Chapter 263: To the Poison Hall!
Chapter 263: To the Poison Hall!
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove
Mo Yu's cauldron was a gift from her teacher when she first passed the 1-star apothecary examination. Thinking about it, she had forged pills with it eighteen times, and of which, there were signs of cauldron explosion seven times. Each time, her teacher would help her suppress the violent energy within.
And she did forge an Ice Soul Pill a month ago.
The other party's words were completely true.
Being able to tell all of these just by looking at her cauldron? Mind-blowing!
Mo Yu felt her entire body shudder in disbelief. It was as if she was dreaming.
"Of course, these are just the fundamentals. They give one a gauge on when a cauldron can explode, but it isn't sufficient to determine when exactly it will explode, how strong the explosion will be, and how long the cauldron will last."
Seeing the other party remain silent, Zhang Xuan continued.
"To ascertain this, one's grasp over medicinal herbs must reach a certain level. The main ingredients of the Searing Sun Pill are the nine yang attribute medicinal herbs. Only by maintaining a delicate balance among the nine herbs and have them counteract one another can one prevent the energies from conflicting. Once the balance is broken, it would be difficult to salvage the situation. It would be equivalent to lighting a bomb."
"Previously, when you followed my instructions strictly to place the medicinal herbs in, there was no problem at all. However, on the seventeenth step, you placed the Rooted Grass half a breath early."
"The Solar Flame Wood in the eleventh step and the Golden Sun Flower in the fourteenth step counteracted one another. Given the conditions of the cauldron then, it required twelve breaths and seven breaths respectively for their essences to meld with one another, and that was also the ideal and only timing to put in the next medicinal herb!"
"When you placed the Rooted Grass in, the two medicinal herbs had yet to meld together, and the yang attribute of both medicinal herbs were still in the midst of counteracting one another. Thus, it was as though you were lighting up a bomb, and a shock wave was induced. The strength of the shock wave wasn't sufficient to break the pills but it hastened the crumbling process. After which, when I had you throw in all of the other ingredients and increase the firepower, It was actually to deduce the impending impact, as well as the durability of the cauldron."
"Based on my calculations, I gauged that it was possible for the cauldron to last until the formation of the pill. Thus, I decided to have you continue forging." At this point, Zhang Xuan paused and looked at Mo Yu calmly. "Do you have any other questions?"
"I... No, that's all!"
Mo Yu was unable to calm down from her shock.
She thought that it was some secret technique that had allowed the other party to accurately gauge the situation of the pill forging. But now, she realized that even though he had indeed used a technique, as she has deduced, it wasn't something she could learn.
There were too many factors contained within it for her to do the same.
Equipment, medicinal herb, forging technique, environment, and even the state of mind during forging... She had to take all of that into account when doing her calculations. A single error could mean an entirely wrong answer.
A while ago, she was still thinking that she would work hard so as to quickly catch up with the other party in the field of pill forging. But at this moment, she realized that... the difference between them was so great that they weren't even on the same track.
It was no wonder why the other party was able to pass the Pill Debate. Just his understanding of pill forging was sufficient to send her into despair.
"If you don't have any more questions, I'm going to rest!"
Seeing that he had managed baffle Mo Yu after much effort, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.
In truth, he was unable to tell any of it as well. If not for the Library of Heaven's Path, not to mention him, even a 5-star apothecary would be unable to analyze the moment of pill formation and cauldron explosion just through those minor details.
At the very least, one has to be 6-star to be able to do so.
"Beast Tamer Zhang, wait a moment..."
Seeing that the other party was about to enter the residence, Mo Yu hurriedly shouted.
"I heard that you're heading to Tianwu Kingdom?"
"How did you know?"
The moment he asked the question, he realized that it must have been Yun Tao.
However, he didn’t have the intention to hide this fact. Thus, he nodded, "I'm heading to the Red Lotus Ridge."
"The Red Lotus Ridge is quite a remote location, and rarely do anyone travel there. Can it be that you're looking for the... Poison Hall?" Mo Yu asked.
The Xuanluo Mountain Range was lush and filled with countless savage beasts. In comparison, the Red Lotus Ridge seemed as though it had been razed by savage flames, and there was nothing there. There were practically no cultivators who would want to go there.
As a result, Legend has it there was a Poison Hall hidden in the depths of the mountains, and the poison masters there had laid lethal poison in the surroundings. Those who enter the depths of the Red Lotus Ridge would be afflicted with the poison and die swiftly.
No one knew for sure whether it was true or not because those who headed for the Poison Hall never returned. As time went by, it became one of the forbidden zones where no one dared to venture.
As such, it became a remote land which everyone avoided.
The reason why Zhang Xuan was heading there... was probably because of that Poison Hall.
"You know of the Poison Hall?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.
Zhang Xuan has only heard of the Poison Hall in the Red Lotus Ridge from Liu shi and the rest, and they weren't sure of its existence as well. Thus, hearing the matter from Mo Yu, he became agitated immediately.
"It is said that there's a Poison Hall in Red Lotus Ridge. However... no one knows of its specific location!" Mo Yu shook her head.
"It's fine as long as there is one there. I will find it eventually!" Zhang Xuan chuckled.
As long as there was truly a Poison Hall in the ridge, finding it wasn't a problem.
In the worst case scenario, Zhang Xuan would just try verifying the location of the Poison Hall using a map through the Library of Heaven's Path. Given its ability of discerning truth and false, even if Zhang Xuan wasn't able to pinpoint the exact location, he could at least avoid the wrong ones.
And the location which has no flaws would be the correct one.
"Speaking of which, the Red Lotus Ridge spans for several thousand kilometers. If you were to search every single acre of land, you would first die of exhaustion. Besides, there is lethal poison present in the surroundings of the Poison Hall. Even if you were to find the exact location, without someone to lead the way, it is impossible for you to enter."
At this point, Mo Yu paused for a moment and stared at Zhang Xuan with her beautiful eyes.
"If you wish to head for the Poison Hall, I can help you with the matter."
"You?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback. "You know of a way to enter the Poison Hall?"
"I don't know of a way, but I know of someone who does." Mo Yu chuckled mysteriously.
"Oh?" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.
He didn't expect Mo Yu to possess such connections. If she could bring him in, it would save him a lot of trouble.
"If you teach me how to forge pills, I'll bring you to that person. How is it?" Mo Yu stared at Zhang Xuan intently.
"Deal!" Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
"Then when do we head out?"
"Tomorrow morning. Right, do you have an aerial savage beast?" Zhang Xuan glanced at her.
The Steelfang Howling Firmament Beast had achieved Half-Zhizun and possessed astonishing speed. If her aerial savage beast were unable to keep up, she would just slow him down.
"You!"
Hearing the other party's question, Mo Yu's eyes trembled. Gegege, the sound of her teeth crunched against one another could be heard, and her breathing hastened.
Are you intentionally rubbing salt on my wounds?
"Ah..."
Only upon seeing her expression did Zhang Xuan recall that she once had an aerial savage beast, just that... it had betrayed her for him!
"Alright, how about you ride on the Howling Firmament Beast with me?"
The Steelfang Howling Firmament Beast had a huge physique which was more than sufficient to ferry seven to eight people at once.
"Hmph!"
Only after hearing those words did Mo Yu's complexion improve. However, it didn't last for long.
"The Howling Firmament Beast is my tamed beast. If you wish to ride on it, you will have to pay a fee. When it was still at Zongshi realm, a trip to Tianwu Kingdom would cost around 20 Beast Bloodstone. Now that it has reached Half-Zhizun, its speed has increased significantly... I'll charge you double then. 40 Beast Bloodstone."
After calculating for a bit, Zhang Xuan said.
"Prepare the sum by tomorrow and pay in advance. Do not renege on the deal!"
There was information on the Beast Bloodstone within books in the Beast Hall.
Similar to gold coins, it was a common currency used by Beast Halls. The Beast Bloodstone was extremely useful in triggering a Bloodline Evolution in savage beasts.
While a cultivator absorbed spiritual energy from the air, a savage beast ate the Beast Bloodstone.
"..."
Mo Yu staggered.
Given how you are adept at so many occupations, do you have to be such a money-grubber?
"Hmph!"
Knowing that her blood would boil just talking to this fellow, she decided to leave before she could be angered to death.
However, after barely taking a few steps, the mutterings of the other party echoed behind her.
"Sigh, people nowadays sure are miserly. Despite saying that she is grateful to me, the moment I talk about money... she turns silent. Now, she even expects to sit on my aerial savage beast for free... If you don't have any money, you should say so earlier. You raised my expectations for nothing. To think that you are a princess, can a princess default on her payment?"
"You... Zhang Xuan, you better explain yourself! Who doesn't have money..."
Mo Yu could no longer hold herself back and turned around abruptly. Just as she was about to confront the fellow, he shook his head and entered the residence sighing.
"Damn it! Damn it! You stinky Zhang Xuan, darned Zhang Xuan, just you wait!"
Seeing him disappear into the residence, Mo Yu glared furiously at the mansion for a moment before stomping away with a puff.
Given how infuriated she was, it was unlikely she would be able to fall asleep tonight.
Feeling fatigued, Zhang Xuan went straight to bed after entering the residence.
The night passed silently.
Then the next morning, a 2-star beast tamer emblem was sent to the residence.
Keeping the residence in his storage ring, Zhang Xuan made some arrangements.
Shen Bi Ru’s purpose was to guide Zhang Xuan to the Beast Hall and would be returning to Tianxuan Royal City. Initially, he intended to give her a lift on the Viridescent Eagle, but she refused him adamantly. Thus, Zhang Xuan decided to give her the Gold Alloyed Panther instead.
Possessing the two great aerial savage beasts, the Viridescent Eagle and the Howling Firmament Beast, the Gold Alloyed Panther was of no help to him. Rather, it would be of a greater help to Shen Bi Ru.
At the very least, no one would dare to cause her trouble in Tianxuan Royal City.
In a sense, this was Zhang Xuan's way of repaying the other party for the care and concern she had shown him on the journey.
After making arrangements with Shen Bi Ru, Zhang Xuan headed to the courtyard of the Howling Firmament Beast. At this point, he realized that there was a room-like infrastructure built on its back. It was forged using metal, and it was streamlined to the body of the Howling Firmament Beast. This way, no matter how strong the wind was during the flight, it would not shake.
Most of those riding on Beast Mounts didn't possess powerful cultivation, and there was a risk of them falling when traveling at high speeds. As such, the Beast Hall prepared these rooms on aerial savage beasts to prevent such cases.
The Howling Firmament Beast had a large physique, and as though reflecting that, the infrastructure on its back was around six to seven meter wide. There were table, chairs, and beds in it, and it didn't feel as if one was soaring in the air.
Not to mention two people, even with the Viridescent Eagle inside, it wouldn’t feel cramped in the least.
"Farewell!"
Zhang Xuan bided Hall Master Feng and the others farewell before walking into the room.
Huhu!
The Steelfang Howling Firmament Beast's powerful wings flapped, and the two humans and two beasts soared into the air.
Gazing at the Beast Hall and Xuanluo Mountain Range which was growing smaller by the second, Zhang Xuan smiled.
Poison Hall, here I come.