Chapter 884: Returning to River State
Ye Mo had been away for a month and a half. It was nearly time to give Li Yuqian the Cao Huan pill as promised, but he remained hidden. He wasn't certain if the two Hollow Spirit State cultivators had departed.
Stealing from those cultivators had been incredibly risky, but he had no regrets. Without that daring act, he wouldn't have discovered the myriad magical items within the cultivation realm, nor gained his current perspective. He wouldn't have learned to create Spirit Recovery pills using stalagmite marrow.
Spirit Recovery pills were exceptionally precious, heaven-grade pills, difficult to produce. He'd previously been unaware of the key ingredient, the stalagmite marrow; most market pills used a substitute. Even then, their cost remained prohibitive for most.
Using the Mist Lotus Heart Fire, Ye Mo produced four cauldrons of Cao Huan pills in a single day. He'd made one in his first attempt, and three in each subsequent try. He also set aside a Cao Huan fruit, recognizing another use described in the "Things" document: it could be refined into a Sixty-Year Pill, extending lifespan by sixty years.
A Golden Core State cultivator's lifespan typically reached 400 years. Below Nascent Soul State, lifespan correlated with cultivation level. Qi Gathering cultivators averaged around 100 years; Foundation Establishment, 200; Golden Core, 400; and Nascent Soul, 800. Lifespan increases diminished significantly beyond Nascent Soul; Hollow Spirit State cultivators lived approximately 1200 years, Body Condensation, 1600, and Cauldron Filling, 2000.
Ye Mo rejoiced at creating these extreme-grade pills. He only produced five, but believed he could produce many more. He now understood why his previous pills were only top-grade or mid-grade – a deficiency in his flames.
Creating the Cao Huan pills officially made Ye Mo a Level 1 Pill King. He knew, however, that he could produce even Level 3 heaven-grade pills.
Following this, he made one cauldron of Essence Pills and five cauldrons of Spirit Recovery Pills before packing his equipment, preparing to leave. He’d crafted six Essence Pills per cauldron and six Spirit Recovery Pills per cauldron, a testament to his improvement.
He burned his clothes, donned a new set, removed Nine Transformations, and stored his valuables within the Golden Page World before attempting to depart.
However, the thought struck him: his departure was a gamble. What if he triggered the spirit sense of the two Hollow Spirit State cultivators? Their patience was limitless; a month was nothing to them.
Ye Mo decided to send Shadowless, his spirit insect, ahead, carrying the Golden Page World. Shadowless's vision would allow him to observe the surroundings, a safer alternative than directly exiting. The barren wilderness abounded with insects similar to Shadowless, making detection unlikely, barring direct spirit sense contact.
As Shadowless emerged, Ye Mo felt a faint sense of danger, validating his cautious approach. He didn’t know the source but knew his previous plan would have been disastrous.
He proceeded carefully, instructing Shadowless to move slowly. After ten days, they had traveled approximately 40,000 kilometers. The danger seemed to dissipate, but then returned, prompting an immediate halt. His cultivation of the Three Birth Chant had heightened his senses.
Through Shadowless's eyes, he discovered a hidden restriction tracking movement within a kilometer. Crossing it meant his actions would be recorded.
The scale amazed him; such powerful restrictions required countless spirit stones. Though he doubted a 50,000-kilometer perimeter was completely covered, he chose not to risk searching for gaps.
He instead directed Shadowless to circumnavigate the area, revealing the extent of the cultivators' determination. Tens of thousands of kilometers were filled with these tracking restrictions. Detection meant immediate confrontation.
A cold sweat broke out on Ye Mo. He had been extremely close to capture. If not for Shadowless, he would have been caught.
…
A day later, he guided Shadowless across the restriction. After a 20,000-kilometer flight, Ye Mo believed they were safe. He exited the Golden Page World, mounting his flying pike.
A few days later, he used a teleportation formation to return to River State City. Two months had passed; Song Yangzhu and Ye Ling had been worried sick, neglecting their cultivation.
Upon seeing him, everyone rejoiced. Their relieved faces highlighted the risk he had taken, and the consequences of his potential failure for his family.