Holy Dan City, Inner Domain, North District.
Although the Alchemy Competition assessments had already begun several days ago, the crowd still clung to the area.
The atmosphere in the vast plaza grew even more lively, especially after some experienced individuals deduced that the assessments had reached the Alchemy Realm.
"I wonder how many alchemists will be eliminated this round, and who will be the first to emerge. The last time I participated, the risks were considerable; I narrowly escaped death by monsters several times."
"The one from the Cao family, or another disciple of Senior Xuankongzi? Those two definitely won't be eliminated."
"You don't know that. The quest herbs are only one aspect. I'd say the one who emerges at the last moment will reap the greatest rewards!"
Swish!
Amidst the crowd's chatter, a figure suddenly leaped from the spatial vortex.
Their panicked and timid expression contrasted sharply with the seventh-grade alchemist badge on their chest.
"Dan Family, Dan Chen?!"
Someone recognized the young woman and exclaimed in surprise, never expecting her to be the first to complete the quest.
Just as some were about to approach to inquire, Dan Chen quickly identified the direction and headed straight for the three Danta giants and their group high above.
This situation made many perceptive individuals suspect that something major had occurred within the Dan Realm.
Danta's subsequent actions undoubtedly confirmed this. Teams of heavily armed soldiers swept into the square. After quickly clearing the area, the three giants—Xuan Kongzi, Tian Leizi, and Xuan Yi—personally stood high above the spatial vortex, their expressions extremely solemn. For
a moment, the square erupted in a commotion. Even those who had absolute trust in Chen Guan, such as Yun Yun, Xiao Yixian, and Tianhuo Zunzun, began to worry.
As time passed, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy. Seeing the expressions of the three Danta giants, the onlookers gradually lowered their voices until they fell into complete silence.
In this tense atmosphere, a short while passed.
It was at this moment that the spatial vortex, which had attracted the attention of countless people, finally began to ripple again.
Before anyone could even leave, the three giants had already caught the pungent scent of burnt flesh and, in unison, began forming hand seals.
In an instant, a vast web of Dou Qi enveloped the exit. With a whistling sound of wind, the half-human, half-ghost, old Mu Gu, finally emerged.
As expected, facing the combined efforts of the three giants, he was subdued on the spot without the slightest resistance. However, strangely, throughout, the elder Mu Gu offered no protest, seemingly resigned to his fate, allowing Xuan Kongzi to seal him. "Mu Gu, it's you, after all! Is this the great gift the Soul Palace promised? But judging by your appearance, it seems your plan isn't going well." The subjugation of old Mu Gu had gone incredibly smoothly, and seeing his now miserable appearance, the three giants breathed a sigh of relief. Xuan Kongzi couldn't help but stroke his beard and offer a mocking remark. The Soul Palace's attempt to steal the chicken ended in failure, a truly satisfying outcome for Danta in every sense of the word. After hearing Xuan Kongzi's words, the crowd below finally understood the true nature of the situation. Many alchemists, many of whom had suffered at the hands of the Soul Palace, were furious, their mouths brimming with rage. However, despite their accusations against the entire family tree, Elder Mu Gu, the man involved, remained unmoved, as if none of this had anything to do with him. This appearance alerted many eagle-eyed individuals, not to mention the three highly skilled Danta masters. They simultaneously unleashed their spiritual energy to investigate, and a look of astonishment crossed their faces. "Old man, take him down yourself. No one is allowed to approach!" Xuan Kongzi waved his hand, casting a soul barrier around Elder Mu Gu, blocking any outsiders from observing him. He then turned to Tian Lei Zi and spoke. Tian Lei Zi nodded in agreement, acting decisively. He immediately lifted Elder Mu Gu and vanished from sight. "Is this... the work of Chen Guan?" Watching Tian Lei Zi depart, Xuan Yi, still feeling somewhat incredulous, couldn't help but send a voice message for confirmation. Xuan Kongzi's lips curled slightly, his head held high as he replied in a voice transmission, "With Elder Mu Gu's strength at the Four-Star Dou Zun level, even with the help of that strange puppet, this kid's chances of winning are less than 30%. I think he's likely made another breakthrough in the Dan Realm, and used some trickery to trick Mu Gu. This is unbelievable, and completely unlike my former demeanor. When he comes out, I'll definitely give him a good lecture. How could he be so merciful to someone from the Soul Palace?" Xuan Yi opened his mouth, speechless. Another four or five minutes passed quickly as the crowd around the square speculated. The spatial vortex rippled again, and the next moment, Cao Ying appeared, carrying Chen Guan on her back, in a less-than-graceful manner. Eyes darted in, but Cao Ying, prepared, bowed slightly to Xuan Yi and Xuan Kongzi, high in the sky. "Teacher, Uncle Master, Junior Brother suffered some injuries in his battle with Elder Mu Gu in the Dan Realm. I'll take him back for treatment." Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Cao Ying's words undoubtedly cleared everyone's confusion, letting them know who had inflicted Elder Mu Gu's injuries. A single stone stirred up a thousand waves. Although Chen Guan's current condition didn't seem to be very good, it still made everyone who heard it gasp. That was a Dou Zun powerhouse! Dou Zong strength, facing a Dou Zun powerhouse head-on, for him to escape undead was astonishing enough, let alone the outcome of a mutual destruction. Before, they had never dared to even think about it! "I thought the Cao family's demon daughter's talent was already unparalleled, but I never imagined there was someone even more outstanding. Elder Xuankongzi has taken in a fine disciple." "At such a young age, she's already injuring a Dou Zun master. What a difference a hundred years from now..." "To be honest, I met Mr. Chen Guan from afar six months ago. I had a feeling then that he was something special. Seeing him today, I'm convinced!" "..." With Xuankongzi's nod of approval, Cao Ying carried Chen Guan on her back as she hurried to her residence. Along the way, she could hear countless exclamations. It was amazing; Cao Ying had heard this everywhere she went before, but never had she heard anything so delightful as today. "Senior Sister, you've made it very difficult for me to have peace of mind in the future." "I'm just telling the truth. This is the honor you deserve. Besides, two elders were present before, and there were some alchemists watching from afar. This matter must be impossible to hide. How do you feel now? You won't miss the alchemy meeting, right?" "It's okay. I've been conscious the whole time. It's just that something happened inside my body. I'll be fine after a few days of seclusion." Chen Guan tried his best to suppress the black flames flowing in his body and responded with mental power.
Cao Ying nodded slightly, her heart pounding. However, when she looked up again, the smile on her pretty face froze.
"Senior Sister Cao Ying, Chen Guan..."
Little Medical Fairy, Skyfire Venerable, and others approached.
Still a hair's breadth away from Dou Zong status, Yun Yun couldn't yet see Chen Guan's current situation as clearly as Little Medical Fairy could, which made her even more anxious.
Cao Ying smiled again, shaking her head soothingly.
"Don't worry, he's fine. You can take him back and take care of him. He should recover after a few days of seclusion."
With that, Cao Ying lowered Chen Guan from her back and handed him over to the two women for support. Then, with a polite smile, she turned and left.
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Little Medical Immortal and Yun Yun were busy meticulously examining Chen Guan's internal condition, oblivious to Cao Ying's emotions. Instead, Venerable Skyfire and Old Monster Phantom Poison, observing from the sidelines, exchanged a glance and sneered.
...
That night.
Chen Guan sat alone, cross-legged at the head of his bed, his expression solemn. He
quietly circulated the Burning Technique, his Dou Qi surging through his body.
Within him, a war of a different kind was raging. A black flame, like a rebellious army, was frantically destroying everything in its path. Though few in number, it was capable of devouring the Dou Qi, flames, and even flesh and blood around it. Its tenacity was immense, making it incredibly formidable.
Surrounding this black flame, an army of three different fires coalesced, gradually closing in on the enemy. Leveraging their immense numbers, they employed the simplest and most direct methods of fusion and assimilation.
"Even a single fire is so troublesome! It's no wonder it's the Void Devouring Flame, a towering figure on the list of different fires!"
Chen Guan muttered to himself, manipulating the three different fires to accelerate the fusion process.
Back in the Dan Realm, when he saw the black fire in Elder Mu Gu's hands, he was certain it was the spawn of the Void Devouring Flame.
Only a spawn of this level of alien fire could stir his current alien fire.
The daytime battle had taken heavy losses for Chen Guan, even causing the puppet he had painstakingly crafted to self-destruct.
However, eliminating a hidden danger, acquiring a more valuable puppet, and incidentally, a spawn of the Void Devouring Flame, made it all worthwhile.
The Void Devouring Flame ranked second on the Alien Fire Ranking.
Its terrifying nature was self-evident. If facing its true form, Chen Guan would surely flee with all his might. However, a fragmented spawn offered ample room for maneuver.
This was his battlefield!
No matter how extraordinary the Void Devouring Flame's properties, once swallowed by him, it would be like rootless water. Under the constant suppression of the three alien fires, its fate was already sealed.
Popping a handful of pills into his mouth, Chen Guan accelerated his refining speed once again. This action caused the area around him to become a vortex, frantically absorbing the external energy of heaven and earth. The movement was so loud that Xiao Yixian and the others outside the courtyard were startled.
"Is this kid about to break through again?"
The old monster Youdu casually cast a barrier to conceal the movement, feeling his understanding of cultivation was being refreshed again and again.
When did breaking through become so easy?
The Skyfire Venerable glanced at the old man, slightly dissatisfied that he had taken his job.
"What a fuss! Isn't this a normal cultivation speed? It doesn't take months, years, or even decades to advance one star, right?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yixian and Yun Yun couldn't help but laugh.
The old monster Youdu looked bewildered, his eyes darting back and forth between the three faces, finally realizing that he really did seem out of place.
Xiao Yixian had the Harrowing Poison Body and was only at the Dou Zong level when they first met, yet in the blink of an eye, he was almost catching up to him.
Venerable Skyfire was even more outrageous. Upon his resurrection, he crushed him.
Even Yun Yun's strength had risen by several stars in a short period of time, on the verge of a Dou Zong breakthrough.
Only he remained stagnant...
The sorrow came so suddenly that the Ghost Poison Monster was speechless, suddenly feeling that a stay on Dragon Island might be just fine.
"I have something else to do. Farewell!"
Venerable Skyfire scoffed, not bothering to stop him.
He knew the old man's temper well; after spending so much time with him, he probably wouldn't be able to get rid of him.
"Master Yao, that old man Mu Gu seemed quite unwell today."
With no one paying attention to the Ghost Poison Monster, Little Medical Immortal started the conversation.
Due to the distance, they hadn't been able to fully investigate Mu Gu's condition during the day.
However, out of her understanding and trust in Chen Guan, Little Medical Immortal suppressed her murderous intent for the time being.
It would be fine if Mu Gu was as she imagined, but if he wasn't dead, she wouldn't mind showing the world the terrifying power of a fully developed Evil Poison Body!
"Something's definitely not right. I sensed the same formation fluctuations within Elder Mu Gu's body as in Chen Guan's puppet. Combined with the sudden burst of black fire from this kid, the answer is clear. I'm curious how he managed it. We'll have to wait until his retreat is over to see."
Skyfire Venerable chuckled in response, confirming Little Medical Immortal's suspicions.
...
Dan Tower, top floor.
The three giants stood side by side, Cao Ying and Dan Chen stood respectfully behind them, recounting what had happened since their encounter with Elder Mu Gu in the Dan Realm.
The three giants asked a lot of questions, but the two women knew very little.
Encountering Elder Mu Gu, bang, bang, wow, getting injured, being rescued, and then being isolated by the soul barrier...
As for the specifics of Chen Guan's battle with Elder Mu Gu, neither of them knew anything.
"Thanks to young Chen this time, otherwise, this Alchemy Conference might have severely damaged the alchemist camp. The Soul Palace's reach is getting ever wider."
After listening to the two women's stories, Xuan Yi sighed with emotion, his eyes cold, as if he was truly enraged by the Soul Palace's repeated petty actions.
Compared to her, the fiery Tian Lei Zi was even more blunt. With a wave of his hand, he snarled, "It's rude not to reciprocate. Danta, it's time to take the initiative. If we don't wipe out several Soul Palace branches, people will think we, Danta, are afraid of them!"
After expressing their stance, the two looked at Xuan Kong Zi.
Surprisingly, the usually restrained Xuan Kong Zi didn't refute him today, his face filled with an unpredictable smile.
"We must fight back, but there's no need to go to such lengths. We can just sit tight and wait. With that old fellow, Mu Gu, in our hands, I doubt Soul Palace will give him up easily, considering his value."
The moment Xuan Kongzi finished speaking, Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi both sensed a subtle spatial fluctuation, as if in coordination with him.
Speaking of Soul Palace, Soul Palace?!
Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi couldn't help but glance at Xuan Kongzi, only to see his face filled with astonishment.
Good boy, he'd fooled them.
...
Somewhere in the hidden dungeon of Danta.
Two figures, one large and one small, quietly emerged.
It was clearly a no-go zone, yet, led by the lovely girl, they moved with such gusto, showing no signs of thieves.
"Big guy, hurry up, hurry up, or we'll lose control if we're late."