Watching Xiao Yan’s joyful expression, the Pharmacist Elder also smiled. He was well aware of just how much effort Xiao Yan had put into finding these fragments.
“Let’s go now. The commotion here is too great. It will likely attract the attention of some strong individuals soon. Although we are unafraid, if others discover that we possess a complete ancient map, it might cause unnecessary trouble,” said the Pharmacist Elder, scanning the surroundings and then speaking up.
“Mm.” Xiao Yan nodded in response, forcefully suppressing his impatience. He knew that if this information spread, it wouldn’t just be a little unnecessary trouble. If it was just a fragment, it might not be as serious, but having a complete ancient map would make them tremendously more attractive. After all, whoever possessed these ancient maps could know about the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. For this demon flame, even if the Starry Falling Pavilion had immense power, they would inevitably be drawn into great trouble.
“Go.”
Seeing this, the Pharmacist Elder didn’t linger any longer. With a wave of his hand, he shot out towards the distance, disappearing into the horizon in a few flashes. Behind him, Xiao Yan and the others quickly followed.
As Xiao Yan and the others left, the area gradually became quiet. This silence lasted for about ten minutes before it was suddenly broken by the sound of breaking wind. Over a dozen figures flashed from the distance, hovering mid-air, their eyes wide with shock at the sight of the mountains that had turned into a plain below.
“Such terrifying destruction! I wonder who fought here, managing to obliterate an entire mountain range?”
Voices filled with surprise and doubt echoed in the air. After a while, someone with keen eyes spotted a corpse on the ground. Immediately, someone flashed down, and shortly after, startled cries began to spread far and wide.
“Is that Earth Scorpion, one of the three Scorpio Demons? That old fiend is at the peak of the Douzun level. Who could have killed him?”
“The three Scorpio Demons never separate. Since Earth Scorpion is dead here, the other two can’t be in good shape either…”
“Hissss… These three evildoers deserved it. But who is this high-ranking expert who managed such a feat? Even if they combined their strength, they could fight against a half-Saint!”
As these people were shocked by the corpse of Earth Scorpion, Xiao Yan and his group had already fled far away…
On a green peak over a thousand miles away from the previous battleground, the sound of breaking wind suddenly resounded, and several figures appeared on the peak. It was Xiao Yan and his group.
“No one should be able to catch up here. I’ve eliminated our trail, so even a Saint would find it hard to track us.”
After landing, the Pharmacist Elder smiled.
Xiao Yan also smiled and nodded. This time, the harvest was rich. Although these three fiends were notorious, they still possessed considerable wealth, and now, it had benefited them.
“Try combining the ancient map. I am very curious what will happen when all the pieces are put together.”
The Pharmacist Elder waved his hand, and the space quietly distorted, sealing off the area. Any changes that occurred could be dealt with promptly.
Xiao Yan nodded, and with a tap of his finger on his ring, the fragmented pieces of the ancient map floated out, hovering in front of him.
Staring at the scattered, extremely ancient-looking map fragments, Xiao Yan’s eyes sparkled with excitement. He couldn’t help but rub his hands, then carefully began to piece the map together according to the patterns.
Xiao Yan’s progress was slow, but as time passed, a complete ancient map gradually appeared under the watchful eyes of Xiao Yan and his companions.
When the last fragment fell into place, Xiao Yan breathed a heavy sigh of relief. His eager gaze turned to the map, only to pause. The complete map indeed depicted a landscape, but the so-called pattern was quite ordinary, with no clear target or path. It looked like nothing more than a hastily drawn landscape picture.
“This…”
Xiao Yan stared dumbfounded at the patterns on the ancient map, his heart sinking. Could it be that the ancient map he had sought for so many years was merely this?
“Don’t rush. The ancient map is genuinely very old and cannot be a prank. There must be something profound about it.”
The Pharmacist Elder, much calmer, pondered aloud.
“Phew…”
Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. He slowly examined the map, searching for anything unusual, but saw nothing except for a strangely demonic lotus fire.
“Drop a drop of your blood on it.”
The Pharmacist Elder suggested after a moment.
Xiao Yan hesitated, then nodded. He cut his finger, letting a drop of blood fall onto the corner of the map. It seeped in, but after a wait, there was no reaction—just a bloodstain on the map.
Seeing this, the Pharmacist Elder sighed and shook his head, falling silent.
Xiao Yan stared fixedly at the ancient map, disappointment evident in his eyes. Cai Lin, beside him, slightly shook her head but said nothing. She knew Xiao Yan had invested a lot in the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame. To finally get the complete map and find nothing was a significant blow.
Silence weighed heavily, dampening the mood. The earlier joy of their victory dissipated.
This silence endured for a long time before Xiao Yan finally sighed, looking at the ancient map and shaking his head. “If it’s useless, what’s the point of keeping it?”
He ignited a ball of strange fire in his palm, enveloping the ancient map.
The Pharmacist Elder, startled by Xiao Yan’s sudden action, tried to stop him but halted, saying, “Why can’t the map be burned?”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan and the others turned to the flames, seeing that no matter how much the fire raged, the seemingly fragile map remained unscathed, showing no signs of burning.
“Increase the heat.”
The Pharmacist Elder stared intently at the map in the flames, his voice deep. Xiao Yan’s strange fire was a fusion of four different fires, capable of burning mountains and boiling seas, yet it couldn’t even scorch a scrap of paper. There must be something wrong!
Xiao Yan paused, then swiftly increased the fire’s intensity.
The raging flames made the air distort, but no matter how much Xiao Yan intensified the flames, the map still showed no signs of burning. As the flames grew fiercer, the patterns on the map gradually brightened, as if they were about to emerge.
Seeing this, the Pharmacist Elder and the others were elated. Without further urging, Xiao Yan kept increasing the heat, driving the strange fire to its maximum.
As the flames intensified, the patterns on the map shone brighter. At a certain moment, the map trembled, the patterns leaping out, forming ancient characters floating in mid-air.
*Two Moons Together*
*Nine Stars as One*
*The Tide of Heaven and Earth*
*The Demon Flame Descends*
The Pharmacist Elder read the ancient characters, his face gradually showing a look of shock.
“What does this mean?”
Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, still not fully understanding.
The Pharmacist Elder exhaled softly, “Two Moons Together and Nine Stars as One describe a special celestial phenomenon, occurring once every millennium. The tide of heaven and earth is a rare phenomenon triggered by this, and on the day of this tide, the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame will descend upon the world.”
Xiao Yan was stunned, “Once every millennium? Then doesn’t that mean we have no chance?”
“Counting the time, it has been 997 years since the last tide. We still have three years.”
The Pharmacist Elder shook his head, relieved, “These three years will give you a chance to strengthen yourself. You must reach the Sage level; otherwise, even if the Demon Flame descends, you won’t be able to handle it.”
Xiao Yan sighed, “After so much effort, all I get is this information. When the time comes, anyone can try to tame it. What was the point of the map?”
The Pharmacist Elder shrugged, agreeing it was somewhat unfair.
Xiao Yan sighed again, gazing at the map in the flames. He reached in to retrieve it, but the moment his hand touched it, the demonic lotus pattern squirmed, transforming into a bolt of lightning that shot directly into Xiao Yan’s forehead!
The sudden change caused the Pharmacist Elder’s expression to drastically alter.
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