Chapter 179: A Confession Session
The long-peaceful Black Seal City was suddenly torn apart by a bolt of thunder out of a clear sky. Countless people looked up to see a mass of pitch-black storm clouds forming above the City Lord's Mansion. Within them, silver lightning roared and surged like savage dragons, clawing violently through the clouds.
Even more terrifying, the clouds were spreading outward at a speed visible to the naked eye. The dark, oppressive sky cast a shadow over everyone's hearts, evoking an instinctual sense of dread—they dared not look directly at this wrath of heaven and earth.
Who could remain calm in the face of heavenly thunder?
"What's going on? Could this be divine punishment?!" someone exclaimed in fear, unable to make sense of the phenomenon.
Fortunately, a few more experienced individuals were present and offered clarity: "I've seen this before in the Central Plains. It's said that when an alchemist is refining a tier-7 pill, this kind of phenomenon—'Pill Lightning'—can occur… Could there really be a tier-7 alchemist in Black Seal City?"
"A tier-7 alchemist?!"
Those five simple words swept through Black Seal City like a hurricane. Awe filled every face as all eyes turned toward the City Lord's Mansion. That kind of individual was already far beyond their reach.
Let alone a tier-7, even tier-5 or tier-6 alchemists were rare and revered.
Alchemists were among the most respected and sought-after professions on the Dou Qi Continent. Countless people idolized them because their pills had miraculous effects—some could even directly enhance one's strength, saving years of cultivation effort.
With the topic opened, the crowd's curiosity grew. Who was this tier-7 alchemist? What kind of pill were they refining?
…
Yao Yan, however, paid no attention to the disturbance his Pill Lightning had caused. With his current strength, there was no longer any need for him to act cautiously in the Black-Corner Region. As for whether the Hall of Souls might recognize him… most of his goals were already accomplished. Even if Hun Xu Zi showed up now, he had the power—and the excuses—to handle it.
Power is always the foundation of confidence. Once you have enough strength, the troubles that once plagued you fade into irrelevance.
At the moment, Yao Yan was seated cross-legged beside a massive cauldron, completing the final steps of refining a tier-7 Essence Cultivating Pill.
This cauldron wasn't the Black Demon Cauldron Yao Lao used, but the Myriad Beast Cauldron he had taken from Han Feng. Larger and more imposing, it was covered with exotic engravings and vivid carvings of ferocious beasts.
As the flames rose within it, faint roars echoed out—like the cries of ten thousand beasts—adding a mystical air to the scene.
"Boom~"
Above, thunder raged across the sky. The might of heaven and earth bore down, so oppressive it made resistance feel impossible.
But none of this fazed Yao Yan. He glanced briefly at the sky, one hand maintaining control over the cauldron's flames while the other began forming seals. His terrifying dou qi moved at will, condensing in his palm until the surrounding space trembled.
"Earth-tier Low Rank—Eight Desolate Heaven-Burning Seal!"
With a low whisper, a jade-green energy palm imprint shot into the sky. It expanded rapidly with the wind, swelling into a colossal, hundred-meter-wide palm that slammed into the storm clouds crackling with thunder above.
As if sensing danger, the incomplete Pill Lightning struck down in a frenzy, countless bolts colliding with the palm.
Boom boom!
The jade-green palm, surrounded by flame, seemed capable of refining anything. Even the descending lightning was devoured and transformed into jade-green energy mist, which then surged back into the palm, amplifying its strength. It grew even larger, surged into the clouds, and—
Like an eraser wiping away ink, a massive handprint blew apart the storm clouds. With the energy tide raging outward, the Pill Lightning disintegrated, revealing the clear blue sky beyond.
But the energy mist produced by the lightning slowly drifted down over Black Seal City, blanketing it in a mysterious gift from above.
"I… I broke through?!"
"This energy nourishes dou qi—it's so pure, it's unbelievable!"
"Sit down and start cultivating, quick!"
…
A strange scene played out in Black Seal City. Countless people sat cross-legged, absorbing the jade-green mist raining down from the sky. Some even broke through their bottlenecks on the spot, sparking widespread excitement and envy.
Inside the City Lord's Mansion—
Yao Yan looked at the faintly glowing jade-green pill in his hand and smiled. "Not bad. The difficulty was average."
After devouring the Fallen Heart Flame, his alchemy skills had advanced significantly. Tier-7 pills were no longer a challenge. Perhaps it was time to try a tier-8 pill.
Sensing his thoughts, Yao Lao's aged voice rang out in his mind: "Don't even think about trying to refine a tier-8 pill unless you've reached the Dou Zong level. Otherwise, your dou qi will be insufficient to sustain the process, and no pill support will help. Refining a tier-8 pill is an entirely different realm of difficulty."
"I understand." Yao Yan nodded obediently and handed the pill to the expectant rainbow-colored little snake on his shoulder.
Without hesitation, the little one demonstrated what it meant for a snake to swallow an egg. Her neck visibly bulged, but the pill melted instantly upon contact. A soft, vibrant glow enveloped her, and she instinctively coiled up and fell into a deep sleep.
"The Essence Cultivating Pill will restore the energy she lost during her evolution. Once fully digested, she should be able to return to her human form," Yao Lao said softly.
"Mm."
Yao Yan's eyes revealed a trace of anticipation. Compared to that seductive serpent tail, he much preferred Cai Lin's long, human legs… Though, to be fair, the tail wasn't bad either—he could always switch between them, right?
Yao Lao interrupted his daydream: "So, when do you plan to move against Demon Flame Valley?"
"I'm heading to Canaan Academy in a bit to notify them," Yao Yan replied calmly.
"…What exactly do you plan to tell them?" Yao Lao frowned. After all, Han Feng's attack on Canaan Academy had been orchestrated by Yao Yan. If they found out, their friendliness might vanish overnight.
No one likes a two-faced liar, even if they're a genius.
"The truth~" Yao Yan replied with a smile.
…
Canaan Academy.
It had been over half a year since the chaos, and the inner academy had fully recovered—if anything, it was even livelier than before. After all, Canaan Academy's hidden elder had just humiliated the ancestor of Demon Flame Valley, even ripping off his arm and hanging it from the Death Spirit Tree.
That arm—belonging to a high-rank Dou Zong—spoke louder than any words.
Now, every faction in the Black-Corner Region gave Canaan Academy a wide berth. Even the academy's students were more disciplined, afraid of drawing their elder's wrath.
Inside the inner academy—
Su Qian wore an exasperated look as he faced the young girl before him. She looked about ten years old, with waist-length purple hair, a porcelain-doll face, and large violet eyes filled with mischief. Pouting and lifting her chin defiantly, she exuded the classic "I-do-what-I-want" attitude.
"This can't happen again. You've nearly eaten all of the Alchemy Elder's herbs…" Su Qian said helplessly.
He was great at teaching students—but this little troublemaker? She was out of his league.
This girl was naturally Zi Yan. After advancing to tier five, her bloodline had been further awakened and nurtured. Her control over space had reached astonishing levels—once, she even barged into the private training chambers of the two academy elders.
Thankfully, she was an ally. If it had been an enemy, the elders might've crushed her instantly.
Ironically, her intrusion had led Su Qian to request the elders' help in intimidating the region's factions and restoring the academy's long-lost prestige.
In short—her blunders balanced out with her accidental contributions.
Zi Yan was a whirlwind of trouble. With her monstrous space affinity, there was nowhere in the academy she couldn't reach. Even barriers set by Dou Huangs and Dou Wangs were nothing to her. Su Qian had been forced to hide all his valuable treasures in his storage ring to stop her from "snacking."
"I was hungry—what else could I do~" Zi Yan muttered with a pout.
Her recent advancement had increased her appetite drastically. Ordinary food no longer satisfied her, and the magical beasts of the forest had run out. She could only turn to the academy's supplies.
Su Qian didn't respond. In truth, he missed Yao Yan. If that boy were around, he might have found a way to fix Zi Yan's hunger problem.
"Hm?!"
Just as the thought crossed his mind, he sensed a familiar presence.
Yao Yan, who had disappeared for over half a year, was now walking openly toward the courtyard. He looked taller, more mature. A soft smile played on his lips as he waved at Zi Yan.
"Big Brother?" Zi Yan blinked and appeared in front of him in a flash, her bare feet floating above the ground, surrounded by purple light. Tilting her head, she asked hesitantly, "Is it really you?"
"It's me," Yao Yan said with a gentle smile, patting her head.
Zi Yan's face lit up, and she grabbed the hem of his pants with a dirty little hand. Then she pointed at Su Qian and said in a crisp voice, "Big Brother, that old man bullied me—let's beat him up together!"
Su Qian couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. He rolled his eyes and said to Yao Yan, "I thought something bad had happened to you."
As he spoke, he studied Yao Yan. He could clearly feel how much the young man had changed—his body, his aura—everything. If not for the familiar life force, he might've thought this was an imposter.
"I needed to break through, so I secluded myself for a while," Yao Yan explained and handed a bottle of pills to Zi Yan.
"Thanks, Big Brother!" Zi Yan beamed and accepted the pills.
Su Qian felt a little bitter. After all he'd done for her, he still ended up the villain. This little girl really did side with whoever gave her candy.
Yao Yan chuckled and said, "Don't take it personally, Grand Elder. Zi Yan probably hasn't been born long—she lacks that kind of awareness. Give it time. As she matures, she'll understand how much you've done for her."
"I didn't bring her back for gratitude…" Su Qian stroked his beard. "Enough about that—tell me, what level is your strength now?"
"Peak four-star Dou Huang."
Su Qian froze on the spot.
"What…"
He stared at Yao Yan in disbelief. He clearly remembered that Yao Yan had only been a Dou Wang before. How had he jumped to Dou Huang in the blink of an eye—peak four-star, no less? If it were that easy, what were all those old men stuck at Dou Huang doing with their lives?
He swallowed hard and muttered, "You're not planning to reach Dou Zong before you're twenty, are you?"
"That's the plan," Yao Yan nodded calmly.
Su Qian felt like his joke had backfired. This kid actually meant it. Shaking his head, he said gruffly, "Fine, whatever. So what are you doing back here? With your strength, you don't need to waste time in the inner academy anymore."
"I came to confess something and offer an apology. The truth is, I joined the inner academy from the start to obtain the Fallen Heart Flame," Yao Yan said frankly.
Su Qian's expression stiffened again. His gaze became complicated as he looked at Yao Yan. After a moment, he asked quietly, "…That mysterious 'senior uncle' of Han Feng—what's your relationship to him?"
Some things were easy to deduce. No one was a fool.
"That was me… I was the one who forced Han Feng to attack the inner academy. I also released the Fallen Heart Flame," Yao Yan continued calmly, dropping another bombshell that left Su Qian utterly speechless.
He didn't even know what to say anymore.
(END CHAPTER)
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