Chapter 316: "Zi Yan: Lu Bu and Sister Medusa Are... Are Fighting Again!"
Although battles continued within the Dan Realm, they didn't interfere with the progression of the Dan Conference. As time passed, the second round Dan Realm Trial came to an end, and the third round officially began: Ten Thousand Cauldrons Descend, Ten Thousand Flames Ignite.
The scene was incredibly breathtaking. Countless alchemical cauldrons of various shapes and sizes descended onto the stage, and flames of all colors flared to life, mesmerizing everyone in attendance.
Standing at the sidelines, Xiao Yan let out a light sigh, feeling a tinge of regret. The grand event, held only once every thirty years, was a perfect stage for him to showcase his skills, and it was disappointing that he couldn't participate.
But he had more important things to do.
Bringing Nalan Yanran with him, Xiao Yan returned swiftly to the Starfall Pavilion's residence in Saint Dan City. Once inside, he activated its protective arrays and ensured it was heavily guarded. He was about to begin refining the Mysterious Yellow Flame.
Meanwhile, Xuan Kong Zi, Xuan Yi, and the other Dan Tower leaders kept a close eye on the Dan Conference, but they also instructed their people to monitor Xiao Yan's movements.
After all, Xiao Yan was Yao Chen's disciple. Although he lacked the luster of Lu Bu, his strength as a Nine Star Dou Zong and his skills as an eighth tier alchemist were nothing short of extraordinary, making him a rare talent.
Xuan Yi, in particular, was satisfied with Xiao Yan. His decision to abandon the Dan Conference for the sake of rescuing Yao Chen earned her respect.
As for the Dan Conference itself, it continued in full swing, undiminished by the absence of Xiao Yan and Lu Bu. The audience wasn't particularly focused on them; many didn't even realize that the two were in Saint Dan City.
In the blink of an eye, ten days passed. Thunderclouds gathered above Saint Dan City, and deafening Dan Lightning roared incessantly. Even without Lu Bu and Xiao Yan, the Dan Conference remained a spectacular event.
Dan Chen, Cao Ying, and Qing Hua Elder all managed to refine eighth tier pills. Dan Chen's pill summoned two colored Dan Lightning, while Cao Ying's and Qing Hua Elder's pills summoned three colored Dan Lightning.
In the end, the championship went to Qing Hua Elder. Among alchemical pills, spirit pills reigned supreme, and his pill surpassed Cao Ying's in spiritual quality, securing him the title.
Cao Ying had to settle for second place.
Qing Hua Elder had spent his life chasing after Heavenly Flames, enduring countless failures. Among these, his most unforgettable failure was his unsuccessful pursuit of the Bone Chilling Flame alongside Yao Chen.
Although he had claimed the Dan Conference championship this time, an honor once achieved by Yao Chen, he still felt a sense of failure. The pursuit of Heavenly Flames had always been beyond his reach.
Though victorious, it was evident to all that Qing Hua Elder had been surpassed by Cao Ying.
At barely twenty years old, Cao Ying was in her prime and had the potential to achieve ninth tier alchemy in the future. Qing Hua Elder, however, was already a man at the twilight of his years, and advancing further in alchemy was almost impossible for him.
Even Xuan Kong Zi, Cao Ying's mentor, could only let out a sigh. She had been defeated not by skill but by age and experience circumstances beyond her control.
Meanwhile, after leaving the Dan Realm, Lu Bu and Zi Yan returned to the manor in the Saint Dan Mountain Range.
They had also brought Xiong Zhan out of the Dan Realm and left him in a quiet spot outside Saint Dan City, where he could finally be free.
For Xiong Zhan, this was a dream come true. His greatest wish was to roam the continent and see the world. Having been confined to the Dan Realm his entire life, he could barely contain his excitement at the prospect of freedom.
But as soon as he ventured into an empty corner, a silver light flashed. A spatial rift appeared and silently swallowed him whole.
As an eighth tier Dragonbear, Xiong Zhan didn't even have time to react before the rift whisked him away to parts unknown.
Unaware of Xiong Zhan's fate, Lu Bu and Zi Yan tore open a spatial rift and returned to their manor in the Saint Dan Mountain Range.
"Medusa, Yun Yun, Xiao Yi Xian! Hehe… I thought you were all still in seclusion!" Zi Yan cheered as she charged toward the three women, seemingly intent on fulfilling Lu Bu's dream of hugging beauties from all sides.
But just as she was about to complete her mission, a graceful figure appeared and caught her in a hug.
"Hmph! Zi Yan, did you not see me? Why didn't you call for me?" Qing Lin puffed her cheeks and pinched Zi Yan's face playfully.
During Lu Bu's diversion of the Soul Hall Dou Zun to the southwest of the Central Plains, Zi Yan and Qing Lin had often played together and had grown very close.
Back then, Qing Lin had been a little girl, and Zi Yan had also been a child. Now, Qing Lin had grown up… but Zi Yan remained the same.
"This isn't fair!" Zi Yan muttered, flailing her arms as she struggled out of Qing Lin's embrace. On the verge of tears, she complained, "You've grown up, too! When will it be my turn to grow up?!"
Medusa, Yun Yun, and Xiao Yi Xian laughed heartily, unable to resist teasing Zi Yan by pinching her adorable cheeks.
Zi Yan crossed her arms with a sulky expression. She didn't know what to say anymore. Everyone who used to be her age or younger had grown up, while she hadn't. She was fuming and desperately wanted to grow taller and more mature.
Watching the five women playfully bicker, Lu Bu sighed helplessly and turned toward the kitchen. A short while later, he had prepared a table full of medicinal dishes.
Knowing how much Zi Yan loved good food, he naturally wanted to treat her. Besides, after raiding the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range, he had more than enough ingredients to spare.
"Dinner's ready!" Lu Bu called out to the five women.
Zi Yan's ears perked up immediately. Letting out an excited cry, she broke free from Qing Lin and the others and rushed to the dining table.
She wasn't greedy she was just eager to grow taller! Yes, that's it!
Qing Lin and the other three women soon followed, sitting down to eat with Zi Yan and Lu Bu.
Looking at the five beautiful women around him, Lu Bu couldn't help but sigh contentedly. This was far better than any Dan Conference!
Who needed the glory of "Ten Thousand Cauldrons Descend, Ten Thousand Flames Ignite" when he had his beloved wives with him?
That night, Saint Dan City remained abuzz with excitement as spectators awaited the announcement of the champion. But within the manor, Lu Bu and the others weren't the least bit interested.
Qing Lin, Xiao Yi Xian, and Yun Yun surrounded Zi Yan, asking her eagerly about the legendary Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan. Intrigued by the stories, they urged Zi Yan to share more about the supreme magical beasts.
Zi Yan, delighted by the attention, proudly placed her hands on her hips and began recounting tales of the Dragon Island.
As for Lu Bu and Medusa… they were, of course, engaging in dual cultivation.
Having finally gotten Zi Yan off his back, Lu Bu wasn't about to let the opportunity slip by.
For now, strengthening Qing Lin and the others with the Earth Core Soul Essence could wait. After all, it wasn't urgent they still needed to cultivate suitable soul techniques to make the most of the enhancement.
Meanwhile, as Zi Yan continued chattering happily, she suddenly froze mid sentence. A moment later, she scratched her head in frustration, grinding her little silver teeth in irritation.
"Zi Yan, what's wrong?" Xiao Yi Xian asked curiously. Did something happen?
"How annoying! Sister Medusa is sparring with Lu Bu again... mmph? What are you doing?!" Zi Yan grumbled indignantly, but before she could finish her sentence, Yun Yun her cheeks flushed red hurriedly covered Zi Yan's mouth.
Although Zi Yan didn't finish her sentence, the other three women immediately understood what she was implying. Instantly, Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian's faces turned a bright shade of crimson as well.
"Ahem… Zi Yan, what are you talking about? Do you hear something?" Xiao Yi Xian reacted quickly, pretending not to understand as she glanced around with feigned confusion.
In reality, she hadn't heard anything at all. And it wasn't just her Qing Lin, who possessed extraordinary perception, and Yun Yun, whose soul power wasn't weak, also hadn't detected a sound.
"Hmph! You don't understand, do you?" Zi Yan declared proudly with a mischievous grin. "I'm a Taixu Ancient Dragon, highly sensitive to spatial forces. Back when I was at the Jia Nan Academy, even those so called spatial boundaries were like thin air to me."
"Even though I haven't fully grown up yet, my strength has already improved a lot. Any noise from a spatial boundary is no different from noises in the next room for me."
"I… I see," Yun Yun replied with an awkward smile before subtly signaling Xiao Yi Xian with her eyes.
"Hmph! If I'm not mistaken, this spatial boundary must be Medusa's handiwork," Zi Yan continued smugly. "If it were Lu Bu's formation, I wouldn't be able to hear a thing. But spatial forces? Hah! We Taixu Ancient Dragons are the true kings of space… Eh? Where's Xiao Yi Xian?"
Zi Yan abruptly paused and looked around, realizing Xiao Yi Xian was gone.
"Oh… She had an upset stomach and had to step out for a moment," Yun Yun quickly explained, then redirected the conversation. "Zi Yan, what about Dragon Island? Is it true the Taixu Ancient Dragons only have a single half saint?"
"An upset stomach…" Zi Yan muttered, puzzled. Wasn't Xiao Yi Xian a Woeful Poison Body? How could she possibly have an upset stomach? What kind of food could upset someone with the Woeful Poison Body?
But she didn't dwell on it for long and shifted her attention back to answering Yun Yun's question.
A short while later, Xiao Yi Xian returned, and half an hour after that, Lu Bu finally showed up.
As for Medusa… she didn't come out. She remained in her room, rolling on the floor in embarrassment, utterly mortified by the peculiar looks Xiao Yi Xian had been giving her. Her toes were practically digging into the floorboards from the sheer shame.
Several days passed, and just as the Dan Conference was drawing to a close, a sudden burst of powerful energy shot skyward from the northeast side of Saint Dan City.
Boom!
A thunderous sound erupted. The audience, who had just witnessed the spectacle of Dan Lightning, initially thought someone had successfully refined another pill. But when they turned to look, they saw a lone figure hovering in the sky.
"What a powerful aura! Could it be… a Dou Zun?"
"As expected of the Dan Tower. Yet another Dou Zun level expert has appeared. Compared to factions like the Wind Lightning Pavilion or Yellow Springs Pavilion, which only have one Dou Zun each, the Dan Tower must have Dou Zuns guarding their storage rooms!"
"You idiot! The Dan Tower's storage rooms aren't like any regular storage rooms. They contain priceless medicinal ingredients. Why shouldn't they have Dou Zuns guarding them?"
On the high platform, Xuan Kong Zi and the others also turned their gaze toward the northeast, surprise evident in their expressions.
"That's… Xiao Yan?" Xuan Yi asked, astonished. "Did he already become a Dou Zun?"
"It's Xiao Yan, but he hasn't reached Dou Zun yet," Xuan Kong Zi replied with a slight frown. After briefly sensing Xiao Yan's aura, he sighed. "He's stronger than a peak Dou Zong but still falls short of a true one star Dou Zun. You could say… he's a half step Dou Zun."
"At his age, such an achievement is already remarkable."
"Indeed," Xuan Yi agreed, though her tone carried a hint of regret. Ever since she learned Xiao Yan was Yao Chen's personal disciple, she had regarded him as a junior of sorts. However, compared to Lu Bu, he still lagged far behind.
"Still, it's not bad. His strength increases the chances of rescuing Yao Chen," Tian Lei Zi remarked with a rare smile. Given his usual stern demeanor, his approval of Xiao Yan was evident.
"That's true. Besides, Lu Bu will also be involved in rescuing Yao Chen," Xuan Kong Zi added with a nod.
"Have we made any progress in locating Yao Chen?" Xuan Yi asked. As the strongest among the three leaders, Xuan Kong Zi had taken charge of dealing with the Soul Hall.
"We're close," Xuan Kong Zi replied with a furrowed brow. "The Soul Hall is incredibly cunning. They frequently relocate Yao Chen to prevent discovery."
"Hm… That suggests their defenses might be inadequate," Xuan Yi observed. "If they had sufficient strength, they could simply assign a half saint to guard him instead of constantly moving him around."
"Exactly," Tian Lei Zi agreed. "This is the best time to attempt a rescue. If we wait until the Soul Hall regains its strength…"
Xuan Kong Zi and Xuan Yi's expressions turned grave. Tian Lei Zi was right if the Soul Hall were to recover, a few Dou Zuns wouldn't stand a chance.
"I'll push for an operation soon," Xuan Kong Zi said firmly.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan, shrouded in faint black flames, let out a quiet sigh as he retracted his aura and descended.
The Mysterious Yellow Flame had fallen short of his expectations. It didn't help him advance to Dou Zun, and Flame Mantra hadn't evolved into a Heaven Tier technique or even a quasi Heaven Tier one. It remained slightly superior to ordinary Earth Tier advanced techniques but nowhere near as powerful as Lu Bu's methods of forcibly absorbing heaven and earth energy.
"It seems I need more Heavenly Flames," Xiao Yan murmured, a hint of longing in his voice. The Mysterious Yellow Flame, though a Heavenly Flame, ranked at the bottom of the list and provided limited benefits.
No wonder Lu Bu had only asked for Dan Spirit Extract during their exchange. Clearly, the Mysterious Yellow Flame wasn't as impressive as Xiao Yan had hoped.
If he wanted a significant leap in power, he would need to seek out one of the top ten Heavenly Flames on the ranking.
From the Saint Dan Mountain Range, Lu Bu and the five women watched Xiao Yan's progress.
"Xiao Yan's talent is truly remarkable," Qing Lin remarked, her brows furrowed. Despite being only a few years older than her, he was an entire major realm ahead in strength.
"His strength comes from his peculiar technique and the Heavenly Flames," Yun Yun explained. Lu Bu had told her about Xiao Yan's unique attributes. It seemed Xiao Yan really was one of those people blessed by the heavens.
"Forget about him," Lu Bu said with a chuckle, pulling Qing Lin and Yun Yun toward a secluded chamber. "I've prepared something that will help your souls. Let's go!"
After a few days of rest, and with Lu Bu's guidance in soul cultivation techniques, it was finally time to help Qing Lin and Yun Yun advance their souls to the Spirit Realm.
As for Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian… there was no rush. With Yao Chen's rescue mission looming, Lu Bu would need more allies.
Besides, the Earth Core Soul Essence, Dan Spirit Extract, and Skyflame Phosphor Essence he had brought back from the Myriad Medicine Mountain Range were more than enough to strengthen both women. There was no need to hurry.
A few days later, while Lu Bu was instructing Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian in soul cultivation techniques, a Dan Tower steward arrived with an invitation. It was from Xuan Kong Zi himself.
"Yunyu Sect in the Suoyu Mountain Range… One of the Twenty Four Halls of the Earth Fiends," Lu Bu muttered, stroking his chin. He had high hopes for the soul energy of the Earth Fiend Halls.
"Wait! Yunyu Sect?" His eyes narrowed suddenly. "Isn't that the sect established by the Scorpion Devil Three Ghosts?"
"Lead the way," Lu Bu said with a sharp glint in his eyes. He needed answers from Xuan Kong Zi. What was going on here?
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