Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor

”Haven’t seen him for ten years, I didn’t expect that old fellow Gu Huashan’s Medical Pulse Technique has actually improved to this extent!”

In the northern seats, Qian Sanyuan’s expression looked rather unpleasant, because once this Soul-Melting Demon-Taming Pill appeared, it instantly overshadowed his treasured disciple Mo Qing.

Yet the effects of the Soul-Melting Demon-Taming Pill were laid bare before them, and it had even forcibly drawn down a Six Paths of Pill Thunder Tribulation. No matter how depressed Qian Sanyuan and Guan Rufeng felt in their hearts, they knew that this time Mo Qing’s Medical Pulse championship had already slipped through their fingers.

Even though Qian Sanyuan and the others had immense confidence in Yun Xiao, at this moment that coarse-clothed youth’s state was rather strange, to the point that everyone once thought he had already failed in his alchemy.

To be honest, when Yun Xiao had just begun his alchemy, he truly astonished many people. Whether in refining the medicinal materials or fusing the essence of the herbs, Yun Xiao’s speed was unmatched, practically terrifying.

But this Yun Xiao who had been so stunning in the first two steps, ever since the elixir prototype had taken shape, seemed as if he had suddenly been knocked down from the clouds into the mortal dust.

In these past few days, not only had his figure not moved in the slightest, the elixir prototype in his Medicine Tripod had also shown not the slightest change.

This left people utterly puzzled. Many Meridian Refining Masters unfamiliar with Yun Xiao even subconsciously thought that the boy’s first two steps had been nothing but nonsense, that he had simply mashed all those medicinal essences together at random.

If that were truly the case, then there would be an explanation for why Yun Xiao’s speed had been so fast in those first two steps. If he hadn’t really intended to refine an elixir, then just kneading those medicinal essences together wouldn’t be difficult.

This could only show that Yun Xiao’s Ancestral Vein Fire was stronger than most people’s; it could not prove how brilliant his Alchemy Technique was. Everything would have to be decided by the number of Pill Thunders drawn once the pill was refined.

As time passed, Yun Xiao came under more and more criticism. In the end, even Qian Sanyuan, Guan Rufeng, and the others felt their hearts clench, secretly thinking that this time Yun Xiao might truly be unable to turn the tide.

”Hmph, I wondered what kind of ability that kid had. Turns out he’s just a silver-painted wax spear, a total good-for-nothing!”

Gu Huashan held the Soul-Melting Demon-Taming Pill that had drawn down six Pill Thunders in his hand. His gaze shifted along with everyone else’s to that coarse-clothed youth, and a cold laugh escaped his lips, brimming with undisguised disdain.

To tell the truth, the encounter with Yun Xiao at the trade fair had left Gu Huashan nursing a grudge even now, though before this he had indeed been extremely wary of Yun Xiao.

This was not just because of Yun Xiao’s combat strength, nor merely due to the powerful backing of Lianyun Mountain; it was more so because Gu Huashan had no great confidence he could outdo Yun Xiao in the Meridian Refining Technique.

At least when this alchemy contest had just begun, the speed Yun Xiao displayed in refining and fusing had given Gu Huashan a shock that made his heart pound, almost disrupting his own alchemy methods.

It was a pity that the youth’s brilliance had been confined to those first two steps. At this final step of pill completion, he seemed to have fallen short. All the more since Gu Huashan had now successfully refined the Soul-Melting Demon-Taming Pill and was feeling quite pleased with himself.

”Old geezer, bragging without shame—when your old face gets slapped later, I hope you can still laugh!”

Just as Gu Huashan’s cold snort fell, a clear, chilly voice suddenly came from not far away. When everyone turned their heads, they saw a graceful, pure-looking young girl.

The one who spoke was the Sky Poison Institute’s genius, Liu Hanyi. At this moment, many Poison Vein Masters were standing outside watching the battle, so she naturally had leisure to speak. Moreover, compared to those outsiders and even people like Qian Sanyuan, her understanding of Yun Xiao was undoubtedly greater.

Having long since been unable to stand Gu Huashan, when Liu Hanyi saw that before the results were even out, that old fellow was already so full of himself, she couldn’t resist snapping back.

As for confidence in Yun Xiao, perhaps only the two women and one man who had followed him from the Hidden Dragon Continent understood him best. In their hearts, they had never seen Yun Xiao fight a battle he wasn’t sure of.

Although she found it strange that Yun Xiao had delayed so long at the pill completion step, Liu Hanyi knew clearly in her heart that the elixir Yun Xiao was refining this time would absolutely not be much weaker than Gu Huashan’s.

”Hmph!”

Being mocked to his face by a little girl, Gu Huashan’s old face couldn’t quite hold it, but this was Lianyun Mountain’s home ground, and the Sky Poison Institute’s Dean Qingmu Wu was famously protective of his own. Gu Huashan really had no way to deal with Liu Hanyi.

Thus Gu Huashan could only give a cold snort, then sense the aura of the Soul-Melting Demon-Taming Pill in his hand. Finally regaining some confidence, a fully assured smile appeared on his face.

”No matter what strange tricks that kid has, he still hasn’t broken through to the level of a Heavenly Rank Intermediate Meridian Refiner. At most he can only draw six Pill Thunders; it’s absolutely impossible for him to surpass me!”

Perhaps this was Gu Huashan’s greatest confidence. He could clearly sense that Yun Xiao’s Power of Soul was only at Heavenly Rank Low Level. At such a level, the elixir refined could at most draw six Pill Thunders.

And Gu Huashan’s Soul-Melting Demon-Taming Pill had already successfully drawn six Pill Thunders. So in his view, even if Yun Xiao was more Heaven-defying, he could at best fight him to a draw; more likely, Yun Xiao would simply fail in his refinement.

What Gu Huashan could think of, those other watching cultivators and Meridian Refining Masters gradually thought of as well, so they weren’t too optimistic about Yun Xiao. After all, six Pill Thunders was already the limit for a Heavenly Rank Low Level Stage Meridian Refiner.

Huff... huff...

Just as Gu Huashan and most of the onlooking Cultivators were thinking that Yun Xiao would probably fail this time, the sky above the plaza suddenly saw clouds surging and mists churning; within just a few breaths, it turned dark.

”The elixir Yun Xiao is refining is about to take shape!”

Qian Sanyuan, seated in the northern seats, looked at the dark clouds gathering over the plaza and couldn’t help showing a trace of joy on his face, while also letting out a long sigh of relief.

After all, even though Qian Sanyuan had great confidence in Yun Xiao, his heart had in fact been pounding just now. Only when the Thunder Cloud gathered at this moment did he truly relax.

In any case, as long as he could draw in Thunder Clouds, this round of Yun Xiao’s Alchemy could not be called a failure, and this also dispelled the earlier notion of some people that Yun Xiao was just messing around.

Things randomly thrown together could never possibly attract Pill Thunder; this was a Heavenly Rank Elixir—there was not the slightest room for play. Heavenly Tribulation from the Heavenly Dao could never be faked.

Since Yun Xiao could successfully draw Pill Thunder, it meant that the elixir he refined this time had at least reached Heavenly Rank Low Level. As for how many strands of Pill Thunder it could draw, everyone could only wait and see.

”Heh, these few days of effort weren’t wasted after all!”

Compared to those onlookers who didn’t know the inside story, perhaps only Yun Xiao himself knew what exactly he had been doing over these past few days, and what kind of result it might bring.

To be honest, earlier even Yun Xiao himself did not have absolute confidence that he could succeed. After all, this technique passed down from Nine-layered Dragon Cloud was not being executed by the original Long Xiao Battle God; as for his present self, he was merely a Heavenly Rank Low Level Stage Meridian Refiner.

On top of that, the Heaven and Earth Energy of this Tenglong Continent was far from as dense as that of Nine-layered Dragon Cloud, which could easily cause Yun Xiao to fail for one reason or another.

Fortunately, the final result still made Yun Xiao quite satisfied. When he raised his head and saw the Tribulation Clouds gathering in the sky, the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but lift into a faint smile.

Even though Yun Xiao had been in a hazy state just now, he could still faintly sense the number of Pill Thunders drawn by the other four during their refining.

The strongest among them was the Soul-Melting Demon-Taming Pill of that Huashan Old Monster; an elixir capable of drawing Six Paths Pill Thunder indeed proved the formidable strength of this Huashan Old Monster’s Meridian Refining Technique.

Yet at this moment, not even the slightest trace of worry could be seen on Yun Xiao’s face; instead, there was a hint of calm assurance. Such an expression, falling into Gu Huashan’s eyes, naturally made him extremely displeased.

”Hmph, I don’t believe that you brat can refine an elixir that draws Six Paths Pill Thunder as well!”

This was the greatest source of confidence in Gu Huashan’s heart. As a Heavenly Rank Low Level Stage Meridian Refiner, his Alchemy this time could be said to have reached the limit of what a Heavenly Rank Low Level Stage Meridian Refiner could achieve; he did not believe anyone could do better than he.

Had they not seen that Qihuang Saint Hand Xiao Shijing, who had always been on par with Gu Huashan, had only drawn four strands of Pill Thunder just now? Therefore Gu Huashan had reason to believe that he was the champion of this round of the Medical Vein path.

”Have you noticed that the range of the Thunder Cloud above Yun Xiao’s head is slightly larger than the one Gu Huashan drew just now?”

On the outskirts, a certain Earth Rank Advanced Meridian Refiner, who seemed to be observing quite closely, spoke up. As soon as his words fell, the hearts of those beside him trembled, and an involuntary look of expectation appeared on their faces.

Although these Meridian Refiners had not broken through to the Heavenly Rank, they still had some knowledge. They clearly knew that the number of Pill Thunders was sometimes linked to the size of the Tribulation Cloud.

At this moment, the Tribulation Cloud above Yun Xiao’s head, judging from its sheer size alone, was several degrees larger than the one Gu Huashan had drawn earlier. This seemed to be telling them something, making them foster another kind of expectation.

Boom!

Just as Gu Huashan was cheering himself on and the onlookers were full of anticipation, a silver bolt of Thunder as thick as an adult’s arm suddenly crashed down from the sky, slamming heavily into the Earth Rank Advanced Medicine Cauldron in front of Yun Xiao.

”Wha... the very first bolt is already this thick!”

It was still that Earth Rank Advanced Meridian Refiner. He had already had some guesses in his heart, and when he now saw that this first falling bolt of Thunder was even thicker than the first bolt for the Soul-Melting Demon-Taming Pill just now, a strange light flashed in his eyes.

The number of Pill Thunders was not only related to the size of the Thunder Cloud, but was also inextricably linked to the thickness of the first bolt of Thunder.

From the energy contained in this first bolt of Thunder, one could faintly infer how much power was hidden within that Thunder Cloud, and thereby deduce the number of Pill Thunders this time.