"What's in the inheritance pearl?" Su Mei Yao asked eagerly when she saw Shen Xiang so joyful.
"Hehe, it's a refining manual, along with some insights on refining!" Shen Xiang replied with a grin. Refiners were much more common than alchemists, but while low-level refiners were plentiful, master refiners were rare. He felt a surge of confidence from seeing the "refining manual" and thought he could become an exceptional refiner, although he intended to focus primarily on alchemy.
Su Mei Yao took the inheritance pearl and, upon examining it, a charming smile spread across her face: "Indeed, it's a good item. There's a tutorial on how to forge treasured items, and plenty of design blueprints. You must master it well."
"Of course," Shen Xiang replied with a smile. "What's that on the beast skin?"
"It's a map," Su Mei Yao said as she handed the inheritance pearl to Bai Youyou to let her see.
"What kind of map?" Shen Xiang asked eagerly.
"It's a map of a medicinal garden, but to access it, you'll need a key. The method to forge that key is included in the inheritance pearl," Su Mei Yao explained.
Shen Xiang quickly flipped through the information that had just flooded into his mind and soon found the method to forge the key. The materials were relatively easy to find, but the challenge lay in the complex spiritual patterns that needed to be carved onto the key.
"I have the key; it fell out when I opened the map," Bai Youyou said, revealing a small black key, about the size of a finger, adorned with intricate golden patterns. These patterns were the spiritual inscriptions that could produce unique powers, created through years of research by countless refiners.
Spiritual patterns were essential for any artifact; without them, it would merely be a mundane item. The Inferno Dragon Altar that Shen Xiang obtained was filled with complex spiritual patterns, which endowed it with extraordinary powers.
"These items look like they've been here for some time. If that medicinal garden still exists, it might be filled with mature spiritual herbs," Su Mei Yao remarked.
Shen Xiang nodded and asked, "Where is this medicinal garden located?"
"It's on the way to the Taiwu Sect. It seems you'll need to head to the Taiwu Sect ahead of schedule. If there are plenty of spiritual herbs in the garden, you should be able to reach the ninth level of the Mortal Martial Realm there," Su Mei Yao replied.
Finally, he was about to go to the Taiwu Sect!
Shen Xiang felt a surge of excitement. "I'll go back and prepare, say goodbye to my father and the others."
Upon returning to the Shen family, Shen Tianhu was the first to find Shen Xiang. Seeing him return safely, he let out a sigh of relief.
"It's good to see you back!" Shen Tianhu said warmly.
"You look much better, Dad. Here's an antidote pill; taking it will help you recover quickly," Shen Xiang said with a smile, tossing a bottle to Shen Tianhu. This antidote was obtained from the Nine Poisons Sect and could neutralize a significant portion of the toxins.
Shen Tianhu didn't ask about what had happened with the Nine Poisons Sect; he knew that if Shen Xiang brought back the antidote, it meant the sect no longer existed. He understood Shen Xiang's way of doing things.
"Dad, I'm about to set off," Shen Xiang said, although he wore a smile, his heart felt heavy with reluctance.
Shen Tianhu sighed softly and replied, "Yes, it's time for you to go to a place where you can showcase your skills. You've contributed a lot to the Shen family, helping us establish ourselves in the royal city."
"Dad, I'm leaving!" Shen Xiang stood up and embraced Shen Tianhu.
"Yes, you've grown up. I have faith in you! Take care!" Shen Tianhu said, filled with reluctance, patting Shen Xiang's back. He knew that Shen Xiang would be away for many years as he pursued the martial arts.
Shen Xiang gave Shen Tianhu some high-grade antidote pills and then left the Shen family, heading straight for the Pill King Pavilion. After bidding farewell to Meng Bo and Shen Luzong, he set off for the Taiwu Sect.
Though the farewell made Shen Xiang feel melancholy, he was also filled with anticipation for their future reunions. He believed that by then, he, his father, and the entire Shen family would undergo tremendous changes!
As Shen Xiang looked back at the royal city, one of the strongest cities in the secular world, he felt a surge of emotion. Though there were many powerful beings within, they paled in comparison to those in the martial arts sects!
"Xian Xian, I'm coming!" Shen Xiang clenched his fist, looking towards the distant mountain range and sprinting forward.
To reach the Taiwu Sect, he had to pass through a vast forest often inhabited by demonic beasts. The journey was long and fraught with danger, but once he safely reached the other side of the mountains, he would arrive in a place rich in spiritual energy—the domain of the martial arts sects.
The secular world and the strongholds of martial arts practitioners were separated by these mountains, making it a death trap for those without strength to enter.
"Mei Yao, how is the research on the Dragon God Martial Arts going? Are there any powerful techniques?" Shen Xiang asked, eager to learn more formidable skills.
"Don't worry. Once I and the senior sister thoroughly study this book, I'll let you know how to practice the Dragon Martial Arts within," Su Mei Yao assured him.
Having these two mysterious beauties by his side filled Shen Xiang with joy; they were like his mentors, always patiently guiding him and helping him overcome the challenges of cultivation.
Shen Xiang had memorized the route to the medicinal garden. As soon as he stepped into the vast mountain range, he easily found the starting point of the path, marked by a mountain that resembled a gourd.
To speed up his search for the medicinal garden, Shen Xiang activated the Vermilion Bird Fire Wings, soaring high in the sky. His fire-attribute Vermilion Bird true energy had already taken shape after being compressed, and he didn't need to worry about exhausting it too quickly.
To avoid being spotted while flying, Shen Xiang dove into the clouds to conceal himself.
His flight was incredibly swift, and he quickly delved deep into the forest, which allowed him to evade some of the demonic beasts, though he was not afraid of them.
The medicinal garden was hidden within a treacherous and secretive mountain range, located in a small valley. It took Shen Xiang three days of travel to finally reach the valley, only to find that there was nothing inside.
He plunged down from the sky, landing in the valley. The scenery was beautiful, but outside the valley lingered toxic miasma and various thorny poisonous plants.
In the valley, there was a cave marked on the map. After searching for a bit, Shen Xiang found that the entrance was hidden behind some underbrush. He took out his long knife and cleared the weeds, then cautiously entered the cave, lighting a torch for illumination.
"It's hidden in such a remote place. Without a map, it would be incredibly difficult to find," Shen Xiang muttered. He couldn't understand why the medicinal garden would be located within a cave.
Deep in the cave, Shen Xiang was blocked by an iron door. He tried to force it open, but no matter how much strength he used, it wouldn't budge. Even when he struck the door with all his might, the cave didn't tremble at all. If it were an ordinary mountain, it would have crumbled under such force.
"This door must absorb your power. Better to open it with the key," Su Mei Yao suggested.
Shen Xiang quickly found a slot for the key on the door. He inserted the key and turned it, hearing a click as the iron door slowly opened, blinding light pouring out from within.
As the door fully opened, Shen Xiang stood dumbfounded at the sight inside!