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

Chapter 358 Frequent Appearances of Dan LeiNo one spoke.

Across the entire square, from the stone platforms to the stands, and from the stands to the streets, the dense crowd stood as if frozen by a spell, silent as the grave.

Every gaze was fixed in the same direction.

Upon the seemingly ordinary wisp of flame in Shen Wen’s palm.

The flame burned quietly, a crimson hue tinged with orange-yellow, appearing no different from ordinary Qi fire.

Yet the submissive posture of the dozens of Heavenly Flames surrounding it made everyone realize that this was absolutely not something they recognized.

Huo Xuan stared as the Eight Desolation Destruction Flame in his palm shrank at a visible rate. It wasn’t drawing in; it was retreating.

In all his years, he had never seen his Heavenly Flame display such a manner.

Huo Zhi’s Red Lotus Karma Fire was similarly curled into a ball, the petal patterns within the flame twisting violently as if in fear of something.

She instinctively clenched her fist, but the flame in her palm only shrank further.

Yao Tian’s Turtle Spirit Earth Fire flickered, making a sizzling sound as if it might extinguish at any moment.

Xiao Yan’s Fusion flame also quieted down.

That deep green flame, which had surpassed all other Heavenly Flames, was no longer ostentatious; instead, it lay submissively in his palm, motionless.

He looked down at it, then up at Shen Wen, his Adam’s apple bobbing, but he said nothing.

The Dan Ta Three Giants stood on the high platform, likewise remaining silent.

”This flame... what exactly is it?”

Tian Leizi’s voice broke the silence on the platform, but no one could answer him.

Just then, a thin figure stepped out from the Void Realm and landed on the platform.

A walking stick, covered in jade bottles, and a grey cloth robe.

Old Man Shennong.

He didn’t look at the Three Giants; instead, his gaze fell directly on the wisp of flame in Shen Wen’s palm. After a moment, he spoke: ”This is Shen Wen’s own realization; do not overthink it.”

His voice wasn’t loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of those on the platform.

Xuan Kongzi turned to look at Old Man Shennong, hesitating to speak.

Old Man Shennong had no intention of explaining; he simply stood there leaning on his staff, his gaze still fixed on Shen Wen.

On the stone platform, Shen Wen glanced down at the flame in his palm and slightly raised an eyebrow.

He sensed the fear of those Heavenly Flames, as well as the shocked, wary, and incredulous gazes from his surroundings.

This wasn’t what he wanted.

Alchemy is Alchemy; it’s not a flame-fighting contest.

No matter how strong a Heavenly Flame is, it is ultimately an external object. Suppressing an opponent’s flame to weaken their strength is far too opportunistic.

There is no glory in winning that way, and losing would be even more unsightly.

With a thought, the flame in his palm slightly withdrew.

The pressure that had made the Heavenly Flames bow down receded like a tide.

The Eight Desolation Destruction Flame in Huo Xuan’s palm shuddered violently before returning to normal, becoming fierce and overbearing once again.

Huo Zhi’s Red Lotus Karma Fire also unfurled, its petal patterns flowing once more.

Yao Tian’s Turtle Spirit Earth Fire stopped flickering, its bluish-grey light stabilizing.

Xiao Yan’s Fusion flame also brightened again, its deep green light gradually recovering.

Dozens of Heavenly Flames simultaneously broke free from the suppression, blooming once more upon the stone platforms.

In the audience, those who had been too shocked to speak finally came to their senses, and the buzzing sound of discussion rose again.

”He... took it back?”

”It’s not taking it back; he’s holding back. He was suppressing those Heavenly Flames just now, and now he’s voluntarily withdrawn it.”

”Why? Wouldn’t it be easier to refine if he suppressed them?”

”Perhaps he wants a fair competition.”

Amidst the discussions, Shen Wen looked up, his gaze sweeping over the Alchemists who had just recovered, and said calmly, ”Alchemy is Alchemy; it’s not a flame-fighting contest.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it reached everyone’s ears clearly.

The stone platforms fell silent for a moment.

Shen Wen said no more and raised his hand. The supreme cauldron flew out of his storage ring and landed steadily on the stone platform. Its body was dark gold with three legs and two handles, and dense runes shimmered faintly under the sunlight.

He wasn’t in a hurry to start, simply closing his eyes to regulate his breathing for a moment.

Then, he began Alchemy.

One by one, medicinal ingredients flew out of the storage ring and were cast into the cauldron in an orderly fashion.

Starflower, earth core fire lotus, Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Jade, Dragon Pith Ganoderma, Nine-Section Green Bamboo... one rare medicinal ingredient after another tumbled, melted, and was purified in the flames, every step as smooth as flowing water.

Time passed imperceptibly.

One day.

Two days.

Three days.

The flames on the square burned day and night, and Pill Lightning began to appear one after another.

The first to draw Pill Lightning were the Seventh-Rank Alchemists.

Beams of brilliant Pill Lightning appeared, striking down upon their respective cauldrons, only to be blocked by defensive measures prepared in advance.

Some succeeded, some failed.

The successful ones cheered with joy, while the failures left dejectedly.

On the fourth day, Pill Lightning for Grade 8 Alchemists began to appear.

Two-colored, three-colored, four-colored, five-colored... beams of multicolored light intertwined in the sky, reflecting the entire world in a brilliant and dazzling display.

In the audience, exclamations of wonder rose and fell.

”Four-colored Pill Lightning! Is that the Loose Cultivator Old Monster Zhao? Impressive!”

”Five colors! Five-Colored Pill Lightning! Who is that?”

”I don’t know, but they must be at the middle stage of Grade 8!”

”This Pill Gathering is truly unprecedented...”

Amidst the discussions, the two from the Yan Clan also reached the final stages.

Huo Xuan took a deep breath, formed hand seals, and the medicinal power in the cauldron began its final Fusion.

Moments later, a beam of Five-Colored Pill Lightning struck down from the sky, slamming hard against his cauldron.

The cauldron shuddered, and the Pill Lightning dissipated.

Huo Xuan beckoned with his hand, and three pale golden Medicinal Pills flew out of the cauldron, landing in the jade bottle he had prepared.

He glanced down and shook his head slightly.

Five colors.

Not bad, but not great either.

He turned to look at Huo Zhi; her Pill Lightning had also fallen, and it was also five-colored.

The two exchanged a look, both seeing a hint of regret in each other’s eyes. It was a fact that the Yan Clan did not specialize in Alchemy.

However, at this Pill Gathering, the flame control methods they had learned from Shen Wen had indeed proven useful, making their pill formation rate much higher than before.

It wasn’t a wasted trip.

Huo Xuan put away the pills, his gaze falling on the black-robed figure in the distance who was still focused on Alchemy.

Xiao Yan’s Pill Lightning fell at noon on the sixth day.

Five colors.

Five beams of light intertwined in the sky, slamming violently onto his cauldron.

The cauldron vibrated intensely; Xiao Yan grit his teeth and held it steady with all his might.

Yao Lao’s Soul Power surged from within him, helping him absorb most of the impact.

As the Pill Lightning dissipated, Xiao Yan beckoned, and two Medicinal Pills flew out of the cauldron.

He caught them and looked down, his expression somewhat complicated.

Five-Colored Pill Lightning, two pills formed.

In previous Pill Gatherings, this result would have been enough to challenge for the top three.

But in this session, with the Medicine Clan, Yan Clan, and those reclusive Grade 8 old monsters all present, his Five-Colored Pill Lightning might struggle to even make the top ten.

”The top ten should be possible,” Yao Lao’s voice sounded in his ear, tinged with comfort. ”Don’t overthink it; just do your best.”

Xiao Yan nodded, put away the pills, and retreated to the edge of the stone platform.

On the seventh day, Yao Ling’s Pill Lightning fell.

Seven colors.

Seven beams of light intertwined in the sky, reflecting the entire world in a brilliant and dazzling display.

The light was so brilliant that even the Alchemists refining pills nearby couldn’t help but look up.

Seven-colored Pill Lightning, Grade 8 Peak.

In the audience, the cries of surprise were deafening.

”Seven colors! Young Miss Yao Ling refined seven-colored Pill Lightning!”

”The Prodigy of the Medicine Clan truly lives up to her reputation!”

”How old is she? She’s already at the Grade 8 Peak?”

Yao Ling stood on the stone platform, looking up at the seven beams of light slowly dissipating in the sky, her lips curving slightly.

She beckoned with her hand, and three warm, smooth Medicinal Pills flew out of the cauldron and into her jade bottle.

She looked down at them, a flash of satisfaction in her eyes, before turning her gaze toward Shen Wen.

That black-robed figure was still refining.

The eighth day.

Everyone’s gaze fell upon Yao Tian.

He was the strongest Alchemist of the Medicine Clan’s younger generation, someone who had truly touched the threshold of the Ninth Grade.

Everyone wanted to know what level of pill he could actually refine.

Yao Tian stood on the stone platform, his expression calm.

He raised his hand, and the Turtle Spirit Earth Fire in his palm surged into the cauldron. Amidst the churning flames, the medicinal power within began its final Fusion.

In the sky, dark clouds began to gather.

They weren’t ordinary Pill Lightning clouds, but carried an indescribable sense of heaviness, as if something was brewing within the cloud layers.

Eight colors.

Eight-colored light surged within the dark clouds, and then—

The ninth color.

Nine-colored light lit up the sky simultaneously!

Nine-colored Pill Lightning!

In the audience, everyone stood up.

”Nine colors! Nine-colored Pill Lightning!”

”Heavens, nine colors! Only one step away from a Ninth-Grade Treasure Pill!”

”Yao Tian! Yao Tian!”

Cries of surprise, shouts, and applause surged like a tide.

Yao Tian stood on the stone platform, looking up at the nine brilliant beams of light in the sky, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.

He raised his hand, and a Medicinal Pill flew out of the cauldron, warm and smooth all over, with a faint luster flowing on its surface.

Nine-colored Pill Lightning, Grade 8 Peak, just one step away from a Ninth-Grade Treasure Pill.

This result was enough to look down upon all competitors.

He placed the pill into a jade bottle, his gaze sweeping over the shocked and admiring faces around him before finally landing on Shen Wen.

Shen Wen was still refining.

Yao Tian’s brow furrowed slightly.

He had refined for eight days, starting the final stages on the fourth day. Yet Shen Wen had refined for eight days and was still continuing.

He didn’t believe Shen Wen would need this long.

Unless...

Yao Tian’s pupils contracted slightly.

Unless Shen Wen wasn’t refining an Eighth Grade Pill.

On the high platform, the gazes of the Dan Ta Three Giants also fell upon Shen Wen.

Xuan Kongzi’s brow was tightly knit, Tian Leizi had his arms crossed, and Xuan Yi’s fingers unconsciously gripped her sleeves.

Old Man Shennong stood there leaning on his staff, his gaze fixed on Shen Wen’s supreme cauldron, his cloudy old eyes filled with a hint of anticipation and nervousness.

Xuan Danzi had appeared on the platform at some point. He stood beside Old Man Shennong, his youthful face unusually solemn.

”What do you think?” Old Man Shennong asked.

Xuan Danzi was silent for a moment before slowly uttering two words: ”Ninth Grade.”

As the words fell, the platform became silent for a moment.

Xuan Kongzi turned to look at Xuan Danzi, his mouth opening but unable to make a sound.

Tian Leizi’s hands dropped from his chest to his sides, trembling slightly.

Xuan Yi’s breath hitched.

Ninth Grade.

Shen Wen was only in his early twenties.

”Is he... really refining a Ninth Grade Pill?” Xuan Kongzi’s voice was somewhat dry.

Xuan Danzi did not answer, merely watching Shen Wen.

Old Man Shennong didn’t speak either.

But their silence was an answer in itself.

Information spread from the platform, sweeping through the entire square like a plague.

”Shen Wen is refining a Ninth Grade Pill!”

”Ninth Grade! Not Eighth Grade, but Ninth Grade!”

”How is that possible! How old is he!”

”The Disciple of Old Man Shennong, the personal Disciple of Old Ancestor Xuan Dan—what is impossible about that!”

Discussions, exclamations, and doubts intertwined, submerging the entire square.

But soon, all sounds vanished.

Because the heavens and earth began to change.