Back at the Pill Tower, Xiao Ming did not immediately go into seclusion to refine the Demonic Flame. Instead, he attended to a few crucial matters.
Firstly, he issued a stern warning to the Pill Tower members, emphasizing the need for caution in their actions. He sensed that the Hun Clan would likely expedite their plans.
Though he didn't interfere much this time, he did reveal some of his strength. Hun Tiandi might not move to eliminate him right away, but it would undoubtedly accelerate their plan.
Considering Hun Tiandi's strong desire for the Tuo She Ancient God Jade, he might resort to unscrupulous methods. After all, the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade in Xiao Ming's possession was not as easily accessible as that of the Ancient Clans, as its exact location remained unknown.
Killing him wouldn't necessarily guarantee that the piece of Tuo She Ancient God's Jade would be obtained.
In such a scenario, coercive tactics similar to what happened to Xiao Zhan in the original timeline may come into play.
Currently, there were several potential avenues of threat against Xiao Ming, such as the Xiao family, the Jia Nan Academy, members of the Heavenly Court, and his wives and daughters.
He had already made preparations to mitigate most of these potential threats. However, a few loose ends remained.
For instance, the Heavenly Court needed to operate and safeguard specific locations, which required having some experts present.
If the Hun Clan moved to capture these individuals, Xiao Ming might be able to handle one or two, but if they seized too many and used them as leverage to compel him to surrender the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade, his options would be limited.
Xiao Ming was not all that indifferent to most situations at the end of the day.
Of course, this stance was also based on the assurance that as long as Gu Yuan and Zhu Kun were still alive, even if Hun Tiandi gained complete control over the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade, he could still reverse the situation.
However, if he were to hand over the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade and risk the lives of everyone around him, there was no way he would comply.
This time, not only did Xiao Ming instruct the members of the Heavenly Court to be cautious, but he also sent people to the four Ancient Clans, advising them to remain vigilant against the Hun Clan. It might not be possible to prevent the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade from being taken. However, he only hoped that the moment of its taking would be delayed for a longer period of time.
This delay would give him the necessary time to devour the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. Originally, he had planned to take advantage of the conflict between the Hun Clan and the other Ancient Clans. However, it would not be feasible if he went into seclusion now.
Nonetheless, this didn't deter him; once he reached the Nine-Star Stage, Hun Tiandi would no longer pose a significant threat!
After everything was arranged, Xiao Ming entered seclusion within the Small Pill Tower.
...
During the month that Xiao Ming spent in seclusion, and while Hun Tiandi was recovering from his injuries, news of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's descent and Xiao Ming's successful acquisition of it spread rapidly, becoming a prevalent topic of discussion throughout the Central Plains.
Simultaneously, another significant matter drew widespread attention – the Pill Gathering Competition.
The competition proceeded smoothly throughout its duration, and to the amazement of the entire continent, Cao Ying, the Witch of the Cao Clan, emerged as the champion. In the final stage, she won by successfully refining a six-colored Eighth-Tier Pill!
For the veteran alchemists who had entered the competition with the aspiration of claiming first place and obtaining guidance from a Grandmaster Alchemist, their frustration knew no bounds. This was amplified when another member of the younger generation, Dan Chen, took second place by refining a four-colored Eighth-Tier Pill.
Observing the younger generation outshining their predecessors in the field of Alchemy was a rarity. However, in this event, two young prodigies succeeded in making their names known across the entire continent.
During the final stage of refinement, however, many spectators were surprised to see some familiar puppets assisting Cao Ying in resisting the Pill Lightning.
These puppets were identical to those of Xiao Ming, the Alliance Leader of the Heavenly Court!
Their curiosity was instantly aroused. They couldn't help but speculate about the relationship between this charming young lady and the Alliance Leader...
Regardless of their relationship, Cao Ying's outstanding ability to refine a six-colored eighth-tier pill at such a tender age marked her as a prodigious talent with limitless potential. The substantial rewards for first place filled many hearts with envy and jealousy.
However, for some inexplicable reason, Cao Ying chose not to attempt to refine the Three Thousand Burning Flame. Meanwhile, the rest of the top ten contestants failed to subdue the Heavenly Flame. This brought a certain amount of relief to those who had fallen short of the top ten rankings.
While the excitement surrounding the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame and the Pill Gathering continued to resonate, the Yao Clan found itself ensnared in a life-or-death crisis...
...
The Yao Clan, at the peak of Medicinal Mountain!
This was the most magnificent place in the Yao Clan.
The area was covered with vast fields of precious medicinal herbs on normal days. The intense fragrance of these herbs was so strong that being among them was like being immersed in a sea of medicinal herbs.
There was a floating square at the mountain peak. This was where the Yao Clan held their important ceremonies on regular days. However, at this moment, it had been transformed into a bloody hell.
The sky overhead was shrouded in impenetrable darkness, devoid of any trace of light. The sun was obscured by a pitch-black flame that enveloped the entire sky.
In the midst of the darkness, only a few faint sources of light remained in the sky. They were locked in a fierce conflict at this moment.
Among these light sources stood a colossal figure thousands of meters tall, radiating an aura of tranquility and compassion. It was Emperor Yao's remnant soul. He emitted terrifying energy fluctuations strong enough to shake the world.
Confronting Emperor Yao's remnant soul was Nihility Devouring Flame. The fearsome pitch-black flames clashed with the soul flame emanating from Emperor Yao's remnant soul, each collision scorching the surrounding space.
Emerging from the flame-shrouded space channel came numerous cold and terrifyingly strong figures. They were as thin as skeletons, with ashen faces and rich, deathly auras, akin to walking corpses. However, their formidable auras seemed amplified by some external force, continuously growing in intensity.
Subsequently, an unrelenting massacre unfolded upon the Yao Clan.
Battle cries and clashes echoed throughout Medicinal Mountain, transforming it into the most brutal of battlegrounds. Here, life held little value, and even the mighty were reduced to mere ants. In this blood-soaked soil, the blossoms that unfurled were those of crimson.
Yao Dan, the head of the Yao Clan, found himself entangled and unable to break free.
"Hun Jing, Hun Yan... two of the Four Demon Saints of the Hun Clan have actually appeared together. Your Hun Clan really thinks highly of my Yao Clan!" Yao Dan's voice was deep and full of hatred as he addressed the elder leading the group.
The elder leading the group chuckled weakly in response.
"Yao Dan, your Yao Clan's alchemy skills still hold value for our Hun Clan. If you agree to make the Yao Clan an affiliated clan of my Hun Clan, you might still be able to preserve some bloodline."
"Even if my Yao Clan were to sacrifice its last drop of blood, we would never endure the humiliation of affiliating with your Hun Clan!"
Yao Dan spoke with a heavy voice. As members of the Yao Clan, they had their own pride. No one would agree with that whatever affiliation!
"In that case... we have no choice but to kill you all." The elder showed no surprise at Yao Dan's resolute stance. He grinned slightly, and his attacks intensified.
His companions joined in the assault, driving Yao Dan to retreat step by step. Even the use of a desperate secret technique with severe side effects proved futile. His defeat was only a matter of time.
Yao Dan was relatively fortunate compared to the other members of the Yao Clan. They were either reduced to dry bones by the invading black flames or slain by the Hun Clan. Their blood stained the sky.
Emperor Yao maintained a calm expression in the sky, though a trace of sorrow lingered in his eyes. This was the Yao Realm, and the people here were considered his descendants.
Now they were being brutally slaughtered.
He was but a remnant soul, summoned back into the world with the aid of the Heaven Transforming Yao Formation to protect the Yao Clan one last time. He spared no effort in this battle.
The intense confrontation between the Nihility Devouring Flame and Emperor Yao's remnant soul had reached its zenith.
"Without complete memory and an incomplete soul, you resemble a puppet in your muddled state. To see Emperor Yao in such a condition is truly sigh-inducing."
The Nihility Devouring Flame smiled faintly in the sky. There was not the slightest bit of fear or respect in his tone. His hand was outstretched, his finger covered in black symbols pointing down.
Bang!
The whole place crumbled instantly as the Nihility Devouring Flame pointed its finger forward. A colossal black flame finger that seemed to cover half of the mountain range descended from the black flame that spread across the sky. This entire space seemed to have completely cracked under the finger.
However, just as the black finger was about to strike the large formation, Emperor Yao raised his hand. A medicinal cauldron appeared above the formation that was no smaller than the giant finger. It was covered with various mysterious lines. At first glance, it seemed as if it was a real thing. An ancient aura spread out from it.
Hum!
The giant finger pressed heavily on the large cauldron. Immediately, a humming sound resounded in the sky.
Grug!
Some of the weaker individuals immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood under the terrifying humming sound. Some of their eardrums were even shattered. Blood continued to flow from their ears, giving them an extremely miserable appearance.
Another move was intercepted, but Nihility Devouring Flame showed no surprise.
With a wave of his sleeve, the entire Yao Realm began to tremble. Everyone was shocked to see that there were dense black flame clusters rising from outside the formation. Eventually, they entered the black flame in the sky. An eruption of anguished screams resounded from within the flames.
With another wave of his hand, a blood ball began to form. It expanded at a terrifying speed. The Yao Clan members could unmistakably discern a familiar scent emanating from within the blood ball.
These densely packed black flame clusters contained countless human figures struggling wildly. These people were all the descendant citizens of the Yao Clan!
There were at least millions of descendant citizens in this Yao Realm. Yet they were all being devoured by the Nihility Devouring Flame!
"Explode!"
An indescribably dreadful energy attack descended from the sky, shattering the ancient colossal cauldron upon impact. It eventually melted away under the relentless onslaught of the black flames. The residual destructive shockwave then ruthlessly struck the guardian formation that maintained Emperor Yao's remnant soul.
"The grand formation is on the verge of collapse..."
Observing the increasingly illusory grand formation, the hearts of the remaining Yao Clan members resisting the assault quickly turned cold with dread.
The illusory Emperor Yao dressed in rough linen at the center of the formation also sighed softly as he watched this scene. His murmured words reached the ears of all present.
"This calamity cannot be avoided..."
He abruptly surged out of the formation as his voice sounded, transforming into an illusory streak of light that sliced through the blackened cloud of flames with a speed surpassing even that of light itself. Finally, he shot into the body of the Nihility Devouring Flame.
Thud!
The collision between the two produced only a faint, muffled sound. However, the Nihility Devouring Flame's body shook violently, and for the first time, anger crept into his voice.
"You... damned old ghost, vanish from this world!"
Black flames erupted from his body in all directions. Immediately, a faint sound was heard. It was as if a soul had been shattered...
It was a soft noise, but the bodies of all the Yao Clan members stiffened as they sensed something quietly dissipating from their bloodline.
"Founding Ancestor..."
Yao Dan's scarlet eyes gazed vacantly at the sky. It was as if his beliefs had crumbled at this moment.
Crack!
The formation began to tremble even more in front of the stunned faces of the Yao Clan members. Finally, it emitted a cracking sound and exploded in front of many shocked eyes...
"The formation has been broken..."
The dissipation of Emperor Yao's remnant soul dealt a devastating blow to the Yao Clan, but it served as an encouragement to the Hun Clan.
"Intensify the attack, leave no one alive!"
...
Not long after, Hun Huzi, one of the key members of the Hun Clan this time, reported to Nihility Devouring Flame.
"Lord Nihility, except for those who are currently away, the Yao Clan has been completely wiped out."
"Hmm, the Yao Clan is much more difficult to deal with compared to the Shi and Ling Clans. Fortunately, the Clan Head made the move a bit earlier this time. Hehe, once the Clan Head comes out of seclusion, we can let the undercover agents embedded in the Three Clans begin their actions. You may go back."
"Understood!"
Back at the Pill Tower, Xiao Ming did not immediately go into seclusion to refine the Demonic Flame. Instead, he attended to a few crucial matters.
Firstly, he issued a stern warning to the Pill Tower members, emphasizing the need for caution in their actions. He sensed that the Hun Clan would likely expedite their plans.
Though he didn't interfere much this time, he did reveal some of his strength. Hun Tiandi might not move to eliminate him right away, but it would undoubtedly accelerate their plan.
Considering Hun Tiandi's strong desire for the Tuo She Ancient God Jade, he might resort to unscrupulous methods. After all, the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade in Xiao Ming's possession was not as easily accessible as that of the Ancient Clans, as its exact location remained unknown.
Killing him wouldn't necessarily guarantee that the piece of Tuo She Ancient God's Jade would be obtained.
In such a scenario, coercive tactics similar to what happened to Xiao Zhan in the original timeline may come into play.
Currently, there were several potential avenues of threat against Xiao Ming, such as the Xiao family, the Jia Nan Academy, members of the Heavenly Court, and his wives and daughters.
He had already made preparations to mitigate most of these potential threats. However, a few loose ends remained.
For instance, the Heavenly Court needed to operate and safeguard specific locations, which required having some experts present.
If the Hun Clan moved to capture these individuals, Xiao Ming might be able to handle one or two, but if they seized too many and used them as leverage to compel him to surrender the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade, his options would be limited.
Xiao Ming was not all that indifferent to most situations at the end of the day.
Of course, this stance was also based on the assurance that as long as Gu Yuan and Zhu Kun were still alive, even if Hun Tiandi gained complete control over the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade, he could still reverse the situation.
However, if he were to hand over the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade and risk the lives of everyone around him, there was no way he would comply.
This time, not only did Xiao Ming instruct the members of the Heavenly Court to be cautious, but he also sent people to the four Ancient Clans, advising them to remain vigilant against the Hun Clan. It might not be possible to prevent the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade from being taken. However, he only hoped that the moment of its taking would be delayed for a longer period of time.
This delay would give him the necessary time to devour the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. Originally, he had planned to take advantage of the conflict between the Hun Clan and the other Ancient Clans. However, it would not be feasible if he went into seclusion now.
Nonetheless, this didn't deter him; once he reached the Nine-Star Stage, Hun Tiandi would no longer pose a significant threat!
After everything was arranged, Xiao Ming entered seclusion within the Small Pill Tower.
...
During the month that Xiao Ming spent in seclusion, and while Hun Tiandi was recovering from his injuries, news of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's descent and Xiao Ming's successful acquisition of it spread rapidly, becoming a prevalent topic of discussion throughout the Central Plains.
Simultaneously, another significant matter drew widespread attention – the Pill Gathering Competition.
The competition proceeded smoothly throughout its duration, and to the amazement of the entire continent, Cao Ying, the Witch of the Cao Clan, emerged as the champion. In the final stage, she won by successfully refining a six-colored Eighth-Tier Pill!
For the veteran alchemists who had entered the competition with the aspiration of claiming first place and obtaining guidance from a Grandmaster Alchemist, their frustration knew no bounds. This was amplified when another member of the younger generation, Dan Chen, took second place by refining a four-colored Eighth-Tier Pill.
Observing the younger generation outshining their predecessors in the field of Alchemy was a rarity. However, in this event, two young prodigies succeeded in making their names known across the entire continent.
During the final stage of refinement, however, many spectators were surprised to see some familiar puppets assisting Cao Ying in resisting the Pill Lightning.
These puppets were identical to those of Xiao Ming, the Alliance Leader of the Heavenly Court!
Their curiosity was instantly aroused. They couldn't help but speculate about the relationship between this charming young lady and the Alliance Leader...
Regardless of their relationship, Cao Ying's outstanding ability to refine a six-colored eighth-tier pill at such a tender age marked her as a prodigious talent with limitless potential. The substantial rewards for first place filled many hearts with envy and jealousy.
However, for some inexplicable reason, Cao Ying chose not to attempt to refine the Three Thousand Burning Flame. Meanwhile, the rest of the top ten contestants failed to subdue the Heavenly Flame. This brought a certain amount of relief to those who had fallen short of the top ten rankings.
While the excitement surrounding the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame and the Pill Gathering continued to resonate, the Yao Clan found itself ensnared in a life-or-death crisis...
...
The Yao Clan, at the peak of Medicinal Mountain!
This was the most magnificent place in the Yao Clan.
The area was covered with vast fields of precious medicinal herbs on normal days. The intense fragrance of these herbs was so strong that being among them was like being immersed in a sea of medicinal herbs.
There was a floating square at the mountain peak. This was where the Yao Clan held their important ceremonies on regular days. However, at this moment, it had been transformed into a bloody hell.
The sky overhead was shrouded in impenetrable darkness, devoid of any trace of light. The sun was obscured by a pitch-black flame that enveloped the entire sky.
In the midst of the darkness, only a few faint sources of light remained in the sky. They were locked in a fierce conflict at this moment.
Among these light sources stood a colossal figure thousands of meters tall, radiating an aura of tranquility and compassion. It was Emperor Yao's remnant soul. He emitted terrifying energy fluctuations strong enough to shake the world.
Confronting Emperor Yao's remnant soul was Nihility Devouring Flame. The fearsome pitch-black flames clashed with the soul flame emanating from Emperor Yao's remnant soul, each collision scorching the surrounding space.
Emerging from the flame-shrouded space channel came numerous cold and terrifyingly strong figures. They were as thin as skeletons, with ashen faces and rich, deathly auras, akin to walking corpses. However, their formidable auras seemed amplified by some external force, continuously growing in intensity.
Subsequently, an unrelenting massacre unfolded upon the Yao Clan.
Battle cries and clashes echoed throughout Medicinal Mountain, transforming it into the most brutal of battlegrounds. Here, life held little value, and even the mighty were reduced to mere ants. In this blood-soaked soil, the blossoms that unfurled were those of crimson.
Yao Dan, the head of the Yao Clan, found himself entangled and unable to break free.
"Hun Jing, Hun Yan... two of the Four Demon Saints of the Hun Clan have actually appeared together. Your Hun Clan really thinks highly of my Yao Clan!" Yao Dan's voice was deep and full of hatred as he addressed the elder leading the group.
The elder leading the group chuckled weakly in response.
"Yao Dan, your Yao Clan's alchemy skills still hold value for our Hun Clan. If you agree to make the Yao Clan an affiliated clan of my Hun Clan, you might still be able to preserve some bloodline."
"Even if my Yao Clan were to sacrifice its last drop of blood, we would never endure the humiliation of affiliating with your Hun Clan!"
Yao Dan spoke with a heavy voice. As members of the Yao Clan, they had their own pride. No one would agree with that whatever affiliation!
"In that case... we have no choice but to kill you all." The elder showed no surprise at Yao Dan's resolute stance. He grinned slightly, and his attacks intensified.
His companions joined in the assault, driving Yao Dan to retreat step by step. Even the use of a desperate secret technique with severe side effects proved futile. His defeat was only a matter of time.
Yao Dan was relatively fortunate compared to the other members of the Yao Clan. They were either reduced to dry bones by the invading black flames or slain by the Hun Clan. Their blood stained the sky.
Emperor Yao maintained a calm expression in the sky, though a trace of sorrow lingered in his eyes. This was the Yao Realm, and the people here were considered his descendants.
Now they were being brutally slaughtered.
He was but a remnant soul, summoned back into the world with the aid of the Heaven Transforming Yao Formation to protect the Yao Clan one last time. He spared no effort in this battle.
The intense confrontation between the Nihility Devouring Flame and Emperor Yao's remnant soul had reached its zenith.
"Without complete memory and an incomplete soul, you resemble a puppet in your muddled state. To see Emperor Yao in such a condition is truly sigh-inducing."
The Nihility Devouring Flame smiled faintly in the sky. There was not the slightest bit of fear or respect in his tone. His hand was outstretched, his finger covered in black symbols pointing down.
Bang!
The whole place crumbled instantly as the Nihility Devouring Flame pointed its finger forward. A colossal black flame finger that seemed to cover half of the mountain range descended from the black flame that spread across the sky. This entire space seemed to have completely cracked under the finger.
However, just as the black finger was about to strike the large formation, Emperor Yao raised his hand. A medicinal cauldron appeared above the formation that was no smaller than the giant finger. It was covered with various mysterious lines. At first glance, it seemed as if it was a real thing. An ancient aura spread out from it.
Hum!
The giant finger pressed heavily on the large cauldron. Immediately, a humming sound resounded in the sky.
Grug!
Some of the weaker individuals immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood under the terrifying humming sound. Some of their eardrums were even shattered. Blood continued to flow from their ears, giving them an extremely miserable appearance.
Another move was intercepted, but Nihility Devouring Flame showed no surprise.
With a wave of his sleeve, the entire Yao Realm began to tremble. Everyone was shocked to see that there were dense black flame clusters rising from outside the formation. Eventually, they entered the black flame in the sky. An eruption of anguished screams resounded from within the flames.
With another wave of his hand, a blood ball began to form. It expanded at a terrifying speed. The Yao Clan members could unmistakably discern a familiar scent emanating from within the blood ball.
These densely packed black flame clusters contained countless human figures struggling wildly. These people were all the descendant citizens of the Yao Clan!
There were at least millions of descendant citizens in this Yao Realm. Yet they were all being devoured by the Nihility Devouring Flame!
"Explode!"
An indescribably dreadful energy attack descended from the sky, shattering the ancient colossal cauldron upon impact. It eventually melted away under the relentless onslaught of the black flames. The residual destructive shockwave then ruthlessly struck the guardian formation that maintained Emperor Yao's remnant soul.
"The grand formation is on the verge of collapse..."
Observing the increasingly illusory grand formation, the hearts of the remaining Yao Clan members resisting the assault quickly turned cold with dread.
The illusory Emperor Yao dressed in rough linen at the center of the formation also sighed softly as he watched this scene. His murmured words reached the ears of all present.
"This calamity cannot be avoided..."
He abruptly surged out of the formation as his voice sounded, transforming into an illusory streak of light that sliced through the blackened cloud of flames with a speed surpassing even that of light itself. Finally, he shot into the body of the Nihility Devouring Flame.
Thud!
The collision between the two produced only a faint, muffled sound. However, the Nihility Devouring Flame's body shook violently, and for the first time, anger crept into his voice.
"You... damned old ghost, vanish from this world!"
Black flames erupted from his body in all directions. Immediately, a faint sound was heard. It was as if a soul had been shattered...
It was a soft noise, but the bodies of all the Yao Clan members stiffened as they sensed something quietly dissipating from their bloodline.
"Founding Ancestor..."
Yao Dan's scarlet eyes gazed vacantly at the sky. It was as if his beliefs had crumbled at this moment.
Crack!
The formation began to tremble even more in front of the stunned faces of the Yao Clan members. Finally, it emitted a cracking sound and exploded in front of many shocked eyes...
"The formation has been broken..."
The dissipation of Emperor Yao's remnant soul dealt a devastating blow to the Yao Clan, but it served as an encouragement to the Hun Clan.
"Intensify the attack, leave no one alive!"
...
Not long after, Hun Huzi, one of the key members of the Hun Clan this time, reported to Nihility Devouring Flame.
"Lord Nihility, except for those who are currently away, the Yao Clan has been completely wiped out."
"Hmm, the Yao Clan is much more difficult to deal with compared to the Shi and Ling Clans. Fortunately, the Clan Head made the move a bit earlier this time. Hehe, once the Clan Head comes out of seclusion, we can let the undercover agents embedded in the Three Clans begin their actions. You may go back."
"Understood!"
