’Alright, Changmao, time to come out. It’s time to get to work!’ Shen Haoran called out in his mind. A moment later, a blurry shadow flashed by, and Changmao appeared on his shoulder.

"If I help you find treasure, what’s in it for me?" Changmao asked Shen Haoran, its small eyes darting around.

"What do you want in return?"

"Hehe, how about you give me that Level Eight Source Pill!" Changmao said with a cheeky grin.

"Get lost! Dream on. Right now, you have two choices: either get to work, or... hehe!" Shen Haoran gave a sinister smile and cracked his knuckles. The sharp sound made Changmao shudder involuntarily.

"Y-You’re exploiting labor!" Changmao protested indignantly.

"Yep, you’re right. Got a problem with it?" Shen Haoran said threateningly.

Seeing Shen Haoran’s threatening gaze, Changmao could only shrink back. ’What choice do I have? Do I dare object? In the past, everyone practically tripped over themselves to suck up to me. How did I end up getting bullied like this by a mere Martial Artist, without even daring to fight back! I’ve completely ruined the reputation of the leader of the Ten Great Fierce Beasts!’ Changmao wailed internally.

"Get to work," Shen Haoran chuckled. Changmao promptly leaped from his shoulder and headed toward the depths of the great hall.

The man and beast wandered through the great hall for a long time before arriving at a fork in the path. Standing at the junction deep within the hall, Changmao sniffed left and right before pointing to the rightmost passage. "This way! I smell Pill Fragrance!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Haoran’s face lit up. ’Pill Fragrance? Doesn’t that mean this passage leads to the hall’s Alchemy Room? Elixirs are, and always will be, the most alluring cultivation resource in the world. They can help you achieve a breakthrough in a very short amount of time, with no negative side effects. A single tiny Elixir can be worth months, or even years, of cultivation. Who wouldn’t be green with envy!’

"Let’s go!" At this thought, a fervent glint appeared in Shen Haoran’s eyes. He immediately grabbed Changmao and dashed into the passage.

The pitch-black passage wasn’t very long, and with Shen Haoran’s terrifying speed, he reached the end in just a few minutes. Looking up at the two flamboyantly carved words above his head—"Alchemy Room"—a joyful smile spread across his face.

He placed his hands on the Bronze Gate, leaving deep handprints in the thick layer of dust.

’Looks like no one has been here for a long time. I wonder if there are any Top Grade Elixirs inside!’ Shen Haoran licked his lips, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.

"Hah...!" Shen Haoran grunted. The veins on his arms bulged as immense strength surged forth, pushing the tightly sealed Bronze Gate open.

RUMBLE... With a deep grinding sound, the Bronze Gate slowly swung open. A thick Pill Fragrance billowed out from within the Alchemy Room, so dense it was almost tangible. The scent was so overpowering that Shen Haoran nearly choked.

Shen Haoran’s figure flashed as he slipped into the Alchemy Room. He immediately shut the Bronze Gate behind him to prevent the Pill Fragrance from escaping and attracting others.

Gazing into the pitch-black Alchemy Room, Shen Haoran flicked his finger. Orbs of Fire Spirit Black Obsidian shot out, scattering to the corners of the room and dispelling the darkness. Only then could Shen Haoran clearly see his surroundings.

The Alchemy Room was quite spacious. The right half was lined with medicinal cabinets filled with exquisite Jade Bottles, the source of the faint Pill Fragrance. The left half was dominated by a pitch-black Pill Furnace, engraved with patterns of Fierce Beasts. One glance was enough to tell it was no ordinary item. But what shocked Shen Haoran was what stood on either side of the furnace: two desiccated corpses.

To call them desiccated corpses wasn’t quite right. Their flesh was still intact, merely shriveled from the passage of time. Their faces were deathly pale, without a single trace of blood. Judging by their attire, they appeared to be the Pill Children of this Alchemy Room.

The two Pill Children stared intently at Shen Haoran. If not for the complete absence of any life force, he would have thought he’d been discovered. Even so, he sensed a hint of danger from them. Fortunately, the two Pill Children remained motionless, so Shen Haoran cautiously edged his way toward the medicinal cabinets on the right side, where the Elixirs were kept.

The cabinets on the right contained not only many Elixirs, but also numerous rare medicinal ingredients. However, as Shen Haoran looked at the shriveled herbs, his heart ached. They had been exposed for too long; their Medicinal Power had completely dissipated, rendering them useless.

As he moved between the cabinets, Shen Haoran’s expression grew sour. There were plenty of Elixirs, but they were basically just Third Grade and Fourth Grade. Most of their Medicinal Power had dissipated over time, making them largely ineffective. The few that were well-preserved could only exert seventy or eighty percent of their original potency. There wasn’t a single Elixir he considered worthy of his notice.

"Sigh..." Shen Haoran let out a helpless sigh and gathered the Elixirs that were still reasonably well-preserved. ’Even though they only have seventy to eighty percent of their original potency left, Elixirs refined using ancient Alchemy techniques are still stronger than modern ones. I can take these back for the members of the Yao Sect.’

After another fruitless tour of the cabinets, Shen Haoran finally gave up hope. ’There really aren’t any High Level Elixirs here. Then again, that makes sense. Who would just leave High Level Elixirs lying around on a shelf?’

"Boss, I think there’s one more inside that black Pill Furnace!" Just as Shen Haoran was about to give up, Changmao’s voice sounded in his ear.

At these words, Shen Haoran turned his gaze to the pitch-black Pill Furnace and slowly walked toward it.

When Shen Haoran came within a meter of the Pill Furnace, the unexpected happened. The two previously motionless Pill Children suddenly stirred! Two Sharp Swords materialized in their hands as they lunged, stabbing viciously at Shen Haoran.

Fortunately, Shen Haoran had remained vigilant and wasn’t panicked by the sudden turn of events. His Qilin Arm shot out, expanding rapidly to block the attack!

CLANG! CLANG!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out twice. The two Sharp Swords hit the Qilin Arm, leaving behind two small white marks but failing to injure Shen Haoran. It was a testament to the Qilin Arm’s terrifying defensive power.

However, the immense force from the swords still knocked Shen Haoran back six or seven steps.

"Trespassers in the Alchemy Room shall be killed without mercy!" An ancient, rigid voice emerged from the two Pill Children, shocking Shen Haoran. ’These two Pill Children... they’re still alive?’

’No, that’s not right.’ Although their auras were sharp, reaching the level of a Tier Nine Spirit General, their eyes were completely vacant and their movements were incredibly stiff. ’They’re more like... two Puppets!’

A piece of information flashed through his mind. His Alchemy Inheritance included the Puppet Dao. As knowledge about Puppets surfaced in his thoughts, he quickly pinpointed their weaknesses.

"Hehe, whatever’s in that Pill Furnace is mine!" Shen Haoran licked his lips, clenched his Qilin Arm into a fist, and charged toward the two Puppet Pill Children...