Chapter 955: Rejuvenating Yang Water and Solar Essence Fire

A Mortal's Journey to Immortality

Han Li stared at the flashing silver bead and asked, "It's so rare; this thing must have something special about it, right?"

"It's much more than just a little special!" Grandmaster Dayan replied. "For us cultivators, it's fine; mostly, it's just used as a top-tier auxiliary material for refining magic tools and pills. But if it falls into the hands of the demon race, they would fight to the death for it without hesitation. This is an excellent life-saving item for demon beasts undergoing the transformation lightning tribulation."

"The demon race's transformation lightning tribulation?" Even though Han Li was mentally prepared, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment upon hearing this.

"That's right. In this world, high-level demon beasts are countless, but only a handful can reach the seventh-tier peak and safely pass the transformation tribulation. After all, the power of heavenly lightning inherently restrains most demon beasts, so for them, lightning tribulations are almost equivalent to death tribulations. However, if a demon beast undergoing tribulation consumes a drop of the silver bead formed from Cold Marrow beforehand, after refining it, the power of lightning will be greatly weakened against its demon body for a certain period. This Cold Marrow is incredibly precious to these demon beasts. However, not many human cultivators in the cultivation world know about this item. The Northern Night Minor Pole Palace has a very peculiar cold attribute; when I traveled through Great Jin back then, I once fought with high-level cultivators from their palace, which is how I came to recognize this item. Moreover, it's said that every thousand years or so, some high-level demon beasts within Great Jin secretly gather at the Northern Nether Ice Island, where the Minor Pole Palace is located, and desperately attack the Northern Night Minor Pole Palace, all to force the palace cultivators to hand over some Cold Marrow."

"Such a thing exists?" Han Li found it a bit hard to believe.

"What's strange about that?" Grandmaster Dayan asked. "Without Cold Marrow, they're almost certainly doomed when undergoing the transformation tribulation. If they're lucky enough to obtain a drop, their chances of successfully passing the lightning tribulation immediately increase greatly. How could they not try their best? Moreover, whenever this happens, those old monsters from Myriad Demon Valley also take the initiative to lead the charge. Even if the attack fails, these demon beasts won't suffer much damage. It's just that the Northern Night Minor Pole Palace inherited from an ancient powerful cultivator, and several forbidden arrays passed down from ancient times are extraordinary. Especially since this island is located above a cold eye of the Heavenly Origin Vein, the bone-chilling cold energy within a ten-thousand-mile radius can kill invisibly. Demon beasts without a cold attribute will have almost half their spiritual power consumed just to resist the invasion of cold qi upon entering this island, making them unable to fight with full strength against the cultivators of the Northern Night Minor Pole Palace. Therefore, although demon cultivators arrive aggressively each time, they have never truly conquered Northern Nether Island. But since this spirit liquid is so precious, how did the guy you killed get it? Check if there are any special markings on this small bottle." After explaining to Han Li, Grandmaster Dayan became a little puzzled.

"Markings?" Han Li's expression shifted; he stretched out a finger and touched the bottom of the bottle, then said, "There's a snowflake-shaped pattern on the bottom of this small bottle; I wonder if that counts as a marking?"

"Then there's no mistake; it's indeed the marking of Northern Nether Island. It seems this bottle contains the Cold Marrow from the Minor Pole Palace. But it's rather strange that it would end up in the hands of an early Nascent Soul cultivator and be so casually placed in a storage bag." Grandmaster Dayan seemed to be pondering the difficult aspects of the situation.

"Nothing strange or bizarre is impossible in this world," Han Li mused. "Perhaps this item was stolen from Northern Nether Island, or maybe a cultivator from Northern Nether Island absconded with the treasure and it then coincidentally fell into that person's hands. All of these are possible. But you just said that for us cultivators, this Cold Marrow can only be used as an auxiliary material for refining magic tools and pills. If that's the case, why would the cultivators of the Northern Night Minor Pole Palace, for generations, fight against numerous demon beasts over this item? Wouldn't it be simpler to just hand it over?" He asked with a frown after pondering for a moment.

"Some cultivators in Great Jin who were aware of the situation also had this question," Grandmaster Dayan began. "But the Minor Pole Palace's official statement was that it was to restrain the existence of demon beasts above the eighth-tier in the cultivation world, thereby maintaining the stability of Great Jin. Otherwise, this small bottle of Cold Marrow would be enough to give rise to dozens of eighth-tier demon beasts. This force would be enough to break the balance of power among several factions in Great Jin and thus cause chaos. However, this explanation can only fool ordinary people. The Minor Pole Palace cultivator who fought with me back then had a high status; he seemed to be a Vice Palace Master. Because he spoke disrespectfully, after he lost the fight and was killed by me, I 'treated' him well with a soul-searching technique. As a result, I unintentionally obtained a secret about the Cold Marrow." Grandmaster Dayan paused, his voice trailing off, seemingly lost in thought.

"A secret?" Han Li's eyebrow twitched, and he became very interested.

"That's right. If I hadn't seen this Cold Marrow, I would have almost forgotten about it. This matter is probably unknown to anyone outside of a few individuals in the Northern Night Minor Pole Palace. In fact, besides being used as a material for refining artifacts and pills, the most important use of Cold Marrow is as the primary ingredient for refining the ancient secret medicine, 'True Rejuvenation Water'." Grandmaster Dayan said, his voice turning solemn.

"Rejuvenation Water? Is that the secret medicine that can grow flesh on bones and endlessly repair?" Han Li gasped, startled.

"That's right. It is said that no matter how severe the injury to the body, even if it's torn into pieces or the head is separated from the body, as long as this spiritual medicine is sprinkled on the injury, it can instantly restore it to its original state. Some ancient texts even say this spiritual medicine has the miraculous effect of raising the dead. Of course, these are all rumors; no one knows if they're true or false. But one thing is universally acknowledged in all ancient texts: Rejuvenation Water has the miraculous effect of extending a cultivator's lifespan, and it can extend an ordinary cultivator's lifespan by a full quarter. You know what this means, right?" Grandmaster Dayan said calmly.

"This means that some late Core Formation cultivators will have a chance to advance to the Nascent Soul stage, and late Nascent Soul grand cultivators will very likely enter the Spirit Transformation stage," Han Li exhaled and murmured.

"Of course, this Cold Marrow is just one of the main ingredients for refining True Rejuvenation Water. If you truly want to refine this water, other ingredients are secondary; the Solar Essence Fire, located deep beneath ten thousand feet of lava, is absolutely indispensable. Only Cold Marrow refined with this fire can be considered 'yang-adjusted' and capable of being used to refine Rejuvenation Water. Otherwise, it would just be a waste of this item," Grandmaster Dayan said meaningfully.

"Solar Essence Fire? Where would one even find that?" Han Li muttered to himself. "Not to mention how long an ordinary cultivator could endure beneath ten thousand feet of lava? What are the chances of this fire forming within ten thousand miles of lava? Once Solar Essence Fire forms, it's like it gains sentience, moving through the lava without a trace; how could one possibly capture it? Moreover, even if one had this fire, without the formula for Rejuvenation Water, it would still be futile."

Grandmaster Dayan fell silent upon hearing this, only slowly speaking after a long while: "I have no means regarding Solar Essence Fire, but I do have the formula here. Daoist Han, have you forgotten the Vice Palace Master of the Minor Pole Palace whom I killed back then? His divine sense just happened to contain this formula. I found it a bit rare at the time, so I casually copied it down. If you truly want to refine this spiritual medicine, I can provide it to you."

"Senior has this formula; this is truly excellent! Then I will keep it for now. Perhaps I might truly use it in the future." Han Li was startled upon hearing Grandmaster Dayan's words, then became both surprised and delighted. With True Rejuvenation Water, his chances of advancing to the Spirit Transformation stage would naturally increase greatly.

"That Solar Essence Fire is simply not something cultivators like us can capture. I advise you not to place too much hope on it. Otherwise, why would the cultivators of the Northern Night Minor Pole Palace, powerful cultivators across generations, possess this formula and Cold Marrow for so many years, yet never have refined this spiritual water?" Grandmaster Dayan said calmly. Then, without waiting for Han Li to say anything, a pale yellow jade slip flew out from his bamboo tube. He had actually transcribed the Rejuvenation Water formula so quickly.

"Many thanks, Senior. I am just preparing for any eventuality," Han Li replied with a faint smile, grabbing the jade slip.

"Since your Snow Crystal Orb is also refined from ten-thousand-year profound jade, if you can incorporate a few drops of Cold Marrow into it, you can greatly increase its spiritual nature and power. Don't forget that," Grandmaster Dayan reminded him one last time. Then, feeling he had said enough for the day, he fell silent.

Han Li's eyebrow twitched slightly; even if Grandmaster Dayan hadn't mentioned it, he would have done so.

However, Han Li was still very curious about one thing: the terrifying cold qi emitted by this Cold Marrow. He wondered if his Violet-Patterned Extremity Flame could absorb and fuse with it, thereby making his flame even more powerful.

Thinking this, Han Li poured the silver bead from the jade plate back into the small bottle. He then unceremoniously spread his five fingers, and a ball of purple flame instantly appeared in his hand. With a flip of his hand, the purple fireball immediately transformed into a small light screen, sealing the mouth of the bottle.

Then, with his other hand, he formed a hand seal and murmured incantations under his breath.

The purple flame glowed with a flash. Amidst the incantation, the threads of flame on the light screen began to spin on their own, becoming increasingly frantic and fast.

A moment later, a wisp of glittering silver cold qi slowly emerged from the bottle's mouth, fantastically gorgeous.

Han Li let out a low shout and projected a green hand seal.

As soon as the light screen absorbed this hand seal, it immediately trembled and transformed back into a fist-sized fireball. The wisp of cold qi was tightly enveloped within it, completely sealed.

Han Li then recapped the small bottle. With his other hand, he beckoned to the purple flame fireball, which flashed and instantly shot towards him.

Opening his mouth, Han Li actually swallowed the purple fireball along with the silver cold qi directly into his abdomen. Then he sat cross-legged on the ground and slowly closed his eyes.

At this moment, in Han Li's dantian, the two-inch-tall Nascent Soul opened its exceptionally clear eyes.

In front of it, the purple fireball slowly rotated, and within it, a silver mass flickered continuously.

The Nascent Soul blinked. Immediately, its small hand formed a seal, and a brilliant green spiritual light burst forth from its body as spell seals shot out from its hand, one after another.

The purple fireball roared, completely igniting. The silver light mass within it also transformed into silver flames, beginning to interweave and merge with the purple flame.

Meanwhile, Han Li's main body remained expressionless, having completely entered a state of unmoving meditation.