Eternal Cultivation Of Alchemy

Truefangs had fought a lot of beasts lately, and from many, he had heard a strange rumor that included a reward. The reward that was promised was something far too great to give up on, so at the smallest chance that the rumor was true, he had to find out.

It took him a few months to find the correct location from where the rumor had come. When he did, he was astonished to find part of the rumor to be true.

The rumors had come from a group of White Tigers, and they now lay before him on an open plain. There were so many White Tigers in their original beast form with white fur and black stripes gathered before him that Truefangs started feeling afraid to even approach.

But before he could think of leaving, someone appeared behind him, a threatening look on their face.

It was a woman with light brown hair who glared at him. “You aren’t so stupid to think you can fight a group of White Tigers, do you?” she asked.

Truefangs gulped. “I-I’m not,” he said quickly. “I came because of a rumor. Is it true?”

“What rumor did you hear?” the woman asked.

“That you’re looking for a lone White Tiger. One that can teleport,” the wolf said. “I’ve met one.”

Before the woman could say anything, she shrank back and lowered her gaze.

Truefangs felt a powerful figure standing behind him and slowly turned around to see a White Tiger twice his size staring down at him.

“You claim to have met a White Tiger who can teleport. Is that true?” the White Tiger asked.

Truefangs nodded. “Yes, I did,” the wolf said in a hurried tone. “Where?”

“Near an artifact in the west.”

The White Tiger narrowed its eyes. Something flashed from its Soul Space, appearing before the two. It opened to reveal a large scroll that contained a map of the Fighting Island.

A few dozen spots lit up on the map, marking the location of the artifacts. “Which artifact did you meet him?” the White Tiger asked.

Truefang looked at the map, doing his best to remember. “Either this one or this one,” he said after locating two artifacts. “I headed east from the artifact and it was a forest for a long time. I can remember more if we’re at the place.”

The White Tiger nodded. “Did you see him teleport? Can you recognize him?”

“Yes. And yes, he uses a red spear. Even if you just search for someone using a red spear, you would be able to find him,” Truefangs said. “I remember him telling me that he wasn’t from this realm, if that helps.”

The White Tiger grinned. “Everyone, it’s time to move. We have a lead.”

The many White Tigers gathered there changed from their lazy postures and were ready as if they were going to head toward a battle.

Truefangs looked at them, nervous. “Umm… I heard there was a reward…”

The woman from before walked up to him. “There is a reward, but you won’t receive it until after they’ve found who they are looking for.”

Truefangs turned around with a confused look. “How do I know when they’ve found him then?” he asked.

“That’s simple. You’re going with them.”

Truefangs paused for a moment. “I’m doing what?”

“If you told the truth and they find him, you get your reward,” the woman answered. “If you lied, however, then only pain awaits in your future. For your sake, I hope what you’ve said is the truth.”

Before Truefang could say anything, a giant ship appeared above him, which awaited him to embark upon it.

Truefangs had no idea what he had gotten himself into, but the

opportunity to get a treasure from one of the Heavenly Beasts was not something he wanted to give up on.

Without any further doubts, the wolf climbed onto the ship and took off to go find Pearl.

*****

Alex didn’t teleport. The world didn’t shrink around him. Nothing that could manipulate his speed occurred in his surroundings.

And yet, carried by the matriarch, he left the Fighting Island and arrived at the Black and White Continent in a matter of minutes. The world moved around him so quickly that he could barely catch a glimpse of any color, let alone a solid shape.

To him, everything looked entirely gray.

The colors slowly seeped back into his surroundings, and then the shapes, and then finally they turned into solid objects as the

Matriarch slowed down.

They arrived at the edge of a lake that spanned far beyond what Alex’s

eyes could see. A structure was present above the water, some sort of palace if his eyes were making it out properly through the haze. A part of him believed it to be the Black Tortoise Palace, but that thought vanished just as quickly as it appeared since such a small thing could not possibly be the palace of one of the Heavenly Beasts. “You won’t have a problem underwater, will you?” the Matriarch asked.

“Underwater?” Alex asked, surprised at first, and then looked

underneath the water. He could not see anything within it, but from what he had heard, the Black Tortoise Palace was primarily built

underwater.

“Is this… the Dark Isles?” he asked, looking at the lake before him with

newfound awe.

“The isles are underneath here, but yes. This is the place. A human won’t have any problem deep underwater, would they?”

“No, it is fine,” Alex said. “I can go in with you.”

“Good. Then let’s go. The sooner we start the better, isn’t it?”

She floated onto the lake and dipped. Alex followed behind, entering

the water. As soon as he was underneath, he realized why he could see nothing within the lake at all.

A massive black barrier covered everything below a certain depth. As the woman approached the barrier, it split open, giving away a small space for them to slip through.

The woman entered first, followed by Alex, who finally got to see the true Black Tortoise Palace.