The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron

Chapter 1711: Chapter 1808: Mysterious Demon Beast

Inside the Sky Swallowing Palace, except for the absence of the Silver Fox, everyone else stood in the hall, and the atmosphere appeared somewhat heavy.

“Hall Master, that demon beast is heading straight to the north. At its current pace, it will likely reach the Extreme North Icefield in three days,” said the Gray Wolf-masked man, none other than Cao Xuesheng, the young Sect Master of the Sword Pond Sect.

The news of a demon beast’s appearance in Yun Country had reached the Sky Swallowing Palace early on. However, initially, the palace paid it little attention, as the demon beast had been moving southward, posing no threat to them.

But no one had anticipated that the demon beast would suddenly shift its direction northward. It was clearly heading for the Sky Swallowing Palace, forcing them to take it seriously.

“Since it’s coming for us, let’s deal with it directly,” said Dugu Nian.

Everyone exchanged glances. Cao Xuesheng, a bit helpless, said, “Hall Master, please think twice. I observed that demon beast from afar—it is extremely formidable. It can drain a person’s vitality in an instant. Moreover, the gray fog it emits is terrifying. Even a Long-lived One would struggle to endure it for long.”

Cao Xuesheng’s words were clear—he hoped the Sky Swallowing Palace would avoid confrontation with the demon beast for now.

“I’ll personally take action and slay it myself,” Dugu Nian said coldly, evidently dismissing the idea that a demon beast from the Lower Three Kingdoms could pose much of a challenge.

After all, in a place like Yun Country, where even Spirit Vein experts were scarce, any random Fifth Transformation Demon King could wreak havoc. While the demon beast might have ruled unopposed in Yun Country, that didn’t mean it was powerful enough to force the Sky Swallowing Palace to retreat.

“Hall Master, let us investigate first,” said the old Sword Head, Nangong Shoujian, unwilling to see Dugu Nian risk herself.

Dugu Nian was about to speak when Fang Lin waved her off. “I’ll go instead,” he said.

“No!” Dugu Nian frowned. She would rather put herself in danger than have Fang Lin face any risk.

Fang Lin smiled. “Don’t worry. No matter how strong that demon beast is, it won’t be able to stop me if I decide to leave.”

Seeing Dugu Nian still trying to dissuade him, Fang Lin quickly added, “How about this: I’ll take two people along with me. Would that be acceptable?”

Dugu Nian snorted softly but said nothing further, evidently agreeing.

Fang Lin’s gaze then swept over the masked individuals below, finally settling on Nangong Shoujian and Zhong Wuwei, who wore the Golden Ape mask.

“You two will accompany me,” Fang Lin said.

The two bowed respectfully and accepted the order.

However, Zhong Wuwei himself was somewhat surprised. Among the masked members of the Sky Swallowing Palace, his strength was neither weak nor remarkable. He wasn’t even at the Great Longevity Realm, falling just short of it at the peak of the Minor Longevity Realm.

Zhong Wuwei spent most of his time refining pills, as he was not only a martial artist but also a Pill Refiner. Pill refining was his true expertise.

“Let’s go,” Fang Lin said, wasting no time as he led Nangong Shoujian and Zhong Wuwei out of the Sky Swallowing Palace, heading south.

Along the way, Zhong Wuwei finally voiced the question that had been nagging at him: why had he been chosen to come along?

Hearing this, Fang Lin chuckled. “No particular reason. I just feel you’ve been cooped up in the Sky Swallowing Palace refining pills for too long. It’s time for you to get out and see the world.”

Nangong Shoujian smiled silently, while Zhong Wuwei wore a peculiar expression. Was that supposed to be a valid reason?

“You’re just half a step away from the Great Longevity Realm right now. While you could rely on pills to break through, pills are ultimately just a means. Achieving the breakthrough on your own is the best path,” Fang Lin remarked.

Zhong Wuwei responded with a bitter smile. “I know my own talent. While pill refining is something I excel at, my aptitude in martial arts is merely average. Without the aid of pills, I doubt I’d even have my current level of cultivation.”

Nangong Shoujian chuckled. “Brother Zhong, you need not worry. Martial arts and alchemy, while different, are interconnected. Talent and aptitude, while important, aren’t everything. For instance, in my youth, my martial arts talent was mediocre at best. It was only after I shifted to the Sword Tao and cultivated for over eight hundred years that I achieved my current Great Longevity Realm.”

Zhong Wuwei shook his head. “I really can’t compare to you, Senior Nangong. At least you possess extraordinary talent in the Sword Tao, while I can only make a name for myself in alchemy.”

Seeing Zhong Wuwei’s apparent dejection, Fang Lin said, “Your path is to focus on alchemy with martial arts as a supplementary skill. You’re not pursuing both alchemy and martial arts equally. A person’s energy is limited. To excel at both beyond others’ achievements—that would be excessively demanding.”

Zhong Wuwei looked at Fang Lin and smiled. “What about you? Aren’t you someone who excels at both?”

Fang Lin laughed heartily at this question.

In truth, Fang Lin understood his own situation well. Although he was pursuing both alchemy and martial arts on the surface, he had poured nearly all his energy into martial arts in this life, which had led to his current accomplishments.

After all, in his previous life, Fang Lin had reached the pinnacle of alchemy as the Pill Sovereign, attaining an unrivaled level in the Alchemy Tao, so he had little need to invest much effort in alchemy this time around.

In essence, Fang Lin wasn’t truly cultivating both paths simultaneously but rather focusing on martial arts, with alchemy as an innate advantage that surpassed the constraints of this era.

During his previous life, even after becoming the Pill Sovereign, Fang Lin’s martial arts cultivation could not be considered exceptional. After all, striving for the ultimate mastery in both martial and alchemical arts was nearly impossible.

The Heavenly Tao is inherently flawed. All things in the world cannot achieve perfection, and this applies to people as well.

Ten hours later, Fang Lin and the others caught sight of the demon beast moving north. All three were startled.

The beast’s body was massive, resembling a small mountain. Ten clawed arms flailed wildly, and its enormous head bore only a single eye. Its crack-like mouth continuously exhaled gray fog.

The gray fog spread in all directions at a visible rate, with the demon beast at its center, advancing at an alarming speed.

From a vantage point thousands of miles away, Fang Lin and the others observed the demon beast. Even at such a distance, the beast seemed to sense their presence. It moved faster and let out a series of unsettling, low growls.

“This doesn’t look like an ordinary demon beast,” Nangong Shoujian said, frowning deeply.

Both Fang Lin and Zhong Wuwei nodded in agreement. This was indeed no ordinary demon beast—it had no demonic aura, and what kind of demon beast looked like that?

Fang Lin stared intently at the beast, his mind racing. Yet even with the knowledge from his past life, he could not recall ever encountering such a creature or reading about it in any ancient texts.

“It seems we’ll have to engage it to find out what it is. Otherwise, we’ll remain completely in the dark,” Fang Lin said, his expression growing grim.

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