"It seems Elder Gu He truly intends to continue refining pills," Yun Yun murmured to herself.
In the courtyard, after waiting outside for nearly an hour with no sign of Gu He emerging, Yun Yun confirmed the Little Fairy Doctor's earlier words. Elder Gu He's dedication was nothing short of madness!
As she gazed at the serene alchemy room, a flicker of astonishment crossed Yun Yun's eyes.
'Could he truly endure refining two sixth-grade high-level pills in succession?' Having already refined a Emperor's Pill, Yun Yun couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern for Gu He.
Time crept by, and before they knew it, several more hours had passed. The sky had darkened, and the Misty Cloud Sect was gradually enveloped in the quiet of night.
Yun Yun and her companions remained seated in the gazebo, patiently waiting. Suddenly, the entire courtyard trembled violently, as if it were daytime once more.
The abrupt tremor startled the trio, and their eyes immediately shifted toward the alchemy room, where an unusually intense dou qi fluctuation was rapidly forming.
"It seems Elder Gu He is about to succeed again," Yun Yun remarked, a glimmer of joy flashing in her beautiful eyes.
…
"Squeak!"
Sure enough, half an hour later, the sound of a door opening broke the silence. Gu He emerged from the alchemy room, his body visibly weary. Seeing him finally step out, Yun Yun and the others hurried over to greet him.
Noticing the bloodshot eyes of the alchemist, Yun Yun couldn't help but sigh softly. 'Was this man truly so relentless when refining pills?'
"Teacher, are you alright?" the Little Fairy Doctor asked, her voice tinged with concern as she looked at Gu He's exhausted state.
Gu He shook his head slightly and handed a jade bottle to Yun Yun. With a faint smile, he said, "Sect Master, I have not disappointed you."
Yun Yun's eyes sparkled with excitement as she took the jade bottle. She looked at Gu He gratefully and said, "Elder Gu He, thank you for your hard work."
Gu He replied indifferently, "It's nothing. For an alchemist, refining pill is a daily routine. This little fatigue is inconsequential."
Yun Yun, eager to return and begin her breakthrough, said to Gu He, "Elder Gu He, it's getting late. You've worked hard all day; you should rest early. I won't disturb you any further."
Gu He nodded slightly. "Very well."
With that, Yun Yun led Nalan Yanran out of the courtyard, leaving Gu He behind.
"Teacher, are you really alright?" the Little Fairy Doctor asked again, her expression still filled with worry.
"I'm fine. You should go and rest as well," Gu He reassured her before retreating to his room.
Having refined two Emperor's Pills in succession, Gu He was utterly exhausted. Feeling the near depletion of his dou qi, he managed a wry smile, then sat cross-legged on his bed and began to recover his strength.
…
The Next Day
A ray of morning light streamed through the window, eventually falling on the elegant figure of Gu He, who sat cross-legged on the bed. Under the sunlight, his closed eyes trembled slightly before suddenly snapping open.
As his eyes opened, an overwhelmingly majestic aura burst forth from his body, filling the entire room. It was as if a slumbering lion had awakened. A deep purple flame flickered in his dark eyes, and his white robe fluttered as if caught in an invisible wind. After a moment, the flames in his eyes gradually faded, and his robe settled back against his skin.
Feeling the vindictive dou qi within him, now significantly stronger than the day before, a hint of joy flashed in Gu He's eyes. Although the relentless pill refinement had left him exhausted, enduring the fatigue and cultivating through the night had unexpectedly enhanced his dou qi.
Though the improvement was slight, such incremental gains, accumulated over time, would inevitably lead to a breakthrough. Even without the Emperor's Pill, Gu He was confident he could break through to the Nine-Star Dou Emperor Realm within a few months.
For a high-level Dou Emperor, breaking through each realm required considerable time—sometimes as little as a year or two, other times as much as a decade. In comparison, a few months was nothing. Yet, for Gu He, even a few months felt like an eternity.
"It's time to find a place to breakthrough," Gu He murmured to himself as he stood up, his eyes flickering with determination.
The dou qi released during a high-level Dou Emperor breakthrough was immense. Even with barriers in place, some dou qi would inevitably leak out, making it easy for others to sense. With Yun Yun back at the Misty Cloud Sect, it would be unwise to attempt a breakthrough there.
With this in mind, Gu He left the sect after giving a few instructions to the Little Fairy Doctor. Accompanied by Xiao Jin, he swiftly departed from the Holy City of Jia Ma.
Half a day later, Gu He and Xiao Jin arrived at a remote mountain range.
…
At the edge of a cliff, Gu He found a flat bluestone and sat down. After a moment of contemplation, he produced an emerald-like jade bottle from his palm. Tilting the bottle, a pill the size of a longan rolled out, releasing a strange, invigorating fragrance.
This was the Emperor's Pill he had refined the previous day. The pill's purpose was to boost a Dou Emperor's strength by one or even two stars, though success depended largely on luck.
There were instances where the pill failed to produce any effect, and taking a second one afterward would be futile. Thus, those who consumed the Emperor's Pill often prayed silently to avoid such misfortune.
The pill rolled gently in his palm. After a moment, Gu He took a deep breath, opened his mouth, and swiftly swallowed the pill.
The Emperor's Pill dissolved instantly, transforming into a warm, surging wave of medicinal dou qi that rushed through his body. The sheer volume of pure dou qi caused the corners of his mouth to twitch slightly.
Fortunately, his meridians were resilient; otherwise, absorbing such a massive amount of dou qi at once would have been nearly impossible.
As the medicinal dou qi flooded his meridians, Gu He focused his mind. His natal flames burst forth from every part of his body, rushing into his meridians and enveloping the wild, untamed dou qi. With great effort, he guided the dou qi along the pathways of the Divine Flame Art.
Outside, the space around him began to fluctuate violently. Waves of dou qi condensed into a vortex above his head, slowly seeping into his body through his crown.
For Gu He, refining the slightly chaotic dou qi of the world with his divine flames was no difficult task. He could refine as much as he absorbed.
As the medicinal dou qi within him gradually stabilized, everything began to fall into place. With his current abilities, the immense power of the Emperor's Pill was manageable, and he remained composed.
Everything proceeded smoothly. The extent of the Emperor's Pill's effect on his strength would soon become clear.
As Gu He entered a state of deep refinement, the mountain peak grew quiet. Only Xiao Jin remained by his side, standing guard.
…
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