Battle Through the Heavens

One
month swiftly flowed by in a quiet fashion. This one month was as calm
as one could imagine. Even with the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python tribe
helping to investigate the Hall of Souls, the results had not been
extremely happy. The Hall of Souls seemed to have decreased the size of
its faction this time around. Even though the spies from the Nine Serene
Deep Ground Python tribe were able to find some Hall of Souls branch
halls, they were unable to venture any deeper because of the defenses
that had been tightened over ten times.

The Sky Mansion Alliance
felt somewhat pressured because of this situation, but it was impossible
for them to gather their strength to destroy all the branch halls.
Everyone knew that this war would eventually end with one party being
eliminated from the Central Plains. This party could be the Hall of
Souls or it could be the Sky Mansion Alliance.

Neither party dared to make this gamble. Hence, everyone could only just watch and wait at this moment.

The day the Medicinal Ceremony of the Yao clan would be held slowly arrived under the build up of this quiet pressure…

The main mountain in the star realm—

“It
is fine if only Xiao Yan and I to head to the Yao clan this time
around. The alliance must pay attention to the Hall of Souls at all
times. Everyone should carefully guard the alliance land in order to
handle any unexpected changes.” Clouds drifted above the main mountain
while Yao Lao looked over the upper echelons from the alliance and
laughed.

Although they were a little worried about Xiao Yan and
Yao Lao heading to the Yao clan alone, Feng zun-zhe and the others could
only nod their heads after Yao Lao insisted.

“Take good care of the alliance.” Xiao Yan looked at Cai Lin, who was holding Xiao Xiao, as he spoke.

“Aye.”
Cai Lin slightly nodded. With her current strength, other than Xiao
Chen and the ancestor from the Pill Tower, no one in the alliance
surpassed her. Xiao Yan felt more assured with her remaining with the
alliance.

“Ha ha, alright. Everyone, there is no need to send us
off any further.” Yao Lao slowly rose into the sky as he laughed to
everyone. Subsequently, he turned around and hurried out of the star
realm. Xiao Yan’s body flashed behind him and quickly followed.

The
Yao clan was situated in the Shenglong Mountain Range, which were
nestled in the far south of the Central Plains. From a certain point of
view, that area could be considered outside of the Central Plains.
Hence, it appeared extremely far.

However, the height of a
mountain was unimportant. The main factor was who lived there. This was
also the case for this mountain range. Although the Shenglong Mountain
Range was considered a wild region since it was filled with poisonous
insects and ferocious beasts that were rare to the Central Plains, this
area was still quite lively because of the Yao clan. Moreover, this
mountain range was filled with many rare medicinal ingredients. Plenty
of alchemists would travel this great distance to find the medicinal
ingredients they needed to refine a pill in this mountain range. Hence,
this Shenglong Mountain Range was quite lively.

The Medicinal
Ceremony was the most important event of the Yao clan. It was not held
on a fixed day. It would change depending on how various events
developed. In summary, this Medicinal Ceremony was somewhat similar to
the Pill Gathering of the Pill Tower. From a certain point of view, it
could be considered a gathering of peak alchemists on the continent.

Only this gathering would reveal who the top ranked alchemists were on this continent!

Other
than the members of the Yao clan, those who could join the Medicinal
Ceremony were alchemist gurus from the Central Plains, who boasted great
reputations and skills as alchemists. However, usually very few
individuals were invited. After all, the alchemists who could catch the
eye of the Yao clan were existences as rare as a phoenix feather or a
unicorn horn.

Nevertheless, this did not hinder the Medicinal
Ceremony from being grand. The sole reason for this grandness was to
name the top alchemist on the continent!

The star realm was
extremely far from the Shenglong Mountain Range where the Yao clan was
located, but the long journey only took half a day for Xiao Yan and Yao
Lao. Hence, the fog covered Shenglong Mountain Range appeared in front
of their eyes around evening.

“What a dense natural energy. This Yao clan has really found a good spot…”

Even
Xiao Yan involuntarily praised the Shenglong Mountain Range after
arriving here for the first time. The clouds churning in the air above
the mountain range were not ordinary. They had been formed from natural
energy. One would train faster if one trained in this place.

“This
mountain range was nurtured by an ancestor from the Yao clan for a
couple of centuries in order to facilitate this fertility.” Yao Lao’s
eyes scanned this familiar yet foreign mountain range with a complicated
expression. This was the first time he had returned ever since he left
back then. He softly sighed and slowly began to descend. Finally, he
landed near a deep stream in the deepest part of the mountain range.
There was a few-thousand-foot-tall stone archway quietly standing on the
opposite side of the stream. An ancient aura spread from the archway.

The
middle of the archway was a distorted space. This was the entrance to
the Yao clan’s realm. There was a continuous stream of people flying
down from the sky or from deep in the mountains. These people would land
outside of the huge stone archway. They would then take out a jade
token and hand it to some guards who were wearing the robes of the Yao
clan before being allowed in.

“Let’s go. This Medicinal Ceremony
is the Yao clan’s greatest event. Some of the nearby fractions that rely
on the Yao clan are allowed to enter and observe it. This period of
time is very lively for the Yao clan.” Yao Lao’s eyes swept over those
figures entering the spatial door before speaking.

“Aye.”

Xiao
Yan slightly nodded. His body flashed and appeared outside the archway.
A couple of figures stood there like statues. Their sharp eyes shot
over as they cried out. “This is an important area of the Yao clan. You
are not allowed to trespass. Who are you?”

The eyes of these few
people were extremely sharp. They managed to identify that Xiao Yan did
not belong to a nearby factions from just glance because even the chiefs
of the factions that came would present a humble expression. However,
this person’s calm appearance in front of them did not display any
respect or fear for the Yao clan.

Those human figures coming and
going around the deep stream halted. Their eyes were curious as they
looked at Xiao Yan and Yao Lao.

“Sky Mansion Alliance—my teacher, Yao Chen, has been invited to participate in the Medicinal Ceremony.”

Xiao
Yan glanced at the few of them. His foot gently stepped forward as a
monstrous aura suddenly erupted from him. It forced those few
individuals back. Those people from the various neighbouring factions
immediately inhaled a cold breath. Only those chiefs with greater
experience revealed an expression of understanding. Private
conversations immediately began to spread.

“It is actually Yao
Chen from the Sky Mansion Alliance. Does that not mean that this person
is Xiao Yan, who defeated the chief of the Hall of Souls? It is
unexpected that even he has come.”

“It is rumored that Xiao Yan is
the champion of the Pill Tower’s Pill Gathering. He possesses an
extremely high attainment in terms of alchemist skills.”

“Hee, in
terms of Dou Qi and combat, it is likely that he is very strong.
However, if he wants to compare alchemist skills at the door of the Yao
clan, he is really asking to suffer…”

“That is difficult to say, difficult to say…”

The
expressions of those few guards changed slightly after hearing the
surrounding soft voices. Xiao Yan’s name was extremely well-known even
among these ancient clans. The declined Xiao clan still managed to
produce such an outstanding individual. This was a miracle.

Xiao
Yan glanced at all of them but didn’t feel like finding fault with them.
He randomly threw a jade token over. A guard received it and studied it
for a moment before sighing in relief. A light pillar shot out and
struck the large door. A spatial fluctuation appeared, giving it a
distorted feeling.

“Misters, please… there will be someone to lead the both of you into the clan once you enter.”

This
time around, these guards appeared a lot more respectful. Strength was
always honored in this world. Xiao Yan’s strength was comparable to the
Grand Elders within their Yao clan. They did not dare to offend him.

Xiao
Yan nodded. He turned around and glanced at Yao Lao behind him. Yao Lao
inhaled a deep breath of air and slowly nodded to him. After which, the
both of them moved and rushed into the distorted space at the same
time.

Their vision became slightly dazzled after they entered the
spatial fluctuation. The mountain range in front of them turned into
lush green plains. There were many huge bird beasts with wings that were
thousands of feet in size resting on the green ground.

“Misters, please come this way.”

Xiao
Yan and Yao Lao had just landed when a member of the Yao clan wearing
armor swiftly walked over. He lead them onto a huge bird. At this
moment, there was already a couple hundred figures standing on it. It
was extremely lively on the bird.

Xiao Yan, who had experienced a
similar process in the Gu clan, was familiar with such a situation. He
did not chat with anyone. Instead, he and Yao Lao headed to a spot with
fewer people and quietly studied the huge plains.

The huge bird
flapped its large wings after the two of them boarded. Finally, it
stirred a wild wind as it whistled up into the sky. It then swiftly flew
toward the deeper parts of the Yao clan’s realm.

This flight
continued for around half an hour. Only then did Xiao Yan sense the
speed of the huge bird slow. His eyes looked into the distance and saw a
cloud part. A towering mountain that penetrated the cloud appeared in
his sight. It was vaguely possible to see clusters of large halls and
buildings on the huge mountain. Countless smoke pillars slowly rose into
the sky, filling the air with a rich pill fragrance.

The large
bird circled the large mountain before finally landing in a square. Xiao
Yan and Yao Lao slowly descended. Yao Lao looked at the familiar
surrounding and became a little absent-minded.

Xiao Yan did not
interrupt Yao Lao’s absent-minded state. He quietly stood beside Yao Lao
with both of his hands in front of him in his sleeves. His eyes
narrowed, and he completely ignored the surrounding strange glances.

The
two figures standing in the square appeared exceptionally glaring in
front of the people coming and going. Hence, after a couple of minutes, a
somewhat familiar elderly laugh was slowly transmitted into Yao Lao’s
and Xiao Yan’s ear.

“I was wondering who it is that doesn’t know
the rules. It is actually the two of you… however, Yao Chen, this
elderly self is really a little surprised that someone like you, who was
expelled from the clan, possesses the face to return…”

The
footsteps of the surrounding individuals slowed. They looked at the old
man, who was slowly walking over with a cold smile. All of them wisely
stepped back.

“Yao Wangui…”

Xiao Yan slowly relaxed both of
his hands that had been inserted into his sleeve. He lifted his eyes and
glanced at that somewhat familiar old man. His voice was calm as the
corner of his mouth was lifted into an ice-cold arc.