Word Count: 2,848 Words
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Old Ancestor Huo Yun and Tang Zhen couldn't help narrowing their eyes. They naturally knew that the Profound Sky Sect's true leader wasn't Old Demon Tian Ming but rather Tian Ming Zi, whose strength was merely that of a Seven-Change Dou Venerate.
Yet the Profound Sky Sect stood among the Two Sects for a reason, and that reason was simple: its founder still lived.
On the Dou Qi Continent, cultivating beyond the Dou Venerate realm extended one's lifespan dramatically. Upon reaching Dou Saint, those years stretched even further. This often led sect leaders and clan heads to eventually step down, retreat behind the scenes, and devote themselves entirely to cultivation.
The Misty Cloud Sect had once followed this pattern. Its Old Ancestor Yun Shan, trapped at peak Dou Emperor and unable to break through, had ceded the position of Sect Leader to Yun Yun while he withdrew into secluded cultivation.
Tang Zhen and Old Ancestor Huo Yun exchanged a glance as they watched Xiao Yan calmly sip his tea. Both caught the deeper meaning behind his words.
They understood clearly that Xiao Yan bore no personal grudge against Old Demon Tian Ming. This was not his private vendetta; it was the Yan Alliance's strategic policy!
The Yan Alliance intended to conquer the Profound Sky Sect entirely and become an alliance surpassing the Two Sects!
While the Yan Alliance couldn't yet match the Pill Tower or the Hall of Souls, its strength had already eclipsed the Two Sects completely. One could even say the Flower Sect and Profound Sky Sect combined couldn't equal the current Yan Alliance.
Just imagine: even without accounting for Xiao Yan himself, the Yan Alliance's combat power was terrifyingly formidable. The Nine-Headed Heaven Serpent was on the verge of rebirth, Saint Zhao Hua's Ancient Pill Beast was close to breaking through to tier 9, and Cai Lin possessed the Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python Origin Stone, allowing her to step into the Dou Saint realm at any moment.
This strength alone far surpassed the Two Sects, and that was before accounting for a Treasure Pill Guru capable of refining the Bodhisattva Great Restoration Pill.
If Xiao Yan destroyed the Profound Sky Sect, the era of 'One Hall, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Pavilions' would come to a definitive end. A new age of three-way stalemate would take its place.
The Hall of Souls, the Pill Tower, and the Yan Alliance, dividing the Central Plains among themselves!!
Tang Zhen and Old Ancestor Huo Yun both recognized the shock and gravity reflected in each other's eyes.
Moreover, Yun Yun now led the Flower Sect. Of its two Supreme Elders, the stronger one, the high-level Half-Saint Fairy Qing, had retired from the world entirely because of the matter with Venerable Yao. It seemed increasingly likely that the Flower Sect would eventually merge with the Misty Cloud Sect and become part of the Yan Alliance.
When that happened, what force in the entire Central Plains could stand against the Yan Alliance? Of the Four Pavilions, two Pavilion Masters had perished and one had retired. Of the Three Valleys, Ice River Valley had already been destroyed. The Yan Alliance's rise was nothing less than a naked battle for territory.
A bloody history of ascension!
Wuuu!!
The kettle released a low, mournful whistle as it reached a boil. The sound of bubbling water finally broke the heavy silence. Old Ancestor Huo Yun took a sip of hot tea and exhaled deeply.
"Xiao Yan, dealing with Old Demon Tian Ming is not difficult. If you can restore my original strength, even if the Profound Sky Sect's Blood Demon Grand Formation elevates that old demon to 1-star Dou Saint, this old man won't fear him."
He paused, his expression turning grave. "But the Profound Sky Sect has already allied with the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe, which possesses at least two 1-star Dou Saints. Moreover, when their previous Tribe Leader Yao Ming disappeared, he was already at late-stage 1-star Dou Saint. If Yao Ming didn't actually vanish but instead went into seclusion to break through to 2-star Dou Saint, we would face four Dou Saints simultaneously. Even I cannot contend against such numbers."
Xiao Yan naturally understood Old Ancestor Huo Yun's concerns. In the past, Burning Flame Valley had been just like the current Yan Alliance, one of the most powerful factions in the Central Plains, and it had experienced a similar rise.
There had been successes, but far more numerous were the failures. Factions once as dazzling as the midday sun had stumbled and never recovered, vanishing completely.
"Rest assured, Old Ancestor Huo Yun. I only need you to kill Old Demon Tian Ming. Everything else, my Yan Alliance will handle ourselves," Xiao Yan said with a smile.
Xiao Yan's confident words startled even Old Ancestor Huo Yun. Could the Yan Alliance be even more formidable than he had imagined?!
After a moment of contemplation, Old Ancestor Huo Yun nodded with heavy determination. "Good! Since the winds of change blow in this direction, my Burning Flame Valley will gamble on this fortune! Hahaha! I haven't shown my face in the Central Plains for ages. I wonder if those old fellows are still alive, and whether they'd even recognize me, Huo Yun!"
Xiao Yan smiled calmly and raised his teacup in a respectful toast.
…
Half a month later, having healed Old Ancestor Huo Yun's injuries, Xiao Yan returned from Burning Flame Valley to the Yan Alliance. Upon his arrival, he began quietly strategizing with high-ranking Alliance members like Cai Lin, Yao Ye, Ya Fei, and others.
On one front, they redeployed forces from various Yan Alliance territories. On another, they dispatched operatives to secretly lock down the Profound Sky Sect's branch sects. The Profound Sky Sect maintained the Lower Three Sects, after all, and the hatred between both sides had begun when Xiao Yan killed the Sect Leader and Young Sect Leader of the Profound Xuan Sect.
As the saying went, one stone stirred a thousand ripples. Little Fairy Doctor and Venerable Tian Huo, witnesses to the very beginning of this feud between the Profound Sky Sect and the Yan Alliance, couldn't help marveling at fate's unpredictability.
"Sigh, future generations will probably never imagine that the Profound Sky Sect's destruction started over a scramble for Spirit Nourishment Powder." Venerable Tian Huo was simply at a loss for words. Chen Xian had failed to seize the copper piece from Xiao Yan and sent assassins after him, triggering a chain of butterfly effects.
Those small events had ultimately spawned this terrifying storm now sweeping across the entire Central Plains.
Xiao Yan shook his head. "It wasn't entirely because of Chen Xian. The Profound Sky Sect had always intended to use Yaohua Liangjun and Hua Jin's marriage as an alliance. Their ambitions ran deep from the start. For the Yan Alliance to grow, a clash with them was inevitable sooner or later."
A wormhole opened before them. Nalan Yanran stepped through in Misty Cloud Sect robes, and naturally, Yun Yun accompanied her.
Xiao Yan's eyes flickered at Yun Yun's appearance. They hadn't seen each other for quite some time. During the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree incident, she had emerged from seclusion quickly and left the Ancient Wasteland Region without a word.
He still didn't know what Yun Yun had comprehended beneath the Bodhisattva Tree.
The one who had gained the most from enlightenment beneath the Bodhisattva Tree was undoubtedly Nalan Yanran. Not only had her cultivation improved significantly, but even the inheritance of that iron sword, the Azure Mountain and River Sword Technique, had advanced to the minor level.
Nalan Yanran was the most excited person present. Battle merits could be exchanged for medicinal pills! To obtain that iron sword's Tian Class Dou Technique, poor Nalan Yanran even had to take out a 'loan' from Xiao Yan.
Cai Lin glanced sideways at Xiao Yan, her eyes maintaining their characteristic cold dominance. "Sect Leader Yun Yun, what is the Flower Sect's position?"
Yun Yun's voice rang clear as birdsong as she took her seat. "Though the two Supreme Elders won't intervene, all other elders have agreed."
"After all, the Profound Sky Sect's Deputy Sect Leader caused Elder Qing's death in the Ancient Wasteland Region. Many elders still harbor resentment over it. The Profound Sky Sect has long coveted our Flower Sect as well. Perhaps this is an opportunity."
Mentioning the Ancient Wasteland Region, Yun Yun's beautiful eyes briefly swept toward Xiao Yan before she continued, "However, the matter of merging with the Misty Cloud Sect still requires careful deliberation."
"If Old Ancestor Huo Yun acts, the Misty Cloud Sect and Flower Sect together can break through the Profound Sky Sect. The remaining Lower Three Sects can be left to the Jia Ma Empire's forces and the Xiao Clan," Yao Ye said with a nod.
Everyone nodded in agreement. The Jia Ma Empire was no longer some small country; it had grown into a true behemoth. With Old Hai and Elder Yao, two Dou Venerates backing it, the Lower Three Sects posed no problem whatsoever.
"As for the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe..."
A fierce light flashed through Cai Lin's eyes. "Xiao Yan and I will handle the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe," she said coldly.
The Yellow Springs Mountain Range where the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe resided had once been the ancestral land of the Snake-People Tribe; it needed to be reclaimed. More importantly, the best place for Cai Lin to refine the Nine-Colored Origin Stone was precisely the Nine Serene Yellow Spring, a supreme treasure ground for magical beasts to temper their bodies.
If Xiao Yan wanted to refine the Nine Yin Yellow Spring Pill, he would need a special crystal found beneath the Nine Serene Yellow Spring. This battle was virtually unavoidable.
"How much longer on Qing Lin's end?" Cai Lin turned her beautiful eyes toward Xiao Yan, her voice carrying a rare trace of gentleness.
Xiao Yan formed a hand seal and slowly closed his eyes. The puppet guarding Qing Lin opened its eyes, checked her condition, then walked to the undersea volcanic crater. By now, the Nine-Headed Heaven Serpent had already regrown more than half its flesh and blood.
"About half a month."
The atmosphere grew heavy in an instant. The great war would officially begin in half a month!!!
…
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. During that time, the Yan Alliance and the Profound Sky Sect continued their minor skirmishes, though nothing escalated into large-scale warfare. Aside from the occasional visitor seeking Xiao Yan for pills, nothing of note occurred.
Only Xiao Yan could currently refine Bodhisattva Pills, but he turned down every request.
This half-month brought him a rare stretch of leisure. Aside from occasionally playing with his daughters, he spent his time in Creation Valley checking on Tuan Tuan's progress.
"Hmm?"
Inside a small wooden hut, Xiao Yan had been giving Little Fairy Doctor hands-on guidance in alchemy when his gaze suddenly sharpened toward the outside. Little Fairy Doctor sensed it as well, and a glimmer of delight flashed through her beautiful eyes.
"The evolution is about to succeed!"
"Come on, let's take a look."
BOOM!
As they stepped outside, a dense pillar of white light suddenly erupted skyward from one corner of Creation Valley!
The white radiance wasn't harsh; it resembled white mist. A powerful storm spread outward with the light pillar at its center, yet strangely, wherever the storm passed, it caused no destruction. Plants and medicinal herbs on the ground seemed nourished instead, growing rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Some spirit fruit trees even began bearing fruit, their produce round and plump.
Roar!
The Little Lion King flew in from the distance with a cute little white rabbit perched on its back. That little white rabbit was also an Ancient Pill Beast, the one that had once belonged to Tian He Zi.
"Such rich life force!" Xiao Yan drew a deep breath. Though this life aura was far from matching the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree's life force, it remained exceptionally precious.
The Pill Beast white rabbit and the Little Lion King both inhaled sharply, then hurriedly sat on the ground to seize the opportunity and cultivate. Xiao Yan might look down on such benefits, but to them, it was priceless. This was especially true for the Pill Beast white rabbit, which was still some distance from evolving to tier 9. The pill qi released during Tuan Tuan's evolution would greatly aid its growth. Before long, it too would likely evolve successfully!
Five minutes later, the white light pillar gradually receded. A furry little beast the size of a human head appeared before Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor. Both could clearly sense the vast energy contained within that fluffy little body!
"Tier 9... Pill Beast!" Little Fairy Doctor's lovely eyes went wide, her expression one of near disbelief. Having obtained the Creation Saint Classic, she knew just how incredibly difficult nurturing a tier 9 Pill Beast truly was!
"Not yet. It still needs to survive the lightning tribulation to complete its evolution!" Xiao Yan's head snapped upward. Black thunderclouds had already gathered in the sky above.
Pill Beasts evolved on their own rather than through alchemist refinement, which meant Xiao Yan couldn't shield it from the Pill Lightning. This tribulation was a trial. Only by enduring it and being baptized by the lightning would Tuan Tuan become a true Tier 9 Pill Beast, possessing the power of heaven and earth and gaining the acknowledgment of the world!
RUMBLE!!
Black Demon Lightning descended like a waterfall from above. Sensing its terrifying power, Xiao Yan formed hand seals and instantly sealed the surrounding space to protect Creation Valley's medicinal ingredients and soil from the aftershocks.
Swoosh!
The Black Demon Lightning crashed down, and Tuan Tuan's fur instantly stood on end. Those big, round eyes nearly welled with frightened tears. It let out a shriek and bolted straight toward Little Fairy Doctor, looking exactly like a child fleeing a villain to seek its mother's protection.
Xiao Yan's expression changed drastically. He scooped Little Fairy Doctor into his arms and ran, cursing as he went. "You idiot! Face it yourself!"
Qiu!
Tuan Tuan ignored him completely and chased after Xiao Yan as he carried Little Fairy Doctor. Behind them, the massive Black Demon Lightning trailed like a black dragon hunting the Pill Beast.
Fleeing, shrieking, chasing. Creation Valley erupted into lively chaos.
Xiao Yan gritted his teeth. His eyes flashed, and he spun around sharply. One hand whipped out the Heavy Xuan Ruler, and like a man swinging a tennis racket, he struck!
DONG!
The Heavy Xuan Ruler smacked the charging Tuan Tuan and sent it flying high into the air.
Little Fairy Doctor stared, utterly dumbfounded. You're really being a wolf dad right now!
[TN: "Wolf Dad" (狼爹) is a cultural term referring to a parenting style that is extremely strict and harsh (similar to "Tiger Mom"), believing that toughness creates success.]
If that Black Demon Lightning had hands, it would have given Xiao Yan a thumbs-up before turning sharply and rushing skyward, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws as it pounced toward the airborne Pill Beast.
With the Black Demon Lightning nearly upon it, Tuan Tuan had no escape. Determination flashed across its little face. It inhaled sharply, and the energy of the world within a hundred-mile radius was instantly drawn into its body. With a hum, a round, fist-like sphere grew from its body.
Condensing the energy of the world into that ball-like fist, Tuan Tuan thrust it straight at the Black Demon Lightning, forced into a head-on confrontation!
BOOM!!
Two terrifying forces collided in an instant. Without Xiao Yan's spatial barrier, the aftershocks alone would have devastated Creation Valley!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The Black Demon Lightning exploded. Terrifying black lightning flooded the sky like a sea of thunder.
An unknown stretch of time passed before the Black Demon Lightning finally dissipated. A round ball dropped from the sky with a soft swoosh. Its once snow-white, beautiful fur had been blasted pitch-black.
Tuan Tuan landed and leaped straight into Little Fairy Doctor's arms, seeking comfort.
Withstanding the Black Demon Lightning head-on was proof beyond doubt that its evolution had succeeded. Saint Zhao Hua's alchemy skills had clearly been anything but weak; the medicinal pill he'd refined contained very few flaws.
If a pill carried too many flaws, then even if one forcibly nurtured it into a Pill Beast and pushed it to evolve, the Pill Lightning would ultimately shatter it. The loss would far outweigh the gain.
As a Treasure Pill Guru, Xiao Yan naturally understood this. That was precisely why he had allowed Tuan Tuan to undergo the baptism of the Pill Lightning.
"Tsk tsk tsk... early-stage 1-star Dou Saint. Though it doesn't know any Dou Techniques yet and falls short of a true 1-star Dou Saint, the energy within its body probably exceeds that of an ordinary 1-star Dou Saint."