The Black Feather Eagle — merely a 5-Rank Magical Beast — soared unimpeded above the Thunder Mountain. Countless gazes filled with curiosity and shock followed its descent, yet not a single person dared to obstruct its path.
Upon the eagle's broad back stood a man and a woman, both strikingly young. They stepped lightly into the air and slowly descended toward the seats below.
"...Master Liu!"
Venerable Lei's voice resounded through the mountain, making every heart tremble. Eyes widened in disbelief as all looked up toward the man in green robes and the woman in white descending from the heavens.
Few among the gathered crowd had actually seen Liu Xi and Xiao Yixian's faces before, but Liu Xi's name was one that everyone knew — a name that shook the Central Plains. He was the man who had once led people to block the Ice River Valley, whose mastery of alchemy had reached unfathomable heights.
When Liu Xi and Xiao Yixian landed lightly upon the plaza, his calm gaze swept across the gathering. Aside from Venerable Lei, three other elders emanating vast auras stood ahead — clearly the remaining three Venerables of the Four Pavilion Grand Meeting.
Having encountered many Dou Zun before, Liu Xi remained unflustered. With a faint, composed smile, his voice carried steady confidence as he said, "Liu Xi greets the honored seniors. Venerable Lei, will you not introduce these esteemed elders to me?"
Venerable Lei's eyes glimmered with warmth and eagerness. To him, forging a strong connection with Liu Xi was far more valuable than presiding over this trial meeting.
He stepped between both sides, smiling broadly as he began his introductions.
"Please, Master Liu, allow me to present them. This is Venerable Feng, Vice Pavilion Master of the Falling Star Pavilion. Venerable Feng often mentions that the Pavilion Master, Venerable Yao, is his close friend."
Venerable Feng's expression softened with nostalgia. As he looked upon Liu Xi, he seemed to see the shadow of Yao Chen — young, brilliant, and walking far along the path of alchemy. And standing quietly behind Liu Xi, the gentle, lotus-like Xiao Yixian exuded an ethereal yet chilling aura that even he could not fully see through.
Venerable Lei continued, "This is Venerable Jian, Pavilion Master of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion; and this is Venerable Huang, Pavilion Master of the Yellow Spring Pavilion."
Venerable Jian's sharp gaze swept across Liu Xi, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes. Yet soon his focus turned toward Xiao Yixian, whose presence stirred his fighting intent — the woman carried a power that compelled even battle-hardened Dou Zun to attention. Venerable Jian loved the sword, but he loved battle even more.
Venerable Huang, with his eerie heterochromatic eyes, quietly studied Liu Xi. Judging by Venerable Lei's unusually respectful demeanor, he already had an idea of how significant Liu Xi's arrival truly was — and in his calculating mind, he was already weighing how best to profit from it.
After finishing the introductions, Venerable Lei turned back toward the crowd with a warm laugh. "This, of course, is the renowned Master Liu, and beside him, the Venerable Xian. I've had the honor of conversing with Master Liu — we hit it off immediately, so I invited him to attend today's gathering as a guest of honor."
Liu Xi smiled calmly. The four Dou Zun's probing gazes failed to unsettle him in the slightest. Though his Dou Qi cultivation was merely at 9-Star Dou Zong, his spiritual power — equal to a Mid-Level Spirit Realm Soul — made him utterly immune to such pressure.
"Hehe... I've long admired your reputations. Each of you has been famous throughout the Central Plains for years. To finally meet in person today is truly a privilege."
Xiao Yixian stood gracefully beside him, her delicate hands clasped before her, a soft smile curving her lips. Yet beneath that gentleness, an unmistakable chill radiated from her — the unspoken message clear: No one dares slight her Young Master.
Venerable Feng's spring-breeze smile carried a trace of reminiscence. He sighed lightly, saying, "Old as I am, I'm only a few years your senior, Master Liu. Your talent is extraordinary — I've heard you can already refine 8th Tier Pills. That kind of gift reminds me of an old friend — Venerable Yao. If he were still here, he would surely want to discuss alchemy with you for days on end."
Liu Xi's smile faded slightly as a thought crossed his mind.
'So, judging by Venerable Feng's words, Xiao Yan and Yao Chen haven't reunited since they left Jia Nan Academy. I wonder if Xiao Yan is here today… Even if Yao Chen meets Feng Xian, it makes little difference to me now. After all, the Hall of Souls already wiped out the Xiao Clan. If Xiao Yan has any sense, he should know picking a fight with me now would be suicide.'
After a brief pause, Liu Xi's expression shifted to one of regret.
"I've also heard much about Venerable Yao — the number-one Alchemist of the continent. To exchange insights with someone like him would indeed be a joy in life. A pity…"
Venerable Feng sighed softly, eyes filled with melancholy for his lost friend.
Then Venerable Huang laughed coldly, breaking the solemn mood.
"Venerable Yao vanished from the continent long ago — no one even knows if he's still alive. In my opinion, with Master Liu's talent, it's only a matter of time before the title of number-one Alchemist belongs to him."
The words were both a jab and a compliment — stepping on Yao Chen's legacy while flattering Liu Xi.
Venerable Feng's expression darkened; his eyes shot coldly toward Huang Quan. The latter merely smiled faintly, his gaze filled with provocation. Feng Xian could easily defeat him — but killing him outright would provoke disaster. Two reasons stayed his hand: first, a Dou Zun driven to desperation might self-destruct; second, despite their rivalry, the Four Pavilions still had to maintain the appearance of unity.
Venerable Lei and Venerable Jian shared a mutual glance — clearly, they too found Huang Quan's words distasteful, though neither spoke up. The truth was clear: Yao Chen was the past; Liu Xi was the rising star of the present — his potential no lesser than Yao Chen's in his prime.
The usually quiet Venerable Jian remained silent, so Venerable Lei, as host, stepped in to ease the atmosphere.
"Let us speak of this later. It's getting late — the Four Pavilion Grand Meeting shall now begin. Master Liu, Venerable Xian, please take your seats."
With that, Venerable Lei gestured politely. The other three Venerables returned to their seats, and Liu Xi smiled faintly, guiding Xiao Yixian to the side where two places of honor had been prepared for them.
Once everyone had settled, Venerable Lei released his aura — the mighty pressure of a Dou Zun sweeping across the mountain. His fiery eyes swept over the crowd, instantly silencing all noise.
"Today marks the beginning of the Four Pavilion Grand Meeting, hosted by my Wind Lightning Pavilion. I thank everyone who has come to support us! However, I trust you all know the rules — during the meeting, no one is to cause trouble or disrupt the proceedings."
His voice boomed across the mountains, echoing for long moments. Below, countless eyes blazed with excitement — for before them sat not only five Dou Zun experts, but also one 8th Tier Alchemist Master.
Such a gathering was unprecedented in the history of the Four Pavilion Grand Meeting. None had expected Venerable Lei to invite that man — Liu Xi himself.
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on P4 treon, For those who want to read 2 chapters ahead for free, you can find me on P4 treon by searching for my username: Fallen_Archangel_.
Your support helps keep the stories coming! Please remember to leave a 5-star Review and a Power Stone to help the book grow