"So the Myriad Beast Physique has such a hidden flaw…"
After sending off Yang Yuqing who had taken the formation and sworn her oath Li Ye smacked his lips a few times.
He felt a bit fortunate now that he hadn't rushed into cultivating the Myriad Beast Physique.
He pulled out the jade slip once again, the one he'd studied many times before, and examined it carefully.
The technique seemed… too clean perhaps it had been copied hastily, or maybe it was just that way from the start.
There were no notes or annotations from previous users only the bare-bones method of channeling energy, offering nothing for reference. Comprehension would have to be his alone.
Li Ye had already had some doubts about certain parts of the technique, but now, after hearing what Yang Yuqing had revealed about its hidden risks, things began to fall into place.
"What she said about the risks appears to be true. But I wonder if the solutions she mentioned have any flaws themselves…"
"Affinity, similarity in abilities, and balance through complementarity…"
Li Ye furrowed his brows in thought.
"As for elemental affinity, mine should naturally lean toward Wood. And if I were to choose a beast based on innate abilities, survival-oriented powers would be best…"
"But complementary balance… Dragon and Tiger, or Dragon and Phoenix might truly lead to different paths of evolution…"
As for Four Spirits, Four Symbols, or Five Divine Beasts, those kinds of bloodlines were far too rare. The power of such creatures far exceeded others of the same tier.
And to gather four or five of them at once…
For someone still in the Foundation Establishment realm, attempting to acquire the blood of such beasts for body refinement was simply overreaching.
But if he halved that goal say, just the essence of Dragon and Tiger that might actually be worth considering.
"If Yang Yuqing truly succeeds… I may not be able to find a beast with Phoenix lineage, but Thousand Isles Water City is well-known for cultivating Blackwater Dragon Carps. They use them in alchemy and spiritual cuisine they've made quite a name for themselves…"
"Since they're selling them openly, if I offer the right price, getting my hands on some Tier-2 Dragon Carp blood shouldn't be too difficult. After all, the real treasure of that place is the Tier-3 Black Flood Dragon the Dragon Carp is merely a derivative of its bloodline…"
"As long as I don't set my sights on the Flood Dragon itself, the Tier-2 Dragon Carps should be fair game…"
"With that, I'd have both Dragon and Tiger components enough to begin cultivating the Myriad Beast Physique!"
Although he still hadn't fully committed to practicing the technique, Li Ye had, in just a short while, already mapped out a potential cultivation path.
"And Dragon-Tiger Alchemy Pills… If I really could forge the Myriad Beast Physique using Dragon and Tiger essence, maybe it could even assist me in forming a Golden Core?"
In the Dao of alchemy, Dragon and Tiger symbolized Water and Fire, Yin and Yang. Only through their harmony could one create a true spiritual pill.
Though forming a Golden Core was vastly different from refining pills…
Among spiritual items used in core formation, aside from the top-tier Five Elements Core-Forming Fruit a Tier-3 fruit known to boost success rate by a full 50%, there were two others: Profound Flame Essence and Deep Frost Water.
According to all the information Li Ye had gathered, either one of these alone could boost core formation success by about 10%.
But if both were used together employing a water-fire balance method they could push the success rate up by over 30%.
"Starting from that, if I could also embody Dragon and Tiger concepts through physical cultivation… maybe it could slightly boost my chances at forming a core?"
"Still, it's just speculation for now. Whether it works or not is uncertain. I'll need to collect more core formation notes and conduct a detailed analysis before making a decision…"
His eyes flickered, and Li Ye couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"But Golden Core cultivation notes… those are usually kept within the core members of powerful sects how could an outsider like me possibly access them?"
"Relying on that seems less realistic than simply keeping a closer eye on news about Golden Core spiritual items!"
"Forget it… for now, strengthening my cultivation is still the priority. With the Voidrealm Tree and the panel at my disposal, time will always be on my side!"
"As long as I wait long enough… the opportunity will come eventually!"
......
"This Li Ye is putting on quite the airs. We are core Foundation Establishment disciples of Jiuding Valley and even have access to a Tier-2 alchemist within the sect. Yet we came to him for pills of our own accord, and he still hasn't shown up after all this time!"
In the courtyard, Fan Yuanzhou frowned deeply, clearly impatient.
As he spoke, his breath rustled through his thick beard, making him seem even more imposing.
Deng Tiancheng, on the other hand, kept his smile as he gently offered reassurance:
"Don't be hasty, Senior Brother Fan. I've known Li Ye for several years now... he's never been one to neglect his guests. Perhaps something urgent came up. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt."
"Besides," he continued, "you and I are close as brothers, so I'll speak freely: Li Ye's alchemy skills are truly exceptional. From the pills I've received from him over the years both in and out of the sect, I dare say he far surpasses our sect's alchemist."
"This batch of pills is crucial for your breakthrough. We shouldn't take any chances. It's only right to seek out the best alchemist we can find."
As he spoke, he picked up the teapot and poured another cup of tea for Fan Yuanzhou. The liquid was a clear jade green, like a pool of spring water.
"Here! Have another cup of spirit tea. I hear this was grown and processed personally by Li Ye. Simple, but it has a unique flavor."
Though still a bit irritated, Fan Yuanzhou gave Deng Tiancheng a face.
He lifted the cup, took a sip, and let the spring-like taste linger in his mouth. A look of contentment appeared on his face.
But setting the cup down, he muttered, "The tea is great, but if I keep drinking like this, I'll be full of water instead of spiritual energy."
"Since you speak so highly of him, I believe Li Ye must be a true master in alchemy… But if he is tied up with something important, we can always take a stroll and return another day."
Just as he finished saying that, both he and the smiling Deng Tiancheng turned their heads toward the courtyard gate.
A voice came from outside:
"My deepest apologies, fellow Daoists. When you arrived, I was in the critical stage of refining a batch of pills and couldn't pull away."
Li Ye hurried in, his body faintly emanating heat and the scent of alchemical herbs.
The subtle details along with his prompt apology immediately softened Fan Yuanzhou's expression, bringing a smile to his face.
"I've long heard of Daoist Li's reputation. Now that I've met you in person, I must say you truly live up to it!"
He stepped forward and cupped his fists. "I am Fan Yuanzhou, here to humbly request your expertise in alchemy."
"Li Ye, at your service, Daoist Fan," Li Ye replied, exchanging a glance with Deng Tiancheng before returning the respectful gesture. "Since you've come with Brother Deng, I'll naturally do everything I can to help with what you need."
As he spoke, he also quietly studied Fan Yuanzhou.
The man had a broad, bare chest and radiated heat like a blazing sun not due to Fire-element cultivation, but from a deep mastery of body-tempering techniques. His blood and qi surged with power.
For such a figure to arrive alongside Deng Tiancheng at this particular moment… was far from good news.
Li Ye's heart sank slightly.
He hadn't been refining pills just now he was tending to the underground lava palace.
Ever since obtaining the Heavenly Craft Scripture and the Wood God Art, he'd spent the past three years meticulously "picking up trash," trying to keep the area stable.
But the restrictions and formations within the lava palace… were starting to spiral out of control!
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