Battle Through the Heavens

Xiao Yan had once coincidentally read that the Ground Rehmannia Glutinosa was formed by gathering the heavy and calm essence of the land from a medicinal ingredient book that Yao Lao had left behind. However, there were limitations to its growth. Any Ground Rehmannia Glutinosa would not continue to grow in size after a century due to the lack of energy. This was also the reason why Ground Rehmannia Glutinosa over a hundred years old were so rare.

Based on what was recorded in the ancient book, if a Ground Rehmannia Glutinosa was able to grow far beyond a century old, it meant that the thing nourishing its growth was definitely not the strength of the land. Instead, it was some other natural spiritual object!

Xiao Yan understood his heart after having laid eyes on this Thousand Year Old Ground Rehmannia Glutinosa. There was definitely something else underground. Moreover, it was this thing that had nourished the Ground Rehmannia Glutinosa.

“Hee hee, it is indeed worthy of being the Pill Realm…”

Xiao Yan could not resist laughing. His hand was suddenly curled as he clenched it toward the deep pit. A suction force surged out and a large amount of ground rushed up. Finally, Xiao Yan randomly tossed it aside.

Under Xiao Yan’s suction force, the pit became deeper and deeper. However, the spiritual object that Xiao Yan had expected did not appear.

“Could it be the ancient book was wrong?” Xiao Yan frowned when he was unable to find anything after having dug nearly fifty to sixty feet deep. His words no longer contained the confidence from earlier. After all, it was the first time that he had come across a Thousand-Year-Old Ground Rehmannia Glutinosa.

With additional doubt in Xiao Yan’s heart, his digging slowed. After digging another ten feet or so, he helplessly shook his head. However, just as he was about to give up, his eyes suddenly glanced at the soil he had dug out earlier. A surprised ‘huh’ was emitted.

Xiao Yan knelt down. He grabbed a handful of the soil with his hand. The spot where his hand touched was moist. The wet air lingered and emitted a strange energy.

Joy flashed across Xiao Yan’s eyes as he sensed the strangeness of the soil. There was indeed something helping this Ground Rehmannia Glutinosa grow.

With this discovery, Xiao Yan immediately stood up again. His hands were curled into a claw shape before quickly reaching deep into the pit. Following the dancing of his hands, the pit slowly began to grow deeper.

“Bang!”

The soft ground of the deep pit finally emitted a muffled sound under Xiao Yan’s persistent, tireless digging for five minutes or so. Xiao Yan’s mental strength was also braced at this moment. His body moved, and he leaped into the deep pit.

“Puff!”

A jade-green flame slowly rose within the deep pit. The gentle fire light lit up the pit until it appeared like daytime.

Xiao Yan’s body landed within it. He lowered his body and waved his sleeves. A wind blew away a layer of soil and immediately revealed a snow-white jade rock.

Xiao Yan’s eyes paused on the snow-white jade rock before immediately narrowing.

“This is… Core Mother Jade?”

Core Mother Jade was a mysterious gem that formed from the agglomeration of the strength of the land over a countless number of years. Due to the special calmness and heaviness of the strength of the land, Core Mother Jade was a treasure that an expert would find it difficult come across even with vast amounts of money. If one used a seat created from Core Mother Jade when one trained or refined pills, it would suppress the wild and violent energy within one’s body. With this thing, the chances of one deviating from the norm during training and entering a dangerous state would essentially be non-existent.

This kind of of effect was similar to the Green Lotus Seat that Xiao Yan had obtained when searching for the Green Lotus Core Flame back then. If one were to discuss the differences, this Core Mother Jade was even better…

“It is indeed a treasure…”

Xiao Yan laughed. His hand pressed against the Core Mother Jade on the surface. After which, he bent his legs. With a stern cry, he lifted it up with his hand. Soil flew in all directions and the Core Mother Jade was pulled out of the ground.

After pulling this Core Mother Jade out, Xiao Yan finally discovered that this thing was around five feet tall and was an arm’s length wide. A Core Mother Jade of this size was an extremely rare item in the outside world.

“With this thing, I will be able to gain twice the reward with half the effort when training in the future…”

Xiao Yan involuntarily nodded as he looked at the size of this Core Mother Jade. He withdrew his hand, only to discover that his hand was covered in a viscous jade liquid…

“This…” Xiao Yan was startled when he looked at this viscous jade liquid. He suddenly recovered a moment later. Even with his calmness, his eyes still ended up narrowing. Immediately, he abruptly turned to the Core Mother Jade and muttered, “The interior of this Core Mother Jade… has already formed Core Soul Marrow?”

The Core Mother Jade was extremely difficult to form. This so-called Core Soul Marrow was even rarer.

A heat that was difficult to hide involuntarily surged into Xiao Yan’s eyes at this instant. The jade-green flame on his hand swiftly gathered before transforming into a thin fireblade. Finally, it cut through the surface of the Core Mother Jade at a lightning-like speed.

Splutter!

The fireblade gently cut into the surface of the Core Mother Jade. A thumb-sized jade piece fell off, revealing a walnut-sized hole. Waves of faint-white fog vaguely seeped out of the hole. Xiao Yan inhaled a deep breath of air and immediately felt a comforting moan appear deep within his soul.

Chi! Chi!

Xiao Yan revealed a joyful face. His hand turned into a fire knife as it swiftly danced in a lightning-like fashion. Each time his hand knife fell, a layer of jade piece would fall from the Core Mother Jade.

After the height of the Core Mother Jade was forcefully cut in half by Xiao Yan, a head-sized jade hole appeared in his line of sight. He instantly focused on the half-a-finger-deep white-colored liquid within the jade hole…

“Indeed… it is the Core Soul Marrow!”

Xiao Yan’s eyes were startled as he looked at the viscous, white-colored liquid. The joy within his eyes suddenly soared to the limit at this moment.

Core Soul Marrow was a kind of extremely unique treasure. Moreover, this thing was very attractive to alchemists because this thing could forge one’s soul!

This so-called forging would temper and refine one’s soul. In other words, this Core Soul Marrow could purify one’s soul…

Xiao Yan had long since heard about this Core Soul Marrow. However, he had never truly seen it during all these years. He had finally met this great blessing in the Pill Realm this time around…

This thing was truly of great use to the current Xiao Yan. With it, Xiao Yan’s confidence in breaking through to the Soul State immediately rose by fifty percent!

The heat in Xiao Yan’s eyes continued for a long while before it gradually faded. He used the fireblade to carefully dig out the jade hole. After which, he used the materials he had on hand and some of the Core Mother Jade to create a box. Only then did he pour the Core Soul Marrow into it.

Xiao Yan only sighed in relief after completing all these steps. This Core Soul Marrow could not be consumed directly. It required some other natural treasures to mediate it in order to unleash its full effect. However, it was fortunate these other treasures were things he could find if he searched hard. Moreover, the Pill Realm was a treasure-filled place. If one was lucky, one would be able to obtain the necessary medicinal ingredients to mediate the effects while in the Pill Realm. If time permits… he might be able to reach the eighth tier guru level when he stepped out of the Pill Realm!

“This trip is indeed not in vain. This Pill Realm is really the paradise of alchemists.”

Xiao Yan gently patted his Storage Ring. He involuntarily parted his mouth and smiled. His eyes looked at the half foot of Core Mother Jade left in front of him. With a wave of his hand, he stored it in his Storage Ring. Although he had the Core Soul Marrow, this Core Mother Jade was also a good thing. Xiao Yan would naturally not leave it.

Xiao Yan’s toes pressed on the ground after having properly stored away these things. After which, his body rushed out and steadily landed beside the hole. He randomly waved his hand and the surrounding soil flew up, refilling the deep hole.

Xiao Yan finally patted his hand after doing all this before turning around to leave.

“Ha ha, this young friend. Anyone who sees a natural treasure should get a share of it. It is really somewhat against the rules for you to keep all of it…” Just when Xiao Yan had turned around, a laugh suddenly sounded. Xiao Yan turned his head slightly and looked at the yellow-robed elder who was slowly walking out of distorted space.

“Have you had enough of hiding? I thought that you would continue to remain hidden.”

The appearance of the yellow-clothed, old man did not cause Xiao Yan to be the least bit surprise. Instead, he lifted his eyebrows and spoke with a partial smile. He had already sensed the existence of this person ever since he had landed at the bottom of the hole.

“Ha ha, the old me has not reached the stage where I can still quietly hide after having seen a treasure like the Core Marrow Soul…” The yellow-clothed elder laughed. His smile was mixed with a faint chill, “The old me is Huang Yi. May I know if you have heard of me? But it doesn’t matter whether you have or not. I know that you are also an elite Dou Zong. Therefore I do not intend to snatch it forcefully. Hand over half of the Core Soul Marrow and I can allow you to leave.”

The yellow-clothed elder was able to sense Xiao Yan’s aura. Xiao Yan merely possessed the strength of a four star Dou Zong and did not possess the qualification to make him, a seven star Dou Zong, feel afraid. If he had not been worried that other experts would be attracted because of the fight, it was likely that he would have immediately attacked and snatched the things from Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan involuntarily smiled upon hearing the words of the yellow-clothed elder. After which, he shook his head and said, “I have never heard of your name. However, if you wish to get a share of the treasure from me… just who do you think you are?”

Xiao Yan’s expression instantly turned ice-cold when he spoke until the end. A cold glow flashed across his dark-black eyes. With a wave of his hand, a shiny Earth Demon Puppet appeared. After which, it transformed into a bolt of silver. Without any hesitation, it rushed toward the yellow-clothed elder!

The smiling face of that elder named Huang Yi drastically changed the instant the Earth Demon Puppet appeared!