Chapter 131: The Recovery of Hai Bo Dong's Strength!

  In the room, Gu He took out all the medial herbs prepared by Hai Bo Dong and arrahem oable one by one.

  His gaze slowly swept over the ten or so pure white jade boxes in front of him. Gu He took a deep breath, suppressed his iurmoil, flicked his fingers, and the massive "Dragon Soul Cauldron" appeared out of thin air. It desded heavily to the ground, apanied by a lon's roar.

  Squinting his eyes, Gu He's mind fshed with the process of refining the "Zong Breakthrough Pill" and the various things to be aware of. After a while, he suddenly opened his eyes. In his dark eyes, purple fmes surged.

  Puff!

  With a subtle sound, a wisp of purple fme shot out from between Gu He's fingers, then he flicked his fiip, and the fme turned into a streak of light, lightning-fast, and darted into the cauldron.

  As soon as the fme ehe cauldron, the small body expanded rapidly. In just an instant, the small fme turned into a bzing fire, burning wildly ihe cauldron. As the purple fmes rose, the dragon pattern on the surface of the "Dragon Soul Cauldron" seemed to e to life, emitting dazzling golden radiance.

  Boom!

  After a moment, Gu He methodically pleted all the steps of alchemy, perfed smooth.

  Iidy room, the golden cauldron rotated slowly in mid-air, and the purple fmes within it ed violently.

  As the cauldron rotated, the surrounding space emitted tinuous ripples of subtle energy waves. These energy ripples, tered on the cauldron, formed circur shapes and gradually spread in all dires. Just as they were about to touch the walls, they quietly dissipated.

  As time passed, ihe cauldron with its turbulent fmes, a small vender pill prototype gradually took shape in the fire's refining process. At a certain moment, a deep purple pill fragrance suddenly emanated from the cauldron, filling the room and lingering for a long time.

  "Not bad, very smooth," Gu He said, smelling the vender st, with a smile on his lips.

  The pill fragrandicated that the high-level pill was about to take shape.

  "Although the effect of this Zong Breakthrough Pill is someeculiar, the difficulty of refining it is not too high, and with the assistance of the Dragon Soul Cauldron, it has saved at least half of the refining time."

  Looking at the purple pill floating in the cauldron, Gu He nodded slightly.

  After a brief silence, he waved his hand, and the purple fme in the cauldron suddenly surged. In an instant, it pletely enveloped the vender pill prototype, beginning the final round of intense iion.

  The purple fme only asded for a blink of an eye before quickly subsiding. With the extinguishing of the fme, a thumb-sized, lightly purple, and glossy pill appeared, spinning within the cauldron.

  At the moment when the vender pill appeared, a fierergy ripple surged out from within the pill, and as it passed through the Dragon Soul Cauldron, it intercepted some of it. heless, the rest of it still peed and rushed in all dires. If left unchecked, this room would colpse immediately.

  Casually gng at the rapidly spreading energy ripple, Gu He waved his hand, and an invisible soul energy instantly formed a transparent energy shield within the room.

  When the energy ripple touched the soul shield, they collided. Immediately, the invisible energy shield seemed to be a ke when a rge stone was dropped into it, causing wave after wave of energy ripples to emerge.

  The ripples gradually transformed from inteo subtle and, after a while, pletely dissipated.

  After the final energy ripple dissipated, Gu He removed the soul shield and waved his hand toward the Dragon Soul Cauldron. The vender pill was expelled from the cauldron and obediently nded in Gu He's palm.

  Holding the vender pill, Gu He exami closely and nodded with faint approval.

  The pill was light purple in color, perfectly round, and had a subtle sheen. Moreover, there seemed to be intricate, non-man-made patterns on the pill's surface, winding and curling like a mysterious and unique design.

  Upon close iion of the Zong Breakthrough Pill, Gu He could vaguely feel the unusual power tained within it, which was the main po for breaking seals.

  Satisfied, he nodded and then took out a quality jade bottle from his ste ring and carefully pced the Zong Breakthrough Pill inside.

  After pleting these tasks, Gu He looked at the remaining preedial herbs that Hai Bo Dong had worked hard to gather. A faint smile crept onto his lips as he unceremoniously put all these valuable herbs into his ste ring.

  "Hehe, let's sider these herbs as ara reward for my alchemy efforts."

  The medial herbs prepared by Hai Bo Dong would be worth at least a million gold s if aued, and some of them couldn't even be bought with money.

  Gu He had no iion of returning these herbs to Hai Bo Dong.

  "Finally, it's done…"

  After st all the herbs in his ste ring, Gu He patted it with satisfa. Then, he pced the Dragon Soul Cauldron in his ste ring, tossed the jade bottle aside, adjusted his clothes, and walked out of the room.

  …

  Above the dimly lit corridor, Hai Bo Dong leaned against the wall. His elderly face appeared calm, but his fingers tinuously tapping the wall revealed his iension alessness.

  As he felt time slowly passing, Hai Bo Dong turo look at the tightly closed room at the end of the corridor. He couldn't help but furrow his brow.

  After a moment, he sighed and realized that the materials for refining the Zong Breakthrough Pillwere not easy to find. It had taken him nearly several years to gather all these medial herbs. If Gu He failed in his alchemical endeavor, it would likely dey his wish tain his strength.

  Rubbing his hands together, Hai Bo Dong's normally calm face began to show traces of worry. He murmured softly, "Could it have failed? Ah, it seems I may have been a bit reckless."

  The Zong Breakthrough Pill was a rare medial pill and much more challenging to refine pared to typical sixth-grade pills. Gu He, as a newly promoted sixth-grade alchemist, shouldn't have a high success rate in refining it.

  With a heavy thud, Hai Bo Dong's fist collided with his palm, and his expression ged. After a moment, he shook his head in disappoi and sighed, "At this point, all I do is hope that Gu He bring some miracles, sidering he possesses that extremely terrifying Heavenly Fme.."

  As time passed, the atmosphere in the corridor became increasingly teh eaent.

  Hai Bo Dong's fingers impatiently tapped the wall. Suddenly, in one moment, his fingers were surrounded by fighting energy and, as he struck the wall hard, they created a hole.

  "Let's go see!"

  His withered face twitched, and Hai Bo Dong couldn't ehe torment of waiting any longer. He took a deep breath, turned abruptly, and was about to step into the corridor.

  As Hai Bo Dong turned, his body suddenly froze. His face showed astonishment as he stared ihe corridor. There, leaning against the wall, was Gu He, who was smiling at him. After a brief pause, he swallowed hard and hurried forward, eagerly asking, "How did it go, Gu He? Was it successful?"

  Gu He shrugged, sloroag the overjoyed Hai Bo Dong. He waved his hand, and a jade bottle was tossed towards Hai Bo Dong, saying, "I got lucky, so it barely succeeded."

  Hai Bo Dong, in his eagerness, almost stumbled and appeared quite disheveled as he hurriedly received the jade bottle, treating it as if it were his own child. He gently cradled it in his hands and gazed at the purple pill inside. A mixture of joy and shock filled his elderly face.

  The joy was from obtaining the Zong Breakthrough Pill as he had wished, and the shock was from Gu He's remarkable feat of crafting it in such a short time.

  "This young man's alchemical skills are being more and more terrifying..." In that moment, Hai Bo Dong couldn't help but evaluate Gu He in this way.

  As Hai Bo Dong looked at the delighted Gu He clutg the jade bottle, Gu He gave a slight smile and said, "Hai Bo, I have successfully crafted what you needed. What about the fragment?"

  Hai Bo Dong was momentarily taken abad quickly brought himself back from his jubint mood. He licked his lips, rolled his eyes, and wore a somewhat embarrassed expression as he said, "Well, Gu He..."

  "You're n to make excuses, are you?"

  Seeing Hai Bo Dong's demeanu He slightly furrowed his brow and said in a faint tone.

  "Heh, well, you see…" With a hint of embarrassment on his face, Hai Bo Dong raised the jade bottle in his hand tu He. He smiled awkwardly and said, "Gu He, please don't bme me. It's not that I don't trust you, but I've never seen what a Zong Breakthrough Pill actually looks like. I only know from the recipe that it should be purple. So... I wonder if you could let me take it to firm whether it truly helps me break the seal? If it indeed works, I'll offer you the fragment and offer my apologies."

  In truth, Hai Bo Dong had his own s. While he had been residing in the Desert City, he had heard about Gu He's exploits.

  He khat Gu He had retly advao a sixth-grade alchemist, and sidering his current alchemical skill level, the Zong Breakthrough Pill's crafting difficulty was substantial. Yet, within just half a day, Gu He had successfully crafted it. This amazed Hai Bo Dong but also led him to harbor some doubts about the pill.

  Unfortunately, given the importance of theZong Breakthrough Pill to him, he had to be cautious. If he gave Gu He the fragment and the pill had problems, he would be at a signifit disadvantage. He was aware of Gu He's character to some extent, but he couldn't help but be cautious.

  "Old Hai, if you keep finding excuses and deys like this, it doesn't match the demeanor of one of the top ten powerhouses of the Jia Ma Empire," Gu He responded.

  "I remember that you, old Hai, were not so calg back then."

  Gu He's slender fingers lightly brushed off a speck of dust on his sleeve, his expression growing somewhat indifferent. He tinued, "I've done so much for you, and iurn, I've received just a fragment and a verbal promise. Tell me, did I lose ain anything?"

  Hai Bo Dong's face revealed a tinge of embarrassment. After a while, he dryly chuckled and said, "I know I've been a bit demanding, but rest assured, I would never do something ungrateful. How about this, instead of immediately removing the seal, if the Zong Breakthrough Pill shows even the slightest effect, I won't break my promise. This is, after all, the Zong Breakthrough Pill personally crafted by the esteemed Alchemist Gu He. Don't you have fiden it? Heh heh."

  "Phew..." Hearing this, Gu He looked at the somewhat awkward Hai Bo Dong, his brow slightly furrowed. After some time, he waved his hand, and in a disapproving tone, he said, "Fine, I'll go along with your request, but remember, Old Hai, this is my st cession."

  Gu He uood Hai Bo Dong's s but couldn't help feeling a bit dissatisfied with the suspi he was receiving.

  "Heh heh, thanks for uanding my predit," Hai Bo Dong replied.

  Hearing Gu He's agreement, a delighted smile appeared on Hai Bo Dong's face. He carefully stored the jade bottle in his ste ring and then said to Gu He, "Gu He, please apao the underground chamber. If the seal is truly brokehis underground chamber will prevent the leakage of energy and help avoid unnecessary trouble."

  Gu He nodded in respo said, "Wait a moment."

  He the outside the small shop and saw a young girl meditating on a lotus ptform. He nodded in approval without disturbing her auro the room.

  "Let's go."

  At this moment, Gu He didn't feel like saying much to Hai Bo Dong. He wore a cold expression on his fad motioned for Hai Bo Dong to lead the way.

  "Alright..."

  Seeing Gu He's current demeanor, Hai Bo Dong uood his dissatisfa. He could only chuckle and walk ahead obediently.

  Following behind Hai Bo Dong, Gu He gazed at the elderly figure with brisk steps in front of him. After a moment of silence, he sighed inwardly.

  It seemed that the many years of being sealed had eroded Hai Bo Dong's spirit. He was no lohe Ice Emperor who was once full of determination and unburdened by trivial matters.

  However, it was only natural. Anyone who had suffered such a setback during the peak of their power would likely bee disheartened.

  Suddenly, Gu He thought of Xiao Yan. In the inal work, Xiao Yan had experiehe peak of his glory, only to have his cultivatiress and bee beled as a waste by others, enduring three years of pt.

  pared to Hai Bo Dong, Xiao Yan's character was much stronger. At the very least, he didn't succumb to three years of humiliatioually pig himself up.

  If it weren't for their unresolved issues from the inal stu He might have sidered taking Xiao Yan as his disciple.

  But...

  Shaking his head and dispelling these thoughts, Gu He kept up with Hai Bo Dong.

  He bit his lip and looked at Hai Bo Dong's back. His eyes narrowed slightly as he muttered to himself, "Old Hai, I hope you won't disappoint me. If you do, don't bme me for not remembering our past friendship!"

  ...

  Although the corridor wasn't very long, its winding path was somewhat ued. As they closely followed Hai Bo Dong through several turns, the monotonous surroundings began to create a slightly fatiguiion. However, Gu He's stroal posure kept him from feeling unbearable. He only felt a bit stifled.

  The corridor had dim lighting, with a dimly glowing ntern pced every dozeers. In this subdued enviro, both of them maintained silehe only sound was the faint echo of their footsteps as they walked down the long corridor. After a while, it started to give off an eerie feeling.

  Although the corridor appeared straight, Gu He could sehat they were desding. After walking for nearly twenty minutes in this stifling atmosphere, Hai Bo Dong suddenly stopped and turo Gu He, smiling as he said, "We're here."

  Looking past Hai Bo Dong, Gu He swept his gaze ahead. Uhe faint glow of the nterns, he saw a thick iron door at the end of his line of sight. The door was dark and foreboding, giving off a sense of heaviness.

  As he gazed at the iron door, Hai Bo Dong's footsteps quied noticeably. After a moment, he reached the door and maniputed a bck iron lion head in front of it. With a creaking sound, the door slowly opened, and a bright light shohrough.

  In the cold underground chamber, as Hai Bo Dong gradually entered a state of cultivation, the atmosphere became increasingly silent.

  The quiet atmosphere persisted for nearly half an hour, only to be shattered by a fierergy ripple.

  On the icy ptform, Hai Bo Dong, who had been silent, suddenly began to shake violently. Ferocious energy ripples rapidly spread from his body, causing the surrounding tables and ice pilrs to shatter.

  the swiftly approag energy ripples, Gu He's thoughts shifted. He summoned a purple-fmed Qi energy shield, which quickly appeared on the surface of his body. The scorg purple fmes ied the spreading energy ripples, turning them into nothingness.

  Hai Bo Dong, on the ice ptform, seemed unaware of the destru he caused. His body trembled violently for a moment, and then, on his aged face, an eerie dark energy rapidly gathered on his forehead.

  After a moment, a faintly glowing serpent pattern of dark energy formed on his forehead. This pattern coiled above Hai Bo Dong's forehead, sealing the surging Qi energy within him.

  At the instant when the serpent pattern appeared, the faint purple energy around Hai Bo Dong's neck began to coil slowly, and within the blink of a made tact with the eerie dark energy serpent.

  The collision of these two intense energy sources had caused the previous waves of energy ripples.

  The purple energy and the dark green serpent pattern on Hai Bo Dong's forehead tio front each other, with the dim light emanating from both creating a strange appearan his face. The intense pain geed by the struggle of these two energy sources in such a vital part of his brain made Hai Bo Dong's face slightly torted. It gave him a somewhat sinister and grotesque appearance.

  Gu He raised his head, his gaze firmly fixed on Hai Bo Dong's face, which was radiating two colors of light. He couldn't help but feel a sense of amazement. Queen Medusa's sealing teique was indeed bizarre. Without a fortunate enter with the Zong Breakthrough Pill, Hai Bo Dong might never have had a ce to turn his life around.

  As the time of the frontatioween the purple and dark green energies stretched to nearly half an hour, the eerie dark serpent pattern began to slightly fade. It seemed that this so-called Zong Breakthrough Pill did have a remarkable effe tering such a seal.

  "The effect of this Zong Breakthrough Pill is quite impressive. If I get a the future, I should prepare some for the little fellows. After all, it's good to have a backup in case someone decides to seal them someday."

  Watg the serpent pattern slowly dim in the purple light, Gu He's eyes brightened, and he chuckled.

  Taking advantage of the teractive effect of the purple energy, it gradually dispced the serpent pattern's hold on Hai Bo Dong's forehead. As it slowly pushed the tter out, the purple energy suddenly surged, and a powerful aura, like a roused lioed from Hai Bo Dong's body.

  Uhe impact of this intense aura, the ice crystals in the underground chamber began to crack.

  "Haha, that damn seal is finally gone! I've bee a Dou Huang again!"

  With his feet on the icy ptform, Hai Bo Dong's body levitated in mid-air. His face was filled with wild joy, ahrew his head back, ughiily.

  (End of this chapter)

  "Please." Hai Bo Dong waved his hand invitingly, prompting Gu He to enter first.

  Standing at the entrance, Gu He took a moment to observe the surroundings. Theoo, ehe underground chamber.

  Upoering, the temperature dropped signifitly, and a faint chill permeated the air. Gu He looked around and noticed that this underground chamber was like an ice cave. The ceiling and the thick walls were covered with white ice, and above them, sharp icicles hung like sharp swords, suspended from the ceiling.

  A faint frosty mist filled the chamber, lingering for years. Hai Bo Dong must have ied a signifit amount of time and effort to create this rather rge underground chamber.

  "Hehe, my Dou Qi teique leans towards cold attributes, so practig in a pce like this is more effective. Additionally, this location is at some distance from the surface. The id soil here ceal our presence, preventiion by other strong individuals." As if uanding Gu He's doubts, Hai Bo Dong expined with a smile.

  "I see."

  Gu He nodded slightly and took a seat on a chair in the ter of the underground chamber. He gnced up at Hai Bo Dong and calmly said, "Hurry up; I don't particurly like the enviro here."

  "Sure."

  Hai Bo Dong smiled and herieved the Zong Breakthrough Pill from his ste ring. He touched the ground with his foot, flicked up to a seat entirely made of ice, and sat cross-legged. He thehe Pill into his mouth, swallowed it, a slide down his throat.

  Sitting in the chair, Gu He g Hai Bo Dong and then, with a thought, took out a scroll from his spatial ring.

  Serpent Spirit Formu!

  Flipping through the scroll, Gu He read the name of the teique inscribed there. The Serpent Spirit Formu was the cultivatiohod used by Queen Medusa.

  Serpent cultivatiohods were different from those of humans and did not have clear ranks. However, acc to Queen Medusa's description, the Serpent Spirit Formu should be han a low-tier Earth-grade cultivation teique.

  "Let's wait for the young girl to bee a Dou Practitioner first."

  With a slight shift in his thoughts, Gu He pced the scroll ba his spatial ring.

  Only a Dou Practitioner had the qualifications to practice a cultivation teique.

  However, with the assistance of the lotus ptform and Gu He providing various spiritual liquids, it shouldn't take much time for the young girl to break through to the Dou Practitioner level.

  ...