Chapter 662

"Hmph, the Yao Clan is the clan of alchemy—this title would suit them better!" Wanhuo Elder sneered, his figure flashing away to appear midair, meeting Hun Xu Zi's gaze without yielding an inch.

Wanhuo Elder's appearance triggered a wave of cheers from the surrounding crowd; this was Yao Clan's home ground, and they naturally did not wish to see a Soul Sovereign take away this badge of honor.

"Though I have little attachment to such empty titles, if the title of Continent's Number One Alchemist falls to your Soul Sovereign, it would be a great shame for all of us alchemists." Shen Nong Old Man stepped upon Space, his staff woven from medicinal herbs swaying as the jade bottles upon it clinked sharply; he hovered in the sky, his tone indifferent, yet clearly harboring deep disdain for Hun Xu Zi—after all, the Soul Sovereign's reputation among alchemists was abysmal.

"These three—Wanhuo Elder, Hun Xu Zi, and Shen Nong Old Man—are absolute titans of today's alchemical world. This contest will be worth watching!"

Gazing at the three figures in the sky, the Guang Chang erupted in commotion; countless alchemists' eyes burned with fervor—these were the very heights they spent their lives striving to reach!

Hun Xu Zi glanced at Wanhuo Elder and Shen Nong Old Man, smiled faintly, clasped his hands behind his back, and revealed unmistakable masterly poise; apart from his character, his alchemical attainments were indeed enough to daunt even the most seasoned practitioners.

Setting aside his character, Hun Xu Zi's alchemical talent was undeniably top-tier.

Once all three had appeared, every gaze shifted abruptly, converging simultaneously upon the white-robed young man seated upon the Stone Chair.

Under the weight of countless stares, Xiao Yan smiled, his body trembling as afterimages flickered—his true form then appeared in the sky, a clear, resonant laugh echoing outward.

"My master was Yao Chen. Though he is no longer with us, if I could win the Pill Champion title, perhaps he might hear it from above."

Seeing Xiao Yan appear, many spectators were secretly startled.

For in this comparison, Xiao Yan stood out far too sharply—he was far too young!

A fresh-faced youth among a crowd of old men!

"Jie jie jie, the young are formidable, truly formidable." Hun Xu Zi fixed Xiao Yan with a gaze full of hidden meaning.

Though Xiao Yan's alchemical skills were not taught by him, Hun Xu Zi had once imparted him with a modicum of knowledge; in a certain sense, he had been Xiao Yan's guide and discoverer.

Twenty years ago, Hun Xu Zi had discovered Xiao Yan possessed an unusually potent innate Soul Force, and at barely ten or so, had self-taught himself to extraordinary heights, even solving one of Hun Xu Zi's unsolved puzzles.

That was when he first conceived the idea of recruiting him into the Soul Sovereign and the Imperial Pill Plan.

But honestly, even Hun Xu Zi never imagined Xiao Yan could grow to this level—within merely twenty years, he had ascended to stand on equal footing with him. Even Hun Xu Zi dared not claim he could defeat Xiao Yan with certainty—he would have to give his all.

To say Xiao Yan is formidable is not mere lip service—it is the truth.

Though they had no fondness for Hun Xu Zi, both Shen Nong Old Man and Yao Wanhuo deeply agreed with the phrase "Xiao Yan is formidable." At their thirties, they could barely craft Grade Eight Pills.

"Enough idle talk—let's begin. The audience can't wait." Hun Xu Zi chuckled lightly, then without further words, swept his sleeve; black flames erupted from his body like a tidal wave, coalescing in the sky before him into a colossal black cauldron a hundred zhang tall, from which emanated a peculiar force of absorption.

"Void Swallowing Flame?"

Gazing at the black-flame cauldron, Wanhuo Elder and Shen Nong Old Man's eyes sharply narrowed.

"I never thought such a Strange Fire would fall into the hands of the Soul Sovereign." Shen Nong Old Man frowned, his gaze heavy with gravity as he stared at the black cauldron; as a veteran of the alchemical world, he knew the power of Void Swallowing Flame better than anyone.

Then Yao Chen frowned, turning to Xiao Yan—for rumors in the Demon Fire Space claimed Xiao Yan also possessed a black flame similar to Void Swallowing Flame.

Hun Xu Zi now also turned to Xiao Yan, speaking coolly: "This is a child flame of Void Swallowing Flame—not the true Void Swallowing Flame. Summon your Strange Fires. My Void Swallowing Flame is quite hungry for their flavor."

"Child flame?" Many present froze, clearly having never heard of Strange Fires producing child flames.

"Perhaps it's a unique ability of Void Swallowing Flame—to split off child flames."

"That's plausible. After all, it's the Heavenly Flame Ranking Second."

While the audience was confused, Yao Chen harbored a different question: "Why does Xiao Yan also possess a child flame of Void Swallowing Flame? Is Void Swallowing Flame in the Soul Sovereign? Or the Gu Clan? Or..."

For a moment, Yao Chen was utterly baffled—why did everyone seem to have a child flame of Void Swallowing Flame?

"If you want to swallow our Strange Fires, see if you have the ability to do so."

Wanhuo Elder sneered, swept his sleeve—and instantly, a pale black gale roared forth from his sleeve, howling like ghosts and wolves, as if blown straight from the Nine Underworld.

The gales writhed violently in midair, but upon closer inspection, one would realize they were not wind at all—they were a peculiar flame!

"Nine Nether Wind Flame?"

Xiao Yan glanced with slight surprise at the wind-flame summoned by Wanhuo Elder—he had seen this Strange Fire before. He remembered when he first met Yao Xing Ji, the man carried this flame; yet now, it seemed the flame had been reclaimed.

"Hehe, Wanhuo Old Man, your Nine Nether Wind Flame has grown even more refined." Seeing Wanhuo Elder summon his Strange Fire, Shen Nong Old Man laughed loudly, gently tapping his medicinal staff against Space: "Then I too shall show my clumsiness."

No sooner had he spoken than the medicinal staff in his hand ignited without fire—a wisp of liquid-like green flame slowly rose, then surged violently with the wind, spreading into a sea of green liquid flame. Mist curled upward, and within the mist, countless strange medicinal materials slowly grew, radiating a stirring aura of life.

The sound of the green flame rising resembled the rustle of green grass; when still, even Xiao Yan might not distinguish it from roadside weeds.

"Is this... the Spirit of Life Flame, Heavenly Flame Ranking Fifth?"

Gazing at the vibrant life force spreading outward, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered with wonder. The fifth-ranked Strange Fire was on Shen Nong Old Man—no wonder he lived so long; he possessed the Spirit of Life Flame!

The Spirit of Life Flame, Heavenly Flame Ranking Fifth, was extraordinarily peculiar. While most Strange Fires, despite differing forms, radiated destruction, the Spirit of Life Flame did not display great destructive power. Its fame lay in the life force it radiated.

It was said that when this flame spread, if one cast a medicinal seed into it, the seed would rapidly sprout and grow—meaning, with this flame, one need not search for medicinal materials. As long as one possessed sufficient seeds, one could endlessly produce desired herbs—truly miraculous.

Moreover, the Spirit of Life Flame was also called the Long Life Flame. Those who possessed it lived nearly as long as the most long-lived beasts, though its sole drawback was its poor combat capability—it offered little enhancement to battle power.

Xiao Yan had heard of the Spirit of Life Flame's reputation, but this was his first time seeing it firsthand. The mesmerizing life force made one feel refreshed and serene merely by breathing it in.

"So then, all twenty-two Strange Fires on the Strange Fire Ranking have now appeared." Xiao Yan's heart trembled—he now knew the whereabouts of every Strange Fire on the Dou Qi Continent!

Ranking Second: Void Swallowing Flame in the Soul Sovereign; Ranking Sixth: Eight Wilderness Annihilating Flame; Ranking Seventh: Nine Nether Golden Ancestor Fire; Ranking Seventeen: Volcano Stone Flame in the Yan Clan; Ranking Fourth: Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame with Xun Er; Ranking Twenty: Phantom Poison Flame with Xiao Yixian.

Besides these, all Strange Fires were now gathered here at the Yao Clan! (Turtle Spirit Earth Flame was with Yao Tian)

Of course, even excluding Xiao Yixian's and Xun Er's Strange Fires, Xiao Yan himself possessed thirteen!

Insane. Exaggerated.

Hun Xu Zi's gaze was fixed intently on the Spirit of Life Flame in Shen Nong Old Man's hand, a flicker of greed passing through his eyes. All things in this world had a finite lifespan—if he could obtain this Spirit of Life Flame, his own life could be greatly extended. Such temptation was powerful even for a man of his stature.

"So it's the Spirit of Life Flame! Shen Nong Old Man, you've had quite the fortune." Wanhuo Elder's face showed envy as he chuckled.

The Spirit of Life Flame, when fully formed, possessed high sentience. Normally, it did not appear as flame, but transformed into various medicinal materials, quietly rooting itself in the soil. Sometimes, even if you walked past it, you could not recognize it—only those with great fortune might accidentally unearth it from the earth.

"Hehe, merely lucky. I found it by accident while searching for medicinal materials." Shen Nong Old Man stroked his beard, smiling. To a man who disliked fighting, obtaining such a Strange Fire was truly the greatest joy.

"But speaking of fortune..." Shen Nong Old Man's gaze suddenly turned to Xiao Yan, who stood nearby, gazing curiously at the green flame sea above his head, and smiled.

At this moment, all eyes turned to Xiao Yan—everyone knew who bore the Pure Lotus Flame.

Xiao Yan stilled his mind, no longer pondering the twenty-two Strange Fires.

He smiled faintly, firelight flickering on his shoulder—Xiao Yi appeared, but now Xiao Yi was hugging Mao Wu, fast asleep.

"Is this... a Spiritual Flame Fusion?!"

"And there are two of them!"

Seeing Xiao Yi hugging Mao Wu, fast asleep, the sky above them, the faces of several people instantly changed slightly, then grew intensely solemn—they could sense from Xiao Yi and Mao Wu a spiritual intelligence not inferior to that of humans.

As beings standing nearly at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent's alchemy world, they naturally understood what a Heavenly Flame Spirit meant to an Alchemist—the legendary Heavenly Flame Physique would allow the Heavenly Flame to reach its most perfect state in its hands.

Glancing at the two sleepy creatures, Xiao Yan helplessly shook his head and retracted both into his Nailing Spirit.

"Looks like that guy fell asleep from boredom—I'll use mine instead."

No sooner had Xiao Yan spoken than the temperature of the entire space plummeted abruptly; a wisp of pale-white Heavenly Flame slowly materialized before Xiao Yan.

Bone Spirit Cold Fire—Yao Chen's Heavenly Flame.

As Bone Spirit Cold Fire slowly rose, it vaguely resembled a pale-white skull, its flame patterns mirroring countless white bones.

Although Bone Spirit Cold Fire had not yet reached the level of Xiao Yi and Mao Wu, and had not yet fully taken form, it already possessed extremely high spiritual intelligence—and it had begun evolving into a Heavenly Flame Spirit.

Xiao Yan didn't have much else, but he had plenty of Heavenly Flames.

"Bone Spirit Cold Fire—this is the Heavenly Flame Master Yao Chen originally obtained. With it, Master Yao Chen won the Pill Gathering Champion, and thus became renowned across the Dou Qi Continent," murmured Yao Ling, who had investigated Xiao Yan's background, from the audience seats.

Beside him, Yao Tian nodded solemnly and said, "Xiao Yan intends to fight in his master's stead."

"Not just that—he's also confident in his own Pill Alchemy. Even if his Heavenly Flame's rank is lower than others', he still believes he can win the Pill Scripture Champion, refusing to rely on the advantage of a superior Heavenly Flame."

Bone Spirit Cold Fire ranks eleventh—here, it's the lowest-ranked, making his confidence all the more striking!

I have stronger Heavenly Flames but won't use them—just for fun.

Since Xiao Yan intends to use the eleventh-ranked Bone Spirit Cold Fire, no one else would object.

"If all four are prepared, then please ignite your Alchemy Furnaces and begin Spirit Refining," proclaimed Yao Dan from the foremost seat, his voice ringing out.

Upon hearing this, the four scattered, each taking one corner, forming a four-sided formation.

Immediately, Xiao Yan formed a hand seal, pouring terrifying Soul Force and Dou Qi into Bone Spirit Cold Fire—with a hum, the flame surged violently under his power, countless pale-white flame threads rapidly weaving together, instantly forming two massive Arrays, one above and one below.

This time, the Refining Heaven Ancient Formation was constructed from pale-white Bone Spirit Cold Fire; pillars of flame emerged, and within the formation, Heavenly Flames filled the air—seen from afar, Xiao Yan's Refining Heaven Ancient Formation resembled a giant grinding stone turned into an Alchemy Furnace.

In the center of the swirling Heavenly Flames of the Refining Heaven Ancient Formation, a faint outline of an Ancient Tree could be discerned.

Xiao Yan can now use flame as his Alchemy Furnace, so burying Black Demon will not affect his Pill Alchemy.

(End of Chapter)