Chapter 1248: Taotie Stomach
Chapter 1248: Chapter 1248: Taotie Stomach
The vast white waves merge with the sea, vast sands stretch infinitely. As evening arrives and morning departs, they ceaselessly churn, causing the Eastern Sea to turn into a mulberry field.
Legend has it, there is a void ocean in the Eastern Heaven, named Eastern Sea.
Eastern Sea is actually a very common name; any sea to the east can bear this title. Within the Purple Dou Illusion Realm, there are no less than a thousand places called Eastern Sea, yet only this Eastern Sea is slightly special.
Because this Eastern Sea was once one of the Ancestral Emperor’s domains, it carries exceptional significance for the Eastern Celestial Cultivators.
But the Ancestral Emperor eventually perished, his Heaven Sealing Art brought calamity, and he was extinguished across endless reincarnation by the Hunkun Holy Sect.
Thereafter, the Eastern Sea fell into decline, never again bustling with fellow Daoists.
The current Eastern Sea is home to only tens of thousands of Masters, mainly descendants of the Ancestral Emperor’s disciples, who consider themselves part of the Eastern Sea Clan.
In the deepest part of the Eastern Sea, there’s a sea eye. It is said that beneath this sea eye, a Tianhuang Stone Gate is suppressed.
There are nine Tianhuang Stone Gates left behind by the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign in the Illusion Realm, of which six are widely known, while the locations of the remaining three are unknown.
Among the six stone gates, four have been destroyed, only those leading to the Barbarian Wilderness Ancient Domain and the Supreme Pill Sacred Domain remain passable.
The stone gate in the Eastern Sea has long been destroyed, and it has been ages since the Eastern Sea Clan posted guards there.
Yet recently, for unknown reasons, the Eastern Sea Clan has sent heavy forces to guard this place, as if something major is occurring inside the sea eye.
Even the clan leader of Eastern Sea Clan, Dong Yunyi, whose life is nearing its end, has personally arrived at the sea eye, looking dazed, staring into its depths.
"Ancestor, your Heavenly Tribulation is approaching again. It isn’t wise to venture out at this time; you should stay in your abode to prepare for it..." the younger generation of the clan urged.
"..." Dong Yunyi ignored their advice, focusing solely on the direction of the sea eye.
In her youth, she was hailed as the Eastern Sea Fairy, her beauty unparalleled in the Eastern Heaven. Countless cultivators wished to become her Dao companions, yet her answer was always a refusal.
She remained alone for life, and no one knew why she did so.
Now, old and withered, close to death, she again meets a certain person at this moment.
What joy.
What sorrow.
"Ancestor, the sea eye of Eastern Sea is too perilous; even a Quasi-Saint dare not casually enter. That senior’s rash entry likely means he’s already... You really needn’t wait any longer." The younger ones continued to advise.
"You don’t understand; he’s not in any danger. A mere sea eye cannot claim his life. Even when the Three Saints of Suppressing Sea joined forces, they couldn’t kill him... He will emerge." Dong Yunyi’s voice was filled with reminiscence, as she recalled the first time she saw him many years ago.
Like encountering a golden phoenix.
Like a lifetime misstep.
"The Three Saints of Suppressing Sea? Who are they? Does the Eastern Heaven have such figures or are they experts from another realm..." The younger ones were all confused.
Dong Yunyi simply shook her head slightly, not revealing that the Three Saints of Suppressing Sea are not cultivators from the Illusion Realm, but masters from the Real Realms.
"Speaking of which, who is that senior... the Tianhuang Stone Gate inside the sea eye has already been destroyed, why is he so stubborn, insisting on venturing inside?" The younger ones asked again.
"He is..." Dong Yunyi wanted to reveal his name but eventually shook her head, swallowing the words ’Ancient Chaos’.
She couldn’t expose the news of Ancient Chaos to others; she knew him well. Given the dire need to burn the little life remaining in him and use the Yin-Yang Unpredictable, he must have a critically important purpose to accomplish. She couldn’t expose Ancient Chaos’s whereabouts.
Indeed, the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor was currently in the Eastern Heaven, beneath the sea eye of this Eastern Sea.
Yet no one knew the true whereabouts of the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor, for everything was disturbed by the Yin-Yang Unpredictable; even a Saint couldn’t dispel this interference.
Ning Fan had always believed that the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor had left the Eastern Heaven for the Northern Heaven, since he sensed the Grand Emperor’s presence at the location of the Eastern Boundary River. Thus, he made this judgment.
Now reassessing this judgment, it was clearly incorrect.
Witnessing the ancestor’s reluctance to speak, the younger generation dared not inquire further, choosing to discuss other matters.
"I’ve heard that ever since Dong Yanluo calmed the different races in the Eastern Heaven, he suddenly disappeared."
"Heh, this person has shown understanding. If he thought taming the Boundary River granted him entitlement to the Ancestral Emperor’s position in the Eastern Heaven, our Eastern Sea Clan would be the first to not let him off."
"Our clan’s most important treasure the Lu Yuan Sword, although half destroyed, still bears the power to slay an Immortal Emperor. I wonder how many strikes Dong Yanluo can withstand."
"Speaking of the Lu Yuan sword, it brings to mind the ancestor. The Lu Yuan sword was not something left by the ancestors for her, but a gift from another. Since she never married, it’s said she was waiting for the person who gifted the sword... wait, could it be that senior who ventured into the sea eye is the one who gifted the sword? Otherwise, with a temperament as aloof as the ancestor’s, how could it be..."
"Silence! The ancestor isn’t someone you can gossip about! Moreover, Dong Yanluo isn’t someone to be provoked. If I hear you uttering nonsense again, don’t blame the clan for any punishment!"
As the younger ones spoke increasingly outlandish, they finally roused the elders of the Eastern Sea Clan to reprimand them sternly.
Dong Yunyi wasn’t angered; she had no time to pay heed to their idle chatter. Her gaze was steadfastly fixed on the sea eye, waiting for that person to emerge from the depths.
Though she firmly believed in the Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor’s unparalleled strength, even a being as mighty as him had once died. Now, even resurrected, it seemed his life was nearly spent. She wondered how much power remained, and whether the chaotic traces within the sea eye posed a threat to him...
"I’d better go down and take a look..." Dong Yunyi’s expression shifted, finally relenting.
She retrieved an old Sword Box from her storage pouch, strapped it to her back, ready to enter the Eastern Sea eye.
This sight immediately scared the clan’s cultivators, who frantically tried to stop her.
"Ancestor, you can’t! The sea eye is too perilous, beyond our power to withstand. Entering recklessly is certain death!"
While they were advising, the sea waters parted suddenly at the sea eye, and then a dim escape light flew out from the sea eye, none other than Ancient Chaos.
"Indeed, something went wrong with this stone gate..."
The Ancient Chaos Grand Emperor emerged from the sea holding two heads; no strand of Evil Qi emanated from them, evidently shielded by Ancient Chaos’s Divine Skills.
This way, the ordinary members of the Eastern Sea Clan naturally couldn’t discern the cultivation level of the owners of these heads, yet still felt something odd.
"This senior didn’t have any heads in his hands when he entered the sea eye; could these be slayed within it? But how is that possible; how can ordinary beings hide within such perilous depths..."
No member of the Eastern Sea Clan could perceive the might of these heads, except for Dong Yunyi.
Dong Yunyi’s complexion shifted instantly; she recognized that if she wasn’t mistaken, the owners of these heads were at least of Quasi-Saint cultivation when alive, and highly likely of the Second Rank...
It’s no wonder Ancient Chaos spent so long inside the sea eye; he was entangled by enemies.
"You’re injured! As expected, you haven’t recovered even a tenth of your strength after this resurrection. Otherwise, how could you be injured dealing with such an enemy! Why didn’t you wait for me to enter the sea eye together? I’m no longer the burden I was back then!" Dong Yunyi was anxious and immediately wanted to heal Ancient Chaos.
Ancient Chaos shook his head, indicating there was no need to heal, opened his mouth to swallow, and astonishingly devoured the heads of two Quasi-Saints, starting to refine them cross-legged.
"This is actually the Ancient Devil’s Cannibal Technique! Consuming human essence and blood, integrating it into oneself, hasn’t this technique been lost for ages..." Some people recognized Ancient Chaos’s Divine Skill, their expressions changed.
Ancient Chaos naturally didn’t explain anything to others. After some healing, he calculated something with his fingers, and finally, there was a slight smile on his cold and hard face.
"Has the war in Eastern Heaven ended... Indeed, with that kid dealing with the alien race’s matters, there’s no need for my intervention."
As it turns out, when the eastern river’s war hadn’t ended, Ancient Chaos entered the sea eye and only came out now, completely unaware of the external matters.
He continued calculating something, and suddenly his expression condensed, falling into silence.
It was because he calculated that on the day Ning Fan fought against the Blood God Geng Wu, the ancestor of the Divine Void Pavilion had briefly appeared...
If he hadn’t entered the sea eye, perhaps he could have seen her again, but what would seeing her accomplish? Apart from thanking her for constructing the Divine Tomb and aiding his resurrection, he had nothing more to say.
It would only disappoint her... Thus, perhaps it’s better not to see her.
"Uncle Gu, all these years, have you... have you been well..." Dong Yunyi looked at Ancient Chaos, her inner emotions suddenly turbulent. She wanted to say so much, ask so much, but in the end, only a phrase as empty as "have you been well" came out.
All these years, Ancient Chaos remained within the Divine Tomb, how could he have been well? What a foolish question...
"Oh? You are..." Ancient Chaos was slightly perplexed. Until this moment, he hadn’t recognized who Dong Yunyi was.
Dong Yunyi faintly smiled bitterly, tapped a storage pouch, took out a talisman, hesitated slightly, and finally decisively slapped it onto herself.
In an instant, traces of time seemed to briefly erase from her body, she no longer appeared aged, gradually becoming younger, eventually transforming into the figure he recognized.
"Ancestor, so beautiful!" Some of the Eastern Sea Clan members were amazed by Dong Yunyi’s younger appearance.
"To withstand the next great heavenly tribulation, the ancestor had to seal the little remaining vital blood, intending to temporarily unseal it when the tribulation arrived. Yet, to unseal it now, how can this be! How should the ancestor respond when the tribulation comes!" Some elderly clan members aware of the seriousness of the issue looked displeased but dared not say much due to Dong Yunyi’s seniority.
"Uncle Gu, would you recognize me like this?" Dong Yunyi’s eyes sparkled as she smiled at Ancient Chaos.
"So, it’s you, the Ancestral Demon of the East’s little daughter..." Only now did Ancient Chaos recognize Dong Yunyi, suddenly feeling a headache.
For a long time, this little girl had given him headaches, and now it seemed even more so.
"You are still so willful. To reveal your identity to me would only take a few words, why unseal the vital blood that took years to seal..." Ancient Chaos sighed.
"I insist on doing so, wanting you to see me at my best." Seeing that Ancient Chaos finally recognized her, Dong Yunyi’s eyebrows and eyes were filled with joy.
"Heh heh, I have seen many of your appearances, having mingled with your father’s generation..." Seemingly reminiscing, Ancient Chaos also showed a nostalgic smile.
But now it was Dong Yunyi’s turn to become displeased.
The second most upsetting thing she could hear was this phrase: "having mingled with your father’s generation."
How she wished Ancient Chaos would view her as a peer...
"Uncle Gu, you hold the Mind Reading Technique, my thoughts cannot be hidden from you. You know I detest hearing these words, yet you persistently say them, over and over. I understand, you use these words as a reminder to dismiss me. You’ve chosen Hexx Yao, and ignore others, and I understand that. But now, Hexx Yao is gone, so why can’t you glance my way..."
"..." Ancient Chaos sighed, not knowing how to respond to Dong Yunyi’s words.
"You’re always like this! Always like this! Hexx Yao is already dead, but I am still here! Not just me, Sister Xiang also waited for you. She paid a great price to construct the Divine Tomb for you; she guarded it just to protect your residual soul. But until she died, she never got your heart. You treat Hexx Yao so well, so why can’t you treat others better..." Dong Yunyi finally lost control of her emotions, tears falling.
"Sorry..." Ancient Chaos’s face was filled with silence, and after a long time, he said those difficult two words.
In that instant, it was as if all strength had been drained from Dong Yunyi. She bitterly looked at Ancient Chaos, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood suddenly.
Unsealing the vital blood was indeed too rash, and at this moment, coupled with the overly emotional state, she finally suffered backlash.
"Next time, don’t be so impulsive. I have some expensive pills here that can help you reseal the vital blood..." Seeing Dong Yunyi spit blood, Ancient Chaos sighed, took out a bottle of expensive pills from his storage pouch, and handed it over.
Dong Yunyi, however, gave a cold smile, refusing to accept the bottle of expensive pills.
"I don’t want them. Everything you give, I don’t want, because what I want, you can’t give..."
Dong Yunyi turned to leave, her back as stubborn as it was in the past.
Ancient Chaos had no words to reply with, remaining in silence for a long time before returning the pill bottle to his storage pouch, and once again softly said "Sorry," then turned to leave.
The enemies here at Tianhuang Stone Gates were killed, he needed to proceed to other stone gates to continue his search. As for matters of the heart... he left those behind the day Hexx Yao died...
"Wait!"
Seeing Ancient Chaos about to leave, Dong Yunyi couldn’t hold back her tears, suddenly turning and running back.
She untied the sword box from her back, handing it to Ancient Chaos.
"I don’t want your things anymore, take them back." She returned the Lu Yuan Sword to Ancient Chaos the Great Emperor.
Her tone was resolute, outwardly wishing to return the treasured sword and cut ties with Ancient Chaos.
However, the Great Emperor of Ancient Chaos, adept in Mind Reading Technique, could see her true intentions.
She was worried that the Great Emperor would continue heading to other Tianhuang Stone Gates and face more enemies.
Therefore, she returned the Lu Yuan Sword to Ancient Chaos, hoping that with this sword, he would face less danger.
"Yunyi, your kind intention has been received, but this sword is more important to you. Your physique is lacking, unable to cultivate your father’s Divine Skills; hence, I gifted you this sword back then and taught you the swordsmanship of the Fierce Origin Sect. Without this sword for protection, should you encounter danger again like in the past..."
"Now, you finally call me by name. If like the past, I were captured by the Three Saints of Suppressing Sea, would you come to rescue me..." Dong Yunyi bit her lip, full of hopefulness as she asked.
"I would. Because you are..." Because you are the daughter of an old friend.
"Don’t finish that sentence, I don’t want to hear it. My life has reached this point, and even if I looked back, I couldn’t return anywhere. I don’t intend to look back, and you shouldn’t force me to. I cannot change your mind anymore than you can change mine... Uncle Gu, be careful on your journey, make sure to come back alive, make sure to see me again. If you don’t return, even if it costs me my life, I’ll resent you."
"...Alright."
...
How could Jun Ward Palace Dan Demon have withstood Ning Fan? Although some Dan Demons were slightly troublesome, ultimately, Jun Ward Palace was captured by him.
This battle resulted in the extermination of six thousand Dan Demons and the capture of six thousand expensive pills.
Since these elixir demons weren’t killed by the Merit Umbrella, the elixirs obtained this time didn’t undergo the rain-like transformation and can be preserved for a long time.
That being said, some elixirs are best consumed when fresh, so Ning Fan decided not to leave Quail Tail Palace immediately. He planned to stay and inspect the elixirs he obtained.
Among the more than six thousand elixirs, only four reached the Ten Revolutions level, namely:
Plague-Dispelling Pill, Stomach Strengthening Pill, Thirty-Three Flavors Emperor Pill, Heat-Clearing Pill.
Ning Fan got the names of the elixirs by chatting with the four pills for a while, so getting the answers he wanted wasn’t difficult.
The names of the four elixirs are quite ordinary, but this very ordinariness gives Ning Fan a sense of returning to simplicity. At that moment, he seemed to have glimpsed a higher level of the Alchemy Dao, an insight that couldn’t be described in words.
The Plague-Dispelling Pill can cure the plagues afflicting masters. Theoretically, masters don’t fall ill, but what if the enemy is a master who cultivates through disease? This pill is specially designed to counter plague cultivators, even curing plagues of Initial Saint level.
Stomach Strengthening Pill is used to enhance a master’s digestive abilities. It’s said that crafting one of these pills requires the stomachs of ninety-nine Taotie...
The Thirty-Three Flavors Emperor Pill is very useful, as it can significantly boost a master’s abilities in certain aspects. It’s worth noting that the more profound the cultivations of devil sect masters become, the more they resemble Xiang Ma Yin Zang. On the positive side, it means they mimic a horse’s hidden organs; on the downside, it signifies impotence, a drooping impotence.
After obtaining this pill, Ning Fan maliciously speculated if the symptoms of impotence in someone like the Zi Wei Immortal Sovereign are extremely severe. Otherwise, why would there be such a pill here?
Anyway, Ning Fan himself doesn’t need anything to boost his vigor... in some aspects.
As for the last Heat-Clearing Pill, it seems every time the Zi Wei Immortal Sovereign overdoes his fire cultivation technique, he needs to take a pill to quell the fiery energy within him, hence the creation of this pill.
"These four Ten Revolutions elixirs aren’t useless, but I would rather have a Ten Revolutions Eight Seas Pill..."
Ning Fan was somewhat disappointed in the end.
If he could obtain another Ten Revolutions Eight Seas Pill, he would have confidence in pushing through the Rain Control Position to completion.
The yield indeed didn’t meet expectations...
"The Great King might not be aware, but Demon-Sealing Peak raided this place once before, and all useful elixir demons were killed for their elixirs. At that time, only four Ten Revolutions elixir demons weren’t slain, hence the only four remaining elixirs." A skinny old man kneeled on the ground, explaining to Ning Fan in fear.
This old man is actually an elixir demon too, but his situation is special. He isn’t one of those vicious and murderous elixir demons and has never committed any heinous deeds.
In Quail Tail Palace, there are seven clans of elixir demons, each establishing a demon village. The vicious and murderous elixir demons are from the Village of Wind, the Village of Thunder, and the Village of Fire. The demons from the other four villages are mostly gentle and rarely antagonize others.
Ning Fan didn’t initially understand the situation in Quail Tail Palace, so upon entering, he planned to slaughter everything.
That’s what he thought, and that’s what he did. He hunted the elixir demons, first surrounding the Village of Fire alone and annihilating all elixir demons within.
Then, he arrived at the Village of Thunder, Village of Wind, and continued the killing to claim the elixirs...
However, when he destroyed the fourth demon village—Village of Water—a bizarre situation occurred. In Village of Water, Ning Fan didn’t face any attacks, but instead, a large group of malnourished, scantily clad elixir demons lined up to welcome him and provided him with a warm hospitality.
What was happening? Ning Fan was puzzled at the time.
He spent quite a while to get the answers from the Village of Water’s chief.
Originally, the elixir demons born in Quail Tail Palace didn’t like slaughter, and they lived harmoniously, establishing four demon villages with peaceful coexistence. But one day, a Thirty-Three Flavors Emperor Pill became an elixir demon, this entity was fierce and powerful, continuously recruiting followers. He converted all assertive elixir demons into vicious ones, eventually self-proclaiming as the Elixir King, and causing trouble everywhere...
The story was too long, and Ning Fan stopped listening at that point.
He only needed to know two things.
First, the remaining four demon villages hadn’t attacked Hexx Yao before and weren’t aligned with Sea Devil General and others.
Second, the remaining four demon villages were mostly comprised of old, weak, and sickly elixir demons, all weak in power, and with ordinary elixirs that were of no use.
Once he understood this, Ning Fan didn’t continue attacking the four remaining demon villages. He was not a maniac; he didn’t have any grudges against them, so why kill them?
"...These four Ten Revolutions elixirs can’t be used by Demon-Sealing Peak at the moment, and they need manpower to build the Demon Well here, hence they’re spared. If Demon-Sealing Peak hadn’t plundered this place, the Great King would have gotten at least forty Ten Revolutions elixirs after obliterating the fire, wind, and thunder villages."
Forty Ten Revolutions elixirs, looted by Demon-Sealing Peak, leaving only four behind? And what remains aren’t very useful?
Ning Fan felt like he’d been pipped...
"...The Sea Devil General you previously killed had gotten lucky in recent years, only then did he overcome the Pill Fueling Tribulation and breakthrough to the Ten Revolutions. Had he broken through earlier to the Ten Revolutions, he might also have been slain by Demon-Sealing Peak for his elixir..."
A sense of accidentally scoring a bargain...
"...Before the Great King arrived, we suffered bullying from the fire, wind, and thunder villages. After they joined Demon-Sealing Peak and obtained Demon Seeds, their viciousness intensified, worsening their bullying. Alongside the bullying, they forcibly recruited us four village elixir demons as laborers to build the Demon Well. We four village elixir demons worked tirelessly, fearing punishment with any slacking, and those who tried to resist, all ended up being eaten alive by the old Elixir King as blood food..."
Talking about past miseries, the Village of Water’s chief constantly wiped his tears, as his son was eaten alive for standing against the old Elixir King.
That’s why he was very grateful to Ning Fan!
Almost every elixir demon from the four villages felt immense gratitude towards Ning Fan!
Ning Fan was the savior! He eradicated the three big bullies here, purged the evil, and gave everyone a chance to start anew!
"...So we, the elixir demons of the four villages, unanimously decide to offer allegiance to the Great King! The Great King, such a righteous demon, is the only one worthy to be our elixir demon leader!" The Village of Water’s chief said this with pride and excitement.
Elixir demons were born with extreme arrogance, never yielding to subordination, even in the face of Demon-Sealing Peak’s slaughter, these four village elixir demons didn’t lower their proud heads.
However, when faced with Ning Fan, they chose submission.
Not due to force, but submitting to Ning Fan’s demeanor!
Or perhaps, it was Ning Fan’s subtle ancient demon aura that was the key reason these elixir demons submitted...
"There’s no need for this, I have no grievances nor debts with you all, extinguishing the three villages’ demons was just routine looting, you don’t owe me anything. As for the absurd notion of being a righteous demon, that’s not worth mentioning..." Ning Fan declined the elixir demons’ allegiance.
This left the Village of Water’s chief quite disappointed; with allegiance failing, he could only discuss with other village chiefs to find another way to repay Ning Fan.
...
Hexx Yao was also pondering ways to repay Ning Fan.
The Soul Transforming Leaf she previously collected was lost during her escape, but fortunately, after Ning Fan took over Quail Tail Palace, he helped her recollect the Soul Transforming Leaf.
Hexx Yao couldn’t forget the imposing moment when Ning Fan collected the Soul Transforming Leaf.
When a flurry of Three-toothed Moths swept in, attempting to attack Ning Fan, he merely cast a glance, scaring away the notoriously fierce Three-toothed Moth.
Thus, the task of gathering Soul Transforming Leaf became very easy.
"In this way, only the Dao-Sealing Spirit Spring remains to be obtained among the three herbs."
"Senior promised to help me find all three herbs, and he will surely keep his word. I received the Senior’s favor; although my strength is limited, I should still repay it somehow. Senior is currently busy researching the four newly acquired Ten Revolutions Elixirs, so I’ll help him find the Divine Artefact Fragment he needs..."
Thus, Ji Fuyao began searching for Duowen Fragments all over the Partridge Tail Palace.
...
The Plague-Dispelling Pill is a medicinal treatment for illness, and Ning Fan wouldn’t eat it unnecessarily.
The Heat-Clearing Pill temporarily increases fire resistance, which was Ning Fan’s conclusion after repeated research, so there was no need to take it for now.
As for the Thirty-Three Flavors Emperor Pill, there’s even less need to take it. Ning Fan doesn’t need to enhance his prowess in that area; he might as well sell it when he has time. Perhaps a Saint from the Real Realms is desperately seeking something similar...
As for the Stomach Strengthening Pill...
This pill has an extremely ordinary name, perhaps really concocted casually by the Purple Dou Immortal Sovereign for digestion. But the Immortal Sovereign is so powerful that he could devour mountains and seas and refine them instantly—when would he need a Stomach Strengthening Pill?
Upon a closer look, this pill’s ingredients require the stomachs of ninety-nine Taotie...
Taotie are mythical demon creatures: some say Taotie is one of the Four Great Fiends of ancient times; some say Taotie is a hybrid demon race, not True Spirits; and some say the gastric juices of Taotie can digest anything, even Saints with the power to kill Taotie fear the gastric juice, as a single splash could corrode a gap in a Saint’s Ring...
A pill requiring ninety-nine Taotie’s stomachs could never be as ordinary as its name suggests.
Ning Fan did not underestimate this pill in the slightest, even though it didn’t meet the expectations of the Eight Seas Pill, it still intrigued him somewhat.
So he decided to consume it on the spot while it was fresh.
With Ning Fan’s godly and demon-like ancient body, consuming a Ten Revolutions Elixir required no special protection.
He casually chewed the pill as if eating a candy bean.
Unfortunately, this pill was not candy. Once the sugar coating was chewed away, a bloody taste rushed forth.
The bloody flavor carried the resentment of ninety-nine Taotie! Taotie spent their lives devouring all things, only to be unexpectedly refined into pills for consumption one day. Even with the cycle of karma, they inevitably harbored resentment.
This resentment was so intense that even Ning Fan’s spirit sense was affected!
His eyes began to be covered in a blood-red light, and then, visions appeared before him.
He saw a man clad in purple battle armor arrive coldly, surrounded by twelve stars. The man plucked a star and hurled it downward, causing the Taotie race below to face collapsing mountains and earth, living beings annihilated, like an apocalypse.
"Eating my yuan peaches, this is the price..." the man spoke on the Heartless Path.
Ning Fan seemed to have become a member of the Taotie race; he could feel the fear and resentment within him! These negative emotions materialized into ninety-nine strands of blood-colored chill surging through Ning Fan’s body, ultimately freezing his Dao Heart World.
Just when Ning Fan was nearly losing control, a golden-black godly and demonic light surged from within him, his Dao Heart World transforming from blood and ice to golden skies and black earth.
Strands of resentment were heartlessly shattered by Ning Fan.
His divine platform regained clarity, and then he sensed the final taste of the pill.
Sour, indescribably sour!
Ning Fan was so sour that his teeth ached, a culmination of the stomach acid of ninety-nine Taotie. Though processed by Alchemy, it wouldn’t harm the consumer, but... it was too sour!
The sour force continuously surged through his stomach, with a fiery sensation.
It was like burning, as if Ning Fan’s own gastric juices waged war with the Taotie gastric juice, devouring each other.
After an unknown amount of time, the fiery pain subsided.
Ning Fan exhaled a long breath, leaving his cultivation state, unaware that three days had passed.
"Congratulations, Senior, on successfully consuming the pill!" Ji Fuyao congratulated immediately upon seeing Ning Fan come out of his meditative state.
During these three days, she had found all the Duowen Fragments in this place and was waiting to present them to Ning Fan.
"Don’t rush to congratulate me; I’ve just thought of something very serious..." Ning Fan suddenly frowned.
"What is it?" Ji Fuyao was startled, wondering if something went wrong with the pill, otherwise why would his expression be so grave.
"Since this is a Stomach Strengthening Pill, should it be taken before or after meals..."
"Senior, are you joking with me..." Ji Fuyao was at a loss, unsure how to respond to Ning Fan’s words.
But actually, Ning Fan was not joking. He was seriously contemplating this issue.
Although the point of his contemplation was quite peculiar...
"I can feel my stomach and intestines have been fortified to a terrifying degree by this pill... hmm, this familiar feeling, could it be..."
Ning Fan’s gaze slightly shifted.
Since embarking on the Cultivation Road, he hadn’t felt this way in many years.
Gurgle gurgle.
A slightly embarrassing sound came from Ning Fan’s stomach.
He! Was! Hungry!
And not just ordinary hunger, his hunger now felt like a Taotie starving for ninety-nine years, or as if ninety-nine Taotie had been starving for a whole year...
More like a New Year’s Beast so hungry it would eat ninety-nine Taotie alive!
"By the way, I just met the Chief of Water Village, he said he wanted to invite Senior to taste the delicacies of the Dan Demon Clan, but seeing that Senior had not fully refined the medicinal power, I declined on your behalf..."
"Delicacies?" Ning Fan’s eyes slightly flickered.
Then, to Ji Fuyao’s surprise, he stood up.
"Where is Senior going?"
"To hunt for food..."