Chapter 673

Hearing the word "alliance," even Xiao Yan couldn't help but flash a meaningful smile and said, "Alliance? Forming an alliance with your Soul Sovereign is like making a pact with a tiger."

"Jiejiejie." Hun Xu Zi immediately revealed a peculiar grin, gazing at the ruined Yao Realm, and said, "It seems the Xiao Clan Leader is quite dissatisfied with our Soul Sovereign's methods."

"Dissatisfied? Not exactly. On the Dou Qi Continent, strength determines status. The Yao, Shi, and Ling clans have hoarded the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade for so long—they should understand that greed can sometimes backfire. Xiao Yan looked at the blood-soaked earth and corpses strewn across the Yao Realm, as bloodstained scraps of cloth drifted past his eyes, and continued, "Humans are not grass or trees; who can be without feeling? Don't mistake me for someone as cold-blooded and bloodthirsty as your Soul Sovereign."

Just as Xiao Yan had refused Yao Dan's request, he was merely an observer, with no stake in the Soul Sovereign's interests. But even an observer witnessing such a human tragedy—could a man of flesh and blood truly feel joy or schadenfreude? Xiao Yan could not.

"Jiejiejie, the Yao, Shi, and Ling clans are old fools. The jade is innocent; it's the possession of it that brings doom. They don't even understand what a boy sees so clearly." Hun Xu Zi chuckled, then turned his appreciative gaze once more toward Xiao Yan.

When Xiao Yan had so decisively handed over the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade, even he had been startled. Countless lives had been destroyed by the temptation of becoming an Emperor. Yet a boy saw through it so clearly.

"I've watched your Soul Sovereign's grand performance. Are you planning to imprison me, or what?" Xiao Yan asked calmly, hands clasped behind his back.

He was no member of the Soul Sovereign. Though he had a transaction with Hun Tian Di, in truth, they were merely partners. Who knew what Hun Tian Di truly thought? It wouldn't even be surprising if Hun Tian Di turned on him.

"Jiejiejie, how could that be? The Xiao Clan is our Soul Sovereign's only alliance."

With a crisp click, Hun Xu Zi placed the brocade box before Xiao Yan and said, "Jiejiejie, Xiao Clan Leader, rest assured—our Clan Leader approaches you with absolute sincerity. This Devouring Heaven Soul Pill is but a small token, insignificant in comparison."

The First Alchemist, the only Nine-Tier Golden Core Grand Master on the Dou Qi Continent. If you want pills, Xiao Yan is the absolute authority.

Even Hun Tian Di himself treated Xiao Yan with great courtesy at this moment.

Though at this level, influence no longer matters—no one can command others—pills might still be needed someday.

Look at the rows of Soul Sovereign elites kneeling on one knee behind him—those who came to the Yao Realm to participate in the destruction of the Yao Clan were at least Dou Sheng level. Xiao Yan even saw the Soul Sovereign's Young Clan Leader, Hun Feng, treating Xiao Yan with respectful deference.

Yet now, Hun Feng felt no jealousy or resentment toward Xiao Yan—only admiration and dread.

For only now did he realize: Xiao Yan had no need to compete for the title of Young Clan Leader. His current status rivaled that of the true body of Void Devouring Flame—and even stood equal to Hun Tian Di!

If Xiao Yan ever visited the Soul Sovereign, Hun Tian Di himself would come out to greet him!

Compete with him for Young Clan Leader? Xiao Yan would never lower himself to that!

Xiao Yan stared at the Devouring Heaven Soul Pill before him—the peak of Nine Grade Profound Pill—and even he, as an Alchemy Master, couldn't help but murmur in admiration. Hun Tian Di truly had grand ambitions—he would do anything to become an Emperor.

Of course, Xiao Yan didn't believe Hun Tian Di was genuinely kind-hearted. He knew that to refine an Imperial Grade Pill—even an Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill—required many rigid conditions.

First, Xiao Yan's own strength must reach at least Seven Star Dou Sheng, or even Eight-Star Dou Sheng.

Refining pills requires a certain level of strength. In the past, Xiao Yan had often refined pills beyond his rank—Dou Wang refining Six-Grade Pills, Dou Huang refining Seven-Grade, and even Dou Zong refining Eight Grade Pills during the Pill Gathering.

But the gap couldn't be too wide; otherwise, you couldn't even ignite the medicinal materials or their properties—how could you refine then?

So Hun Tian Di giving Xiao Yan the Devouring Heaven Soul Pill also meant he knew Xiao Yan's current strength was still insufficient to refine an Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill.

This pill was merely a necessary pre-investment for the Imperial Pill Plan.

Xiao Yan looked at the Devouring Heaven Soul Pill before him and did not refuse—he reached out, took it, and closed the box. He glanced at HunYan, one of the Four Demon Saints, and said, "I am not a Dou Emperor. To forcibly refine an Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill, the flame must reach the temperature capable of refining Emperor-grade pills. Refining an Imperial Grade Pill also requires Emperor-level Fire Control Power and Soul Power."

Normally, refining pills requires matching the pill's rank in strength, because strength enhances flame power. But Xiao Yan clearly could not reach Dou Emperor level—so his controlled flame needed external assistance.

For ordinary pills, Heavenly Flame could assist—but not for Emperor Pills.

Hun Tian Di's original plan was to have two Alchemists: one controlling Pure Lotus Flame, the other Void Devouring Flame—so the two Heavenly Flames could combine and refine beyond their rank.

Of course, Xiao Yan possessed the Burning Scripture and had already refined Pure Lotus Flame—he could enhance his Heavenly Flame even further.

Seeing Xiao Yan's gaze, HunYan, though unwilling inside, still produced the Nine Underworld Wind Flame. Before the Imperial Pill Plan, even the entire Soul Sovereign could be sacrificed—let alone a mere tenth-ranked Nine Underworld Wind Flame.

When Yao Wanhuo self-detonated, the residual origin of Nine Underworld Wind Flame remained.

Though the self-detonation damaged some of its origin, with Xiao Yan's ability, replenishing it would be no difficulty.

Xiao Yan looked up and saw that Shen Nong the Elder, Yao Tian, Yao Ling, Ren Yaozi, and others had all failed to escape the Yao Realm—they were imprisoned by Hun Mie Sheng's Void Devouring Flame offshoots, effectively prisoners of war.

The fifth-ranked Life Flame and the thirteenth-ranked Turtle Spirit Earth Flame naturally now belonged to Xiao Yan.

Hun Xu Zi waved his hand, and Yao Tian, Shen Nong the Elder, and Yao Ling were bound by Black Flame and brought forward.

"Jiejiejie, Xiao Clan Leader, you know well that refining an Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill requires an Imperial Soul—and my Soul Sovereign's attack on the Yao Clan was not only for the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade. This Yao Ling possesses a Special Physique; her blood grants a chance to break through to Imperial Soul."

Undoubtedly, every surviving member of the Yao Clan now stared at Xiao Yan with eyes full of hatred—wishing to flay him alive, to devour him whole—and saw him as a traitorous dog colluding with the Soul Sovereign.

Xiao Yan glanced at Yao Ling, frowned. Though he'd heard she possessed a Special Physique with high potential to break through to Imperial Soul, he hadn't expected the Soul Sovereign had already targeted her.

"Jiejiejie, does the Xiao Clan Leader feel pity for beauty?" Hun Xu Zi asked with a knowing smile, watching Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan's eyes remained calm as he looked at Hun Xu Zi and smiled. "Beauty means nothing to me. But what if Yao Ling's physique isn't as miraculous as you claim—and if she dies, how will we break through to Imperial Soul?"

?!

Hearing this, Hun Xu Zi frowned deeply. Their Soul Sovereign's plan had been to drain all of Yao Ling's blood, plus extract the Spiritual Souls of Yao Clan members and descendants, to use their soul origins to help a Heaven Realm Great Perfection break through to Imperial Soul.

Breaking through to Imperial Soul was not easy. Many possessed Heaven Realm Great Perfection Soul Power—the Soul Sovereign's high-level Dou Sheng all did—but even the Soul Sovereign had only one Imperial Soul: Hun Tian Di.

Clearly, breaking through to Imperial Soul was incredibly difficult. It required a special catalyst. Now, on the Dou Qi Continent, power had plummeted—without Source Qi or Dou Emperors, breaking through to Imperial Soul had become impossibly hard.

"With your Alchemy, helping yourself break through to Imperial Soul shouldn't be difficult," Hun Xu Zi asked.

"I can refine Nine-Tier Golden Core Pills, but I can't create something from nothing. I have no pill formula for this. And who knows what this Special Physique truly is? I can't even study it." Xiao Yan smiled faintly, suddenly speaking in cryptic words.

As Hun Xu Zi was at a loss for words, a sudden hum filled the air—the entire Yao Realm trembled as Black Flame surged from all sides, a terrifying Soul Emperor Realm force crushing the heavens. A shadow of Black Flame slowly emerged from Space.

"Soul Emperor Realm Power?!" Xiao Yan's pupils contracted—he stared sharply at the Black Flame above. Though it was merely a shadow formed of Black Flame, a Soul Avatar with no visible face, Xiao Yan knew who it was!

"Hun Tian Di."

Merely a Soul Avatar formed from Void Devouring Flame—and yet its power pressed upon Xiao Yan with crushing force. Even without Hun Tian Di's true body, this Soul Avatar was beyond Xiao Yan's resistance. Escaping from it would be sheer luck!

The true supreme power of the Dou Qi Continent—its might was terrifying!

Beside Hun Tian Di's avatar stood the true body of Void Devouring Flame. Hun Tian Di was still being watched by Gu Yuan—his true body could not come to the Yao Realm, or Gu Yuan would lock onto its coordinates.

"Salute the Clan Leader!"

Countless Soul Sovereign members knelt before the shadow in the sky—even Hun Xu Zi and the Four Demon Saints prostrated themselves fully.

Xiao Yan quickly regained his composure, slowly lifting his head to gaze directly at the shadow—the Clan Leader of the strongest Dou Emperor Family on the Dou Qi Continent!

"You may use all the resources of the Yao Clan," Hun Tian Di's calm voice echoed across the entire Yao Realm.

Victory and defeat—Hun Tian Di saw the entire Yao Realm, its descendants and followers, as nothing more than a conquered city. To him, it was merely conquest. As long as Xiao Yan achieved his goal, everything here could be used as investment.

Of course, Xiao Yan also caught something else: he could use these resources to break through to Imperial Soul—but he could not take anyone away.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan shrugged, then looked at Hun Tian Di and said, "To create a pill capable of helping me break through to Imperial Soul, I must invent a new pill formula from scratch—it won't be easy. I need all the Yao Clan's medicinal texts, pill formulas, ancient texts, and some Yao Clan members to assist me. No problem, right?"

Hun Tian Di's clone smiled and said, "Do as you wish. We have an agreement: you help me refine the Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill, and I provide you with what you need."

Xiao Yan looked at Yao Tian and the others and said, "Though you are prisoners of the Soul Sovereign, better to live than die—I cannot help you fight the Soul Sovereign."

"If my master were still alive, he would not wish to see his clan wiped out."

The Yao Clan are prisoners of the Soul Sovereign; Xiao Yan is not of the Soul Sovereign—he has no right to interfere in their affairs. Out of respect for Yao Chen, all Xiao Yan can do is try to preserve the lives of some Yao Clan disciples, so they are not devoured and refined by the true body of Void Devouring Flame into Blood Bottles.

Though now prisoners, they are still alive.

Not long after, the Life Flame of the Divine Farmer Elder and the Turtle Spirit Earth Flame of Yao Tian were also handed over. Xiao Yan lacked the cultivation realm to refine the Imperial Grade Embryonic Pill, so he could only make up for it with Heavenly Flames.

On the left, a brownish-yellow flame shaped like a spiritual turtle; in the center, a gray-black flame rising like the winds of Nine Underworld; on the far right, a green grass-like flame releasing vast life force.

Looking at the three Heavenly Flames floating before him, Xiao Yan realized unconsciously he had now collected eighteen different Heavenly Flames!

Only three more from the Yan Clan and the true body of Void Devouring Flame remained—then Xiao Yan would have gathered all the Heavenly Flames on the Heavenly Flame Ranking!

"I wonder if refining and fusing these three will allow the Burning Scripture to evolve again."

Xiao Yan had no way of knowing. After refining the Pure Lotus Demonic Flame, the Burning Scripture had already reached Emperor Rank—whether anything lay beyond Emperor Rank, how could he possibly know? Not even Xiao Yan, Gu Yuan, or Hun Tian Di knew.

Even whether Emperor Rank Cultivation Methods differed from Heavenly Rank or Earth Rank ones—whether they had beginner, intermediate, or advanced stages—Xiao Yan had no idea. That was a completely unknown realm!

The Turtle Spirit Earth Flame, Nine Underworld Wind Flame, and Life Flame had all been refined by others, so they contained no Heavenly Flame energy—but Xiao Yan possessed other energy sources.

The Nine Mystical Golden Thunder and the Devouring Heaven Soul Pill refined by Hun Xu Zi.

Xiao Yan himself probably never expected that his method of using Pills to breakthrough his cultivation realm, always paired with Heavenly Flames, still held true now.

"I wonder what cultivation realm this will elevate me to."

Xiao Yan found a quiet place in the Yao Realm, took out the Devouring Heaven Soul Pill, and ordered Mao Wu to release all the Nine Mystical Golden Thunder energy he had absorbed. Instantly, a massive golden thunder dragon appeared, terrifying Lei Dian enveloping Xiao Yan's entire body.

With the protection of the Nine Mystical Golden Dragon, how could Xiao Yan fear these thunderbolts? He didn't even need to refine them into a Thunder Tribulation Pill—he could refine them directly.

Xiao Yan formed a hand seal; instantly, the Burning Scripture in his body spun at high speed. He opened his mouth, swallowed the Devouring Heaven Soul Pill, and then ingested the Turtle Spirit Earth Flame to begin refining it.

Facing Heavenly Flames, Xiao Yan maintained reverence—he would never refine them all at once.

As Xiao Yan began refining the Heavenly Flames and Pills to enhance his power, outside, the remaining three clans had undergone earth-shattering changes—within them, chaos had erupted like boiling soup.

In the Grand Hall of the Gu Clan, Gu Yuan had learned of the Yao Realm's disappearance and personally traveled to the location where it vanished.