Black Seal City, in a secret chamber.
Yao Yan sat cross-legged on a futon, surrounded by azure flames. Upon closer inspection, one could see a faint golden glow swirling around the azure flames. He was currently circulating his cultivation technique, using the power of pills and the strange fire to heal his injuries. The originally severe wounds within his body were healing rapidly at a visible speed.
During this time, Yao Yan also began to try circulating the evil energy belonging to the extraterrestrial evil race. Using this power was without any hindrance, as if it were his own.
However, each time he used this power, a violent and bloodthirsty negative emotion easily rose from the depths of his heart, as if this power had been filled with resentment and slaughter since its birth, seemingly born for revenge. This might be related to the birth process of the Heavenly Evil God.
It's important to understand that the true nature of the Evil God was that of a primordial deity. Unfortunately, his predecessor was a perennial second-in-command, his power suppressed by the Ancestral Dragon, the highest-ranking deity. Even though the Ancestral Dragon could transform into countless forms, its residual power was enough to destroy him.
Similarly, in the original story, could Xiao Yan and his companions,
even at the Sovereign Realm level, destroy the Heavenly Ranking? Clearly not. The so-called Sovereign Realm was merely a power bestowed upon them by the Heavenly Ranking, granting them control over the highest power of the Great Thousand Worlds. Ultimately, this power belonged only to the Great Thousand Worlds, not to any individual. This is the difference between primordial and acquired deities.
Primordial deities are born alongside heaven and earth, possessing power equal to that of heaven and earth—the highest level of power in this world.
Acquired beings, wanting to become stronger, can only plunder from this world.
In this respect, the natives of the Great Thousand Worlds and the extraterrestrial demons are no different—one is their offspring, the other an outsider.
If not for the excessive pressure from the extraterrestrial demons, Yao Yan doesn't believe the three characters in the original story could have left their complete names on the Heavenly Ranking.
His thoughts drifted here.
Yao Yan slowly opened his eyes. A wisp of purplish-red blood light flashed and disappeared deep within his dark eyes before returning to calm. The Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame burning on his body also dissipated. Sensing his physical condition, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Such terrifying vitality..."
This vitality wasn't the power granted by the Spirit Clan's Dou Di bloodline, but rather the power contained within the evil energy.
He made a rough estimate.
Under the same conditions, ten times the amount of Dou Qi would be needed to purify a wisp of evil energy, and that was only a possibility. If one was careless, or didn't understand it, it was highly likely that one would be assimilated and corrupted by this wisp of evil energy.
Evil energy had a very unique characteristic: it could absorb all external power as nourishment to strengthen itself, and its adaptability was extremely strong.
Even its stealth was quite terrifying.
When Yao Yan doesn't use this power, it can remain hidden deep within his body. No matter how strong someone is, they cannot find it within him unless the other party refines his entire being, thus extracting the evil energy. After
pondering for a moment, he suppressed these thoughts deep within his heart.
One thing Yao Yan was certain of was that the path he would take in the future would definitely not be the path of the Evil Spirit Clan. After all, that path in the original story was not a correct one; it was more like a deformed child, possessing great power but unable to control it perfectly, even being subject to others, and even breaking through to the Heavenly Sovereign realm would be useless.
"One step at a time, first get my hands on the Fallen Heart Flame!"
Yao Yan thought to himself, then slowly stood up. The injuries within his body had healed, and the residual lightning power within had been completely dispelled with the help of the evil energy. This lightning power, containing the might of heaven and earth, seemed to be a good thing to the evil energy; it both feared and longed for it.
It's like facing a cold, aloof goddess; your heart is filled with longing, yet you dare not approach her, only to find her unconscious on the ground… It's a bit like the Little Dragon Girl.
A strange glint flashed in Yao Yan's eyes, then he shook his head, ceasing his thoughts on these matters, opened the door to the secret chamber, and walked outside.
…
Seven days had passed since Yao Yan went into seclusion, and no news had escaped during those seven days. Neither Cai Lin nor Yao Lao were overly worried, because before Yao Yan's seclusion, the life force emanating from his body was far too vigorous, unlike what one would expect from a seriously injured person. The only slightly troublesome aspect was perhaps the lightning power within him.
However, for a high-level alchemist, as long as he wasn't dead, he could be saved. Losing limbs, or even his physical body, was nothing to an alchemist.
(Old Yao: ...)
As Yao Yan emerged from seclusion, Cai Lin and Old Yao, having heard the commotion, rushed over together. Clearly, their apparent lack of concern was merely a facade; they were quite concerned about Yao Yan's well-being, especially Cai Lin. Beneath her cold and aloof expression, a hint of concern was undeniable. However, she was adept at self-control. Once she found Yao Yan unharmed, she quickly suppressed all her emotions, transforming back into the aloof Medusa Queen, her face radiating an unapproachable aura.
"Out of seclusion? Kid, your body is truly formidable. Among your peers, I doubt anyone can rival you,"
Old Yao floated to Yao Yan's side, stroking his chin, and teasingly remarked.
It wasn't a joke, but a fact. Yao Yan's current physical body, let alone among his peers, even some high-level Dou Zong might not possess such a powerful physique—it was ridiculously strong. Furthermore, the life force contained within this young man was also extremely exaggerated, even somewhat resembling that of the legendary Spirit Race.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but tease, "Kid, did you lie to me? You're not actually from the Medicine Clan, but from the Spirit Clan? After all, you're a bit too handsome, and it's said that all the Spirit Clan members are good-looking men and women~"
"Does it matter?"
Yao Yan retorted, too lazy to pay attention to the old man. She looked at Cai Lin and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I'm fine."
Cai Lin's eyes flickered slightly, but her mouth remained stubborn. She replied indifferently, "It's good that you're not dead... If you were, you deserved it. Who told you to be so reckless? A mere Dou Wang dared to take such a powerful pill lightning head-on. It was tantamount to courting death."
Yao Yan was still somewhat frightened by the pill lightning she had endured that day, especially the last one, which had a slight reddish tinge and seemed to be intertwined with lightning and fire. Its terrifying power even made Cai Lin, who was standing to the side, feel a little scared. She had no doubt that if she had been under that pill lightning, she would most likely have been seriously injured and dying, or even kicked the bucket.
Yao Yan, however, withstood it and even shattered it with a single punch.
That scene was deeply etched into Cai Lin's heart; it even occasionally surfaced in her dreams these past few days.
"You really know how to care about people~" Yao Yan replied, half-laughing, half-crying, then straightened his expression and changed the subject: "Help me contact Yuan Yi. I need to see the Gold and Silver Elders, and also have him help me find Han Feng. It's time we met this Medicine Emperor of the Black Corner Region."
A playful smile appeared on his lips at the end, but it faded slightly upon seeing the darkening expression on Yao Lao's face.
"Is there anything this old man can do for you?"
The old apothecary was silent for a moment before asking,
"You don't need to do anything, old man. Once everything has settled, I will hand Han Feng over to you alive to deal with." Yao Yan assured him, then paused before continuing, "At that time, I will also refine the physical body I promised you to help you revive."
"We'll see then," the old apothecary shook his head, showing no hurry to revive at all.
The old apothecary and Cai Lin exchanged a glance, neither of them continuing the topic.
When Yuan Yi led the Gold and Silver Elders to the backyard, a hint of surprise appeared on their faces. They stared at Yao Yan's excessively youthful face, scrutinized him for a moment, then turned to Yuan Yi, as if asking if he had made a mistake.
The mysterious alchemist was this 'little kid'?
What a joke!
Compared to their lifespans of over a hundred years, Yao Yan was practically a child.
"Stop looking, it's me who wants to see you~" Yao Yan chuckled, not giving them a chance to question him. A powerful soul pressure instantly surged from between his brows, enveloping the Gold and Silver Elders. No amount of nonsense was as effective as this, especially for the people of the Black Corner Region.
Fists are always more powerful than words.
Faced with this overwhelming soul pressure, the Gold and Silver Elders suppressed their dissatisfaction and doubts, lowering their heads and bowing respectfully: "Greetings, Master!"
"I know you have doubts, but that's unimportant. You've pledged allegiance to me for the Breakthrough Pill. Once the matter is settled, I will present it to you with both hands to help you break through the bottleneck of the Battle Sect." As Yao Yan spoke, he took out a bottle of Breakthrough Pills from his storage ring, shook it, and then opened the cap, revealing the Breakthrough Pills inside, emitting a rich medicinal fragrance.
The faint purple aura of the pills was unmistakable.
"..."
The Gold and Silver Elders exchanged a glance, both seeing the eagerness in each other's eyes. At this moment, they even felt an urge to snatch it and run. Compared to the chaotic situation outside, the risk of the two of them joining forces to steal the Breakthrough Pills from Yuan Yi and the young man before them was undoubtedly much lower.
However, they quickly regained their composure, remembering Yuan Yi's ancestor, whose fate was unknown, and dared not act rashly.
Just then...
But then Yao Yan tossed the pill directly at the two of them, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Take a good look," he said, "Don't say I'm lying to you."
"?!"
Old Jin grabbed the bottle, his pupils shrinking. He couldn't help but look at the calm Yao Yan, suppressing the urge to turn and run. He swallowed hard and examined the pill closely. It was identical to the Breakthrough Pill auctioned at the auction, even more fragrant, seemingly freshly made.
Old Yin wanted to say something, but Old Jin stopped him, stepping forward with a burning gaze. "May I ask, Master, was this pill recently made?"
"Judging by the quantity, this should be the last batch made. The fragrance is much stronger than at the auction,"
Yao Yan nodded slightly, speaking softly.
"We two are willing to serve you, Master!" Old Jin had no more complaints and respectfully handed back the Breakthrough Pill.
He could still distinguish between a full stomach and a full meal.
As for freedom… as long as one's strength increases, what is there to fear about freedom?
In the Black Corner Region, if someone were to offer a Breakthrough Pill to recruit a peak Dou Huang expert, countless people would instantly flock to serve them. Now that the other party values him, how could he be so foolish as to refuse? Upon
hearing this, Elder Yin and Elder Jin bowed to each other. The two of them had always advanced and retreated together, sharing life and death.
"Don't worry, I won't mistreat my own people." Yao Yan nodded slightly, looking at Yuan Yi beside him, and asked, "Do you have any latest news about that Medicine Emperor?"
"He has been in seclusion in Maple City for some time now and hasn't gone out."
Yuan Yi organized his words, his honest, chubby face bearing a smile as he respectfully replied.
"I don't have time to wait for news. Elders Jin and Yin, accompany me. Let's go directly to Maple City to visit this Medicine Emperor… Heh, a sixth-grade alchemist dares to call himself the Medicine Emperor, then wouldn't I have to call myself the Medicine Emperor?" Yao Yan said with a mocking smile, extremely arrogant.
Cai Lin, standing to one side, noticed the mask that seemed to have been replaced with a different one and glanced away. She hadn't realized before that this guy was truly a master of deception.
Despite his young age, he was incredibly cunning, and his lies were endless.
He spoke one language to one person and another to another.
"Yes!"
The two elders, Jin and Yin, bowed in response.
Yao Yan nodded, and wings of battle qi appeared behind him. With a slight tremor, he transformed into a streak of light and soared into the sky. The two elders, Jin and Yin, followed closely behind, and the three of them sped towards Feng City. This time, he still didn't take Cai Lin and Elder Yao with him, because Black Seal City needed someone to keep an eye on it.
Moreover, if Elder Yao saw Han Feng, he might lose his composure and interfere with Yao Yan's subsequent plans.
"..."
Cai Lin clenched her fists, watching Yao Yan's departing figure. She hated the feeling of watching him leave.
The old apothecary's figure slowly appeared, looking at the unwilling Cai Lin, and sighed softly, "This kid's talent is terrifying, and his nature is extremely cunning. He will definitely become a supreme expert in the future. If you don't want to be left too far behind him, then you should work hard to cultivate..."
"I know!" Cai Lin said coldly, then swayed her hips and walked towards the secret chamber.
"...What secrets is he still hiding?"
The old apothecary watched Cai Lin leave, then continued to look at the spot where Yao Yan had left, frowning and muttering to himself. Just as he had assessed Yao Yan, the other party was truly cunning, never revealing his secrets to anyone, not even those close to him, and he was extremely good at controlling his own feelings.
In comparison, what was he doing when he was eighteen?