Word Count: 2,943 Words

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Xiao Yan offered only a calm smile. "Although I am a Tianzun of the Hall of Souls, ours is purely a transactional relationship. I have never once taken the initiative to hunt down an alchemist’s soul."

In truth, Xiao Yan had only ever captured four alchemist soul bodies: Yao Li and Yao Ao of the Yao Clan, Elder Gu Tong during the Great Meeting of Factions, and Mu Gu of the Hall of Souls. All four had borne deep grudges against him and attempted to take his life. After killing them, he had simply collected their souls as an afterthought.

"Sigh, the Little Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan joining the Hall of Souls... this world truly has become a strange place." The Pill Tower Old Ancestor shook his head with a bitter smile. As it happened, he did have some connection with the Xiao Clan. A thousand years ago, he had enjoyed a friendship with Xiao Chen, cousin of the Xiao Clan’s Clan Head, Xiao Xuan. Later, Xiao Chen had ventured into the Heavenly Flame Space in search of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame... and vanished without a trace.

Xiao Yan smiled lightly and did not dwell on the subject. The Xiao Clan of a thousand years ago had been qualified to stand toe-to-toe with the Hun Clan. The current Yan Alliance, however, was nothing but an ant before them. Hun Tiandi could wipe it out at any moment he chose.

"Old Ancestor, I have come for a pill recipe. I hope you will grant this request." Xiao Yan set all other matters aside and went straight to the point.

The Pill Tower Old Ancestor had already guessed as much. In the Hun Clan’s eyes, the Pill Tower held only two points of value.

The first was himself. He was, after all, a Tier 9 Mysterious Pill. After a thousand years of evolution, he had reached the peak of that tier, just one step away from becoming a Golden Pill. That final step, however, would not be easy to take.

The second was a fragmented Di Tier pill recipe left behind by the Pill Tower’s founder, a peak expert who had reached the pinnacle of 9-star Dou Saint.

Back then, Hun Huzi had entered the Pill Tower to train in alchemy. Beyond his genuine interest in learning the Pill Tower’s techniques, he had harbored another motive: this very Di Tier pill recipe. In the end, however, his identity had been discovered by the Tower Head of that era. Otherwise, Hun Huzi might very well have succeeded.

The Pill Tower Old Ancestor gazed at Xiao Yan and released a deep sigh. "Hun Tiandi wishes to break through to the Dou God realm. That is hardly a secret. Naturally, his interest in this pill recipe is only to be expected."

A soft hum resonated through the air as he retrieved an ancient scroll from the internal space within his pill-body. The scroll was remarkably plain, resembling a simple piece of parchment. It looked nothing like modern pill recipes, bearing more the appearance of something from ancient times.

And indeed it was. The creator of this recipe, the Pill Tower’s founder, had lived in a distant age. After Dou Gods vanished from the world, countless experts had searched for alternate paths to break into the Dou God realm.

Without Origin Qi, the traditional road to becoming a Dou God was closed. They could only seek another way.

This powerful alchemist had planned to rely on the power of medicinal pills. Ordinary Di Pills required Origin Qi, which the Dou Qi Continent now lacked. So he had attempted to create a Di Tier medicinal pill that did not require Origin Qi at all.

The outcome had naturally been failure. Rumors even persisted that the founder had exhausted his heart’s blood in the attempt and died during refinement.

The scroll in the Pill Tower Old Ancestor’s hand could hardly be called a proper pill recipe. At most, it was a conceptual framework, or not even that, merely a collection of experimental data. In its present state, it amounted to little more than waste paper.

The Pill Tower Old Ancestor studied Xiao Yan with a deep gaze. A profound sense of powerlessness welled up within him. He had absolutely no way to change or halt the vast tide sweeping across the Dou Qi Continent.

Just consider: with Xiao Yan standing on the Hun Clan’s side, who on the entire continent could possibly block Hun Tiandi’s advance??

Was this not simply an invincible path straight to the ending?!

Originally, with Hun Huzi alone, there had been no hope of refining a Di Pill. This scroll would have been useless in his hands. With Xiao Yan in the picture, however, possibility emerged.

Rumors persisted that when the Dou God Clans had stipulated that no expert of 5-star Dou Saint or above could intervene in the Dou Qi Continent’s affairs, their true purpose had been to shield the Pill Tower, to prevent it from being swallowed by the Hall of Souls. Otherwise, the Pill Tower would have vanished long ago.

But so-called agreements were nothing more than toys for the strong. Xiao Yan understood perfectly that the Hun Clan had not yet moved against the Pill Tower only because they were preoccupied with gathering the Tou She Ancient God’s Jade. Were they free, why would they bother with such elaborate schemes?

Xiao Yan’s gaze rested on the scroll in the Old Ancestor’s hand, but his expression remained calm, not the least bit crazed with greed. "If Old Ancestor is willing to trade, I will do everything in my power to fulfill my end."

For Xiao Yan, this scroll was not something he absolutely needed; it was something Hun Tiandi desired. If he obtained it, Hun Tiandi had promised to provide the complete Emperor Soul Technique and offer full assistance in seizing the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame.

The Pill Tower Old Ancestor merely gave a faint smile and slowly shook his head. Both men understood the situation perfectly.

On the Dou Qi Continent, the word ’refusal’ essentially did not exist.

If the Hun Clan failed to gather the Tou She Ancient God’s Jade, this incomplete Di Tier pill recipe would be useless. If they succeeded, not even the Gu Clan could stop Hun Tiandi.

After studying Xiao Yan for a long moment, the Pill Tower Old Ancestor sighed and slowly extended the scroll toward him. "The grand tide of the Dou Qi Continent is not something I or the Pill Tower can influence. If there is anyone qualified to sway its direction, perhaps you are one of them."

"I am only a Tier 9 Mysterious Pill. I have long since grown accustomed to life and death, to partings and reunions. The only reason I am as I am now is because the alchemist who refined me back then merged a wisp of his remnant soul into me."

"My mission is not to guard this pill recipe. It is to protect the Pill Tower."

"Xiao Yan, regardless of how the Dou Qi Continent changes in the future, I wish to forge good karma between you and the Pill Tower. Preserve it, and leave it a path to survival."

Faced with the scroll the Pill Tower Old Ancestor extended, Xiao Yan actually fell silent. He did not immediately reach for it.

He understood the Old Ancestor’s words perfectly, and he understood the undercurrents surging beneath the Dou Qi Continent.

Although the Dou God Clans had agreed not to intervene in the continent’s affairs, the very existence of such an agreement proved that the continent had always been under their control.

The so-called ’One Hall, One Tower’ and all the other factions that now flourished on the Dou Qi Continent existed only because the Dou God Clans had allowed them to grow. In other words, the day the Dou God Clans chose to ignore the agreement, the entire continent would be carved up in an instant, without the slightest power to resist.

Among these many forces, the one with the best chance of avoiding manipulation by the Dou God Clans was Xiao Yan’s Yan Alliance. Not only because he had ties to the Gu Clan, but also because his interests were linked to the Hun Clan.

For now, Xiao Yan’s cultivation still lagged behind the Pill Tower Old Ancestor’s. Yet anyone with eyes could see that he was the future. His potential was boundless. His alchemy alone had already surpassed the Pill Tower.

So long as he could refine a Tier 9 Mysterious Pill, Xiao Yan would become the number-one alchemist on the Dou Qi Continent. Only the Yao Clan Head and Hun Huzi could be spoken of in the same breath.

The moment the Pill Tower Old Ancestor learned Xiao Yan had come on behalf of the Hall of Souls, he had lost all will to resist. How could he possibly resist?!

If Xiao Yan had held a grudge against the Hall of Souls, the Old Ancestor would have unhesitatingly joined forces with him to oppose them. At least then there would have been a chance to gamble on the future.

But Xiao Yan was now the Tenth Tianzun of the Hall of Souls. He might one day become First Tianzun, Deputy Hall Chief, or even Hall Chief himself. The Pill Tower had no room left to gamble.

Thousands of thoughts churned through Xiao Yan’s mind as he stared at the scroll before him.

Snap.

His hand closed around it. A look of resolve flashed in his eyes as he nodded. "Old Ancestor, be at ease. This junior is not the sort to forget favors. I will not forget the kindness I have received from the Pill Tower. Moreover, my master once trained in alchemy here. In the inheritance I bear, there is more or less some trace of the Pill Tower’s teachings."

"Whether or not Hun Tiandi reaches the Dou God realm in the future, I will do everything in my power to ensure the Pill Tower’s survival."

His Soul Contract with Hun Tiandi did not simply bind him to help the Hun Clan refine the Di Pill and lend his strength. It also protected him. If Hun Tiandi reached the Dou God realm one day, he would be bound to acknowledge the Xiao Clan’s standing and could not erase them.

The Soul Contract was formed from the will of both parties. Even if Hun Tiandi became a Dou God, he could not contradict his own will. One hand could not strike the other.

Moreover, if the Hun Clan or the Gu Clan eventually produced a Dou God, it might not be entirely a bad thing for the continent as a whole. Take the Yao Clan, for example. Once they no longer stood so far above everyone else, Emperor Yao’s inheritance and some of the alchemy techniques he had passed down might leak out. The standard of alchemists across the entire Dou Qi Continent would inevitably rise.

The fact that no one could currently refine Mysterious Pills or Golden Pills was, in no small part, because the Yao Clan had monopolized the inheritance. As a result, the level of alchemy on the Dou Qi Continent had fallen beneath even ancient standards.

The Pill Tower Old Ancestor nodded with a warm smile at Xiao Yan’s assurance. "Hehe. Yao Chen’s disciple... it seems his eyes weren’t blind a second time."

"Old Ancestor, you knew my master?" Xiao Yan asked curiously after putting away the pill recipe.

"We crossed paths a few times. His alchemy talent was in no way inferior to yours. Alas, what a pity..." The Pill Tower Old Ancestor patted Xiao Yan’s shoulder. "The future of the Dou Qi Continent... I leave it to you."

Xiao Yan could only offer a bitter smile. What could he do? He was merely a working man!

...

After the Pill Tower Old Ancestor departed, Xiao Yan finally unfurled the scroll. The pill recipe recorded on it was incomplete to an absurd degree. Strictly speaking, it could hardly be called a pill recipe at all. It was an evolved outline based on an ancient pill that could help peak 9-star Dou Saints or Half-God level experts break through to the Dou God realm.

A bit too fanciful. With his current knowledge and eye for alchemy, Xiao Yan recognized the problem immediately. The Pill Tower founder who had created this outline had wanted to use the power of medicinal pills to replace Origin Qi.

But he could tell at a glance that this was impossible. Breaking into the Dou God realm required far more than sheer energy. If vast energy alone were sufficient, Xiao Xuan would certainly have succeeded back then.

None of the current situation would exist.

The content written on this pill recipe was simply wrong. It was an impossible vision.

’Forget it. This isn’t my problem to worry about. Once Hun Tiandi obtains the Di Tier Embryonic Pill inside the Tou She Ancient God Mansion, it can be studied at leisure.’

Of course, Hun Tiandi had never intended to refine a Di Tier pill purely from this broken scroll. This recipe existed for after he opened the Tou She Ancient God Mansion and obtained the embryonic pill. Using that embryonic pill as a foundation, combining it with this incomplete recipe, he, Xiao Yan, and Hun Huzi would refine the embryonic pill to completion.

After all, Dou Gods had been gone for far too long. The Di Tier pill recipes the Yao Clan had once preserved, those capable of helping Dou Saints break into the Dou God realm, had long since been consumed in their attempts to refine Di Tier pills.

It was entirely possible that the incomplete Di Tier pill recipe Xiao Yan now held was the only one of its level remaining in the entire world.

What he and Hun Huzi needed to do was reverse-engineer this recipe back to the original version that required Origin Qi, then refine the embryonic pill based on that restored version.

Zi Yan approached as Xiao Yan secured the scroll. Her expression carried a trace of unease. She had no idea what would become of the Dou Qi Continent in the future, or what fate awaited her Ancient Void Dragon Tribe.

If Hun Tiandi truly became a Dou God, who could possibly resist him?

"Worrying about this serves no purpose. We can’t stop the Hun Clan anyway." Xiao Yan gently stroked Zi Yan’s soft purple hair. "And becoming a Dou God doesn’t mean everything changes. He can be his Dou God; we have our own lives to live."

It was no different from the Jia Ma Empire dominating the Northwestern Region. Had the Chu Yun, Luo Yan, and Mu Lan Empires that had once been its enemies all been exterminated?

"Mm. Then are we going back to the Yan Alliance now to wait for the Demon Flame to descend?" Zi Yan asked.

Less than three months remained until the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame would descend. The Yan Alliance was already marshaling its forces with urgent precision, ensuring they would possess enough strength to compete for the Demon Flame when it arrived.

Now that Xiao Yan had obtained the pill recipe, he had effectively secured the Hun Clan’s support. With Zi Yan, the Dragon Emperor of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe, at his side, and if Cai Lin could emerge from seclusion in time, his chances of seizing the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame would climb even higher. It was close to a sure thing.

Even if the Shi Clan, Yan Clan, Yao Clan, Lei Clan, or even the Gu Clan tried to snatch it from him, they would find it no easy task.

This time, Xiao Yan’s opponents were all the Dou God Clans!

A millennium ago, when the Demon Flame had last descended, the Xiao Clan had not yet been destroyed. All eight great Dou God Clans had contended for the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, yet in the end, none had obtained it. Xiao Xuan’s cousin Xiao Chen had even fallen within the Demon Flame Space.

But Xiao Yan possessed a trump card none of the Dou God Clans had: the Flame Mantra!

"Zi Yan, return to the Beast Region first," Xiao Yan said. "Go to the Yellow Springs Mountain Range and see how Cai Lin is faring. I need to make a trip to the Man Hall."

Three full months remained. There was ample time for him to cultivate the complete Emperor Soul Technique. With a High Tian Class soul cultivation method at his command, his chances of competing for the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame would rise dramatically.

’The Flame Mantra has already reached High Tian Class. If I can obtain the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, it has an excellent chance of evolving into a God Class Qi Method!’

’With a God Class Flame Mantra... even if Hun Tiandi truly becomes a Dou God in the future, perhaps I’ll have the strength to stand against him.’

A strange light flickered across Xiao Yan’s eyes, and a faint smile tugged at his lips. He and Hun Tiandi were merely using each other. Hun Tiandi was using him to refine the Di Pill. He was using Hun Tiandi to collect every last Heavenly Flame!

If he could even obtain the Nihility Devouring Flame, who could predict to what height the Flame Mantra might rise? And if he then raised his Spiritual Strength to the Emperor State and pushed his cultivation to the peak of 9-star Dou Saint...

Who dared say a Dou Saint could not fight beyond his realm?