Though the guardian vines deep in the medicine garden were fierce, they ultimately couldn't stop Mu Qingfeng and Xiao Qi's advance. Mu Qingfeng's sword light formed a net, cutting through the bindings, while Xiao Qi seized an opportunity to deliver a crushing blow with his wok to the main root of the vines. That strike, infused with tremendous force, directly shattered its core vitality, and several vines rapidly withered away.
The two successfully reached the Seven-Color Spirit-Nourishing Fruit. The fruit radiated an alluring glow, and its refreshing fragrance brought comfort to one's soul and spirit. Mu Qingfeng didn't immediately pick it. Instead, he carefully observed for a moment, confirming there were no other guardians, before cautiously retrieving a warm jade box from his storage bag. Using a special technique, he transplanted the entire small tree along with the precious fruit and a small piece of spiritual soil into the box, sealing in the medicinal properties.
"This fruit requires a special method to refine and absorb its medicinal power to the greatest extent. After leaving the secret realm, I'll ask my master or an elder from the Pill Hall to assist," Mu Qingfeng said as he handed the jade box to Xiao Qi. "This item suits you best. Take good care of it."
Xiao Qi accepted it solemnly, warmth surging in his heart. "Thank you, Senior Brother."
After collecting the Seven-Color Spirit-Nourishing Fruit, the two continued exploring the medicine garden. Guided by the token and the 'Tai Chu Qing Hua Record,' they found several spiritual herbs beneficial for stabilizing Xiao Qi's realm and nourishing his spiritual energy, carefully collecting samples or seeds. The rabbit spirit frolicked through the garden, occasionally bringing back some sparkling stones or leaves containing pure wood spiritual energy, piling them at Xiao Qi's feet like precious offerings.
Having explored most of the rare spiritual herbs in the core area, Mu Qingfeng decided to expand their search. "There seem to be some auxiliary buildings around the garden's perimeter. Let's take a look—perhaps we'll find something else."
Following the white jade path along the garden's edge, they indeed discovered several relatively independent halls nearby. One of them had a weathered wooden plaque hanging above its door, inscribed with three characters: "Yun Dan Ge"—Alchemy Pavilion. The door was slightly ajar, and unlike other places, it had no powerful restrictions.
"An alchemy room?" Xiao Qi's eyes lit up. Pills were crucially important to cultivators, and ancient pills might possess incredible effects.
Mu Qingfeng signaled Xiao Qi to remain vigilant and pushed open the door himself. A mixed scent of faint medicinal fragrance and ancient dust wafted out. The hall was dimly lit and modestly furnished. Several empty, spirit-depleted wooden shelves stood against the walls—clearly once holding medicinal ingredients, now long decayed. In the center sat a dust-covered meditation cushion.
What drew the most attention was a half-person-high, ancient-style alchemy furnace in one corner. The furnace was dark red with three legs and two ears. Its body was carved with simple cloud patterns, appearing unremarkable at first glance, even bearing several inconspicuous rust-like marks. However, upon closer inspection, one could see these weren't rust but deeper, natural patterns left as if by fire's scorching, vaguely forming the blurred image of a spreading-winged bird.
Beside the furnace sat a low stone platform with several bottles and jars of various colors and materials placed casually. Most were empty or contained pills that had long since turned to ash.
"It seems this place has been abandoned for a long time. Any valuable pills are probably..." Mu Qingfeng shook his head slightly, disappointed. He walked to the stone platform and carefully examined the containers.
Xiao Qi's gaze, however, was drawn to the unassuming alchemy furnace. He approached it, and the jade pendant at his chest transmitted an extremely faint warmth—almost like an illusion. He reached out and gently brushed the dust from the furnace body. When his fingers touched those flame-bird patterns, the patterns seemed to glow ever so slightly, and a barely perceptible yet extremely restrained heat traveled up his fingertips before vanishing instantly.
"Hmm?" Xiao Qi made a soft sound of surprise. This furnace seemed extraordinary. He tried injecting a trace of weak spiritual energy into it.
The furnace showed no response, remaining lifeless.
Just as Xiao Qi thought it was his imagination and prepared to give up, he instinctively channeled that cool breath from the jade pendant—the Purification Source—and cautiously directed it toward the furnace.
This time, something happened!
The moment the dark red furnace touched the Purification Source, its body suddenly trembled! Though the amplitude was minimal, Xiao Qi clearly felt it! The originally dim flame-bird patterns on the furnace suddenly glowed with weak red light, as if dormant embers had been infused with vitality! An ancient, burning aura flashed past like a slumbering beast yawning!
Though this phenomenon instantly subsided and the furnace returned to its ancient, unremarkable appearance, Xiao Qi was certain this furnace was no ordinary item! It seemed... to react to the Purification Source?
"Senior Brother! Look at this furnace!" Xiao Qi quickly called Mu Qingfeng over.
Mu Qingfeng walked over upon hearing this. He had also noticed the momentary anomaly and revealed surprise. He examined the furnace carefully, then tried injecting his own spiritual energy—still no response.
"This furnace... seems to be in a state of deep dormancy, or perhaps... sealed," Mu Qingfeng mused. "Ordinary spiritual energy cannot awaken it, but your power... seems able to stir a trace of its origin. It appears this item has an affinity with you." He decided firmly, "Put it away. Perhaps in the future, you'll be able to discover something from it."
Xiao Qi nodded happily and tried to put the furnace into his storage bag, but found it exceptionally heavy with a force resisting storage. He had to carry it on his back. Fortunately, the furnace wasn't too large, and his physical strength could manage the burden.
Just then, the rabbit spirit, who had been digging through the empty containers in the corner, suddenly squeaked and used its claws to scratch at a loose stone slab beneath the stone platform.
Xiao Qi and Mu Qingfeng exchanged a glance and walked over. Xiao Qi lifted the stone slab with force, revealing a hidden compartment! It wasn't large, containing only three items.
A purple-gold gourd, only palm-sized, cold to the touch with a smooth surface bearing no runes, yet giving off a restrained, profound feeling.
A perfectly round pill, the size of a longan, displaying a seven-colored glass-like luster, sealed within transparent amber. Its medicinal properties were perfectly preserved, emanating a heart-palpitating energy fluctuation.
And a gray, unremarkable jade slip.
Mu Qingfeng picked up the purple-gold gourd and pulled out the stopper. An intensely rich pill fragrance instantly filled the entire alchemy room! He quickly replaced the stopper, his face showing shock. "This is... the 'Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill'?! An ancient healing holy medicine said to restore flesh to white bones and revive the dead! And judging by its pill glow, the quality is extremely high! This gourd must contain no less than ten pills!"
He then looked at the seven-colored pill sealed in amber, his expression growing even more solemn, even uncertain. "This pill's aura is so unique... majestic yet carrying the meaning of reincarnation... Could it be the 'Nirvana Reincarnation Pill' recorded in ancient texts, capable of helping cultivators break through major realm bottlenecks and even having a slight chance of comprehending the mysteries of reincarnation?! This item... is too precious!"
Either of these two pills, if leaked to the outside world, would be enough to cause a bloody storm in the cultivation world!
Mu Qingfeng took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and solemnly handed the purple-gold gourd and the amber to Xiao Qi. "Xiao Qi, keep these two pills safe! The Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill can save your life at critical moments, while the Nirvana Reincarnation Pill concerns your future cultivation path. Be extremely cautious—unless absolutely necessary, never use or reveal them to anyone!"
Knowing the preciousness of these items, Xiao Qi accepted them with trembling hands and carefully stored them in the deepest part of his storage bag.
Finally, Mu Qingfeng picked up the gray jade slip and probed it with his spiritual sense. After a moment, a strange expression appeared on his face as he handed the slip to Xiao Qi. "You should look at this jade slip too."
Xiao Qi took the jade slip and sank his spiritual sense into it. Inside was not a pill formula or cultivation technique, but scattered notes on alchemy insights. The core viewpoint was completely contrary to mainstream alchemy! The jade slip's master believed that all things could be used as medicine—not just spiritual herbs and stones—but even proposed "smelting law fragments" and "extracting thoughts and emotions" for alchemy. It repeatedly mentioned concepts like "chaos,""returning to origin," and "heart fire." The concepts were heretical, yet vaguely pointed toward some supreme realm. At the end of the jade slip was attached a crude method called "Basic Heart Refinement Method," emphasizing communicating with furnace fire and materials through heart and spirit rather than purely relying on spells to control fire.
"This... this can also be used for alchemy?" Xiao Qi was dumbfounded, feeling his worldview had been challenged.
Mu Qingfeng smiled bitterly. "The predecessor who wrote these notes had wild, unconstrained ideas that can't be judged by ordinary standards. This 'Heart Refinement Method' seems crude but goes straight to the essence of alchemy, with extremely high requirements for spiritual sense. If you're interested, you can contemplate it in the future. It might help you control that purification power, or even... nourish that alchemy furnace." He pointed to the dark red furnace on Xiao Qi's back.
Xiao Qi nodded thoughtfully and carefully stored this jade slip recording "heterodox theories" as well.
This trip to the alchemy room yielded far more than expected! Not only did they obtain healing holy medicine and a divine pill for breaking through realms, but they also acquired a mysterious alchemy furnace and a peculiar alchemy treatise.
"We shouldn't stay here long. Let's leave quickly and return to the meeting point," Mu Qingfeng decided immediately. The greater the harvest, the more caution was needed.
The two and the rabbit swiftly left the Alchemy Pavilion, retracing their path toward the medicine garden entrance. However, unbeknownst to them, shortly after their departure, in the shadows beneath the stone platform where the hidden compartment had been, a thread of extremely thin, almost imperceptible black demonic energy, seemingly alive, quietly wriggled, then rapidly vanished.