Chapter 408

Chapter 408: Returning to the Jade Pool

Fang Lie’s current strength far surpassed his previous capabilities. His hundred-mile Qi Sea might not impress true Talents, but it still placed him among the Inner Elite Disciples, marking him as a capable Cultivator.

With this growth, his inherited true fire grew stronger alongside him, its power multiplying several times over. Now he could refine entire piles of spirit herbs into Spirit Liquid with shocking efficiency.

Though these herbs appeared abundant, their low maturity made them cheap – each plant worth mere spirit stones. A thousand-herb pile barely reached ten thousand low-grade spirit stones in value.

Yet when Fang Lie refined such a pile into a single drop of Spirit Liquid, its worth rivaled thousand-year spiritual items, commanding prices from millions to tens of millions of spirit stones. During shortages, transactions even required small spirit pearls due to sky-high demand.

This single refining skill made Fang Lie wealthier than entire nations.

The crafty Mo Qianxun had maximized this opportunity, emptying Mo Sect’s warehouses and purchasing external herb stocks at premium prices. If fully refined, this mountain of materials could supply Mo Sect’s dozen Alchemists for years.

From this transaction, Fang Lie’s profits left even Mo Wanfang astonished. Though hundreds of years old and the Sect Leader successor, Mo Wanfang’s lifetime earnings paled against Fang Lie’s single deal.

While envy burned, Mo Wanfang knew no remedy existed – the Nirvana fire belonged solely to Fang Lie, an Ultimate Skill without equal.

Though not invincible (Thunder Tribulation Immortals could theoretically seize inherited true fires), Fang Lie’s defenses proved formidable. Weak enemies couldn’t defeat him, while Powerful Beings feared retaliation through tools like the Kunlun Sword Token.

Even Mo Wanfang had once schemed for the Nirvana fire, but abandoned plans upon realizing the Benevolence Token’s protection. "With that token backing him and his undying body," he mused bitterly, "even Semi-Immortals would kneel. Has this rascal achieved unconventional invincibility?"

The colossal herb stock required two months of nonstop work to process. The resulting Jade Bottle mountain contained enough Spirit Liquid to keep Mo Sect’s Alchemists busy for years.

Fang Lie understood at least a third would go to Xuan Sect for high-grade spirit pills beyond Mo Sect’s capabilities – an unavoidable compromise when sect Higher-ups needed what their Alchemists couldn’t produce.

He accepted this, but demanded half profits from any pills using his Spirit Liquid. Defaulters would face the Benevolence Token’s judgment.

After three days’ exhausted sleep, Fang Lie requested closed-door training. Mo Wanfang led him to the Jade Pool, presenting three bottles reluctantly: "Jade Spirit Pills, Sixth-rank. Made from spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Take one every few days – these should last months."

Raw consumption only absorbed 10% potency versus 50% in pill form, but Fang Lie previously lacked means to refine them. Now, Mo Sect’s senior Alchemists provided these supreme pills freely – each batch taking years to create, using rare materials and master crafters.

These bottles represented most of Mo Sect’s reserves. Even other Core Inner Gate Disciples couldn’t access such quantities – only Mo Lanyun shared this privilege.

With such benefits, Fang Lie was naturally delighted and wasted no time entering the Jade Pool.

Reentering the Jade Pool after a year, Fang Lie felt like he’d stepped into an entirely unfamiliar place.

He found himself standing on an endless expanse of water – water that was actually Spirit Liquid, entirely condensed from Spiritual Energy!

Had he not seen it himself, Fang Lie would never have believed such a thing existed.

Now he truly understood why Bird Bro called his previous Jade Pool experience "some remote corner". Though the spiritual mists he’d seen before were impressive, they paled in comparison to this.

This place wasn’t just water. Countless lotus flowers dotted the surface.

When teleported in, Fang Lie appeared directly on a lotus leaf several feet wide. The emerald-green leaf beneath him bore winding veins that seemed to contain hidden truths of the Dao.

A refreshing coolness spread through his body when he touched it, like eating ice during summer’s peak. Nearby, basin-sized lotuses emitted an invigorating fragrance that sharpened the mind. Combined, these effects created an immortal realm atmosphere perfect for cultivation – achieving double the results with half the effort.

Though unfamiliar with these lotuses, Fang Lie recognized their value. "Bird Bro, what lotuses are these?"

"Special Pure Lotuses, each over ten thousand years old – among the best cultivation aids," Bird Bro replied. "Tens of thousands of acres left by Mo Ancestor, forming Mo Sect’s true foundation!"

"Impressive," Fang Lie said wryly. "Few qualify to come here, I suppose?"

"Inner Elite Disciples may enter a few times in their lives. Only Core Inner Gate Disciples and Elders can come freely." Bird Bro chuckled. "You’re only here thanks to my face!"

"Benefits given just to make me work?" Fang Lie scoffed. "The sect won’t risk their precious Core Inner Gate Disciples on Suppressing a Small Demon Cave, so they’re rushing my cultivation!"

"Regardless, you benefit," Bird Bro countered. "The altar’s ready. Refine it first before cultivating."

A black disc appeared – one zhang wide and one chi thick. Its pitted, uneven surface looked ancient rather than newly made. Strangely, this treasure showed neither divine patterns nor Divine Marrow.

"You made this ugly thing from precious materials?" Fang Lie frowned.

"Genuine Eighth-rank Treasure!" Bird Bro declared proudly. "Consumed many Wonderful Bodhi Fruits! This is divine object that hides its brilliance. You’ll understand its power after refining!"

Though skeptical, Fang Lie began Blood forging. His low strength prevented normal refining, but as a life-bound treasure containing his blood essence, blood ritual worked.

The process proved agonizing. Initial blood offerings vanished without response. Relying on Nirvana fire’s reincarnation power to regenerate blood, Fang Lie slit his wrist, sustaining the flow for three days until faint connection emerged.

Persisting over a month, losing hundreds of thousands of pounds of blood, Fang Lie finally completed the basic refinement.