Battle Through the Heavens: Starting with Cao Ying as an apprentice

This is almost the ultimate realm that alchemists on the Dou Qi Continent can reach today. Each one of them is a legendary figure who can stir up the winds and clouds and be treated as an honored guest by countless forces.

It would be a great opportunity to see even one of them on a normal day, but now, all five of them are gathered together, competing on the same stage. This is a spectacle that is only seen once in a century!

Yao Chen made the first move. With a flick of his sleeve, a ball of flame, interwoven with pale white and deep blue, silently appeared in his palm. As the flame flickered, the surrounding temperature dropped instead of rising. It was the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ranked eleventh on the Strange Flame Ranking!

"Hmph, not bad flames." Elder Wanhuo, not to be outdone, waved his hand sharply.

In an instant, a jet-black flame roared out, its shape like a howling wind, emitting a series of mournful wails. It was none other than the Nine Nether Wind Flame, ranked tenth on the Strange Flame Ranking!

Cao Ying's eyes lit up slightly.

[It really is Nine Nether Wind Flame!]

Her mind raced: [I'd seen this flame before on Yao Xingji, and now Elder Wanhuo also possesses it… It seems there might be a secret place within the Yao Clan capable of nurturing or preserving the Nine Nether Wind Flame!]

"Hehe, Nine Nether Wind Flame, the power of a raging wind, can burn things without leaving a trace, it's quite rare." Soul Void Master's figure, shrouded in a black robe, let out a hoarse laugh, his tone revealing little appreciation.

He slowly raised a thin, bony hand, and in the palm of his hand, a deep black flame, seemingly capable of swallowing all light, quietly ignited.

"However, compared to my Void Devouring Flame... it is still somewhat lacking."

Cao Ying frowned almost imperceptibly.

She pondered to herself: "This aura... doesn't seem to be the complete Void Devouring Flame; it's more like a wisp of fire."

"Hahaha, good, good! Since everyone has brought out their best weapons, I'll join in the fun too!"

The old man Shennong had his hair and beard standing on end, and his laughter was hearty. As he finished speaking, a vibrant, emerald-green flame rose from his body.

The flames were not violent, but rather gentle like spring water. As the flames flickered, it seemed as if the shadows of grass and trees were growing, and a rich life force spread out, making some rare flowers and plants near the stone platform seem to be invigorated.

Cao Ying and the Little Fairy Doctor on the stage exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of familiarity in each other's eyes.

[It is the Flame of Life!]

Cao Ying confirmed in her heart: "However, it seems that the purity and grandeur of its life force is slightly inferior to that of Little Green."

Hun Xuzi's gaze, hidden beneath his black robe, was fixed on the emerald flame. Although his expression was obscured, the sudden heat and even a hint of greed in his eyes betrayed his inner desire.

Such extraordinary fire, containing boundless vitality and capable of accelerating the ripening of heaven and earth's spiritual herbs, is a coveted treasure for any alchemist!

Immediately afterwards, all four of them turned their gazes to the last and youngest participant on the stage—Cao Ying.

Facing the gazes of four grandmasters, Cao Ying's lips curved slightly, revealing a composed smile.

She didn't summon flames like the others; she simply moved her mind.

The next moment, light and shadow shifted, and a delicately carved little doll appeared out of thin air beside her.

The little baby was enveloped in a faint, dreamlike white halo. Upon closer inspection, the halo was actually composed of countless extremely tiny, pure flames.

It sat on Cao Ying's shoulder, blinking its big eyes and looking around curiously.

"A spirit of a different kind of fire?!"

Elder Wanhuo's pupils constricted sharply, and he gasped in shock.

With his experience, he could immediately recognize that this was the manifestation of the strange fire's spirituality condensing to its extreme, giving birth to a complete intelligence!

"The Pure Lotus Demon Flame... it's actually on her!" Shennong, the old man, paused slightly as he stroked his long beard, his eyes filled with undisguised shock.

Although I had suspected it beforehand, seeing the legendary strange fire appear in such a lively form was still incredibly exciting.

After his initial surprise, Yao Chen smiled knowingly and with a sigh, shaking his head and saying, "Brother Su... that's quite a generous gesture, actually giving it to you."

At this moment, Hun Xuzi's aura fluctuated very slightly, and his face was ashen beneath his black robe.

Hun Xuzi was filled with shock and anger: [The Purifying Lotus Demon Flame… the third-ranked Purifying Lotus Demon Flame! Not only did she obtain it, but she even nurtured a complete fire spirit!]

Cao Ying took in everyone's reactions and felt a surge of joy and pride.

This strange fire spirit was unexpectedly born when she nurtured it within her body after refining seven and a half percent of the original essence of the Pure Lotus Demon Fire.

I still remember when "Little White" was born, it was still a little naive, but it understood her perfectly, just like an infant relying on its mother. It startled her at the time, and she thought she had inexplicably "gave birth" to a fire baby.

Later, her master, Su Baichen, smiled and explained to her that this was because she had refined and absorbed too much strange fire, resulting in a qualitative leap and transforming into a spirit.

Not only is its power greater than before, but it will also be of immeasurable benefit to her in alchemy, cultivation, and even combat in the future.

As for the origin of the name "Xiaobai", Cao Ying's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.

She originally wanted to call him "Xiao Chen" out of a mischievous way, but after Su Baichen found out, he "kindly" gave her some "guidance" on her cultivation.

This made her deeply realize the importance of respecting teachers, and she obediently changed her name to "Xiaobai".

On the main seat of the high platform, a deep envy flashed in the eyes of the Medicine Clan Chief, but as the head of a clan, his temperament was far beyond that of ordinary people. He quickly suppressed his distracting thoughts and spoke in a deep voice, which resounded throughout the entire hall:

"The art of alchemy is a contest of understanding the properties of medicinal herbs, controlling the heat, and utilizing the power of the soul; it is the skill level of an alchemist!"

His gaze swept over the five people on the stage, and his voice boomed like a bell: "The time has come, the final competition of the pharmacopoeia—begin now! Please, everyone, display your abilities!"

The mention of medicinal pills was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, breaking the shock and silence brought about by the dazzling array of strange flames, and pulling everyone's thoughts back to "alchemy" itself.

Hun Xuzi composed himself, and Shennong Elder, Wanhuo Elder, and Yaochen also straightened their expressions and nodded slightly.

They all knew that the pills were true, and that the final decision would be made by the actual alchemy skills.

The next moment, the four of them moved almost simultaneously.

Yao Chen's fingertips flickered with cold, bone-spirited flames, the pale white flames moving like his own arms, meandering and flowing in the air, quickly outlining and solidifying, transforming into a strange medicine cauldron that was entirely white, radiating both icy cold and scorching heat.

Before Elder Wanhuo, the Nine Nether Wind Flame roared and spun, condensing into a cauldron constantly surrounded by black whirlwinds. The wind howled, as if it could instantly shred and perfectly fuse the medicinal herbs thrown into it.

The old man Shennong was surrounded by a vibrant green flame of life, which spread gently and naturally formed a lush green medicine cauldron with even fine leaf vein patterns on its body.

The Void Devouring Flame in Hun Xuzi's palm suddenly expanded, then the flame collapsed and shaped inward, eventually becoming a strange medicine cauldron that was deep and dark, seemingly able to suck away even one's gaze.

The moment the four medicine cauldrons, each formed from different flames and possessing unique attributes and extraordinary shapes, took shape, the four people waved their sleeves and orderly placed the prepared medicinal materials into their respective cauldrons.

In an instant, different flames rose up, and the fragrance of medicine filled the entire square.

Chapter 383 The Powerful Nine Profound Golden Thunder!

"Xiaobai, let's begin."

Cao Ying looked down and smiled gently at the little one on her shoulder.

The fire spirit, called "Little White," tilted its head back, blinked its pure, big eyes, and nodded vigorously.

It stretched out its two chubby little hands and gently clapped them in the air in front of it.

hum-

A pure, milky-white flame bloomed from its tiny palm like a lotus flower, then quickly spread and intertwined.

Under Xiaobai's precise control, the flames quickly formed and took shape. In the blink of an eye, a flame cauldron with pure white as its main body, a soft rainbow-like halo flowing on its surface, and an elegant and exquisite shape, floated steadily in front of Cao Ying.

Without further hesitation, Cao Ying lightly raised her wrist and waved her hand. The medicinal herbs that had been prepared in her storage ring transformed into streams of light of various colors and fragrant aromas, which were precisely thrown into the white and colorful strange fire cauldron.

With Cao Ying's powerful soul force under precise control and Xiao Bai's innate spiritual assistance, the extraction process of the medicinal herbs became exceptionally smooth and efficient.

The temperature of the flame could be changed at will, and the extraction of the essence of the medicine was perfect. Many steps that required extreme patience and delicate operation were made easy by Xiaobai and Cao Ying's perfect cooperation.

Cao Ying was completely focused, her movements fluid and graceful, creating a harmonious yet wondrous scene with the spirited little flame child beside her.

This epic showdown, bringing together the world's top alchemists and the finest exotic flames, officially began amidst the humming of the rising flames in the medicine cauldron and the increasingly rich aroma of medicine.

The hearts of everyone in the audience were in their throats, staring intently at the alchemy masters' techniques, hoping to learn even a trick or two.

…………

Meanwhile, deep within the Void Thunder Pool.

This is a desolate place that is hard for ordinary people to imagine. As far as the eye can see, there is nothing but destructive black lightning.

Lightning danced wildly like dragons and snakes, its deafening roar illuminating the entire void with intermittent light, permeating the air with a chilling, world-destroying power.

A figure sat quietly in the center of this destruction, letting countless thick bolts of black lightning strike him one after another.

The lightning struck the body, producing a piercing crackling sound. Each impact caused the body to tremble violently, tearing open the skin and flesh, even revealing the bare white bones.

However, a surge of vitality followed closely behind, and flesh and blood regenerated wildly at a visible speed. This cycle of destruction and rebirth continued, and the body was being tempered into becoming more and more resilient and powerful.

At first, the Black Demon Lightning could still cause pain and damage, but as Su Baichen's physical body continued to grow stronger, the lightning could not even leave a white mark when it struck.

That physical body seemed to have transformed into divine iron and immortal jade, and the power of the black demon lightning could no longer shake it in the slightest.

"Hey……"

A soft sigh echoed in the sea of ​​thunder, only to be drowned out by the roar.

Su Baichen looked down and examined himself. A faint light flowed beneath his skin, and his blood and qi surged like a great river.

He could feel that his physical strength had reached a critical point, with the limit of a mid-level Dou Sheng standing in front of him, rendering the tempering by the Black Demon Lightning ineffective.

"Where is the Nine Profound Golden Thunder? Why hasn't it appeared yet?"

He frowned slightly, a sense of anxiety rising in his heart. Without a breakthrough, this trip would probably be in vain.

Just as he was about to get up and find another way, his spiritual sense suddenly stirred, and he abruptly turned his head to look into the deeper part of the Thunder Pool.

A glimmer of golden light suddenly appeared amidst the endless darkness and black lightning.

"Haha, here it comes!"

Su Baichen's eyes flashed with a sharp light, showing more joy than surprise.

The golden dot was initially tiny, but it rapidly magnified in the field of vision, trailing a dazzling tail of light. Wherever it passed, even the raging black lightning seemed to retreat to the sides in fear.

The golden light grew brighter and brighter, eventually transforming into a golden lightning bolt that was pure to the extreme and noble to the extreme!

Below the Emperor rank, the supreme of all thunderbolts—Nine Profound Golden Thunder!

Without the slightest pause or probing, it tore through the void with an aura of judgment that seemed to be about to judge heaven and earth, and struck directly at Su Baichen's crown chakra!

"Boom—!"

Su Baichen's powerful body, which even the Black Demon Lightning couldn't overcome, was instantly pierced by the golden lightning.

An indescribable, excruciating pain suddenly erupted, as if millions of red-hot steel needles were simultaneously piercing through the limbs and bones. Furthermore, a destructive force of thunder drilled into the body, raging wildly. Wherever it passed, the meridians withered, the internal organs cracked, and life force rapidly dimmed like a candle in the wind.

"what--!"

A scream burst uncontrollably from his throat.

Su Baichen's eyes were bloodshot, and he unhesitatingly activated the Heavenly Book's profound power.