Immortal-Exterminating Divine Venerable

BANG!

An accident occurred during the third step.

One of the Elemental Points condensed by the Refining Truth Technique exploded.

Fortunately, Yang Xiao was prepared.

The moment the Elemental Point detonated, he instantly summoned the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame, suppressed the explosive Primordial Power, and absorbed it bit by bit.

In that instant, Yang Xiao’s aura surged dramatically.

He went from the Middle Stage of the Innate Fourth Layer directly to the Peak of the Innate Fourth Layer, just one step away from the Innate Fifth Realm.

This showed just how immense the Primordial Power contained within a single Elemental Point was.

’Thirty-five points left. The Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Array from the Starburst Skill is truly incredible. Without this Secret Skill, I’d probably have to start all over again.’

This was the true power of the Starburst Skill.

The Heavenly Gang Array not only allowed Yang Xiao to simultaneously condense thirty-six Elemental Points, but it also tempered them, making them stronger and purer.

Moreover, it gave him thirty-six chances.

He only needed to succeed once!

And it would be a complete success.

BANG!

However, what followed suggested Yang Xiao’s luck had taken a turn for the worse.

He failed again and again.

The repeated failures did, however, cause the aura of his Heaven and Earth Origin Flame to climb steadily higher.

By the time he failed for the ninth time, he had already reached the Seventh Layer of the Innate Realm.

But this was clearly not the kind of advancement Yang Xiao wanted.

If all he wanted was to strengthen his aura, he could have just swallowed a Ninth Grade Fire Element Pill.

Why would he have needed to come here?

And take such enormous risks?

After all, the explosive power of these Elemental Points was terrifying.

Especially since they were detonating inside his Qi Sea.

If anything went wrong and his Qi Sea was damaged, even he would suffer a major loss of Primordial Qi, hindering his cultivation.

So, after nine consecutive failures, Yang Xiao stopped.

He continued to study the Nine Yang Secret Pattern passed down by his master in his previous life, and began integrating it with the Greater Yang Treasure Pattern he had comprehended from Lu Fangliang.

He worked to understand how they complemented each other.

And so, time trickled by.

「Outside the Earth Flame Cave」

Someone arrived.

The man was dressed in white, his appearance handsome and remarkable.

A longsword hung at his waist. Had Yang Xiao been there, he would have immediately recognized the man as Qin Rufeng.

’It’s already been seven days, and Yang Xiao still hasn’t come out? Could he have started cultivating in there?’

Qin Rufeng’s brow furrowed slightly.

Seven days had passed since Yang Xiao entered the Earth Flame Cave.

Seven days prior, Qin Rufeng had already approached the higher-ups of Medicine King Valley.

He expressed his desire to recruit Yang Xiao.

However, the moment he raised the issue, it was met with opposition from certain members of the Elder Council. What surprised Qin Rufeng even more was that he was given a mission.

The mission was to bring Yang Xiao to see the Great Elder.

’Great Elder Yanm Kuan is Yanm Liben’s clan brother. He wants me to bring Yang Xiao to him... could it be because of what happened with former Elder Yanm Liben?’

As the First True Disciple, Qin Rufeng was well aware of the relationships among the upper echelons of Medicine King Valley. He had been under the impression that Great Elder Yanm Kuan and Elder Yanm Liben did not have a good relationship.

He shouldn’t have been one to make things difficult for Yang Xiao.

In fact, some time ago, the True Disciples had caused a huge uproar, even going so far as to travel to the Celestial Cloud Kingdom to capture Yang Xiao and his companions and bring them back.

That incident must have had the backing of some of the sect’s higher-ups.

Otherwise, no matter how furious those True Disciples were, they wouldn’t have been so bold.

But as far as Qin Rufeng knew, Great Elder Yanm Kuan had not been involved.

Not even those associated with him had taken part.

He had clearly shown no interest in the matter.

So what was this sudden change of heart about?

’Perhaps Great Elder Yanm Kuan felt that others could handle it, so he didn’t need to get involved? After all, he’s still former Elder Yanm Liben’s clan brother. No matter how deep their conflict, it can’t erase the bonds of kinship. Sigh... it looks like Yang Xiao is in serious trouble.’

’Now, I can only hope Great Elder Yanm Kuan just gives him a stern lecture. Otherwise, with the Great Elder’s strength as a Half-Step Martial Saint…’

Just the thought of it made Qin Rufeng feel that if he brought Yang Xiao before the Great Elder, the young man’s chances of survival were slim.

Still, he felt only a momentary twinge of regret.

He had absolutely no intention of helping Yang Xiao in the slightest.

In truth, he and Yang Xiao had only met once; there was hardly any friendship between them.

Yang Xiao, on the other hand, had a terrible reputation in Medicine King Valley.

Never mind the fact that back in the Celestial Cloud Kingdom, he had killed over a dozen former disciples of Medicine King Valley—many of whom were True Disciples, or at the very least, Core Disciples.

Although those people had left Medicine King Valley with Yanm Liben, their roots were still firmly planted in the sect.

Their connections were complex and far-reaching. Yang Xiao had made a host of enemies before he even set foot in the valley.

And after his arrival, he had remained just as arrogant and domineering.

He had even killed three True Disciples.

Later, Qin Rufeng himself had taken Zuo Wang and the others to visit him, hoping to probe his true capabilities.

As it turned out, they had learned something of his true abilities.

They discovered that the brat’s accomplishments all stemmed from a fortuitous encounter.

However, Yang Su, Zuo Wang, and Jin Wuming had all lost face in the process.

From all this, it was clear that the entire Medicine King Valley had a poor impression of Yang Xiao.

In fact, if he hadn’t thought Yang Xiao’s strength was impressive and wanted him to join Medicine King Valley to increase their chances of winning the Nine Sects Grand Competition in five months, Qin Rufeng himself would probably have become hostile towards Yang Xiao as well.

Well, now, it didn’t matter whether he was hostile or not.

Once he fell into Great Elder Yanm Kuan’s hands, even a supreme expert at the Martial Grandmaster Ninth Layer would be flayed alive, let alone a mere Junior Sect Leader from the Purple Sun Sect.

’Forget it. The situation is already decided. With Great Elder Yanm Kuan standing in his way, Yang Xiao will never be able to enter Medicine King Valley. Since that’s the case, why am I wasting my time worrying about him?’

’When he comes out, I’ll just take him to the Great Elder. Whether he lives or dies will be up to his own fate.’

Qin Rufeng stood dispassionately before the Earth Flame Cave.

He began to wait patiently.

He too had been inside the Earth Flame Cave and knew that the Fire Elemental Power within was incredibly dense. Even he couldn’t stay for very long.

Yang Xiao had already been inside for seven days.

’He’ll probably have to come out soon,’ he estimated. ’His physical body may be strong, but this Earth Flame Cave is no hospitable place.’

But Qin Rufeng was destined for disappointment.

For one, Yang Xiao was cultivating the True Greater Yang Fire, and he thrived in such scorching environments.

And even if he weren’t, with the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame within him, he had no reason to fear the Earth Flame Cave in the slightest.

He could likely stay in even the deepest parts of the Earth Flame Cave for as long as he pleased.

Of course, Yang Xiao was currently unaware that outside, a being at the Half-Step Martial Saint level—the Great Elder of Medicine King Valley, a supreme expert known as the strongest person in the world beneath the rank of Martial Saint—Yanm Kuan, had him in his sights.

The moment he stepped out, he would likely face a cataclysmic disaster.