Chapter 814

Alchemists are thus regarded; their esteemed status on the Dou Qi Continent remains unchanged in the Great Thousand World, and even higher within it.

Because no one in the Great Thousand World dares hunt Alchemists, and there are only two Alchemist organizations—both colossal top-tier factions of the Great Thousand World. Not to mention the Ancient Divine Clan known as the Dan Shen Clan, even within the Ancient Myriad Grasslands there are more than one Heavenly Supreme.

Who dares provoke these two factions?! Who dares provoke Alchemists!!

After news spread that Cao Zi was refining a Divine Pill, countless powerful figures journeyed to the Tian Sheng Continent within these dozen days.

Although the Heavenly Saint Sect had invited numerous sects and factions to witness the Spirit Refining, most sects and factions refused to get entangled in the murky waters between the Soul Palace's Flame Venerable and the Heavenly Saint Sect; even those who sent observers did not enter the Heavenly Saint Sect as guests, but remained outside the Tian Sheng Continent, watching from afar.

Because everyone believed that the Flame Venerable was a man who repaid every grudge; with his strength, the Heavenly Saint Sect likely could not withstand him—even one against five fully cultivated Earth Supremes!

Moreover, many who came with other motives hid in the shadows, observing the situation's development, hoping to profit from the chaos!

At this moment, the Heavenly Saint Sect had opened its mountain gates wide; all fortresses, cities, and even the sect's protective demonic array were activated, exuding an air of welcoming guests—as if afraid the Flame Venerable would not come to seek revenge.

Within the Heavenly Saint Sect, Cao Zi stood atop a high platform, before him a spirit refining furnace, from which faintly emerged immense energy, occasionally accompanied by booming sounds.

Around Cao Zi, powerful creatures guarded him, even Earth Supreme cultivators stood watch.

Seeing the Heavenly Saint Sect's mountain gates wide open and its protective demonic array deactivated, many outsiders secretly marveled, murmuring: "The Heavenly Saint Sect truly has immense confidence—fearing only that the Flame Venerable won't come!"

"Isn't that so? That Flame Venerable originally came to seize the Pill Refining Inheritance, showing no regard even for the Ancient Myriad Grasslands. In my view, the Flame Venerable will surely come—he won't let Cao Zi have the chance to complete the Divine Pill."

"Indeed, if Cao Zi completes the Divine Pill, he becomes an Elder of the Ancient Myriad Grasslands—the gap between disciple and Elder is immense. If a disciple dies, the Flame Venerable's alchemy might let him off the hook if he joins the Ancient Myriad Grasslands—but an Elder? That's different."

At this moment, countless powerful observers from all corners of the world held their breath, eyes fixed on the Heavenly Saint Sect, some gazing skyward, waiting for the Flame Venerable's arrival.

Inside the Heavenly Saint Sect, silence reigned. Though disciples performed their duties, the entire sect was unnervingly quiet—as if only the sound of breathing remained.

Days passed one by one; Cao Zi's pill was nearing its final stage, yet Xiao Yan still had not appeared.

At this point, some could no longer hold back; outside the Heavenly Saint Sect, an observer cultivator couldn't help exclaiming: "Cao Zi seems truly on the verge of success—why hasn't the Flame Venerable come yet?!"

"Could he have chickened out?"

"Not surprising—I heard elders from the Ancient Myriad Grasslands came to observe Cao Zi's trial."

Compared to the onlookers outside, the Heavenly Saint Sect itself remained far calmer. Despite the long passage of time, they showed no urgency, seemingly determined to wait until the Flame Venerable arrived.

In truth, for the Heavenly Saint Sect, if Xiao Yan did not come, they gained nothing; now that they stood backed by the Ancient Myriad Grasslands, even seizing the Five Elements Spirit Soil's resources, they feared no retaliation from the Five Spirit Clans.

Now, the Heavenly Saint Sect coveted Xiao Yan's Flame of the Void—and even the dimensional embryo of the Five Elements Spirit Soil—seeking to seize them. They deliberately lured Xiao Yan into a trap. Or rather, an Alchemy Master of the Ancient Myriad Grasslands coveted Xiao Yan's Pill Refining Inheritance.

After all, Xiao Yan's alchemy techniques were unlike anything they had ever seen, and the pills he produced were of extraordinarily high quality; combined with his Flame of the Void, countless Alchemy Masters of the Ancient Myriad Grasslands drooled over him.

The Heavenly Saint Sect's loud proclamation that Cao Zi was refining a Divine Pill was, in fact, a trap to draw Xiao Yan here.

Someone couldn't help saying: "Half a month has passed—the Flame Venerable should have come by now. I think he's afraid to fight and won't show up."

"Impossible. Though the Soul Palace's Flame Venerable has no famous reputation, he dared seize the dimensional embryos of the Five Spirit Clans and escaped from the Ice Spirit Ancestor's grasp—what kind of cultivator fears anything?"

A powerful figure who had witnessed that battle shook his head: "The Flame Venerable's dictionary has no word for 'fear.' Even Heavenly Supremes don't frighten him—how could the Heavenly Saint Sect intimidate him?"

"Heh, not necessarily. Back then, only five fully cultivated Earth Supremes from the Five Spirit Clans acted; the Ice Spirit Ancestor only arrived later and let him escape. But now, the Heavenly Saint Sect is a dragon's den and tiger's lair—he likely lacks the courage to come and die."

"That's true. If it were merely the Heavenly Saint Sect or the Tian Sheng Continent, the Flame Venerable would not fear—but now the situation is different. If I'm not mistaken, elders of the Ancient Myriad Grasslands are behind this, perhaps even an Alchemy Master capable of refining a fully cultivated Divine Pill. A true fully cultivated Alchemy Master's influence terrifies all Earth Supremes." At this moment, an elder's gaze turned cold as he stared into the depths of the Heavenly Saint Sect; though perception was blocked, even fools knew powerful figures lurked there, watching.

"It seems the Ancient Myriad Grasslands have summoned a terrifying presence from seclusion."

Many outside observers sensed something unusual.

Yet, the Heavenly Saint Sect's powerful ones never imagined—the protagonist Xiao Yan had not even received the news!!

But whether lucky or unlucky, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian happened to be passing by.

"Don't waste time—your furnace won't succeed." Suddenly, a lazy voice rang out. Two black-robed figures walked calmly forward; Xiao Yan's voice drifted slowly, Xiao Yixian beside him.

The moment his words ended, Xiao Yan stood outside the Heavenly Saint Sect's gates. He surveyed the assembled lords, then fixed his gaze on Cao Zi refining the pill, speaking calmly: "I came only to settle a debt and had no wish to stir trouble. But since someone is dissatisfied and wants my things—I am always fair. Whether you want my Flame of the Void, my Pill Refining Inheritance, or the dimensional embryo—step forward. Today, you all die with the Heavenly Saint Sect."

Xiao Yan's sudden appearance and bold provocation left countless people breathless. All eyes fixed on the two black-robed figures standing in the sky. No one dared step forward. Those who had mocked Xiao Yan as a coward turned pale, cowering behind rocks—daring not even look at him, their legs trembling.

This was a demon who dared challenge Heavenly Supremes!

Who didn't know Xiao Yan's ferocity? Compared to the fully cultivated Earth Supremes of the Five Spirit Clans, what were they? They had only boasted while Xiao Yan was absent.

Xiao Yan naturally had no interest in these loudmouths. He and Xiao Yixian stood outside the Heavenly Saint Sect's gates, lazily glancing at the gate inscribed with "Heavenly Saint," and smiled.

Then Xiao Yan stepped down. The surrounding spiritual energy formed a colossal foot, manifesting the Law of Heaven and Earth—with a BOOM—the ancient Heavenly Saint Sect gate collapsed under his foot. Xiao Yan moved as if strolling through a courtyard, entering the sect beside Xiao Yixian.

"Scum! How dare you destroy our Heavenly Saint Sect gate—you seek death!" Xiao Yan's act enraged countless disciples. A roar erupted as countless Supreme cultivators appeared, charging forward in a massive army.

Led by the War Array Master, the Heavenly Saint Sect's army rapidly coalesced Battle Intention and surged toward Xiao Yan.

ZZZZ—suddenly, countless Spirit Array lights flared across the Heavenly Saint Sect. Instantly, powerful Spirit Arrays rose, launching attacks at Xiao Yan.

For a sect's heritage, the gate is its face. Xiao Yan crushed it with one step—shattered their emblem—as if stomping directly on the Heavenly Saint Sect's face.

Yet facing hundreds of Supreme cultivators, even Earth Supreme Elders, War Array Masters, and Spirit Array Masters charging at him, Xiao Yan didn't even blink—he strolled into the sect as if strolling through a garden.

CREAK—CREAK—CREAK—a sudden sound rang out. Xiao Yixian's jade hand, clad in a white silk glove like celestial silkworm thread, flicked her fingers—she struck instantly beside Xiao Yan.

Instantly, Poison surged like a raging dragon, spreading wildly, engulfing the entire sect in terrifying poison.

The poison was overwhelming, turning the heavens and earth into a world of toxic mist—any living being touched by the mist instantly died, dissolving into black sludge.

Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison was extraordinarily strange—this poison could corrupt Spiritual Energy, infecting the entire Heavenly Saint Sect's space as if poisoned. Anyone absorbing Spiritual Energy—or even merely existing within this space—would be poisoned, with no escape.

After refining the Flower of the Other Shore, Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison could no longer be contained—it crossed the boundary between life and death. The moment it touched a Spirit Array, the entire array became poisoned; the toxin instantly spread from the array to the Spirit Array Master.

Not just Spirit Arrays—even War Array Battle Intention was poisoned, infected, and spread instantly through the entire army!

For a sect, facing powerful foes, they could unite, using Spirit Arrays and War Arrays to fight together.

But Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison was precisely designed to counter such mass coordination. Undeniably, Spirit Arrays and War Arrays of the Great Thousand World were terrifying—when united, they could fight across levels.

Yet Spirit Array Masters and War Array Masters feared Xiao Yixian most—poison could infiltrate warriors' bodies unseen and unheard.

United, War Array Masters were formidable—but the soldiers and armies themselves were weak, utterly incapable of resisting Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison.

"Split up!" Sensing the horror of the Eternal Calamity Poison, Cao Shenzǐ, the Heavenly Saint Sect's Sect Master, turned pale and roared at the surviving disciples and cultivators.

But it was too late. The moment Cao Shenzǐ spoke, Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison had already seeped through the entire Heavenly Saint Sect. In truth, even before Xiao Yan appeared, Xiao Yixian had already poisoned them!

The deadliest trait of a Poison Master is not direct combat—it's covert poisoning. Such inscrutable poisoning techniques sometimes even catch Heavenly Supremes off guard.

Many Heavenly Saint Sect cultivators and disciples hastily took out Elixirs to detoxify—each had different pills—but without exception, the moment the Eternal Calamity Poison touched them, screams erupted. Many cultivators and disciples collapsed, dying instantly from the poison.

Elixirs merely delayed death. Unless one possessed an Imperial-Grade Antidote Pill or reached Earth Supreme rank, infection by the Eternal Calamity Poison meant certain death.

Cao Shenzi's face changed drastically. Deep within the Heavenly Saint Sect, an old man wearing an Alchemist Long Robe immediately summoned his Alchemy Furnace. In an instant, flames surged within the furnace, and countless Medicinal Materials were thrown into it.

In just a few moments' time, a stream of tranquil Pill Qi erupted from the Alchemy Furnace, and this tranquil Pill Qi was actually able to block Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison!

Although it could not dispel the Eternal Calamity Poison, it could prevent the poison from seeping through space to deliver its toxin, sealing off the toxins within the space.

"A powerhouse from the ancient Myriad Grass Plains has intervened!"

"Kuang, who is that black-robed figure? This poison is terrifying."

"Kill!" Seeing the toxin blocked, the Heavenly Saint Sect's Disciples formed an Array once more and let out a furious roar. In an instant, a powerful Battle Intention took shape and charged forth, its Spiritual Pressure soaring to the heavens, carrying with it the fierce and valiant momentum of a thousand armies and ten thousand horses.

The Heavenly Saint Sect's ability to stand firm until today was no empty reputation.

"Fall back!" At this moment, Heavenly Saint Sect Master Cao Shenzi barked sharply, immediately recalling the charging Disciples of the Heavenly Saint Sect. He knew that any more Ordinary Disciples would only be sending themselves to their deaths.

Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison could only be blocked, not broken. If Xiao Yixian had other means, those Ordinary Disciples wouldn't even be able to drain their opponent's Spirit, and would simply be dying for nothing.

The Heavenly Saint Sect Master was driven mad with rage, about to activate the Sect-Protecting Demonic Array to suppress them. However, an aged voice suddenly sounded from behind him, saying in a deep tone: "Let that Flame Honored One enter!"

In the blink of an eye, no one dared to stop Xiao Yan and his companion.

Xiao Yan merely smiled faintly and strode in, stepping into the core area of the Heavenly Saint Sect's territory in the blink of an eye, arriving not far from Cao Zi, who was in the middle of Spirit Refining.

When Xiao Yan stepped into the Heavenly Saint Sect's ambush range, everyone within the Heavenly Saint Sect couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief — the bait had taken the trap. So long as Xiao Yan dared to enter, he would never be allowed to leave!

"You call this Spirit Refining?" Xiao Yan glanced at Cao Zi's Pill and couldn't help but shake his head.

(End of this chapter)