Word Count: 3,657 Words
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Everyone could now see that an embryonic pill wrapped in Heavenly Flame had clearly taken shape within the black medicinal cauldron that emanated an ominous black aura.
This embryonic pill was about the size of a baby's fist, with an uneven surface full of pits and bumps, and only a rough spherical shape. It was still quite different from a perfectly round and smooth finished pill the size of a longan fruit.
It wasn't time for the pill to be fully formed yet, because the Monster Core still needed to be processed. Only after handling the Monster Core would the final step of pill fusion occur!
Xiao Yan's eyes focused. He could be said to be simultaneously controlling two kinds of Heavenly Flames at this point. One was the merged Heavenly Flame still slowly burning the embryonic pill, compressing its medicinal strength through continuous heat.
The other was naturally the Nihility Devouring Flame's Earth Seed Flame. Fortunately, this was an intelligent Heavenly Flame, so he didn't need to expend too much mental energy to control it.
"Mao Wu, I'll leave this Monster Core to you. Just follow my instructions," Xiao Yan said.
Meow!
Mao Wu also revealed a solemn expression. This was its first time devouring the resentful energy of a Rank 8 Monster Core. It was definitely not an easy task, even though it had already evolved to an Earth Seed Flame.
To refine a tier 9 medicinal pill and absorb the resentment from a Rank 9 Monster Core would likely require reaching Heaven Seed Flame level. Ordinary flames would find it nearly impossible to process such Monster Cores.
Of course, refining pills didn't necessarily require Monster Cores. Monster Cores were widely used in alchemy because they contained vast energy. Generally speaking, any suitable massive energy source compatible with the pill's medicinal properties would work.
Meow!!
Mao Wu opened its mouth, revealing sharp fangs. It instantly transformed into a mass of black flames and surged into the Monster Core with a fierce swipe of its paw.
Boom boom boom!!!
In an instant, the aura of a Rank 8 magical beast erupted from the medicinal cauldron. The terrifying power caused the Black Demon Cauldron to sway and shake.
To refine a tier 8 medicinal pill, the medicinal cauldron absolutely couldn't be lacking; otherwise, it would have exploded at this point!
"Young Master Xiao Yan." Outside, Qing Lin tightly clasped her hands while maintaining her guard. She couldn't help but pray for her young master's success upon sensing this terrifying power.
"Hmph, if Xiao Yan fails, I'll beat him up! How dare he deceive me!" At this time, Zi Yan, who felt tricked by Xiao Yan, had also arrived at the Wind Lightning Mountain Range.
When she reached Tian Bei City, she happened to encounter the Hong Clan bullying the Han Clan. She directly smashed the so-called Hong Clan to pieces with just a few punches. Even Hong Tian Xiao, the Hong Clan Ancestor at the 5-star Dou Ancestor stage, was no match for her. She chased and beat him all the way to the Wind Lightning Pavilion's Northern Pavilion.
Once it was revealed that Zi Yan represented the Yan Alliance, she stood with her hands on her hips and demanded that the Wind Lightning North Pavilion Master appear. Only then did she discover that Fei Tian was not present. Three Wind Lightning Pavilion elders even accused her of flaunting her power because the Pavilion Master was away.
This infuriated her so much that she wanted to grab Xiao Yan and beat him up.
In the end, after breaking the so-called Wind Lightning Formation formed by the three elders, Zi Yan lost interest in further confrontation with the Wind Lightning Pavilion. She simply announced her name was Zi Yan, and if they had the guts, they could come find her at the Yan Alliance, then hurriedly ran off to settle scores with Xiao Yan.
The Han Clan, now under the Yan Alliance's protection, couldn't completely ignore the Wind Lightning Pavilion, but at least they wouldn't be bullied by other clans in Tian Bei City anymore.
At this moment, the Rank 8 magical beast's aura was so powerful that even the Space Lock struggled to contain it. Especially with the Four Pavilion Grand Meeting approaching, it naturally attracted the Wind Lightning Pavilion's attention.
"The Yan Alliance's territory is off-limits to anyone!"
"Hehe, do you not know why this mountain range is called the Wind Lightning Mountain Range? My Wind Lightning Pavilion is the master here!"
At this time, outside the Yan Alliance's camp, a group of disciples dressed in Wind Lightning Pavilion attire charged aggressively up the mountain, weapons in hand.
Clang!
A sword hum resonated with a clear ring. Suddenly, a sword light flashed from the distance.
Swoosh!
The cold sword light extended for hundreds of miles, leaving a sword mark across the path of the Wind Lightning Pavilion disciples.
"Take one more step and be slain!" Nalan Yanran stood lightly atop a large tree, dressed in a silver long robe with her black sword in hand. The wind around her was exceptionally sharp, like a sword ready to strike at any moment.
"Dou Ancestor!"
"My heavens, she's Nalan Yanran from the Yan Alliance! Wasn't she only a 7-star Dou Emperor a few months ago? How did she become a Dou Ancestor now!"
The Four Pavilion Grand Meeting wasn't only attended by the four pavilions. Many disciples from factions at the outskirts of the Central Plains also came to participate.
Hearing about another clash between the Wind Lightning Pavilion and the Yan Alliance, they hurried over to witness the excitement.
"That's right. I heard that three months ago, Nalan Yanran appeared in the Heaven Eye Mountain Range and had a conflict with Wind Lightning Pavilion disciples. She even crossed paths with Wang Chen from the Yellow Springs Pavilion. Rumor has it she was only a 7-star Dou Emperor then, but now she's a Dou Ancestor?!"
"Is the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool really that miraculous?"
"Are you stupid? If the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool were that magical, it would have been occupied by the Three Valleys or even the Two Sects from the central region of the Central Plains long ago. How could it be the Four Pavilions' and Gold Swallowing Mouse Tribe's turn? Have you forgotten that the Yan Alliance has a 7th-tier genius alchemist named Xiao Yan? I heard he also appeared in the Heaven Eye Mountain Range at that time."
Such a tense atmosphere naturally attracted heated discussions from onlookers nearby. After all, the hottest topic in the Northern Region currently was the conflict between the Yan Alliance and the Wind Lightning Pavilion.
"Hehe, a little girl who just entered the Dou Ancestor realm is actually so arrogant. She truly doesn't put us old bones in her eyes." A light chuckle came from the foot of the mountain. It was Fei Tian, the Northern Pavilion Master of the Wind Lightning Pavilion, who had briefly crossed paths with Xiao Yan before!
"Northern Pavilion Master Fei Tian?!" Nalan Yanran's eyes focused. She naturally recognized Fei Tian.
The Wind Lightning Pavilion had a total of four pavilions: Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern. The Eastern Pavilion Master was naturally Venerable Lei.
"Northern Pavilion Master? Which one is the Northern Pavilion Master?" Zi Yan trotted out from the camp upon hearing the North Pavilion Master had arrived. She looked left and right, appearing quite adorable.
Seeing Zi Yan appear, Fei Tian's face darkened. During the time he'd left the Northern Pavilion to escort Feng Qing Er to the Heaven Eye Mountain Range, his own Northern Pavilion had actually been attacked by people from the Yan Alliance. Even the Hong Clan, home to the Northern Pavilion's inner sect disciples, had been smashed. How could this not enrage him as the Northern Pavilion Master?
And the culprit was the adorable, porcelain-doll-like Zi Yan standing before him!
If not for the imminent Four Pavilion Grand Meeting, the Wind Lightning Pavilion would definitely have retaliated against the Han Clan and Zi Yan.
"You're the Zi Yan who injured Hong Tian Xiao and broke the Nine Heavenly Lightning Prison Formation?" Fei Tian asked, his eyes flashing with sharpness.
"You old fogeys bully men and women alike, even forcing those two sisters to marry your inner sect disciples. This old lady thinks she didn't beat you enough." Zi Yan put on an air of an old and powerful expert, one hand on her hip, the other hand's thumb rubbing her nose.
Fei Tian's eyes narrowed as the aura of an 8-star Dou Ancestor instantly pressed down. He might not care about the Hong Clan bullying others, but he couldn't ignore damage to the Wind Lightning Pavilion's reputation!
Feeling the terrifying pressure of an 8-star Dou Ancestor, Zi Yan simply grinned, revealing her cute tiger fangs and dimples. Her body instantly shone with dazzling purple light, dispelling Fei Tian's pressure.
"8-star Dou Ancestor, now this is a bit interesting." Her fists collided with a series of thudding sounds. Just the collision of her fists caused the surrounding space to tremble repeatedly.
Although her cultivation wasn't as high as Fei Tian's, she was from the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe! Her physical strength surpassed even Fei Tian's, an 8-star Dou Ancestor! Within the Yan Alliance, even Venerable Tian Huo's physical strength was inferior to hers!
"Hehe, this little girl is quite interesting. Even this old woman can't see through what kind of magical beast she transformed from." An old crone leaning on a crutch slowly ascended the mountain, accompanied by a silent old man.
Seeing these two appear, some people familiar with the Wind Lightning Pavilion couldn't help but exclaim.
"Holy shit, that's the Southern Pavilion Master Lei Po Zi, Guan Su!"
"Even the Western Pavilion Master, Kuang Lan Zi, Kong Sun, has come! Those two are both 9-star Dou Ancestors!"
"The Southern, Western, and Northern Pavilion Masters have all come! Could the Wind Lightning Pavilion be planning to make a move against the Yan Alliance at the grand meeting?"
Although Venerable Lei wasn't the strongest among the four Venerables, the Wind Lightning Pavilion had the most extensive influence with its four pavilions. Tian Lei Zi, Fei Tian, was merely the weakest of the four!
"Sigh, it seems the Wind Lightning Pavilion is indeed stronger. I heard the Southern and Western Pavilion Masters are both close to Half-Step Dou Venerate."
"Hehe, you don't understand the Yan Alliance. The Yan Alliance still has two 9-star Dou Ancestor elite experts. Queen Medusa's fearsome reputation was known even in the Central Plains over a decade ago. And then there's the Woeful Poison Body. The Yan Alliance is also full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers; it's hard to say who would win."
"I don't think so. The Yan Alliance is, after all, an external force. This Wind Lightning Mountain Range is the Wind Lightning Pavilion's headquarters. Queen Medusa should be in the North-Western Region, and as for that Woeful Poison Body, hehe, the Woeful Poison Body is not a good thing."
For a time, heated discussions erupted all around the mountain range, with endless debate about which faction was stronger—the Yan Alliance or the Wind Lightning Pavilion.
This tense situation even brought Qing Lin out from within. With Queen Medusa absent, if the Wind Lightning Pavilion truly launched an assault, Zi Yan and Nalan Yanran alone wouldn't be enough.
As Xiao Yan's maid, protecting her young master was her mission!
With a series of buzzing sounds, one Rank 7 giant python after another drilled out from the space within her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. The giant pythons blotted out the sky, instantly filling the entire mountaintop.
Seeing Qing Lin's eyes flickering with green light, even the usually silent Western Pavilion Master exclaimed, "Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils!"
Although they were all humans, the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils still had an extremely prestigious reputation. After all, the former Jade-Eyed Snake Saint had been a Half-Saint level expert! Didn't that mean this young girl before them had the potential to become a Half-Saint in the future?!
The three Pavilion Masters didn't even dare to cross the sword mark Nalan Yanran had drawn for a moment. They all hesitated, wary of Qing Lin with her flowing green hair who had barely made a move.
The two words 'Half-Saint' pressed down like a suffocating weight on the Wind Lightning Pavilion.
Just as the atmosphere grew most tense, a young man's voice echoed across the entire mountaintop.
"Go back. If your Wind Lightning Pavilion wants to start a war, let that little kid from the Eastern Pavilion come in person. With just you few, you won't even be able to cross that sword mark."
!!!
Everyone suddenly looked skyward to see Venerable Tian Huo, who appeared to be only sixteen or seventeen years old, standing steadily on the empty space.
After reconstructing his physical body, Venerable Tian Huo looked like he was only sixteen or seventeen, but in terms of actual age, he was much older than Venerable Lei.
"Dou Venerate!"
The moment these two words were uttered, all the Wind Lightning Pavilion disciples felt their legs go weak. In the outskirts of the Central Plains, a Dou Venerate was like a god!
In the current Dou Qi Continent, no Dou God existed. With Dou Saints absent, Dou Venerates reigned supreme!
"Come back. Guests are to be welcomed. This Four Pavilion Grand Meeting is hosted by my Wind Lightning Pavilion, so naturally we welcome the participation of various factions." A voice suddenly traversed hundreds of miles from the distant Eastern Pavilion.
This voice instantly bolstered the Wind Lightning Pavilion disciples' confidence because it was Venerable Lei's voice! Their Wind Lightning Pavilion also had a Dou Venerate!
On a platform above a vast and splendid pavilion in the center of Wind Lightning City stood a man. He had a rather tall stature, appearing to be only in his forties or fifties, but with a wisp of silvery-white beard on his chin.
He wore silver robes covered in lightning patterns that seemed like living creatures constantly flowing. Faint thunder aura permeated from them.
He was one of the Four Venerables, Venerable Lei!
At this moment, Venerable Lei gazed toward the horizon. Even from such a distance, he could see the Yan Alliance's camp and lock onto Venerable Tian Huo, able to transmit his voice over a hundred miles.
Once reaching the Dou Venerate realm, one could easily achieve the effects of a Low Di Class sonic Dou Technique.
Venerable Lei didn't know what the Yan Alliance was planning, which was why he'd sent out three pavilion masters to investigate. However, this investigation was destined to yield no results.
"Now is not the time for an all-out war with the Yan Alliance... Mutual destruction would only benefit the other three," Venerable Lei muttered to himself before looking inside the pavilion at Feng Qing Er. Her entire body was enveloped in wind and lightning power with her figure flickering like an illusion.
Shortly after, Feng Qing Er slowly opened her eyes. The wind and lightning power gradually receded as the illusion disappeared.
"Qing Er, how is this Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body?" Venerable Lei stroked his beard and asked with a smile.
"It's excellent. This movement technique is perfectly suited for my tribe to cultivate. Especially with my wind and lightning dual body, I believe I can unleash even greater power." Feng Qing Er couldn't hide her joy. She had witnessed the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body by chance and felt it was extremely suitable, which was why she came to the Wind Lightning Pavilion to learn it.
She had originally thought it would be very difficult for a magical beast to learn human Dou Techniques but never expected that this Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body would be extremely compatible with her Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe's cultivation!
Feng Qing Er then said, "Pavilion Master, don't worry. Once I cultivate the Three Thousand Lightning Illusionary Body to the minor level and return to my tribe, I believe the elders will understand its benefits."
"When the Wind Lightning Pavilion establishes good relations or even an alliance with my tribe, with our disciples coming to train here, forget about the Yan Alliance—even the Falling Star Pavilion and the Three Valleys will pale in comparison to the Wind Lightning Pavilion!"
Hearing Feng Qing Er's promise, Venerable Lei was overjoyed. He had given her permission to cultivate the Wind Lightning Pavilion's secret Dou Techniques precisely to build good relations with the Heaven Demon Phoenix Tribe!
Venerable Lei had truly perfected the art of 'climbing the dragon and clinging to the phoenix.'
Of course, while some clung to the phoenix, others climbed the dragon.
Three days after the small conflict between the Yan Alliance and Wind Lightning Pavilion, Mao Wu had eaten its fill. The negative energy suited it perfectly, though the energy from a mere Rank 8 Monster Core was completely insufficient for evolution into a Heaven Seed Flame.
Inside the Black Demon Cauldron, with the negative energy removed, the Monster Core had transformed into a pure energy mass. The embryonic pill had also been burned, compressed, and polished by the Heavenly Flame, becoming more and more like a proper medicinal pill.
"Pill fusion!"
Xiao Yan let out a loud shout, his Spiritual Strength, fire control, and Dou Qi all erupting to the extreme, merging the two energies together. As long as the fusion completed successfully, the Green Fungus Pill would be a success!
Venerable Tian Huo's heart was in his throat when he saw the Monster Core energy cluster and the embryonic pill merging. This was the final step!
Another three days passed. Xiao Yan had been continuously refining pills for over half a month. This high-intensity alchemy taxed not only Xiao Yan but even Princess Yue Er and Xin Lan who were merely observing. Both young beauties now had haggard faces.
Buzz!!!
Suddenly, a green medicinal fragrance surged out from the medicinal cauldron like a storm. The moment this fragrance emerged, Yue Er and Xin Lan instantly felt revitalized, their fatigue completely swept away.
"It's about to succeed!"
Xiao Yan's eyes focused intensely. He abruptly raised the flame temperature to its maximum, then fiercely retracted it. With a palm strike on the medicinal cauldron, he shouted, "Pill formed!"
Poof! The lid of the medicinal cauldron opened, and a green light shot skyward. A green vortex began spinning madly. This was the medicinal pill absorbing the surrounding world energy and spiritual light!
Tier 8 medicinal pills not only produced colored light pillars but also created vortexes that absorbed surrounding world energy and spiritual energy to enhance their spirituality.
Rumble rumble!!!
Inside Venerable Tian Huo's Space Lock, thunder clouds appeared. Silver lightning danced continuously within them, thicker than the Pill Lightning of any tier 7 medicinal pill, as terrifying as mountains and rivers.
Seeing the Pill Lightning appear, Xiao Yan smiled faintly. With a wave of his hand, he summoned Xing Tian. "Go!"
Xing Tian soared skyward. The Pill Lightning seemed provoked, and the silver dragon-like bolts thundered down.
The thickness of this Pill Lightning left no doubt that Xiao Yan's medicinal pill was definitely above peak tier 7. As for whether it could reach tier 8, that would depend on whether there was a second color of Pill Lightning.
Within the silver Pill Lightning, the bronze color on Xing Tian's body rapidly faded, revealing large patches of silver-white.
"Red! Red Pill Lightning!!" Xin Lan suddenly shouted, pointing at the thunder clouds, her eyes filled with joy. She was witnessing the birth of a tier 8 medicinal pill!
No sooner had the silver Pill Lightning fallen than wisps of red Pill Lightning immediately surged from the thunder clouds! Without doubt, the Green Fungus Pill refined by Xiao Yan had absolutely reached tier 8 in both quality and spirituality!
"Xiao Yan, do you need this old man's help?" Venerable Tian Huo hurriedly asked, wishing he could shield the pill with his own body. He truly feared something might go wrong with this precious medicinal pill.
"Hehe, Elder Yao, you have too little faith in me. Don't worry, Xing Tian loves Pill Lightning the most." Xiao Yan smiled faintly. The red Pill Lightning was already equivalent to a Half-Step Dou Venerate's strike. If there were a third color, it would match a 1-star Dou Venerate.
But he believed Xing Tian could withstand it!
Rumble!!
The red Pill Lightning suddenly struck down with power far greater than the silver one. It smashed into Xing Tian's body, causing it to deflate.
But as the red Pill Lightning fell and Xing Tian's body collapsed inward, the bronze color rapidly peeled away, revealing a silver-white body beneath.
"Hahaha, it's an Earth Demon Puppet now!" Xiao Yan was delighted.
Only a monstrous alchemist like Xiao Yan could make a puppet evolve so quickly. Other alchemists could only dream of attracting Pill Lightning.
Crackle, crackle, crackle.
The thunder clouds continued to roil, and a wisp of orange lightning slowly formed.
"What the? Three colors? No way!" Xiao Yan's heart trembled. Wasn't the Green Fungus Pill supposed to attract a maximum of two colors of Pill Lightning? How could there be a third color!
Unfortunately, that orange Pill Lightning only churned in the clouds and never descended. After all, the Green Fungus Pill hadn't quite reached that level.
When the thunder clouds dissipated, Venerable Tian Huo took the Green Fungus Pill from Xiao Yan. He looked at the medicinal pill in the brocade box with excitement. This medicinal pill could restore him to a 3-star Dou Venerate!
Xiao Yan and Venerable Tian Huo looked at each other and smiled. No, they looked at each other and cackled. Because Xiao Yan's condition for refining the Green Fungus Pill was for Venerable Tian Huo to join his own Hall of Souls.
"Jie Jie Jie." *2