Everyone's Reactions

Sacred Pill City, a once-prosperous and glorious metropolis symbolizing the holy land of alchemists, is now a place where shocking Ruins and scorched earth can still be vaguely seen.

The broken walls, collapsed pavilions, and the crisscrossing trenches on the ground all tell the story of a fierce and terrifying battle that had recently taken place here.

The air was filled with a faint smell of burnt energy and the lingering stench of blood. Even though the Pill Tower Enforcement Team was doing its best to clean up and maintain order, the tragic and chilling atmosphere after the great battle still enveloped the entire city, leaving the faces of passersby with lingering fear.

Above the Pill Tower, the once stable space was now violently fluctuating. The silver spatial gate leading to the Star Domain was constantly distorting like ripples on water, its light flickering erratically.

Suddenly, the gate rippled violently, and then figures rushed out like dumplings being dropped into a pot, looking extremely disheveled!

These figures were none other than Qiu Ling, Cao Ying, Dan Chen, Xiao Yan, and Old Monster Qing Hua, who had entered the Star Domain earlier. They were all dressed in tattered clothes, pale-faced, and bore burn marks on their bodies to varying degrees. Their auras were weak, clearly indicating that they had suffered greatly in the Sea of Fire.

What's even more astonishing is that, as they scrambled out in a sorry state, several incredibly hot, purplish-black tongues of fire, like venomous snakes chasing their prey, suddenly spewed out from the closing spatial gate right behind them!

Wherever the flames passed, even the air was ignited, hissing and crackling. This startled some of the nearby Pill Tower guards, who hurriedly raised their Dou Qi for defense and retreated repeatedly.

"Shut down the Star Domain! Immediately!"

Xuan Kongzi was the last to dart out of the spatial gate like lightning, the edge of his robe sleeve even bearing a trace of char.

His gaze was like lightning. He turned around and glanced inside the spatial gate, only to see a vast, raging Sea of Fire purplish-black fire stretching as far as the eye could see, surging in with overwhelming force as if it were about to break free of the constraints of space!

His expression darkened, and his voice carried an undeniable authority as he sternly shouted.

Hearing his urgent shout, Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi, who had been waiting to meet him, were both taken aback. It was the first time they had seen Xuan Kongzi with such a solemn expression, and he didn't even have time to explain.

But out of absolute trust in their old friend, the two didn't have time to ask any more questions. They exchanged a glance, and their hand seals immediately changed in sync!

A vast and boundless Space Power surged forth from their bodies, influencing the surrounding spatial rules, and intense Spatial Fluctuations spread out like tides. The silver gate connecting to the infernal Star Domain also rapidly became illusory and distorted under the influence of this powerful Space Power, and finally vanished completely like a shattered reflection in a mirror, as if it had never existed.

"Bang--!"

Almost at the same instant the silver spatial gate completely vanished, an even more violent and ferocious wave of purplish-black fire, like a volcano that had been suppressed for a long time, crashed violently into the already closed spatial node!

Even though the Space Passage was closed, the terrifying impact still seeped through the spatial barrier, forming a scorching wave that shot out, causing some of the Pill Tower experts who were too close and reacted too slowly to be forced to retreat. Their Protective Dou Qi was instantly broken, and they smelled the burning flesh on their bodies. They couldn't help but let out shrill screams, clearly indicating that they were seriously injured.

"What exactly happened inside? How did it escalate to this point? What happened to the Three Thousand Burning Flame?"

Upon seeing this horrifying scene, Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi's expressions instantly turned extremely grim. They hurriedly flashed to Xuan Kongzi's side and asked repeatedly.

They could sense that the fiery wave that had just seeped out was powerful enough to severely injure an ordinary Dou Venerate!

Xuan Kongzi's face was ashen. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "The Three Thousand Burning Flame has completely lost control and erupted, releasing all the star flames it has absorbed over the years at once!"

"The Star Domain now... is probably completely engulfed by that destructive purplish-black Sea of Fire, turning it into a Deadly Melting Furnace! We must join forces immediately and add several more layers of seals to the existing one! Otherwise, if the spatial barrier of the Star Domain is breached from within by that endless flame, the entire Sacred Pill City... will be completely swallowed and destroyed by this raging Sea of Fire in an instant!"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi's expressions changed drastically, their eyes filled with horror.

They knew the true nature of the Three Thousand Burning Flame. That thing had absorbed the Star Power for countless years before it could condense into such a huge body that it could span the starry sky. The flame energy contained within it was as vast as the sea!

Now, the energy accumulated over countless years has exploded completely in an instant. The destructive power is such that even a powerhouse of their level would have to temporarily avoid its edge if they were at the core, and would not dare to confront it head-on!

"By the way, where's Lin Ming? Why haven't I seen him come out?" Tian Lei Zi's gaze swept quickly across the disheveled crowd, and he suddenly noticed the absence of a key figure. His heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked.

A complex and helpless expression flashed across Xuan Kongzi's face. After hesitating for a moment, he finally whispered, "He... is still in the Star Domain and hasn't come out yet."

"What did you say?!"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yi's expression changed drastically. Her gentle demeanor was replaced by a surge of anger, and her voice rose eight octaves.

"Xuan Kongzi! You're out of your mind! How could you not bring him out?! He's the Pill Gathering Champion, the future hope of our Pill Tower! You actually left him alone in that Deadly Land?!"

Faced with his old friend's questioning, Xuan Kongzi could only let out a heavy sigh and explain, "It's not that I didn't want to bring him out, but..."

"Alas! The Origin Flame of the Three Thousand Burning Flame had already entered his body on its own at the last moment! At that time, he was at a critical juncture in the refining process, and his energy was extremely unstable. If I forcibly took him away, the interference of spatial teleportation would probably immediately cause the Heavenly Flame Origin within his body to combine with the Sea of Fire outside, resulting in an instant explosion. The outcome... would probably be worse than staying inside!"

"The source enters the body... actively choosing a master? Or... a trap?" Tian Lei Zi frowned, having caught the key information.

Xuan Kongzi shook his head, indicating that he was unsure. "The situation is too strange. The Origin Fire Dragon threw itself into Lin Ming's mouth. But in any case, under those circumstances, it was better to remain still than to move."

Upon hearing that the Origin Flame of the Three Thousand Burning Flame had entered Lin Ming's body, Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi both fell silent.

They were all knowledgeable people, so they naturally understood what this meant.

This is both an incredible opportunity and a life-or-death situation.

Refining Heavenly Flames, especially the Three Thousand Burning Flame, which are ranked so high, is already defying the heavens, with a pitifully low success rate. Now, being in such Deadly Land with violent energy, Lin Ming's chances of survival are... extremely slim. A heavy atmosphere enveloped the hearts of the three Pill Tower Giants.

Inside the Pill Tower, in an elegantly furnished guest room.

"What did you say? The Three Thousand Burning Flame of the Star Domain erupted? Lin Ming is still inside and hasn't come out?!"

Xiao Yi Xian suddenly stood up from her chair, her jade hand containing uncontrollable force, and with one palm she shattered the hard sandalwood table beside her into dust, the powder falling in a flurry.

Her usually gentle and charming face was now filled with a cold and Sectarian Qi that had not appeared for a long time. Her beautiful eyes were filled with a chilling coldness that seemed to freeze the air. A powerful aura spread out uncontrollably, showing her astonishing strength as a Five-Star Dou Venerate.

Beside Xiao Yi Xian, Elder Yao's face was also terribly gloomy. Although he tried his best to suppress his terrifying aura as a Peak Nine-Revolution Dou Venerate, it was still like an invisible mountain, permeating the room. Even Elder Qiu Ling, who was also Dou Venerate who came to report the news, felt his breathing become rapid and sweat appeared on his forehead. He was secretly horrified.

Faced with the fiery Xiao Yi Xian, who seemed about to erupt like a volcano, and the unfathomable Elder Yao, Qiu Ling could only manage a bitter smile as he clasped his hands in explanation.

"Please calm down, both of you! It's not that the guild leader and the others were unwilling to rescue Lin Ming, but the situation was extremely critical at the time. The essence of the Three Thousand Burning Flame had already actively entered Lin Ming's body and begun a process of fusion, or rather, backlash."

"At that time, Lin Ming's energy and the Star Domain's Sea of Fire formed a delicate balance. Any external force that forcibly intervened, even spatial movement, could very likely break this balance, causing the energy to instantly go out of control and explode. The consequences... would probably be even more unimaginable than they are now!"

However, Qiu Ling's explanation failed to quell Xiao Yi Xian's anger. Although she didn't know the specific situation inside the Star Domain, from the sudden imposition of martial law on the Pill Tower, the tense atmosphere as if facing a formidable enemy, and the actions of Xuan Kongzi and others personally reinforcing the Spatial Seal, she could guess that the situation inside must be extremely bad. And Lin Ming was alone inside, without anyone to help him, which, in her view, was almost a certain death sentence!

Thinking of this, the panic and anger in her heart caused by the possibility of Lin Ming being in danger surged up again.

Faced with the aggressive and merciless questioning of Xiao Yi Xian, and the powerful Elder Yao, whose strength was probably even more terrifying than that of the three guild leaders, Qiu Ling could only sigh again and tell Xuan Kongzi and the others about their decision.

"The president and the others said that the energy within the Star Domain is currently too violent, and even they cannot enter. In a few days, if the situation within the Star Domain stabilizes somewhat, they will join forces to reopen the Star Domain and search for Lin Ming. They will try their best to forcibly bring him out, no matter what."

"Wait? A few days later?!" Xiao Yi Xian's eyebrows shot up, her voice icy cold.

"Even Xuan Kongzi Master Xuan Kongzi and the others don't dare to go in now. Lin Ming is left alone in that Purgatory Sea of Fire. Every moment he stays there increases the danger! What if he goes in a few days later and... what if he can't even find him?!" Her voice trembled slightly, a sign of extreme worry.

Thinking of this, she felt a mix of anger and anxiety. Just as she was getting emotional, Zi Yan quietly reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve, tilting her head up and whispering, "Xiao Yi Xian, don't worry. Don't fret, Lin Ming should be alright. I can sense his condition."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian was startled, her anger subsiding somewhat. Her beautiful eyes, filled with suspicion and urgency, fixed on Zi Yan as she pressed, "How did you sense it? It was across a completely enclosed Star Domain!"

"You forgot! Lin Ming has the Elder Dragon Seal within him. And I've already obtained the corresponding one."

Zi Yan opened her fair and delicate hand, and there in her palm, a mysterious Golden Rune, which was of the same origin as Lin Ming's body but slightly different, had appeared. At this moment, the talisman not only did not dissipate, but was also emitting a stable and gentle golden halo.

Zi Yan then solemnly said, "If Lin Ming really had an accident, the Dragon Seal here would have dissipated as well. But look, the Dragon Seal is not only intact now, but it is also emitting such a clear golden light, which means that his Life Aura is very stable and there is no danger to his life!"

Looking at the Dragon Seal in Zi Yan's palm, which was steadily radiating golden light, and feeling the familiar aura within it that was faintly connected to Lin Ming, the heavy burden that had been hanging over Xiao Yi Xian's heart as if it were being pressed down by a boulder finally eased a little.

She hesitated for a moment, forcing herself to calm down. Her gaze returned to the window, looking at the area above the Pill Tower that was heavily guarded and where the Spatial Fluctuations had not yet completely subsided. Her eyes hardened once more.

"Even so, we can't leave Lin Ming alone in that Deadly Land Sea of Fire, with no one to look after him, his life or death left to fate!" Xiao Yi Xian waved her jade sleeve, her voice resolute and filled with unwavering determination.

"Three days! I'm only giving them three days! If Lin Ming hasn't come out by now, we'll make sure the Three Pill Tower Heads reopen the Star Domain! If they refuse... then don't blame us for being ruthless and attacking them ourselves!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute tone that sent chills down Qiu Ling's spine, making him inwardly groan.

He knew that this seemingly gentle woman would absolutely do what she said when it came to Lin Ming's safety. He couldn't even imagine the scene when a Five-Star Dou Venerate and a Peak Nine-Revolution Dou Venerate forcefully broke through the Star Domain seal.