Back in his courtyard on Azure Dragon Peak, Han Yi carefully weighed his options and decided to forgo competing for a spot in the Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering.
The reward—a Foundation Establishment Pill—was undeniably tempting, but the inherent risks were substantial. The event drew participation from the Two Great Holy Lands, the Three Great Sects, and countless Nascent Soul, Golden Core, and Foundation Establishment sects from across the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom. The sheer number of participants, including a likely swarm of Legendary Qi Refining cultivators, made the dangers immense.
Han Yi had already encountered a multitude of Legendary figures during his brief visit to the True Dawn Grand Void Heaven, and that was only a fraction of the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom's power. He surmised that the majority of those Legendaries would likely attend the Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering.
Though he felt no fear, Han Yi understood that each Legendary cultivator was uniquely formidable. Winning one match against such an opponent would be a testament to his skill, winning two would require luck, and sustaining such victories indefinitely was far from guaranteed.
Han Yi didn't consider himself an Immortal Dao Prodigy, but even those prodigies were prone to missteps when venturing too far into the dark. Such failures were inevitable.
He didn't want to go, but someone else wanted him there.
Profound Pill Peak, the main peak of the Profound Pill Sect, housed the Sect's Secret Treasury. For the past sixty years, it had been shrouded in an exceptionally dense layer of mist, impenetrable to outsiders.
Only Sect Leader Yuan Shun and the eight Supreme Elders could freely enter and exit. Other Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators required their explicit permission. Below the Foundation Establishment Stage, only a select few Qi Refining Stage disciples were ever granted the opportunity to set foot on Profound Pill Peak.
Today, the peak welcomed Han Yi, a newly ascended Ninth Layer Qi Refining cultivator.
Why has the Sect Leader summoned me? What could it be about?
This question lingered in Han Yi's mind as he slowly ascended the mountain path to Profound Pill Peak.
The mist ahead was so thick he couldn't discern any peculiarities within. However, since the Sect Leader himself had summoned him, Han Yi felt confident that stepping directly into the mist posed no danger. He had repeatedly confirmed this with the Foundation Establishment Stage Elder from Azure Dragon Palace.
The Elder who had informed him of the summons hadn't accompanied him, simply instructing him to walk straight into the mist.
The mist shrouding Profound Pill Peak was, in fact, a Fourth-Tier Formation Art—an expensive acquisition by the Profound Pill Sect capable of briefly repelling even Nascent Soul Stage cultivators.
Han Yi, filled with questions, stepped into the mist outside Profound Pill Peak. The dense vapor rushed toward him, brushing against his face with a refreshing sensation akin to bathing in a spirit spring, instantly spreading throughout his body.
In a fleeting dance of light and shadow, a single step transformed his surroundings entirely.
Han Yi now stood before a palace, smaller than even the Azure Dragon Palace. This was the Profound Pill Hall, the main hall of Profound Pill Peak and one of the Sect's most vital locations.
"Enter," Yuan Shun's voice echoed from a side hall within the Profound Pill Hall.
Daring not to delay, Han Yi crossed the palace threshold. In the center of the Profound Pill Hall's foyer, an elderly man sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. As Han Yi entered, the old man glanced at him. The gaze held no supernatural phenomena, appearing as ordinary as a mortal's.
Yet Han Yi dared not take it lightly. He bowed deeply in greeting.
"Disciple Han Yi of Azure Dragon Peak pays his respects to Martial Uncle Zhuge."
The man seated cross-legged was none other than Supreme Elder Zhuge Wuyou. He acknowledged Han Yi with a slight nod before closing his eyes once more, transforming into a living statue.
After offering his formal bow, Han Yi turned and entered the side hall from which Yuan Shun's voice had emanated.
Yuan Shun was also seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion. Like Zhuge Wuyou, he radiated no discernible Immortal Path aura, yet Han Yi dared not let his guard down.
"Disciple Han Yi pays his respects to the Sect Leader."
Yuan Shun nodded curtly. As in their previous encounters, he wasted no time on pleasantries, cutting straight to the point.
"The Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering is imminent. I want you to attend. What are your thoughts?"
Han Yi was taken aback.
His surprise wasn't at Yuan Shun's directive to attend the Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering itself. Considering Fu Canghai's recent escort of him to the Gu Clan—a move that had revealed Yuan Shun's keen interest in him—Han Yi had already suspected the Sect Leader might task him with something. With the most pressing event on the sect's agenda being the Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering, it seemed a logical conclusion.
Other matters, such as the New Peak Lord Plan and the Escort Program, were irrelevant to Han Yi, who had only recently reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement. He hadn't yet reached the Peak Qi Refining Stage, and forcing a spot on him would be premature.
What truly astonished him, however, was Yuan Shun's tone—a tone of consultation, as if genuinely seeking Han Yi's opinion.
The Sect Leader, the highest authority of the sect, was actually asking Han Yi, "What do you think?" This was the source of Han Yi's surprise.
As he reflected on their previous encounters, he realized Yuan Shun had never directly assigned him tasks. The only exception was when Yuan Shun had gifted him an exceptionally rare Cave Heaven Trial slot.
"This disciple is willing to go," Han Yi replied, bowing respectfully.
Regardless of his personal wishes or whether Yuan Shun genuinely valued his input, he had to express his willingness at this moment.
Yuan Shun nodded, unsurprised. "This journey to the Myriad Stars Sea is fraught with danger, but the opportunities are equally significant. If you have any needs, feel free to state them."
This time, Han Yi didn't refuse. He understood this was Yuan Shun's way of offering compensation, and there was no harm in making a request.
After a moment's thought, Han Yi's eyes lit up.
"This disciple has made a breakthrough in alchemy and is deeply interested in the Foundation Establishment Pill. However, I've been unable to acquire the pill formula. Would the sect consider granting me the Foundation Establishment Pill formula in advance?"
Han Yi had previously learned that sect elders who reached the Foundation Establishment Stage were entitled to receive the sect's Foundation Establishment Pill formula. However, it was generally impossible for Qi Refining Stage cultivators to obtain the formula, as they were unlikely to successfully refine the pill.
"Oh?" Yuan Shun was genuinely surprised. He had primarily focused on Han Yi's cultivation prowess and was largely unaware of his alchemical skills, a consequence of Han Yi's cautious nature.
"Very well. Since you're so confident, I'll grant you the Foundation Establishment Pill formula in advance."
"However, the Foundation Establishment Pill formula involves profound secrets and must not be divulged lightly. Remember this well."
Han Yi hastily acknowledged the warning.
"It's quite a coincidence that your upcoming trip to the Myriad Stars Sea for the Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering is also closely related to the Foundation Establishment Pill," Yuan Shun added, seizing the opportunity.
"The Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering is held every hundred years and is primarily organized in response to the East Sea Monster Clan's activities. In fact, a more fitting name for this gathering would be the Mountain-Sea Demon-Slaying Gathering."
You've traveled through the Myriad Demon Mountain Range before. This mountain range serves as a vital passage, stretching from the northwest to the southeast and reaching all the way to the East Sea, connecting the East Sea Monster Clan with the Demon God Mountain in the northwest.
The Great Qin Immortal Kingdom is responsible for handling the Demon God Mountain.
Meanwhile, the East Sea Monster Clan falls under the jurisdiction of the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom.
Every century, the Myriad Stars Sea hosts the Gathering of Immortals, inviting cultivators from across Great Qian to unite and slay demons, suppressing the East Sea Monster Clan and preventing chaos in the region.
One type of Foundation Establishment Pill formula uses the Inner Cores of Demon Cultivators as its primary ingredient.
You'll understand the specifics when you see the Foundation Establishment Pill formula. Whether for slaying demons or obtaining Inner Cores, cultivators from all over Great Qian will converge on the Myriad Stars Sea.
Of course, the Qi Refining Stage disciples accompanying your team will primarily deal with minor Demon Beasts, avoiding direct confrontation with Demon Cultivators.
Although this is called a Demon-Slaying Gathering, it's also an opportunity for sects to showcase their strength.
Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators and above represent a sect's current power, while Qi Refining Stage disciples embody its future potential.
That's why Qi Refining Stage disciples are included in the expedition.
After Yuan Shun's explanation, Han Yi finally understood the details of his mission.
Shortly after, Yuan Shun finished outlining the key points. Han Yi withdrew from the side hall, bowed respectfully to Supreme Elder Zhuge Wuyou, who was guarding Profound Pill Peak, and left the palace.
Looking back from within Profound Pill Peak, Han Yi saw no trace of the mist. As he descended the mountain path to its foot and crossed an invisible yet palpable barrier, he turned back again. Profound Pill Peak had once more vanished into its characteristic shroud of swirling clouds and mist, its mysteries intact.
The peak had been partially sealed off for sixty years. There must be a reason.
Dismissing these idle thoughts, Han Yi returned to Azure Dragon Peak and headed straight for Azure Dragon Palace. There, he found the Fire Phoenix Daoist and stated his purpose.
The Fire Phoenix Daoist was an Elder of Azure Dragon Peak, and a supremely powerful one at that. His cultivation realm had reached the peak of the Foundation Establishment Stage, and he ranked first on the Heavenly Ranking.
In the meditation chamber, the Fire Phoenix Daoist sat cross-legged on a futon. Han Yi gave him only a cursory glance.
Fire Phoenix Daoist was merely his Daoist title; his true name had never been publicly revealed, likely known only to the Sect's Supreme Elders.
The Daoist appeared to be in his fifties, with striking crimson hair that immediately drew the eye. Legend had it that the Fire Phoenix Daoist possessed a rare Fire Attribute physical constitution and a Heavenly Spirit Root. His mastery of fire-based techniques was earth-shattering, allowing him to briefly hold his own against cultivators who had just entered the Golden Core Stage.
After muttering to himself, the Daoist retrieved a pristine Technique Transmission Jade Disk from his Storage Pouch and tossed it to Han Yi.
"This Jade Disk is for single use only. Once you've viewed its contents, they will vanish. Remember, after learning the Foundation Establishment Pill formula, you must not copy or share it without authorization. The Sect will hold you accountable."
Han Yi's face lit up with joy as he quickly thanked the Daoist, then hurried out of the Meditation Chamber and back to his courtyard.
Once prepared, Han Yi pressed the Jade Disk against his forehead. Instantly, a complete pill formula flooded his mind, revealing every detail of the Foundation Establishment Pill's refining process: ingredients, environment, steps, and critical nuances.
After a long while, Han Yi finally understood why Yuan Shun had said the East Sea Demon Slaying Assembly was connected to the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The Foundation Establishment Pill formula in the Technique Transmission Jade Disk actually contained three distinct methods. In other words, there were three different ways to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.
The first method of refining the Foundation Establishment Pill uses the White Jade Dragon Mushroom as its primary ingredient. This requires mushrooms at least a century old, supplemented by dozens of rare medicinal materials.
The White Jade Dragon Mushroom is a highly prized spirit plant with stringent cultivation requirements. It can only survive at major nodes of Third-Tier or higher Spirit Veins, where it absorbs the vein's spirit energy. Once matured, the mushroom takes on a pure white jade color and a dragon-like form, hence its name.
Although all nine Inner Peaks of Profound Pill Peak possess Spirit Veins of Third-Tier or higher, large-scale cultivation is avoided to prevent the veins from degrading to Second-Tier. Moreover, the extended intervals between harvests keep the Sect's supply of White Jade Dragon Mushrooms perpetually scarce.
The second method utilizes the Inner Core of a Demon Cultivator as the primary ingredient, supplemented by over a dozen rare spirit medicines. Refining this type of Foundation Establishment Pill is inherently unstable due to the volatile nature of Demon Cultivator Inner Cores, which are far more difficult to control than White Jade Dragon Mushrooms. This leads to frequent furnace explosions and a lower success rate.
However, acquiring Demon Cultivator Inner Cores is more straightforward: one simply needs to slay demons. This directly involves the East Sea Demon Slaying Assembly, also known as the Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering.
The third method involves Composite Pills, which require taking five Medicinal Pills simultaneously to achieve the effects of a Foundation Establishment Pill. These five Composite Pills must harmonize the Five Elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. The quantity and quality of each pill must be perfectly balanced. Although the Technique Transmission Jade Disk provides one such combination, it explicitly warns against using Composite Pills unless absolutely necessary.
Of these three methods, the first—the standard Foundation Establishment Pill—has the highest refinement success rate and is the easiest to refine. However, its primary ingredient is exceedingly rare and difficult to obtain. The second method uses more readily available ingredients, but the refinement success rate is lower, and the process is more challenging. The third method, while technically the easiest to refine, takes the longest time, and Composite Pills refined this way have the lowest probability of successfully establishing a Foundation.
Great Sects typically use the first or second method for Foundation Establishment. Rogue Cultivators and Cultivation Families who cannot afford Foundation Establishment Pills often resort to the risky third method, gambling on Composite Pills for their Foundation Establishment attempt.
Han Yi set down the single-use Technique Transmission Jade Disk, now depleted of its energy. He had already committed its contents entirely to memory. With the prodigious memory capacity of his Divine Soul at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement, he was virtually guaranteed to never forget them—unless he died.
"The White Jade Dragon Mushroom has never been publicly sold in the Sect Market. I'll ask He Fangwei if the Nine Dragons Merchant Guild has any channels to acquire it."
"If I can't find it through the Sect, I could try the Great Qian Auction or a Merchant Guild like the Myriad Immortals Pavilion, though the price would undoubtedly be exorbitant."
"The second method requires a Demon Cultivator's Inner Core—a Demon Core. These Demon Cultivators are equivalent to Foundation Establishment Stage human cultivators. Challenging one while still in the Qi Refining Stage would almost certainly be suicide."
"The third method is out of the question for now."
"Beyond the scarcity of materials, refining a Foundation Establishment Pill demands formidable Divine Sense. A Qi Refining Stage cultivator's Divine Sense is simply insufficient. Even if it's barely adequate during the Drug Fusion phase, the final step—forming the pill—would fail due to a lack of Divine Sense to condense it."
"No wonder Foundation Establishment Pills are so mysterious and expensive. The root cause lies in the primary ingredients and the sheer difficulty of refinement, both of which are beyond the reach of Qi Refining Stage cultivators."
Han Yi sighed, but he wasn't discouraged. At least he now knew the Foundation Establishment Pill Formula. While he couldn't refine it yet, he'd have a chance once he achieved Immortal Foundation Establishment.
Han Yi seized the opportunity during his Qi Refining Stage to push his Alchemy Technique to Peak Perfection. Once he reached the Foundation Establishment Stage and his Divine Sense was strong enough for pill refinement, he could begin refining pills as soon as he obtained a Demon Cultivator's Inner Core or a White Jade Dragon Mushroom.
Each successful refinement would significantly increase his wealth.
Having unraveled the secrets of the Foundation Establishment Pill and learned of his upcoming journey to the Myriad Stars Sea for the Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering, Han Yi didn't immediately dive into pill refinement. Instead, he focused on cultivating the Li Fire Sword Manual.
Among his current skills, the Fire Shield Technique (defense), Spirit Void Finger and Sword Control Technique (offense), and Light Body Technique (movement) had already reached Peak Perfection.
Reviewing his remaining skills, Han Yi realized that advancing the Li Fire Sword Manual to Peak Perfection would provide the greatest boost to his cultivation.
Thus, Han Yi's daily routine became dedicated to cultivating the Li Fire Sword Manual and striving to advance its mastery.
However, just half a month later, long before the Li Fire Sword Manual even approached Peak Perfection, Han Yi received notification that his departure for the Mountain and Sea Immortal Gathering in the Myriad Stars Sea was imminent.
This time, unlike the grand ceremony before the Cave Heaven Trial, Han Yi was simply notified to report to Profound Pill Peak the following day.
The next morning, just as before, Han Yi stepped into the swirling mist and materialized atop Profound Pill Peak.
Three Qi Refining Stage disciples were already present. Their eyes flickered as they took in his arrival.
Shortly after, a fifth Qi Refining disciple appeared. The group exchanged introductions.
All four were Inner Sect disciples at the peak of the Qi Refining Stage: three male cultivators named Zhao Ruida, Fei Qing, and Su Yan, and one female cultivator named Shi Lengyan.
Zhao Ruida, Fei Qing, and Shi Lengyan had participated in the Cave Heaven Trial several years prior, sharing a brief acquaintance with Han Yi. Su Yan, however, was meeting him for the first time.
These elite members of the Profound Pill Sect's Inner Sect exchanged brief pleasantries but refrained from deeper conversation, instead positioning themselves around the perimeter to await further instructions.
Moments later, five Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators arrived, including the Fire Phoenix Daoist, who held the top rank on the Heavenly Ranking.
Once all ten had gathered, Supreme Elder Zhuge Wuyou emerged from the Profound Pill Peak's palace. After scanning the assembled group, he delivered a brief explanation, primarily highlighting the main risks and key considerations for the upcoming journey.
The briefing largely mirrored what Sect Leader Yuan Shun had previously conveyed. The others, clearly already familiar with the details, showed no surprise.
Then, the Tribulation Transcending Immortal Boat materialized.
This vessel could adjust its size. With fewer passengers this time, it was smaller than the one that had transported them to Jade Capital Mountain.
The ten cultivators boarded the Immortal Boat, which soared into the sky. The swirling mists around Profound Pill Peak parted to allow its passage, then closed behind it.
Their destination: the Myriad Stars Sea.