Chapter 499: A Battle Against Venerated Pill
Translator: GE_Team
The old man was indeed Venerated Pill, the lord of the Pill Island.
The old man did not feel strange when Ning Fan figured out his identity. There were only a few Sixth Revolution Pill Masters in the Rain World. After he displayed his Sixth Revolution medicine soul, it wasn't strange for others to guess his identity.
Although he had just returned from his travels, he had heard about Ning Fan in different places of the Rain World.
Only when he met him in person today did he feel that seeing it for himself was much more convincing than hearing it from others.
As a Sixth Revolution Pill Master, Venerated Pill could be considered to be extremely well-known in the Rain World.
Even though he had yet to advance to the Void Refinement Realm, his status was much more respected than many Void Refinement Realm experts in the Rain World. Besides, since he frequently travelled around the world, his knowledge and experience were so vast that ordinary people could not rival him.
He had met a lot of Void Refinement Realm experts in the Rain World. However, when he sensed the strength of Ning Fan's qi, all sorts of feelings filled his mind. Of all the Void Refinement Realm experts he knew, not a single old monster of the Void Glimpse Stage or the Void Inquiry Stage actually had a more vigorous qi than Ning Fan.
Looking past Ning Fan, Su Yan had already stored the silver boat and the twelve horned dragons and was standing behind him like a little girl who could inspire tenderness upon those who saw her.
This made Venerated Pill sigh with emotion. In the Rain World, Su Yan was also a Void Inquiry Stage expert whose name was widely known. But now, she has joined Ning Fan…
"As soon as I returned to the island, I received news that Revered Ming has suppressed the Mist Horn Devil Clan relying only on your own strength. I didn't believe it at first. Now it seems like Revered Ming's capability is probably unrivalled among Void Inquiry Stage experts… You have my respect and admiration!"
Venerated Pill glanced at Ming Que and recalled the misunderstanding between them earlier. Then, he continued with an earnest tone.
"My dharma name is Dan Songzi and I am a good friend of Dong Xu. After I returned, I have already heard from Yang Gu and the others about what Fellow Daoist did in the past. Since you have helped my Pill Island, we obviously owe you a favor. Besides, you are a feudal ranking elder of my island. Thus, I have no objections if you want to use our Soul Washing Pond. In fact, I will try my best to help you. Moments ago, I didn't know that this little young lady was one of your people. That's why we had a misunderstanding. I hope you can forgive me for my recklessness and carelessness earlier."
As a Sixth Revolution Pill Master, it wasn't excessive for him to treat Void Refinement Realm experts in the Rain World as people on the same level as him. Thus, it was completely fine for him to address Ning Fan as a fellow daoist.
"Senior Dan is modest. I've seen what had happened between you and Ming Que just now. Senior was just having a fair fight with Ming Que. Besides, you even pulled your punches during the fight. Let's just drop this subject and forget about it altogether."
The reason why Ning Fan addressed Venerated Pill as a senior was not only because he was paying his respect to the latter for his Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Realm but also because he was related to the Pill Sovereign.
From the perspective of the Dao of Alchemy, Venerated Pill's pill refinement skills and seniority were higher than Ning Fan. Thus, it was completely appropriate for Ning Fan to view him as his senior.
Venerated Pill was stunned upon hearing how Ning Fan addressed him. Then, he shook his head and laughed.
"Between you and me, there is no need for you to address me as your senior. It's just like how you interact with Dong Xu, we should treat each other as people of equal status. My pill refinement realm is at the Low Grade Sixth Revolution and I am ranked seventh among the pill refinement masters in the Rain World. As for you, you are said to have Peak Grade Fifth Revolution Pill Refinement Realm and you were even given the title of 'The Eighth Pill Refinement Master of the Rain World'. Perhaps you can break through to the Sixth Revolution in a single try by using the Soul Washing Pond… Thus, you don't have to call me your senior."
"It's extremely difficult to advance my pill refinement realm to the Sixth Revolution. To be honest, I don't have much assurance about whether or not I can attain the Sixth Revolution in a single try on this occasion. However, since Senior insists on seeing me as a friend of equal status, then I will boldly address senior as Fellow Daoist. Fellow Daoist Dan, if I may ask, has the Soul Washing Pond been fully prepared already? When will I be able to enter the pond?"
"The Soul Washing Pond has already been unsealed up to the fourth level. In another ten days, it will be unsealed up to the sixth floor. Fellow Daoist will need to wait for at least ten more days. Only after that can Fellow Daoist use the pond." Venerated Pill explained.
"The fourth floor and the sixth floor?" Ning Fan did not know much about the Soul Washing Pond. Thus, he was not aware that the pond was divided into different floors.
"Ah. I was being careless. Fellow Daoist, please have a look at this jade slip. It has a detailed introduction about the Soul Washing Pond." Venerated Pill took out a jade slip and passed it to Ning Fan.
Ning Fan spread his spirit sense to the jade slip. The information within it flowed into his mind.
The Soul Washing Pond of the Pill Island had the unique power of nourishing and strengthening a pill refinement master's medicine soul. The power was known as the "Soul Bathing Light".
The intensity of the Soul Bathing Light differs according to the depth of the pond. The Pill Island divided the pond into seven floors of pond domains where each of them were restricted by a seal.
The first floor had the weakest Soul Bathing Light. This floor was commonly used by Peak Grade Fourth Revolution Pill Masters to break through to the Fifth Revolution.
The second floor could help improve the medicine souls of Low Grade Fifth Revolution Pill Masters.
As for the third, fourth and fifth floors, they were prepared for Mid Grade, High Grade and Peak Grade Fifth Revolution Pill Masters to temper their medicine souls.
In order to achieve the Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Realm, the sixth floor was the best one to train one's medicine soul.
The seventh floor was the deepest level of the Soul Washing Pond. The Soul Bathing Light on that floor was terrifyingly powerful. Normally, only Mid Grade Sixth Revolution Pill Masters would be able to endure this level of Soul Bathing Light.
Even Venerated Pill himself was not brave enough to temper his medicine soul on the seventh floor.
"I see." Ning Fan returned the jade slip to Venerated Pill and went silent for a short while.
Now, the Soul Washing Pond had been unsealed up to the fourth floor which could allow High Grade Fifth Revolution Pill Refinement Master to enter and cultivate. However, the Soul Bathing Light on the fourth floor would not have much effect on Ning Fan's medicine soul.
In order to borrow the Soul Bathing Light of the pond to increase the level of his medicine soul, Ning Fan would need to enter the fifth floor at the very least.
And if he wants to attain the Sixth Revolution medicine soul in one go, the sixth floor would be the best option.
Considering that only true Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Master could normally enter the sixth floor, Ning Fan felt that he probably would need to consume some pills to protect himself in order to enter the sixth floor without any worries with his current medicine soul.
"It seems like I have to trouble your Pill Island for ten days." Ning Fan broke the silence.
"Hehe. Anyhow, you are a feudal ranking elder of my island. Just set your mind at ease and stay on this island for ten days. I will ask Huang Tingzi, Yang Gu and others to prepare some pills and spiritual equipment for you to protect yourself when you enter the sixth floor of the Soul Washing Pond. In your stay in the Pill Island, you can go to any library on the island and study whatever pill recipes or records as you wish. If you discover a pill recipe that you like, you can just directly make a copy of it for yourself. No one will stop you. Besides, if Fellow Daoist wants to know some experiences and insights regarding the breakthrough to Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Realm, you can always look for me anytime. I will certainly share with you everything I know."
Venerated Pill sounded easygoing and accommodating. What he said was similar to tacitly giving Ning Fan the permission to do whatever he wants on the island.
At the next moment, he seemed to have thought of something new. His eyes actually lit up, looking eager to try something out.
"I intend to have an exchange of medicine soul battle techniques with you. I wonder if you are interested."
"Exchange techniques?" Ning Fan sounded slightly surprised.
"Precisely. I believe Fellow Daoist has already seen the Soul Transforming Dragon I used previously. That is actually a battle soul technique that I obtained from an ancient cultivator's tomb. At present, I've reached the bottleneck of this technique's cultivation and I need to swap battle soul techniques with others in order to achieve the breakthrough. I heard that you've learned Pill Sovereign's battle soul technique which is why I am interested in having a friendly fight with you. Of course, I'm going to pull my punches as well. But if you aren't willing to do so, I certainly won't force you either…"
"I'm fine with that. I'm willing to fight Fellow Daoist Dan since it will help you in breaking through the bottleneck of your battle soul technique. Now, please!"
After Ning Fan said the word "please", he immediately pulled away from Venerated Pill. As for the bystanders, they also quickly withdrew to an extremely far distance.
Exchanging battle soul techniques against Venerated Pill and helping him achieve a breakthrough in the bottleneck in his cultivation were literally doing him a favor. Ning Fan would certainly not decline it.
Besides, Ning Fan also wanted to see the difference between his medicine soul and the medicine soul of a Low Grade Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Master.
Theoretically speaking, the intensity of Ning Fan's medicine soul had already reached the Low Grade Sixth Revolution. The reason why he had yet to fully advance to the Sixth Revolution was because he lacked the final spurt that could push him through the bottleneck of the Sixth Revolution.
Along the way to the Pill Island earlier, he was constantly mulling over the Heavenly Dipper Imprint which Pill Sovereign had taught him and had gradually gained a deeper understanding of it.
He fused the one hundred and eight imprints of the Execution Devil Palm into the Heavenly Dipper Imprint which allowed him to create three styles of Earthly Fiend Imprints himself by using the Execution Palm Imprints as a reference on the foundation of the thirty-six styles of Heavenly Dipper Imprint.
Now, the medicine soul palm imprints that Ning Fan knew were thirty-nine styles in total, three styles more than what Pill Sovereign had taught him. This was a great chance for him to test out his new palm imprints by fighting Venerated Pill.
As soon as everyone heard Ning Fan agree to an exchange of battle soul techniques with Venerated Pill, a commotion immediately erupted within the entire Pill Island.
Battle soul techniques were exclusive to ancient pill masters. Occasionally, there might be some Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Grandmasters who successfully learned these techniques but ordinary pill refinement masters might not necessarily have the chance to even witness them once in their entire lives.
Moreover, it was even more rare to see two pill refinement grandmasters fight each other using battle soul techniques.
Each of the pill refinement masters looked at Ning Fan and Venerated Pill from afar without making any noise to prevent disturbing them.
A majority of the pill refinement masters believed that Venerated Pill would be the victor of this fight. After all, Venerated Pill was a genuine Low Grade Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Master whereas Ning Fan was only at the Peak Grade Fifth Revolution.
"Elder Yang, between Venerated Pill and Revered Ming, who do you think will win? Revered Ming is your master. You should know him quite well. Do you think he is capable of withstanding a battle soul attack from Venerated Pill?" Huang Tingzi asked Yang Gu who was standing beside him via telepathy.
"Venerated Pill's pill refinement realm has reached the Sixth Revolution. It's a fact which everyone in the Rain World is aware of. In terms of the level of their medicine souls, Venerated Pill's medicine soul is certainly better than my master's. However, every time my master makes a move, he always exceeds all expectations. To outsiders, my master may not be able to withstand a single battle soul attack from Venerated Pill. From my perspective, however, it isn't strange if my master is equally as strong as Venerated Pill or even much stronger than him." Yang Gu, on the other hand, had full confidence in Ning Fan.
"Oh? So Fellow Daoist Yang actually thinks Revered Ming has a chance to win, right?" Huang Tingzi shook his head, disagreeing with what Yang Gu said.
He was not underestimating Ning Fan. In fact, he had great admiration for his pill refinement realm and even viewed him as the Eighth Pill Refinement Master of the Rain World.
However, no matter what, it was a fact that Ning Fan had yet to advance to the Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Realm.
And Huang Tingzi did not think that a Fifth Revolution medicine soul would be able to defeat a Sixth Revolution medicine soul.
From his perspective, Ning Fan was indeed strong and powerful. He suppressed the Mist Horn Clan all on his own. He could even kill Void Inquiry Stage experts. His strength was even good enough for him to travel across the Rain World unhindered.
If it was a fight of combat skills and magic techniques, Venerated Pill would certainly not be his match.
However, if it was on the intensity of their medicine souls, Ning Fan should be slightly inferior to Venerated Pill.
"Great Elder, do you want to make a bet with me? I'm willing to bet a tuft of thirty thousand years old Flying Cloud Grass that my master won't lose." Yang Gu said firmly. He had infinite confidence in Ning Fan. After all, who asked Ning Fan to be his master?
However, he was not foolish as well. He did not blindly bet that Ning Fan would win this fight. Instead, he only bet that he would not lose. The meaning of not losing the fight included it being a draw.
Ning Fan's pill refinement realm was at the Peak Grade Fifth Revolution. It might be slightly unbelievable for him to win against Venerated Pill at his current level, but it was not impossible for them to end in a draw.
"Thirty thousand years old Flying Cloud Grass? Very well. I'll bet with you. You are betting on Revered Ming not losing the fight, aren't you? Then, I am betting on Venerated Pill's certain victory. As for my wager, it'll be the Rain Flower Pill that I've newly concocted." The confidence Huang Tingzi had in Venerated Pill was not weak either.
There were thirty thousand plus cultivators on the Pill Island spectating the fight. However, aside from Yang Gu, those who had confidence in Ning Fan were only Su Yan and Ming Que.
Inside the battle area, both Ning Fan and Venerated Pill stood facing each other with a great distance between them. They restrained their magic power and only activated the power of their medicine souls.
"Soul Transforming Dragon Technique!" Venerated Pill touched his head and suddenly, his immense medicine soul power transformed into a massive black dragon which flew out from his head and soared into the sky.
The appearance of the black dragon immediately drew the attention of numerous cultivators of the Pill Island. They raised their heads and stared in admiration at the huge dragon.
"Oh my goodness! Venerated Pill can actually transform his medicine soul into a dragon to attack his enemy! Is this one of those offensive battle soul techniques that the ancient pill masters used in ancient times? It's indeed deep and profound and it isn't something that we can even begin to imagine!"
"The qi of this black dragon is comparable to a Void Glimpse Stage old monster. A single attack from it is similar to a Void Glimpse Stage attack. Revered Ming's cultivation base might be higher, but there is no way he can withstand this black dragon's attack by just using his battle soul technique."
The noise in the surroundings died down the moment Ning Fan raised his palm. Each of the old monsters held their breaths, waiting to see how Ning Fan would deal with Venerated Pill's technique.
After Ning Fan raised his palm, he put it down. Moments later, he raised it again and lowered it down once again.
In his mind, he kept recalling the essence of the Execution Devil Palm and his understanding of the Heavenly Dipper Imprint became deeper and deeper.
There were different paths to attain the Great Dao but the destination was the same. Even if Devil Martial Arts and Battle Soul Techniques are two completely different things, there must still be some similarities between them.
Ning Fan's eyes gradually regained their clarity. He put his palm down for the last time and no longer raised it up.
He held his head up and stared coldly at the black dragon. A tremendous aura of his medicine soul aura force burst forth from his body, forming into an enormous black palm imprint which floated in the sky.
"Heavenly Dipper Imprint! Even though this palm imprint is the special technique of Pill Sovereign, just one style of the palm imprint is not enough to win against my black dragon." Venerated Pill's eyes flashed with radiance when he recognized the Heavenly Dipper Imprint.
"I know not just a single style but all thirty-six styles!"
Ning Fan's expression changed. His aura force was like the Northern Heavenly Dipper, just and peaceful.
The medicine soul power which was as vast as the sea turned into thirty-five gigantic dark waves which condensed into thirty-five layers of large black palm imprints and merged with the single palm imprint in the air.
When thirty-six layers of palm imprints combined into one, its aura force sharply rose but was still slightly weaker than the black dragon.
"You've actually mastered all thirty-six styles of Pill Sovereign's Heavenly Dipper Imprint!? Very well!" Venerated Pill's eyes shone with a hint of battle intent.
If Ning Fan had mastered the entire set of Heavenly Dipper Imprint, he could not be underestimated. Venerated Pill had to fight him with all his strength!
As Venerated Pill changed his hand seals, the black dragon charged at Ning Fan with a frightening aura force, summoning wind and rain.
If Ning Fan's palm imprint was only at this level, Venerated Pill had great chances of winning. However, Ning Fan's palm imprint wasn't as simple as this.
"I still have three more imprints…"
His eyes which originally looked calm and had a hint of righteousness were suddenly filled with terrifying baleful qi.
Even his medicine soul was dyed black with a hint of blood-red by the dense baleful qi.
Venerated Pill found it hard to believe that three styles of palm imprints had been added to the foundation of the Heavenly Dipper Imprint which consisted of only thirty-six styles!
"He actually knows thirty-nine palm imprints!? The last three palm imprints don't seem to be the palm imprints of Pill Sovereign… Could it be that this kid invented them himself?!"
While Venerated Pill's mind was filled with different thoughts, Ning Fan's soul palm imprint had already heavily crashed into the black dragon, giving out earth-shattering sounds.
Thirty-nine continuous bangs echoed throughout the sky. The tremendous force amazed countless cultivators of the island.
In between collisions, the power of Ning Fan's palm imprints gradually weakened and eventually dissipated completely.
As for the black dragon, it was roaring non-stop and was literally crushed into halves by the palm imprints in the end!
Another wave of force was sent out from the collisions of their attacks. Ning Fan hurriedly moved back a few steps and Venerated Pill did the same. However, Venerated Pill was not as calm as Ning Fan. His eyes were filled with deep astonishment.
Countless cultivators of the Pill Island gasped in disbelief.
In terms of the intensity of medicine souls, Ning Fan was still slightly weaker than Venerated Pill. However, with his understanding of his battle soul technique, he flawlessly withstood a battle soul attack from Venerated Pill. This was just too unthinkable!
A Fifth Revolution Pill Refinement Master had actually blocked a battle soul attack from a Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Master. If this matter were to spread to the outside world, it would certainly make the headlines of the Rain World!
"Haha. It's a draw!" Yang Gu looked at Huang Tingzi with a proud look. He had won the bet between the two of them.
"How could this be possible…" Huang Tingzi was upset but he also could not conceal the look of amazement on his face.
He did not think it would end like this …
At the same time, an even more scary idea rose within his mind.
Revered Ming can already fight Venerated Pill using his medicine soul without losing even though he has yet to truly attain the Sixth Revolution.
If he really advances to the Sixth Revolution, wouldn't his medicine soul be stronger than Venerated Pill's?!
In other words, so long as he achieves a breakthrough and becomes a Sixth Revolution Pill Refinement Master, he would replace Venerated Pill's ranking and become the Seventh Pill Refinement Master of the Rain World!?
"The Seventh… of the Rain World!" Huang Tingzi's breathing became chaotic when he thought of that.
Even when Pill Sovereign was at Ning Fan's age, there was no way he could attain a pill refinement realm which could rank him eighth or seventh in the Rain World, couldn't he?
Could Ning Fan's innate potential in the Dao of Alchemy be even greater than Pill Sovereign's?!
Translated by Tommy, edited by Roel