First Encounter with Yun Yun, Grand Alchemy!

The hot spring pool was shrouded in mist.

When Xiao Yao clearly saw the breathtakingly beautiful body slowly rising from the water, along with that peerless, graceful, and noble face, his breathing stopped for a moment.

Yun Yun?!

He had never imagined that he would encounter the goddess in the hearts of countless men of the Jia Ma Empire, the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, under such circumstances!

Although Xiao Yao's state of mind was already extraordinary, the vivid, tantalizing sight of a beauty emerging from her bath still made his heart race wildly. That flawless, snow-white skin like creamy jade, those breathtaking curves made even more alluring by glistening droplets of water...

"Do not look upon impropriety, do not look upon impropriety..."

Xiao Yao silently recited the Purifying Heart Dao Formula, forcibly calming himself. With a flicker of his body, he silently retreated from the cave.

He leaned against the cool mountain wall and let out a long breath, but the splendid sight from earlier—so large and so white—still kept resurfacing uncontrollably in his mind.

"As expected of me. I really am favored by destiny!" Xiao Yao could not help mocking himself. "I actually ran into such a melodramatic plot straight out of a storybook novel!"

He recalled that in the original story, Yun Yun seemed to have an almost obsessive cleanliness habit. Even after the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King sealed her strength and her life hung by a thread, she still risked danger to search for water in the crisis-filled Monster Mountain Range so she could bathe.

At that thought, Xiao Yao's gaze gradually turned complicated.

Yun Yun...

Put nicely, this woman was kind. Put bluntly, she was foolish.

She appeared to stand above all others, ruling an entire sect, but in truth, the entire Misty Cloud Sect had long ceased to be under her sole control. Great Elder Yun Leng and the sect's core members almost all obeyed that old fellow, the previous Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Shan, who had long been corrupted by the Soul Hall!

The entire Misty Cloud Sect was practically becoming Protector Wu's private garden, yet she, the Sect Master, remained completely in the dark! And when Nalan Yanran went to the Xiao Family to break off the engagement and cause a huge scene, it was all done with her tacit approval.

When Yun Shan imprisoned her, not one person in that enormous sect stood up for her. How incompetent did she have to be at commanding her subordinates?

Even after she was forced to flee to the Flower Sect in the Central Plains and luckily inherited the legacy of former Sect Master Hua Yu through her kindness, she was still bullied and plotted against. Clearly, she was the one in the right, yet she always habitually gave way and wanted to smooth everything over.

Always going on about being caught in the middle, always trying some idiotic stunt like, "Only death can satisfy both sides"!

In the end, it was simply because she lacked strength and confidence!

"If you had the confidence to crush Yun Shan and Protector Wu—say, a Dao companion like me—then the Misty Cloud Sect would never have been destroyed. Would that old dog Yun Shan dare oppress you? With a flip of my hand, I'd suppress him!" Xiao Yao snorted inwardly.

He truly held some affection for Yun Yun from his past life, but he also knew that if she did not change, she would only ever be a pretty vase! Xiao Yao had no desire to keep seeing that aggrieved, conflicted, endlessly tangled-up side of her!

"Fine. Since meeting you now can be considered fate, I'll help you fix that infuriating temperament of yours. It will count as saving you from your tragic destiny." Having made up his mind, Xiao Yao sensed that Yun Yun was still dawdling in the water and could only decide to attend to more important business first.

His divine sense spread outward like a tide, and he quickly discovered many rare medicinal herbs suitable for alchemy throughout this vast volcanic region. Among them were several primary ingredients needed to refine the Life Devouring Pill, Dou Spirit Pill, and Imperial Pill!

These pills were enough to help Dou Wangs and Dou Emperors break through! They were the best choice for the Xiao Family to mass-produce, recruit experts, and rapidly strengthen its foundation. Only with these could the Xiao Family truly gain the ability to protect itself within its little corner of the Jia Ma Empire.

"Time waits for no one. I'll gather the herbs first!"

Having made his decision, Xiao Yao no longer lingered. His body moved, golden light and azure wind flashing beneath his feet at the same time.

Wind Fire Two Tribulations: Flash!

Whoosh—!

At that instant, his figure seemed to become a wind-and-fire bolt of lightning that tore through space. He was even swifter and more effortless than the spatial movement of an ordinary Dou Zong! This lightning-fast thrill filled Xiao Yao with the carefree exhilaration of absolute freedom!

His first target was a Crimson Flame Ganoderma growing within a lava fissure, guarded by a peak Fifth Grade magical beast—the Blazing Demonic Tiger!

When Xiao Yao descended from the sky with the roar of wind and thunder, the tiger, which had been dozing, suddenly awoke! It let out a roar and immediately fired a scorching pillar of flame from its jaws at the intruder!

"Get lost!"

Xiao Yao did not even spare it a glance. While moving at high speed, he merely flicked a finger!

A golden finger blast shot forth like a cannonball, striking later yet arriving first as it hit the Blazing Demonic Tiger precisely in the head!

Bang!

With a dull boom, the peak Fifth Grade magical beast that could dominate the Monster Mountain Range exploded like a watermelon!

Xiao Yao did not slow down. With a casual gesture, the Crimson Flame Ganoderma flew into his hand.

Immediately afterward, his figure transformed into a streak of light once more and headed for his next target!

Atop a black mountain stood a magical beast in the early Dou Emperor stage, covered in jet-black scales and bearing a single horn upon its head—the Blackwater Horned Rhinoceros. It was guarding a primary ingredient for the Imperial Pill, the Jade Dragon Saliva Fruit.

The moment it detected Xiao Yao's aura, its four hooves stomped the ground violently, making the entire mountain tremble! It growled low, and black light surged around the horn atop its head as destructive energy rapidly gathered!

However, Xiao Yao gave it no opportunity to unleash its innate Dou Skill!

Mountain Splitting Seal!

His voice arrived before he did! A cold voice seemed to resound directly in the rhinoceros's mind.

Then, a gigantic palm seal formed from Golden Mana appeared out of thin air and descended from the heavens, slamming ruthlessly onto the Blackwater Horned Rhinoceros!

Boom!

Its back scales, tougher than refined steel, were as fragile as paper before that claw and instantly tore apart! The enormous magical beast was smashed straight into the mountainside, reduced to a pile of pulp!

After taking the medicinal herb, Xiao Yao vanished once more.

Along the way, any magical beast foolish enough to attack him was instantly slain in a single move with thunderous force!

In less than half an hour, he swept through the area like an autumn wind scattering fallen leaves, gathering every one of the dozens of rare medicinal herbs needed to refine the three pills, along with many more precious herbs!

Returning to the outside of the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's cave, Xiao Yao willed it, and the ancient Eight Trigrams Furnace appeared out of thin air.

He sat cross-legged, his expression focused, and began his second round of alchemy since returning.

With the experience from last time, he was even more practiced now, his mastery flawless!

Golden Immortal Family Mana transformed into divine flames and wrapped around the Eight Trigrams Furnace. Under his precise control, one medicinal herb after another turned into the purest medicinal liquid, merging and sublimating within the furnace along perfect paths...

In merely a few hours, round, lustrous pills overflowing with medicinal fragrance flew continuously from the furnace and were collected into jade bottles.

Life Devouring Pill, complete! Dou Spirit Pill, complete! Imperial Pill, complete!

Every single one was of perfect quality, entirely free of pill toxins!

Just as he was preparing to strike while the iron was hot and challenge the refinement of the peak Sixth Grade Sect-Breaking Pill, which could increase the chances of a peak Dou Emperor breaking through to Dou Zong, his powerful divine sense sharply detected movement within the cave.

Yun Yun had already dressed herself. A simple, elegant pale azure gown perfectly outlined her mature and captivating figure. Her dark hair was neatly arranged into a noble phoenix hairstyle, revealing her fair, graceful swan-like neck.

Her entire bearing had returned to that of the lofty, dignified Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect.

After completing her long period of meditation, she gripped her moon-white longsword, her beautiful eyes narrowing as a powerful Dou Emperor aura erupted!

Extreme Wind: Setting Sun Radiance!

With a delicate shout, a dazzling azure sword aura that seemed capable of cutting down the sun and moon slashed fiercely at the seal Xiao Yao had set upon the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King!

Boom!

With a deafening explosion, the seal shattered!

Roar—!!!

The awakened Purple Crystal Winged Lion King let out an earth-shaking roar! An equally immense, savage aura swept out from within the cave!

A great battle was on the verge of erupting!