He stepped into the cave. He Yi Ming surveyed the surroundings, a wave of admiration washing over him.

This cavern was undeniably vast, branching off into more than a dozen side chambers. Yet, with a single glance, He Yi Ming discerned that every single one of these smaller rooms was a dedicated alchemy chamber, utilizing a method of utilizing earth fire for refinement, much like those found on the Spirit Herb Peak of Mount Heng.

Indeed, when Zhang Hetai pushed open one of the doors, the scene He Yi Ming witnessed was nearly identical to the alchemy rooms he remembered from Ling Yao Peak.

Aside from the primary medicinal furnace in the center and the apparatus beneath it specifically designed to control the earth fire, the surrounding area was sparse, almost devoid of any furnishings.

Zhang Hetai approached the furnace and began to explain the control methods to He Yi Ming.

Although this equipment served the same purpose—regulating the temperature of the earth fire—the mechanisms employed varied from place to place, necessitating Zhang Hetai’s detailed instruction.

Finally, he smiled faintly. “Mr. He, I presume you only possess the Innate Inner Elixirs on your person and lack the supplementary materials?”

He Yi Ming nodded slightly. “Correct. I came in haste, naturally, and could not carry auxiliary ingredients. I must ask Brother Zhang to prepare a set for me.”

Zhang Hetai laughed heartily. “A trivial matter, Mr. He. Please wait a moment; I shall prepare them for you immediately.”

He Yi Ming suddenly raised a hand. “Wait a moment.”

Zhang Hetai turned back. “Does the esteemed Sir have further instructions?”

He Yi Ming looked at him calmly, his eyes seemingly capable of piercing the intentions hidden within. “You lend me the alchemy chamber of your esteemed sect and offer the supplementary materials. May I ask what service you require of me in return?”

Zhang Hetai hesitated for a moment. “Mr. He, to be frank, our sect has already prepared thirty sets of primary and supplementary ingredients for refining the Innate Golden Elixir, but we have had no one capable of refining them. If you truly possess the skill to refine the Innate Golden Elixir, might you be willing to refine a few pills for our sect?”

He Yi Ming regarded him with surprise. “Your sect is one of the three major powers of Penglai Immortal Island. Surely, there isn't a single alchemist within your ranks capable of refining the Innate Golden Elixir?”

Zhang Hetai sighed deeply. “Our sect previously had a supreme alchemist capable of refining the Innate Golden Elixir, but his lifespan naturally concluded ten years ago. Since his passing, no one in our sect has been able to achieve the refinement of the Innate Golden Elixir.”

“What about the other two sects?”

Zhang Hetai’s expression darkened. “The Haixia Gate and the Lingjiu Valley each possess an alchemist capable of refining the Innate Golden Elixir, but regrettably, they stipulated that if the refinement is successful, they must take half of the resulting elixirs. That demand is simply too harsh, so we have never agreed.”

He Yi Ming nodded slightly. For ordinary alchemists, the success rate in refining the Innate Golden Elixir was not high; achieving even a fifty percent success rate would be considered quite good. However, the other party demanding half of the successful yield was excessive.

Noticing the expression on He Yi Ming’s face, Zhang Hetai spoke cautiously, “Mr. He, the founding ancestor of our sect once decreed that if any alchemist could refine the Innate Golden Elixir, even with only a fifty percent success rate, they would be granted two-tenths of the successful yield upon completion of the task.”

He Yi Ming’s heart stirred. The Qianshan Gate had thirty sets of materials for the Innate Golden Elixir. A fifty percent success rate would yield fifteen pills. If two-tenths were then given away, the Qianshan Gate would only receive twelve Innate Inner Elixirs.

While that was somewhat less, it was still vastly superior to handing over half the product.

“Brother Zhang, are you saying that for thirty sets of materials, you only require us to provide twelve Innate Golden Elixirs?”

“Precisely. If Mr. He’s mastery of alchemy is even higher, allowing the success rate to surpass fifty percent, then all the excess elixirs will belong entirely to Mr. He,” Zhang Hetai stated earnestly.

He Yi Ming nodded without revealing his thoughts. “Very well. Let me first proceed to refine my own Innate Inner Elixir.”

A flash of delight crossed Zhang Hetai’s eyes, and he immediately turned to leave. Moments later, he returned with the supplementary materials.

He Yi Ming inspected them and nodded in satisfaction.

Receiving He Yi Ming’s approval, Zhang Hetai respectfully withdrew. He understood that the greatest taboo for an alchemist during refinement was being disturbed, so he dared not remain in the alchemy chamber.

Once everyone had left, He Yi Ming placed the Treasure Pig on the ground.

The little creature looked around to ensure they were alone, then wagged its tail, stood up, and obediently spat out the bead it held in its mouth.

The perfectly round pearl spun rapidly in He Yi Ming’s palm, exhibiting an almost surreal sheen under the dim candlelight filtering into the cave.

He Yi Ming quietly sensed the immense vital energy of heaven and earth contained within it. He had a distinct feeling that this object could not merely be an ordinary three-thousand-year-old pearl.

Both on Mount Heng and in the medicinal texts within the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, there were records concerning pearls.

Pearls were commonly formed inside river mussels and were considered precious medicinal ingredients. However, a pearl over a thousand years old would certainly have to originate from a sea mussel residing in the ocean, as only an environment like the great sea could foster a sea mussel that had lived for millennia.

While these sea mussels were not spirit beasts, any creature living beyond a thousand years possessed a significant degree of spiritual essence.

Naturally, the older the pearl, the greater its medicinal efficacy.

Yet, according to He Yi Ming’s memory, a three-thousand-year-old pearl, though rare, should not contain such potent heavenly and earthly energy.

The Treasure Pig suddenly rushed forward and forcefully clamped its teeth around the pearl in He Yi Ming’s hand.

He Yi Ming started slightly but did not intervene. The Treasure Pig was clearly imbued with deep instinct; it would not act rashly without good reason.

Crack…

He Yi Ming frowned slightly as the Treasure Pig actually managed to break the pearl. However, he quickly relaxed; it was only a pearl. Though perhaps ancient, if the Treasure Pig desired it, then it was worth it.

But in the next instant, He Yi Ming’s eyes snapped wide open.

The Treasure Pig spat the pearl out again, but this time what emerged was a smaller, perfect sphere alongside some shattered debris.

This smaller sphere radiated a mesmerizing, almost intoxicating, magical light. Even with He Yi Ming’s composure, it evoked a dreamlike, illusory sensation.

He inhaled deeply, finally realizing that this object was certainly no mere three-thousand-year-old pearl, but a truly miraculous artifact.

This item possessed an intoxicating power, one that seemed capable of reaching directly into the heart of one’s soul.

Slowly, the surging emotions within him subsided. He Yi Ming closed his eyes, almost afraid to look directly at the strange, gleaming sphere again.

Simultaneously, he desperately tried to recall the contents of the Record of Rare Treasures in his mind.

After a long pause, however, he gave up in resignation. There was no mention of this item in his memory. He had, after all, only skimmed that volume once, focusing only on the parts that piqued his interest, letting the vast majority flash by. It was natural that he couldn't recall it now.

Shaking his head lightly, He Yi Ming opened his storage ring and placed the miraculous sphere, which emitted a kaleidoscopic radiance, inside.

The Treasure Pig grumbled in dissatisfaction for a few moments, but since He Yi Ming had a habit of appropriating nearly everything it found, it had grown accustomed to the routine and could only resign itself to fate.

It lowered its head and proceeded to devour every last shard of the pearl shell, its expression finally softening somewhat.

Seeing the pearl fragments, He Yi Ming’s eyes suddenly brightened. He suddenly recalled a passage from the Record of Rare Treasures.

Deep in the outer seas dwell ten-thousand-year sea mussels, which gestate ten-thousand-year pearls. This pearl encapsulates ten millennia of essence. Once freed from the shell, it becomes iridescent and inscrutable, possessing the marvelous illusionary quality of a mirage. However, since the era of the Divine Dao, no one has been able to traverse the outer seas, and this pearl has become a legendary divine object.

He Yi Ming took the pearl out again, gazing at its mystical, dream-like, shifting colors, a nameless tremor rising in his chest.

Since the disappearance of Divine Dao experts, humanity’s known domain seemed confined to the Inner Sea. He Yi Ming hadn't fully understood why until his recent maritime ordeal, encountering that colossal sea monster; only then did he truly grasp the dangers lurking in the Outer Sea. Perhaps only those who reached the Divine Dao realm could disregard such hazards.

A ten-thousand-year pearl should only appear in the Outer Sea, yet here it was, found in the Inner Sea by the Treasure Pig. This was what truly astonished him.

Recalling the memories associated with the ten-thousand-year pearl, He Yi Ming circulated his True Qi, transforming it into wisps of bizarre mist, mixing in the obfuscation techniques of the Yellow Springs Gate.

Moments later, He Yi Ming infused this mingled True Qi into the sphere.

The next instant, the light emanating from the sphere became even more profound and enigmatic. A hazy white fog began to envelop He Yi Ming. Within this mist, ethereal pavilions and towers flickered in and out of view, as if he were dwelling in a world of dreams—an utterly indescribable sensation.

A trace of confusion flickered in He Yi Ming’s eyes, but it vanished instantly as clarity returned. He inhaled deeply, his heart filled with shock.

This was merely the first time he had combined his Mist True Qi with the ten-thousand-year pearl, and it had already manifested such immense power. If he could someday coalesce the Mist Flower, the resulting might might not be something even a true Venerable could casually ignore.

He withdrew the vast influx of True Qi, and the illusory landscape vanished.

He glanced towards the Treasure Pig. The little creature’s eyes remained as clear as water, seemingly unaffected by the preceding visual spectacle.

He Yi Ming scratched his scalp, contemplating for a while before placing the unexpectedly acquired ten-thousand-year pearl back into his storage ring. Although the ring already held numerous items, there was certainly space for a single pearl.

Having stored it, He Yi Ming casually retrieved two Innate Inner Elixirs. These were obtained after slaying that flock of Black Vultures on the deserted island, and two were more than enough for refining the elixir.

Ps: Five chapters today. White Crane requests votes, thank you...