Ling Feng and his companions quickly returned to Tianwei Academy, and after parting ways, Ling Feng took Tuoba Yan to Yan Cangtian's medicinal herb garden.
Given the troublesome habits of the despicable donkey, it was hard to feel at ease.
Sure enough, when Ling Feng arrived at the medicinal herb garden, he saw only little Qiongqi and Yan Cangtian. The despicable donkey had already vanished without a trace.
It turned out that on the second day after Ling Feng left, the despicable donkey had left little Qiongqi with Yan Cangtian and then swaggered out of Tianwei Academy.
Yan Cangtian, despite being an emperor level like the donkey, was powerless to stop it.
"That despicable donkey!"
Ling Feng rolled his eyes, wondering what kind of mess the donkey might cause in the imperial capital.
He remembered the scene in the auction hall of the Tianmeng Chamber of Commerce, where the donkey, with a single bout of mischief, had thrown the entire place into chaos until a supreme elder had to step in and suppress it.
If Ling Feng hadn't managed to "redeem" the donkey with some ancient pill formulas, it would likely have already ended up as donkey meat.
"Relax," Yan Cangtian chuckled, "Though the black donkey is indeed somewhat unruly, it's still a demon emperor; ordinary people won't be able to handle it so easily."
Ling Feng shook his head with a wry smile. He wasn't worried about the donkey's safety; he just feared that its antics would ultimately lead to trouble he'd have to clean up later.
That would be a pain in the ass!
Through the spirit animal pact, Ling Feng could sense that the despicable donkey wasn't in any immediate danger. However, it seemed to have wandered far from the imperial capital, making the connection between them weak. He couldn't use the spirit pet summons to directly call it back.
"Forget it, let it be. Once the donkey has had enough fun, it will return on its own."
Ling Feng sighed, looking over at little Qiongqi. Even if the donkey didn't care for the valuable items in the Five Elements Heavenly Palace, it wouldn't want to leave little Qiongqi behind.
"Kid, it's only been ten days, but you look much more energetic!"
Yan Cangtian clapped Ling Feng on the shoulder, noticing that he had grown a bit taller. And with just that light touch, he felt a force push back, as if Ling Feng's body had been tempered into a formidable weapon.
"Tsk tsk tsk, incredible!"
Yan Cangtian looked at his hand in shock, staring at Ling Feng. "Come on, kid, what kind of opportunities did you come across in the Battlefield of the Gods and Demons?"
"The gains were considerable," Ling Feng replied, smiling as he recounted his experiences in the Battlefield of the Gods and Demons. Yan Cangtian listened in amazement: the supreme god pill that had taken thousands of years to refine, the plundering of the scripture depository of the ancient Huangji Sect—Yan Cangtian was utterly astonished.
If Ling Feng had the strength to sweep through his opponents, it might have been understandable, but his skill level was merely average among his peers, yet he had become the biggest winner in the Huangji Sect ruins.
This feat required intelligence, strategy, courage, and fortune—all indispensable!
Yan Cangtian took a deep breath. Having witnessed Ling Feng's many miracles, he quickly accepted the facts. Yan Cangtian wouldn't be too surprised if Ling Feng were to tear the heavens apart.
"Elder Yan, could you take a look at this pill? Do you recognize it?"
Ling Feng took out the supreme god pill that had endured a pill tribulation and placed it in front of Yan Cangtian. While his alchemy skills had surpassed Yan Cangtian's, he still respected the senior's knowledge and experience.
Yan Cangtian studied the pill carefully for a long while before shaking his head. "A pill capable of triggering a Blood Echelon pill tribulation undoubtedly surpasses the tenth-tier. But as for its exact nature, I'll need more time to research."
"From the spiritual energy alone, I'd suggest you refrain from taking this pill hastily. It would be unfortunate if you suffer a fatal reaction."
"I understand," Ling Feng nodded. "Elder Yan, there are ten pills in total—eight completed, and two half-finished. I've already distributed six; I would like you to have one of them."
Yan Cangtian took a deep breath. Refusing such a pill would be insincere, but he suppressed his urge and said, "Let's store it here for now. Once I understand its properties better, we can decide if it's safe to consume. There are numerous ancient texts in the Alchemist Guild, and there might be references to the ancient Huangji Sect."
"The Alchemist Guild?" Ling Feng nodded. "Good, I'll check it out when I have time."
"Leave this matter to me," Yan Cangtian said as he carefully stored the supreme god pill. "In a few days, registration will open for the Five Courts' Sword Team Grand Competition. You probably won't have much free time, so leave this to me."
"Uh..." Ling Feng gave a fist-and-palm salute. "Thank you, Elder Yan."
"You brat..." Yan Cangtian rolled his eyes. "Giving me such a precious pill and then thanking me? Where do you expect me to save face?"
Ling Feng raised his brows. "You've always taken care of me, Elder Yan, and I should repay the kindness."
After hesitating a moment, Ling Feng decided to tell Yan Cangtian about the Divine Desolation Treasure Box. With his current level of insight, he had no clue how to open the box, but perhaps a senior like Yan Cangtian could provide some clues.
"Elder Yan, have you ever heard of the Divine Desolation Treasure Box?"
"What did you say?" Yan Cangtian's pupils shrunk as he nearly jumped in shock.
"Divine Desolation Treasure Box." Ling Feng repeated.
Yan Cangtian swallowed hard, hastily closing all the windows and doors and casting multiple barriers. He even looked at Tuoba Yan, wondering if he should knock her out.
"Don't worry, Elder Yan. Miss Tuoba already knows."
Ling Feng touched his nose. He hadn't even told Jiang Xiaofan and the others about the Divine Desolation Treasure Box. But since Tuoba Yan had already heard about it from Shen Lang, there was no need to hide it from her.
Besides, their relationship...
How to put it, in a sense, she was his... weapon.
"Well, since you trust her so much, I won't say anything more," Yan Cangtian said solemnly. "Kid, the words 'Divine Desolation Treasure Box'—don't mention them lightly. It could very well bring disaster!"
"Is it really that serious?" Ling Feng asked, taken aback.
"More than serious! The Divine Desolation Treasure Box represents the opportunity for immortality! Every martial artist on this continent dreams of reaching the pinnacle of martial arts and ascending."
Ling Feng's eyelids twitched as he saw Yan Cangtian's cautious expression. It was clear that he indeed knew something.