Standing atop the stone platform, Liu Xi swept his gaze across the crowd and quickly located the platforms occupied by Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and even Mu Gu.
Cao Ying and Dan Chen both sensed his glance. Cao Ying responded with her usual alluring smile—charming and confident—while Dan Chen offered a shy, reserved smile in return.
As for Mu Gu, he also noticed Liu Xi's gaze. A smile appeared on his face too, but it was a cold, sinister one. The killing intent in his eyes could not be concealed.
Liu Xi chuckled softly. 'He can glare all he wants; it won't kill me. After two failed assassination attempts, he's earned himself a spot on my list.'
He muttered under his breath, "Sooner or later, I'll kill you."
After a period of scrambling and contention, every participant finally secured a platform—whether it was ideal or not. The once chaotic sky quickly became orderly.
Seeing this, Xuan Kongzi waved his sleeve, releasing an invisible ripple of energy. A moment later, the deep chime of a bronze bell echoed across the vast plaza.
"The time has come. Begin your alchemy!"
At his command, countless Alchemists raised their hands in unison. Flames of every hue erupted into the air—thousands of different fires blazing at once, their heat distorting the space above the plaza.
Most flames were Beast Flames, while a few displayed the telltale brilliance of Heavenly Flames. The instant surge of power and heat ignited the first wave of excitement among the spectators.
However, Alchemists like Liu Xi, Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and Mu Gu did not immediately summon their flames. Instead, each closed their eyes, clearing their minds of distractions.
Alchemy was a discipline that required absolute composure—especially for these few, whose pills were far from ordinary. A flawless state of calm was their only foundation for success.
Before long, Liu Xi slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was tranquil and deep, reflecting a serenity vast enough to contain heaven and earth. Anyone who met those eyes would feel their thoughts drawn into quiet stillness.
Turning slightly, Liu Xi saw that Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and Song Qing had already begun. Cao Ying's flame, as expected, was the Blood Charm Flame—an amalgamation of countless fire-attributed beast essences, tempered with their blood, forming an extremely potent and seductive fire.
Dan Chen and Song Qing both summoned Beast Flames as well, their heat intense enough to suggest their rank was anything but low.
Then Liu Xi's eyes shifted toward Mu Gu. Among all present, Mu Gu was one of the few truly worth his attention. As expected, that black-robed man summoned a jet-black flame. The fire twisted and surged, taking the shape of a massive serpent that seemed capable of devouring heaven and earth.
The Alchemists stationed near Mu Gu were instantly out of luck. Their own flames began to flicker violently, unable to resist the pressure. Dozens of cauldrons trembled; several batches of herbs burned to ash before refinement even began.
Furious glares were cast his way, but when those Alchemists saw the black serpent of flame, their anger quickly dissolved into silent dread.
"A Heavenly Flame? Only a Heavenly Flame can make all others submit…"
Before the whispers could fade, another cry rang out from across the plaza. A pale white serpent of fire rose into the air, chilling the surroundings. Frost crept along the nearby stone, and the temperature plummeted. The pressure it exuded was no less terrifying than Mu Gu's.
"The Bone Chilling Flame?!"
Liu Xi's expression shifted slightly as he turned toward the source.
The one who summoned the bone-white serpent was a lean young man whose features carried a trace of cruelty between his brows. His face was plain, unfamiliar—yet not that of Xiao Yan.
Liu Xi was puzzled for an instant, then smiled faintly in understanding. "As I thought. You wouldn't miss this event… and you've hidden yourself well. Are you here for the Three Thousand Burning Flame too? I won't let you have it, Xiao Yan."
There were only two people in this world capable of wielding the Bone Chilling Flame—Medicine Sovereign Yao Chen, and Xiao Yan. Since it clearly wasn't Yao Chen, there was only one possibility.
Shock spread—not just among Liu Xi and the many Alchemists, but even across the judging platform. The three presiding figures were equally astonished.
The elegant woman in the center rose unconsciously, taking a step forward. Her mature, alluring face flickered between emotions—joy, sorrow, and uncertainty all tangled together.
"That youth… who is he? That Bone Chilling Flame belonged to that old man—how could it appear on someone else? Could it be… what happened to him?"
"Xuan Yi, sit down," said Xuan Kongzi calmly. "The Pill Gathering is still underway. If you act now, it'll break the rules. Once it's over, invite that youth to the Pill Tower. I too would like to know what became of that old man."
Though equally shocked by the reappearance of the Bone Chilling Flame, Xuan Kongzi's tone remained measured. His decision was the most reasonable one.
At his side, a dark-faced elder named Tian Leizi murmured, "To think the next time we'd see that flame, it would be in another's hands. I wonder… if he's still alive."
"Enough," Xuan Yi snapped softly, eyes glimmering with turmoil—nostalgia, fear, and pain flashing one after another. She forced herself to sit back down, but her composure was gone.
Xuan Kongzi sighed. "Tian Leizi, don't speak such ill-omened words. With that man's temperament, even in death he'd never let another seize his flame. Perhaps that youth has some connection to him."
Tian Leizi grunted in acknowledgment, his eyes flicking briefly toward Xuan Yi before he looked away, falling silent.
On the stone platform, Liu Xi raised his hand, summoning the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron. It landed heavily on the platform, yet the floating stone didn't so much as tremble.
Smiling faintly, Liu Xi traced his fingers along the intricate beast patterns carved into the cauldron's surface. Nearly ten years had passed since he'd taken it from Han Feng's hands.
"Ten years… and now we stand upon the grandest stage of all. Let's not just perform a miracle—let's make history."
Flipping his palm, Liu Xi released a thread of azure flame. It swirled into a lotus shape, pure and radiant, its light sacred and serene like a perfect gem crafted by heaven itself.
Though he hadn't intentionally unleashed its full might, the moment the Green Lotus Core Flame appeared, every other flame within its radius trembled in submission—as if all the world's fires were bowing before their emperor.
Even the black serpent of Mu Gu and the bone-white serpent of Xiao Yan rippled faintly, a trace of fear emanating from them.
This azure flame was the power that allowed Liu Xi to battle even a 3-Star Dou Zun—one who possessed a Heavenly Flame of their own. Its destructive potential was beyond measure.
Around him, countless Alchemists could only groan in despair. Under the suppression of three Heavenly Flames, their own fires became difficult to control, greatly hindering their refinement process.
From afar, Mu Gu snorted coldly, his gaze venomous. 'Even Lord Void's Child Flame can't suppress that Green Lotus Core Flame… Has it evolved for tens of thousands of years?'
Meanwhile, the cold-eyed youth—Xiao Yan—merely cast a brief glance toward Liu Xi's flame before turning away. His expression was calm, indifferent. Compared to the impulsive youth of old, he was an entirely different person now.
Back on the viewing platform, Xuan Kongzi chuckled lightly. "That is the most powerful Green Lotus Core Flame I've ever seen. The aura it exudes… it's almost comparable to the Three Thousand Burning Flame itself."
And so, everything unfolded precisely as Liu Xi had foreseen. Nearly everyone present now believed his azure flame was an evolved, transcendent form of the Green Lotus Core Flame.
(End of Chapter)
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