Summoning Card, Stirring Winds from All Sides

As dreamlike light shimmered, the Fantasy Egg's shell gradually cracked apart.

Drawn by the strange radiance, the Seven-Colored Skyswallowing Python slowly slithered closer to the Fantasy Egg.

When the light faded, a peculiar card, made of some unknown material, lay quietly amid the shattered eggshell.

The moment Chen Mo picked up the card, the system prompt sounded.

"Ding. Summoning Card. Using the Summoning Card can randomly summon a divine beast of unknown strength for thirty minutes. The stronger the host, the stronger the summoned divine beast. Cooldown: 24 hours."

"Uh, not bad."

"It's just that the things the system has been giving me lately are getting stranger and stranger. At this rate, the style of this book is going to change."

The card was as thin as a cicada's wing, yet harder than anything Chen Mo had seen so far.

A large black question mark was printed on each side of the card.

"Unknown indeed."

Chen Mo curled his lips, then suddenly noticed the Seven-Colored Skyswallowing Python rubbing against his thigh, its blue-violet eyes gleaming.

Chen Mo realized that the little snake was very interested in the Fantasy Egg's shell. It seemed that eating it would allow the snake to advance further.

"Not bad taste. Go ahead and eat." This Fantasy Egg had come from a King's Treasure Chest. Though its shell could not compare to the Green Lotus Core Flame, it far surpassed the Green Lotus Core Flame's Lotus Seat.

Chen Mo took the opportunity to store the larger pieces of eggshell in his Storage Ring.

Over the past few days, the Seven-Colored Skyswallowing Python had become increasingly sleepy. It would often wake up and move around for only a few minutes before falling asleep again.

This time was no different. After eating the broken eggshell, it skillfully coiled around Chen Mo's arm and slipped into his sleeve.

The room returned to silence.

Chen Mo took out the Lotus Seat from his Storage Ring and began his cultivation for the day.

At the same time.

Jia Nan Academy.

"Headmaster, you summoned me?"

Inside a grand hall, Ruo Lin paid her respects to Hu Gan.

"The Emperor of the Jia Ma Empire, the president of the Alchemist Association, and the Great Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect have jointly sent an Invitation Letter, inviting us to watch the Alchemist Grand Meeting held once every eight years. Afterwards, there will also be a friendly match," Hu Gan said.

"The Misty Cloud Sect? A friendly match?" Ruo Lin sensed that something was amiss.

"The Misty Cloud Sect recently accepted an unparalleled genius: a sixteen-year-old Two-star Dou Master with three attributes, who defeated their Young Sect Master, Nalan Yanran, despite also being only a Two-star Dou Master."

"Three attributes in one person? How is that possible?"

"It is true. Many factions were present that day, so they could not have fabricated it."

"Then what does the Headmaster mean?"

"Choose a few promising youngsters from the outer academy. The Great Elder will also select a few disciples from the inner academy. When the time comes, you will lead them as Jia Nan Academy's representatives and win this friendly match."

"I guarantee that I will complete the mission."

"Good. Do not bring shame upon the academy."

Ice Spirit Grass, Purple Lotus, ginseng.

Chen Mo tossed them into the Cauldron one after another, carefully controlled the heat, and slowly began refining them.

The pill he was refining was the Small Reverting Pill, a first-tier medicinal pill. Though it was only first-tier, its difficulty was no less than that of a second-tier pill.

Fortunately, he carried an Alchemist Handbook with him, personally written by Gu He. It recorded Gu He's experiences from becoming a first-tier alchemist to a sixth-tier alchemist.

It clearly stated which medicinal ingredients to add first, which to add later, and the exact heat required at every stage when refining each type of pill.

Chen Mo had no intention of taking first place in the alchemy competition. Achieving a decent ranking would be enough.

Alchemy was a dull and tedious process. One had to remain focused the entire time, unable to slack off even slightly, and it took a long time as well.

Half an hour later, as the Cauldron gradually settled, Chen Mo knew that the pill was about to be successfully refined.

His palm slowly moved away from the fire port, and as his hand withdrew, the flames within the Cauldron gradually died out.

Then, with a wave of Chen Mo's hand, the Cauldron's lid flew open. He beckoned with his other hand, and several dozen blue-red pills soared out of the Cauldron and landed in his palm.

He placed the pills into Jade Bottles, then casually set them on a stone table nearby.

At that moment, identical Jade Bottles were neatly arranged in three rows across the stone table.

He pressed the switch to the secret chamber. As the Stone Gate opened, two burly men waiting outside for orders entered and took the Jade Bottles from the stone table into their Storage Rings one by one.

"Wait. Later, go to the best shop in the city and buy a high-quality Cauldron." Just as the two burly men were about to leave, Chen Mo singled one of them out.

"Yes, Pavilion Master."

The Cauldron Chen Mo was currently using had been brought out of the Misty Cloud Sect. Its quality was fairly decent, but it was still ungraded. After refining pills only a few times, a crack had already appeared along its wall.

After one or two more uses, it would probably explode.

Therefore, he needed to prepare a spare in advance.

Chen Mo stretched his limbs. While the cauldron had yet to explode, he might as well refine another batch.

As the saying went, sharpening one's spear at the last moment might not make it fast, but it would at least make it shine.

Black Corner Region.

Xiao Sect.

Inside a secret chamber.

A tiny bloody fissure suddenly split open on Xiao Yan's face. Blood flowed out, soaking his entire face crimson and making him look especially savage and terrifying.

The next moment, a mass of two-colored flames, one white and one black, seeped out from the bloody fissure and gradually enveloped his entire body.

The twenty-first-ranked Heavenly Flame on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, the Yin-Yang Twin Flame.

Xiao Yan had obtained it by chance while exploring an ancient ruin.

Under the guidance of the Flame Mantra, the devastating high temperature released by the Yin-Yang Twin Flame slowly subsided. After a moment, the heat completely vanished.

Just then, Xiao Yan opened his eyes. A cluster of black-and-white Heavenly Flame slowly rose from his right palm.

The Yin-Yang Twin Flame had been successfully refined.

"Not bad. It seems the blow you suffered last time further tempered your resolve. You could even endure the pain of using a Heavenly Flame to temper your body," Elder Ya said with a smile upon seeing Xiao Yan succeed.

"Chen Mo, don't let me run into you during the Three-Year Agreement. Otherwise..." Xiao Yan threw out the black-and-white flames, and the stone table in the secret chamber was gradually reduced to ashes beneath their devouring flames.

"With your current strength, together with me, you should barely be able to win. But if you want to defeat him completely, you must evolve the Flame Mantra and advance to Da Dou Shi as soon as possible," Elder Ya said.

"Rest assured, Teacher. I won't act so recklessly as I did last time. This time, I will crush him completely. I will." Xiao Yan stared at the ashes left by the stone table. In his eyes, Chen Mo's fate would be no different from that pile of ashes.

Jia Ma Empire.

Imperial Capital.

Mite'er Family.

Night fell.

On a pavilion terrace, a woman dressed in an elegant, vivid crimson brocade robe rested her chin on her hand. Completely disregarding the fair, beautiful leg swaying beneath the hem of her robe, she raised her head to gaze at the bright moonlight.

She murmured softly, "The Three-Year Agreement is drawing near, and the Alchemist Grand Meeting will soon begin as well. Little fellow, can you bloom with a light that belongs to you?"

This chapter took a long time to write. I revised and rewrote it repeatedly. I'm sure everyone can tell that the first wave of the decisive battle is about to begin.

The Yin-Yang Twin Flame was mentioned in the character biographies of the Dou Po mobile game released after the novel. I didn't make it up.

Also, the cameo name provided by a reader has been arranged. You'll see it in the next few chapters.

So, for the sake of how hard Orange Cat has worked, send over all those tips and recommendation votes!