Chapter 225 - 103: No Such Thing as a Free Elixir Pill, but It Solves an Urgent Need?

Even if she were to search for the source of the fluctuating aura now, it would be futile. She was already too late.

「Meanwhile, at the Observatory Platform deep within the National Preceptor’s Mansion.」

Xiao River, clutching a white porcelain Pill Bottle, found the current National Master, Ge Qixing.

He had the appearance of a middle-aged man, but his features were quite handsome. He had a long beard and a lean, sharp look. Dressed in a Daluo Daoist Robe, he sat cross-legged atop the Observatory Platform.

Though it was broad daylight, a vast, starry sky hung above him. Endless starlight cascaded down, channeled into the Compass before him.

Within it, countless scenes unfolded, as if showing the endless cycle of mortal lives.

"Ge Qixing, Xiao Teng has run into trouble again..."

Facing his former love rival, Xiao River wore a grim expression and got straight to the point.

"What sort of trouble?" Ge Qixing’s voice was warm and gentle, putting one at ease like a spring breeze and making it easy to gain their favor.

"What is this Elixir Pill? Do you recognize it?" Xiao River asked, setting down the white porcelain bottle he had been carrying.

Slightly puzzled, Ge Qixing casually uncorked the porcelain bottle. A rosy mist immediately billowed out, carrying a rich medicinal aroma. For a fleeting moment, the phantom of an old turtle flashed through the Void.

"This is?"

"A Rejuvenating Turtle Breath Pill?"

His brow furrowed. After a moment’s inspection, his expression turned to one of shock and astonishment. "Where did you get this?" he asked. "The Elixir Recipe for this has been lost for ages. Every pill is a priceless treasure. For each one consumed, there is one less in the world."

Xiao River was equally shaken. He hadn’t expected it to be genuine.

He immediately explained the whole story from beginning to end.

"No wonder. I suppose only the Prime Minister’s Mansion could produce such an Elixir Pill."

"Since Jiang Lan intended to gift you the medicine, you should just accept it. Jian Jia has trained arduously for many years; her cultivation truly cannot be crippled. I was also agonizing over how to help her."

"By a strange twist of fate, Jiang Lan has managed to help us out," Ge Qixing said with a nod.

"Is there nothing wrong with it?" Xiao River asked. Even with his level of power, he couldn’t detect any issues.

"There are no issues. The Elixir Pill is quite old, but that doesn’t affect its efficacy. The Prime Minister’s Mansion covets Jian Jia’s Immortal Phoenix True Blood, so naturally, they wouldn’t want to see her cultivation crippled and that drop of True Blood go to waste."

Ge Qixing examined it for a long time, even using a Secret Technique to probe it, but he indeed found nothing amiss.

...

After returning to the Prime Minister’s Mansion and giving the Identity Token back to his father, Jiang Lan was led to a side hall.

He was a bit confused at first, but he understood once he arrived in the side hall.

It turned out the Foundation Establishment Medicine Bath prepared for him had finished brewing.

In the center of the side hall sat an enormous Four-legged Square Cauldron. It was made of bronze, its surface engraved with myriad scenes of flora and fauna, mountains and lakes, and even ancient peoples worshiping the heavens. It radiated an air of archaic vicissitude. In a daze, one could almost hear the grand sounds of sacrificial rites, prayers, and the world itself.

Steam bubbled up from the Large Cauldron, where all sorts of Immortal Materials and Earthly Treasures tumbled about. Rosy light swirled as the auras of Tao Patterns intertwined, all sealed by an Array to prevent any strange phenomena from being exposed. It looked like a land where immortals took flight.

Beneath the great bronze cauldron, flames billowed, constantly licking its base. The Void itself was scorched and twisted, seeming on the verge of collapse.

Just by stepping into the side hall, one could hear the cry of a phoenix, as if a juvenile Immortal Phoenix were sealed within the Large Cauldron.

Jiang Lan understood his parents’ good intentions. Although he didn’t currently need to establish a Dao Foundation, he did as he was told, dismissed all the servants, entered the cauldron, sat cross-legged, and began to absorb its essence.

During the process, the Phoenix Void Primordial Scripture began to operate on its own. The surging medicinal power rushed in, transforming into pure Spiritual Energy that continuously poured into every part of his body.

Faintly, a phantom of an Immortal Phoenix appeared behind him, spreading its wings to surround him.

Cluster after cluster of Divine Fire danced, each one seeming to reflect a Little World, shining with brilliant light.

Above the side hall, the phenomenon was even more astonishing.

Fortunately, the Prime Minister’s Mansion was filled with dense Array Patterns and complex Restrictions. The phenomenon was quickly obscured by a thick mist, making it impossible for outsiders to see clearly.

"Lan’Er has always been this talented. He only obtained the Phoenix Void Primordial Scripture a short while ago, yet he already shows such mastery and control..."

"We’ve really held him back all these years. Otherwise, how could the Taiyi Sect allow that junior from the Ji Family to act so wantonly? Li Daoyi was a waste of our Li Family’s resources. His cultivation is higher than his opponent’s, yet he nearly suffered a defeat."

"If that girl Mengning were still at the Taiyi Sect, she wouldn’t have allowed that Ji Family junior to be so arrogant."

Li Qingshu gazed at the phenomenon above the side hall, a sharp glint in her eyes. Then, as if remembering something, she let out a cold snort.

Jiang Lintian shook his head. "The Ji Family did produce someone with a special constitution, after all. Although Li Daoyi worked his way up from the Outer Sect, he lacks sufficient mettle. If his opponent had lost, he could have fought again. But if Li Daoyi loses, it means the Li Family will abandon him."

Li Qingshu knew this to be true, but the news from the Taiyi Sect still infuriated her.

"If I hadn’t harmed Lan’Er back then, with his talent for cultivation, he could crush that Ji Family junior with a single palm strike..." she said, snorting coldly again.

Jiang Lintian smiled helplessly and wrapped his arm around her. "My dear, why dwell on such things? Lan’Er is blessed with great fortune and destiny. He is fated to rise from behind and stand above all his peers."

As they spoke, all the phenomena above the side hall vanished completely.

Then, the surrounding palace halls began to rumble and shake violently.

The Spiritual Energy of the world began to gather frantically, converging on the side hall and forming astonishing vortexes in mid-air.

"Such a disturbance... This is a case of breaking through after long accumulation..." They both saw surprise and delight in each other’s eyes.

’Just establishing his Dao Foundation is causing such a stir. When he steps into the Spirit Sea realm, I can’t imagine how vast a Spirit Sea he will open up.’

"Judging by this commotion, when Lan’Er opens his Spirit Sea, it will be at least ten thousand zhang wide..."

"A ten-thousand-zhang Spirit Sea is a rarity throughout history. If his far exceeds that, it would be a feat that even the ancient records wouldn’t dare to describe..."

"Haha..."

Jiang Lintian laughed heartily.

Meanwhile, in the side hall, Jiang Lan retracted all his aura fluctuations. He glanced at the Large Cauldron, its contents now as clear and weak as water, but he wasn’t surprised.

He had intentionally caused that fluctuation.

His true cultivation was already at the Illuminating Nether Realm. With his array of abilities, he could kill a Sixth Realm Divine Power Realm expert with a mere wave of his hand.

’It’s just that Mother is still wracked with guilt over what happened all those years ago. It’s better to cause this commotion to put her mind at ease.’

’This counts as a so-called "rebuilding after destruction," a case of rising from behind.’

「The next morning.」

A Cloud White Carriage was parked outside the Prime Minister’s Mansion. As per his prior agreement with Su Qinghan, Jiang Lan was sending her off to the Dao Cang Sword Sect.

Perhaps because she knew they would be parting today, Su Qinghan had been exceptionally clingy and passionate the previous night.

As for these people blessed with great destiny, Jiang Lan’s attitude had always been to let them develop on their own.

Even in the original story, he didn’t know exactly when or how Su Qinghan had obtained her various fortuitous encounters.

Once she went to the Dao Cang Sword Sect, the fortuitous encounters that were destined for her would naturally gravitate toward her.

Given the intimacy of their current relationship, Jiang Lan would naturally receive a corresponding share of her fortune in return.

In the grand scheme of things to come, the stronger Su Qinghan and the others became, the more they could help him.

At their parting, Jiang Lan was surprised to see a watery mist welling up in Su Qinghan’s eyes. She truly looked like she couldn’t bear to leave him.

With his Destiny Dao Fruit, he could read her life aura and tell that her feelings were genuine.

"You’re destined to become a Sword Immortal one day. Why are you being so sentimental and hesitant..."

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Lan’s expression softened. He stepped forward and gently wiped the misty tears from her eyes.

"Mm..."

Hearing this, Su Qinghan leaned her cheek into his palm and reined in her feelings of reluctance.

Everything that needed to be said had been said last night. It wasn’t in her character to linger.

’She truly never thought she’d see the day she’d act like such a demure, lovesick girl, so reluctant to leave.’