Chapter 374: Arrival of the Wind Venerable, News of the Ruins
At the top floor of the Pill Tower was a spacious and majestic hall, reserved only for special occasions when honored guests were to be received by the Tower's Grand Elders.
Now, this long-vacant hall was filled with several figures seated casually, while respectful maidservants poured tea on the side.
"Hehe, Wind Venerable, it's been many years since we last met, yet you're still as carefree as ever," said Xuan Kongzi, smiling as he looked at the green-robed old man within the hall.
That old man, dressed in azure robes and bearing a kind smile, was none other than Wind Venerable from Starfall Pavilion. Hearing Xuan Kongzi's words, he shook his head with a laugh.
"Carefree? Not as much as you, a grand elder of the Pill Tower. My Starfall Pavilion is just a small player compared to your behemoth."
He sighed regretfully. "Shame I missed the Pill Gathering—I would've liked to witness those two brats' alchemy skills. Where's Yao Chen?"
He turned his gaze to Xuan Yi.
From the moment he entered, he had noticed the ancient black ring on Xuan Yi's finger.
"Hehe, looks like your strength has waned a bit over the years," came Yao Lao's slightly ethereal voice, his faint figure slowly appearing with a smile.
"Old bastard!" Wind Venerable laughed, eyes faintly moist. After all these years, they were finally reunited.
"You're looking well," he said a moment later, calming his emotions.
"It's all thanks to Xuan Yi nourishing my soul these past days."
Yao Lao chuckled and glanced at Xuan Yi, who turned slightly, somewhat embarrassed.
The method she used to nourish his soul was a forbidden technique, involving a deep merging of their spiritual energies—a rather delicate process...
Wind Venerable didn't understand the details, but judging by their expressions, he could tell their relationship had grown significantly closer. He didn't expose it, merely smiled and asked, "Where's Xiao Yuan? That brat sent me a message asking me to investigate suspected Dou Saint relics, and now that I'm here, he's not?"
"Oh, I sent him to the Flower Sect. He'll return once his business is done," Yao Lao replied with a smile.
"What about that Xiao Yan kid? I heard he won the Pill Gathering this year."
"Xiao Yan is currently inside the Flame Domain, refining the Three Thousand Burning Flame. I checked on him recently—he's doing well," Xuan Kongzi quickly answered.
"Tsk, what luck. I missed everything," Wind Venerable said, frowning in frustration.
"Hehe, don't be so disappointed, Old Wind—I'm back, aren't I?" came a teasing voice as a spatial rift opened. A white-robed Xiao Yuan emerged, stepping casually into the hall.
"Hmm? Your strength…" Wind Venerable's eyes narrowed as his teacup paused. He clearly remembered that last time, Xiao Yuan had just reached the Three-Star Dou Zong level. But now… he couldn't even discern his true strength?
"Hehe, Two-Star Dou Zun. Still a bit behind you," Xiao Yuan smiled.
Two-Star Dou Zun.
Wind Venerable's eye twitched. Was that supposed to be comforting?
In the same time it took him to not even break through a single star, this kid had leapt from Dou Zong to Dou Zun?
"Wait—your soul realm…" Xuan Yi suddenly let out a surprised sound. Wind Venerable glanced at her, then noticed the strange looks on the faces of Xuan Kongzi, Tian Lei Zi, and Yao Lao.
"Got lucky—accidentally broke through to the Heavenly Realm," Xiao Yuan replied sheepishly.
Hiss!
Even Yao Lao's incorporeal form visibly twitched.
From mid-Spiritual Realm to Heavenly Realm… that's a leap that even master-level alchemists spend decades on!
"Oh right, I made something new. Let me show you."
With a wave of his hand, Xiao Yuan summoned a blue-robed figure from his ring.
"That's… Mo Yu, the Ninth Heaven Venerate of Soul Hall!"
Yao Lao's pupils shrank as he moved to protect Xuan Yi.
Though in his current state he wasn't Mo Yu's match, Xuan Yi certainly was.
The three Pill Tower Elders released their Dou Qi simultaneously, filling the hall with pressure.
"Hey, hey, wait—don't be so hasty!"
Xiao Yuan jumped in front, waving his hands protectively.
"This guy's been turned into a puppet. No threat."
He gestured, and Mo Yu kneeled silently.
???
Yao Lao's ghostly eyes nearly bulged.
The three Elders stared, dumbfounded.
Even Wind Venerable looked stupefied.
Had he heard right?
Xiao Yuan had turned a Seven-Star peak Dou Zun, one of Soul Hall's Heaven Venerates, into a puppet?
"How is that even possible…" he muttered.
"Oh, and I also killed four Six-Star Dou Zuns from the Heaven Nether Sect. That shouldn't be a problem, right?" Xiao Yuan added innocently.
…Silence.
Everyone looked at each other.
A Two-Star Dou Zun had slaughtered four Six-Stars and enslaved a peak-level one?
Well, it was Xiao Yuan. So it made sen—like hell it did!
Xuan Kongzi exhaled. "Alright, explain everything. Weren't you sent to the Flower Sect? How did you end up fighting Heaven Nether Sect and Soul Hall?"
Xiao Yuan nodded and recounted the entire encounter.
After hearing it all, Yao Lao's face darkened.
"Heaven Nether Sect must pay."
"You don't know—their Young Sect Master, Yi Chen, came here looking to challenge you. Since you were gone, Tang Huo'er stepped in and beat him. We couldn't act against him directly, but Tianhuo Venerable killed him casually. Heaven Nether Sect was furious, but with Xuan Yi standing firm, they dared not act under the Pill Tower's watch. So they turned their sights on you."
"Ah, that explains the ambush," Xiao Yuan nodded. "So that's why they sent so many Six-Stars."
"But I made it out fine. You could say I profited."
"With all this, does that make Xiao Yuan's strength equivalent to an Eight-Star Dou Zun?" Wind Venerable asked, hesitant.
"Nine-Star is also doable," Xiao Yuan muttered under his breath, looking up.
Smack!
A translucent palm landed on his head.
"Don't get cocky!" Yao Lao scolded.
"Hehe, right, back to business," Wind Venerable smiled, then grew serious.
"Recently, word has spread of an ancient ruin in the southern edge of Central Plains, within the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. It's still some time before it opens, so I rushed here—partly to check on Yao Chen, and partly to have you, the Young Pavilion Master, lead a team to investigate. With your strength now, you should be able to roam freely inside."
"That mountain range is beast territory—those magical beast clans won't want to share the spoils. There's bound to be conflict. No matter what, you're coming back to Starfall Pavilion with me."
"Alright. Since there's still time, I'd like to wait for Xiao Yan. If he finishes refining the Three Thousand Burning Flame before the ruin opens, I'll bring him too."
Wind Venerable nodded. "Fair enough. Once the ruins are ready, the Elders will send word."
"Then you should stay here for now, Old Wind. I have some techniques I want to refine," Xiao Yuan said.
"That works. I can use the peace. Yao Chen's the Pavilion Master, but I've been stuck managing everything!" Wind Venerable laughed, shrugging toward Yao Lao.
Yao Lao just gave a helpless smile.
Back in his room, Xiao Yuan found everyone else in closed-door cultivation—even Tianhuo Venerable only sent him a quick soul transmission. So he began sorting through his spoils.
With a thought, a blood-red scroll appeared.
Bloodfiend Art.
Xiao Yuan's eyes narrowed as a foul scent wafted off the scroll.
Unrolling it carefully, he read through the technique's description and frowned.
"Sure enough... this technique is brutal—absorbing blood and flesh to devour another's Dou Qi. Ruthless and cruel."
Even within the Heaven Nether Sect, this technique was top-tier—evident in Yi Chen's rapid rise to Dou Zong despite his youth. But such gains came at a price: impure Dou Qi, stagnation, and eventual backlash.
"No wonder he lost to Tang Huo'er. With her Heavenly Flame and Secret Technique, this cold, corrupted Qi was doomed to lose."
He stored the scroll. Though twisted, it was still a high-grade Earth-tier technique—useful for auction or trade.
He next retrieved a nondescript grey scroll. A faint killing intent seeped from it.
"…Could this be?"
The aura matched that used by Senluo Ghost Venerable and the Demonic Flower Venerable during their final attack.
Unrolling it, he read the title:
Heavenly Nether Shura Hand.
His eyes gleamed.
He had experienced this technique firsthand—it was vicious. But his superior power and the Emperor Seal technique's fusion strikes had given him the edge.
Still, it was no surprise this was considered one of Heaven Nether Sect's signature arts.
"If I master this with my current strength, it could rival Emperor Seal's Fifth Strike," Xiao Yuan muttered excitedly.
After setting it aside, he pulled another scroll from his spoils.
Heavenly Nether Art: Qi Transforming All Things.
Another high-tier Earth technique.
"Heaven Nether Sect really is full of gifts," Xiao Yuan grinned.
(END CHAPTER)
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