Word Count: 3,077 Words
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"So that was it. No wonder this boy's alchemy skills are so astonishing. As it turns out, he's his disciple."
Though Xiao Yan's techniques were not identical to Venerable Yao's, and the final pill fusion method was entirely unfamiliar to them, they could still recognize from his subtle movements that he belonged to the same lineage.
Xuan Kong Zi had to admit defeat. His alchemy had always been inferior to Venerable Yao's, and now even the disciple he had nurtured surpassed his own.
"Xiao Yan has shattered the Pill Gathering's record," Tian Lei Zi said, a rare smile appearing on his stern face.
Throughout the many sessions of the Pill Gathering, the final stage had always been pill refinement. Generally, anyone who could refine a genuine tier 8 pill—one that attracted two-colored Pill Lightning—had a nine-in-ten chance of claiming the championship.
After all, one could only participate once in a lifetime, and most older alchemists considered it beneath their dignity to compete.
The highest record in the Pill Gathering's history had been set by Venerable Yao, who had used the Spirit Ascension Method to refine a tier 8 pill that summoned five-colored Pill Lightning.
And now, that record had been broken by his mantle inheritor, Xiao Yan!
Six colors!
At just twenty-six years old, he had refined a pill that summoned six-colored Pill Lightning. But that was not the most terrifying part. What truly inspired despair in others was that he had accomplished this in a single day!
For alchemists, only results mattered. As long as one could refine the pill, one was considered a good alchemist; speed was generally irrelevant.
However, for Xiao Yan to refine a tier 8 pill in just one day while still being an 8th-tier alchemist himself… such speed was likely only achievable by the one who had established the very system of alchemy, known as the ancestor of alchemists, Emperor Yao.
At that moment, in a small world within the Pill Tower, an elderly man was diligently tending to a field of medicinal herbs.
He wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel that hung from his shoulder, then looked up, his eyes as deep and profound as the night sky.
"Hehe, to refine a pill that attracts six-colored Pill Lightning in a single day, and to possess that strange Qi Method that can merge Heavenly Flames… truly remarkable."
The old man's eyes seemed to pierce through space, his gaze fixed directly on Xiao Yan's platform.
Had Xuan Kong Zi and the others been present, they would have been utterly shocked, for this was the guardian of the Pill Tower!
Xiao Yan sensed something and slowly raised his head, but quickly lowered his gaze. Whoever was watching him was undoubtedly a Dou Saint, and one even stronger than Elder Tong Xuan!
Though he knew nothing of a Small Pill Tower existing within the Pill Tower, he understood that if these three giants were the Pill Tower's greatest strength, the Hall of Souls would have destroyed it centuries ago.
The thunderclouds completely dissipated, parting to reveal a bright, sunny sky. A ray of sunlight, as if by perfect coincidence, fell directly upon Xiao Yan's platform.
Clad in Venerable Yao's alchemist robe, the nine-colored emblem on his chest radiated an enviable brilliance.
The Xiao Yan of this moment stood like a figure of legend—radiant, dazzling, a miracle made manifest!
Even without an official announcement, everyone in Holy Pill City knew who the champion was!
Even Gu He, who shared some history with Xiao Yan, had to acknowledge that Xiao Yan was the rightful champion, and that Yun Yun had chosen correctly. Dan Chen, Cao Ying, and even Song Qing had to admit it. They couldn't refute the evidence before their eyes.
Xiao Yan's alchemy skills surpassed even the rumors!
Standing on the platform, Xiao Yan glanced at Mu Gu not far away. His face had turned terribly dark, his fists clenched so tightly that veins bulged, yet his eyes betrayed a profound despair.
He was unwilling to accept defeat, yet he had no choice but to acknowledge that Xiao Yan's alchemy skill and talent both surpassed his own. Finally, Mu Gu closed his eyes and slowly unclenched his fists, as if all strength had left him.
In the face of absolute strength, there could be no argument.
Hun Huzi's discerning eye was worthy of his position in the Hall of Souls.
With a low hum, Xiao Yan's platform began to rise. The other alchemists on their platforms gradually tilted their heads upward to watch him ascend.
Having passed the second round, these alchemists were worthy of being looked up to by countless other alchemists. And Xiao Yan was worthy of being looked up to by them!
Everyone in Holy Pill City held their breath, the gazes of hundreds of millions focused on this single man.
There was supposed to be a pill verification segment, but this time, it was unnecessary. To make the other alchemists present their pills for comparison would only humiliate them.
The gap in skill was simply too vast!
"Hehe, this old man believes no one has any objections. Therefore, I declare that this Pill Gathering's champion is… Xiao! Yan!!" Xuan Kong Zi's sonorous voice, amplified by his Spiritual Strength, echoed to every corner of the city.
Thunderous applause erupted. Standing at the highest point, Xiao Yan listened to the cheers that belonged to him. Even with his composure, he could not help but feel a ripple of excitement.
"Young Master Xiao Yan!!" Qing Lin shrieked with excitement, clapping furiously, her joy for him written all over her face.
Zi Yan, gnawing on a dry, awful-tasting medicinal herb, pouted. "Hmph. You made me eat these awful things for a month, but since you won, I'll let it slide."
Secretly, she was happy for him too.
Little Fairy Doctor remained silent, watching him quietly as always. She herself had not noticed that she had crumpled her sleeves from clutching them, showing just how nervous she had been.
"Big Brother Xiao Yan is so amazing," Dan Chen murmured from her platform, her voice soft as she gently applauded.
"It seems I've lost completely and utterly." A brilliant, enchanting smile blossomed on Cao Ying's cheeks. The tension that had been lodged in her throat finally eased. She had lost, but she was thoroughly convinced.
She clapped, her curvaceous figure rippling with the movement, but even that beautiful sight could no longer draw the crowd's attention.
Xiao Yan raised his clenched fist, the Bone Flame Ring on his finger gleaming as if sending a message to Venerable Yao in the afterlife.
He believed this Master he had never met would be satisfied with his 'answer sheet'.
"Xiao Yan, I have some questions for you." A pleasant female voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
He turned to look toward the three giants. After a moment of silence, he nodded. "I'll greet my companions, then head to the Pill Tower."
Xuan Yi nodded gently in acknowledgment.
And so, the Pill Gathering concluded in a miraculous and dramatic fashion.
But Xiao Yan knew this was just the beginning. For the path that lay ahead, this championship was merely the first step.
…
Space twisted and black flames surged. Xiao Yan, still in his champion's robe, appeared in the Ye Clan's courtyard.
"Young Master! You were amazing!" Qing Lin hurried forward, her eyes shining with adoration, her face overflowing with a happiness that seemed to surpass even that of the champion himself.
Xiao Yan patted her head. "It's nothing special. When your Young Master says he'll win the championship, he wins the championship."
"Mm-hmm!" Qing Lin nodded vigorously, her watery, jade-green eyes glowing. Right now, she would believe it even if he said he could become a Dou God.
"Xiao Yan, where's my pill? Was the one you just refined for me?" Zi Yan, still chewing on an herb, held out her palm expectantly.
Smack!
Xiao Yan slapped her hand away and rolled his eyes. "Keep dreaming. That pill is for Cai Lin."
"Oh, for Big Sister Cai Lin? Then never mind. But don't forget you still owe me a tier 8 pill."
"I know, I know. I'll refine one for you after I've taken care of everything else."
After dealing with the gluttonous dragon girl, Xiao Yan turned toward Little Fairy Doctor. As always, she was not fighting for attention but standing quietly in the furthest corner, watching him.
"Do you want me to accompany you into the Pill Tower?" Though Xiao Yan had not spoken, Little Fairy Doctor seemed to read his mind perfectly.
He nodded, feeling somewhat embarrassed that he always sought her help in potentially dangerous situations.
Even though he did not think the three giants had seen through his Hall of Souls identity and simply wanted to ask about Venerable Yao, he still had to guard against that one-in-a-million chance. If the three of them attacked simultaneously, he would not be able to resist. He needed her assistance.
As always, Little Fairy Doctor simply smiled and moved to his side without a hint of hesitation. Just as he had never refused her because of the Woeful Poison Body, she would never refuse him.
No matter how dangerous the place, she would accompany him.
…
Xiao Yan was no stranger to the Pill Tower. With his current reputation, he enjoyed an even better reception than the elders.
The moment he entered the main hall, all eyes converged on him. As the Pill Gathering champion, he was now, in a sense, a member of the Pill Tower, and the status of 'Giant candidate' was no small matter. Even ordinary elders had to greet him respectfully.
Following his memory, Xiao Yan returned to Xuan Kong Zi's chamber. Pushing open the door, he found the three Pill Tower giants waiting for his arrival.
"Hehe, our champion has arrived," Xuan Kong Zi said with a smile.
"Xiao Yan pays his respects to the three seniors." Xiao Yan cupped his hands in a polite greeting.
"Let me introduce you. This is Association Head Tian Lei Zi, and this is Association Head Xuan Yi. She shared a close bond with your Master, Venerable Yao," Xuan Kong Zi explained, deliberately bringing up the name to steer the conversation.
Xiao Yan understood. This Xuan Kong Zi worried he might be reluctant to share information, so he intentionally mentioned the relationship between Venerable Yao and Xuan Yi.
Xuan Yi stepped forward, her hands tightly clasped together, her voice tinged with nervous anticipation as she asked, "Xiao Yan… your… your Master… where is he now?"
Even Little Fairy Doctor, quietly observing, could not help but look at him. She knew better than anyone that he had never truly had a Master; his alchemy skills were all self-taught.
Xiao Yan sighed inwardly. Since arriving in Holy Pill City, he had asked Ye Zhong about Venerable Yao's history and learned that he had studied alchemy at the Pill Tower under a powerful master for a long time. The people before him could be considered his companions and fellow students.
Slowly removing the Bone Flame Ring, he placed it in his palm and extended it toward Xuan Yi. At this gesture and the look on his face, both Tian Lei Zi and Xuan Kong Zi narrowed their eyes.
Still, they did not let their thoughts stray to the worst-case scenario. Given Venerable Yao's strength, it was entirely possible his soul had been preserved within the storage ring. As long as his soul remained intact, resurrecting him would not be difficult with their skills.
Xuan Yi reached out with a trembling hand. The moment her fingers touched the ring, her beautiful face turned deathly pale. All life seemed to drain from her as she stood there, hollow and lost.
Her eyes brimmed with despair and devastation. In that instant, it was as if her Dou Qi and Spiritual Strength had vanished. Her legs gave way, and she nearly collapsed.
"Xuan Yi!"
Xuan Kong Zi quickly supported her with his Spiritual Strength. Her reaction told them everything.
"This ring came to me from my mother. All I ever received was Venerable Yao's inheritance… he himself has long since passed."
Xiao Yan was not just the inheritor of Venerable Yao's mantle; he also bore the responsibility of conveying this tragic news to those who were still searching for him, still thinking of him, still deeply in love with him.
He was gone.
"AHHH!! You were so capable, your alchemy so powerful… why! Why did you have to die!!"
For Xuan Yi, this blow was devastating. She had never valued her own life, but this outcome… this was simply too much for her to bear!
Clutching the Bone Flame Ring, she wailed, her cries torn from the depths of her soul. Even the usually stoic Tian Lei Zi's eyes welled with tears. He turned away, struggling to contain his emotions. Even Little Fairy Doctor felt a deep ache in her heart.
"You saved so many people, why couldn't you save yourself? You promised you would never die no matter what! Why…"
Almost instantly, Xuan Yi's lustrous black hair began turning white from the roots. Her slender, beautiful hands started to show signs of wrinkling. The woman who had appeared to be in her twenties or thirties now aged rapidly before their eyes.
A scholar dies for one who appreciates him; a woman adorns herself for one who delights in her. When that person is gone, beauty loses its purpose.
From her devastated cries, Xiao Yan could almost hear the memories of the time Venerable Yao and Xuan Yi must have spent together. Without a doubt, his existence had been her everything.
She had been waiting for his return all this time.
Little Fairy Doctor looked from the grieving, despairing Xuan Yi to Xiao Yan and took a small, silent step closer to him.
An unknown amount of time passed before Xuan Yi's hoarse sobs finally faded.
Xuan Kong Zi and Tian Lei Zi moved to support her. It was hard to imagine that a peak Dou Venerate, a peak 8th-tier alchemist, could now be so frail that she needed help to stand.
Xuan Yi slowly lifted her head. Seeing her now, both Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor felt a shock. The woman before them was utterly changed from the one they had first met.
"Xiao Yan... may I keep this ring?" Xuan Yi's voice was hoarse and aged, her eyes hollow and lifeless. Even her Spiritual Strength seemed to have lost its vitality, like stagnant water.
Xiao Yan nodded. The ring was empty. He had decided before coming that the Bone Flame Ring would remain at the Pill Tower.
This was where Venerable Yao had studied, where people who cared for him remained. The Bone Flame Ring belonged here.
Xuan Yi managed a faint smile and nodded in gratitude. "Thank you."
With that, she lingered no longer. She walked toward the door, step by agonizing step, weak and dispirited. She now resembled not a cultivator but an ordinary, dying old woman, her back slightly hunched.
Seeing her departing figure, both Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor felt a deep ache in their hearts.
From that day forward, Xuan Yi retired from her position as a giant. She never appeared in the Pill Tower again, nor was she ever seen in Holy Pill City. No one knew where she went.
Watching her leave, Tian Lei Zi and Xuan Kong Zi could only sigh inwardly. They knew the story between her and Venerable Yao.
Years ago, Xuan Yi had confessed her feelings to Venerable Yao, but he had ultimately rejected her. They never ended up together.
"Sigh, he's been missing for so long that we had prepared ourselves for the worst. I thought Xuan Yi had as well, but it seems she never let go." Xuan Kong Zi shook his head. On the Dou Qi Continent, partings of life and death were far too common.
He glanced at Little Fairy Doctor, then back at Xiao Yan. "I imagine you've investigated some of his background, but there are things you may not know."
"Are you aware that besides the Pill Tower, there is another faction on the continent with exceptionally powerful alchemy, perhaps even surpassing our own?"
Xiao Yan nodded. He knew which faction Xuan Kong Zi was referring to. "Senior is speaking of the Yao Clan?"
"Mm," Xuan Kong Zi confirmed. "In fact, your Master… he was a member of the Yao Clan."
!!!?
"However, because his Dou God Bloodline was weak, he fell victim to schemes within the clan and was expelled."
Little Fairy Doctor was shocked. She did not know the Yao Clan, but how could a faction expel a talent whose legacy produced someone like Xiao Yan, a Pill Gathering champion??
"If you ever have the chance, visit the Yao Clan. It is your Master's homeland, after all. Who knows if his parents are still alive. But be careful. The people of the Yao Clan are extremely proud and have always looked down on alchemists from outside their clan," Xuan Kong Zi said with a sigh.
Xiao Yan had not expected Venerable Yao to be from the Yao Clan, much less that he had been expelled.
He nodded. He had already witnessed the pride of the Yao Clan for himself. But that arrogance was reserved for those weaker than them; before the Hun Clan, they could only tremble and beg for mercy.
He would never forget the soul points he had earned from Yao Ao's soul.
Tian Lei Zi took a scroll from his storage ring and handed it to Xiao Yan. "This is the Great Single Soul Skill, your reward as champion. You have one month before entering the Star Region. You can cultivate this to strengthen your Spiritual Strength, which will improve your chances of obtaining the Three Thousand Burning Flame."
At the mention of the flame, Xiao Yan's expression immediately sharpened, his eyes flashing with intensity.
He was absolutely determined to obtain the Three Thousand Burning Flame, and this Great Single Soul Skill would serve as a perfect transitional method.
He accepted the scroll, placed it in his ring, and bid farewell to the two giants. As Venerable Yao's inheritor, he had delivered the news and fulfilled his responsibility.
'There's still a month left—enough time to make a trip back to the Jia Ma Empire.'