I forge immortality with a pagoda.

The valley is deep and secluded, with gurgling springs and clear, bright water that reflects the sky and clouds, creating a shimmering spectacle.

Ancient trees tower all around, and occasionally a few pine squirrels nimbly leap among the branches, adding a touch of vitality.

However, amidst this serene scenery, a sizzling, charred mass of flesh and bone lay sprawled beside the spring, its sizzling flesh and bones constantly shrinking and turning black, wisps of foul smoke rising and emitting a pungent odor.

Several storage bags and a talisman sword were scattered on top of the filth.

Shen Yu was frowning slightly, rubbing his chin with his fingers.

"I never imagined that this Xuanqiong Pagoda could actually refine cultivators into pills..."

He first used this pagoda to refine wild beasts, and the finger-sized pills he took when breaking through to the Kaiyuan realm were obtained from it.

Later, it was used to deal with the Three-Tailed Rock Scorpion, which is also a type of demon beast.

Today, he had a sudden inspiration to use this refining light on cultivators, and unexpectedly, it was successful.

This puzzled Shen Yu.

This Refining Time technique is treacherous and ruthless. Not only can it refine another person's entire cultivation into pills, but it can also extract the user's life force.

It looks like a demonic technique no matter how you look at it.

The pagoda has an ancient and simple shape and a grand name, clearly belonging to the category of Taoist treasures.

Shen Yu shook his head, feeling somewhat helpless.

Pills made from demonic beasts are still edible and can be eaten as wild game.

But this elixir, refined from a human being, especially one created by a lewd and wicked person like Feng Xunqi…

Just thinking about it made me feel waves of turmoil in my chest and abdomen.

He said with some helplessness, "I'll save this pill for later and sell it for some money."

Shen Yu thought to herself.

The crackling sound stopped abruptly.

A deep blue pill floated in mid-air, supported by a beam of shimmering white light, making the pool of filth beneath it appear even more murky.

Shen Yu reached out and took the pill. The moment he touched it, a strange feeling stirred in his heart.

In a daze, it seemed as if a flash of inspiration swept through my mind, or as if a certain key point suddenly opened up.

A mysterious premonition arose spontaneously.

If you take this pill, you will surely receive an unexpected joy.

He was still hesitant.

If it were a female cultivator in disguise, I might be able to tolerate it, but Feng Xunqi's face...

Shen Yu choked, forcing back the nausea.

"It's nothing, just a wisp of pure inspiration!"

"Feng Xunqi has been completely annihilated, his very soul remains; this pill contains only the essence of his cultivation!"

"The filth and dregs have long since vanished!"

Shen Yu frantically tried to persuade herself in her heart, struggling several times.

Finally, I gritted my teeth and made up my mind.

He put the pill down his throat, then quickly tilted his head back and swallowed it whole.

As the elixir entered his abdomen, a surge of powerful spiritual energy instantly spread, nourishing his limbs and entire body.

Even more surprisingly, several fragmented insights into swordsmanship did indeed surface in my mind.

The fragments are scattered and difficult to piece together.

Shen Yu was initially pleasantly surprised, but then suddenly realized something was wrong.

"what?"

"The effect seems a bit lacking."

Where did the problem lie? He pondered deeply.

After a long while, he slapped his thigh.

The second level of the Xuanqiong Pagoda!

The pills refined by the demon beasts previously did not contain this kind of Daoist essence.

After absorbing the sun-patterned copper essence, the pagoda's power had already increased.

At this moment, looking inward at the spiritual platform, one can see a tiny, almost imperceptible glimmer of light flickering within the second layer of the tower. Although extremely weak, it stubbornly persists.

"It truly is the wondrous power of the Xuanqiong Pagoda."

Shen Yu became more and more excited as she thought about it.

He immediately sat down cross-legged, attempting to comprehend the shattered sword intent.

The sun and moon revolved, and three days passed in the blink of an eye. Shen Yu opened his eyes again and sighed helplessly.

Those fragments are ultimately too scattered to grasp the whole picture. Forcing oneself to comprehend them might only lead to going astray and causing harm.

"It seems that the only solution is to light up the entire second level of the Xuanqiong Taimiao Linglong Pagoda."

"Only then can one truly seize the enlightenment of others and transform it for one's own use."

He sighed deeply, realizing that this wasn't a waste of time after all.

The pure spiritual energy transformed from that elixir helped him to completely stabilize his third-level Kaiyuan realm.

...

"Fellow Daoist Shen!"

Lin Qing's voice came from the valley entrance, carrying a rare hint of urgency.

"What are you still doing here? I thought something had happened to you!"

She walked quickly closer, the arrogance between her brows fading considerably, replaced by a touch of gentleness.

"Thank you for your concern, Fellow Daoist Lin." Shen Yu stood up and bowed. "I had some insights during the battle just now, so I took the opportunity to reflect on them on the spot, hoping to gain some enlightenment."

"Did you find anything?"

Shen Yu shook his head and said with a wry smile, "The Great Dao is elusive; to be able to touch even its smallest details is already a fortunate thing."

Lin Qing nodded slightly, and then noticed the pile of filth not far from Shen Yu.

Judging from the fragments of clothing, they must have been left behind after Feng Xunqi was killed.

She felt a chill run down her spine, and suddenly the handsome man in front of her seemed even more mysterious.

It's unclear what move Shen Yu used this time to create this situation, as it's different from the wind and fire techniques and high-grade talismans he used before.

She felt somewhat relieved at that moment.

Luckily, I didn't go toe-to-toe with Shen Yu the other day, otherwise I might have really angered him...

She suddenly shivered.

Shen Yu asked with concern, "Fellow Daoist Lin, what's wrong? Have you caught a cold?"

Lin Qing came to her senses and exclaimed, "Fellow Daoist Shen is truly a remarkable person."

"Who doesn't know that once a cultivator reaches the Opening Yuan stage, they will never be afflicted with any mortal diseases for the rest of their lives?"

"Fellow Daoist Shen's methods are truly astonishing."

She pointed to the pile of filth and said bluntly.

Shen Yu smiled without saying a word.

Seeing that Shen Yu refused to explain, Lin Qing wisely stopped asking.

He then said, "I have completed the task entrusted to me by you, fellow Daoist. I deliberately appeared in many places in Liexing Valley over the past three days, and many cultivators can attest to that."

"That's good. Even if the Canglan Sect investigates afterward, they won't be able to find you to blame."

Lin Qing raised an eyebrow and said, "Fellow Daoist Shen, aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid?" Shen Yu shook his head, his tone calm yet sharp. "How could the Canglan Sect possibly find me? Even if they know it was me, what can they do to me?"

Lin Qing was taken aback, then sighed softly, "Fellow Daoist Shen is indeed extraordinary."

"Now that this matter is settled, we should head back," Shen Yu said, tossing Feng Xunqi's talisman sword to Lin Qing.

Lin Qing didn't stand on ceremony; with a pat on his Qiankun bag, he put the talisman sword inside.

After all, she had used seduction earlier, and it took her several days to recover from the disgust she had caused.

She took the talisman sword as a matter of course.

...

In an inn in the market town.

Lu Xiong was extremely anxious and paced back and forth.

A thick layer of cold sweat had already seeped from his forehead.

He knew perfectly well that his senior brother's physical strength wasn't that great.

Three days have passed and Feng Xunqi has still not returned, so he must have met with some misfortune.

How should he explain this to his Uncle Ning?

How should we find Senior Brother Feng next?

Lu Xiong also knew that his cultivation level was far too low.

Even knowing the location of the valley, they dared not venture into it to search.

If one acts rashly, one may end up getting hurt as well.

...

...