The old man Zhang Pinglu exchanged a look with Master Shi Ming, both showing profound shock on their faces.

"Congratulations, Layman Zhang. The Zhang family of Medical Sages has always passed down lineage through a single heir. To have a successor like Zhang Yang is perhaps even more remarkable than my Shaolin Temple’s thousands of disciples."

Master Shi Ming knew that once Zhang Yang retrieved the Rootless Water of Heaven Lake from Changbai Mountain, he would complete the combination of three elixirs and one water, which was precisely what was needed to help Zhang Pinglu advance to the Fifth Layer. Having grasped the path of letting go, Master Shi Ming had long since discarded any sectarian jealousy regarding the advancement of strength. Seeing that a Fifth Layer expert might soon emerge in Huaxia, he felt immense joy.

The old man couldn't quite fathom his own feelings. Each of the three elixirs and one water was an incredibly rare, heaven-and-earth treasure; for an ordinary person to acquire even one in a lifetime was immense fortune. Yet, Zhang Yang had managed to gather three elixirs so effortlessly.

"Did you return specifically to give this third eye back to me?"

A very bad feeling suddenly struck Zhang Yang. He frowned, looking at the Golden Three-Eyed Beast, only to find its three eyes were perfectly calm. It was currently looking down at its two offspring, its gaze gentle and benevolent.

Although the Golden Three-Eyed Beast was heavily wounded, none of its injuries were life-threatening. Moreover, the Long family possessed numerous heavenly materials and earthly treasures, alongside the spiritual elixirs Zhang Yang brewed in his spare time. Given enough time, it would fully recover, perhaps even becoming stronger.

"The Zhou family of the Southern Border Demonic Sect has merged and barely survives. Their Great Perfection expert has perished. As for the Zhou family’s Great Perfection master, he was poisoned by me. If he manages to pull through, then it’s not his destined time to die. If he doesn’t, I have already avenged them."

The Golden Three-Eyed Beast extended its tongue, lovingly licking the two small three-eyed cubs. An energy beam shot from the third eye on its forehead, and its words resurfaced in Zhang Yang’s mind.

"Furthermore, my husband and I long ago promised this third eye to you; it was always yours. It's fortunate that I returned just in time to give my husband’s third eye back to you."

Zhang Yang’s brow furrowed sharply. He finally understood the source of his unease. The Golden Three-Eyed Beast’s primary enemies were undoubtedly Di Wanfang, Zhou Gu, Li Jianyi, and Hua Feitian. Fortunately, Zhang Hefeng, the Great Perfection expert from Wudang, had never coveted the Three-Eyed Beast, thus avoiding its lasting grudge.

Now that Di Wanfang was dead and Zhou Gu grievously wounded, its next target was naturally Hua Feitian and Li Jianyi, both recovering in Changbai Mountain.

Changbai Mountain was not easily breached. The Hua family could hide there from their many enemies thanks to the Fifth Layer spirit beast residing there. The only reason the Golden Three-Eyed Beast was giving him the Third Eye Elixir now, aside from coincidence, was that it was resolved to seek revenge on Changbai Mountain, even if it meant certain death!

Whoosh!

A surge of heaven and earth energy suddenly coalesced before the Golden Three-Eyed Beast. It raised its head, saw Zhang Yang's expression, and understood his realization. It said no more. An eyeball, enveloped in faint white mist, was spat from its mouth and floated toward Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang flicked his wrist, and the third eye—that of the Golden Three-Eyed Beast's mate—halted a foot before him, suspended in mid-air.

"Roar..."

The Golden Three-Eyed Beast let out a sudden roar, snatched Da Lei and Xiao Lei with its mouth, turned, and flew out of the Long family plains.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

"Squeak squeak squeak!"

Wuying and Shandian cried out when they saw Da Lei and Xiao Lei being taken by the Golden Three-Eyed Beast. They had played with the two cubs constantly during this time and had developed a real bond. Seeing them taken away naturally caused them great reluctance.

"I will recuperate in Kunlun. Let my children stay with me for a while. Once my injuries heal, I will naturally send them back. Human, you must hurry and prepare the Third Eye Elixir. Although I can preserve its medicinal efficacy, it is not entirely without consequence. If it remains dormant for too long, the elixir's power will dissipate."

The third eye had to be processed immediately after being removed. If more than fifteen minutes passed, the elixir's efficacy would vanish, and the resulting Third Eye Elixir would be useless. Even with its assistance in preservation, the effect wasn't absolute. Once spat from its mouth, immediate preparation was necessary; the Golden Three-Eyed Beast had no intention of giving Zhang Yang time to persuade it otherwise.

Zhang Yang sighed. He understood the Golden Three-Eyed Beast's resolve. However, he had to go to Changbai Mountain eventually to retrieve the Rootless Water of Heaven Lake anyway. Since the beast was heading there to seek vengeance on Hua Feitian and Li Jianyi, he needed to rush to recover his full strength so they could confront that Fifth Layer spirit beast together.

First, prepare the elixir; he could try persuading the beast afterward.

"Old Man, Master Shi Ming, I must immediately prepare this medicine. I’ll take my leave now."

Zhang Yang had made up his mind. After speaking to the old man Zhang Pinglu and Master Shi Ming, he turned and left, his figure vanishing in a whoosh from the entrance to the Long family plains.

"Layman Zhang, may I accompany you to guard Zhang Shizhu while he concocts the medicine?"

Master Shi Ming had never witnessed the preparation of the elixirs that could aid their advancement to the Fifth Layer and was quite curious.

"Of course, Master Shi Ming, please lead the way."

The old man naturally did not object. He gestured for them to proceed and then leaped forward, swiftly chasing after the direction Zhang Yang had taken. Master Shi Ming followed closely behind.

The quiet room in the rear courtyard of the Long family palace had already been converted into a dedicated alchemy chamber, now designated a forbidden zone for the Long family, accessible only to the Clan Head Long Feng and a few members of the Zhang family.

This was where Zhang Yang had been refining elixirs recently. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in the alchemy room.

The rebuilt alchemy room was more than twice the size of the previous quiet room. To facilitate Zhang Yang’s access to ingredients, the Long family had specially built a Long Family Pharmacy beside it. All the heavenly materials and earthly treasures collected previously were systematically stored there.

This included the congratulatory gifts sent by the major noble families and sects; any rare and precious medicinal ingredients were placed within.

Zhang Yang had refined an astonishing amount of spiritual medicine over the past month, yet the shelves remained full, a testament to the bounty the Long family had reaped leveraging the prestige of the Zhang family of Medical Sages.

Ordinarily, preparing the Third Eye Elixir within fifteen minutes would not be difficult for Zhang Yang, who was approaching the Fifth Layer. However, the Golden Three-Eyed Beast had presented him with a different challenge.

Zhang Yang could feel the medicinal efficacy of the third eye it spat out rapidly draining away. Perhaps it previously required preparation within fifteen minutes, but now, he needed to finish within three minutes.

This, too, was a test for Zhang Yang.

Since the Third Eye Elixir was such a vital spiritual medicine and required such rapid successful refinement, Zhang Yang needed precise control over heaven and earth energy to catalyze the process, coordinating it with extremely precise auxiliary catalysts to ensure success.

Boom!

The flame in the alchemy furnace ignited instantly. Zhang Yang gave a gentle push, and the third eye, wrapped in faint white heaven and earth energy, drifted into the crucible.

This flame was not the usual reddish-gold hue; the furnace currently burned with an entirely pale blue flame. This was because the Refining Demon Furnace burned the heaven and earth energy Zhang Yang channeled, not ordinary firewood.

This flame possessed extreme heat, offered the best refining results, and also served to accelerate the elixir’s emergence.

The formula and method for refining the Third Eye Elixir were already imprinted in Zhang Yang’s mind. The small booklet obtained from Chu Yuntian recorded the process in meticulous detail: what time to introduce which catalyst, what time to increase the heat, what time to decrease it—it omitted nothing, lest future generations deviate even slightly and cause the failure of the exceedingly rare elixir.

Following the method in the booklet, the success rate for the Third Eye Elixir should have been at least eighty percent, but by that method, refining it required at least ten minutes, and Zhang Yang now had less than two minutes remaining!

Haste makes waste in refining elixirs!

Despite having less than two minutes left, Zhang Yang, the refiner, was remarkably calm. He reviewed the method recorded in the small booklet in his mind, deleted the unnecessarily complex steps, and adjusted the process based on the furnace fire fueled by heaven and earth energy.

The person who penned that small booklet likely never imagined that, in later generations, the refiner would not only possess vast alchemy experience but also be a Fifth Layer expert capable of controlling heaven and earth energy at will.

Even if someone had considered using heaven and earth energy as the furnace fire, no one besides Zhang Yang could achieve this feat.

One minute passed...

Only tens of seconds remained, yet the alchemy furnace was silent. The azure flames had entirely engulfed it, but there was no sign of the spiritual elixir emerging.

Zhang Yang frowned and slowly raised his hand. The azure furnace fire instantly intensified.

It was still not enough. At this rate, the elixir would need at least another full minute simmering in the furnace fire for the third eye to fully melt and integrate with the other catalysts to form the true Third Eye Elixir.

But the medicinal efficacy of the third eye was already peaking in its dissipation rate. If it wasn't fully melted within a minute, the elixir would lose its potency! Even if he managed to refine the Third Eye Elixir, its effects would be nullified!

Zhang Yang knitted his brows. He hadn't expected to encounter such a situation!

If there was no way to further reduce the required emergence time for the elixir, all his efforts would be for naught!

"Jade-Spotted Spirit Fungus!"

A sharp glint flashed in Zhang Yang's eyes!

In the Long family Pharmacy, there was still about a fingernail's worth of Jade-Spotted Spirit Fungus, discovered by the Long family in the depths beneath the Ten Thousand Year Peach Tree.

Though it was only a tiny amount, it would be enough!

A thought struck Zhang Yang. His figure blurred into a current of wind, making a trip between the pharmacy and the alchemy room.

The pale green Jade-Spotted Spirit Fungus was tossed directly into the azure flame.

Bang!!

The Refining Demon Furnace suddenly let out a deafening roar, and the azure flames were instantly dyed with a layer of gold!

A deep blue stone now floated quietly above the golden flames.

The Third Eye Elixir—successfully refined, crisis averted!