Chapter 12: The Elixir of Immortality

Where there’s oppression, there’s resistance. With the limits of lifespan, living beings will do everything possible to extend their lives. Watching the changes in the Original World, Jiang Ping couldn’t help but laugh.

He knew that if Lianshan could succeed in living a second life this time, then a great gift awaited him! Lianshan, although elderly, still possessed the same ambition as in his youth. He began sending people to explore various polar regions, even daring to hunt the strongest beasts. He even ventured into the depths of the ocean, where, despite many human warriors suffering casualties, he managed to bring back the blood of the Cthulhu.

Everyone said Lianshan was dull-witted in his old age, yet they didn’t truly understand what he aimed to do. Only his most trusted disciple had an inkling.

After gathering materials from around the world, Lianshan spent his days secluded in the alchemy room, diligently researching. He meticulously discovered and recorded the effects of various material combinations.

“This is blood from the Cthulhu of the deep ocean,” Lianshan said, gently swirling the blue liquid in his hand.

It was said that this creature was extraordinarily powerful; even the strongest dragons of the earth might struggle against it. What was more astonishing was that this being could cause significant mental disturbances.

He began fusing the blood of the evil god with various marvelous substances. Gradually, he found that while the fusion drove creatures to madness, it also rendered them wildly energetic — they could go days and nights without sleep.

Lianshan realized he was getting closer to his goal.

“Blood of the Evil God, Dragon’s Blood, Dragon Beard Grass, Ice Purple Fire Crystal, Blood-Origin Grass.”

One after another, Lianshan tossed precious materials into the cauldron. These materials came from the heavens, the earth, and the depths of the ocean, each one representing countless people’s hard work.

Finally, after numerous failures and nearly exhausting all his materials, Lianshan finally concocted the elixir he had envisioned.

“It worked! It worked!” Lianshan shouted, ignoring the dignity of the human king as he rushed outside, calling out to the heavens!

“Is the Human King going mad?” In his disheveled appearance, Lianshan’s shouting made him resemble a lunatic in the eyes of others.

Outside, Jiang Ping couldn’t help but clap his legs together. “Is it a success?” he asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.

At that moment, his eyes were glued to Lianshan’s every move.

What Lianshan was fervently refining in his later years was the Elixir of Immortality that could grant him a second life! If his elixir succeeded, he could replicate the same materials and produce the Elixir of Immortality in reality!

Unable to contain his excitement, Jiang Ping accelerated time. Deep into the night, Lianshan, harboring a resolute sense of impending doom, drank the golden potion in his hand. It contained not only various herbs and minerals but also several potent toxins!

Bang! Lianshan collapsed heavily on the ground, letting out screams of pain. Yet due to his instructions, no one ventured near. In that moment, he was like Wukong after drinking the Super Divine Water, enduring unimaginable agony! Yet, Jiang Ping keenly noticed Lianshan’s white hair gradually falling away, replaced by a thick mane of black.

Indeed, the next day, when Lianshan reappeared, he had reverted to his youthful self. The human warriors couldn’t help but kneel down in celebration of their king’s rebirth.

The Elixir of Immortality was born! The formula for the elixir was a treasured secret of the clan!

Unfortunately, the materials were too precious, and even gathering the entire clan only yielded two or three vials.

In the outside world, seeing the reborn Lianshan, Jiang Ping couldn’t help but break into a sincere smile. “Haha! Genesis, quickly gather the materials needed for the Elixir of Immortality! We need only the finest ingredients!”

Genesis radiated a white light as its pages flipped, revealing various wondrous materials. Jiang Ping scanned the surroundings, realizing he didn’t have good alchemy tools at home. “Simplicity is the essence of the Great Way; this will do!” Jiang Ping declared, satisfied as he took out a frying pan.

As long as it could heat up, it would suffice. Starting a business is tough at first, but he could bear it. Later, he would have a chance to acquire a Qian Kun cauldron solely for alchemy.

Blood of the Evil God, Immortality Grass, All-Spirit Root, Ice Purple Fire Crystal.

Jiang Ping meticulously placed the valuable materials that didn’t exist in reality into the frying pan according to the ratios, then turned on the gas at the maximum temperature.

The blended elixir in the pan bubbled with white froth. Jiang Ping frowned; the smell was truly unappealing. He continued to add materials, finding alchemy to be quite the undertaking! The elite herbs he gathered this time would yield an Elixir of Immortality far more potent than what Lianshan used. According to Genesis’s analysis, it would be sufficient to double his lifespan! Hours later, the concoction began transforming into a brilliant golden color, shimmering and sparkling as it gave off a divine aura that was more captivating than gold itself.

Turning down the heat, Jiang Ping watched his masterpiece with satisfaction.

Despite it being his first attempt, everything went unexpectedly smoothly. He hadn’t suspected he had a talent for alchemy!

After twenty minutes of steady cooling, Jiang Ping cautiously poured it into a bowl. However, after using so many materials, it barely filled half a bowl! Jiang Ping could only comfort himself that concentration is essence. Remembering Lianshan’s agonizing condition after drinking the potion, he shivered slightly.

Just as he was about to ask Genesis if it could numb his pain, he reconsidered. Was he really going to complain about a bit of suffering for an additional lifespan? There were countless people in the world willing to trade all they had for the same! Gritting his teeth, Jiang Ping took out a towel to bite down on, then, reminiscent of his childhood, he gulped down the bowl of golden potion in one go.

As the Elixir of Immortality entered his stomach, Jiang Ping felt as if his insides were ablaze — pain, pain, pain! Just as he was about to shout, he immediately bit down on the towel. Drops of sweat, like beans, began to trickle down his forehead. Though the pain was excruciating, he felt extremely energized.

At that moment, every cell in Jiang Ping’s body felt like it was undergoing forced metamorphosis! And this change was clearly not something that would occur in a short time.

While Jiang Ping transformed after taking the elixir, the Original World continued its rapid development. The reborn Lianshan revitalized his strength, leading humanity to new heights again. This time, across every corner of the original land, there were traces of humanity.

The dragons, being treasure-laden, were nearly hunted to extinction by mankind! Once the rulers of the skies, now they were on the brink of vanishing, forced to live in the shadows! During this time, humanity discovered a group of even smaller tribes — these ants, voracious eaters, although appearing small, were immensely powerful and showed a penchant for violence, attacking any other creatures they encountered.

Humans initially aimed to communicate with them but discovered that conversation was utterly impossible. The Devouring Ants seemed to lack self-awareness, merely fulfilling their set roles.

Lianshan personally negotiated with the Devouring Ants, but they continued to attack without acknowledging him. A guard thrust a spear, killing one of them.

“My King, I told you! These bizarre creatures have no intelligence; why waste breath?”

Yet, Lianshan furrowed his brows as he looked at the corpses of the ants. If they truly lacked intelligence, then how could their architecture be so exquisite, astonishing even the finest human architects? Just what kind of civilization did they possess? Despite his many queries about the Devouring Ants, mysteries of the world awaited his exploration. With a heavy heart filled with questions, Lianshan had to leave.

Unbeknownst to him, thousands of meters below ground, a four-meter-long Ant Queen was slowly devouring the previously missing human warriors.

“Humans? Such a powerful race, and they were so fortunate to receive divine enlightenment!” The Ant Queen squinted her large eyes, digesting the knowledge gleaned from the minds of humans.

Three divine gifts?

The flames clearly weren’t suitable for her race; she thought of ways to obtain the other two treasures. The Spear of Destiny was in the hands of the Human King, so she planned to seize the Stone of Truth! The Ant Queen calculated inwardly whether she could borrow the divine gifts to explore the realm of gods! However, the might of humanity left her wary. She decisively ordered her followers to keep a low profile, surviving slowly while gradually preying on human warriors to devour their remains and attain the next evolution!

As more humans were devoured, the Ant Queen gradually began to evolve. Her head became increasingly human-like, and she absorbed all the knowledge of humanity, even beginning to innovate. As her kin slowly disappeared, the Human King Lianshan mistook the situation for merely normal deaths in the wild, after all — the Original World was fraught with dangers. Though humanity was strong, countless colossal beasts roamed the wilderness.