I Contracted All Ancient Divine Artifacts

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Cheat Once, Pleasure Once; Cheat Always, Pleasure Always

”That’s that guy’s pill furnace?! How could it possibly be in your hands!”

Upon seeing the Shennong Cauldron, the voice amidst the thick black fog screamed, its tone even more agitated than before.

”It seems you recognize it. That makes things easier. Are you leaving on your own, or should I escort you?”

Jiang Huai looked at the scene before him, bewildered.

The black fog, previously so arrogant, symbolized curse and misfortune, and had already pushed them to the brink of despair.

Yet Han Zhan first pulled out seven or eight Little Returning Pills, then summoned a mysterious giant cauldron, and the enemy instantly cowered.

What kind of development is this? As the Clan Leader of the Jiang Clan, Jiang Huai could no longer understand.

Before he could figure it out, Han Zhan pressed down lightly with one hand.

The Shennong Cauldron flipped over, pressing down hard on the ground below.

As Han Zhan expected, the Shennong Cauldron, which could deal with the peculiarities of the Little Returning Pill, also had a significant restraining effect on the terrifying black fog formed by the curse.

Almost the instant the cauldron descended, the black fog was dispersed, disappearing without a trace, as if it had never existed.

All that was left in the field was a Bone-Winged Black Tiger, emitting a terrifying aura. Without the black fog, it seemed to lose its vitality and remained motionless.

This problem is solved?

Han Zhan glanced at the Shennong Cauldron above him; in this World of Hundred Herbs Sacred Heart, it seemed like a cheat!

Using a cheat is satisfying temporarily; always using a cheat is always satisfying. The ancients were indeed not wrong.

”Saint Master, are we going back now?” Beside him, Jiang Huai looked at Han Zhan with a sycophantic expression.

No choice; with the Little Returning Pill in his hands, Jiang Huai had to depend on Han Zhan to make it back alive.

”Go back? No, since we are out here, we should thoroughly explore. My time is limited, I don’t have time for detours.”

Han Zhan hadn’t forgotten his purpose: to explore the truth in the World of Hundred Herbs Sacred Heart.

With the Little Returning Pill’s effect, he and Jiang Huai ignored the nearby monsters and continued forward.

Not far ahead, Han Zhan saw a tall ancient tree clearly.

This should be the ancient tree where Jiang Yue hid when playing hide and seek earlier. Thinking of this, Han Zhan stepped forward and touched the tree.

Unexpectedly, his hand passed straight through the tree trunk, disappearing completely!

”Is the tree fake?”

Jiang Huai was also surprised by this, and when Han Zhan looked at him, he quickly waved his hand, ”Don’t look at me; I’m clueless. The world during the day is completely different from at night. That little girl from Jiang Huo’s family must have hidden here after dusk. We passed by this spot during the day and there was no tree.”

With Jiang Huai’s explanation, Han Zhan nodded.

He tossed a Little Returning Pill to Jiang Huai, who promptly caught it. After each of them swallowed one, Han Zhan, without a word, charged into the tree.

There was no collision or imagined pain.

Han Zhan felt a void ahead of him; when he opened his eyes again, he was inside a cave.

On the walls of the cave, there were recesses holding several eternal flame-like candlesticks, their light illuminating the cave, allowing Han Zhan to see the scene clearly.

”There’s more to this place than meets the eye?”

”If I’m not mistaken, Shennong Saint Master’s protection is also here.”

”You mean, we can stay here until dawn without fearing the night swallowing us up?”

”Exactly.” As Han Zhan spoke, he took a few more steps forward.

He saw a clay table in the cave, and on it lay a paper similar to the Pill Formula he’d seen before.

Picking up the paper, it was indeed another Pill Formula.

”Primordial Pill!” Upon seeing this Pill Formula, Jiang Huai was even more excited than Han Zhan. He picked it up, trembling, and exclaimed, ”The second Pill Formula! It’s real, the legends are true!”

”What legend?”

Without waiting for Han Zhan to ask further, Jiang Huai explained, ”Legend says that the Shennong Saint Master’s Pill Formulas contain the way to save this world, to rid us all of the curse. But the Jiang Clan searched for a century without finding any additional formulas. Who would have thought it would be here!”

No, it’s not that they couldn’t find it, but that they were never able to find it!

One Little Returning Pill allows one to avoid night-time threats for three hours.

But other hidden dangers persisted in the night, like the black fog seen earlier. Though it couldn’t directly attack Little Returning Pill users, it could confine them until the pill’s effect wore off.

To reach this towering ancient tree, one needed both the Little Returning Pills and means to expel or even defeat the black fog.

It was known that while Jiang Clan People are formidable during the day, they become weaker than ordinary people at night, so this second Pill Formula was not meant for them.

Then who is this Pill Formula truly intended for? Han Zhan thought of himself.

Possessing the Shennong Cauldron, in this world, was like having a cheat, allowing him to ignore nighttime dangers and enjoy the thrill of breaking rules.

”Clan Leader Jiang, I will keep this Pill Formula, unless you have objections?” Han Zhan asked, looking at Jiang Huai with a complex expression in his eyes.

Initially, Jiang Huai might have felt somewhat dissatisfied, feeling his authority challenged, contemplating revenge against Han Zhan during the day.

But the more they interacted and explored deeper into the night, the more Jiang Huai felt this outsider was unfathomable.

Whether it was the cauldron that could subdue the black fog, or his method of disregarding the one Pill one life rule to create multiple Little Returning Pills,

this outsider even led him to the second Pill Formula the Jiang Clan had searched for over a hundred years!

Perhaps this young man could truly help them break the curse!

Upon this realization, Jiang Huai nodded immediately, ”Saint Master, I entrust this Pill Formula to you. My Jiang Clan will not lay claim to it. For any materials needed from the formula, just ask; I will do my utmost to assist you!”

Jiang Huai’s attitude pleased Han Zhan.

Recognizing the times marks a wise person.

Jiang Huai’s ability to adapt and assess situations is a quality fitting a leader.

In return, Han Zhan was not stingy, handing two Little Returning Pills to Jiang Huai.

”Clan Leader Jiang, our goals are aligned. To find the Pill Formulas and uncover this world’s truth, breaking the curse for your people. I look forward to a successful collaboration.”

With Han Zhan’s assurances, Jiang Huai felt a great relief and nodded, choosing silence.

Then, Han Zhan noticed some words carved into the table under the Pill Formula, left by someone unknown.

”Void... devoured this world... never... never!”

”Death is not a curse... use reincarnation to obliterate...”

Are these the words left by the Shennong Saint Master?

When Han Zhan touched these words, a scene appeared involuntarily in his mind.

This seemed like an image deliberately left by Shennong Saint Master while engraving these words.

Han Zhan’s eyes widened, his gaze in shock. Observing the scene, he appeared deeply affected.

Beside him, Jiang Huai held his breath, unsure of what transpired.

After a brief moment, Han Zhan exhaled deeply, mumbling two words: ”Insect Race!”