Xia Feng looked at the smiling old man in front of him and examined him carefully.
Immortal Venerable powerhouses were indeed different, exuding a formidable aura.
Reaching the Immortal Venerable realm was considered the pinnacle of cultivation in this world.
As for peak Immortal Emperors, that was incredibly rare.
Across the Heavenly Profound Continent, there were only two Immortal Emperors.
Other continents likely had few, perhaps one or two emerging occasionally.
"I've come to ask you some questions," Xia Feng said, glancing at Tu Ji with a light tone.
"Please," Tu Ji said, gesturing.
Xia Feng nodded and followed Tu Ji towards the main hall of the Sword Cultivation Sect.
"You all may disperse. Please host the City Lord of Azure Dragon City," Tu Ji said, turning to those following behind them as they neared the hall entrance.
"Yes, Old Ancestor," the people of the Sword Cultivation Sect replied.
Upon entering the hall, Tu Ji smiled at Xia Feng and asked, "My friend, your realm is still unfathomable to this old man. Are you perhaps at the late stage of Immortal Venerable?"
Tu Ji himself was in the middle stage of Immortal Venerable. The fact that he couldn't see through Xia Feng's cultivation filled him with silent astonishment.
An Immortal Venerable this young was a rare sight on the Heavenly Profound Continent in thousands of years.
Xia Feng did not deny it and nodded.
Upon receiving Xia Feng's affirmation, Tu Ji's smile faded, replaced by surprise. "My friend, to be at the late stage of Immortal Venerable at such a young age, this old man is truly impressed."
Tu Ji was not trying to flatter Xia Feng; it was genuine admiration.
He had cultivated for several thousand years and was still only in the middle stage of Immortal Venerable.
Xia Feng did not reply to Tu Ji's words, merely offering a smile.
In fact, he himself couldn't quite understand why he had directly advanced to the Immortal Emperor realm upon arriving here, especially without any significant fortuitous encounters.
He could only attribute it to the opportunity he received at Mount Kunlun. Back on Earth, he was only at the Mahayana stage. Perhaps his cultivation had been suppressed on Earth.
With only the Mahayana stage cultivation, upon arriving in the Immortal Realm, all the suppressed power had erupted, leading to his direct breakthrough to Immortal Emperor.
He didn't dwell on the specifics of why.
"My friend mentioned having questions for this old man. Please elaborate," Tu Ji asked politely.
"Do you know of any medicinal ingredients that can enable someone who cannot cultivate to begin cultivating?" Xia Feng posed the question he desperately wanted answered.
Tu Ji pondered for a moment and confirmed, "Yes."
Xia Feng's expression brightened upon hearing this. Suppressing his inner joy, he said, "Please tell me."
"One is the Source Tracing Fruit, and the other is the Primordial Chaos Pill," Tu Ji stated. He then thought for a moment and continued, "However, the Source Tracing Fruit has long been extinct. But that doesn't mean some secret realms might not still hold it. As for the Primordial Chaos Pill, it can only be refined by an Immortal Emperor level alchemist. The medicinal ingredients for it are much easier to find than those for the Source Tracing Fruit."
Tu Ji then looked at Xia Feng and added, "Whether it's the first or the second method, both are extremely difficult."
Although there was a chance of finding the Source Tracing Fruit, the hope was very slim.
As for the second method, while the ingredients were easier to find than those for the Source Tracing Fruit, there was only one alchemist of Immortal Emperor level in the entire Immortal Realm, and they were not on the Heavenly Profound Continent.
Therefore, when considered together, both methods were exceedingly challenging.
Xia Feng's mind began to stir upon hearing this. He could also refine pills, and he was a bona fide Immortal Emperor. He just didn't know his alchemy grade or what level of alchemist was required to refine the Primordial Chaos Pill.
"Let's set aside the Source Tracing Fruit for now. This thing is too ethereal and uncertain. Whether it truly exists is yet to be known. However, I am very interested in the Primordial Chaos Pill you mentioned. Please elaborate in detail."
Xia Feng was greatly interested in this Primordial Chaos Pill.
This might be the more achievable option.
"The efficacy of the Primordial Chaos Pill is the same as the Source Tracing Fruit. It requires a Grandmaster Alchemist to refine it, meaning a tenth-grade alchemist. There is a tenth-grade alchemist on the Heavenly Profound Continent. Most importantly, the refining process requires an Immortal Emperor to transfer energy, and it must be the alchemist themselves who transfers the energy. This is the true difficulty."
Tu Ji revealed everything he knew.
Whether Xia Feng could actually achieve it was Xia Feng's concern.
He didn't believe Xia Feng could do it. Firstly, there was no such Immortal Emperor on the Heavenly Profound Continent. Even if there were, who could persuade an Immortal Emperor to help?
It seemed more practical to try one's luck searching for the Source Tracing Fruit.
"How can one determine an alchemist's grade?" Xia Feng asked.
"Go to the Pill Sect for a test, and you'll know," Tu Ji replied.
Xia Feng looked at Tu Ji and nodded. His doubts had basically been resolved.
He had originally intended to extort the Sword Cultivation Sect. Now, he felt a bit awkward about it.
After all, Tu Ji had greeted him with a smile from the beginning, treated him courteously, and answered all his questions. It felt somewhat improper to act aggressively now.
He had barged into the sect so arrogantly, yet Tu Ji showed no anger.
"Does my friend have any other questions? This old man will answer anything he knows," Tu Ji asked with a smile.
"What medicinal ingredients are needed to refine the Primordial Chaos Pill?" Xia Feng asked after some thought.
"It would be most reliable for the people of the Pill Sect to answer that. What this old man knows is not comprehensive," Tu Ji offered Xia Feng some advice.
Professional matters should be answered by professionals.
He wasn't an alchemist, so he wouldn't discuss alchemy.
Xia Feng nodded. He had gained a lot from this visit and could finally relax.
He couldn't find the Source Tracing Fruit, but he was confident he could obtain the Primordial Chaos Pill.
"Thank you," Xia Feng expressed his gratitude.
"It's a small matter, nothing to mention," Tu Ji waved his hand.
Xia Feng bid farewell to Tu Ji and left with Mo Xuyou. Tu Ji watched the direction Xia Feng had gone, remaining silent for a long time.
"Old Ancestor, who was that person?" the Sect Master of the Sword Cultivation Sect asked in a low voice, standing behind Tu Ji.
"A potential Immortal Emperor," Tu Ji replied softly without turning his head.
A potential Immortal Emperor?
These words startled the Sect Master of the Sword Cultivation Sect.
How many thousands of years did it take for an Immortal Emperor to appear? The Old Ancestor's evaluation of that young man was incredibly high.
"Old Ancestor, is he really that powerful?" the Sect Master of the Sword Cultivation Sect asked with surprise.
"Yes, at the very least, I am not his match. And he is so young. It just makes this old man curious. Having such strength at such a young age, why does he seem so clueless?"
Tu Ji was perplexed.
Neither of them spoke further, both lost in their own astonishment.
Xia Feng returned to Azure Dragon City. As he parted ways with Mo Xuyou, Xia Feng instructed, "There is a group in Azure Dragon City who came from Peng Lake City. Please look after them, especially someone named Chi Manman."
Xia Feng planned to visit the Pill Sect. As for Chi Manman, he had no intention of returning.
After all, plans could not keep pace with changes.
He had promised Chi Manman he would return when he left. Now that he had broken that promise, he asked Mo Xuyou to take care of her.
Mo Xuyou dared not refuse and quickly responded, "Yes, Immortal Superior."
Xia Feng nodded and flew directly towards the inn. As he reached the airspace above the inn, he sent a telepathic message to Chi Manman, saying:
"I have matters to attend to and must leave. May we meet again if fate allows."
Chi Manman was taken aback and looked up at the sky.