Flying out from the pit, Liu Xi's Spiritual Power swept across the surroundings in an instant. As expected, he sensed several presences spying on him from the nearby forest—some were Dou Huang, others Dou Zong.
Standing in midair, Liu Xi turned his gaze toward those hidden figures. His sharp eyes flashed coldly, and none dared to meet his gaze. They scattered like frightened birds, fleeing in panic. His fame had long spread throughout the Central Plains; even those who hadn't met him in person had seen his likeness. Who would dare not to recognize the face of Liu Xi, the 8th Tier Alchemist?
No one in their right mind would dare step forward and say something like, 'Heavenly treasures should be shared—please spare me a portion.' They all knew what would follow. Liu Xi would kindly demonstrate what it truly meant by "treasures belong to those destined," and whether one kept their destiny or their life depended entirely on their own luck.
"Heh."
Since they had fled, Liu Xi couldn't be bothered to chase them. After one last sweep of his gaze, he turned toward the direction of the Ten Thousand Medicinal Mountain Range and vanished in a single step.
Half a day later, a vast stretch of lush mountains shrouded in surging life energy appeared before his eyes—the Ten Thousand Medicinal Mountain Range, the richest and most abundant land of medicinal herbs within the Pill Region.
Releasing his Spiritual Power, Liu Xi scanned a radius of nearly a thousand meters. In his mind's perception, countless battles between Alchemists and the savage Magical Beasts of this world played out vividly. Most of the time, however, it was the Alchemists who were the ones fleeing in panic. Clearly, Elder Liao had not exaggerated when he said that the beasts within this realm were vicious beyond measure.
6th Rank Magical Beasts were everywhere, and 7th Rank ones were not uncommon. Due to the rampant energy of this space, they were even more savage and bloodthirsty than their counterparts outside.
Within that vast sense, Liu Xi also detected familiar auras—Cao Ying and Song Qing. The two of them had gathered nearly a hundred Alchemists, seemingly preparing to enter the mountains together.
"Hm?"
Cao Ying suddenly furrowed her brows, sensing an obscure yet overwhelming wave of Spiritual Power sweep past. Ordinary Alchemists would never notice it, but she had experienced that same aura once before—the very one that had crushed her in direct soul combat, a memory she still hadn't forgotten.
Beside her, Song Qing noticed the strange look on her face and asked gently, "Ying'er, what's wrong?"
Cao Ying sat gracefully upon a rough stone bench, her legs together and chin resting on her hand, her expression charming and coy. "It's nothing," she said softly, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Song Qing didn't press further, but as he looked at her alluring face, a flash of heat flickered in his eyes. Turning back, he began addressing the gathered Alchemists with impassioned fervor, declaring things like: unity brings strength, betrayal is forbidden, and cooperation ensures survival. His tone was earnest, his words eloquent, stirring the crowd with ease.
Many Alchemists, having recently suffered under the claws of the mountain's beasts, nodded repeatedly. Seeing their reactions, Song Qing's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He couldn't resist glancing toward Cao Ying, expecting her admiration for his display of leadership.
Yet Cao Ying appeared distracted, her mind elsewhere, replaying the sensation of that Spiritual Power.
'So Liu Xi is here too… and alone at that? "Weak ones move in packs, but the strong walk alone." A true strong one indeed…'
Liu Xi naturally had no intention of joining their little alliance. Traveling with such a group would mean babysitting—too much trouble, no real benefit. His goal was clear: to enter the depths of the Ten Thousand Medicinal Mountain Range and speak with the ruler of the beasts. If talk succeeded, perfect. If not… then he would simply fight.
Moments later, Liu Xi arrived atop the highest peak of the range. A vast stone hall stood there, guarded by two fierce Magical Beasts crouched before its gate.
As soon as they saw the unfamiliar figure, both beasts bared their fangs and growled, their bodies tensing, ready to strike.
Liu Xi gave them only a faint glance. A wisp of Dou Zun aura flowed out, and instantly, both beasts whimpered, tails tucked, pressing themselves to the ground. They still bared their fangs, but it was pure bluff—more bark than bite.
Smiling faintly, Liu Xi shook his head. What was the point of arguing with guard beasts? His voice then rang out clearly across the mountain:
"Would the friend within please grant me an audience? I, Liu Xi, an 8th Tier Alchemist, have come to propose a trade."
Before long, the great stone doors creaked open. Yet instead of the ancient Ancient Dragon Bear he expected, a familiar petite figure darted out, her joyous cry echoing through the mountains.
"Big brother!"
Liu Xi blinked in surprise before his face broke into a wide smile. He opened his arms just in time to catch the small, lithe figure leaping toward him.
"Big brother, why did you all leave without saying anything? When I woke up, I thought the tribe had driven you away! I was so mad I almost tore off Old Candle's beard!"
The little figure in his arms was none other than Zi Yan. Her small legs wrapped around his waist, arms clutching his neck tightly, eyes shimmering with tears—though the drool at the corner of her mouth and the half-eaten Purple-Bearded Dragon Ginseng in her hand made it hard to take her pitiful look seriously.
Supporting her small body, Liu Xi noticed she hadn't grown at all. Yet the power coursing within her was overwhelming—after all, she had undergone the Ancient Void Dragon bloodline baptism. Even a Dou Zong expert might not withstand a single punch from her.
Smiling warmly, Liu Xi lowered his head and asked softly, "I'd wanted to wait for you to wake on the Ancient Dragon Island, but time waits for no one. There's still much I must do, so I asked Elder Zhu Li to let me go. But tell me, Zi Yan, how did you get here? Didn't Elder Zhu Li stop you?"
"That old man tried to! Said I was still too weak. Hmph! As if I need him to worry about me when I'm looking for you!" Zi Yan huffed, cheeks puffed in indignation, then continued proudly, "So I snuck out! I didn't know where to find you, but I remembered you said you'd be joining the Pill Gathering, so I came here. Then I found this amazing place—so many rare herbs! The big guy gathered them all for me. It's been great here, so I decided to stay till you showed up!"
Listening to her, warmth filled Liu Xi's chest. Even after everything, Zi Yan had remembered his words, leaving the tribe just to find him. Still, he suspected Elder Zhu Li might've quietly let her go—probably to save what remained of his beard.
"Come, big brother! Let me introduce you to the big guy—and show you the mountain of rare herbs he's collected. You'll definitely love it!"
Squirming excitedly in his arms, Zi Yan's face lit up with pure delight at the thought of sharing her discovery.
Liu Xi nodded with a gentle smile, holding her close as he strode toward the grand hall. The two guard beasts, seeing Zi Yan, instantly lowered their heads even further. With their princess present, how could they dare to block the path?
(End of Chapter)
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