Watching Wang Ming fall into a deep sleep, Xiao Li continued his Alchemy, completely engrossed in the process.
It was strange, but Xiao Li particularly enjoyed the process of Alchemy: using flames to burn the Materials, removing Impurities from them, and refining a pile of Materials into a pool of medicinal liquid.
Finally, he would use the flames to condense the medicinal liquid into a full Elixir.
Xiao Li especially loved the moment when the Alchemy was completed; the sight of a round, full Elixir appearing before him was incredibly satisfying.
(Author: Bur? What Innate Alchemist Holy Body?! Xiao Li: Not that low-level!)
Time passed, though he didn't know for how long.
Xiao Li intermittently refined two more Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pills. One of them was of the highest quality, which Xiao Li kept to consume when he Breakthrough to a seven-star Great Dou Master.
"Hmm~ Lier's technique is becoming more and more refined," Old Wang suddenly sat beside Xiao Li and said with a smile.
"Teacher, have you rested well?" Xiao Li's somewhat weary expression suddenly brightened.
Old Wang: "Yes! First, let's talk about Alchemy. Before condensing the Elixir, Lier should nurture the medicinal liquid for a longer period. Do not rush to condense the pill during this process. The heat control is very important in the refining and purifying stage.
For example, you know how to make soup, right? To make a delicious pot of soup, controlling the heat is crucial; rushing will only lead to mistakes.
This was taught to me by an old gentleman when I was young. That old gentleman was truly a great talent! His few pointers benefited me immensely.
That old gentleman said that the process of Alchemy is like carving; only by fully immersing oneself in meticulous carving can one create a magnificent work. This is also a matter of attitude.
I can see that you really like Alchemy, but you are still young and impetuous, unable to calm down, always wanting to rush. Alchemy cannot be rushed."
"Yes! Teacher, saying 'thank you' feels a bit distant, but I can't think of any better words. Thank you for your guidance," Xiao Li listened very carefully.
"Hmm~ It's good that you listened. Now, let's see what I gained this time," Old Wang said with a faint smile.
"Is it Teacher's gains from the Dou Zun Legacy?" Xiao Li was also very curious. In this Northwest Continent, Dou Zun were few and far between, especially in the Jia Ma Empire, where there wasn't even a Dou Zong.
Old Wang's storage ring flashed, and several different items appeared on the ground.
Xiao Li looked closely and saw a colorful scroll, a black scroll, and a piece of parchment made from an unknown Material.
On this slightly yellowed parchment, some seemingly irregular patterns were drawn, with a finger pointing to one of the patterns.
Besides the two scrolls and the strange parchment, there was also a rough wooden box.
"Lier, these are my gains this time," Old Wang's tone was somewhat displeased, clearly feeling that these things weren't of much use.
Xiao Li opened the colorful scroll, scanned it, and was immediately astonished. This was a poison scripture, named "Seven-Colored Poison Scripture."
Xiao Li looked at Old Wang with a strange gaze, while Old Wang was chugging tea directly from the teapot.
Old Wang felt Xiao Li's gaze, turned to look at him: "What's wrong, Lier?"
"Ah? No, nothing, cough cough. Teacher, this Dou Zun wouldn't have been a Poison Master, would he?" Xiao Li changed the subject.
"It seems he really was. Apparently, he was called something like Venerable Youdu. Just hearing the name, you know he wasn't a good person. This Seven-Colored Poison Scripture should be his work," Wang Ming said calmly.
Xiao Li seemed to be forming a bad impression of his Teacher, and then Xiao Li looked at the second scroll.
Xiao Li looked at it and discovered: "Hmm? This is a method for creating a flying Dou Technique? Profound Rank Advanced?"
Old Wang nodded: "This thing is somewhat useful. When I have time, I'll make a trip to the Magical Beast Mountain Range, kill a fifth-tier flying Demonic Beast, and make a pair of wings for you."
Xiao Li's mouth twitched. It all matched up, everything matched up.
Xiao Li looked at the yellowed parchment. In the corner of the parchment was a lotus-shaped object.
Old Wang saw Xiao Li pick up the parchment and said: "This should be an incomplete map. I don't know what it records, but based on my experience, this thing should contain a Heaven And Earth Treasure."
Xiao Li was a little speechless. His Teacher's knowledge was indeed not comparable to Yao Lao's. Although he had many fortuitous encounters, he was ultimately just a Dou Huang and a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, and had never seen the higher-level scenery.
Xiao Li knew what this incomplete map was! This was the incomplete map of the Purification Lotus Demon Flame!
Xiao Li looked at Old Wang, a general idea already forming in his mind: 'Teacher should be the withered bones that Xiao Yan found in a cave decades later. After Teacher's Lifespan was nearing its end, he emulated his predecessors and left behind a Legacy. This is also Teacher's intention.
Since I am here, Teacher, I must help you become a Dou Zong. I want you to live forever!'
Xiao Li set his goal. Old Wang's Lifespan was probably between ten and twenty years, as he was severely injured in his youth, damaging his Innate vitality.
Old Wang's Lifespan was much shorter than that of an ordinary Dou Huang.
'The Azure Nether Longevity Pill, a Rank 6 Elixir, can extend a person's life by nearly ten years. Becoming a Sixth-Rank Alchemist within ten years shouldn't be a problem. By then, I'll add some Lifespan for Teacher, and also for grandfather.
Grandfather's Lifespan is also nearing its end, but if grandfather Breakthrough to Dou Huang, his Lifespan can be further extended, so he doesn't need the Azure Nether Longevity Pill. Grandfather needs the Dou Ling Pill more.'
Xiao Li was already thinking about how to save his Teacher and his Family. When the Xiao Family faces great calamity in the future, he must prepare in advance.
The Xiao Family's future enemies: the Cloud Mist Sect and the Hall of Souls.
However, the Cloud Mist Sect at this time was different from the Cloud Mist Sect in Xiao Li's memory. At this time, the Cloud Mist Sect was the number one Sect in the Jia Ma Empire, a Cultivation Holy Land.
The current Sect Master of the Cloud Mist Sect, Yun Shan, was a seven-star Dou Huang, with considerable strength.
Moreover, according to Old Wang, among the Dou Huang powerhouses in the Jia Ma Empire, he felt that Yun Shan's temperament suited him best. Jia Xingtian of the Imperial Family liked to scheme and calculate, which Old Wang disliked. Hai Bodong of the Mittel Family was too cold, just like his ice-attributed Dou Qi; Old Wang and he were merely nodding acquaintances.
Old Wang's evaluation of Yun Shan was that he was naturally unrestrained, loved quiet Cultivation, and viewed power very lightly. Regarding Jia Xingtian's wariness of the Cloud Mist Sect, he also turned a blind eye.
Because Yun Shan knew that internal strife was meaningless. The Jia Ma Empire was already weak, surrounded by the Izumo Empire, the Jin Yan Empire, the Mulan Empire, and the Snake-Human Tribe, all coveting it.
The Jia Ma Empire could not afford internal strife.
Xiao Li also roughly guessed that Yun Shan's personality was originally quite good. He probably had been tampered with by the Protector Wu of the Hall of Souls when he Breakthrough to Dou Zong, after all, the Hall of Souls was far ahead in Soul-related methods.
What a lot of troubles! In about fifty or sixty years, Hun Tiandi would also sacrifice the continent to Breakthrough to Dou Di, which was really troublesome.
'Fortunately, there's still Xiao Yan! With Xiao Yan as a fallback, things aren't the worst. As long as I don't court death, I'll endure until Xiao Yan becomes an Emperor. Once the Dou Di Bloodline is activated, I can directly lie down until I reach Dou Sheng. By then, going to the Major Thousand Worlds and being a second-in-command in the Endless Fire Domain wouldn't be bad either.'
Xiao Li had already planned his grand scheme of lying flat. Struggling? Hilarious! He would never struggle in this life; he would just secretly develop and maintain his lifestyle like this.
Let Xiao Yan do the struggling.