"Young friend Chu Feng, I have a method that can raise your cultivation by one full grade in a short period of time — from eighth-grade Half-Emperor to ninth-grade Half-Emperor."
"This method relies on an ancient pill. Although it only works on Half-Emperor-level experts, it happens to be perfectly suited for you," Duan Jidao said to Chu Feng.
"A pill? Are there any side effects?" Before Chu Feng could even respond, Hong Qiang asked with a worried look on his face.
After all, Hong Qiang was also a Spirit World Master and knew that pills capable of boosting one's cultivation always came with severe side effects. At Chu Feng's level, a pill that could raise one's cultivation by a full grade would likely come with backlash pain that was nothing short of terrifying.
"Before taking this pill, a formation will be set up first. Once the formation is integrated into your body along with the pill, there won't be any side effects whatsoever," Duan Jidao explained.
"Senior Duan, Chu Feng is willing to try," Chu Feng said proactively.
Chu Feng was currently at the eighth-grade Half-Emperor level. With the power of lightning, he could boost his cultivation by two minor ranks, reaching the first-grade Martial Emperor level. Combined with his heaven-defying combat strength, he could already fight against a second-grade Martial Emperor.
However, if what Duan Jidao said was true and he could be elevated from the eighth-grade Half-Emperor to the ninth-grade Half-Emperor — even if only temporarily — then with his own abilities, he would be able to fight against a third-grade Martial Emperor.
A third-grade Martial Emperor, in the Martial Holy Land, was not exactly at the absolute peak, but neither was it weak by any measure. After all, the clan leaders of the Four Great Emperor Clans, including Yao Jiao Guang of the Demon Flood Dragon Royal Clan, were only at the third-grade Martial Emperor level.
"Good. Time waits for no one. Let's set off now for the Western Gate Emperor Clan, and on the way I'll teach you how to take the pill," Duan Jidao said.
"Understood. I'll follow Senior Duan's arrangements," Chu Feng nodded.
"All soldiers of the Demon Flood Dragon Royal Clan, heed my command — we march for the Western Gate Emperor Clan!" Yao Jiao Guang declared in a booming voice.
And so, eight enormous dragons paved the way. Chu Feng, Duan Jidao, and the other experts from the World Hidden Valley sat upon the backs of the eight dragons, rapidly advancing toward the Western Gate Emperor Clan.
"Chu Feng, this is the ancient pill." Along the way, Duan Jidao produced a pill and placed it before Chu Feng's eyes.
Upon seeing the pill in Duan Jidao's hand, Chu Feng's eyes lit up. Though the pill was entirely pitch-black on the surface with nothing particularly remarkable about it — it looked almost like a lump of mud and was far from eye-catching — the moment he laid eyes on it, Chu Feng's heart surged with excitement. The heaven-and-earth energy contained within this pill had reached a level that could only be described as inconceivable.
"Senior, where did you obtain this pill?" Chu Feng asked.
"This pill was left behind by the Emperor. It is only known to have been passed down from ancient times — no one knows where it originally came from," Duan Jidao said.
"Are there any more of these pills?" Chu Feng asked.
"When I obtained them, there were only two. I conducted one experiment and gave one to a clansman. Now only this single one remains," Duan Jidao said.
Hearing this, Chu Feng silently lamented what a pity that was.
"Rest assured, Chu Feng. My clansman's talent was far inferior to yours, and at the time he happened to be at the eighth-grade Half-Emperor level as well. After taking it, his boosted cultivation lasted a full month and a half, with absolutely no side effects and no backlash whatsoever. So you can take it with complete confidence," Duan Jidao continued.