Chapter 850: Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree

Wood Master and the others arrived at Zhang Xuan's residence, only to find that Senior Ziyang had used his great power to shield everyone, leaving none injured. However... the house had not been protected and was reduced to rubble, a terrible sight.

At that moment, Zhang Xuan was standing before a large cauldron, cursing loudly.

“Before alchemy, how did you guarantee to me? You can’t even withstand a mere seventh-grade pill, and you call yourself a sacred artifact? Sacred my foot...”

Zhang Xuan was indeed furious.

This fellow had sworn to him that refining a seventh-grade pill would be no problem, so he had expended his energy, using the Teacher’s Word and Heaven’s Mandate to control Alchemist Lu and the others, helping them refine the pill without any errors!

The medicinal ingredients were of sufficient age, and with no mistakes, the pill was soon formed!

But the moment the pill was formed, the one who held them back was not Alchemist Lu and the others, but this Golden Origin Cauldron, hailed as the academy’s treasure!

It couldn’t contain the violent aura of the pill with patterns, and exploded with a bang.

Though no one was hurt... the hard-won residence was utterly destroyed!

“I... didn’t know you were going to refine such a heaven-defying pill...”

Bombarded with curses, the Golden Origin Cauldron was full of grievance.

It was indeed a sacred artifact, but it was a cauldron, not a furnace. Having it refine an ordinary seventh-grade pill was already a stretch, and now it had produced a pill beyond its control... It was lucky it hadn’t been blown to pieces on the spot.

“If you hadn’t failed at the end, this pill would definitely have reached the eighth grade. Now it’s only seventh-grade with patterns—such a waste of good ingredients...”

Knowing it wasn’t entirely the cauldron’s fault, Zhang Xuan snorted and said.

If this fellow hadn’t failed at the end, the pill’s grade would surely have increased further.

What a pity about Jiang Qingqin’s Phoenix Parasol Tree and the high-age ingredients from the elders.

“Eighth grade? Seventh-grade with patterns?”

Alchemist Lu and the others, now realizing what kind of pill they had refined, trembled with excitement.

Brother, the Renewal Pill itself is a seventh-grade pill. You’ve refined it to the pattern realm, which is already terrifying—many eight-star upper-grade alchemists couldn’t do it... and you still thought about making an eighth-grade one?

You’re trying to defy heaven!

“Forget it. Luckily the pill wasn’t damaged, or even killing you wouldn’t make up for it!”

After a few more scolds, Zhang Xuan calmed down, placed the pill in a jade bottle, and then noticed Wood Master and the others. He cupped his fist: “Wood Master, elders!”

“Uncle... the pill you just refined, is it the Renewal Pill?”

Wood Master recognized it and couldn’t help asking.

“Indeed!”

Zhang Xuan nodded, seeing no reason to hide it.

“A peak seventh-grade Renewal Pill with misty cloud patterns... Your alchemy technique is simply incredible...”

Full of praise, Wood Master couldn’t help asking: “The Renewal Pill has the power to regenerate severed limbs. May I ask what purpose Uncle has for this pill?”

This pill carried immense vitality—not quite raising the dead or regrowing flesh, but close. And this one was comparable to an eighth-grade pill.

“To save a junior!”

Replying, Zhang Xuan called for Ziyang Beast to bring over Wei Ruyan, whom it had been protecting, and then took out the jade bottle.

“Is Uncle going to treat this person?” Wood Master frowned.

“Yes!” Zhang Xuan nodded.

“Her body is too weak. Your pill is too potent. I’m afraid that taking it directly might backfire...”

Wood Master quickly said.

This was a top-grade pill comparable to an eighth-grade one. Even he, if he took it suddenly, would struggle to withstand its surging vitality. Forcing an unconscious, emaciated girl to swallow it would likely cause the pill’s energy to burn her alive before it could take effect.

A weak constitution cannot withstand strong tonics—that is a principle.

“No matter!”

Waving his hand, Zhang Xuan flicked his finger, popping off the bottle stopper. A stream of pure spiritual energy surged from the jade bottle, and the pill flew into the air, as if about to escape.

A seventh-grade pill with patterns, though unlikely to develop intelligence quickly, already had the ability to seek good fortune and avoid harm. Over time, it might become like the Golden Origin Cauldron, gaining human thought and even evolving into human form.

“Trying to escape? Come here!”

As if anticipating this, Zhang Xuan snorted and grabbed the air, enveloping the pill with a special force.

The pill floating in the air, under control, flew down involuntarily.

Knowing the characteristics of such a pill, he had prepared various measures in advance.

Using true qi to support the girl’s chin, he opened her mouth and gently flicked the pill, which was covered in patterns, straight into her throat.

Sizzle sizzle!

As soon as the pill entered her body, it sounded like red-hot iron plunged into cold water. Wei Ruyan’s complexion began to flush, but after a while, it stopped, and she remained asleep, showing no signs of waking.

Feeling her pulse, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.

For anyone else, as Wood Master said, a weak constitution unable to bear the tonic would lead to premature death. But this girl was different—she had survived being poisoned by a sacred herb like the Ten-Leaf Flower. A mere seventh-grade pill, once inside her, would become nourishment for her poison body.

Though this Renewal Pill wasn’t enough to revive her, her physical body had recovered to health, and the injuries left from her time in her mother’s womb were completely healed.

“With her body restored, even if her soul slumbers, there will be no problems for a short time...”

Before, Wei Ruyan could die at any moment. Now, although she hasn't woken up yet, her physical body has recovered and is no longer in danger of death.

"This... the Broken Continuation Pill entered her body, yet she still hasn't woken up. What illness does this junior of yours have?" Wood Master asked, full of surprise.

Even he couldn't withstand the Broken Continuation Pill, but a patient took it without any ill effects and still didn't wake up. This illness was terrifying!

"It's a soul injury. The physical body has recovered, but the soul is too weak, making it difficult to wake up in a short time."

After explaining, Zhang Xuan suddenly thought of something and couldn't help looking over: "Do you have any holy medicine that nourishes the soul? Preferably alive... the more, the better!"

He couldn't recall or find any holy medicine that nourishes the soul, but perhaps Wood Master here could help.

"I do have some holy medicines that nourish the soul, but they are all processed. Fresh ones... I really don't have any!"

After hesitating for a moment, Wood Master shook his head.

"None?" Zhang Xuan showed a disappointed expression.

Processed holy medicines, he could find if he wanted, but unfortunately, they were useless for Wei Ruyan!

They had to be fresh and alive.

"Master Zhang, I do know of one fresh, living holy medicine!" Zhong Dingchun, who had been silent at the back of the crowd, suddenly spoke up.

He was the dean of the Medical Academy and knew a lot about medicinal herbs.

"Oh? Where?" Zhang Xuan quickly looked over.

"In the Hongyuan Empire's imperial palace, there is a Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree, said to have a great effect on nourishing the soul..." Zhong Dingchun said.

"Sacred Domain Bodhi Tree?" Zhang Xuan frowned. He had never even heard of such a tree.

"It is said that this tree was brought back from the wilderness by the ancestors of the Hongyuan royal family and planted in the palace. It has the effect of nourishing the soul. Because of this, the royal descendants all have strong souls!"

Zhong Dingchun hesitated: "However, this is the most important treasure of the royal family. I'm afraid they won't be willing to lend it for use!"

"Not willing to lend?"

Zhang Xuan stroked his chin, deep in thought: "There happens to be a banquet today. Let's first see if this Bodhi Tree is effective for Wei Ruyan. If it's not, we won't bring it up. If it is, we can try!"

"Thank you, Dean Zhong, for the reminder!"

Having figured out the key point, Zhang Xuan clasped his hands.

"You're too kind, Dean!"

Zhong Dingchun quickly nodded.

After asking a few more questions and finding that such holy medicines for nourishing the soul were indeed scarce, Zhang Xuan shook his head helplessly.

"Dean, I'll send someone to repair the courtyard now..."

Seeing the dignified dean's mansion reduced to such a state, with no place even to live, Zhao Bingxu spoke.

"I am indebted to Dean Zhao!"

Zhang Xuan nodded.

Had he known that refining this Duanxu Dan would be so dangerous, he would have gone to an open area outside the city, instead of leaving himself with nowhere to live now.

"Hmm!"

Zhao Bingxu said no more and, along with the many elders, turned back to the academy to find people to help repair the courtyard.

Returning from the Sealing Sage Platform, it was already noon, then he went to the Elders' Hall to give instructions, plus alchemy... the afternoon passed quickly, and before he knew it, night had fallen.

Looking at the surrounding ruins, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment, then put Wei Ruyan into the Thousand Ant Beehive, instructed Sun Qiang, Wang Ying, and the others to first stay at the academy (Wang Ying and the others were guest elders of the academy and had already been assigned residences there), and was about to head to the imperial palace for the banquet when suddenly his heart stirred, and he stopped.

He looked up.

The collapsed buildings and courtyards formed a vast expanse of ruins, spreading across the ground like a galloping dragon.

"This is... an Earth Dragon?"

His pupils contracted.

The ruins stretched together, combined with the terrain, no different from a dragon lying prone on the ground.

But that alone would not have astonished him; rather, it reminded him of the conditions for Wu Yangzi's treasure!

The old mansion, beneath the Three-Star Earth Dragon!

Since this was an Earth Dragon... where were the three stars?

He quickly looked up at the sky.

Night had fallen, the sky filled with stars, countless celestial bodies hidden in the dark void, like scattered chess pieces.

"So many stars... What are the three stars?"

His brow furrowed into a knot.

The other party had only said the four words 'Three-Star Earth Dragon,' without detailing which three stars, nor the specific orientation. With the sky full of stars, how was he to find them?

He had found the Earth Dragon, but without finding the three stars, he could not locate it. He couldn't very well dig up the entire courtyard, could he?

Besides, if digging it up could find it, the so-called treasure would have been gone long ago, never leaving it for him.

With a movement of his body, he flew into the air and looked down.

The collapsed ruins spread across the ground, merging with the pitch-black sky, looking like a giant dragon about to soar into the heavens at any moment.

"Eye of Insight!"

Knowing that searching like this would surely yield nothing, Zhang Xuan was not anxious. The patterns in his eyes writhed, and he looked straight at the junction of the Earth Dragon and the sky.