Battle Through the Heavens: Marry Cao Ying, Reward is Devouring Ancestral Symbol

Chapter 352 The First Item of the Pill Gathering, AmazingThe location for the first stage of the Pill Assembly’s assessment was situated in Pill City’s square, which spanned nearly a thousand zhang in length and width.

In the center of the square, a patch of deep gray space resembled an upturned giant bowl, enveloping an area of several hundred zhang.

That patch of space was hazy and gray, impossible to see through with the naked eye; even if Soul Power was sent into it, it would be weakened and distorted by a strange force, making it difficult to discern directions.

This was the first stage.

The Soul Illusion Realm.

Presiding over the assessment, Old Monster Lin stood with his hands behind his back on the high platform at the very front of the square.

That face, which was usually always smiling, rarely carried a hint of seriousness at this moment.

His gaze swept across the dense crowd surrounding the square and then landed on that patch of deep gray space, nodding slightly.

”The first assessment: Soul Illusion Realm.” His voice wasn’t loud, but wrapped in majestic Dou Qi, it clearly reached everyone’s ears.

”This illusion realm is filled with the Illusion Soul Qi bred within the Illusion Soul Beasts. It not only obstructs vision but can also interfere with Soul perception.

There are further mysteries within the space, layer upon layer, like a labyrinth. Entering it will cause one to lose their sense of direction.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the contestants who were ready to go: ”Those who fail to walk out within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn will be eliminated.”

As his voice fell, a buzzing sound of discussion immediately erupted from the spectator stands around the square.

”One incense stick? This is too difficult, isn’t it?”

”What’s so difficult? Those who came this time are all Grade 8 Alchemists. If they can’t even pass this little trick, why bother participating in the Pill Assembly?”

”True... but then again, the lineup for this Pill Assembly is too luxurious.

The Medicine Clan and the Yan Clan have both sent people, and then there are those reclusive Grade 8 old freaks... which previous assembly had such a lineup?”

”It’s all because of Shen Wen. After news of the zong ji pill spread, those old fellows couldn’t sit still anymore.”

”Shen Wen... what rank do you think he can get?”

”What rank?”

”I think he even has a shot at first!”

”That’s a twenty-year-old Grade 8 Alchemist, the Personal Disciple of Old Ancestor Lin!”

”You can’t say that. Yao Tian of the Medicine Clan, I heard he’s already touched the threshold of the ninth grade.

And there’s Huo Xuan of the Yan Clan, whose fire control techniques are unrivaled. No matter how formidable Shen Wen is, he’s young after all...”

Amidst the discussion, the contestants began to enter the field one after another.

The first to enter were a group of Loose Cultivator Alchemists dressed in gray robes; they were the most numerous, and their cultivation levels were the most uneven.

There were Grade 8, Grade 7, and even a few Grade 6 Alchemists.

Following closely were the people from the Medicine Clan.

Yao Ling wore a pale green dress, her azure hair shimmering with a soft luster under the sunlight.

Her expression was calm, and her steps were composed. When she reached the entrance of the illusion realm, she paused slightly and glanced back.

Yao Tian followed behind her, wearing a brocade robe and a jade crown, his face handsome to the point of being almost feminine.

His gaze swept across that deep gray space, the corner of his mouth curling into a slight arc as if he were looking at something trivial.

Behind the two of them followed over a dozen young Alchemists from the Medicine Clan, each with an extraordinary bearing and a thick medicinal fragrance emanating from them.

”The Medicine Clan people are here!”

”Is that Yao Tian? I heard he’s the strongest Alchemist of the Medicine Clan’s younger generation and can already refine Ninth Grade Pills!”

”It’s not that he can refine them, but that he’s touched the threshold. There’s a big difference between touching the threshold and actually refining one.”

”That’s still scary enough...”

Yao Tian turned a deaf ear to these discussions, only nodding slightly toward Old Monster Lin as he passed the high platform, which served as a greeting.

Old Monster Lin also nodded, saying nothing more.

The people from the Yan Clan followed immediately after.

Huo Xuan walked at the front, his face steady and his steps powerful.

Huo Zhi followed by his side, in a fiery red dress, looking bright and radiant.

Behind them followed seven or eight Yan Clan Disciples, each with a blazing aura, bringing a wave of heat as they walked.

”The Yan Clan is here too... this Pill Assembly is truly an eye-opener.”

”I heard Huo Xuan is also very strong; his fire control techniques rank in the top three among the Yan Clan’s younger generation.”

”Ranked in the top three? But Yao Tian is the number one in the Medicine Clan. Can they even be compared?”

”Hard to say. Alchemy isn’t just about fire control...”

Discussions rose and fell. Huo Xuan turned a deaf ear, only glancing sideways as he passed the Medicine Clan group.

Yao Tian also glanced at him. Their gazes met, but neither spoke first.

Huo Zhi, however, took a few extra looks at Yao Ling. Yao Ling sensed her gaze and nodded slightly, and Huo Zhi nodded back in return.

Next to enter were the outstanding individuals among the Loose Cultivators.

There were white-haired elders, cold-faced middle-aged men, and even a young girl who looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, yet her aura was already that of a Grade 8 Alchemist. Of course,

it was normal for many Alchemists to have methods of rejuvenating their appearance; some who looked fifteen or sixteen might actually be over a hundred years old.

They each found an entrance and filed in one by one.

As the contestants continued to enter, the discussions in the spectator stands grew louder.

Some were betting on who would be the first to come out, some were guessing who could take first place, and some simply opened a book and placed bets.

”Yao Tian is three to one, Huo Xuan is five to one, Shen Wen is... two to one? Who opened this book? They’re that optimistic about Shen Wen?”

”Nonsense, Shen Wen is Old Ancestor Lin’s Disciple and has also taken Old Man Shennong as his teacher. Do you think the Disciple of Ninth-Grade Alchemists could be bad?”

”That’s true... but then again, why hasn’t Shen Wen arrived yet?”

”What’s the rush? The assessment hasn’t started yet.”

On the high platform, Xuan Kongzi stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping over the entering contestants before he suddenly turned to look at Tian Leizi beside him.

”Have you heard? That Xiao Yan, who opposed the Wind and Thunder Pavilion, has also come to participate in the Pill Assembly.”

Tian Leizi’s brow twitched: ”Xiao Yan? You mean that kid from the Northwest?”

Xuan Kongzi nodded: ”Yes. I had someone check his background and discovered something.”

Tian Leizi looked at him.

Xuan Kongzi lowered his voice: ”He is Yao Chen’s Disciple.”

Tian Leizi’s pupils shrank slightly.

Yao Chen.

That name was not unfamiliar to the higher-ups of the Pill Tower.

They had even been overshadowed by his reputation back then, but he was targeted by the Hall of Souls and subsequently vanished.

”Wasn’t Yao Chen already...” Tian Leizi didn’t finish his sentence before being stopped by Xuan Kongzi’s raised hand.

”I also thought he had fallen. But Xiao Yan’s appearance shows that things aren’t that simple.”

Xuan Kongzi paused, his gaze landing on a dark-green figure walking slowly through the crowd. ”That kid has Yao Chen’s aura on him.”

Tian Leizi followed his gaze, his brow furrowing even tighter.

Xuan Yi stood beside the two of them, her gaze fixed on the square’s entrance. She was waiting for Shen Wen, or rather, she was waiting for that black-robed figure she had been waiting for for a long time.

She heard Xuan Kongzi’s words but didn’t pay them any mind.

Yao Chen.

She was all too familiar with this name. The man who was so high-spirited back then, whose Alchemy was unrivaled in the Central Plains, the man she had admired for many years.

But hearing this name now, there were no ripples in her heart.

No heartache, no regret, not even many memories.

Just... oh, Yao Chen, he has a Disciple.

She suddenly realized that she hadn’t thought of Yao Chen for a long time. When did it start?

She couldn’t say for sure.

Perhaps it was after that Soul Union.

”Xuan Yi?”

Xuan Kongzi’s voice pulled her back to reality.

She turned her head and met the scrutinizing eyes of Xuan Kongzi and Tian Leizi.

”Are you alright?” Xuan Kongzi asked, his tone carrying a hint of concern. ”Did those methods of the Hall of Souls leave any hidden issues in you?”

Xuan Yi shook her head, her voice calm: ”Everything is fine. Shen Wen treated it; nothing was left behind.”

Xuan Kongzi glanced at her, seemingly trying to see something in her face.

But Xuan Yi’s expression was as usual, her gaze already returning to the square’s entrance.

Tian Leizi also glanced at her, hesitating to speak.

The two of them exchanged a glance, both seeing the same thought in each other’s eyes: She didn’t seem to have any reaction to the news about Yao Chen just now?

One must know that back then, they had seen all of Xuan Yi’s feelings for Yao Chen.

Later, when something happened to Yao Chen, Xuan Yi had secretly investigated for who knows how many years, always refusing to believe he was truly dead.

But now, hearing news of Yao Chen’s Disciple, she actually just gave an ”oh”?

Xuan Kongzi opened his mouth, wanting to ask something, but swallowed the words back down.

Forget it, maybe she really is fine.

He retracted his gaze and looked back at the square.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the crowd at the square’s entrance.

”Shen Wen is here!”

Someone shouted, and everyone’s gaze simultaneously shifted in the same direction.

That black-robed figure walked out from the crowd, his steps composed and his expression calm.

He didn’t bring anyone, coming alone as if he were just attending an ordinary appointment.

Shen Wen.

The volume of discussion in the spectator stands instantly rose several levels.

”He’s finally here!”

”I thought he wasn’t coming.”

”Are you joking? For the first place in the Pill Assembly, could he not come?”

Shen Wen turned a deaf ear to the surrounding discussions, only walking slowly toward the square’s entrance.

As he passed the high platform, he bowed slightly toward Old Monster Lin, who nodded without saying anything.

He then looked at Xuan Kongzi and Tian Leizi, who also nodded at him. Finally, his gaze landed on Xuan Yi, pausing slightly.

Xuan Yi stood on the high platform, looking at him, the corners of her lips curving into a very faint arc.

Shen Wen retracted his gaze and turned to step into that deep gray space.

Only after the black-robed figure disappeared into the gray mist did Xuan Yi slowly retract her gaze.

”Xuan Yi.”

Tian Leizi’s voice sounded in her ear, carrying a hint of hesitation.

She turned her head.

Tian Leizi looked at her, hesitating to speak, but finally asked: ”Are you really okay?”

Xuan Yi was stunned for a moment, then understood what he was asking about.

She smiled, a smile that was calm and indifferent: ”I’m really fine.”

Tian Leizi stared at her for a moment, confirming she wasn’t just being stubborn, before nodding and not asking further.

Xuan Kongzi stood to the side, looking at Xuan Yi’s profile, and sighed inwardly, fearing that something they didn’t know about had happened back then.

Otherwise.

Xuan Yi wouldn’t have this kind of attitude. Furthermore, Xuan Kongzi had suspected before that if the Hall of Souls used Xuan Yi as a means to capture Shen Wen,

it was impossible for them not to use some methods on Xuan Yi.

But Xuan Yi didn’t say anything, only saying that Old Man Shennong had resolved it, and they couldn’t exactly say they didn’t believe Old Man Shennong.