Xiao Yan gazed with satisfaction at the flaming cauldron as he slowly rose, having sensed once more the might brought forth by an Emperor-tier soul. In the past, forging the Lei Jie Dan would have involved significant tolls on his resources, let alone no certain success despite great expenditure.
BOOM!
As Xiao Yan stood to his full height, the sky above the flaming cauldron churned with fury, dark thunder clouds assembling like a dragon weaving through the fog’s embrace.
“Is that the Pill Dragon?” Xiao Yan observed the spectacle with a smirk, unfazed. With a wave, Bei Wang sprang forth from his ring artifact, streaking black toward the clouds and into their storm-filled embrace. Peal after peal echoed in a symphony across the heavens. Amid flashes and rumbling, silhouettes clashed, multiple torrents raining down upon a lone being. About ten minutes later, the cacophony ebbed into tranquil rumbles, until golden rays—pure and uncorrupted—coursed from their clouds down into the cauldron. There laid one glistening, golden elixir.
HUMMMM! Under this torrential blessing, that last speck of impurity vanished from the丹(Elven pill?). With no further delay, radiant beams shot skyward from that furnace. The lid flew asunder. Racing from this cradle of golden illumination, the precious pill took its first flight into air like a fleeing meteor speeding straight into the firmament.
“Heh, not after I’ve toiled for quite long,” chuckled Xiao Yan, who summoned the colossal soul figure behind them. With a mere reaching forth, this vast manifestation pierced realms of existence, capturing the fugue within its palm grasp. As if shrunk by cosmic forces, it flowed back towards a human form and dissipated within, resting now obediently afloat before Xiao Yan’s sight.
HAAH… At the round golden brilliance lying serene before him, Xiao stood breathing easeful relief—within, a formidable might surged. Clearly surpassing the Nine-Star Spirit Pill Xiao Yan once made at the Medicinal Clan. And with reason—it was only natural: materials and might combined, his power since surpassed his past versions manyfold, as moon far from turtledrifted waters.
“Now, I shall see what boon your essence holds… Let forth,” murmured XiaoYan with a smile, folding fingers to palms at rest, the pill transmuting in light-gilded streams along breath to mouth. In swallowed instant—
THOORAAA!
A savage maelstrom detonated deep within XiaoYan’s flesh—sand rose in torrents to reshape the plains beneath into a depression dozens of meters in depths, and hundreds more across—its center housing their still-studied recluse.
A gravestone in XiaoYan’s rear yet endured standing, upheld against collapse’s winds through a monolith’s steadfast grace. Faint glimmers bathed the structure in protective hues.
CRIIII!
Golden flashes pierced limbs’ breadth and beyond, threading through him like murmuring storms upon the canvas of flesh. XiaoYan’s mane spread untidily yet elegantly—where jet black it once was now golden strands reflected celestial forging’s artifice.
While visible forms adapted anew, chaos thrummed within him—a thousand roaring thunders coiled wild, their rage restrained by impregnable, unseen, etherial barriers forcing their redirection. At then, Lotus-Devouring Demonfire roared through Xiao Yan’s flesh like an unfurled dragon banner, consuming the raging energies with brutal voracity until they calmed and transformed fully—into waves of pristine energy now feeding body with celestial song.
Assisted by Lotus-Engulfing Flames and the Emperial soul residing within him, absorbing and fusing the lightning-charged pill became trivial. Golden brilliance shimmered beneath great crater. Within it, XiaoY.
The heavens and earth stirred subtly. Above the plains emerged strange auroras akin to divine sea tides. A feat once thought impossible. Only handful in this world have reached heights to manipulate these flows, such as Great Yuan’s ancient call—where the spectacle eclipsed XiaoYan’s current display vastly, given his distant inferiority.
But for Xiao Yan, such performance ranked as no mean feat. Even a typical Seven-Star Dou Sheng expert would’ve difficulty producing similar phenomenon—only XiaoYan’s possession of Emperor-tier Soul allowing this mastery.
Upon observing the smaller tidal currents from afar surrounding the plains, numerous energy-beings tremble inwardly.
“Verily, rare talent that he is—a mere Dou尊when we first witnessed his might; upon meeting him again, however, ascension into a Saint he had achieved with lightning swiftness unforgivably surpassing mortal dreams. With progress like this, reaching the peak of the late Great King of Ancestors’ might could still remain in store…” Murmurer Saint Blade muttered, awed—only reverence fitting one with such achievements.
Day after day flowed, ten tides passing. Finally the currents stilled in calm winds two days following. When this equilibrium settled—SUUWUUUUNNGHHHH!
Blazing golden streak launched from crater to skies afar, looking nigh a heaven-severing lanza of sheer light! Out from this golden monolith of radiating effulgence soared forth a figure, floating, then gently alighting. Upon his footfall meeting earth below, the golden torrent dimmed—fading until all was swallowed within horizon.
Raising gaze sky to vanished currents of might, Xiao Yan felt mane shift slowly black anew. Golden lightning danced in pitch-dark retinas—an imposing majesty radiating.
“Level seven…Dou Saint tier…”
Internally sweeping through meridians and pathways, XiaoYan smiled. Effect of Lei Jie Dan proved indeed fulfilling—a long leap from level-six’s plateau straight into the sevenfold heights of Saint rank. This very stage now equatable with Soul clan’s Quadrarch of Devils and Gu clan’s Trinity sages—a generational feat only to be equal.
Indeed should battle arise however, he, with Emperor-grade Soul essence’s prowess, will assuredly surpass these elders like dawn bests fading stars.
“A nine-tiered Spirit Dan like this indeed deserving awe,” He yawn stretched.
A lesser elixir forged might merely have brought him to Six-Grade’s fringe.
The tiniest step forward, veiled with a celestial canyon’s breadth.
“My exit awaits,” the Pill master murmured inward.
But where’s Old Medic’s missives? Likely, Soul Tribe rests still? This delay… curious behavior, given urgency regarding ancient Dou Saint TuSha GuDi’s sacred dwelling?
Indeed, XiaoYan refused accept possibility of rivals reaching ancient Dou realm before being alerted. Given Old Great One’s surveillance upon XiaoYan’s charge—it followed no one dare elude that gaze unseen.
“Spirit Emperorer—you shall display every trick within, I shall witness.”
Low laughter faded with the wind.
A flick of robes tore space itself—Xiao Yan advanced into rift, dissolving into non-existence.
Energy-creatures beheld his dissolving figure, exhaled collectively at eased breathes before gradually scattering back toward their domain spaces.
Here lay shadowed plane under eternal dusk’s pall. Mist wreathed voids and frost pierced all within.
In deepest reaches, shadow-clad figure floated cross-legged within black hall. Dark flame seeped from within, resembling swallowing vortex, consuming all within celestial breath.
Numerous spectral shades stood waiting beneath him, and from artifacts in their possession, countless globes began emerging skyward, clear as water; yet power radiating from their core enough to send chill even through strong willed. Were Xiao Yan here, he would instantly recognize: Pure-Soul Nuclei stolen by the Soul Pavilion!
He once assimilated but single orb to elevate him to Heavenly-stage culmination; now, the amassed floating treasures numbered more than a hundred!
WWUUUUUSHHHH!
A powerful gust erupted forth as from above—then waves of engulfing dark fire erupted in torrent, dragging the Soul Essence Globes ever upward! At touch, all began swiftly dissolving.
With their assimilation ever growing, an intense power began emerging, escalating.
ROAAAARRRR—!!!!!
The power rose, becoming palpable. The space cracked. From the seated figure rose a growl that transformed into an earth-shaking howl that sent shivering echoes across the dimension.
“PRAISE O LORD OF EMPTINESS—WHO COMES N OW AS SPIRIT EMPEROR!”
A wave of overwhelming pressure radiating from that dark shape, triggering thousands upon thousands of shadow figures below to kow-tow reverently as thundering praise rolled forth—an acclamation that shook ground violently under celestial awe of a single form.
“Hahaha—!”
From above, the dark figure laughed aloud triumphantly, then shifting gaze toward another distant peak:
“Emperor of Nihility—Time draws nigh! Collect the Eight Treasures, locate Dou Realm of the Ancestors!”
With shared laughter echoing against stone halls, a plan took root in these darkened realms—an oath sworn anew under eternal heavens, that they too would chase immortal legends.
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