Chapter 1186: Ring Liquid Formation

Chapter 1187: Liquid Formed in the Cauldron

Heaven's Village was a tranquil small world, created by ancient sages. It boasted beautiful peaks, numerous spiritual springs and silver waterfalls, spectacular valley walls, and ancient pines rooted firmly, presenting a magnificent landscape.

At this moment, a cauldron floated, enveloped by a hazy mist, and emitting an invigorating medicinal fragrance.

The refining of the Ultimate Evolution Fluid officially began. Ye Fan and his companions wasted no time; as soon as the divine materials were gathered, they immediately commenced the process. Primary ingredients such as Fated Divine Rock, Heart of the Death Realm, Primordial Life Stone, Immortal Elixir, and divine blood were added one after another, followed by dozens to hundreds of auxiliary materials. Each was priceless, and now all were being melted in a single furnace.

When selecting the refining furnace, the group specifically debated the choice. Initially, the Goddess Furnace was considered, but it was later rejected. Although it was an ancient Great Sage's precious furnace, forged with the help of Emperor Hengyu, it was not suitable for refining medicine. It possessed too much fierce power and domineering aura, lacking serenity. Its fiery nature was too strong, designed for attack.

Ultimately, everyone unanimously decided to use Ye Fan's cauldron. It was perfectly suited for extracting the evolution fluid. This was because the Mother Qi of All Things was itself a supreme and divine immortal qi from the era of creation. It could potentially play a crucial catalytic role in refining the precious fluid.

Furthermore, the Goddess Furnace was not chosen because it was not a dedicated medicinal furnace. It carried too much killing intent, having slain countless experts over the years without ever being cleansed or refined. Ye Fan's cauldron, however, was different. As the Mother Qi of All Things, it was never tainted by worldly dust and naturally repelled death qi, transcending the mortal world. Whether used as a weapon or a medicinal cauldron, this cauldron was supreme. It was likely that Great Emperor Ruthless had given it thorough consideration when she selected it.

Spiritual springs gurgled, ancient pines stood tall, and a silver moon hung high. Heaven's Village was utterly silent. The great cauldron floated, captivating many who had no intention of sleeping. They all stared, knowing it would take months, yet still immensely excited as it held their hopes.

The Mother Qi of All Things circulated, drawing in the sun, moon, and stars from the heavens. Streaks of starlight descended, eventually forming a vast expanse of white light that flowed into the cauldron. The area shimmered with clouds and mists, and the cauldron was enveloped by immortal qi, nurturing boundless vitality. Various Dao lights flickered, making it appear mysterious and unfathomable.

The extraction of the Ultimate Evolution Fluid proceeded smoothly. Dedicated personnel guarded it at all times, allowing no room for error, as the people of Heaven's Village valued it immensely. To this end, the Killing Saint sat cross-legged beneath an ancient tree. As leaves fell and ancient vines swayed, he remained motionless, as if petrified. The Ultimate Evolution Fluid was of immense importance, potentially allowing the Heavenly Court to soar and determining the future of their legacy. He personally guarded it, intending to remain still for several months. Others followed suit, taking turns to guard it daily. The Big Black Dog, in particular, was fervently eager, drooling almost constantly and staying by its side without moving an inch.

The captives from the Twelve Royal Clans were astonished. They never imagined that the group could gather the divine materials to refine the fourth-stage evolution fluid; it was nothing short of a miracle. In their Eternal Dynasty, even the most powerful factions would spend decades, even centuries, preparing to open a furnace, scouring ancient star regions just to find the required divine minerals. Here, it seemed they could begin refining as soon as they wished.

Several important captives from the Eternal Dynasty were allowed to observe the Mother Qi of All Things cauldron and stand guard, as their opinions might be needed at times. However, Ye Fan and his group did not fully trust them; dedicated personnel would monitor their spiritual seas to correct any flaws in the refining process. For the first few days, everyone stayed by its side. After half a month, they finally regained their composure and began to attend to their own affairs. Extracting the fourth-stage evolution fluid was not simple; it was an extremely complex process. Even using the methods of ancient divine alchemists, it would take at least four months.

In recent days, the outside world grew more turbulent. Numerous bloodshed incidents occurred as various factions contended for divine minerals. The matter of the evolution fluid was no longer a secret; everyone knew about it. However, no single faction could refine it independently, as they simply could not gather the most crucial primary ingredients.

Waging war and launching attacks became a widespread consensus, turning into a storm! All the major Ancient Royal Clans wished to embark on an expedition, to attack and seize the Eternal Homeworld. For revenge and to obtain the Ultimate Bloodline Evolution Fluid, it was worth venturing into the starry sky. The people of Heaven's Village, however, became completely calm. Li Heishui, Li Tian, the Big Black Dog, and others were quite composed, occasionally venturing out to seek treasures, adopting a relaxed 'the more, the merrier' attitude when searching for minerals.

Ye Fan had been away for two years, which wasn't a long time. Once the refining process in Heaven's Village was on track and everything stabilized, he began visiting old acquaintances. Unfortunately, figures like Gai Jiuyou and God King Jiang were like 'dragons whose heads are seen but not their tails' – impossible to find, with no news of their whereabouts. Afterward, he went to the Demon Clan's stronghold to meet figures like Daoist Red Dragon and Peacock King. He also secretly visited the Jiang family to see Xiao Tingting, which greatly excited her, and made a trip to Jade Lake to visit friends and observe the Nine-Orifice Divine Embryo. His footprints also covered the Western Desert, Southern Ridge, Central Plains, and Northern Plains. However, he did not see An Miaoyi in the Buddhist Kingdom; she had sealed herself within a nine-story stone pagoda, having been in secluded cultivation for two years.

In the Southern Domain, at Taixuan's Clumsy Peak, weeds grew profusely among broken walls and crumbling ruins; the scenery remained unchanged. Zhang Wenchang's cultivation progress was truly slow. After so many years, he was still in the Dragon Transformation realm, having not yet ascended to the Immortal Platform. This left Ye Fan rather speechless. However, upon careful observation, he discovered that Zhang Wenchang's Dao foundation was incredibly solid, perhaps even excessively so, having been built up brick by brick. Just as Ye Fan was strict with Xiao Song, Li Ruoyu did not allow Zhang Wenchang to break through easily, ensuring every step was taken with utmost stability!

Upon meeting again, Zhang Wenchang exuded a newfound composure. He could calmly discuss his wife, children, and parents. His temples were streaked with frost, and his eyes held a weariness born of experience.

"If there was an opportunity to return, would you go?" Ye Fan asked.

Currently, Heaven's Village possessed two motherships capable of spatial leaps. He knew Earth's coordinates in the starry sky, so returning was naturally possible. However, if he wished to return, strict secrecy was paramount, and no one else could follow. He didn't want to become a sinner, as bringing the flames of war there would lead to immense trouble. Moreover, he was slightly uneasy about the motherships, fearing an unbreakable link between their hulls and the Eternal Homeworld. If they were discovered, it could spell disaster.

"Returning wouldn't change anything now. My child has grown, and my wife has another family. My appearance before them would only add to their sorrow. Rather than that..." Zhang Wenchang fell silent here. He had changed greatly, no longer lost in unshakeable nostalgia for the past. Now, many things in his heart seemed to have been released.

"Someday, I will return, but only to gaze at them from afar, just one glance. I... I won't appear, won't meet them." Zhang Wenchang's voice grew softer as he spoke, finally shedding tears.

Finally, Zhang Wenchang took out a scripture. It contained a vast array of topics: flora and fauna, ancient medicinal plant cultivation... diverse subjects meant for cultivating one's character, refining the Dao, and nourishing the spirit. This was an ancient scripture, gifted to Ye Fan by Princess Yudie of the Central Plains. It recorded the methods of the Great Dao of Nature, and he had in turn given it to Li Ruoyu. Years ago, Li Ruoyu had said that when Ye Fan was close to assaulting the Saint realm, he could return here to retrieve it. Li Ruoyu had long since departed to wander the world. Before leaving, he told Zhang Wenchang to return this scripture to Ye Fan if he came back from the starry sky.

Ye Fan departed, walking across the land, observing the sun, moon, rivers, and mountains. He ventured into deep mountains and vast swamps, searching for dragon lairs. A great war was coming, and the Beidou Star Domain would be the main battlefield. All of it was for that "Immortal."

"The Path to Immortality..."

Ye Fan began to think long-term. He was destined to become a Source Celestial Master, separated by only a thin line. The mountains, rivers, and lands would all become weapons in his hands, and he now observed them carefully. He met many friends. He had only been away for two years, which wasn't a long time, and he had no particular worries. Yet, deep down, he felt a sense of unease. He thought of a little girl and, before he knew it, found himself in Yan Country, where he had first met Xiao Niangniang. But now, the city was ruined, and its people gone, leaving only desolation. So many years had passed, and she seemed to have vanished without a trace. Even the Black Emperor had almost overturned the earth, yet he could not find a trace of her. Ye Fan offered rewards of immortal materials like Phoenix Blood Red Gold and Immortal Tear Green Gold, but still no one could provide any valuable clues, apart from those attempting to deceive him.

"Expedition to Eternal!"

The Ancient Royal Clans finally took action. The first wave of the expeditionary army had assembled. Due to the limited number of motherships, this was a multi-ethnic allied force! The ancient clans did not immediately launch a full-scale assault. This first group was primarily for reconnaissance. Although they boasted that the people of the Eternal Homeworld were mere ants, they did not dare to be careless. After all, in the last great war, the Eternal Homeworld had annihilated some Ancestral Kings of the ancient clans and even completely wiped out some races, making them apprehensive.

"Great chaos is about to erupt. Are the two great civilization systems finally going to collide?" Ye Fan personally witnessed the ancient allied army depart. The ancient clans were formidable, with experts as numerous as trees in a forest. However, if this reconnaissance group stirred up trouble there, they might not necessarily gain an advantage, as the Eternal Dynasty had produced divine beings in ancient times!

"It's done! The first stage of the evolution fluid has been refined!" Cheers erupted from Heaven's Village. The Mother Qi of All Things cauldron was enveloped in immortal mist, spewing forth auspicious multicolored light. The precious liquid gleamed, splashing high, captivating everyone.

"Collect the initial fluid, and continue extracting the second stage of the evolution fluid!"

From that day forward, Li Heishui, Li Tian, Yan Yixi, and others began their secluded cultivation, using the first-stage evolution fluid to assault higher realms. As for the Saint Prince and Ji Zi, at least the second stage or higher evolution fluid would be effective for them. Given their bloodline and strength, they could only wait for now. Ye Tong was at a critical juncture for 'Slaying the Dao' and was not permitted to use this precious liquid. His future was boundless, and such a hurdle required enlightenment, not reliance on external forces; he had to overcome it himself.

Another month passed, and the second-stage evolution fluid was successfully refined. Ji Zi and the Saint Prince entered secluded cultivation, preparing for breakthroughs just as Ye Fan had done in the past! In the third month, the Mother Qi of All Things cauldron floated in the mountains, emitting billions of rays of rosy light. Various auspicious phenomena appeared: azure dragons, immortal phoenixes, flying immortals, and ancient gods emerged together. The Great Dao rumbled, and brilliant light shone everywhere as an even higher-stage evolution fluid was successfully refined.