Battle Through the Heavens

Xiao Yan followed behind Elder Chi Huo and smoothly passed through the tight defenses outside of the large hall. After which, they gently pushed open the door of the hall…

Creak…

Following the opening of the hall’s door, the exceptionally majestic and grand interior of the hall appeared in front of Xiao Yan’s line of sight. Elder Chi Huo hurriedly walked in after the door was opened. After which, he bowed to the leader’s seat of the large hall and said, “Valley Chief, Chi Huo has come to report the completion of my mission. The alchemist grandmaster that Tianhuang City has recommended has arrived.”

At this moment, there were around ten figures seated inside the large hall. Most of them were wearing alchemist robes. From their appearances, it was obvious that they were quite old. Their faces were indifferent. None of them felt constrained because this place was the headquarters of the Burning Flame Valley.

There was a skinny, red-haired, old man in simple linen clothes seated in the leader’s seat in the hall. The old man’s face was filled with smiles. However, the hearts of everyone seated were clearly aware of this old man’s great status within this Middle Region.

A red-clothed lady was standing prettily by the side of the red-haired, old man. Her delicate and narrow waist was wrapped by a dark-red, long belt that accentuated her waist so that it appeared even more alluring. The appearance of this lady was quite extraordinary. However, there was a heroic demeanor being emitted from her thin eyebrows. This, along with her fiery-red outfit, gave her a valiant appearance, giving her an unusual charm.

The eyes of everyone in the hall shot over when they heard the noise from the opening of the door that led into the hall, especially when Elder Chi Huo mentioned the arrival of an alchemist grandmaster. Quite a number of people shot their eyes over with interest.

“Ha ha, Chi Huo, you are the last to finish your task this time around…” The red-haired, old man smiled at Elder Chi Huo. After which, he asked, “Why aren’t you inviting the grandmaster in? Are you trying to let others say that our Burning Flame Valley has bad hospitality?”

Elder Chi Huo hurriedly nodded upon hearing the red-haired, old man’s words. He turned his head, faced the exterior of the hall and said, “Young friend Yan Xiao, please enter.”

“Yan Xiao?”

The ten plus alchemist in the hall, who possessed some reputation within the Middle Region, frowned slightly when they heard the manner of address by Elder Chi Huo. They had never heard of an alchemist grandmaster named Yan Xiao appearing in the Middle Region.

While everyone was feeling doubtful, a skinny figure slowly walked into the hall. Xiao Yan’s unusually young face was immediately imprinted into the eyes of everyone in the hall. After which, a temporary silence unsurprisingly filled the hall.

“Yan Xiao greets Valley Chief.”

Xiao Yan was unconcerned with these unusual looks. His eyes jumped to the red-haired, old man in the leader’s seat in the hall. Xiao Yan had vaguely sensed a faint pressure when he entered the hall. The source of this pressure originated from this skinny, old man who did not appear frightening.

The red-haired, old man was similarly startled when he saw Xiao Yan. However, he hide his emotions very well and did not expose them in any way. His eyes slowly swept over Xiao Yan. Following this, the surprise within his eyes also grew became more dense.

“Ha ha, young friend is too polite. The old me me is called Tang Zhen. It is unexpected that young friend has already reached the Dou Zong class at such a young age. This talent is really rare.” The red-haired, old man laughed.

Some exclamations immediately sounded within the large hall when Tang Zhen’s words were spoken. The alchemist grandmasters seated in this place revealed surprised expressions as they looked at Xiao Yan. The talent to reach the Dou Zong class at such a young age could be considered outstanding even in the Central Plains region.

The red-clothed lady beside Tang Zhen was also using strange eyes to look at Xiao Yan. There was a hint of doubt within her eyes. Being the most outstanding person from the younger generation in the Burning Flame Valley, she clearly understood just how difficult it was to reach the Dou Zong class at such an age. Moreover, the thing that caused her to feel some disbelief was that Xiao Yan’s age seemed to be even younger than her…

“Valley Chief Tang has overpraised me. It is just that my luck is a little more than an ordinary person.” Xiao Yan’s expression did not change, but his heart involuntarily felt some surprise. This person was indeed worthy of being the chief of the Burning Flame Valley. He was able to tell Xiao Yan’s strength with just a glance. While this thought was lingering in Xiao Yan’s heart, his gaze also swept over Tang Zhen on the leader’s seat without being obvious. He was a little shocked to discover that he was unable to probe the other person’s aura…

“He is able to hide his aura so perfectly. The strength of this Tang Zhen is likely much greater than even Lei zun-zhe from the Wind Lightning Pavilion…”

“Being able to possess such luck is also considered an ability. However, what I need today is not a Dou Zong, but a true alchemist grandmaster. Elder Chi Huo, have you really not brought the wrong person?” An old man who was wearing an alchemist robe by the side glanced at Xiao Yan as he indifferently talked down.

The lips of this old man were extremely thin. He appeared like the kind of person who spoke bluntly. Of course, being an alchemist, one would usually possess some arrogance, especially these alchemists who had some ability. They were treated like important people no matter where they went. All of them had similarly spent half their life training bitterly in order to possess such an achievement, yet Elder Chi Huo had randomly brought a young fellow over and called him an alchemist grandmaster. This would undoubtedly cause their hearts to feel some displeasure.

An alchemist grandmaster was a form of address that possessed significant weight in the Central Plains. Moreover, the requirements to obtain this title were quite harsh. The first condition was that one must be able to refine a tier 6 or even a tier 7 medicinal pill alone. Of course, if one could refine a tier 8 medicinal pill, one could already be called an alchemist guru.

Elder Chi Huo slightly frowned upon hearing this old fellow’s words. He immediately said with a smile, “Grandmaster Mo, please rest assured that the old me still possesses a little eyesight. This young friend Yan Xiao does indeed reach the requirements stated by the Valley Chief.”

The one called Elder Mo could only let out a soft snort when he heard this. His eyes glanced at Xiao Yan before he ceased speaking.

“Ha ha, if it is really as Elder Chi Huo has mentioned, this young friend Yan Xiao’s talent is likely much greater than even my daughter’s talent. It is not a simple matter to achieve greatness in alchemist skill while reaching the Dou Zong class at the same time.” Tang Ying appeared to have not heard the doubt that Grandmaster Mo felt toward Xiao Yan as he spoke with a smile.

“Jumping to a quick conclusion by just hearing what someone says? Father, I think you are becoming muddled in your old age.”

The red-clothed lady by the side curled her lips and coldly snorted. Her pretty eyes swept over Xiao Yan while her snow-white chin was lifted. There was a provocation within her eyes. She had never met an opponent among the same generation who was comparable to her in all these years. Xiao Yan’s appearance had caused her, who possessed a competitive spirit, to feel a great interest.

Xiao Yan merely smiled in the face of the provocation in the red-clothed lady’s eyes. He could sense that this lady did not have any ill intention. She was merely a little dissatisfied by Tang Zhen’s words earlier.

“Young friend Yan Xiao, please find a seat.” Tang Ying smiled and directed Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan nodded with a grin. After which, he was led to a seat in the large hall by Elder Chi Huo beside him.

“That Grandmaster Mo from earlier is a tier 6 alchemist. He is able to refine a medicinal pill at the peak of the tier 6 level. If he is given a couple more years, it is likely that he will reach tier 7. That person’s mouth is a little nasty. Just act like you did not hear his words.” Elder Chi Huo softly explained to Xiao Yan after he had sat down.

Xiao Yan lowered his chin without leaving a trace when he heard this. He could sense that the alchemists invited here were all renowned people with the exception being himself.

“However, with young friend Yan Xiao’s skill, you need not pay any attention to this old fellow. All you need to do is pay attention to two people among those seated. They are the two people seated on the left and right of the Valley Chief.”

Xiao Yan’s heart moved when he heard Elder Chi Huo’s words. He slid his eyes over.

There were two old men who had their eyes shut on both sides of Tang Zhen. Their auras were being suppressed, but Xiao Yan was still vaguely able to sense the majestic Spiritual Strength that permeated the area beside these two people.

“Tier 7 alchemists?”

Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. His finger gently tapped his knee. This should be his first time seeing a tier 7 alchemist during all these years…

“These two people enjoy a great reputation within the Middle Region. One reason is that they possess an extremely great alchemist skill while the other is that these two are External Elders of the Pill Tower. Even the Valley Chief is extremely courteous to them.” Elder Chi Huo softly explained more.

Xiao Yan’s heart was slightly shaken. External Elders of the Pill Tower? This title was indeed pretty shocking.

“Ha ha, since everyone has arrived, the old me shall talk a little about this matter at hand.” Tang Ying in the leader’s seat softly coughed. His eyes swept over the entire hall as he said, “I think that everyone is aware about some of it. The old me wants to refine a medicinal pill. This medicinal pill is a tier 7 high grade medicinal pill.”

The expressions of the ten plus alchemist grandmasters in the large hall changed slightly upon hearing this. A tier 7 medicinal pill was considered quite high even for these people seated here.

When Tang Ying spoke, the two External Elders of the Pill Tower also slowly opened their shut eyes. They glanced at the former and said, “Tier 7 high grade medicinal pill. A medicinal pill of this tier is something that even the both of us cannot refine…”

Although the two of them were tier 7 alchemists, they were only able to refine some tier 7 low grade medicinal pills. Their chances of success when refining a middle grade pill might be reduced by half. However, if it was a high grade pill, their chances of success would be quite miserable.

“Ha ha, you can leave this matter to the old me. Although the old me is not an alchemist, there are some abilities of mine that all of you do not possess.” Tang Zhen smiled and said, “All I need are two alchemist who can resist my Nine Dragon Lightning Flame!”

Upon saying this, Tang Zhen gently clenched his hand. One could hear a puff sound as a silver-colored flame slowly rose from his hand. While the flame rose, one could vaguely see nine silver-colored fire dragons twisting within the flame.

“This is the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame?”

Xiao Yan’s eyes slightly narrowed when he saw the cluster of silver-colored flames.

“Everyone, please summon your Spiritual Strength. If you are able to endure the grilling of this Nine Dragon Lightning Flame of mine, you will have reached the qualifying standard…” Tang Zhen smiled as he instructed.

The faces of quite a number of alchemists in the large hall twitched when they heard this…