Word Count: 3,024 Words
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After Xiao Yan transmitted his spiritual message, a gleam of light flashed through the miniature Ancient Void Dragon's dragon pupils. Those eyes, filled with purple-black flames, took on a chilling coldness as they stared at Xiao Yan's soul wisp.
If an ordinary person were subjected to such a gaze from the Three Thousand Burning Flame's essence, their skin would surely crawl and their scalp would tingle with fear.
This was the 9th-ranked Heavenly Flame, after all, superior to any Heavenly Flame Xiao Yan had previously obtained. Moreover, this one had grown to an extraordinary state of development.
"You humans are all cunning, especially you alchemists!" Ferocity blazed in the Three Thousand Burning Flame's dragon pupils.
It had not forgotten how a Pill Tower expert had captured it and imprisoned it in this sunless Star Region. Alchemists were its sworn enemies!
Xiao Yan remained completely composed in the face of the Three Thousand Burning Flame's intense hatred. Steady as a mountain, he calmly replied, "If you don't trust me, shouldn't you at least trust that one?"
The Three Thousand Burning Flame's eyes narrowed at the mention of 'that one,' and it fell silent.
Outside, Cao Ying and the others grew increasingly tense. Some worried for Xiao Yan, while others hoped for his swift failure. If he managed to subdue the flame, they would lose their chance entirely.
Dan Chen asked with slight nervousness, "Will Big Brother Xiao Yan succeed?"
Cao Ying shook her head, concern flickering in her beautiful eyes. "I don't know. But this fellow defies common sense. Perhaps he'll create another miracle."
Time ticked by, second by second. Nearly thirty minutes had passed since Xiao Yan began communicating with the Three Thousand Burning Flame.
"This is taking too long..."
"He wouldn't be about to succeed, would he?"
The top ten alchemists began murmuring amongst themselves. A flash of pleasant surprise appeared in the Pill Tower First Elder's eyes. When other Pill Tower elders had attempted to subdue the Three Thousand Burning Flame, they had been rejected almost instantly. For Xiao Yan to maintain communication for so long suggested his chances of success were remarkably high.
Following behind Xiao Yan, murderous intent flashed through Mu Gu's eyes. If Xiao Yan subdued the Three Thousand Burning Flame, his entire plan would be ruined!
"Hmph!" Qiu Ling let out a cold snort, and an aura no weaker than Mu Gu's immediately enveloped the area.
Qiu Ling's eyes locked firmly onto Mu Gu. His sole mission here was to watch this fellow. If he showed even the slightest suspicious movement, Qiu Ling would immediately intervene.
Mu Gu's gaze sharpened. He made no move to attack. With Qiu Ling present, he had no opportunity to strike at Xiao Yan.
Without keeping everyone waiting much longer, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes and smiled faintly. He turned his gaze toward Qiu Ling and the others, spread his hands, and said, "I failed. That fellow is too fierce."
The alchemists after Xiao Yan all breathed sighs of relief. Now they too had a chance to obtain the Three Thousand Burning Flame!
"Ah, it's not your fault. We at the Pill Tower lacked consideration when we imprisoned it here." First Elder Qiu Ling patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, then looked coldly at Mu Gu. "Your turn. If you try anything, neither Association Head will let you off!"
"Hmph." Mu Gu flicked his robes dismissively. His gaze flashed with an indecipherable meaning as he looked at Xiao Yan, the corner of his mouth curving slightly upward. He walked toward the Three Thousand Burning Flame.
Xiao Yan paid him no mind and slowly walked to the rear.
Cao Ying laughed charmingly as Xiao Yan approached. "What a pity, Xiao Yan."
She wore a black dress whose long, trailing hem couldn't conceal her incomparably beautiful figure. Through the thin gauze, one could glimpse her willow-branch-like waist.
Her voice possessed a bewitching quality that captivated the soul. Just hearing it, one could imagine an enchanting woman of unparalleled allure.
Several young alchemists standing behind her could not help but swallow hard, feeling a sudden heat rise within them. Song Qing in particular had a flash of wicked desire cross his eyes.
Xiao Yan only glanced at her before walking past to stand beside Dan Chen.
"B-Big Brother Xiao Yan, what is the Three Thousand Burning Flame like?" Dan Chen asked quickly as he approached, hoping to prepare herself.
Xiao Yan smiled gently, patted her little head, and shared some information about the Three Thousand Burning Flame.
Cao Ying's hand, which she had just raised in greeting, froze stiffly in mid-air. She stared, utterly dumbfounded.
Ignored again!
Could this be the legendary 'neglect play'?!
[TN: 放置play - This is a direct loanword from Japanese BDSM terminology, 放置プレイ (hōchi purei), which literally means "neglect play." It refers to ignoring someone for arousal.]
Just as Xiao Yan was exchanging alchemy insights with Dan Chen, Mu Gu, who was communicating with the Three Thousand Burning Flame, suddenly revealed a sinister smile. "Jie Jie Jie, Qiu Ling, your Pill Tower will never subdue the Three Thousand Burning Flame this way. Next, let this old man give you all a proper demonstration!"
The sudden eerie laughter made everyone's expressions change dramatically.
The instant that sinister laugh echoed out, Qiu Ling's face darkened. He swept his sleeve almost without pause, sending a majestic stream of Dou Qi tearing through space toward Mu Gu's position.
"Jie Jie."
The majestic stream of Dou Qi missed its mark. Mu Gu's figure dodged and retreated with extreme agility.
"Mu Gu, this seal was jointly arranged by the Pill Tower's elders and giants! Don't bring disaster upon yourself!" Qiu Ling shouted angrily, his expression changing rapidly.
"Jie Jie Jie, what does it matter? Let me show you what my Hall of Souls is capable of!" Mu Gu cackled coldly in response.
He produced a Soul Command Token, one that Xiao Yan recognized all too well. His fingers formed a series of hand seals with frightening precision, then he pointed the token forward as the sinister smile on his face grew wider. "After communicating with it, I deeply sympathize with the Three Thousand Burning Flame's plight."
Wooo wooo wooo!!!
Ghostly wails suddenly echoed throughout the Star Region as countless wisps of strange black smoke poured from the Soul Command Token. When this black smoke surged toward the Three Thousand Burning Flame, a sealing barrier immediately appeared, enveloping the great flame dragon.
The black smoke evaporated instantly upon contact with the shield, completely ineffective against the Pill Tower's seal.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at this sight. The seal established by the Pill Tower's giants was indeed formidable.
"Hmm?" Dan Chen poked her head out from behind Xiao Yan. Her eyes narrowed as she whispered, "That seal won't hold."
Xiao Yan looked with some interest at the trembling Dan Chen hiding behind him. He had to admit, her special constitution was truly formidable; even the First Elder hadn't noticed, yet she had.
ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!
The Three Thousand Burning Flame suddenly opened its eyes wide. A terrifying heat wave surged out, followed immediately by an earth-shaking dragon roar. With clattering sounds, green chains appeared, binding the Three Thousand Burning Flame.
The chains snapped taut with a bang, refusing to let the Three Thousand Burning Flame escape.
The next second, the sealing dome began deteriorating like melting ice. The black smoke corroded a massive hole through which it poured, attaching to the chains binding the Three Thousand Burning Flame.
Those wisps of black smoke could actually corrode the seal's power!
With a sharp crack, the chain around the Three Thousand Burning Flame's neck snapped. Having broken free from one of its restraints, the flame dragon condensed a ball of energy in its mouth and released a deafening roar, spewing terrifying purple-black flames that filled the entire sealing dome.
"Run! The Three Thousand Burning Flame is about to break loose!"
The great flame dragon struggled violently, its roars echoing throughout the empty space. Purple-black flames frantically burned away at the complex runes of the seal. Meanwhile, from the void, faintly cool stellar energy continuously seeped in, flowing into the Three Thousand Burning Flame's massive body.
After years of imprisonment, the flame's desperate counterattack, combined with the Hall of Souls' seal-breaking techniques, proved too much for even the seal jointly arranged by the Pill Tower's elders. The entire dome was filled with purple-black flames. If the seal broke completely, these fierce flames would engulf the entire Star Region!
"Mu Gu, you are courting death!"
That the Hall of Souls possessed such strange black fog capable of corroding even this powerful seal was completely beyond the expectations of Qiu Ling, Xuan Kong Zi, and the others. His face turned ashen with rage. With a furious roar that carried boundless killing intent, he charged toward Mu Gu.
Mu Gu showed no signs of panic when facing Qiu Ling, who was also a 3-star Dou Venerate. In an instant, the two exchanged more than a dozen powerful blows.
"Jie Jie Jie, since your Pill Tower can't handle such a Heavenly Flame, what's the point of keeping it? All things have a spirit. The way you treat the Three Thousand Burning Flame—I, Mu Gu, simply could not stand by and watch," he cackled mockingly.
"Xiao Yan, all of you—crush your jade beads and alert the Association Heads!" Despite his rage, Qiu Ling maintained enough presence of mind to shout this command as he engaged Mu Gu.
Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and the others hurriedly nodded and crushed the communication jade beads from their storage rings.
Strangely, after the beads were crushed, neither Xuan Kong Zi nor Tian Lei Zi appeared!
By all logic, with their immense power, they should have been able to arrive instantly upon learning of trouble, just as Xuan Kong Zi had appeared quickly when Xiao Yan and Zi Yan secretly entered before.
"Jie Jie Jie, so what if you sent a message? Holy Pill City is currently under attack by my Hall of Souls. Do you think Xuan Kong Zi and the others still have time to worry about this Three Thousand Burning Flame?" Mu Gu's laughter echoed triumphantly. This plan was not his alone—it had the full support of the Hall of Souls' Hall Chief!
With so many alchemists gathered in Holy Pill City, it was like a feast laid out for the Hall of Souls to devour.
…
At that very moment, in the sky above Holy Pill City, Xuan Kong Zi, Tian Lei Zi, and the remaining seven great elders stood facing five black-robed figures. Though they had a numerical advantage, and both Xuan Kong Zi and Tian Lei Zi possessed peak Dou Venerate strength, they still felt immense pressure from the five figures before them.
"I never expected your Hall of Souls would dispatch not only the three Tianzun—Zhai Xing, Black, and White—but even the two of you..." Sharp killing intent flashed in Xuan Kong Zi's eyes as he stared at the two central figures.
From their Soul Robes alone, it was clear that these two held a status far exceeding that of the other three Tianzun.
"Ninth Tianzun Mo Yu, Fourth Tianzun Xue He..." Tian Lei Zi's voice was heavy with gravity. "Two of the Hall of Souls' Nine Great Tianzun have appeared. It seems you are determined to go to war with our Pill Tower."
The Nine Great Tianzun!
Within the Hall of Souls, apart from the Hall Chief and Deputy Hall Chief, these nine were the most powerful existences. Their strength far surpassed ordinary Tianzun, each one incomparably formidable.
By now, both Xuan Kong Zi and Tian Lei Zi had received the soul bead messages from Cao Ying and Dan Chen. Yet they couldn't possibly leave their positions. If they abandoned Holy Pill City now, it would become a living hell.
'It seems the Hall of Souls came fully prepared!'
Mo Yu, wearing a special blue Soul Robe with light blue hair and eyebrows, stood with hands clasped behind his back and said flatly, "Xuan Kong Zi, today, Holy Pill City will fall."
Xuan Kong Zi's expression darkened. Though Mo Yu was merely a peak 7-star Dou Venerate, he dared show such disregard. But Xuan Kong Zi understood what the Hall of Souls was counting on—the Three Thousand Burning Flame!
Once it broke free from its seal, the entire Star Region would be destroyed. The Hall of Souls needed only to stall for time.
"Xue He, even with your peak Dou Venerate strength, you cannot destroy the Pill Tower," the Second Elder said gravely. "Don't forget, our Pill Tower isn't just this outer structure. The Ancestor still resides in the Small Pill Tower. He won't simply sit by and watch."
The eight elders were well aware that within the Pill Tower existed a higher-level Small Pill Tower, where only 8th-tier alchemists qualified to enter and cultivate.
The man in the center, dressed in a blood-red robe, seemed to have heard something amusing and said mockingly, "He cannot interfere."
!!?
These words sent a chill of terror through Xuan Kong Zi and Tian Lei Zi.
"Could it be… he has also come?!"
The Hall Chief!
No wonder none of the elders or the Ancestor from the Small Pill Tower had emerged to help. The Hall of Souls' Hall Chief, Hun Mie Sheng, must be nearby with his forces. The Pill Tower elders could not act rashly—if full-scale war erupted, Holy Pill City would truly be gone.
The words 'Hall Chief' made their hearts sink. Throughout the Central Plains, those words were practically taboo.
Several hundred years ago, this Hall Chief had bloodily purged dozens of sects in a single night. That night, blood flowed like rivers and corpses littered the ground. Five powerhouses who had reached 2-star Dou Saint all fell by his hand, their souls harvested.
That devastating purge had cleared the way for the later rise of the Four Pavilions, Three Valleys, and Two Sects. Otherwise, how could it have been their turn to become famous?
That night had firmly established the Hall Chief's terrifying reputation and cemented the Hall of Souls as the undisputed hegemon of the Central Plains. Even the Pill Tower dared not directly oppose them!
Xuan Kong Zi and Tian Lei Zi exchanged glances. Discretely, Xuan Kong Zi crushed a jade token belonging to Xuan Yi. They could not spare anyone now and could only rely on her to rescue Xiao Yan and the others, to reinforce the seal and prevent the Three Thousand Burning Flame from destroying the Pill Region.
…
Meanwhile, in the Star Region, the Three Thousand Burning Flame's dragon pupils glowed with purple light as a destructive aura emanated from its massive body.
Even Xiao Yan, standing at the side, felt his eyelid twitch at the sensation. His own Annihilation Lotus Flame contained a similar quality.
BOOM!
Accompanied by deep, furious roars that echoed continuously through the void space, the purple-black flames surrounding the Three Thousand Burning Flame suddenly erupted. The terrifying fire waves shattered the sealing dome in mere moments.
When the Three Thousand Burning Flame broke free, Xiao Yan's expression showed no panic whatsoever. Instead, his lips curved into a meaningful smile.
"Hahaha! Pill Tower, at last, it's your turn to fail!" Mu Gu laughed triumphantly as the freed Three Thousand Burning Flame's Dou Venerate might tore at the very fabric of the Star Region, causing it to begin crumbling.
The Star Region was integrally connected to the seal; one could say the entire realm existed primarily to contain the Three Thousand Burning Flame. Now that the seal was broken, the Star Region had lost its anchor and started to collapse.
"Damn it all!" Qiu Ling's face turned ashen as he watched the Three Thousand Burning Flame break free. His voice was low with suppressed fury.
He understood the gravity of the situation. With the Three Thousand Burning Flame unleashed from its seal, who besides the three giants could possibly restrain it?
And clearly, the giants were already occupied elsewhere!
While Qiu Ling's expression grew increasingly grim, Mu Gu's face radiated excitement. He stepped forward and said with a smile, "Congratulations on your freedom, Your Excellency. Now, about our previous arrangement—can you fulfill your part? Rest assured, after just one year in my Hall of Souls, we will absolutely restore your complete freedom. I personally guarantee it."
The Three Thousand Burning Flame's eyes flashed with mockery as it roared, "All you humans deserve to die!"
Its massive tail whipped toward Mu Gu with devastating force. Faced with this overwhelmingly powerful attack, Mu Gu's expression changed drastically as he hastily deployed his Dou Qi defense.
Mu Gu was sent flying like a tennis ball with a thunderous boom. After stabilizing himself, he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and glared at the roaring flame. "Since you refuse kindness, do not blame me for showing no mercy!"
His gaze darkened as he observed the massive flame dragon. He clenched his fist, and a brilliantly silver jade token appeared in his palm. With a decisive motion, he crushed it.
As the token shattered, an immense spatial power surged forth, forcibly tearing open a rift in space beside Mu Gu. From this spatial rift emerged three figures, each completely wrapped in black robes.
Three Hall of Souls Venerables!
"You beast! Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" Mu Gu shouted. The Four Dou Venerates quickly took up positions around the Three Thousand Burning Flame and attacked from all directions.
Having expended massive power breaking the seal, the Three Thousand Burning Flame couldn't possibly fight four opponents at once. It was suppressed at every turn, looking as if it would sooner or later be defeated by the Hall of Souls.
Qiu Ling's expression grew grave. Among the top ten alchemists was Old Qing Hua, an eccentric 1-star Dou Venerate. Together they might be able to resist two of the Hall of Souls' Venerables—but even if they succeeded, Holy Pill City would still face destruction once the Three Thousand Burning Flame was unleashed upon the world.