While in Battle Through the Heavens, one can pre-appoint oneself as an emperor.

Chapter 357 The Power of Heaven and Earth, Heed My Command

"Medicine dust? Heh."

Seeing Yao Chen step forward, Hun Xuzi's lips curled into a cold smile, his laughter full of disdain and mockery: "If you hadn't wasted so many years, you might have been able to spout some arrogant words in front of me, but now? Even if you were lucky enough to reach the Dou Sheng realm, in my eyes you wouldn't pose the slightest threat."

As soon as he finished speaking, Hun Xuzi, too lazy to waste any more words, flicked his wide sleeves!

boom!

In an instant, endless black flames surged out from his body, like an inky tsunami sweeping across the sky and turning the entire sky pitch black.

As the black flames surged, they frantically coalesced in the void before him, transforming in just a few breaths into a colossal fire cauldron hundreds of feet tall. The cauldron was shrouded in eerie black light, and a chilling devouring power was continuously emanating from it, as if it would devour even the surrounding space.

"Void Devouring Flames!"

Gazing at the enormous fire cauldron formed from pitch-black flames, Yao Chen, Elder Wan Huo, and Shennong Laoren's pupils suddenly contracted, their expressions turning solemn.

The old man Shennong frowned, his gaze fixed on the black cauldron emanating an eerie aura, and said in a deep voice, "This kind of top-tier strange fire is said to be able to devour all things and refine heaven and earth, how could it fall into the hands of the Soul Clan—"

As a leading figure in the world of alchemy, he knew better than anyone the terrifying power of the Void Devouring Flame, and his heart was filled with turmoil.

Seeing the dramatic change in the expressions of the three, Hun Xuzi's smile grew even more amused, his tone filled with undisguised greed and provocation: "The three of you, why don't you summon the different flames you each control? My Void Devouring Flame has long been drooling over the aura of its own kind."

"A mere wisp of Void Devouring Flame can make you so arrogant?" Yao Chen slowly took a breath, his voice calm yet penetrating, revealing the true nature of the black flame.

However, even though he had seen through the origin, he was not relaxed in the slightest.

Although Hun Xuzi's arrogant words were harsh, they were undeniable facts.

The current Soul Void Child is far superior to me in every aspect, including cultivation level, the grade of the strange fire, and so on.

However, alchemy is never simply a competition of resources and techniques. Yao Chen was quite confident in his alchemy skills, which he had been honed over decades.

Upon hearing Yao Chen's words, Hun Xuzi narrowed his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them. He hadn't expected Yao Chen to be able to see through Zi Huo's true nature at a glance.

But his surprise vanished in an instant, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips: "You can recognize the Void Devouring Flame, so you do have some knowledge. Unfortunately, you only know one aspect and not the other."

The Void Devouring Flame is inherently mysterious and unpredictable, and few in the world know its secrets.

Even the sub-fire of the Void Devouring Flame is actually divided into different grades.

Above ordinary sub-fires, there exists an extremely rare "Heaven and Earth Sub-fire," which is the pinnacle of sub-fires.

And the one in Hunxuzi's hand is the Earth Fire!

This earth fire can be considered a nascent form of the Void Devouring Flame. Its devouring power and refining might far surpass the ordinary earth fire in Hun Miesheng's hands back then; the two are worlds apart.

However, this sub-fire also has a fatal flaw. Once the mother body of the Void Devouring Flame is severely damaged, all the sub-fires connected to it will automatically disintegrate and turn into primordial power to return to the mother body and make up for the damage.

Such a secret was something that even experienced elders like Yao Chen and Shennong had never heard of.

Therefore, Yao Chen could only recognize that this was the Void Devouring Flame Sub-Fire, but he had no idea that it was actually a high-grade Earth Sub-Fire among Sub-Fires, let alone its fatal weakness.

"Pretentious and affected—"

Yao Chen snorted coldly, and with a flick of his palm, a blazing white flame erupted from his body without warning.

As soon as the flames appeared, the surrounding air suddenly cooled down. The scorching world that was originally shrouded in black flames was instantly filled with a chill, and even the void condensed into a thin layer of ice crystals.

This is the Bone Spirit Cold Flame!

When Yao Chen was kidnapped by the Soul Palace, he gave this fire to Xiao Yan.

However, Xiao Yan only grasped it and could use it at will, but he did not completely devour and refine it.

Xiao Yan knew very well that his teacher valued the Pharmacopoeia highly, which was why he returned the Bone Spirit Cold Flame to its rightful owner.

Above the void, amidst the churning white flames, a fiery ice dragon tens of feet long was formed. Its head was raised high, and its icy white scales shimmered with a chilling luster against the dark sky. Wisps of white mist spewed from its mouth, forming a stark contrast with the black fire cauldron of Soul Void, which contained domineering devouring power.

Yao Chen formed a hand seal with his fingertips and uttered in a deep voice, "Bone Spirit Cold Fire, condense!"

hum!

The Ice-Fire Dragon let out a clear and melodious roar, its body suddenly shrinking, and then condensing into a half-zhang-tall ice crystal fire cauldron in front of Yao Chen.

On the body of the cauldron, ice and fire patterns intertwine and entwine, one side radiating extreme cold that freezes all things, and the other side surging with raging flames that can burn mountains and boil seas. The two extreme powers are perfectly integrated, radiating waves of terrifying pressure.

"The Bone Spirit Cold Flame only reveals its true divine power in the hands of the master, and it is completely different from when I used to wield it."

Looking at the Ice Crystal Fire Cauldron high in the sky, awe-inspiring and imposing, Xiao Yan couldn't help but feel a surge of heartfelt emotion.

Yao Chen's control over the strange fire had long since reached a level of perfection. His ability to perfectly fuse the extreme cold and blazing flames of the Bone Spirit Cold Fire was something he could never achieve.

As his thoughts raced, Xiao Yan suddenly remembered something.

Besides his own teacher, the Pavilion Master of Zixiao Pavilion also controls a Bone Spirit Cold Flame!

Given that person's level of strength, if they were to unleash the Bone Spirit Flame at full power, who knows what kind of awe-inspiring spectacle they would display?

As he pondered this, Xiao Yan quickly scanned the surrounding crowd, but still couldn't find any trace of Chen Xiao.

This result was exactly what he expected.

Although he was certain that Chen Xiao had also arrived, there were many top experts at the Dou Sheng level present, as well as the patriarch of an ancient race like Yao Dan, who was also present. Even they had failed to detect Chen Xiao's aura, so with his current cultivation level, he naturally had no way of sensing his presence.

"Don't waste your energy."

Xiao Chen's voice suddenly rang out, as if it pierced through the void and entered Xiao Yan's ears, just as he had suspected: "If the Pavilion Master and the others do not show themselves, even if they are standing right under the nose of the Medicine Clan Chief, this Medicine Clan Chief will not be able to detect the slightest aura."

"In the current continent, apart from the Pavilion Master, there are only five Nine-Star Dou Shengs, and there are only three who can truly make the Pavilion Master somewhat wary."

These few words, however brief, exploded in Xiao Yan's mind like a thunderclap. The sheer amount of information they contained caused him to tremble instantly, his mouth agape involuntarily, momentarily speechless.

Seeing Xiao Yan's shocked expression, Xiao Chen didn't think anything was wrong.

He was able to know these secrets thanks to the years he spent on Dragon Island.

When he first heard about it, his reaction was probably not much better than Xiao Yan's at this moment.

Knowing all this, Xiao Chen, though eager to see Xiao Xuan and hating the Soul Clan to the bone and desiring revenge, never once had the slightest thought of disobeying Chen Xiao's arrangements.

After all, with two nine-star Dou Sheng on Dragon Island, any action he took on his own initiative would ultimately be nothing more than a futile and useless attempt.

The chatter from the crowd below continued unabated, but the contest high above never ceased.

"You want to devour our strange flames? We'll see if you have the ability!"

Elder Wanhuo let out a cold snort, and with a sudden flick of his sleeve, a gust of dark wind howled out from his sleeve, churning wildly in mid-air.

The black gale, though seemingly just wind, actually conceals a mystery. Upon closer inspection, one discovers that the so-called "gale" is actually composed of countless tiny flames interwoven together.

This fire is none other than the Nine Nether Wind Flame, ranked tenth on the Strange Flame List!

"It's actually the Nine Netherworld Wind Flame!"

As soon as the strange fire appeared, the many alchemists below exclaimed in unison, their eyes filled with shock.

"Hehe, old man Wanhuo, your mastery of the Nine Nether Wind Flame is becoming more and more refined."

Seeing Elder Wanhuo unleash his extraordinary fire, the old man Shennong laughed heartily, lightly tapping the air with his cane covered in medicinal patterns, and said with a smile, "Since that's the case, I'll also join in the fun and make a fool of myself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, something unexpected happened!

Suddenly, the herb-carrying staff in Shennong's hand spontaneously combusted, and a wisp of liquid green flame, as green as jade, slowly rose. As soon as it appeared, it swelled in the wind and instantly transformed into a boundless green sea of ​​fire.

Amidst the churning flames, layers of mist rose upwards, and within the mist, countless exotic flowers and plants miraculously grew and bloomed, exuding a rich and breathtaking aura of life.

This strange fire stands in stark contrast to the chilling cold of the Nine Nether Wind Flame, the terrifying devouring power of the Void Devouring Flame, and the extreme cold and heat of the Bone Spirit Cold Fire.

"Could this be—the Life Flame, ranked fifth on the Strange Flame Ranking?!"

Gazing at the boundless, vibrant life that seemed to dye the entire world a deep emerald, even Zhu Hong below couldn't hide a hint of astonishment in his eyes.

The Flame of Life ranks fifth on the list of strange flames, making it an anomaly among strange flames.

The vast majority of the strange flames on the Strange Flame Ranking, regardless of their changing forms, all possess the core power of destruction, capable of burning mountains, boiling seas, and refining all things.

But this Flame of Life goes against the grain, renowned throughout the world for its boundless and vast life force, and can be called the source of life in the world.

Legend has it that this fire is extremely miraculous; as long as medicinal seeds are put into it, they will sprout, grow, and mature in an instant.

In other words, as long as one possesses the Flame of Life, there is no need to expend effort searching for rare and precious materials. With just a sufficient amount of seeds, one can continuously cultivate the medicinal materials needed, which is truly miraculous.

What's even more enviable is that the Flame of Life is known as the "Flame of Longevity." If one can control this flame, their lifespan will be comparable to that of magical beasts like the Ancient Dragon of the Void, which are naturally long-lived—truly defying the heavens.

The only drawback is that this fire is peaceful by nature and not good at fighting. Its ability to enhance the combat power of its wielder is far less domineering than that of other top-tier exotic fires.

"This strange fire is truly extraordinary." Even the usually taciturn Jiu Xuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

The life force that permeated the surrounding fields was gentle and refreshing. Inhaling it made one feel relaxed and happy, as if even the fighting spirit within one's body became more gentle and agile, making one involuntarily intoxicated by it.

"This old man has a special connection with my Dragon Island!"

Zi Yan's words sealed the deal, and her desire to win over Shennong became even more active.

She felt quite regretful. Now, she no longer needed to consume medicinal herbs or pills as before. Otherwise, if she had taken the old man Shennong back, she could have an endless supply of medicinal herbs to squander.

"Then let's save him." Chen Xiao nodded with a smile.

The value of Shennong the Elder is indeed very high. He is not only a ninth-grade alchemy master, but also controls the Flame of Life. Once you win him over, you can use pills to force your forces to advance to the next level.

High in the sky, Hun Xuzi's gaze was also fixed on the emerald flame in Shennong Laoren's palm, and a hint of undisguised greed flashed deep in his eyes.

Everything in the world has a lifespan, and even a powerful figure like him, at the level of a Dou Sheng, cannot escape the erosion of time.

If one could acquire the Flame of Life, one's lifespan could be greatly extended. Such temptation would be enough to move any top expert.

"It's actually the Flame of Life! Elder Shennong, your good fortune is truly the envy of everyone." Elder Wanhuo looked at the strange flame brimming with vitality, his face filled with undisguised envy, and laughed loudly.

"Congratulations, Senior Shennong," Yao Chen said.

This flame of life is extremely peculiar; once it takes shape, it becomes remarkably intelligent.

It rarely appears in flame form, but instead prefers to transform into various rare medicinal herbs, quietly taking root in fertile soil.

Therefore, even if someone brushes past it, it is difficult to discern its true form. Only those who possess great opportunities and are extremely meticulous can find its trace in the vast world, making it the most adept at concealment among the strange flames.

"Heh, just luck, nothing but luck."

Shennong, the old man, stroked his long beard and smiled gently. "I found this by chance when I was out searching for medicinal herbs years ago. It has fulfilled one of my wishes."

For Shennong, an old man who disliked fighting and was devoted to alchemy, the Life Flame, a strange fire that was more inclined to assist and contained endless vitality, was undoubtedly the most suitable opportunity.

"If the four of you are ready, please begin refining the elixir!"

The medicine pill at the top of the table finally withdrew its envious gaze from the Flame of Life, and its loud laughter pierced through the void, spreading throughout the entire venue.

Upon hearing this, Yao Chen, Hun Xuzi, Elder Wan Huo, and Elder Shennong exchanged glances, then each of them retreated, landing hundreds of feet away and dividing the vast sky into four exclusive areas.

All four are top figures in the world of alchemy, having devoted their lives to this field, and their experience is as rich and profound as fine wine.

Therefore, even for such a heaven-defying feat as refining a ninth-grade elixir, he knew every step by heart, and his every move was smooth and almost flawless.

Of the four, the most eye-catching is undoubtedly the old man Shennong.

The turquoise liquid fire above his head spread rapidly like a living thing, turning the surrounding void into a vibrant green.

Shennong, the old man, sat cross-legged in the center of the sea of ​​fire. His robes fluttered without wind, and with a wave of his sleeves, countless medicinal seeds exuding a refreshing fragrance scattered across the sky, falling into the green sea of ​​fire like spring rain.

The next moment, under the gaze of countless shocked eyes, a miracle suddenly occurred.

The moment those seeds came into contact with the sea of ​​fire, they sprouted at a speed visible to the naked eye. Tender green shoots broke through the seed coat and grew against the odds amidst the raging flames, their branches and leaves stretching out, completely unaffected by the scorching fire!

Shennong, the old man, smiled as he watched the medicinal herbs growing rapidly in the sea of ​​fire, and flicked his fingers lightly.

Instantly, ripples spread across the green sea of ​​fire, and countless flames rapidly condensed and compressed, transforming into crystal-clear green droplets. Tiny flames danced within these droplets, and an extremely rich life force permeated out like a tide.

These green droplets floated above the medicinal herbs and dripped slowly, like a gentle rain. The herbs that came into contact with the droplets seemed to be infused with boundless vitality, and their growth rate increased dramatically. In just over ten minutes, they transformed from inconspicuous seeds into rare medicinal herbs of various shapes and brimming with spiritual energy.

In an instant, amidst the green sea of ​​fire, countless fresh medicinal herbs, glistening with dewdrops, rose gently, swaying softly against the backdrop of the emerald flames, like a group of joyful dancing sprites.

"As expected of the Flame of Life, its skill is truly divine!"

On the plaza, thousands of alchemists gazed at the magnificent alchemy scene high above, completely absorbed in it, their faces filled with fascination, and exclamations of amazement and wonder rose and fell, lasting for a long time.

The four of them had been working on this seemingly basic herbal extraction process for more than a day.

Just then, Hun Xuzi opened his eyes first, a black light flashed in his eyes, and with a flick of his palm, he poured dozens of extremely refined medicinal liquids into the black fire cauldron in front of him.

Immediately afterwards, his hand seals changed abruptly, and a roar containing immense fighting spirit resounded throughout the heavens and earth.

"Power of heaven and earth, heed my command!"

The moment the shout fell, the entire world changed color, a gale arose, and endless energy of heaven and earth, like a rushing river, swept towards the black fire cauldron, only to be swallowed up by the terrifying suction force emanating from the cauldron.

Later, the gathered energy formed a mottled and magnificent energy storm that roared and rolled wildly in the sky, eventually being continuously devoured by the fire cauldron.

Such an astonishing display of alchemy caused many alchemists below to secretly swallow hard.

They had never heard of alchemy requiring such unbridled absorption of the energy of heaven and earth.

It is important to know that the energy of heaven and earth is complex and mixed. If one is not careful, the balance between the medicinal liquids will be broken, and the alchemy will be ruined.

However, such ideas are ultimately only the understanding of ordinary alchemists.

The elders of the Medicine Clan and the alchemy masters present were all horrified.

Even the top-ranking medicinal pills had an unusually solemn expression, their eyes fixed on the direction of Hun Xuzi.

"He's using the power of heaven and earth to forcibly refine pills—this method is aimed at creating a ninth-grade profound pill!"

The huge commotion caused by Hun Xuzi was naturally noticed by Yao Chen and the other two.

Elder Wanhuo frowned, let out a cold snort, and rapidly changed his hand seals, shouting sharply, "Power of Heaven and Earth, Condense!"

Upon hearing this, the members of the Medicine Clan below were immediately invigorated.

Elder Wanhuo also chose to refine a Grade 9 Profound Pill!

"Haha, since you two are so generous, how could I possibly fall behind?"

Upon seeing this, Shennong laughed heartily, and with a sudden wave of his wide sleeves, the already chaotic energy of heaven and earth became even more violent, and streams of extremely powerful energy were forcibly pulled into the green fire cauldron in front of him.

"Since the three of you have such refined tastes, I, Yao Chen, can only give it a try."

Looking at the chaotic world, with energy flowing everywhere, Yao Chen smiled helplessly, his hand seals changing rapidly.

The next moment, the Ice Crystal Fire Cauldron in front of it suddenly erupted with a terrifying suction force, like an invisible giant hand, ruthlessly inserting itself into the energy of heaven and earth, and wantonly seizing the source power of this world.

On the plaza, all the alchemists gazed at the four roaring energy storms sweeping across the sky, their hearts already overwhelmed by the ultimate shock.

These four people were actually refining the legendary ninth-grade Xuan Dan!

Such a grand occasion is a once-in-a-century event and deserves to be recorded in the history of alchemy on the Dou Qi Continent!

"Four Grade Nine Profound Pills, ahhh, what a pity!"

Below the plaza, Zi Yan gazed at the four raging energy storms high above, her pretty face filled with heartache and despair.

Chen Xiao had already told her about the four people's backgrounds.

At this moment, she could also tell at a glance that these four alchemy masters were clearly competing with each other, and not everyone was confident in refining a ninth-grade Xuan Dan.

Take Elder Wanhuo for example. With his limited resources, his success rate in refining such a pill would probably be less than 20%.

Yao Chen was actually not much different. Although his alchemy skills were superb, his weakness in strength could not be overcome. Moreover, this was his first time trying it.

Only Shennong Laoren and Hun Xuzi have a success rate of over 50%.

The key is that the amount of energy from heaven and earth required to refine a ninth-grade Xuan Dan is terrifying.

Although the energy within a radius of ten thousand miles of Medicine Mountain is extremely concentrated, it is absolutely insufficient to support the consumption of four Xuan Dan pills.

According to Chen Xiao, even if all the energy in this vast territory were drained, it would still be difficult to condense a ninth-grade Xuan Dan.

In this way, four Xuan Dan are a pipe dream, and even two are difficult to achieve. How can one not feel regret?

"Chen Xiao, why don't we lend them a hand?" Zi Yan tilted her head, suddenly having a bold idea, and suggested with sparkling eyes.

"Help them draw some energy from heaven and earth! They clearly had a chance to get four Grade 9 Profound Pills, but because of their mess, they might not be able to get even one in the end. It's heartbreaking to see."

As one of Chen Xiao's closest confidantes, she had witnessed Chen Xiao practicing in the void, where he could summon surging tides of energy with every move, displaying overwhelming power.

If Chen Xiao and Zhu Hong were to lend a hand, and if Yao Chen and the other three were lucky, they could theoretically obtain four Grade 9 Xuan Pills.

Hearing this, Chen Xiao rolled his eyes at her helplessly.

"The method is feasible, but once we make a move, the Void Devouring Flame hiding in the shadows will definitely notice and escape. At that time, the Medicine Clan's foundation will be irrelevant to us."

It was easy for Chen Xiao to keep the Void Devouring Flame from detecting the four of them, but as long as Chen Xiao and Zhu Hong used their power, their movements would no longer be able to be hidden.

"Hehe, that's just what I was saying." Zi Yan scratched her head and chuckled sheepishly.

She was actually aware of the pros and cons, but simply felt a little regretful.

Since you can't have your cake and eat it too, you should choose the option that offers the greater benefit.

Compared to the four Xuan Dan, the Void Devouring Flame and the Medicine Clan's foundation are clearly more important!