The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron

Chapter 1634: 1731: Unimaginable Ambition



Chapter 1634: Chapter 1731: Unimaginable Ambition

“A non-existent pill?” The Heaven King of the East Pole felt a shock ripple through his heart, his expression twisting in alarm as he stared at the Pavilion Master of the Sealing Sword Pavilion.

The young man grinned faintly, the blood no longer flowing across his forehead.

“Indeed. For this non-existent pill, I’ve been planning for many years. I still lack some manpower. Why not have you, the East Pole Heaven King, lend me a hand?” The young man spoke to the Heaven King of the East Pole, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.

“Even Huang Hanqing, a Pill Refiner at the Seven Cauldrons level, has thrown in his lot with your Sealing Sword Pavilion. Is there any pill you cannot refine? Why go to such lengths?” The Heaven King of the East Pole responded coldly.

The young man shook his head slightly: “Huang Hanqing is not without his merits, but he alone is far from enough. Only with everything prepared, combining the strength of many, might there be a three to four out of ten chance to succeed.”

The Heaven King of the East Pole’s heart churned with alarm. Though the Pavilion Master’s words were difficult to judge as true or false, if they held any validity, then the pill the Sealing Sword Pavilion sought to refine would surely not be something as simple as a seventh or eighth-grade pill.

It was very likely the transcendent ninth-grade pill!

Pills are divided across nine grades, and any pill that could be categorized as ninth-grade would seize the miracles of heaven and earth, possessing unimaginable and divine effects.

Every Pill Refiner dreams of catching a glimpse of a ninth-grade pill, yet such pills are now only found in ancient texts, for this era has no existence of Nine Cauldron Pill Refiners.

Not to mention, even if a Nine Cauldron Pill Refiner existed, the ingredients needed to refine a ninth-grade pill would be exceedingly rare. Obtaining any single one would demand unfathomable effort.

Even with Huang Hanqing, a Seven Cauldrons Pill Refiner, among their ranks, the Sealing Sword Pavilion was still insufficient, requiring the collection of more Pill Refiners to proceed. To the Heaven King of the East Pole, this could only mean the goal was a ninth-grade pill.

“Since when has the Sealing Sword Pavilion been interested in Pill Refining? Could it be that you, the Pavilion Master, plan to abandon the sword and turn to Pill Refining instead?” The Heaven King of the East Pole mocked.

The young man nodded seriously: “You’re not wrong. I am very interested in the Alchemy Tao. I once aspired to become a Pill Refiner. Unfortunately, my talent was insufficient—barely enough to reach the level of a One Cauldron Pill Refiner. I failed when refining my first Soul Commanding Pill Fire, almost burned to death by its backlash. So, I abandoned the Alchemy Tao and turned to swordsmanship. To my surprise, I seemed to have a decent talent for wielding the sword. Now I stand above all others who wield the sword.”

Pausing for a moment, the young man continued: “I have climbed high enough on the path of the Sword Tao. I’ve seen enough of the mountaintop’s view. However, for those of us Martial Artists, no matter how advanced our cultivation becomes, we are, like others, deeply fearful of life and death despite our seemingly long lifespans.”

“Oh? From your words, are you implying that you wish to refine a ninth-grade pill capable of extending life? With your current cultivation, is your lifespan still not enough?” The Heaven King of the East Pole sneered.

The young man affirmed with a hum, pointing toward the firmament above: “Immortal cultivation—can it rival the heavens in longevity?”

The Heaven King of the East Pole did not answer, for the answer was self-evident.

To rival the heavens in longevity? A mere joke. Even mythic figures such as the Martial Lord dare not claim to match the heavens. Let alone them.

“I know how long I have left. Every moment, my life dwindles. Of course, the same holds true for all living beings under heaven. No matter how powerful one may be, one still cannot escape the two words: passing time.

I am afraid of death. I don’t want to become nothing more than a handful of soil after I die, all traces of my existence erased. No longer would I witness the beauty of this vast world. That is why I wish to transcend life and death.” The young man spoke with a glimmer of madness in his eyes, leaving the Heaven King of the East Pole too startled to respond.

Transcend life and death?

The Heaven King of the East Pole recalled a fragment of an ancient manuscript he had read long ago, buried within the most antiquated texts of the Pill Alliance.

In ancient times, there was a Pill Sovereign who drew the divine power of the Nine Heavens and seized the essence of the earth’s core to refine a Transcendental Elixir of limitless creation!

Scattered fragments, mere traces of records, had left the Heaven King of the East Pole dazed for days back then.

What kind of fearsome being could refine a Transcendental Elixir? Could this truly lie within the capability of a Pill Refiner?

Or, rather, could the Alchemy Tao develop to a state where even life and death could be transcended?

And now, hearing the words of the Pavilion Master of the Sealing Sword Pavilion, the Heaven King of the East Pole immediately associated it with that recorded tale. It was clear that the Pavilion Master’s ambition was not merely a ninth-grade pill but aimed to refine the Transcendental Elixir itself!

He sought to transcend life and death, becoming a truly eternal, immortal existence!

“You’ve gone mad! All beings must face life and death. No matter how strong you are, you will perish one day. There is no such thing as a Transcendental Elixir. What you’re doing is nothing but delusional!” The Heaven King of the East Pole roared in fury. His rationality insisted that the Pavilion Master of the Sealing Sword Pavilion was embarking on a path of futility because success was impossible. Even the ancient records did not reveal whether that ancient Pill Sovereign had succeeded or failed, but in the Heaven King’s view, success was impossible. Human capacity is limited; no pill can transcend life and death.

The young man looked at the Heaven King of the East Pole with pity: “In the end, you’re simply a person of this era. You are not like me, and your vision never reaches such heights.”

The Heaven King of the East Pole let out a cold snort: “Enough talking. No matter your intentions, if you want to take anyone away, you must first ask whether I will allow it.”

“You cannot stop me. I only spoke so much to see if you might assist me. Clearly, it was a waste of breath.” The young man shook his head, and as his words fell, several bursts of sword light erupted successively from the sword box behind him.

A total of five famous swords floated before the young man, each radiating immensely powerful Sword Qi.

The Heaven King of the East Pole’s expression turned grim instantly. He had faced this young man before, yet back then, only the seventh of his famed swords had been unleashed. The eighth sword had remained untouched.

This time, beyond the first three famed swords, now accompanied by these five famed swords, the young man was already unleashing eight of his famed swords.

This was practically his full effort against the Heaven King of the East Pole.

“Well done! I will finally see for myself the power of the eighth sword you held back before.” The Heaven King of the East Pole declared, the pitch-black vertical eye at his brow activating once more.

“Having fallen for that once, you won’t catch me again.” The young man replied as one of the five swords, a golden longsword, suddenly unleashed an intense brilliance. Infinite Sword Qi filled the universe, like a raging sea swallowing the Heaven King of the East Pole entirely within its waves.

The blackness in the young man’s eyes faded, clarity restored. The strange pupil skill of the Heaven King of the East Pole could no longer affect him in the slightest.

ps: Third update delivered. Spring Festival Gala is about to begin, so I’ll be writing while watching it. A fourth update is coming tonight. I wonder how many of you will also be watching the gala…


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