire chamber's atmosphere seemed to congeal, the air itself growing heavy.

Dan Xuanzi was gazing at the Jade Box in his hand, his eyes brimming with joy. As he turned and caught sight of that figure, his face drastically changed, and he hastily dropped to one knee, bowing his head deeply.

"Junior Disciple Dan Xuanzi, greets the Grand Elder."

The visitor was none other than Endless Island's Grand Elder, and also the only Late Nascent Soul Grand Cultivator in the entire Demonic Path Alliance—Gu Xuanzhou!

Gu Xuanzhou stood with a calm demeanor, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze as placid as still water. He spoke unhurriedly.

"Rise. We've been senior and junior brothers for so many years; there's no need for such formality."

Hearing this, cold sweat beaded on Dan Xuanzi's forehead, and he bowed his head even deeper.

"I dare not. This matter concerns the ancestral rules of Endless Island passed down for ten thousand years, and even more so, your unwavering authority as our stabilizing pillar. As your junior disciple, I would never dare to be the slightest bit negligent, lest I give those with ulterior motives an opening to exploit."

Gu Xuanzhou nodded slightly, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth, a glint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes.

"Ha ha ha! Junior Disciple, Junior Disciple, you're still so rigid."

His laughter faded, and his gaze suddenly fell upon the Jade Box in Dan Xuanzi's hand, his tone shifting.

"Junior Disciple, what did that old bastard Jiuyou come to you for? Could it also be for the Myriad Spirit Pill? I just sensed an extremely potent surge of medicinal power; was it this item?"

Dan Xuanzi did not rise but instead slowly raised the Jade Box in his hands, nodding respectfully.

"To answer my Senior Brother, that man's purpose here was indeed to have me, his junior, refine the Myriad Spirit Pill. Furthermore, he brought a five-thousand-year-old Myriad Spirit Grass."

"Five thousand years old?"

A glint of purple light flashed in Gu Xuanzhou's eyes, and his powerful Divine Sense instantly pierced through the Jade Box, clearly perceiving the spiritual herb sealed within. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes before he returned to his calm demeanor, his expression unchanging.

Though the Myriad Spirit Pill refined from the Myriad Spirit Grass was precious, it was only helpful for Nascent Soul cultivators to break through minor bottlenecks. To a cultivator like him, at the Late Nascent Soul stage, it was no different from a sugar pill—utterly insignificant.

"Probably stumbled upon it in some remote corner after being teleported by the chaos from the Heavenly Abyss Sacred Tree incident," Gu Xuanzhou remarked flatly. "Didn't expect the old fellow to be so lucky. It seems fate hasn't abandoned him yet."

He stepped forward slowly, placing a hand on the Jade Box, gently stroking it a few times. Dan Xuanzi instinctively raised the box a bit higher, making it easier for his senior brother to inspect.

"He first saved your life, and now he brings this five-thousand-year-old Myriad Spirit Grass. Once the pill is refined, you should naturally give him one. Other than that—"

As Gu Xuanzhou spoke, spiritual light flickered in his hand, and a palm-sized, exquisite carapace, translucent as jade, appeared in his palm.

"Give him this as well. Consider it repayment for saving your life."

Dan Xuanzi's eyes fell on the exquisite carapace, his pupils contracting, his voice changing pitch.

"The Jade Spirit Carapace! This is a high-grade ancient relic capable of withstanding several attacks from a Late Nascent Soul cultivator!"

He quickly put away the Jade Box in his hand and then, with both hands, reverently accepted the exquisite carapace, his fingertips trembling slightly.

"Understood, Senior Brother. I, your junior, will handle this properly."

Dan Xuanzi responded respectfully. He only felt a faint breeze brush past him, and when he looked up again, that dark purple figure had vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

Dan Xuanzi stroked the exquisite carapace in his hand, one eyebrow raised slightly, muttering to himself.

"Jiuyou, oh, Jiuyou. To earn the Grand Elder's favor, your luck is truly something else."

At the same time, on Soul Wraith Island.

Deep within the Soul Wraith Great Hall, inside the cave dwelling.

This place had long been layered with heavy Prohibition Mark arrays by Jiuyou, inside and out, sealing off all external auras. Array patterns flowed on the four walls of the cave, spiritual light flickering on and off, tightly sealing this small space.

Jiuyou sat cross-legged, eyes closed, regulating his breath. Spiritual light faintly circulated around his body. He took several deep breaths, adjusting himself to his optimal state before slowly opening his eyes.

In his aged eyes, a gleam of dark light flickered.

He reached into his Storage Pouch and took out the Jade Box containing the Ten-Thousand-Year Life-Extending Fruit. With a gentle brush of his hand, the lid opened.

A rainbow of multicolored light instantly poured out, illuminating the entire cave dwelling in a hazy, dreamlike glow.

The crystal-clear fruit floated within the box, slowly rotating, emitting a refreshing fragrance. The moment the fruit appeared, the entire cave was filled with a life aura that made every part of his body feel comfortable, as if even the stone walls had become warm and moist under the nourishment of this aura.

Jiuyou took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart.

Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed the Life-Extending Fruit and, tilting his head back, swallowed it.

The moment the fruit entered his throat, a torrential, unimaginable wave of life essence exploded within his body. Like a dam bursting, it raged and roared along his meridians, crashing and rampaging wildly. That power was too immense, slamming into his meridians, causing pain, and making his dantian tremble.

Jiuyou's brow furrowed slightly. He formed hand seals, and his magical power quickly began to circulate within his body, strand by strand wrapping around the rampaging life essence that was spreading everywhere, slowly refining and absorbing it.

But the medicinal power of the Ten-Thousand-Year Life-Extending Fruit was simply too great.

If he were not a Nascent Soul cultivator, whose body and soul had long been reborn and transformed, he would probably have been torn apart by this life essence and exploded, with his Nascent Soul severely injured and forced out of his body.

Even with his profound cultivation, he now felt somewhat strained.

"Such powerful medicinal effects..."

Jiuyou thought to himself, gritting his teeth and urging his magical power, madly squeezing every ounce of strength to refine the medicinal power within his body.

Fortunately, after centuries of bitter cultivation, his magical power was far more pure and refined than others at his level. If it had been any other Early Nascent Soul cultivator, they would probably have long since collapsed.

As time passed, that vast life essence was gradually refined by him, merging into his skin, flesh, blood, bones, meridians, and dantian, all the way down to the very origin of his Nascent Soul.

He could even clearly feel his own life essence constantly growing, and his lifespan increasing at a visible rate.

His blood surged like a tidal wave through his veins, each heartbeat more powerful; his bones grew tougher under the nourishment of the life essence, faint spiritual light circulating within them; even the flow of his magical power became smoother, the speed of refining the medicinal power increasing.

Time, unknowingly, flew by swiftly.

One month, then another.

In the blink of an eye, several months had passed.

Inside the cave dwelling, Jiuyou remained seated cross-legged, spiritual light surging around him, his own life aura now more than a notch stronger than before his seclusion. He dared not pause for even a moment, fearing that if he delayed the refining by even a fraction, some of that pure life essence would be lost.

To this end, he even downed the remaining half-bottle of Ten Thousand Year Spirit Milk in one gulp, not daring any delay.

Outside the cave, the sea wind howled, and waves crashed against the shore.

On the sea's surface, dark clouds were slowly gathering from all directions, the sky growing dim.

And within the cave, Jiuyou's aura continued to climb higher.

What that Ten-Thousand-Year Life-Extending Fruit brought was not merely an increase in lifespan.

It was also an opportunity to break through his bottleneck.