Chapter 818

Xiao Yan's Soul Severing Technique unleashed its Hun Chain, instantly locking onto Cao Zi's divine soul; in that instant, a dark soul force invaded Cao Zi's divine soul, opening its deepest core, where brilliant soul information surfaced.

A metallic clang rang out as Xiao Yan's soul force erupted instantly; deep within his soul, a three-headed, six-armed Asura spirit image emitted a golden light, instantly locking onto a piece of soul information within Cao Zi's soul—the memory of the ancient Wancao Prairie's pill refining method.

Having received the legacy of the Heavenly Evil God, Xiao Yan's soul power had grown stronger, and he now understood new techniques.

"No!" At this moment, Cao Zi realized what Xiao Yan intended to do, and he cried out in desperation, for he now sensed his divine soul power being drained, his soul being stolen—Xiao Yan was forcibly extracting the ancient Wancao Prairie's legacy method from his divine soul.

Seeing what Xiao Yan intended, Nu Shan Medicine Saint furrowed his brows; this act was undoubtedly an enemy of the ancient Wancao Prairie.

Although Cao Zi was merely a Nine-pin Spiritual Pill Alchemy Master, the pill refining method he possessed was not core, yet it still belonged to the ancient Wancao Prairie's techniques, which were strictly forbidden to be transmitted outside.

Now, he was the fish on the chopping block, with no choice; in that instant, Xiao Yan's soul force flashed like lightning, transforming into an ultimate illusion that dragged Cao Zi's divine soul into the Asura Shen Yuan, forcibly seizing that memory and manifesting the soul information.

A thunderous boom erupted—the instant Xiao Yan seized Cao Zi's divine soul, a forbidden seal within it activated; in that moment, not only did Cao Zi's Supreme Sea explode, but his entire divine soul shattered, as if a bomb had detonated and reduced him to ashes!

As for Cao Zi, there was no need to say more—he was instantly reduced to a mist of blood. Under such force, Xiao Yan was caught off guard and blasted away.

This was a Divine Technique seal; many sect heirs or great figures bore such powerful seals, fearing that if they were ever defeated, their divine souls might be forcibly seized and their sect's secrets or forbidden cultivation methods read.

If anyone attempted to forcibly extract a divine soul, the Divine Technique seal would obliterate everything into ashes—no one could ever obtain its secrets.

Xiao Yan was blasted away and sustained injuries, but he paid no heed—he had already succeeded with his Asura Soul Severing Technique; using the power of his Spiritual Pupil, he had already obtained the information before the Divine Technique seal detonated.

"Are you alright?" Xiao Yixian hurried over, supporting Xiao Yan with concern.

"It's nothing. These basic pill refining methods are enough." Xiao Yan smiled faintly; he didn't need highly advanced techniques—he needed the foundational pill refining methods of the Great Thousand World.

Xiao Yan's pill alchemy was already strong, but the Great Thousand World differed from the Dou Qi Continent; he needed to merge the two.

Xiao Yan slowly bent down, picked up the space ring from the pool of blood, and took several books on medicinal materials and pill formulas.

If Cao Zi had willingly surrendered the pill refining method, that would have been best; if he refused, it didn't matter—he had simply taken it with righteous justification. Cao Zi had transferred the pill legacy to him; even if the ancient Wancao Prairie came later, Xiao Yan would have every right to claim it.

Xiao Yan glanced at the warriors watching from all directions; when his spiritual sense swept over them, those hiding in Space, hoping to profit from the chaos, trembled with cold dread, daring not meet Xiao Yan's gaze, fearing he might suddenly strike them.

Naturally, Xiao Yan would not attack these people; though he noticed several among them were Greater Earth Supreme cultivators stronger than Cao Shenzi, he paid them no mind.

These people were likely Hidden World Strong Experts who intended to follow Nu Shan Medicine Saint, seeking pill promises and elixirs. In strength, Nu Shan Medicine Saint was indeed formidable—a half-step Heavenly Supreme, one Xiao Yan would need great effort to defeat.

But the most terrifying thing about Alchemists was not their personal strength, but their influence.

After a long silence across the sky, Nu Shan Medicine Saint finally waved his hand and made no move against Xiao Yan. Not only was he himself poisoned, but after this prolonged interaction, he did not believe he could capture this enigmatic Yan Zun.

He felt the true power lay not in the serene woman, but in this Yan Zun—his strength was even more terrifying.

Black Flame surged; the Void Swallowing Flame devoured Space, burning open a Void Passage. Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian, their gains overflowing, departed Tian Sheng Continent, flying toward Shang Zhi Da Lu to attend the Pai Mai Chang.

"Xiao Yan, what about that man?" Xiao Yixian asked as they traversed the heavens.

Xiao Yixian naturally meant Nu Shan Medicine Saint—the half-step Heavenly Supreme, Greater Earth Supreme Alchemy Master; gaining his aid would be a tremendous advantage.

"I don't insist," Xiao Yan slowly shook his head. "Though I wish someone from the Great Thousand World could continue Master Yao Chen's pill refining art and let it shine here, not everyone is worthy. Without talent and character, they'd only ruin the pill legacy."

Originally, Yao Chen had only been an Eight-pin Peak Alchemist, yet even his foundational pill refining methods held profound subtleties; had he not died young, his talent would have easily made him a Grandmaster Alchemist.

In the following days, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian used Void Swallowing Flame to carve a path through Space, traveling ceaselessly across continents and planets floating in the Great Thousand World.

Under this furious pace, Shang Zhi Da Lu drew ever closer—it was also the land nearest to the Supreme Continent Tian Luo Da Lu, possessing a Teleportation Spirit Array directly linking to Tian Luo Da Lu.

Xiao Yan looked at the positioning Spirit Array crafted by Xun Er, and gradually slowed his speed—they had arrived.

With the speed of Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian, amplified by Void Swallowing Flame's ability to traverse Space, they had covered countless light-years in just days, flying past countless star systems.

Now, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian removed their Soul Robes, standing on Shang Zhi Da Lu—the continent housing the most magnificent Pai Mai Chang among the dozen nearby continents; even Tian Luo Da Lu, a Supreme Continent, could not match Shang Zhi Da Lu's number of auction halls, where countless heavenly treasures, Supreme Treasures, and divine techniques flowed in through countless channels.

The reason for Shang Zhi Da Lu's prosperity, it was said, was that it had once been an interdimensional trading pier of the ancient Heavenly Palace.

The ancient Heavenly Palace had once ruled Tian Luo Da Lu; its ruler, the Heavenly Emperor, was immensely powerful, possessing one of the Thirty-Six Absolute Divine Abilities—the Qi Hua San Qing—and was also known as one of the Nine Ancient Emperors of the Great Thousand World, a peerless warrior equal to the Immortal Emperor.

But fifty thousand years ago, the Domain Beyond invaders attacked the Great Thousand World; as the supreme power of Tian Luo Da Lu, the ancient Heavenly Palace was struck by the Devouring Demon Tribe, one of the Thirty-Two Great Tribes, and ultimately perished alongside the Demon Emperor of the Devouring Demon Tribe, vanishing from history.

Tian Luo Da Lu fell into chaos without a leader, and Shang Zhi Da Lu gradually evolved into its current form.

On this continent, if you possessed sufficient Supreme Spirit Liquid, you could buy anything—even Supreme Divine Beast eggs and peerless Sacred Artifacts had been sold.

Xun Er and Cai Lin were in Shang Cheng, the main City of Shang Zhi Da Lu, where the once-per-decade Pai Mai Chang was also held.

Shang Cheng was unquestionably the most magnificent City on this continent, and also its central hub.

When Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian appeared outside Shang Cheng, they both looked up simultaneously at the city, majestic as if forged by celestial gods, and could not suppress the awe on their faces.

"What a colossal City—it's even larger and grander than Sheng Dan Cheng," Xiao Yixian murmured, recalling the Pill Gathering she had once attended with Xiao Yan.

Sheng Dan Cheng had been the grandest City Xiao Yixian had ever seen.

"Yes, no wonder it's the Great Thousand World—this is far grander than the core Cities of Tian Sheng Continent or Ning Tian Continent," Xiao Yan nodded; even the Soul Hall's headquarters paled beside Shang Cheng.

The City walls stood hundreds of zhang tall, their dark surfaces gleaming with a chilling luster; they stretched endlessly, with no sign of turning as far as the eye could see.

On the walls, massive luminous runes flickered, emitting terrifying spiritual energy that rippled subtly, sending chills through the heart; above the City, colossal pillars of light shot skyward, forming a radiant dome that enveloped the entire metropolis.

To enter the City, one must pass through the gates; any who descended from the sky would trigger the City's Demonic Array and be treated as invaders.

Xiao Yan's soul force swept over the colossal light array above the City—it spanned ten thousand zhang, its countless light lines subtly forming an extraordinarily complex Spirit Array.

"This Spirit Array must reach High Master-level Spirit Array standards—even a Greater Earth Supreme would struggle to break through," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Yixian covered her mouth with a light laugh, looking at Xiao Yan: "You're not thinking of stealing it, are you?"

Xiao Yixian knew well: if Xiao Yan couldn't buy something at the Pai Mai Chang, he'd take it.

Of course, there had been times when auctioned items were seized by the Scorpion Demon Trio—but in the end, they were slain by Elders of the Flower Sect and Yun Yun.

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose, smiling wryly: "This time, I shouldn't need to steal—the Heavenly Saint Sect's treasury held vast amounts of Supreme Spirit Liquid. Though I didn't have time to refine pills, it should be enough to buy the Supreme Divine Beast blood Cai Lin needs."

"Let's go inside. Xun Er and Cai Lin are probably already in the City."

Even without the Heavenly Saint Sect's treasury, Xun Er had inherited the Ningzhu Array Master's legacy—selling a few items would surely suffice to buy the Divine Beast blood to help Cai Lin ascend.

Xiao Yixian gently linked arms with Xiao Yan, and together they entered Shang Cheng, heading toward the Pai Mai Chang.

These days, Shang Cheng was extraordinarily bustling—ten times livelier than usual—with many renowned great figures arriving.

Shang Cheng had suddenly become vibrant because the once-per-decade grand Pai Mai Chang was being held.

News of the Pai Mai Chang had spread far and wide before it even began, making it known throughout the Great Thousand World.

For this once-per-decade Pai Mai Chang, Shang Zhi Da Lu had prepared meticulously—from promotion to execution, every detail was thoroughly arranged.

So, before the auction even began, countless beings in the Great Thousand World were already buzzing about the items to be auctioned.

Long before the auction started, the Shang Zhi Da Lu had meticulously listed every item to be sold, with their origins, functions, and starting bids all compiled in the promotional brochures.

As a result, everyone across the world knew of this grand auction, and many sect masters and reclusive cultivators eager to participate now knew exactly which Treasures they needed and how much Supreme Spirit Liquid they must prepare.

This would undoubtedly be a fierce contest of dragons and tigers.

Today was the day of this once-in-a-decade auction, and Xiao Yan wasn't just arriving at the last moment to save someone—he was also arriving at the last moment to attend the auction, truly a late-arriving Emperor of Dao!

Of course, across the entire Great Thousand World, only the Shang Zhi Da Lu possessed the strength to host such a grand auction, and only the united merchant guilds of the Shang Zhi Da Lu could muster such an array of peerless Treasures for sale.

This auction was organized by thousands upon millions of merchant guilds from the Shang Zhi Da Lu, many of which were trans-universal mega-guilds with branches across countless continents.

For example, the Elixir Elder Giants, the Dan Shen Clan and the Ancient Myriad Grassland, both had their main guilds located within the Shang Zhi Da Lu.

Some had even said that if you wished to buy a Divine Pill, a Sacred Artifact, a Divine Technique, or Treasure resources, you must go to the Shang Zhi Da Lu—if the Shang Zhi Da Lu didn't have it, no other guild ever would.

Under the current conditions of the Shang Zhi Da Lu, a cultivator who had not reached the Earth Supreme level could not possibly draw any attention.

"Look over there—is that the banner of the Northern Realm of Tian Luo Da Lu?! Is that black-robed figure in the center the mysterious Lord of Da Luo?!" At that moment, a cultivator with sharp eyes gazed toward the horizon and cried out.

Everyone looked up, seeing a vast expanse of purple-gold light illuminating the horizon, endless purple-gold radiance spreading across the sky.

A figure clad in a loose black robe, accompanied by several others, descended from the horizon.

"Da Luo Tian Yu? What kind of Faction is that?" someone from another continent asked.

"Da Luo Tian Yu is a top-tier Faction located in the Northern Realm of Tian Luo Da Lu; its Lord is a top-tier Lower Earth Supreme, mysterious, with no one knowing her true identity."

Hearing the murmurs, Xiao Yan, who had just arrived at the auction entrance with Xiao Yixian, looked up.

"Da Luo Tian Yu?" Xiao Yan frowned—his Soul Force could not penetrate the black robe, could not reveal the true identity of the Lord of Da Luo; he only sensed that her true form was shrouded in a strange force, as if wounded.

(End of Chapter)