Breaking the Masked Man

A tiny figure appeared in mid-air. Facing the massive seven-colored thundercloud, the ancient voice simply raised its hand. Instantly, an invisible energy palm print shattered a large area of ​​thundercloud, leaving a palm print on the thundercloud. The terrifying residual power tore apart the surrounding thundercloud, revealing the azure sky.

The so-called power of heaven and earth is nothing in front of this true powerhouse.

The bright sunshine shone down once again.

The old man stood with his hands behind his back, slowly floating down and landing steadily in front of Yao Yan. His expression seemed extremely satisfied with Yao Yan. Without giving anyone else a chance to speak, he directly took Yao Yan and disappeared from the spot. (End of this chapter)

Chapter 228 The Tai Xuan Jing

Who was that person just now?!

Everyone stared in disbelief at the spot where Yao Yan and the old man had disappeared. The Cao family patriarch and the Song family patriarch were the most shocked, as they had not expected that Yao Yan had alarmed the Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower, whom they had only met once.

"This kid is going to cause a huge uproar!" The Song family patriarch's lips moved, his voice trembling slightly, showing how turbulent his emotions were at that moment.

He had been an alchemist for hundreds of years, yet now he was not even as good as a child in his early twenties. This feeling was indescribable. When did alchemy become so easy?

The Cao family patriarch didn't speak, but patted Cao Ying's head and said slowly, "Ying'er, let's go back."

The matter has come to an end. The young man has also been valued by the Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower. At this point, even if the five major families have some thoughts, they cannot change anything. In the Dou Qi Continent, strength ultimately speaks. The Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower is a Dou Sheng-level existence. Facing such an existence, their petty thoughts will only make them a laughing stock.

Cao Ying nodded, but her eyes remained fixed on the spot where Yao Yan had just refined the pills, as if she couldn't forget that figure.

At the same time, the quiet square suddenly became noisy.

The topic of discussion among everyone was Yao Yan. Some even felt sorry for him, saying that if he had been born a decade or two earlier, he would have been the champion of the previous Alchemy Tournament. In fact, Yao Yan could have won the championship with an overwhelming advantage and broken the record set by Yao Lao.

There are still more than ten years until the next Alchemy Conference. By then, Yao Yan's alchemy skills will surely have reached a new level. At that time, it is unlikely that he will be able to compete against a group of 'kids'.

Although there is no age limit for the Pill Gathering, most of the alchemy masters above the eighth rank will not participate.

After all, alchemy masters like these all have a sense of pride.

These are all prominent figures; who would want to compete with a group of seventh-grade alchemists in alchemy?

However, that's a matter for the future. One thing everyone can be sure of is that the name Yao Yan will resound throughout the entire Central Plains!

……

the other side.

Led by the old man, Yao Yan arrived at a rustic courtyard. The interior was arranged like a rural courtyard, and there was even a vegetable garden. However, what was planted there were not vegetables for eating, but some extremely precious natural treasures. The leaves of the treasures were shimmering and magical.

It's hard to imagine that someone could grow so many rare and precious materials together; it's simply unbelievable.

"Don't be curious. Once you reach my level of strength, you will naturally find that things that were difficult to do in the past will become simple now," the old man explained, noticing Yao Yan's curiosity.

Upon hearing this, Yao Yan bowed respectfully to the old man and asked, "May I ask who you are?"

"I almost forgot to tell you, I am the Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower, surnamed Lin. However, this title of Grand Elder is just that—a title. I haven't been involved in affairs for a long time. I only took action this time because I was amazed by your talent, young man." Elder Lin stroked his white beard, looking at Yao Yan with a hint of appreciation in his eyes.

He had seen many gifted young people over the past thousand years, but this was undoubtedly the first time he had ever seen someone with talent reaching the level of Yao Yan.

To possess Heavenly Realm level soul power in one's early twenties, even though it's only the initial stage, is still extremely terrifying. After all, the difficulty of advancing soul power is far greater than that of battle qi. Most alchemists are already very successful if they can reach the Spirit Realm and then try to refine eighth-grade pills.

The Heavenly Realm... In theory, this is already a ticket to becoming a ninth-grade alchemy master.

As for whether one can become a true ninth-grade alchemy master, that depends on whether one's strength can reach the level of a Dou Sheng. This is because refining ninth-grade pills is completely different from refining eighth-grade pills. The amount of spiritual energy from heaven and earth that needs to be absorbed is enormous. Without the strength of a Dou Sheng, one simply cannot sustain the process.

Yao Yan's talent in fighting spirit is also quite strong, and his physical body is incredibly powerful.

"This junior greets the Grand Elder." Upon hearing this, Yao Yan understood and respectfully bowed.

"There's no need for that. I'm too old for such things." Elder Lin chuckled and raised his hand to support Yao Yan, an invisible force lifting him up. He continued, "Are you a member of the Medicine Clan? May I ask who your teacher is in the Medicine Clan?"

Upon hearing this, Yao Yan felt a pang of anxiety. He knew very well that his teacher in the Yao Clan was not someone to be trifled with, especially Elder Lin, a powerful figure who had already reached the Dou Sheng level. If Elder Lin wanted to investigate, he could definitely find out everything about Yao Yan in the Yao Clan.

The other party even knew some of the Dou Sheng from the Medicine Clan...

"I studied at the clan school for a period of time, and later became a disciple of the herbalist." Yao Yan dared not lie and could only tell the truth.

"Medicinal herb farmer?"

Elder Lin's eyes revealed a hint of doubt. Is there anyone among the Medicine Clan's Battle Saints called Medicine Farmer?

In his view, the teacher who could cultivate such a disciple must also be a Dou Sheng powerhouse. Otherwise, how could Yao Yan have easily escaped from the Medicine Realm after committing such a crime? Those Dou Di families have extremely strict control over bloodlines. How could they allow a child with strong bloodline power to wander outside?

I thought about it.

Elder Lin stopped thinking about it and said softly, "Xuan Kongzi has already told me about the Medicine Clan. If they come to cause you trouble, I can help you fend them off. You don't need to worry about anything. I still have that much face to give them."

Yao Yan had no doubt about the face of a Dou Sheng powerhouse. At this level, they rarely made a move, and even the Soul Palace or the Soul Clan were extremely restrained in this regard.

The battles between Dou Sheng are not like those between Dou Zun; they are truly earth-shattering, capable of easily destroying a country or an entire region.

If a powerhouse of this caliber were to act recklessly, the entire Central Plains would be annihilated.

"Thank you, Elder!" Yao Yan said softly, a hint of joy on her face.

"Actually, there's no need for me to take action. If Yao Chen succeeds this time, he should be able to reach this level. In the past, he just lacked an opportunity. If he had been willing to join the Pill Tower back then, he wouldn't have had to wait until today." Elder Lin's gaze seemed to pierce through many spaces, directly seeing Yao Chen who was in seclusion. His tone was tinged with regret as he spoke slowly.

Yao Chen possessed exceptional talent, even in cultivation. Unfortunately, he was too unrestrained and unconventional, preferring freedom and unwilling to be bound, which delayed his development by too much.

If he had been willing to join the Pill Tower and become one of the three giants back then, nearly four hundred years would have been enough for him to step into the Dou Sheng realm.

In terms of talent alone, the opponent is even superior to Xuan Kongzi and others.

Unfortunately, sometimes choice is more important than anything else.

Without the support of a powerful force, obtaining a Heaven-rank cultivation technique on one's own is practically a pipe dream.

Yao Yan had no doubts about Elder Lin's words and stood obediently to the side, listening quietly.

There was a pause.

Elder Lin looked at Yao Yan and continued, "What are your thoughts on the Yao Clan?"

Yao Yan was silent for a moment before replying: "The Yao Clan has a debt of gratitude to me for raising me... When I was young, both my parents died. If it weren't for the Yao Clan raising me, I probably wouldn't have grown up. Even my skills are largely due to the Yao Clan."

"If you can see these things clearly, there's no need for me to say anything more. Your life has just begun, so don't let these things bother you." Elder Lin nodded upon hearing this, and then took out a purplish-black jade slip from his storage ring and handed it to Yao Yan.

"This is a soul cultivation technique that can strengthen the soul. Consider it a gift from me."

Yao Yan was surprised by this unexpected joy. He accepted the gift with both hands and respectfully thanked the elder, saying, "Thank you very much, Elder."

"Cultivate diligently~" Elder Lin smiled.

As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and waved it. An invisible spatial force instantly enveloped Yao Yan, and the next moment, Yao Yan disappeared from the spot.

Wait until they leave.

Elder Lin then gave his evaluation: "A promising little fellow, I hope you can bring me some surprises."

……

Yao Yan felt a blur before his eyes, and when he reappeared, he was already standing in the Pill Realm. He was stunned for a moment, then looked at the scroll in his hand, a smile appearing on his lips. He thought to himself, "As expected of the Grand Elder of the Pill Tower, he is so generous."

A soul cultivation technique that can be treasured by a Dou Sheng powerhouse must be of a high grade, especially since the other party knows that his soul level has already entered the Heavenly Realm.

The cultivation technique that Hunxuzi taught him back then was no longer sufficient, and this scroll of technique is just the right one to continue his progress.

To be honest, Hun Xuzi is really unreliable.

He smiled and shook his head, solemnly placing the soul cultivation technique into his storage ring. After determining the location, he flew towards the small forest dwelling in black robes, disappearing into the horizon in a flash.

. . . . . . . .

Danjie, a small courtyard in a bamboo grove.

Yao Yan changed into the unique attire of the Pill Tower, a black and gold robe that accentuated his noble air. The eight pill-patterned badge on his chest further highlighted his status. This badge was only worn by eighth-grade alchemists, and the back of the badge also represented the Pill Tower.

"Big brother, you look so good in this outfit!" Zi Yan exclaimed, clapping her hands as her eyes sparkled.

“It’s really good… Young people look much better in it than those old men.” Xuan Yi nodded and said from the side, looking at Yao Yan with increasing appreciation.

As for Xuan Kongzi on the side, he was rendered speechless by Xuan Yi's words.

"Ahem, Yao Yan, what are your plans next?" He coughed lightly after a moment and asked.

"I'll be in seclusion for a while. The Grand Elder gave me a scroll of soul cultivation techniques, and I plan to practice it for a bit. Once I've succeeded, I'll consider other things." After Yao Yan finished speaking, he looked at Zi Yan and reached out to rub her head.

“Cultivate diligently. When you are confident, you can try to subdue the Three Thousand Flames… However, that beast has a terrible temper. If you are not strong enough, do not take the risk,” Xuan Kongzi warned.

The Three Thousand Burning Flames have existed in the starry sky above Saint Pill City for thousands of years. The power it has accumulated is extremely terrifying. Once it is fully unleashed, even Xuan Kongzi would not be able to withstand it.

In the past, the methods of subduing the flames mostly relied on luck, depending on whether the Three Thousand Burning Flames were willing to follow someone.

It has to be said that this method is quite foolish.

"Mm." Yao Yan nodded.

After giving his instructions, Xuan Kongzi turned and left. As the apparent leader of the Pill Tower, he had a lot to deal with every day. In particular, the appearance of Yao Yan had made Saint Pill City quite lively recently, with many demons and monsters jumping out.

"It's good that you're in seclusion for a while. Wait until things calm down a bit before you go out," Xuan Yi said softly, looking at Yao Yan with gentle eyes.

"I'll listen to Aunt Xuan," Yao Yan replied obediently.

……

In the secret room.

Yao Yan took out the Heavenly Demon Puppet. The Heavenly Demon Puppet had now completely turned dark gold. The lightning power within its body had been completely digested, and its body had become exceptionally strong. Its skin had become elastic, instead of being as hard as before. However, its toughness was far greater than before.

"boom!"

Yao Yan clenched his fist and swung it out with all his might, slamming it heavily into the chest of the Heavenly Demon Puppet. The terrifying power directly stirred up the surrounding air currents.