Zhang Yan soared through the clouds, days flashing by in his journey.
As he traversed the boundless mountains and rivers between the Two Continent Border, admiring landscapes akin to paintings of immortal beauty, his heart swelled with emotion. If he were merely a mortal, he would have gazed longingly at the green expanse, sighing in vain. How could he have journeyed , riding the wind for ten thousand miles, roaming freely within the heavens and earth?
Since departing the Mingcang Sect’s mountain gate, twenty full years have passed. Now, with his mastery of alchemy achieved, he is far different from his days in the Xuan Guang Realm. With every movement of his hands or feet, scenic mist and shadow accompany him, illusionary fog trailing his steps.
Once cultivators step into the Hua Dan Realm, their essence qi and mysterious light are all transformed into elixir essence poison. When it flows and revolves, it appears as flying mist and drifting haze, auspicious clouds and divine vapor—truly ethereal and unworldly, light and transcendent, displaying the presence of an Immortal.
On the lofty expanse above the Yun Tian, at the intersection of the northeast Two Continent Border, countless Gang Winds rage violently. Clouds alternate like dragons and tigers, roaring in tumultuous waves. When Zhang Yan first arrived here, even stabilizing his tunneling light was a formidable challenge. But now, he leisurely glides through the azure sky as if it were no effort at all, moving freely without encountering the slightest obstacle.
As he flew onward, his gaze swept across and suddenly caught sight of a towering and perilous mountain. The steep peak jutted fiercely into the sky, its sheer cliffs standing several thousand feet tall, radiating an unparalleled majesty.
Zhang Yan couldn’t help but praise it inwardly, then descended from his cloud to land upon the summit. Watching the ocean of clouds churn like boundless waves, stretching and rolling endlessly, transforming and intertwining with wind and weather, his heart slowly calmed. A gentle smile formed at the corners of his mouth as he savored the myriad marvels bestowed by elixir formation.
Extending his palm, he fixed his gaze upon it. From his acupoint, a wisp of white smoke floated forth. Guided by his thoughts, it transformed into many forms—a flying horse, a white elephant, a ferocious bird, a flood dragon, and countless other shapes.
Observing the smoke’s ability to expand and contract at will, effortlessly controlled, he nodded slightly in approval. Then, exerting more power, the trail of smoke surged forward, abruptly slicing a ravine through the sea of clouds in front of him.
Zhang Yan was astonished, marveling at the tremendous might of his elixir evil. He couldn’t help but ponder—if the Taiyin Golden Fire Xuan Light encountered smoke of this caliber, it would likely be scattered and defeated in mere moments.
He stood silently for a moment. Extending two fingers, a flick sent two streams of smoke flying forward. From one finger emanated a green mist, resembling Yan Lan; from the other, a blue haze, rippling like mist upon water. With a light application of his Mysterious Skill, these wisps of smoke instantly altered their hues, shifting between radiant colors. Yet, if his heart and spirit loosened even slightly, the brilliance would fade, reverting back to two coils of white smoke.
When cultivators are in the Xuan Guang Realm, due to cultivating the Xuan Seed, the mysterious light naturally aligns with one of the five elements. Upon solidifying the pill, the elixir evil similarly follows this principle. However, the attributes of elixir evil cannot be discerned solely from its outward appearance.
Zhang Yan recalled Fan Changqing once mentioning that, after elixir formation, many female cultivators prefer collecting various essences of refined sand to incorporate into their elixir evil. Though it does not enhance the power of the elixir evil, this technique adds an exquisite brilliance to their aura. Whether battling others or flying through the clouds, the evil qi they summon manifests an elegant and colorful splendor, dazzling and majestic in presence. The source of this content ɪs novel·fire.net
Zhang Yan, however, favored dark hues and had no desire to waste time seeking refined sand to alter the appearance of his evil qi. To him, those cultivators flying amidst roiling black clouds and oppressive mist resembled Demon Dao practitioners, unbefitting the Xuanmen Sect’s true orthodoxy—merely inviting unnecessary trouble.
With a faint smile, he swept his sleeve, dispersing the smoke. It spread rapidly, transforming into a vast smoky cloud that enveloped mountains and seas, merging with the ocean of clouds and surging endlessly.
At that moment, his face revealed a contemplative expression. After some time, he crossed his legs into a seated position and began cycling the Five Elements True Light.
A considerable amount of time passed before he concluded the spell, thinking to himself, "Indeed, after stepping into the Hua Dan Realm, cultivating this Five Elements True Light has grown much faster than before. With my current mana, I should be able to refine the Earth True Light to minor completion within just a few months. When I return to the sect, it will undoubtedly serve as an additional advantage in future disputes with others."
Previously, while at Shendu Peak, although he refined his acupoints daily, he never neglected this Dao Technique, dedicating himself to relentless cultivation. Looking at the progress of his cultivation now, he had accumulated five to six years of skill, only lacking one final step to breakthrough.
His heart yearned for a spot among the Top Ten Disciples, confident that fierce competition with fellow sect members was inevitable. The more techniques he possessed, the better prepared he would be. Furthermore, upon returning to the mountain gate, he anticipated being quite occupied for some time and unlikely to have the leisure required for cultivation. Thus, he resolved to dedicate more time outside the sect to hone his Dao Techniques and improve his skills before returning.
However, before heading back to the mountain gate, he still had a few matters to attend to.
The first was a promise made to Dong Jinzi. She had assisted him in safely escaping Qingcun Mountain, and in return, now that he has completed his elixir formation, he must deliver the One Qi Ganoderma to her as agreed.