People fight and become emperors in advance

Chapter 300: The Five-Wheel Fire Technique!
In the first level, the Soul Illusion, illusions can be created based on one's thoughts.

This is a rather dangerous test for alchemists whose mental state is skewed and whose soul power is not strong enough. If they are not careful, they will fall into it and find it difficult to extricate themselves.

But for those alchemists with powerful soul strength, this hurdle was no challenge at all. The so-called illusions were nothing but clumsy imitations, full of flaws, and not enough to stop them.

Chen Xiao and his group sat on the high platform, and with their powerful soul perception, they were able to take in the entire scene of this level.

They could see that outstanding individuals like Cao Ying and Dan Chen moved with ease, without pausing at all. Even Gu He, the Dan King of the Jia Ma Empire, passed through this hurdle with relative ease.

"With very few exceptions, almost all alchemists of rank six and above have passed this test. That's right, the number of people who passed this year is nearly 30% higher than the previous year!"

Turning his gaze away from the Soul Illusion Realm level, Xuan Kongzi nodded slightly, quite satisfied with the result.

"It's fortunate that this test was conducted right under our noses, with no casualties. However, in the upcoming Pill Realm assessment, deaths and injuries are inevitable," Xuan Yi sighed softly from the side.

The great waves wash away the sand, and this is an inevitable process.

Even without any of the Soul Hall's spies secretly using underhanded tactics, casualties were still unavoidable.

After all, it's never uncommon for alchemists to fight each other over a high-grade medicinal herb.

Not to mention that the Pill Realm is also home to many magical beasts, which is also a danger.

Xuan Kongzi nodded slightly, then turned to look at Chen Xiao, who was playing with his daughter.

"Teacher, please rest assured. The skirmishes in the Pill Realm are just minor skirmishes. I will take action when necessary. Also, please be prepared. Those powerful figures who escaped from the Soul Palace back then will probably not miss this opportunity to take revenge on the Pill Tower. We need to think ahead about how to evacuate the crowd."

Before Xuan Kongzi could speak, Chen Xiao spoke up to remind him.

His personal visit to the Pill Tower this time was not just to accompany Cao Ying, nor was it merely to make a brief appearance at the Pill Gathering; his main purpose was to guard against Hun Miesheng and his group.

In the original timeline, the Soul Hall caused a lot of trouble at the Pill Gathering, almost leading to a major disaster. Now that the Soul Hall has been officially removed from the list, if it wants to retaliate against the Pill Tower, it will inevitably act even more unscrupulously and recklessly.

Xuan Kongzi nodded slightly, his voice ringing in Chen Xiao's ears.

"If I were a member of the Soul Palace, I wouldn't let this opportunity to attack the Pill Tower slip by either. The elders of the Little Pill Tower are already on high alert."

...

the other side.

After passing through the illusionary realm, Cao Ying and the other alchemists arrived at a rather spacious open space to wait.

The space around the open space was distorted and twisted, with a huge spatial black hole about ten feet in size standing out prominently—that was the entrance to the passage to the Pill Realm.

At this moment, the spacious open space was already crowded with people, and in front of the passage, an elderly man with white hair, dressed in ordinary clothes and looking like an old farmer, sat quietly cross-legged.

Judging from the badge on the old man's chest, he was clearly an elder of the Pill Tower. However, it was hard for even an ordinary alchemist like Cao Ying, who was a disciple of Xuan Kongzi and had studied in the Pill Tower for many years, to know when such a person had appeared in the Pill Tower.

She had never seen this elder before!
Moreover, in her perception, this old man's strength was unfathomable, seemingly even more terrifying than the three giants!
"Little Pill Tower... It seems this Pill Gathering will not be peaceful."

After a moment's thought, Cao Ying began to make some guesses about the old man's identity, and from these subtle details, she could anticipate quite a few things.

As Cao Ying was sizing up the old man, the old man, who had been dozing, suddenly opened his eyes, met Cao Ying's gaze, and nodded kindly, as if he had heard of her before.

Immediately, the old man looked around and said weakly, "The time has come. You may enter the Pill Realm. Everyone who enters, come here to receive a task list, a map of the Pill Realm, and a space stone. The list contains the medicinal herbs you must find inside. Only by collecting all the herbs on the list can you successfully pass this test."

"The purpose of the map is self-evident. It shows the exit of the Pill Realm. Once you have collected all the medicinal herbs, you can head there."

"As for the space stone, it is for saving your life. If you encounter an insurmountable danger, you can crush the space stone and you will be automatically sent out of the Pill Realm. However, crushing the space stone also means that you have lost the qualification to continue participating in the competition."

The old man paused for a moment, then continued, "Due to its dilapidated state, the Pill Realm is not suitable for long-term stays. Therefore, you only have ten days to search for the medicinal herbs needed for the mission."

"Furthermore, although the Pill Realm is not suitable for human habitation, it is a paradise for some magical beasts. After years of breeding, some magical beasts in the Pill Realm are quite powerful. If you encounter them, you'd better pray for good fortune. As alchemists, how to protect your lives is the first thing you should consider throughout your lives."

Hearing the old man's words, many alchemists looked at each other in bewilderment.

For a long time, many alchemists have believed that they hold an extremely high and superior status, and that they are either showing off or on their way to showing off.

The old man's ideas at this moment were truly novel.

"Alright, those who are mentally prepared, come up and collect your items. If you want to back out, this is your last chance."

No one chose to back down. Having made it this far and passed the first hurdle, everyone present was quite capable. How could they be scared away by his words?

"I'll come first!"

Not long after the old man finished speaking, a middle-aged man dressed in an alchemist's robe stood up expressionlessly, walked up to the old man, took the item, and stepped into the slowly rotating spatial passage, disappearing from sight.

Once someone took the lead, the group of alchemists followed suit, stepping forward one after another, taking the items, and nimbly entering the spatial passage.

After about a hundred people entered the spatial passage, Cao Ying did not hesitate. With a wave of her jade hand, she led the group of alchemists from the Zixiao Pavilion's Pill Hall forward.

"Within the Pill Realm, there are no restrictions on forming teams, but having more people is not necessarily a good thing. You will be more likely to be targeted by magical beasts and other people."

Seeing Cao Ying lead her people forward, the old man spoke up, also as a reminder to those who had not yet set off.

Whether traveling alone or in a group, there are both advantages and disadvantages.

Cao Ying nodded slightly and smiled, "Thank you for the reminder, Elder. However, I am not good at killing. Without anyone's help, I won't go far in the Pill Realm."

The old man glanced at Cao Ying, sensing her strength, and was speechless.

Cao Ying smiled, took two steps forward, took the item from the old man's hand, and then put it into her storage ring before leading the man into the spatial passage.

...

This is a damp valley with a babbling stream and lush trees on both sides, exuding vitality and life.

The void suddenly rippled, and then figures flashed out from within it.

After quickly surveying their surroundings, a handsome young man dressed in a seventh-grade alchemist's robe looked at the woman at the front of the group and asked, "Master, how shall we proceed?"

The speaker was Cao Dan. Because of his age, even Cao Ying would have to call him "elder brother" if they were in the Cao family.

This also applies to Cao Xiu in the team.

Of course, given Cao Ying's current status and position, and with so many people from the Pill Hall around, Cao Dan and Cao Xiu address Cao Ying as "Hall Master" when they are working together.

Cao Ying didn't rush to answer. She took out a map of the Pill Realm from her storage ring and carefully compared it to the map to determine her location.

"It seems we're not very lucky. We've been teleported to the Silent Valley on the edge of the Pill Realm. To get to the Myriad Medicine Mountains, we'd practically have to cross the entire Pill Realm."

"The Ten Thousand Herbs Mountain Range? Although that mountain range is rich in medicinal resources, it seems a bit wasteful for us to travel so far to collect medicinal herbs."

As one of the five major families in the Pill Domain, although they had never been to the Pill Realm, they still knew quite a bit about it and knew which places had the best resources.

Cao Ying shook her head slightly and said, "It's not just about collecting medicinal herbs. My husband... the Pavilion Master gave me a task in private. There is a beast king in the Ten Thousand Herbs Mountain Range that has some connection with the ancient dragon clan. I can take this opportunity to bring it out."

"In addition, we can collect medicinal herbs along the way. By the time we reach the Ten Thousand Herbs Mountain Range, we should have collected at least 80% of them. The rest can be supplemented from the Beast King's collection. At the very least, it knows more about the alchemy world than we do."

"I see, then let's set off!" Hearing that it was the Pavilion Master's idea, the group had no more doubts.

Since we're going to collect medicinal herbs anyway, why not pick up a beast king along the way?
Chen Xiao had only thought of this matter a few days ago, which is why he mentioned it to Cao Ying.

No one would complain about their forces growing stronger, and Chen Xiao was no exception.

An eighth-tier magical beast might be of little use to him now, but in the Central Plains, it would still be a considerable fighting force.

Having decided on their direction, the group did not hesitate and immediately soared into the sky, heading towards the Ten Thousand Medicines Mountain Range.

As they sped along, Cao Ying would occasionally stop to collect medicinal herbs that some members of the group needed.

And so, after going around in circles for three days, the group was finally able to catch a glimpse of the majestic mountain range in the distance.

The name "Ten Thousand Medicines Mountain Range" alone reveals the extraordinary nature of this mountain range. The energy of this mountain range is extremely concentrated, as if the energy of heaven and earth in the entire alchemy world has gathered here, thus forming the most suitable environment for the growth of medicinal herbs.

The entire mountain range resembles a giant dragon, winding and coiling. The air above the mountain range is filled with mist formed by dense energy, making it impossible to see the scene inside clearly. However, one can hear the continuous roars of beasts from time to time, filled with violence.

"Named after all medicines, it's truly extraordinary!"

Among the group, an alchemist exclaimed in amazement.

Cao Ying nodded slightly, and was about to order them to continue moving when a thought suddenly struck her, and her gaze abruptly turned to a basin at the foot of the mountain.

Suddenly, an extremely violent energy fluctuation erupted there. This fluctuation was not an ordinary energy fluctuation, but rather seemed to be caused by a battle of fighting spirits.

"Someone's fighting, and they're quite strong... It's Dan Chen and her group!"

Sensing this fluctuation, Cao Ying frowned slightly.

She didn't want to meddle, but upon closer inspection, she sensed several familiar auras.

Cao Ying had long harbored the idea of ​​bringing Dan Chen to Zixiao Pavilion, but she had never had the opportunity.

"Let's go and have a look!"

After a moment's thought, Cao Ying made her decision and took the lead in rushing towards the source of the energy fluctuations.

Cao Xiu, Cao Dan, and others followed closely behind.

Concealing their presence, the group quietly slipped into the basin in just over ten breaths, landing on branches covered with lush foliage, their eyes peering through the gaps in the leaves.

With the help of the dim light, Cao Ying quickly spotted nearly a hundred people gathered in a small basin not far away.

Among the crowd were Dan Chen, Song Qing, Xiao Yan, and others!
Above the crowd, three men shrouded in black robes surrounded them in a triangular formation, as if herding a flock of sheep.

"Three three-star Dou Zun..."

Cao Ying's beautiful eyes flickered slightly as she sized up the three men in black robes.

She already knew from Chen Xiao that there was a high chance that the Soul Palace's stragglers would come to cause trouble at this Pill Gathering, but she didn't expect to run into them so soon.

Moreover, they are three three-star Dou Zun!
One of them even reached the peak of the three-star Dou Zun, only one step away from the four-star level.

"Master, the space ahead is blocked by a soul barrier. Those three men in black robes probably intend to kill Dan Chen and the others!" Cao Dan transmitted his voice with a solemn expression upon noticing the anomaly in the space.

Cao Ying naturally understood this point. After a moment's thought, she waved to Cao Dan and the others, signaling them to retreat first.

She could recognize that more than half of the hundreds of people were the best alchemists participating in the alchemy competition.

Aside from Dan Chen, Xiao Yan, and others, there are quite a few other disciples of the Pill Tower.

If the Soul Palace succeeds, the losses for this year's Pill Gathering will be enormous, and it will also be a huge blow to the reputation of the Pill Tower.

As a disciple of Xuan Kongzi, although he is no longer in the Pill Tower, Cao Ying does not want to see this happen.

Seeing that Cao Ying's expression was serious but not tense, Cao Dan, Cao Xiu, and the others nodded and silently retreated to the back.

However, even though they tried to hide, as the distance between them and Cao Ying gradually increased, their concealment methods were instantly exposed.

"Hehehe, I didn't expect there were still people hiding in the shadows. Now that you're here, you're not leaving!"

High in the sky, a man in black robes shouted and raised his hand, sending a huge palm print hurtling towards Cao Dan and the others.

"Soul Profound Seal Palm!"

Just then, a delicate shout rang out, followed by an invisible and intangible soul handprint that appeared out of thin air, fiercely meeting the giant palm. In a deafening roar, both dissipated.

In the aftershocks, the dense thicket where Cao Ying was located was instantly flattened, and without the debris to conceal her figure, she appeared in everyone's sight.

"is her!"

"Cao Ying!!"

Dan Chen looked bewildered in the crowd.

When Song Qing, Xiao Yan, and the others saw Cao Ying appear, the tension on their faces eased somewhat.

Clearly, they all knew that this Cao family enchantress, who was not much older than them, was no longer on the same level as them.

None of them knew how strong Cao Ying was right now.

However, they were certain that as one of the wives of the Zixiao Pavilion Master, Cao Ying had quite a few trump cards up her sleeve, and it was highly unlikely that three three-star Dou Zun could threaten her.

Cao Ying is here, my life is in danger!

"Hehehe, what an unexpected surprise! I've been searching for you in the Pill Realm for three days without any results. I never expected that you would walk right into my trap. I imagine that if you were to perish in this Pill Realm, both the Pavilion Master of Zixiao Pavilion and Xuan Kongzi would be furious, wouldn't they?"

Upon seeing Cao Ying appear, the old man Mu Gu, who was hiding under the black robe, became excited.

During this trip to the Pill Realm, he had only two targets that he valued most.

One of them is Xiao Yan, a disciple of Yao Chen.

Secondly, there is Cao Ying!
He knew, of course, that Cao Ying must have some trump cards up her sleeve.

However, Elder Mu Gu was not unprepared either.

Otherwise, given Xiao Yan's slippery nature, how could he have been forced to this point?

Realizing that Elder Mu Gu also harbored ill intentions towards her, Cao Ying's eyes turned completely cold.

"A few remnants of the Soul Hall, you think you can disrupt the Pill Gathering? You think you can kill me? How utterly laughable!"

"Five-round fire-living method!"

(End of this chapter)