Three breaths later, the area within a few miles turned into black ice.

The Glazed Glass Snake was frozen in the black ice, its body rigid, with only its tail reaching out of the water at the last moment, but it was also covered in solid ice.

"Whew~" At this point, Li Ji’an finally exhaled deeply.

The power of the Tier Three Ice Talisman was beyond his imagination.

However, he was not careless, as the power of the Ice Talisman was formidable but limited in duration. He immediately placed the Four Symbols Array Flag around the four positions of the massive Glazed Glass Snake, giving it time to connect into an array.

A moment later, the Four Symbols Array fully formed, completely restraining the Glazed Glass Snake.

At the same time, Gugu, having sprinted over a thousand miles, finally caught up.

When it saw the Glazed Glass Snake, it shivered unintentionally. The suppression emanating from its bloodline made it hesitant to approach.

"How long you can accompany me depends on this turn of events!" Li Ji’an looked at Gugu, a bit of expectation in his eyes.

If Gugu could truly transform its bloodline beyond Earth Grade, there was a considerable hope of advancing to Tier Four.

Moreover, the source of Gugu’s bloodline was the Wilderness Heaven-Swallowing Vermilion Toad. Once it successfully advanced to Tier Four, it might indeed possess the ability to swallow the heavens!

"Gugu!" Sensing Li Ji’an’s expectations, Gugu immediately widened its eyes like copper bells, its forelimbs firmly pressed against the ice, showing a steadfast expression, exuding an aura of audacity.

Seeing its spirit, Li Ji’an smiled slightly, "Go, this snake is yours."

"Gua~" Gugu’s aura instantly weakened. It looked incredulous, its forelimbs slowly softening, and the whole frog lay flat on the ice.

"Heh~" Li Ji’an chuckled lightly and then leisurely activated the God-Binding Rope again.

The prototype of a magical treasure, the God-Binding Rope, had no problem binding the Foundation Establishment Late Period Snake Demon, which could not escape until its death.

"Crack!"

Before long, the Ice Spirit Mechanism gradually dissipated, the black ice shattered, eventually reverting to swampy black water.

Meanwhile, the Glazed Glass Snake had been bound and lifted into the air by the God-Binding Rope.

"Hiss hiss hiss~" It struggled frantically but could not move an inch, glaring at Li Ji’an fiercely for a moment, before it kept looking towards the depths of the Illusory Phantom Forest with a look of pleading in its eyes.

"Hmm?" Noticing the change in its eyes, Li Ji’an instinctively glanced towards the depths of the Illusory Phantom Forest.

Buzz~

With just one look, he felt his Sea of Consciousness was affected by something, and if not for the Little Fire Spirit hovering around, who knew what might have happened.

Li Ji’an immediately jolted, no longer hesitating, and swiftly with a single hand sword gesture, cut into the Glazed Glass Snake’s critical point without any hesitation, extracting the Demon Core and quickly sealing it away.

"Hiss~" The vitality of the Glazed Glass Snake quickly faded, yet its head remained turned towards the depths of the Illusory Phantom Forest, its look of pleading persistent.

"Swallow down its corpse." A Demon Beast at the Late Second Tier had its entire body as a treasure, not to mention the mutated Jade Horn on its forehead. Li Ji’an immediately instructed Gugu.

"Gua!" Gugu received the order, and despite the fear of bloodline suppression, approached the now dying Glazed Glass Snake.

Buzz~

However, just as Gugu was about to swallow it, Li Ji’an’s Sea of Consciousness again transmitted a strong sensation.

Even though the Little Fire Spirit lingered around his brow, this Divine Soul Sensing did not weaken in the slightest.

This made him irresistibly look again towards the depths of the Illusory Phantom Forest.

"What is this..." However, this time, he was shocked to see deep in the Illusory Phantom Forest, a pair of emerald green eyes staring at him.

Those eyes were so distant, yet seemed almost within reach.

Their pupils swirled with countless fluttering petals, and the iris was a clear azure color.

"Go!" After what felt like an eternity, Li Ji’an suddenly broke free from those eyes, immediately summoning Gugu for a rapid retreat.

Gugu, its mouth still open and yet to swallow the giant snake, hurriedly followed Li Ji’an away.

------------

After flying a thousand miles in one breath, Li Ji’an finally stopped.

Not because he felt he had escaped the range of threat from the owner of those eyes, but because he had come to terms with reality.

Looking back, he realized that those eyes, completely ignoring the wondrous power of Little Fire Spirit’s imperviousness to all techniques, could still directly influence his Sea of Consciousness with their divine ability. If they truly intended him harm, how could he escape?

"What exactly is it?"

"Isn’t the Illusory Phantom Forest said to be able to devour even a True Monarch’s Primordial Spirit? Why is it inside?"

"What is its purpose?"

"Just intimidation?"

"Because of that Glazed Glass Snake? Could it be its spirit pet? Impossible, if so, how could it just watch as its demon core is taken by me?"

"Only to preserve its physical body?"

...

Unable to make sense of it after much thought, Li Ji’an’s heart was still unnerved as he looked back on the road he had come from. Only when he was sure there were no threats did he shake his head to suppress the curiosity in his heart.

Without further delay, he used magical power to clear a space right where he was and began refining the Sacred Beast Pill.

With his Fake Pill cultivation, sealing the essence of origin within the demon core would take at most a few days, but right now he could not delay any longer.

In no time, Li Ji’an extracted the essence of origin from the Glazed Glass Snake’s demon core and tossed it to Gugu.

Once Gugu took the Sacred Beast Pill and its bloodline transformed, refining this Snake Demon’s demon core would surely enhance its cultivation further.

Having succeeded once before, he had prepared thoroughly for this refining, and half a month later, as the sound of a Pill Roar echoed, Li Ji’an raised an eyebrow, a joyful expression appearing on his face.

"Premium Sacred Beast Pill!"

Previously, while refining outside Flame Mountain’s outer domain, Wu Weixiong had led people to disturb him, and Li Ji’an managed to refine an Upper Grade Sacred Beast Pill.

And now, having become a Tier Three Pill Master, refining a premium pill is naturally expected.

"Keep it safe, take it back to the sect and consume it later." Li Ji’an casually instructed as he handed the premium Sacred Beast Pill to Gugu.

With that, the expedition to Black Water Swamp was without any omissions, marking an exceedingly perfect conclusion.

Three months later, Li Ji’an restored his true appearance and left Black Water Swamp.

Now that Gugu’s issue was resolved, all he needed was the materials for the Condensation Crystal Pill.

Apart from the Pure Lotus Seedpod found in Black Water Swamp, he had already redeemed seven types of Tier Three spirit medicines from the sect in advance, and Fu Xiaochen’s storage pouch provided two different ones for him.

The rest were unavailable in the Celestial Cyan Domain earlier; he had entrusted Master Yuxiao of Si Shui Commerce Association to procure them from the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain, gaining two of each type back then, thus averting further trouble now.

Now, only three remain, and he originally planned to try his luck at the auction in Nine Yang Immortal City within Fiery Sun Sect’s territory.

But the Ancient Tomb disrupted this plan.

Currently, he was not inclined to enter Fiery Sun Sect’s domain, even discounting Fu Xiaochen’s demise, since the sects had already clashed over Qin Family matters earlier.

Ultimately, Li Ji’an decided to try his luck at Han River Immortal City under Qingjiang Sect.

This place is the closest to Black Water Swamp and serves as a base for many tomb raiders and medicine seekers.

However, regrettably, after visiting almost all the shops, not only did he fail to find the materials for the Condensation Crystal Pill, but genuine Tier Three spirit medicines were scarce, and those available were not particularly rare. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Junior greets True Man Li." Just as he was leaving the last herbal shop, an old man stepped forward hurriedly to greet him.

Li Ji’an looked at the visitor, a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, leaving no notable impression.

Nonetheless, he was accustomed to such situations.

Ever since becoming an Honored Guest Elder of Biyun Sect, strangers warmly greeted and approached him whenever he traveled.

As a Fake Pill True Man and Tier Three Pill Master now, he was known throughout Cangyun State as supreme.

"True Man Li, this junior hails from the Jin Family in Lingnan of Cangyun State and witnessed your esteemed presence at Master Qin’s granddaughter’s ceremony." The old man addressed respectfully.

"Hmm, does little friend Jin have any matters?" Li Ji’an nodded slightly.

The old man quickly waved his hand: "You misunderstand, True Man Li. I happened to notice your search for a Tier Three spirit medicine, and upon hearing some news, I feared you were unaware of it and thus dared to offer advice."

"Oh? Feel free to speak." Li Ji’an slightly turned his gaze.

The old man dared not keep him in suspense and quickly said, "It’s this: Yesterday, I overheard that the Holy Palace might hold a grand auction in six months. They claim that not only will there be a batch of Tier Three spirit medicines, but also two prototype magic artifacts."

"Is it true?" Li Ji’an raised his eyebrows.

"It shouldn’t be wrong; the source is a large merchant within the first Immortal City under Ten Thousand Laws Palace’s jurisdiction." The old man assured.

"Great, thank you, little friend; you can seek me out for a custom pill in the future." Li Ji’an smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, True Man, thank you." The old man was overwhelmed with excitement. Nowadays, few could persuade Li Ji’an to open a furnace for alchemy, and if asked to refine a Foundation Establishment Pill, it would likely yield at least two refined pills, with a guarantee of Middle Grade quality.

"No problem. Why are you here?" Li Ji’an casually asked.

This place is not close to Lingnan in Cangyun State, and the aged cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage before him, without something special, would rarely travel this far, especially as he was on guard duty and not a free individual.