A moment later, good news came.

The Maximal Common Denominator Pill within the Third Sequence completed the suppression of the Ninefold Cold Qi, although this does not mean total control of this Venerable Azure Sea Cold Qi.

But realistically, it can be stored like Old Niu grazing, to be ruminated on later when there’s time.

This is possible, because now Wang Wu needs time most. Why rush for a quick decision?

Because this current situation is hard to replicate, and it’s his only safe chance to acquire the Venerable Azure Sea Cold Qi.

This is a bug, a loophole in the rules.

Once this chance is gone, it won’t come again.

So Wang Wu forged ahead furiously, relying on the Third Sequence, swallowing fifteenfold of the Venerable Azure Sea Cold Qi.

The operation was simple: retrieve the Venerable Fur Wang Wu used for the nesting operation, and the originally ice-sealed Venerable Fur with Azure Sea Cold Qi was taken back in one piece.

By this point, he had taken back fortyfold, though fifty-ninefold remained. In reality, Wang Wu made a huge profit; this Venerable Azure Sea Cold Qi is truly one of the top resources in the Cold Realm.

Wang Wu went full speed ahead, fearing to waste a second.

Meanwhile, the Cangming Clan was not idle; this time, the hunt and plunder loot were already sorted, ready for auction or division among themselves, while remaining defective items were tossed for alchemy.

Wang Wu hesitated for a while, originally planning to flee, but ultimately decided to stay.

For one reason: curiosity about the core philosophy behind the Cangming Clan’s alchemy practices.

Everything should have a method.

If you say refining these defective items to be closer to a Venerable Cold Qi is superfluous, what exists in this world that is purer, more ultimate than the calamity of cold?

Right, so the Cangming Clan’s alchemy is likely focused on what they need or lack, not what they already have.

Thus, Wang Wu was willing to take the risk and try.

Besides, he was no longer the person he was before, fully prepared.

If the Cangming Clan uses flames or similar methods in alchemy, he’d be pleased: he has Ying Fire for flames, Evil Wind for strong winds, Yang Thunder for thunder.

Now even the calamity of cold he has somewhat stored.

Bring it on; let’s see what comes.

He also wanted to broaden his horizons.

The phrase "the bold are skilled and the skilled are bold" aptly described him at this moment.

Boom!

A huge, thunderous earth-shaking rumble came, yet it was a mechanism?

But it didn’t seem like one.

Regardless, the Cangming Clan’s alchemy furnace was peculiar.

Just as he was thinking this, a gentle breeze blew from all directions, slightly warm.

Wait a minute, that’s not right, the cold qi around was decreasing, the Azure Sea Cold Qi here was being extracted, and all the defective items thrown into the alchemy furnace were thawing.

What was going on?

Were they actually going to use intense fire to refine these items?

Couldn’t be that foolish.

Thinking this, Wang Wu rushed to retrieve twenty-five strands of Venerable Fur, integrating the ultimate Venerable Azure Sea Cold Qi within him.

Almost immediately after, the level of Azure Sea Cold Qi in the alchemy furnace sharply decreased, and a heap of defective items awakened within seconds.

Oh wow, dozens of Taiyi, hundreds of Earth Immortals, thousands of cultivators, and millions of mortals—they weren’t frozen to death!

Now everyone crowded together, like a city where all skyscrapers vanished, leaving only a sea of heads.

It’s quite comical.

Just what were these Cangming Clan people playing at?

Do they hope for self-slaughter among them, to have the victor become the top-grade Immortal Pill?

"Cao Nima! You cold rats, sneak attacks are brave, but no courage for a duel. Come on, face me directly!"

It seemed a Taiyi was provoked, cursing angrily, probably guessing what would happen next.

"Friend, could you tell me what’s going on? I was in seclusion before this, with no warning, suddenly captured here..."

Someone shouted loudly.

"What’s the point of knowing? Cold rats plunder cultivators to refine the Longevity Immortal Pill. If I’m not mistaken, this place should be the most notorious alchemy furnace in the Cold Realm—we’re doomed!"

"Damn it, I’m a Celestial General of the Qinyun Immortal Realm, Taiyi Eighth Tier True Immortal. You dare to use me for alchemy, beware the Qinyun Immortal Realm Daluo avenging!" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Someone else threatened, but it was useless.

Just then, a gust of Yin Wind blew, and above the alchemy furnace, a dark tunnel appeared, seemingly connecting to an unknown world.

Faintly, cries came from the tunnel; at first Wang Wu felt little, even found the cries melodious, especially graceful and sad.

Until suddenly he awoke, discovering the alchemy furnace had changed dramatically.

The first to suffer were those bewildered mortals. Before they could even snap out of their previous terror and confusion, they silently turned into black smoke amidst the cries, disappearing without a trace. Their bodies, their obsessions, their consciousness, all vanished entirely. The only thing left behind were black particles, dozens of times smaller than a grain of rice, floating aimlessly in the air, their nature a mystery.

In just a few seconds, millions of mortals turned into these particles.

Then, it was the cultivators’ turn. They lasted only a second or two longer than the mortals, and their resulting black particles were roughly ten times more.

A few more seconds passed, and then it was the Earth Immortals’ turn.

Up to this moment, aside from Wang Wu, not a single person inside the alchemy furnace had awakened from the crying.

At this time, when he looked up, he saw that a strange giant insect had crawled out of the dark passage without him knowing. On its body were 92 human heads, 108 demon heads, and more than a hundred thousand heads of various birds and beasts. It seemed that since ancient times, every notable creature’s head could be found on it.

The insect crawled slowly, resembling an obese dragon, while the heads upon it produced waves of cries, becoming louder and dividing into different symphonic regions, like an orchestra.

In just a moment, all the Earth Immortals were destroyed by the cries, turning into fist-sized black particles.

At this time, some Taiyi already fell victim to it, silently perishing, as if their thousands of years of cultivation were now insignificant.

Wang Wu watched silently, evaluating as he felt unaffected, aside from the initial moment.

But saving anyone was out of the question for him.

In less than three minutes, all the Taiyi turned into black particles, and only then, under some external force, did the insect reluctantly leave.

Wang Wu saw it clearly this time, it was some sort of Immortal Talisman.

Was that why he was exempt?

At this moment, an influx of Spiritual Qi suddenly surged within the alchemy furnace, returning it to proper alchemical operation, finally resembling a pill refinement process.

Various materials were being thrown down from above, some of which Wang Wu recognized, while others were completely unfamiliar to him.

He dared not move recklessly, merely staying beside it, watching the various happenings inside the alchemy furnace until finally, a unique beam of Yin and Yang Qi descended, bringing with it five types of power: bitter cold, Yin Fire, Evil Wind, Yang Thunder, and a final power seemingly related to poison.

Calling them the Five Catastrophes would not be an exaggeration.

The emergence of these Five Catastrophes left Wang Wu trembling in fear, almost thinking he was doomed.

Fortunately, though these Five Catastrophes were key, their amount was surprisingly meager, especially the bitter cold, suggesting it was either due to their use as an elixir catalyst or due to the alchemist’s lack of mastery, unable to fully control them.

Regardless, it was all a false alarm for Wang Wu.

Under the guidance of that special Yin and Yang Qi, the Five Catastrophes combined those black particles, ultimately refining eighty-one special immortal pills.

As soon as the Immortal Pills formed, Wang Wu instantly discerned their effect. Or anyone could probably sense it.

Indeed, Longevity Immortal Pills. Consuming just one grants ten thousand years of longevity.

The eighty-one Longevity Immortal Pills were equivalent to eight hundred and ten thousand years of increased life span.

Quite extraordinary, though admittedly a bit sinister and unconventional.

"Hahaha! The cycle of nine and nine is complete, the Longevity Immortal Pill is accomplished!"

"Quickly, offer these Longevity Immortal Pills to the Cold God!"

Outside the alchemy furnace came the excited voices of the Cangming Clan, and soon the furnace lid was opened with figures flying in to collect the eighty-one Longevity Immortal Pills.

Completely unaware of Wang Wu silently following out.

By this time, he had gained ample understanding and insight into the Cangming Clan.

These beings could hardly be called humans. Despite their human-like appearance, they were more sinister and unique, akin to ice creatures like tiger demons but with more freedom, possessing their own culture, language, writing, and cultivation methods.

How should one put it? They seemed more like fervent devotees of the Cold God or perhaps even the descendants of the Cold God.

Their individual strength wasn’t formidable, but their mentioned Cold God was genuinely powerful.

A power comparable to Daluo.

After emerging from the alchemy furnace, Wang Wu glanced around, discovering he was at the foot of a great mountain, which turned out to be the Cold God itself, lying there in deep slumber. The massive ice spikes growing from its body formed steep peaks.

However, the Cold God’s aura was incredibly weak at this moment, barely perceptible.

Could this be the truth behind the rotation of the Twenty-four Solar Terms?

After the Cold God’s outburst of wrath and divine might, it became weakened and returned to slumber, allowing other terms to take turns?

Wang Wu found it all very peculiar.

Yet, these Cangming Clan produced the Longevity Immortal Pills painstakingly, unwilling to consume them but instead offering them all to the Cold God. This operation puzzled him.

"Friend, save me!"

Just then, an odd voice sounded behind Wang Wu.

Whoa!

In that instant, eight heads grew from Wang Wu’s neck, pointing in eight directions: up, down, left, right, forward, backward—

Well, it was actually him drawing out eight Venerable hairs, just in case.

As for his real body, it was already thousands of miles away.

This trick of substituting one thing for another, he had mastered well.