Chapter 104: The Longevity Pill, Divine Power Surges!

Chapter 104: The Longevity Pill, Divine Power Surges!

Chapter 104: The Divine Arrow Yi Yuan, Legend of the Water Mansion!

“Indeed, it possesses intelligence.”

Bai Xuan looked down at the reanimated corpse without surprise.

According to Liu Qian’s earlier account, the aged Taoist had dispatched this reanimated corpse for communication, and it spoke fluently, clearly endowed with consciousness. Facing this archer reanimated corpse’s speech, Bai Xuan remained composed, showing no astonishment.

“Who are you?”

Bai Xuan’s voice was low and steady.

At this moment, his vital energy subtly surged. If the corpse proved difficult to reason with or displayed hostility, he would crush it with a single palm, shattering it into a mist of blood.

“My name is Yi Yuan. I was turned into a puppet by that Three Yin Taoist, but my heart remains unwilling!”

The hoarse voice of Yi Yuan resonated with bitterness. “I once had a wife, a son, brothers, and I was the lord of an island with a thousand soldiers, all skilled in archery.”

“But my enemies hired that Taoist to ambush and reforge me into this corpse puppet.”

Yi Yuan looked at Bai Xuan with yearning in his grayish-blue eyes. “Your strength is earth-shattering, a grandmaster among martial artists. Even in life, I was no match for you.”

Bai Xuan pondered silently.

First, the Water Mansion might have long been discovered by others after all these years. Yi Yuan was only at the ordinary Blood Refining stage. Despite his remarkable archery skills capable of slaying masters, such warriors inevitably appear and vanish over centuries.

“This treasured place, you never ventured there; there must be a reason.”

“You are penniless and intend to seize a ship?”

“This Water Mansion lies beneath ten thousand meters, deep within the vast ocean abyss!”

He filed this away mentally but had no immediate plans to investigate.

Yi Yuan spoke with faint hatred. “Only an immortal who has entered the Dao can set a true talisman underwater that lasts a hundred years.”

Bai Xuan said calmly, but Yi Yuan’s thoughts differed.

Bai Xuan spoke quietly.

“Indeed.”

Bai Xuan dismissed the matter lightly and calmly asked:

“If I free you, how do you plan to return?”

“This is Thousand Mountain Island; all ships belong to the Bai family and three other clans. Now, combined into the Thousand Mountain Army, the ships are army property.”

“You’re already ten years late; these few days won’t matter much.”

“I do have one idea.”

“I once explored down to nearly a thousand meters below but had to turn back. Without the three rivers of vital energy, it’s nearly impossible to approach.”

“If you keep me as a reanimated corpse, it’s useless. Better to let me go, and I will reveal a secret Water Mansion to you… I once hunted the spirit fish there. It’s a formidable Water Mansion, likely holding legacies!”

“Water Mansion…”

For a moment, Bai Xuan was speechless.

“The water pressure alone far exceeds what ordinary men can endure, and fierce demonic fish surely lurk around. Some sea beasts’ strength even masters fear.”

“And the Water Mansion… even immortals who have entered the Dao cannot forge it. Usually lying thousands of meters underwater, it shows the owner’s power, earth-shattering, surpassing Dao practitioners and divine physiognomists, reaching a higher plane.”

Desire gleamed in Yi Yuan’s eyes.

“Yes, you must know these immortals’ strength is formidable, but essentially mortal… their power rivals masters but they remain fragile mortals!”

Yi Yuan’s stiff lips twitched.

“Water Mansion?”

Secondly, Bai Xuan didn’t truly know what lay within the Water Mansion. Perhaps it held the legacies Yi Yuan spoke of, or perhaps a monstrous beast inside would devour him instantly.

“Set a small goal first—when my vital energy flows like a river, I’ll go see.”

Yi Yuan said, his gray-blue eyes filled with longing.

Yi Yuan was momentarily stunned.

Bai Xuan listened quietly, saying little but raising an eyebrow slightly.

His plan to seize a ship would naturally require force. With his archery skills, few could stop him.

At this moment.

Having been away from home for ten years, how could he not long to return to his island immediately?

Yet he understood…

“Then you’ve chosen the crooked path.”

“But that Water Mansion has existed for a hundred years. It must be unclaimed now. I’ve searched ancient texts and am eighty percent certain it holds divine physiognomy or even stronger martial legacies!”

In life, Yi Yuan was also a martial artist at the Blood Refining stage, so he craved such legacies intensely!

“But,”

Bai Xuan said calmly, “you’d better find a job first. Earn your passage fare, then take a ship back to your island. What do you think?”

At this, Yi Yuan looked bewildered.

He truly wanted to seize a ship, but if he agreed, Bai Xuan might crush him with one palm.

Bai Xuan’s power was such that a mere gesture could reduce him to a mist of blood!

The other was willing to speak only because every word Bai Xuan uttered was an order, not a negotiation!

“Very well!”

“If you allow me to leave, I will reveal all the secrets of the Water Mansion.”

“I will… find a way to get a ship.”

Yi Yuan remained silent for a while, then hoarsely agreed.

“I wonder what job you might arrange for me.”

“You can be the third mate on my ship.”

Bai Xuan felt relieved.

Yi Yuan’s strength was considerable, and his archery terrifying. Putting him on the Sea Swallow ship to teach the sailors some archery would be very beneficial.

Bai Xuan did not need the sailors to unleash overwhelming power, only to protect the warship.

To defend the ship, it was better not to let enemies board.

The best option was to clear threats from a hundred meters away.

On the seas, crossbows were commonly used, while longbows less so. With Yi Yuan aboard, longbows became a viable choice.

“Good.”

Yi Yuan said hoarsely.

Upon hearing “third mate,” he breathed a sigh of relief.

That meant he’d be paid as a mate, not an ordinary sailor, and could leave the Sea Swallow sooner.

…

The next day.

The Demonic Fish Ranch.

“My lord, the herd master!”

A dozen soldiers bowed respectfully as Bai Xuan approached.

“No need for such formality.”

Bai Xuan said lightly.

He had already put away the Submerged Sea Spear into the inconspicuous gray pouch at his waist.

“Unfortunately… that old Taoist, as he said, destroyed his treasures before death.”

Bai Xuan felt regret.

Last night, upon opening the pouch, he found most of the medicinal herbs, pills, and books had been ground into fragments by a black energy.

Though weak, the black energy easily pulverized mundane items.

Clearly, at the last moment of Bai Xuan’s devastating strike, the old Taoist had resolutely destroyed most of his treasures.

He had already realized his fate—death at Bai Xuan’s hands.

Fortunately, Bai Xuan’s killing blow was so swift that some remnants remained.

“These blood pills smell foul and carry a chilling aura, clearly not meant for human consumption.”

Returning to his spacious courtyard, Bai Xuan flipped out a bottle of pills.

There were six bottles of such blood pills.

Suddenly, Yi Yuan appeared.

“These blood pills are made by extracting the essence and flesh of sea fish and beasts, containing robust vital energy.”

Yi Yuan said stiffly with respect.

“But living people cannot take them, for they contain deadly sea curses. Ordinary people become living corpses after ingestion.”

“I heard the Three Yin Taoist say these pills can be purified into pure blood pills, but I don’t know how.”

“I see.”

Bai Xuan felt satisfied.

Yi Yuan, once an island lord and later a disciple of the Three Yin Taoist, possessed broad knowledge—a valuable asset!

Bai Xuan produced another bottle, and Yi Yuan concentrated.

“This is the Essence Pill, forged from living souls and living blood. Taking it aids in rest and strengthens the spirit.”

This pill shimmered faintly with a crystal hue, faintly smoky, yet upon closer inspection, it exuded a nauseating aura.

“Taking too many might harm the spirit.”

Bai Xuan understood well.

His Sea-Seeing Eye discerned many things at a glance; this strange aura was no good—merely a desperate measure.

“Still, perhaps these immortals see forging with Tai Sui herbs as extremely dangerous.”

Tai Sui pills brim with immense vital energy. For ordinary people, one pill would cause the body to explode, flesh mutating into a monster!

If transformation didn’t complete in time, the body would burst, reducing the person to a blood mist.

These immortals, lacking vital energy martial training, likely treat Tai Sui pills like venomous snakes—only to be used by warriors.

“There’s also half a book left.”

Bai Xuan’s hand flickered.

The book bore the title *Yin Talisman Dream Entry Scripture*.

“It records the basics of talisman magic, and methods to forge human souls, blood, and strange sea beasts.”

Bai Xuan glanced casually.

“Unfortunately, most techniques are ones I’m unwilling to use; much is damaged. Still… the talisman knowledge might be worth consulting from time to time.”

Bai Xuan flipped his hand.

A damaged wooden sword appeared—actually a small wooden blade, like a throwing knife.

“This *Yin Talisman Dream Entry Scripture* contains certain forging methods to aid rest and spiritual cultivation, and to manipulate magical tools… quite useful.”

“If this talisman sword could be wielded, it would make an exceptional throwing knife.”

Bai Xuan held the wooden sword in his palm.

Though the scripture was mostly ruined, what remained revealed another grand path besides vital energy martial arts!

Regardless, once this talisman sword was forged and used as a throwing dagger, its power might be terrifying.

Yet Bai Xuan only skimmed the surface, refraining from deep cultivation of the rest method.

This Qi refining path was difficult, a completely different route requiring talent and starting anew—a daunting task for anyone.

For now, his priority was breaking through the Riverlike Vital Energy realm to become a perfect grandmaster!

“I recall Uncle Bai Ehou said, at the latest… he should return within a few days.”

Bai Xuan mused.

…

The Bai family residence.

“Senior Brother Yuannian.”

Bai Ehou’s voice was low and serious.

“This Yang Extreme True Blood Pill was obtained through a huge favor I called in. Only then was it delivered to the Bai family residence.”

Within the past month, he had run tirelessly, spending much of his savings to gather two such pills. Now, back at the Bai residence, a small complication had arisen.

At this moment.

“I understand.”

A dignified voice replied.

“This pill is a favor you called in. But you know… these are troubled times. A formidable immortal is on the island, and I dare not say we will surely defeat them!”

“This pill isn’t for me. The Wang family also dispatched people to discuss killing sufficiently powerful foes, even such well-founded immortals. Our Thousand Mountain Army still lacks truly powerful experts.”

Bai Yuannian’s voice was authoritative.

“To attract a formidable master, relying solely on Tai Sui pills…”

“That’s far from enough.”

“Only extremely rare and potent pills, like the Yin-Yang True Blood Pill, can truly attract the strong!”

“This pill, given to your disciple, will certainly strengthen his vital energy, laying a solid foundation to increase his power. In a few years, he can break through the life-and-death barrier to the Blood Refining realm.”

“But if a top expert takes it, it can reverse the vitality through yin and yang balance, making their energy more flexible and mysterious!”

“This one you hold is the Yang Extreme Pill. A few years ago, I commissioned the making of a Yin Extreme Pill. Together, yin and yang complete the true Yin-Yang True Blood Pill… even masters at my level would be tempted!”

Bai Yuannian’s voice was resolute.

“For now, use it for the Thousand Mountain Army’s needs. Your disciple’s matter I will settle later, no refusal!”

(End of Chapter)