During a casual conversation, Meng Zhang mentioned in passing that the Taiyi Sect was preparing to train their own Alchemists. The very next day, Luo Ye presented Meng Zhang with a generous gift – two exquisite First Rank alchemy furnaces. Among the tools used by practitioners of the same level, production tools like alchemy furnaces and crafting furnaces were not only difficult to refine but also of the highest value.
In addition to the furnaces, Luo Ye also gave Meng Zhang a manual of an exceptional Alchemist from the Flying Swan Sect. Many years ago, a group of roaming bandits intruded into the Endless Sea of Sand and targeted a lone Alchemist from the Flying Swan Sect. These audacious bandits not only obstructed and robbed the Alchemist but also committed murder and looted all his treasures. Afterward, they eradicated any evidence of their actions.
This incident caused a great uproar in the Endless Sea of Sand and stirred up waves like a tsunami. For any sect, Alchemists held crucial importance. For the Flying Swan Sect, which dominated the Endless Sea of Sand, the disappearance of their Alchemist was not just a matter of face, but it also trampled upon the sect's authority. The Flying Swan Sect mobilized significant forces to search for the Alchemist's whereabouts and investigate the incident.
Later, the bandits took the loot they had plundered and tried to sell it on the black market. The usually unscrupulous and audacious black market found this loot to be a difficult situation to handle. Eventually, they followed the rules and accepted the stolen goods but secretly informed the Flying Swan Sect about the bandits' whereabouts. Faced with the wrath of the Flying Swan Sect, the bandits met a miserable end, and the black market returned all the stolen goods to the sect.
However, unknown to anyone, the manual that contained the Alchemist's experiences and insights had been secretly copied by the black market. With this manual in hand, Taiyi Sect's cultivation of Alchemists would undoubtedly avoid many detours. The Alchemist inheritance Meng Zhang obtained from the Trial Ground merely recorded various alchemical techniques and some common elixir formulas. Becoming an Alchemist solely through self-study of this inheritance was not an easy task. The experiences and teachings recorded in this manual were the best guidance for his path.
Learning about the origin of this manual from Luo Ye's mouth, Meng Zhang couldn't help but marvel at the situation. Even seemingly powerful entities like the black market had to bow their heads in front of forces like the Flying Swan Sect. Meng Zhang didn't know if Luo Ye intended to warn him through this matter. After all, the black market was not entirely trustworthy.
Luo Ye's extravagant gift made Meng Zhang feel a bit uneasy. However, this unease stemmed from his insufficient understanding of the ways of the demonic cultivators. He didn't realize the significance of his assistance to Luo Ye. Demonic cultivators were the enemies of the Cultivation World, a malignant tumor within the world, and there were reasons for their notoriety.
Similarly, Ghost Path cultivators played with souls, using ghost tools to capture and enslave spirits. But Ghost Path cultivators could not attain immortality and would eventually die. Ghost tools would decay and dissipate over time. Ultimately, regardless of the time spent, all imprisoned and enslaved souls would return to the heavens and earth.
However, demonic cultivators were different. Once completely corrupted by demonic energy, the bodies and souls of living beings no longer belonged to this world. Demonic cultivators' practices amounted to robbing the world of its souls, depleting its foundations.
So, demonic cultivators are not tolerated by regular cultivators nor by this world. If Luo Ye had not been able to expel the demonic energy and had been corrupted into a new demon, not only would she have been rejected by this world, but even after death, she would never transcend and her soul would be consigned to the demonic soil. Luo Ye owed a great debt of gratitude to Meng Zhang, and no matter how she repaid him, it would not be enough.
After spending a few more days settling all the matters, Luo Ye bid farewell to Meng Zhang and left the place, departing from the Endless Sea of Sand. The vast world ensured that they might meet again someday.
The spirit vein here would be reclaimed by the black market two months later, so Meng Zhang had no rush to leave. Since attaining Foundation Building, he hadn't had the time to practice new spells and master the techniques of a Foundation Building stage cultivator. It was rare to have a spirit vein available at the moment, so Meng Zhang wanted to make good use of this opportunity to cultivate diligently.
As he entered the Foundation Building stage, he needed the corresponding techniques of a Foundation Building stage cultivator and new magic tools. Meng Zhang possessed a Second Rank flying sword called "Crimson Flame Sword," which he obtained in the Purple Gold Sect's cultivator cave. Although not entirely satisfied with it, he had no other choice but to temporarily refine and use it.
Aside from that, Meng Zhang had no other Second Rank magic tools. Even though he had just succeeded in Foundation Building, it seemed somewhat modest. Fortunately, before Luo Ye left, she introduced Meng Zhang to an Elder at the Earthfire Sect in the Foundation Building stage. Shortly after Luo Ye's departure, Meng Zhang bought a Second Rank flying sword called "Toxic Fang" from the Elder at a low price. The Toxic Fang was made from the fang of a Second Rank demon python.
This demon python was massive, and its fang was thicker and longer than an adult's arm. After being refined by the Earthfire Sect's tool refiner, the fang had shrunk significantly and turned into a short dagger-like flying sword. Handling two flying swords simultaneously and multitasking was not a difficult task for Meng Zhang. Since he had no other magic tools at the moment, he began employing the dual sword technique.
For cultivators, having more magic tools did not necessarily mean better results. It was essential to consider one's capabilities. In many cultivator battles, it might seem like they were using several magic tools, but in reality, they could effectively control only one or two, while the others were merely employed to unleash their inherent power.
Meng Zhang didn't have this problem, but he felt that he had too few magic tools and they were insufficient for his needs. Therefore, he made up for it with his spells.
Entering the Foundation Building stage allowed Meng Zhang to learn new spells and techniques, while his previously acquired spells and techniques also gained greater power. During the Refining Qi stage, he already knew how to refine Solar True Flame and condense Lunar True Water. However, at that time, he had only scratched the surface, and the produced Solar True Flame and Lunar True Water were of limited purity and power.
Now, having entered the Foundation Building stage, his ability to withstand the sun and moon energy had increased, enabling him to upgrade the Solar True Flame and Lunar True Water he possessed.
While Meng Zhang secluded himself in this hidden place for cultivation, significant changes occurred outside. One month later, a true upheaval took place. The black market sent the latest news to Meng Zhang: Twin Success Valley had been annihilated by the Flying Swan Sect, and the surviving disciples of Twin Success Valley were being relentlessly hunted down by the sect's forces.
This news shocked Meng Zhang to the core. He had only been in seclusion for a few days, and how could Twin Success Valley be destroyed so quickly? Twin Success Valley was, after all, the dominant force in this region. Its destruction would bring forth numerous consequences and uncertainties. The fate of Twin Success Valley's affiliates, such as the Taiyi Sect, would be in question. How Flying Swan Sect handled the aftermath would be a matter of great significance for countless cultivators.
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