Chapter 216: Leaving the Retreat, Alchemy
With Hun Xuzi's departure, Yao Yan's mind gradually returned to calm. He did not immediately leave his closed-door training but instead chose to remain in seclusion for a while longer, continuing to digest the essence of the Yan clan member he had just devoured. After all, the woman had considerable Dou Qi cultivation, on par with a Seven-Star Dou Huang.
"Medicine Clan, Hun Clan, Stone Clan, Spirit Clan, Yan Clan... that's practically a basketball team."
Yao Yan felt a lot of pressure, and could only joke to himself. He knew that his path had completely spiraled into darkness. Even if he wanted to walk away from this path, it would be impossible, and Hun Xuzi would never give him that chance.
Perhaps that was why Hun Xuzi wasn't worried about Yao Yan betraying him—only the Hun Clan could accept someone like him now.
The other clans would never accept a freak like Yao Yan.
"However, the Dou Emperor blood essence is indeed a wonderful thing," Yao Yan thought, feeling the changes within his body, especially the fusion heavenly flame that was gradually gaining spiritual essence. He couldn't help but feel amazed. This was the benefit of having a Dou Emperor ancestor. What others spent their entire lives chasing, the Yan clan almost had at birth.
The level of affinity for fire was quite terrifying.
Even though Yao Yan had now devoured four different types of heavenly flames, he could still enhance the fusion flame. This gave a clear indication of how profound the Yan clan's bloodline enhancement was.
It wasn't just the Yan clan; the other major Dou Emperor families were the same. They almost started at the finish line, with a little effort allowing them to surpass ordinary people, and the best among them could even be directly sent to become a Dou Sheng.
As Yao Yan focused his mind and immersed himself in the transformation within his body, he could clearly see the changes. With the full awakening of the Dou Emperor bloodlines, his blood had become something extraordinary, like a rare elixir. It emitted a hazy aura, with colorful gleams, especially when Yao Yan activated his blood force. His blood surged with vitality and energy.
His bones had now all turned to jade bones, with no sign of stopping. They emitted an aura of immortality, resonating with his flesh and continuously stimulating his physical transformation.
And this transformation was far from over. It was only a preliminary awakening after Yao Yan broke through to Dou Zong. His growth was still in high speed, and the benefits were that his strength was rapidly increasing.
Had Yao Yan not suppressed himself before, he would already be at Six-Star Dou Zong rather than Four-Star.
The speed of his Dou Qi enhancement was so fast that even Yao Yan himself was a bit stunned. All of this came from the empowerment of the multiple Dou Emperor bloodlines within him. Perhaps even without cultivating, the bloodlines alone could push him to Dou Zun.
Perhaps this was the so-called bloodline rank mentioned by the major Dou Emperor families.
The higher the bloodline density, the higher the upper limit. With just a slight push, one could break through. Those above Seventh Rank had the potential to break through to Dou Sheng, and those of Divine Rank could even break into the higher-level Dou Sheng.
"Since I can't escape, I might as well go all the way to the end and see who the final winner will be," Yao Yan thought, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes as he muttered to himself.
As Yao Yan continued to cultivate, the dark red water below him became calm again, with only the surging, immense energy pouring into his seemingly insatiable body.
...
Jin Shi and Jin Gu stood atop the volcano, enduring the intense heat. They stared at the now near-empty Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool. Since Yao Yan's breakthrough, the blood pool had returned to calm. Three days had passed, and if it weren't for the water continuing to decrease, they would have rushed down to check.
Thankfully, their waiting wasn't in vain. After another two days, a figure emerged from the depths of the pool.
"Splash~"
As the water parted, Yao Yan's tall figure appeared before Jin Shi and Jin Gu. His appearance hadn't changed much since he entered seclusion. The only difference was that he now had the power to fight in mid-air. His control over spatial force had reached an astonishing level. With a light step, a ripple formed underfoot, and in the blink of an eye, he was already at the summit.
"Whoo~"
Yao Yan stretched lazily, took a deep breath, and smiled faintly. His handsome face was filled with a gentle expression. His long black hair flowed in the wind, and his eyes were soft. There was no trace of a powerful aura around him, making him seem like an ordinary person.
But Jin Shi and Jin Gu could feel the terrifying energy hidden within Yao Yan. They exchanged a glance, both of them startled.
"Did this guy just break through to Dou Zong?" they thought.
The Golden Rat Clan had an acute sense of energy, and both of them could feel that Yao Yan's Dou Qi had reached an unimaginable level. This was far beyond what a newly-entered Dou Zong could achieve. In addition, the vitality within Yao Yan was terrifying, surpassing that of magical beasts.
"Congratulations, Young Master, on your successful breakthrough," Jin Shi swallowed nervously and was the first to break the silence, cupping his hands toward Yao Yan.
"How long have I been in seclusion?" Yao Yan asked, his voice calm.
Time flies when in seclusion, especially when going through a major breakthrough. It was normal to spend years in such a process. But with the pure energy from the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool, Yao Yan's breakthrough time should have been much shorter.
"Nearly ten months," Jin Shi replied in a very friendly tone.
"Not bad," Yao Yan nodded, then turned to look at the two men, continuing, "Have you found the information I asked about before I went into seclusion?"
"This is the information you requested," Jin Shi said, not speaking further. He simply glanced at Jin Gu, who then took out a scroll from his storage ring, smiling obsequiously as he handed it to Yao Yan. His gaze toward Yao Yan no longer had the air of looking at a junior.
"Thank you. The pills I promised you can be made at any time. Are the materials ready?" Yao Yan took the scroll, his Hun power sweeping over it as he memorized all the information. He then looked at the two men and spoke slowly.
He had no intention of breaking his promise. There was no enmity between them, and such a transaction was the best arrangement.
"They are ready. However, this matter is not urgent. Since you've just broken through, you should rest for a few days first," Jin Shi said very politely.
"No need. I'm in a hurry. Besides, refining a Seven-Star pill won't take much effort," Yao Yan said directly, his tone calm and confident. Before his breakthrough, refining a Seven-Star pill was no challenge, and now, with his new abilities, it was even easier.
With his breakthrough to Dou Zong, not only had his Dou Qi improved, but his Hun power had also evolved, multiplying several times, reaching the level of the Heavenly Realm.
With his current Hun level, even Eight-Star pills were within his grasp.
Hearing Yao Yan's confident words, Jin Shi and Jin Gu didn't dare to stop him. Jin Shi quickly took out three sets of medicinal materials from his ring and handed them to Yao Yan. As he asked Yao Yan if he needed a quiet place, Yao Yan casually took out a medicinal cauldron and waved his hand. One of the materials immediately floated into the cauldron.
"Boom~"
With a slight tremor in the air, a faintly white-hued sky-blue flame immediately rose, enveloping the hundreds of medicinal materials inside the cauldron. The terrifying heat instantly reached its peak, making the summit of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool feel like a furnace.
"Seems much simpler now~" Yao Yan also sensed the change. He suddenly realized that refining pills had become unusually easy. The flames that once required his Hun power to control now seemed to have a will of their own, perfectly in sync with his thoughts, with no barriers between them.
Even the spiritual essence of the materials was now clearer to him, every subtle change detectable through his Hun power.
This was clearly due to the Yan clan's blood essence and his Hun reaching the Heavenly Realm level.
With his current strength, Eight-Star pills were now his level of refinement, not Seven-Star pills.
This change made Yao Yan smile more deeply. He increased the firepower, starting to refine the medicinal liquid. In less than half an hour, hundreds of drops of different-colored liquid appeared in the cauldron, glittering like stars in the sky-blue flames.
Next came the pill condensation step, which before required careful control. Now, he could just mold it with his hands, as he had perfectly mastered the spirit of the liquid.
Yao Yan's casual pill refining method left Jin Shi and Jin Gu in awe. They had seen others refine Seven-Star pills, but those people were always cautious, often spending several days preparing and adjusting their state to perfect the process.
But Yao Yan, on the other hand, treated it like child's play, as though refining a Seven-Star pill was as simple as refining a low-grade one.
Yet, under his hands, the pill rapidly took shape, with a round pill appearing in the cauldron in no time, surrounded by a dark blue glow. As the flames continued to burn, the pill became more vibrant.
After another two hours, dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky above the Tianmu Mountain Range, moving toward the summit. The violent thunder energy surged, as if about to strike.
"Dan Lei?!"
Jin Shi and Jin Gu immediately understood what this meant. Before they could even be shocked, they saw a figure appear beside Yao Yan. In a flash, the figure shot into the thunderclouds like a silver streak. The speed was so fast that even Dou Zong experts would feel their scalps tingle with fear.
Jin Gu stared at the Dan Lei in the sky. After the silver figure entered, the intense Dan Lei energy quickly began to dissipate, as though something strange was devouring it.
Seven-Star Dan Lei would cause trouble even for Dou Zong experts, yet Yao Yan casually solved it with the items he pulled out.
And the speed at which he took out the item was also terrifying. If Yao Yan attacked him, Jin Gu suspected he wouldn't even be able to dodge.
"Boom~"
At the same time, the Beast Cauldron controlled by Yao Yan landed heavily. As the cauldron opened, a pill that was about to shoot into the air was sucked into his palm and tossed into a pill bottle.
"Hold it well~" Yao Yan reminded, throwing the pill to Jin Shi. He added, "The Seven-Star Youquan Pill's power is extremely cold. When refining it, it's best not to stay near the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool, as it could easily cause a backlash. Even if it's not life-threatening, it's still troublesome. It's better to consume it in a place with little heavenly energy."
"Thank you!" Jin Shi, unable to care about the Dan Lei any longer, caught the pill and smiled in delight, cupping his hands in thanks. "If the Young Master ever needs anything from the Golden Rat Clan, feel free to ask. As long as we can do it, we won't refuse."
"I've set up a force in the Black Corner Domain called Tianting. If any members of your clan are there, feel free to cooperate with them," Yao Yan said without refusal.
"No problem. Though our Golden Rat Clan isn't strong, in terms of numbers, we are definitely one of the top clans on the continent. Even in the Black Corner Domain, I have members of my clan," Jin Shi replied happily.
He could already feel Yao Yan's monstrous talent. With such a terrifying young man, backed by Pill Master, he would definitely be a Dou Zun in the future. Building a good relationship with him was only beneficial for the Golden Rat Clan.
"Rest assured, I will personally handle this matter," Jin Gu added, directly guaranteeing it. He knew this was the Golden Rat Clan's opportunity. In the past, powerful experts had always looked down on the Golden Rat Clan, but now, with Yao Yan's influence, they could take the clan to the next level.
As for their own breakthrough to Dou Zun… The magical beast bloodline was always a great limitation. The Golden Rat Clan's bloodline had almost reached its peak at Dou Zong. The clan leader, Jin Shi, had only managed to reach Six-Star Dou Zong by risking using the power from the bottom of the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool. Dou Zun was far out of reach.
Now, having the chance to befriend someone like Yao Yan was not an opportunity to pass up.
"Thank you, and if there's anything in the future, you can find me at the Starfall Pavilion," Yao Yan said with a smile, bowing his hands before collecting the Beast Cauldron into his storage ring.
At the same time.
The Dan Lei in the sky completely dissipated, and a figure radiating with thunderous energy appeared before everyone's eyes.
"Now that everything is over, I'll take my leave," Yao Yan said, nodding to the two of them. He stepped on the void, and in the blink of an eye, was already high in the sky. With another flash, he had disappeared into the distant horizon.
"What a terrifying talent…" Jin Shi watched Yao Yan leave, a mix of envy and complexity in his eyes.
"Indeed, it's terrifying. How many years has it been since such a monster appeared in the Central Plains? I'd say only the major Dou Emperor families could produce such a prodigy... By the way, he seems to come from the Medicine Clan. Could it be that the Medicine Clan deliberately sent him out for training?" Jin Gu's eyes flickered as he speculated.
"It's hard to say… but no matter his identity, making good relations with him will only benefit our Golden Rat Clan," Jin Shi said solemnly.
"True," Jin Gu said, staring at the now-empty Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool. His voice was quiet as he muttered, "This is really quite something."
(END CHAPTER)
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