Chapter 353: Nine Colors!
Under the watchful gaze of the entire audience, the dark red pill wrapped in bluish-green flame began to tremble slightly. Then, to everyone's surprise, the smooth surface of the pill quietly became uneven, as wisps of spiritual mist gently rose from within—only to be completely sealed in by the surrounding flames.
Xiao Yan stared unblinkingly at the increasingly withered pill. Once all the inner spiritual energy had been extracted, he suddenly flicked his finger. Two tiny grains of shimmering dust shot from his storage ring and entered the flame.
This glittering dust was, of course, the Spirit-Nurturing Powder gifted to Xiao Yan by Xiao Yuan. It naturally contained spiritual energy, and its use at this moment would yield twice the result with half the effort.
The moment it entered the flame, it dissolved entirely. Though invisible to the naked eye, top-tier experts like the three Pill Tower giants could sense that the spiritual aura within the flame had become exceptionally dense.
As the spiritual aura surged, Xiao Yan's face turned exceedingly solemn. His vast soul power ignited, and soul flames appeared on his body's surface, triggering an uproar throughout the audience.
"This guy… is he crazy?!"
Many people gasped in shock at the sight.
Yet Xiao Yan remained focused, intensifying the soul burn. Thick flames burst from him, enveloping the entire platform. A glint of sharp light flickered in his eyes as his hand seals changed rapidly. Under his formidable control, the soul flames compressed into a fiery ring!
With another seal, the Soul Ascension Ring rose into the air, shrinking as it flew until it encircled the pill inside the flame.
With the ring's boost, the enhanced spiritual energy was rapidly compressed and poured back into the pill!
If an alchemist were able to scan the pill up close with soul perception, they would have seen the surface—now rough and pitted—covered with countless micro-holes, too small to be seen by the naked eye.
From these holes, threads of spiritual energy extended like ropes, pulling the aura around the pill inward.
Pfft!
Xiao Yan suddenly bit the tip of his tongue. A mouthful of blood mist sprayed into the flame.
"Blood Sacrifice—Spirit Return!"
As the blood mist scattered, Xiao Yan turned pale. His low shout followed, and the surrounding spiritual mist instantly surged back like bees returning to a hive. Under his terrifyingly precise control, it followed the tiny holes and was pulled completely into the pill.
When the final wisp of mist vanished into the pill, the audience saw with amazement that the once-uneven pill had started to smooth and shine at a visible speed.
As the pill became perfectly round and smooth again, the five-colored thundercloud overhead suddenly began to churn violently, as if drawn by some invisible force!
It was like a boulder dropped into a still lake, sending waves across the entire square. Shockwaves of astonishment rippled through the crowd.
"The thundercloud… it's changing!"
A cry of disbelief echoed across the sky. All eyes immediately locked onto the cloud above Xiao Yan's head. Sure enough, the previously stable pill lightning was beginning to shift again!
Witnessing this miracle, people were stunned. Xiao Yan's desperate gamble—refining at the cost of burning his soul—had actually worked?
"Good heavens! Unbelievable!"
While most were still dumbfounded, some finally snapped out of it and shouted excitedly. Today, Xiao Yan had allowed them to witness a true miracle!
Huu…
On a distant platform, Cao Ying was stunned by Xiao Yan's alchemy skills. But the fact that he had burned his soul to forcibly enhance the pill's quality left her worried. The smile that had almost bloomed on her face was replaced by a furrowed brow.
"He… he really succeeded."
Even Xuan Kongzi, towering figure of the alchemy world, looked momentarily lost in thought. His eyes fixed on the young man atop the stone platform, filled with a trace of envy. He whispered, "I'm truly jealous. That Yao Chen has two disciples like this… it's not fair."
"The pill lightning is evolving again. Let's see how far Xiao Yan can push it now. He's clearly the star of this Pill Gathering—just like Yao Chen back then!"
Xuan Yi chuckled as she touched her ring.
The others nodded. Their eyes, slightly tense, turned to the sky. None could guess what reward Xiao Yan's reckless methods would yield.
Xiao Yan stood on his platform, looking down at the sea of people stretching to the horizon. Then he looked up, a bitter smile on his lips.
This was the first time he had truly used the dangerous Soul Ascension technique that burned his soul. Though the result was incredible, the cost was steep.
And now, he had no strength left to deal with the pill lightning!
Thunderclouds rolled across the sky, dividing the heavens into multicolored sectors. Each was dominated by a differently colored thundercloud, radiating pressure that made even strong fighters shiver. If the lightning were to fall randomly, countless lives would be lost in an instant.
Among all the thunderclouds, Xiao Yan's was the largest—still boiling and swirling.
Under countless gazes, the five-colored thundercloud suddenly surged more violently. Then, a streak of orange light slowly emerged.
"The sixth color! It's here!"
The orange glow was brilliant and dazzling. As soon as it appeared, the crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.
The orange light grew stronger, standing equal among the other five colors.
But just when everyone thought it was over, they noticed—the cloud was still churning.
"What…?"
With previous experience, the spectators now understood what this meant: the pill lightning had not yet stabilized. Something more was still forming!
As the cloud roiled, silence fell across the square. Everyone held their breath, eyes glued to the sky. If one more color appeared, then the pill would be classified as a high-grade Tier Eight—placing Xiao Yan among the elite alchemists in the land.
After all, Tier Nine pills were practically legend. Many Dou Zun experts might live a lifetime and never see one.
Even a pill with seven-colored lightning was enough to be considered mythical!
Gulp.
Everyone craned their necks, throats bobbing nervously.
The pressure was intense. Even Cao Ying was clenching her fists, heart pounding uncontrollably.
Then, the thundercloud suddenly quivered. A white light pierced through the gloom like divine brilliance, illuminating the sky.
As the white light appeared, the thundercloud turned into seven-colored pill lightning!
Waaaah!
The previously silent square erupted with deafening cheers. Faces flushed with excitement. The entire Sacred Pill City trembled under the roar.
Seven-colored pill lightning!
A miracle nearly forgotten by time had just unfolded before their eyes. How could they not cheer?
Heaven and earth watched as countless heated gazes locked on the lone, lean figure standing on the platform. Their admiration turned to fanaticism. Who could believe that someone barely in his twenties had refined such a pill?
After today, the name Xiao Yan would echo across all of Central Plains!
Even Cao Ying, staring at the calm young figure in the sky, was filled with joy despite her lingering worry. The sheer shock of the seven-colored lightning left her overwhelmed.
But from her expression, anyone could tell—this most proud enchantress of the Cao Clan had truly fallen in love!
And no one could deny it. At this moment, Xiao Yan radiated a unique, unmatched charm—born from success itself.
But soon, Cao Ying noticed that Xiao Yan was still staring intently at the sky.
"No way…"
She looked up—and her pupils shrank in shock.
Though the cloud was no longer surging violently, it still undulated gently. And within those waves, she caught a hint of blue…
Could it be…?
Before she could even confirm what she was seeing, the blue light fully emerged—instantly silencing the once-boisterous crowd.
Everyone stared in disbelief as the new hue appeared. A terrifying thought rose simultaneously in all their hearts:
No… could there be yet another color?!
All eyes turned to Xiao Yan—only to see him lower his head and breathe a sigh of relief.
Oh, maybe not—
"That… is that the ninth color?"
A trembling voice broke the silence. Then, under everyone's gaze, a faint cyan hue slowly emerged in the thundercloud.
In that moment, no one spoke.
They were too shocked to say a word.
What kind of monster was Xiao Yan?!
Even though the ninth color appeared faint and wispy—it was real. It had manifested!
Xiao Yan looked at it with surprise, and finally—uncontainable joy broke across his face.
Even though this method could only be used once, and even if he might not ever again refine even a five-colored pill, it didn't matter.
Because today, at this Pill Gathering, he—Xiao Yan—had refined a top-tier Tier Eight pill with nine-colored pill lightning that could awe all of Central Plains!
He, Xiao Yan, was now truly a Master Alchemist!
Xiao Yan finally relaxed. His taut nerves unwound, and dizziness surged through his head. This soul-burning technique had drained him more than he expected.
His legs felt like cotton. Suddenly, something cold touched his palm—a jade bottle. The icy sensation woke him up slightly.
"Take it. Leave the rest to me."
Hearing his third brother's familiar voice, Xiao Yan looked up. Xiao Yuan stood with arms folded, frowning at the thundercloud as if he hadn't spoken at all.
Xiao Yan chuckled weakly and, pretending to retrieve something from his ring, brought out the jade bottle. Without looking, he poured the pill into his mouth.
Boom!
The moment it entered, it dissolved into warm, rich energy that flowed into his soul, bringing a pleasure so profound it nearly made him cry out.
So good!
His weakened soul rapidly recovered. For a moment, Xiao Yan even felt the urge to burn it again.
Of course, he wouldn't. As he digested the energy and looked up again, he saw Xiao Yuan already floating in the sky.
A deep voice echoed across the heavens, amplified by powerful Dou Qi:
"Everyone, I believe we all know the outcome of this Pill Gathering. But this nine-colored pill lightning is no trivial matter. By rule, Xiao Yan should face it himself. But surely no one expects him to take on this death sentence now. I'll handle it for him. And don't worry—I'll take care of the others' pill lightning as well!"
At his brow, the golden-red clan mark remained hidden. Instead, the black thunder seal representing Black Demon Lightning slowly appeared. A terrifying aura equivalent to a five-star Dou Zun exploded from his body as he shot toward the thundercloud.
(END CHAPTER)
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