A day later.
News spread through the Central Continent.
Master Liuyun had reappeared in the Central Continent!
"Is it true? Has Master Liuyun finally appeared again? This is wonderful!"
"I urgently need several high-grade Spirit Pills and have been troubled, unsure which master alchemist to approach! Now it's settled, Master Liuyun has appeared!"
...
For a time, countless martial artists across the entire Central Continent were excited. Everyone knew that Master Liuyun, when it came to pill requests, never refused anyone. As long as you could afford the payment, he would generously undertake the alchemy.
Thus, countless martial artists, bringing their payments, began flocking madly towards the place where Master Liuyun had appeared.
Soon, another piece of news circulated: Master Liuyun only accepted Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures; other forms of wealth were not wanted. However, the martial artists of the Central Continent were not at all surprised by this news because Master Liuyun had made the same demand in the past.
In the sky over the land of the Central Continent, a black carriage traveled through the air. In front of the carriage, an old servant in black robes sat cross-legged. Previously, this old servant had been Feng Yun; now, it was Huang Shang. Huang Shang was a ghost cultivator, inherently capable of a thousand transformations, making it difficult for outsiders to recognize him.
"Master, our harvest over these past two days has been quite good," Hu Miao, inside the carriage, said to Ye Yunfei as she inventoried their recent gains.
"It's still far from enough," Ye Yunfei shook his head.
The Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures collected over these past two days were still insufficient to support Ye Yunfei in cultivating his Greenwood Emperor Body to the intermediate stage.
"Elder Huang, proceed in the direction of the Alchemy Tower," Ye Yunfei pondered for a moment before instructing Huang Shang.
"Oh? Master, you wish to go to the Alchemy Tower?" Hu Miao asked curiously.
"Indeed. The Alchemy Tower surely houses a large collection of Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. I will go and make a trade with them," Ye Yunfei stated.
"Trade with the Alchemy Tower?" Both Hu Miao and Huang Shang were taken aback.
Although, during the previous Alchemy Contest, Dan Jun had admitted his alchemical skills were inferior to Master Liuyun's, it did not mean the Alchemy Tower's attitude toward Master Liuyun was friendly. On the contrary, because Master Liuyun had caused the Alchemy Tower to lose all face in front of the public last time, most members of the Alchemy Tower harbored hidden resentment toward him. Therefore, even if the Alchemy Tower possessed many Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, it wasn't certain they would be willing to give them to Master Liuyun.
"You will see when the time comes," Ye Yunfei said indifferently.
The black carriage slowly made its way towards the Alchemy Tower. Along the journey, countless martial artists followed, seeking pills from Ye Yunfei.
Almost every place they stopped, Ye Yunfei's black carriage would be densely surrounded by crowds of martial artists, as if paying homage. As long as they could offer Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures satisfactory to Ye Yunfei, he would act to help refine their pills.
Gradually, the quantity of Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures Ye Yunfei collected grew larger and larger.
Besides those seeking pills, there were also many envoys sent by major sects and clans, bearing generous gifts, hoping to befriend Master Liuyun. After all, a master alchemist who even Dan Jun felt inferior to was absolutely worth any faction's effort to establish ties with. Ye Yunfei graciously accepted all the lavish gifts brought by those envoys. It was perfectly normal for a master alchemist to receive some presents.
Finally, on this journey, they arrived at the Alchemy Tower's headquarters, Pill City.
The experts of the Alchemy Tower, having already received the news, soared into the air one after another, standing high above and staring vigilantly at Ye Yunfei.
The Tower Master, accompanied by a group of Alchemy Tower elders, all revealed themselves, each looking warily at the black carriage ahead.
The current Master Liuyun was too famous for the Alchemy Tower to not take seriously.
In fact, a saying had begun to circulate in the Central Continent: on the Tianxuan Continent, the one who represented the pinnacle of alchemical skill was not the Alchemy Tower, but Master Liuyun. This was difficult for the Alchemy Tower, which had enjoyed supreme honor for many years, to accept. Every member of the Alchemy Tower felt deeply unwilling. Who would have thought this Master Liuyun would actively seek them out again!
"Master Liuyun, may I ask what business brings you to grace our Alchemy Tower?" the Tower Master clasped his hands and asked loudly.
"I wish to see Dan Jun and make a trade with him. Please go and announce my presence," Ye Yunfei slowly emerged from the carriage, his hands clasped behind his back, and spoke.
"Make a trade with Dan Jun?" The higher-ups of the Alchemy Tower were somewhat stunned upon hearing this.
"Master Liuyun, apologies. Since the conclusion of the Alchemy Contest, Elder Dan Jun has been in closed-door cultivation. He has not yet emerged until now. Therefore, Master Liuyun, please kindly return," the Tower Master stated clearly.
These higher-ups of the Alchemy Tower were already dissatisfied with Master Liuyun. Moreover, since Dan Jun was in seclusion, no one was willing to go and report.
"Here, I have a Fifth-Grade Treasure Pill I intended to thoroughly study with Dan Jun. I didn't expect him to be unavailable. Very well, I shall not disturb further," Ye Yunfei said indifferently.
Amplified by his spiritual power, Ye Yunfei's voice traveled far.
After speaking, Ye Yunfei turned and returned to his carriage.
"Let's go," Ye Yunfei's voice came from within the carriage.
Huang Shang immediately drove the carriage to turn around, preparing to leave.
"Master Liuyun, please stay your departure." At this moment, a voice sounded.
Then, a figure approached from afar, arriving instantly beside Ye Yunfei's carriage.
It was none other than Dan Jun!
"We pay our respects to Dan Jun!" The Tower Master and the elders were greatly startled and hurried forward to pay their respects.
"Oh? Dan Jun, wasn't it said you were in closed-door cultivation?" Ye Yunfei stepped out from the carriage, his expression hovering between a smile and a smirk.
"Master Liuyun, do you truly have a Fifth-Grade Treasure Pill?" Dan Jun asked anxiously.
Without a word, Ye Yunfei waved his hand. A white Treasure Pill appeared before him.
In the ancient battlefield of the Eastern Region, Ye Yunfei had encountered Da Di Daozhang. Da Di Daozhang's physical body sat cross-legged at the exit of an Earth Spirit Vein, which was a white pool. Around that white pool grew many Treasure Medicines, with the highest grades reaching Fifth-Grade.
Ye Yunfei had collected and stored all those Fifth-Grade Treasure Medicines. This white Fifth-Grade Treasure Pill was refined from them.
"It truly is a Fifth-Grade Treasure Pill!" Dan Jun's eyes couldn't help but brighten, as if he had obtained a priceless treasure.
The Tower Master and the elders were also left dumbstruck. Even the Alchemy Tower could not produce a single Fifth-Grade Treasure Pill!
"Master Liuyun, quick, please come in! Brew tea immediately and properly entertain Master Liuyun!" Dan Jun said excitedly.
Subsequently, Dan Jun personally welcomed Ye Yunfei into a small pavilion with beautiful scenery and humbly sought advice from Ye Yunfei regarding alchemy. The Tower Master of the Alchemy Tower waited upon them like a servant, boiling water, brewing tea, pouring tea... It was believed that across the entire Tianxuan Continent, only Dan Jun and Master Liuyun could command such personal service from the Tower Master.
In the end, Ye Yunfei made a trade with Dan Jun, offering two Fifth-Grade Treasure Pills in exchange for a batch of Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
Fifth-Grade Treasure Pills were too precious. Dan Jun was naturally delighted.
Dan Jun immediately instructed the Tower Master to retrieve a large batch of Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures from the Alchemy Tower's treasure vault and hand them over to Ye Yunfei. Among them was one stalk of Fifth-Grade Treasure Medicine! Several dozen stalks of Fourth-Grade Treasure Medicine! And as for Second-Grade and Third-Grade Treasure Medicines, they numbered in the hundreds! Moreover, Dan Jun also had people go to the herb fields cultivated by the Alchemy Tower to gather a shockingly large number of spiritual herbs imbued with Wood-attribute energy, which were also handed over to Ye Yunfei.
Dan Jun personally gave over a dozen spatial rings to Ye Yunfei. Inside these rings were piled up small mountains of spiritual herbs.
"This is almost sufficient," Ye Yunfei was very satisfied.
Next, despite Dan Jun's repeated attempts to get him to stay, Ye Yunfei left the Alchemy Tower and returned towards Hudao Academy.
Along the way, he continued helping people refine pills, collecting yet another large batch of Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
It could be said that during this period, countless Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures flowed from across the Central Continent, continuously converging towards Ye Yunfei.
Several days later.
Ye Yunfei quietly returned to Hudao Academy and entered the secret chamber within his peak.
"This time, I must strive to cultivate my Greenwood Emperor Body to the intermediate stage. Then, even if I encounter an expert at the Seventh Level of the Grotto-Heaven Realm, as long as I am careful, I won't be in danger of losing my life. This will become one of my most important trump cards!"
Entering the Phantom Tower, Ye Yunfei piled all the Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures around him, took a deep breath, and muttered to himself.
Piles of Wood-attribute Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, resembling small mountains, completely submerged Ye Yunfei in their midst.
A stunning azure energy thoroughly dyed that entire expanse of space green!