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Yao Chen took the time to visit the Pill Tower, expressing gratitude to Xuan Yi for her help, and also proposed the idea of wanting to exchange for the Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire.
Regarding this request, Xuan Kongzi, one of the Pill Tower Three Giants, smiled bitterly and refused.
Xuan Yi revealed a helpless expression: "We have already released news that we will give the winners of the next Pill Gathering an opportunity to subdue the Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire…
"If you want to seek the Heavenly Flame for your disciple, you can only wait for the winners to try, and if everyone fails, then come to exchange. Or…"
Xuan Yi curled her lips into a smile: "Let that little guy come and try himself, see if he has the ability to win in the Pill Gathering, and also let us see if the disciple you place such high hopes on is truly that excellent."
Yao Chen's eyes darted a bit, not daring to meet Xuan Yi's gaze filled with admiration and affection, and he responded:
"Then let that little guy come, he never disappoints me."
Yao Chen returned to Starcloud Pavilion and told Xiao Yan about the Pill Gathering, admonishing him to diligently study alchemy.
Time passed day by day, and Starcloud Pavilion flourished, developing steadily. The Soul Hall showed no reaction to the rise of Starcloud Pavilion, seemingly adopting a laissez-faire attitude.
Although everything seemed to be developing in a good direction, one thing lingered in Xiao Yan's heart like an unshakeable shadow.
The location where Xiao Meng was imprisoned could not be found, and there was no news at all about the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast demonic core that Little Fairy Doctor needed.
The location Old Man Meng Zun had given before indeed once had a Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast living there, but by the time Xiao Yan and his group arrived, it had already been hunted down by someone unknown.
Yao Chen increased the bounty, but even though the reward had been raised to an eighth-grade medicinal pill with a five-colored pill lightning, no one could still produce a Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast demonic core above the seventh rank… not even a Sixth-Rank demonic core as a second best option!
The Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast species seemed to have gone extinct.
Two years passed quickly, Xiao Yan's strength increased to a Nine-Star Dou Ancestor, and his soul realm broke through to the Spirit World, allowing him to stably refine eighth-grade medicinal pills with one or two colors of pill lightning.
Such achievements made Yao Chen pleased; Xiao Yan was now only 25 years old, much stronger than he was at that age.
Just as the Pill Gathering approached, Mu Qingluan, who had returned from a trip to her clan in the Beast Domain, brought news that struck Xiao Yan like a bolt from the blue.
The Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast was confirmed to be extinct!
"What exactly happened?" Xiao Yan tried to suppress the anxiety and unease in his heart.
Mu Qingluan responded: "In the past two years, a major event occurred among the Magical Beasts… Do you know about the three major Magical Beast clans?"
"Nine Serene Deep Earth Python, Sky Demon Phoenix, and Taixu Ancient Dragon?"
"Yes, among them, the Nine Serene Deep Earth Python Tribe had an incident several years ago; their clan's Nether Serpent Earth Vein suddenly disappeared, and the entire Nine Serene Deep Earth Python Tribe also vanished…
"The remaining two major clans, the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan, suddenly declared war on the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan! No one knows the specific reason, but this war has indeed begun.
"The Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast Clan, as a powerful Magical Beast tribe subordinate to the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan, became a target for the Heavenly Demon Phoenixes and was annihilated."
"What?" Xiao Yan's pupils contracted.
Mu Qingluan said in a deep voice: "Perhaps there are still scattered Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beasts alive, but their numbers are certainly very few.
"As for the demonic cores left over from before, if anyone has them, they have likely already taken them out to claim the bounty issued by the Medicine Saint…
"The most likely way to obtain a Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast demonic core now is to go to the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan and exchange for it before they deplete their war spoils."
Heavenly Demon Phoenix… A bitter smile appeared on Xiao Yan's face. He had refined ancient phoenix essence blood and still had a pair of Heavenly Demon Phoenix bone wings on him; going to the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan would simply be walking into a trap.
A soft chuckle sounded, and Yao Chen's figure appeared; he said with a smile: "So, it can be confirmed that the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan has Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast demonic cores?"
Mu Qingluan respectfully bowed and replied: "Because the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast demonic cores contain potent venom, even for the Heavenly Demon Phoenixes, they need to be processed before they can be consumed.
"According to the information I received, it hasn't been long since the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast Clan was wiped out, so they definitely have such demonic cores in their possession right now.
"But we must act quickly, because the war with the Taixu Ancient Dragon is by no means easy, and the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan will exploit all resources possible; if we're late, these demonic cores will be consumed."
Yao Chen nodded slightly and said to Xiao Yan: "You can participate in the Pill Gathering with peace of mind; I'll make a trip to the Heavenly Demon Phoenix side."
Xiao Yan's hanging heart slightly relaxed, and he replied: "Alright, Teacher, please be careful."
Yao Chen smiled confidently: "Don't worry about me; these Magical Beast overlord clans are no different from humans in their thinking… As long as they're not fools, they won't make things difficult for a Four-Star Dou Saint, much less a Ninth-Rank Alchemist Master."
Then, he looked at Mu Qingluan: "I remember your Azure Kira Clan is also considered a not-weak clan in the Beast Domain, right? Do you have a way to contact the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan?"
Mu Qingluan organized her words and replied: "Originally, we didn't, but the war between the two clans has dragged many other clans into it… The Azure Kira Clan still maintains neutrality, so contacting the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan isn't difficult."
Yao Chen pondered for a moment, then shook his head slightly: "Since the Azure Kira Clan remains neutral, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to contact the Heavenly Demon Phoenixes through you. Just tell me about a Magical Beast clan that is allied with the Heavenly Demon Phoenixes."
Mu Qingluan hesitated for a moment, said nothing, and tacitly agreed to Yao Chen's plan…
Xiao Yan embarked on the journey to the Dan Region with Little Fairy Doctor, while Yao Chen followed Mu Qingluan to the Beast Domain.
…
Beneath the starry night sky lay a desolate and silent land. Dilapidated buildings tilted precariously, half-exposed from the ground, and massive stone walls had largely collapsed. Decayed doors and windows resembled empty eyes, gazing at this World.
The road was covered in rubble, with strangely shaped boulders standing horizontally or vertically among the buildings. In the distance, a palace, missing its upper half, resembled a giant stone coffin.
In this seemingly forgotten World, the joyful laughter of a young girl broke the silence. There were four almost identical young girls, with delicate features, exuding a strong sense of Charm amidst their purity; every movement seemed to arouse men's desires.
Three of them flitted through the half-buried buildings using the frames of doors and windows, like lively little elves.
The surrounding silence did not affect them at all; they were already accustomed to such an environment. From their birth until now, they had always lived here.
The last girl sat on the tilted roof of a building, a worried frown on her face. She was the eldest of the four, and watching her three sisters, who seemed to have endless energy, she let out a sigh of melancholy.
This was the Heavenly Tomb, and these four girls were the "Queen Medusas" cultivated by Amon. Nearly three years had passed in the outside World since Amon entered the Heavenly Tomb, and with the Heavenly Tomb's time being six times faster, seventeen years had already passed here.
The child in Cai Lin's belly had already grown up.
They themselves were cultivated with extremely extreme secret methods, possessing terrifying cultivation aptitude from birth, and having the strength of a high-level Dou Ancestor upon birth. Coupled with Amon's resource supply, each of them now had powerful auras, reaching the Nine-Revolving Dou Venerate level, only a step away from a Half-Saint.
"Big Sister, what's wrong?" One of the girls did a somersault and landed beside the sighing girl.
The worried girl glanced at her, sighed again, and did not answer her question.
My melancholy, you will not understand…
Not receiving a response, the questioning girl didn't mind and returned to the other two, discussing who would be 'it' in the next game of hide-and-seek.
Cai Lin came to her eldest daughter's side, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. She hadn't told them about Amon; they should be carefree, so why did she show such an expression?
"Xiao Xiao, what's wrong?" Cai Lin asked.
Xiao Xiao turned her head, pouted, and asked: "Mom, my sister is called Xiao Huo, my third sister is called Xiao Yan, and my fourth sister is called Xiao Yi. Why am I called Xiao Xiao? My name is different from theirs! I feel out of place with them!"
Girls of this age would normally not care about such a question, but they lived in the desolate Heavenly Tomb, and the only people they could interact with, besides Cai Lin, were Jiu Bao, thus maintaining the innocent mindset of seven or eight-year-old children.
"Mom, I want to change my name," Xiao Xiao said with a naive tone.
Cai Lin looked at her in confusion: "What do you want to change it to?"
"Xiao Yan."
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