Inside the grand hall, an enormous square stretched out before them. Countless rare medicinal ingredients lay scattered across the floor as though they were cabbages at a market. The air was so thick with herbal fragrance it almost shimmered.
Holding Zi Yan in his arms, Liu Xi stepped into the square—only to see a towering, burly man, nearly eight feet tall, standing beside a pit with a face full of helpless grief.
Seeing the sight, Liu Xi leaned closer to Zi Yan's ear and said with a teasing smile, "Zi Yan, did you bully him? He looks like someone who's just been robbed of his treasures."
Zi Yan took another bite of the Purple-Bearded Dragon Ginseng in her hand. Its iron-hard surface was nothing to her teeth. Speaking around the mouthful, she mumbled, "His name's Xiong Zhan. He's already broken through to the 8th Rank and said he wanted to see the outside world, so I agreed to take him out. This little world might be good for Magical Beasts to grow, but it's still too small. The herbs here would just go to waste sitting around, so I helped him clean up a bit. Big brother, you don't need to be polite with him—he doesn't need most of these anyway. He just likes collecting herbs. Isn't that right, big guy?"
The burly man, who'd been mourning over his plundered treasures, shuddered when he heard her voice. He turned around and saw Zi Yan clinging to a human—one whose aura was terrifyingly strong. Shock flashed across his eyes; even his instincts screamed caution.
Hurriedly bowing, he nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes! My only hobby is collecting herbs. I don't even use them; I just like looking at them—they make me feel accomplished! Since this brother knows the little ancestor, all these herbs are yours to use. If you don't take any, I'll be offended!"
Liu Xi smiled slightly. He remembered this Magical Beast—its true form was an Ancient Dragon Bear, a creature of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe lineage. That explained its inherited dragon-like hoarding instincts.
Zi Yan pouted and snapped, "What 'little brother'! This is my big brother! And my big brother is an 8th Tier Alchemist! You can't even use all these herbs. If you hand them to him, he'll give you a few 8th Tier Pills later. That's a profit for you!"
The name "8th Tier Alchemist" made Xiong Zhan's eyes widen. He had already heard Liu Xi claim that title earlier, and now with Zi Yan confirming it, he believed it wholeheartedly. His ferocious face softened, breaking into a grin.
"An 8th Tier Alchemist! Then all these herbs are yours, sir—take whatever you need. Treat this place as your own home!"
"Brother Xiong, there's no need to be so formal. Since you're Zi Yan's friend, you're also mine. I never take advantage of friends—I'll only take what I truly need."
Setting Zi Yan gently on the ground, Liu Xi walked toward the piles of herbs. His eyes scanned over the heaps, searching for those listed on his medicinal recipe.
"Moonshadow Flower, Firecloud Vine, Millennium Earthfire Blossom…"
Within moments, he had located three high-grade materials and continued searching for others. The Core Soul Marrow he had acquired earlier couldn't be used alone—it needed to be refined with auxiliary ingredients like Heavenly Jade Essence and Pill Spirit Pulp to neutralize its potency.
With the Core Soul Marrow, he was confident he could elevate his Spiritual Power to the High-Level Spirit Realm, ensuring his victory in the Pill Gathering—and making the subjugation of the Three Thousand Burning Flame far easier.
Heavenly Jade Essence was a peculiar material, half stone and half herb, easily overlooked unless one had a sharp eye. The Pill Spirit Pulp was easier to identify—a viscous green fluid with a fragrant aroma—but after searching the hall thoroughly, Liu Xi couldn't find any trace of it.
Zi Yan, meanwhile, sat idly on a nearby rock, nibbling her ginseng and swinging her legs in boredom.
After turning the entire herb square upside down, Liu Xi finally spotted a faint greenish stone in the corner—the Heavenly Jade Essence. However, the Pill Spirit Pulp still eluded him. Looking at the burly Xiong Zhan standing nearby, he thought to ask, "Brother Xiong, do you know if there's any Pill Spirit Pulp in this Pill Realm or the Ten Thousand Medicinal Mountain Range? I need it urgently."
As he spoke, Liu Xi described the substance's appearance and characteristics in detail.
Xiong Zhan frowned in thought, then nodded. "I know the one you're talking about! There's a 7th Rank beast under my command, a Blackwater Tiger Flood Dragon. It has that exact material. If the gentleman needs it, we can go to it together."
Liu Xi's eyes brightened. "Is that so? Excellent! Brother Xiong, please lead the way. Since it's under your command, I'll simply make an exchange with it."
Xiong Zhan's respect for Liu Xi grew. The man could have demanded it outright, but instead chose fairness. "Very well, sir. Its den isn't far from here—please, follow me."
"I'm coming too!" Zi Yan chirped, hopping up eagerly.
"How could I forget you?" Liu Xi chuckled, lifting her effortlessly into his arms as he followed Xiong Zhan out of the hall.
As they descended the mountain, Xiong Zhan's eyes gleamed with curiosity. He dared not ask aloud, but in his heart he wondered—how had this little ancestor of the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe come to call a human her big brother? Even if Liu Xi was a Dou Zun, the proud Dragon Tribe had never bowed so closely to a human before.
'Best not to ask,' he thought to himself nervously. 'If the little ancestor's happy, that's all that matters.'
They flew swiftly down the mountain, the two Dou Zun experts crossing distance like walking through air. Before long, they reached the mid-slope—where the sudden clash of Dou Qi flared below caught Liu Xi's attention. His eyes narrowed as his Spiritual Power spread outward instinctively.
"Hmm? A Soul Barrier… Mu Gu? What's that old ghost doing here again? I'd better take a look."
Recognizing the same Soul Barrier that had once been used in an assassination attempt against him, Liu Xi's expression turned sharp as he made his decision.
Meanwhile, within that barrier—Song Qing's expression was grim. He glared at the black-clothed middle-aged man who had appeared like a ghost, his eerie smile illuminated by the dim light.
"Friend, if you're not here to join our alliance, then why set up this Soul Barrier? What do you intend to do?"
Cao Ying's voice was cold, her face pale. She recognized this oppressive aura instantly—it was the same that had attacked Liu Xi before. "So, it's you again. You mean to trap us here, don't you? Liu Xi's encounter before—was that your doing as well? Aren't you afraid the Pill Tower will hunt you down for repeatedly ambushing contestants?"
The man in black—Mu Gu—chuckled lowly, clearly pleased with himself. "Heh, and fortune smiles upon me today. You've gathered yourselves neatly together—saves me the trouble of hunting you one by one. A pity Liu Xi isn't here, but no matter. Without those two Dou Zuns to protect him, I'll take my time avenging my humiliation."
His laughter echoed within the barrier, cold and venomous. "Once I kill all of you, who will ever know it was me? And this time… even that Liu Xi won't escape my grasp."
(End of Chapter)
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