Bright and glorious.
The figure burning the horizon, the collapsing mansion of the Three Foundations, the tension permeating the air, and the slight cheerfulness from recently receiving good news.
These myriad emotions all blended together, observed entirely by a pair of men and women with red lips and white teeth.
It wasn't until the figure burning the horizon lowered his gaze and a boundless hand slowly descended, lifting the two of them up right before his eyes.
"Greetings, Senior Supreme Law."
The two cupped their hands in unison. Finally, the woman stepped forward with a slight smile, while the man silently retreated, signaling that he had handed full authority of the conversation over to her.
At the same time, another person walked out from the surging flames. It was none other than Lu Yang, who had been called over to listen in after receiving Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin's permission.
His face was calm, but his heart was quite pleasantly surprised: The Pill Maiden and the Cauldron Boy! Truly, you can wear out iron shoes hunting for something, only to find it without any effort at all!
The First-generation Master of Pill Cauldron Peak's layout was already showing signs.
The next second, the woman turned her head, a trace of confusion surfacing on her beautiful face. "A Perfected Lord of the Dao of Dao Arts. Why isn't it Celestial Master Qingwei Lingming?"
"The Great Celestial Master is still in seclusion."
Before Lu Yang could explain, Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin volunteered, "The injuries caused by that traitor last time haven't fully healed yet, so he is temporarily unable to see guests."
"I temporarily had Qing Kui come to listen in."
"...I understand."
The woman remained silent for a moment before nodding slightly. "Perfect. I have come on Master's orders this time solely to ask one thing: how much longer for [Mount Longhu]?"
Lu Yang remained silent, but his mind began to race:
[Mount Longhu]? I knew this so-called [Fifth Ghost Domain] plan was connected to the First-generation Master of Pill Cauldron Peak. Could it be related to the Nascent Soul Pill?
Meanwhile, Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin also frowned slightly.
"It will still take about ten years... We have already done our utmost. From the original hundred years down to the renegotiated thirty years, is that still not enough?"
"Not enough."
The Pill Maiden shook her head. "Three years. Master will open the furnace in three years. Before then, you must completely forge [Mount Longhu]!"
"You are forcing us to do the impossible."
While decisively refuting, Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin was also somewhat confused. "It obviously wasn't this urgent before... what exactly happened?"
The Pill Maiden instantly fell silent.
On the other hand, Lu Yang vaguely guessed the answer:
Because the First-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak unexpectedly woke up early... Besides this former senior brother, who else could change the First-generation Master of Pill Cauldron's mind?
Of course, [Sky-shrouding] might also be one of the reasons.
Despite this, he still had doubts in his heart. Looking at this situation, the First-generation Master of Pill Cauldron Peak is actually paying very close attention to the changes in the Netherworld.
But if that was the case, why didn't the First-generation Master of Pill Cauldron Peak show up during the two times the Netherworld faced massive disasters and nearly collapsed—whether it was the life where [Sky-shrouding] attained the Netherworld and rammed the First-generation Master of Beast Taming Peak to death, or the life where Lu Yang executed the [Project: Collapse Paramita]?
Didn't he want to fight the Primordial Saint?
Where were you when it mattered most?!
While Lu Yang was pondering, the Pill Maiden spoke again. "Regardless, [Mount Longhu] must be fully prepared within three years. This is the bottom line."
At this point, a trace of anxiety surfaced in the Pill Maiden's eyes.
"There is not much time left."
"Perhaps you still aren't clear on what happened in the Mortal World and are still investigating, but once the news from the Mortal World arrives, you will naturally understand."
"In short, Master will not wait for you. He will open the furnace in three years. When that time comes, if [Mount Longhu] hasn't been completely forged, then Master cannot guarantee the final yield of the [Nascent Soul Pill]. And you can forget about any [Fifth Ghost Domain]; just wait peacefully for death."
"...I understand."
After a moment of silence, Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin gave his answer. "I will go discuss this matter with the Great Celestial Master. I ask you two young friends to wait a moment."
As his voice faded, the light and shadows shifted.
Lu Yang returned to the towering palace hall from before. In front of him was still Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin's spiritual power incarnation, looking deep in thought.
Seeing this, Lu Yang hesitated to speak.
However, his actions immediately drew Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin's attention. He abruptly raised his head, revealing a curious expression. "Do you have something you want to ask?"
"You have sharp eyes, My Lord."
Seeing this, Lu Yang simply cupped his hands and said, "It's just that this subordinate doesn't understand the connection between [Mount Longhu] and the Master those two were talking about."
"Their Master is not a simple figure."
Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin sighed emotionally. "Very well, there is no harm in telling you. Once you know, you can also find a way to tell Lord Sisui's inheritor."
"Their Master's name is Pill Cauldron."
"The fact that we Three Foundations cultivators have managed to hold on in the Netherworld for tens of thousands of years, surviving until today without being completely wiped out, is actually all thanks to his help."
"As for the pill he wants to refine, it is called the [Nascent Soul Pill]..."
Lu Yang patiently listened to Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin's explanation. Then, with a face full of "shock," he said, "Consuming the Nascent Soul Pill will allow one to become a Dao Lord?"
"Is that even possible?"
Hearing this, Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin also paused, then said helplessly, "I don't know, but I feel there should be a slight possibility."
There actually is?!
Lu Yang was astonished internally, but outwardly he deliberately showed the appropriate amount of surprise for the situation. "How could he possibly do it? He isn't a Dao Lord himself..."
"Hahaha."
Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin chuckled, then said in a deep voice, "This is also just what I heard... The underlying principle seems to involve a primeval myth."
"You know about the Ancestral Dragon, right?"
Hearing this, Lu Yang first froze, his thoughts racing, until he found the corresponding memories within Qing Kui. Only then did he nod slightly. "I know."
"This myth is related to the Ancestral Dragon."
Perfected Lord Supreme Law Upholding Origin's tone was eerie, seemingly recalling distant memories. "Lord Sisui once told us that the Ancestral Dragon was a Innate Dao God."
"But what exactly is a Innate Dao God?"
"Why was it the Ancestral Dragon?"
"Someone asked this at the time, and Lord Sisui told us a myth."
"Legend has it that in an era so distant that the Light Sea hadn't even been born yet, there was a divine mountain in the Dark Void, born of heaven and nourished by earth. Within the mountain resided the innate spirits of a dragon and a tiger."
"Because there were no living creatures in the Dark Void, the dragon and tiger spirits in the mountain didn't develop sentience. They merely existed as features of the mountain. That was, until a one-in-a-trillion coincidence occurred—this massive mountain happened to collide with the very instant the Light Sea was born and carved out from the Dark Void."
"It was a match made in heaven."
"The mighty power that created heaven and earth transformed into the blazing fire that birthed myriad phenomena. Its vitality was unimaginably massive, and the Light Sea itself became the ultimate cauldron."
"The divine mountain happened to be there at the right time."
"With the Light Sea as the cauldron and the fire of birth... a supreme rare treasure was finally refined within this divine mountain, subsequently awakening the dragon and tiger spirits within."
"Thanks to the explosion of spirituality brought about by the birth of the Light Sea, the dragon and tiger spirits gradually developed ignorant sentience. Naturally, they were attracted by that supreme rare treasure in the mountain. A battle logically erupted between the two sides. In the end, the dragon spirit won, swallowed the rare treasure, and thus became the Ancestral Dragon."
This was a myth.
True or false, no one knew. But because it came from Lord Sisui's mouth, the vast majority firmly believed it to be the flawless truth.
"Pill Cauldron, he wants to recreate this scene."
"Using the Immortal Nexus as the cauldron and the Netherworld as firewood, igniting a raging fire, recreating the mythical scene on [Mount Longhu], and resonating with the concepts of the distant primeval era."
"Therefore, we suspect... if he can truly recreate the mythical scene, recreating that supreme rare treasure that made the Ancestral Dragon an innate Dao God, then this so-called [Nascent Soul Pill] might actually have some hope."