join p atreon.com/KeyofStars for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr
After escaping from Elder Mu Gu, Xiao Yan dared not delay and accelerated his pace towards Holy Pill City.
The Soul Emperor's attitude towards him in the past, Protector Xiao's attitude, and the Soul Hall's inaction while Starcloud Pavilion grew stronger for so long, had made him slightly relax his guard against them. Elder Mu Gu's attack served as a reminder.
The subsequent journey was without much incident, and Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor arrived at Holy Pill City smoothly.
There was still some time before the Pill Gathering began, so they rented a courtyard and settled down.
At night, Xiao Yan sat on the rooftop, gazing at the sky. He found that the cosmos of Holy Pill City was exceptionally brilliant, and the twinkling stars vaguely outlined the shape of a giant dragon.
With a thought, his vast spirit power extended towards the sky. His spirit power passed through a fold in space, and Xiao Yan felt as if he had arrived in a boundless void.
In his spiritual vision, he saw a giant dragon several hundred zhang long, coiling and winding, its body entwined with a purplish-black flame. He noticed that the dragon's eyes were tightly shut, with a circle of white around its right eye.
"Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire?" Through the special sensation between different flames, Xiao Yan recognized the true identity of this giant dragon at a glance.
His eyes were filled with awe. Even a Dou Venerate expert would find it difficult to subdue such a heavenly flame, right?
Under his gaze, the dragon's closed eyes twitched slightly, slowly opening a slit.
"Who dares to spy on the Star Domain?" A sharp shout rang out.
Xiao Yan's expression changed, and his spirit power retreated like a tide.
Xuan Kongzi, one of the Pill Tower Three Giants, suddenly appeared in the Star Domain, his gaze vigilantly fixed on the Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire.
It wasn't until the slit of the giant eye closed again that he let out a sigh of relief, sensed the lingering spiritual aura around him, and left with a puzzled expression.
Little Fairy Doctor came to Xiao Yan's side, looking at the slightly excited expression on his face, and asked, "Any gains?"
"Yes, I saw the Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire," Xiao Yan replied with a smile, gazing at the stars in the sky that vaguely outlined the dragon pattern.
Little Fairy Doctor sat down and followed Xiao Yan's gaze towards the sky.
"Do you remember? We used to be like this, watching the stars together, the cosmos of the Jia Ma Empire… "
"I remember, we were even chased by Mu Li back then… So many years have passed."
"Haha, thinking about it now, it's quite funny. The dignified Young Pavilion Master of Starcloud Pavilion was chased all over the mountains by a mere Dou Master," Little Fairy Doctor giggled.
"Tsk… Weren't you, a Dou Venerate expert, also in such a sorry state back then that you were mentally prepared to jump off a cliff and commit suicide?"
The two looked at each other, felt that the other's gaze was inexplicably hot, and quickly averted their eyes, not daring to look at each other again.
They both remained silent, quietly watching the sky together.
After a long time, Little Fairy Doctor spoke with a hint of vulnerability:
"Xiao Yan, if… I mean if… I can't find the demonic core of the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast and can't control my Calamity Poison Body… I hope you can take me back to the Jia Ma Empire and bury me in that valley from back then… "
"What nonsense are you talking about? There's no such 'if'… Once your Calamity Poison Body problem is completely resolved, we'll go back together… and watch the cosmos of the Jia Ma Empire together," Xiao Yan said in a deep voice.
Little Fairy Doctor fell silent… There was no such 'if'; if the Calamity Poison Body erupted, not even a corpse would be left…
She inexplicably felt a maliciousness from fate, always feeling that this trip of Medicine Saint to the Beast Domain would not be so smooth.
...
Early the next morning, Xiao Yan suddenly remembered that he hadn't yet certified his Alchemist rank at the Pill Tower. Although he didn't value it much, since he was already in Holy Pill City, he might as well get it certified. It was on the way anyway and wouldn't delay anything.
The Pill Tower had established many sub-towers that could provide Alchemist rank certification. In addition, the sub-towers also had small markets where many Alchemists traded medicinal ingredients, pills, pill formulas, flames, and medicine cauldrons.
There were also many Alchemists who used the sub-towers as gathering points to exchange Alchemist insights.
He arrived in front of a stone tower and followed the flow of people forward.
Inadvertently, he saw a young man in a purple Alchemist robe and wearing an Alchemist badge at the entrance of the stone tower, embracing a girl in a light blue dress and wantonly kneading her.
The woman's eyes were hollow; she did not resist and silently endured.
"Have you recognized reality, Xin Lan? Your ability simply cannot help the Ye family secure an Elder seat. Marrying me is the best choice."
Xiao Yan merely glanced at them and then entered the stone tower with the passing crowd.
After asking about the examination area, he walked to the south district of the stone tower.
The interior space of the stone tower was extremely vast, and the south district was also very large. It was Xiao Yan's first time there, and for a moment, he didn't know who to ask. He looked around, just about to ask for directions, when he heard someone snort coldly behind him:
"Who is it? Don't block the middle of the road."
Xiao Yan turned around and saw a gray-haired old woman with yellowed teeth, walking with three young people, two men and one woman.
One of the young men glanced at Xiao Yan's chest, which had no Alchemist badge, and said mockingly, "How come you don't even have an Alchemist rank badge? You're not here for your first Alchemist rank certification at the Pill Tower, are you?"
Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow: "I am indeed here for the first time, is there a problem?"
"The front is the special testing room for those above Fifth Grade, that's where newcomers like you should go… If you understand, hurry up and move aside." The man pointed impatiently to the side.
Xiao Yan smiled: "The road is so wide, can't you just move your own feet?"
With that, he ignored these arrogant and rude individuals and walked straight forward.
"Hehe, it seems your Bai family's prestige isn't all that great," an old man walked past with a man and a woman.
"Hmph, old foggies of the Qiu family," the gray-haired old woman muttered, her expression not looking good.
As a family that stably held an Elder seat in the Pill Tower, which one of them didn't respectfully make way for them along the way? They never expected to be pricked by a rookie here.
"I already said that's a special testing room for those above Fifth Grade. I want to see what kind of results that kid can get," the young man who initially told Xiao Yan to move aside said disdainfully.
Ten minutes later…
The faces of the Bai family members were beaming with smiles, almost twitching from laughter…
"So it's Medicine Saint's disciple, as expected, a famous teacher produces an outstanding student." The gray-haired old woman nodded and bowed with a fawning smile.
Xiao Yan ignored them and left with his Seventh-Grade Intermediate Alchemist badge… This place could only test up to Seventh-Grade Intermediate. He had initially asked for Eighth-Grade…
...
In the Beast Domain, Yao Chen, led by Mu Qingluan, arrived at the territory of the Han Yu Eagle Clan.
Several Sixth-Tier Han Yu Eagles flew over and spoke in human tongue: "What brings the Azure Kira Clan to our territory?"
At this time, Mu Qingluan was showing her true form, so these Han Yu Eagles did not immediately attack, but asked quite politely.
"Can you take me to your clan's Elder or Patriarch? This is Medicine Saint of Starcloud Pavilion, seeking your clan's Elder for a matter."
Medicine Saint? These Sixth-Tier Han Yu Eagles were startled. Although they had not taken human form and had always lived in the Beast Domain, they weren't very clear about matters in the Central Plains, but they knew that anyone who could be called "Saint" was a giant of one side, not someone they could afford to offend.
"Please follow me, both of you."
Soon, on a towering mountain peak covered by wind and snow, Yao Chen met the Patriarch of the Han Yu Eagle Clan.
This was a graceful, light-blue-haired beautiful woman, exuding a mature Charm.
"My name is Han Yu. Distinguished guests have arrived, I apologize for not coming out to meet you. Please forgive me," the Han Yu Eagle Patriarch introduced herself.
Yao Chen directly stated his purpose, saying he wanted to contact the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan behind them through them.
Han Yu did not refuse and agreed very readily. She directly transformed into a huge Han Yu Eagle, very eagerly saying that she would personally carry Yao Chen to the Demon Phoenix World, and that not riding on her would be disrespecting her, Han Yu.
Yao Chen couldn't resist her enthusiasm and stepped onto her broad back.
Mu Qingluan didn't get this treatment and was held in Han Yu's talons.
After flying for more than half a month, they arrived at the void where the Sky Demon Phoenix World was located.
Looking at the pitch-black, empty void, Han Yu fell into confusion: "I remember it was right here? I shouldn't have taken the wrong path."
Yao Chen spread his spirit power, carefully sensing the surrounding space. After a long time, he opened his eyes and said in a low voice:
"There was indeed a huge space here originally, but for some reason, this space has disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Han Yu's expression was very surprised, "I was here just a month ago!"
Mu Qingluan spoke up: "Could it be the Taixu Ancient Dragon? Perhaps the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan couldn't withstand the Taixu Ancient Dragon's attacks, so they moved their entire clan?"
"No, in a previous meeting, the Patriarch of the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan once said that the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan had already split, dividing into four, their strength greatly reduced, and their clan's Dragon Emperor was missing, leaving them leaderless…
"This war was initiated by the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan, and in the war, they indeed had the upper hand." Han Yu revealed these secrets of the magical beast clans, which were not too hidden but little known to humans.
Yao Chen frowned, his expression somewhat grim… He felt a faint unease in his heart, always feeling a sense of an undercurrent surging. Moreover, this undercurrent would probably not only affect the Beast Domain but would eventually spread to the Central Plains.
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr