Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

Atop Mount Tai, the heavens suddenly ripped open, a torrent of chaotic light poured forth, the blazing sun vanished, and a blood-red crescent moon hung in the sky. A dark golden imperial chain descended from the crescent, piercing the clouds and striking the earth. The ground cracked open, creating deep ravines, and black, primordial energy surged forth. Ancient steles broke through the earth, imperial markings appeared, and a wordless imperial coffin slowly rose into the air. A shimmering imperial light pierced the gloom, reflecting the starry river of imperial power in the void. The phantom of an ancient emperor floated in the center of the storm, his boundless imperial might crushing down, causing mountains and rivers to tremble and all things to bow in submission…

As the astonishing phenomenon gradually dissipated, the overwhelming imperial might that surpassed all things lingered like an echo, reverberating long above the Eastern Barbarians. The entire capital city of Haodu was instantly abuzz with excitement, the streets and alleys filled with restless discussions. This unprecedented phenomenon had attracted cultivators from all directions, and the various forces that had already gathered in Haodu all fixed their gazes on the direction of Mount Tai, their eyes burning with fervent desire and covetousness for the ancient opportunities.

Along the long street, cultivators gathered in small groups, their storage jade pendants trembling as they spontaneously sensed the lingering effects of the imperial ruins of Mount Tai in the distance. Their conversations were filled with the strange phenomena of heaven and earth they had just witnessed, and the clamor of voices rose and fell, pushing the atmosphere of the entire city to its peak.

Lin Yan and his group stood at the edge of the crowd, their auras subtly merging as they deliberately concealed their cultivation to avoid attracting too much attention.

"Lin Yan, this strange phenomenon on Mount Tai has caused quite a stir in the city. It seems that the ancient ruins mentioned at this Mountain and Sea Alliance meeting must be the legendary Imperial Ruins." Yun Xi frowned slightly as she looked at the excited cultivators coming and going around her, and spoke in a deep voice with an undisguised seriousness in her tone.

Lin Yan nodded slightly, gazing at the eastern horizon where Mount Tai was located. Subtle yet pure spiritual energy flickered faintly at his fingertips. He possessed the dual inheritance of the Ancient Water Spirit Pill Technique and the Pill Ancestor of Laoshan, Ling Xuanzi, making him far more sensitive to the residual aura of ancient secret realms than others. At this moment, waves of emotion were stirring within him, and he vaguely sensed that extraordinary opportunities and dangers were hidden within the Imperial Ruins.

Before the group could discuss the matter further, a piercingly loud sneer suddenly broke the surrounding noise from their side.

"Who do we have here? It turns out to be a bunch of arrogant and ignorant outsiders."

Hao Lei, the eldest son of the Hao family, led a group of纨绔子弟 (sons of wealthy and powerful families who were spoiled and dissolute), followed closely by several masked, middle-aged men in black with obscure auras, as they slowly approached Lin Yan and his group. Hao Lei's eyes were sinister, and when he swept over Lin Yan and his companions, his eyes were filled with the resentment he had formed the day before, as well as disdain and contempt for cultivators from beyond the realm.

"Hao Lei, stop being so aggressive and deliberately picking a fight!" Chen Dagang immediately stepped forward, shouting angrily, his spiritual energy already surging within him.

"So what if you're aggressive?" Hao Lei sneered, taking another step forward. His Foundation Establishment stage spiritual power surged undisguisedly around him, his arrogance reaching its peak. "This is Haodu, the territory of my Hao family. You outsiders dare to interfere with the opportunities of the Imperial Ruins? I haven't settled the score with you properly yet!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Hao family cultivators stepped forward, and the two sides instantly became tense, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, and the tense atmosphere was about to explode.

Lin Yan's eyes turned slightly cold as he stepped forward calmly, firmly blocking his fellow disciples. He was clear-headed and knew that if he were to fight on Haodu's main street now, it would surely alert the city's garrison, not only causing unnecessary trouble but also bringing undeserved disaster upon his fellow disciples. Moreover, the extraordinary phenomenon of Mount Tai's Imperial Ruins had just appeared, and with such an opportunity before them, there was no need to engage in a pointless struggle with Hao Lei here.

He glanced indifferently at the restless Hao family cultivators behind Hao Lei, and the secret technique of passing through walls that he had cultivated flashed through his mind. He immediately made a decision.

"Fellow disciples, please return to Qinglao Academy and wait. I will handle this matter. Once you are free, return to the team immediately." Lin Yan instructed in a low voice, his tone firm and leaving no room for argument.

"Lin Yan..." Yunxi's heart tightened, and she called out to stop him.

"Brother, we're not afraid of them, we'll go together!" Yi Ashi quickly chimed in, her little face full of worry.

"Don't worry, I have a way to get out of here, nothing will happen."

As soon as Lin Yan finished speaking, without giving Hao Lei and his group a chance to make trouble, he suddenly moved and, using the shops and buildings on the street as cover, shot out like an arrow and rushed straight towards the high wall next to him.

"Trying to run? Chase him! We can't let him get away!" Hao Lei roared angrily upon seeing this, and led the group in a frenzied chase.

But the next second, something astonishing and unbelievable happened.

Lin Yan rushed to the foot of the high wall, his spiritual energy slightly condensed, and his fingertips quickly formed obscure hand seals. He instantly activated the wall-passing technique, and his figure, like a phantom shadow, passed straight through the thick and solid stone wall without any hindrance, completely disappearing from Hao Lei and the others' sight.

"Where did they go?! How did they suddenly disappear?!"

Hao Lei and his group rushed to the base of the wall. Looking at the solid, seamless wall in front of them, they looked at each other in astonishment and shock. This astonishment then turned into a fit of angry curses, but they couldn't find any trace of Lin Yan against the solid wall.

Lin Yan, having passed through the wall, completely escaped Hao Lei's entanglement and landed steadily in a secluded, quiet alley with few people around.

He wanted to immediately determine the direction and return to reunite with his fellow disciples, but suddenly a warm sensation came from his fingertips. The Golden Finger Technique spontaneously emitted a faint golden halo uncontrollably, and the innate fire dormant in his body was forcibly drawn by an invisible force, surging uncontrollably in his meridians, faintly resonating strongly with the ancient aura emanating from the distant Taishan Imperial Ruins.

Following this strange pull, Lin Yan subconsciously continued forward, and before he knew it, he reached the end of the alley. There, a low wall appeared before him, and a rich and mellow aura of pills wafted out, carrying with it the fragrance of spiritual herbs. The purity of the spiritual energy was several times higher than that of the outside world.

With a thought, he activated the wall-penetrating technique again, his figure lightly darting through the low wall silently.

The first thing you see is an ancient and tranquil alchemy courtyard. The bluestone floor is covered with traces of ancient alchemy, revealing the profound knowledge of alchemy. In the center of the courtyard stands an ancient alchemy furnace inlaid with the mechanical patterns of the Mohist school. The walls of the courtyard are also engraved with the exclusive restriction patterns of the Mohist school. The rich alchemical aura permeates every corner of the courtyard. This is actually the private alchemy workshop of the Langya Wang Clan, which hoards rare spiritual materials and supports high-level alchemists. It is a forbidden area strictly controlled by the four major powers of Haodu, and ordinary people have no way to get close to it.

Beside the stone table in the alchemy hall, a figure dressed in a brocade robe with cloud patterns sat upright. His beard and hair were half white, and his face was refined and elegant. His alchemical aura was thick but extremely restrained, showing no arrogance. He lightly twirled a wisp of pale blue alchemical fire between his fingertips. He was none other than Dan Chenzi, the guest alchemist invited by the Langya Wang Clan at great expense to oversee the alchemy workshop.

Lin Yan suddenly burst in, and their eyes met across the distance.

Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat, realizing he had mistakenly entered a forbidden area. He immediately withdrew his spiritual power, cupped his hands and bowed respectfully, his tone calm and polite, neither humble nor arrogant: "Junior Lin Yan was being chased by enemies and had no choice but to use a secret technique to accidentally enter this treasure land. I have offended you greatly, and I hope senior will forgive me."

Dan Chenzi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze falling calmly on the faint golden light that lingered on Lin Yan's fingertips, as well as the pure and flawless innate Dan fire aura flowing around him, devoid of any violent energy. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes first, then turned into a gentle smile as he stroked his beard, showing no sign of blame or anger.

"It's alright. I've long heard about the arrogant behavior of that Hao family brat. You managed to escape with ease using your unique wall-penetrating technique, which shows your quick wit and intelligence." Dan Chenzi's gaze was intense as he looked directly at Lin Yan, his tone revealing a hint of insight. "It wasn't me who led you into this courtyard just now, but the earth's spiritual root connected to the ancient alchemy furnace in this courtyard. It resonated with your innate alchemy fire and ancient alchemy principles. You possess two unparalleled alchemy inheritances, making you no ordinary outsider cultivator."

Lin Yan was startled. He hadn't expected that this senior could see through his secrets with just one glance. He stopped trying to hide it and nodded slightly: "Senior has keen eyes. I was fortunate enough to obtain two copies of the Dao of Alchemy."

"Since you are destined to become a practitioner of alchemy, do not waste this unexpected encounter." Dan Chenzi raised his hand and waved it gently. Several high-quality spiritual herbs on the stone table slowly floated to the alchemy furnace. "Borrow this ancient alchemy furnace to practice your alchemy skills. This will make your accidental intrusion worthwhile. I can give you some pointers and help you overcome your bottlenecks in alchemy."

Lin Yan pondered for a moment, realizing that he had encountered a reclusive master of alchemy. This was a rare opportunity, so he slowly stepped forward and stood in front of the alchemy furnace.

He concentrated his mind and focused on the Dao of alchemy. He used the Golden Finger Technique, his fingertips slightly bent, and a wisp of pure and flawless innate alchemical fire slowly leaped out from his fingertips and landed steadily in the furnace's ignition port. The fire was gentle yet powerful.

In an instant, the profound understanding of alchemy from Ling Xuanzi, the Alchemy Ancestor of Laoshan, and the ancient Water Spirit Alchemy Technique from the secret realm flowed simultaneously in his mind, one firm and one gentle, complementing each other perfectly. Under Dan Chenzi's precise guidance with just a few words, Lin Yan controlled the alchemical fire, added the medicine, purified it, and condensed the pill with effortless ease, without the sluggishness and unfamiliarity he had experienced in practice before. His alchemy skills seemed to have broken through a barrier in an instant.

In less than half an incense stick's time, the alchemy furnace trembled slightly, and a sweet and rich fragrance of pills instantly filled the entire courtyard, refreshing the mind and body. Three second-grade high-quality Spirit Gathering Pills, with a light green glow and fine and lively pill patterns on their surface, were steadily condensed at the bottom of the furnace. The pill patterns were full and the quality was excellent, far exceeding the level of ordinary alchemists.

Lin Yan slowly extinguished his inner fire and bowed respectfully, saying, "Thank you for your careful guidance, senior."

"Your talent is unparalleled, and your lineage is peerless. I merely offer a few pointers; the merits and demerits are up to you." Dan Chenzi smiled and waved his hand, his gaze towards Lin Yan filled with praise and appreciation. He then raised his hand and tossed out a cyan token engraved with the Wang Clan's alchemy patterns. "The strange phenomenon of Mount Tai Imperial Ruins has appeared, and a storm is brewing in Haodu. All forces are eager to make their move. With this token, you can have priority in purchasing rare spiritual herbs at all Wang Clan alchemy shops in Haodu. This can be considered a destiny in the Dao of Alchemy."

Lin Yan accepted the token with both hands. It was warm to the touch, and the red patterns on it were clear. He was filled with gratitude and bowed again to express his thanks: "Senior's kindness will be remembered by this junior, and I will definitely repay it in the future."

"Go on, your fellow disciples are still waiting for you at Qinglao Academy. Be wary of the Hao family as well. The opportunity of the Imperial Ruins is here, so cultivate diligently and don't miss this golden age of the Eastern Barbarians." Dan Chenzi waved his hand, signaling Lin Yan to leave.

Lin Yan did not linger any longer. He bowed respectfully and took his leave. He then activated his wall-penetrating technique once more and left the Pill Academy silently. He then used his spiritual power to speed towards the Qinglao Academy.

As night deepened and the sky grew as black as ink, the spiritual energy of Haodu became increasingly restless, and the lingering power of the strange phenomena at Mount Tai became clearer. Lin Yan gripped the Wang Clan's Danwen Token tightly in his hand, his eyes filled with determination and composure, already prepared to face all opportunities, dangers, and storms.