Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, I am your second master

"The Pill Gathering! Could it be the Pill Gathering held by the Pill Tower?" Xiao Li asked in surprise.

"That's right, it's the Pill Gathering. With your current abilities, refining seventh-grade pills shouldn't be a problem, right? The Pill Gathering is the grandest and most influential pill gathering in the alchemy world, held every thirty years on the Dou Qi Continent, and only the qualified forces..."

It is called Dan Tower. I don't know if you are familiar with the power structure in Zhongzhou. The general public divides it into one hall, one tower, two sects, three valleys, and four pavilions.

This tower is the Pill Tower, arguably the most powerful alchemist organization in the Central Continent. Even I wouldn't dare provoke them. Let's just say, the Pill Tower has Dou Sheng level experts among its members!

Mang Tianchi gave Xiao Li a brief explanation of the Pill Tower.

"Yes, I know. I've heard of these forces in Zhongzhou, but why did the Dean ask me to participate?"

I am merely a seventh-grade alchemist, considered top-tier in the Northwest Continent, but I would be nothing special in the Central Continent.

"How could a mere seventh-grade alchemist like me possibly win such a grand event? Making it into the top ten would be quite an achievement."

Xiao Li didn't understand why the dean wanted him to attend the Pill Gathering. He wasn't Xiao Yan; he already had a different kind of fire, so the Three Thousand Burning Flames were useless to him.

The Three Thousand Burning Flames seem to possess complete intelligence, with wisdom no different from that of humans. To subdue it, one would need to be at least a Dou Zun.

"Who said I was going to let you win the championship? You actually want to win the championship? I'm just letting you broaden your horizons and make a name for yourself. With your age and such remarkable alchemy skills, even the Pill Tower can't find many like you."

As my student, Mang Tianchi, you naturally have to make me proud. You must attend the Alchemy Gathering, or I'll make you regret it!

Mang Tianchi raised his fist, ready to give Xiao Li a good beating if he dared to utter even half a word of "no"!

"Yes, I will follow the Dean's orders." Xiao Li temporarily submitted to Mang Tianchi's tyranny.

"Those who know when to yield are heroes, hehehe, cough cough, you can't laugh like that, it makes me feel like I've eaten a Soul Clan member."

"Ahem, young man, let me tell you why I want you to attend the Pill Gathering. Firstly, it will bring me honor, and secondly, it will pave the way for your own future," Mang Tianchi said calmly.

"Please explain in detail, Dean," Xiao Li inquired.

"This alchemy competition is a rare event on the Dou Qi Continent. Countless alchemy prodigies from all over the continent will compete here, and the winner will naturally become famous throughout the world."

I have a friend named Venerable Medicine. He once won the Pill Gathering. Before that, Venerable Medicine was not very famous. After winning the Pill Gathering, he became a very popular figure in the Dou Qi Continent.

So, I'm not asking you to win the championship, just to get a place in the finals. There are no age restrictions in the Dan tournament, and most of the people you'll be competing against are veterans.

"And you're so young, yet you've achieved such a good ranking. That'll make you famous, and when you're in the Central Plains, you'll have enough reputation to not stay in such a barren place as the Northwest Continent forever."

Mang Tianchi said slowly, after all, it's not easy to find a good seedling, it would be a pity not to use it to make him proud.

Moreover, the Pill Tower has soul cultivation techniques. In Mang Tianchi's opinion, Xiao Li has great talent. His soul realm is already at the peak of the mortal realm. If there were no soul cultivation techniques, he would have to rely entirely on himself to improve his cultivation and replenish his soul power.

Waiting until Xiao Li's soul realm reaches the Spirit Realm would take too long; the best way is to go to the Pill Tower.

Mang Tianchi felt that given the nature of the Pill Tower, seeing Xiao Li's talent, they would definitely invest in him, making Xiao Li's path smoother.

What if! What if Xiao Li becomes a ninth-grade alchemist in the future? Then he'll be in luck!

"Well, Dean, the kid can indeed refine seventh-grade pills now, and refining mid-grade seventh-grade pills shouldn't be a problem for him either. It's just that he can't handle the pill lightning."

"Does the Danhui allow outsiders to help resist Dan lightning?" Xiao Li asked. He vaguely remembered that the Danhui seemed to require participants to resist Dan lightning themselves. How could he use his head to resist it?

"This... does seem to be a problem. Let me think about it." Mang Tianchi closed his eyes and pondered how to resist the Dan Lei.

"Hey! I've got it!" Mang Tianchi stood up, came to Xiao Li, and waved his hand. A dark silver figure appeared. This figure had no life force, but it possessed an extremely strong aura!

This puppet actually possesses the power of a Dou Zong expert!

"What is this? A puppet?" Xiao Li looked the silver humanoid up and down. Its eyes were empty and its body was unusually solid.

"Yes, it is indeed a puppet. It is a demon puppet technique passed down from ancient times. This puppet should be called the Earth Demon Puppet. Above it, there should be the Heaven Demon Puppet!"

The strength of this earth demon puppet is probably around the level of a nine-star Dou Zong, and the material used to make this puppet is probably the corpse of a one-star Dou Zun.

Unfortunately, the creator failed to refine it into a Heavenly Demon Puppet. I encountered this Earthly Demon Puppet in a secret realm. Since it could withstand my attacks, I took it back.

"Consider yourself lucky, kid. This earth demon puppet should be able to help you withstand the pill lightning."

Mang Tianchi gave Xiao Li this Earth Demon Puppet, which was equivalent to a Nine-Star Dou Zong.

"Thank you, Dean," Xiao Li said, clasping his hands in thanks. Then, Xiao Li was puzzled again: "How does this puppet recognize a master?"

Mang Tianchi: "Just a drop of blood containing your soul imprint will do; just drip it on the Earth Demon Puppet's brow."

"Understood."

Xiao Li lightly bit the tip of his tongue, and a drop of blood containing a trace of the soul's imprint slowly floated out, finally landing precisely on the Earth Demon Puppet's brow, slowly infiltrating and eventually turning into a dark red blood spot the size of a thumb.

As the drop of blood entered the Earth Demon Puppet's brain without hindrance, leaving an indelible mark there, a faint trace of life slowly appeared in the Earth Demon Puppet's black, hollow eyes. It twisted its still somewhat stiff neck, looked down at Xiao Li, then its feet touched the ground, it knelt on one knee, and its head slowly lowered towards Xiao Li.

"That's amazing!" Xiao Li exclaimed.

When the soul blood fell into the Earth Demon Puppet's brow, Xiao Li clearly felt that his soul was as if it had been split into two parts, one part controlling himself and the other part controlling the Earth Demon Puppet in front of him.

At this moment, Xiao Li had a vague feeling that the earth demon puppet in front of him would obey any command he gave, even if the command was to attack Mang Tianchi, it would probably launch an attack without hesitation.

Having been imprinted with his soul mark, this earth demon puppet became Xiao Li's closest guard, because it would never betray him.

"Thank you, Dean, for letting me test the quality of this Earth Demon Puppet. I'm going to refine a few pills to practice." Xiao Li couldn't wait to start refining pills.

"Hehe, go ahead. There are still more than half a year before the Pill Gathering begins. At my speed, I can take you to the Central Region very quickly," Mang Tianchi said with a smile, stroking his beard.

Xiao Li then left and went to find the Grand Elder, telling him that he was preparing to refine the Zongyuan Pill and requesting medicinal herbs from the academy.