Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Within the forbidden grounds behind the mountain, the terrifying energy fluctuations, like a volcanic eruption, finally began to subside. In their place came four unfathomable auras, vast as an abyssal sea.
Four figures stepped out from the center of the energy vortex.
At their head was a burly man clad in black-and-red scale armor. He had coarse features and a fierce gaze. He was the Heaven-Burning Crocodile in human form, and his aura had reached the mid-stage of Seven-Star Spirit Saint!
Beside him stood a lean, well-built man covered in armor made of gleaming shards of crystalline flame. His gaze was sharp. He was the Blazing Earth Lizard, at the early stage of Seven-Star Spirit Saint.
On the other side was a stern-faced man clad in robes of flowing flame, with the faint phantom of fiery wings behind him. He was the Flowing Fire Sky Owl, also at the early stage of Seven-Star Spirit Saint.
The last had the most imposing build. Nearly a zhang tall, he was all bulging muscle and wore simple leather armor. Scalding white breath escaped with every exhalation. He was the Lava Giant Ape, the strongest of them all, already at the late stage of Seven-Star Spirit Saint!
Four Seven-Star Spirit Saints! If word of such a lineup got out, it would instantly overturn the balance of power across the Central Plains and leave the Soul Hall trembling!
They came before Lin Hai and dropped to one knee in unison, bowing their heads deeply. Their voices brimmed with an excitement and loyalty beyond words. "Thank you, Master, for granting us new life! We have stabilized our realms and are ready to lay down our lives for you!"
Lin Hai's gaze swept over them, and he nodded slightly.
Twenty drops of Nine-Star Dou Sheng blood essence, along with four Ninth-Grade Profound Pills, had created four Seven-Star Spirit Saints. The result was exactly what he had expected.
"Rise. Keep your auras in check and come with me."
"Yes!" The four beasts stood. Their suffocating pressure instantly withdrew, leaving them seemingly plain and unremarkable. Yet the faintest trace of their auras still made the surrounding space warp slightly.
At the same time, Yao Chen emerged from the alchemy room. He looked a little tired, but excitement shone brighter in his face.
He held two warm jade bottles. Inside, the pills were the size of dragon's eyes, round and flawless, with pill energy gathering like clouds. They were the final two Eighth-Tier Pills he had refined.
"My lord, I have not failed you." Yao Chen presented the bottles.
Lin Hai took the pills and put them into his Storage Ring. "Well done. How is Xiao Yan?"
"That boy's got a fire in his belly. He's been cultivating day and night, and he's improving at an astonishing pace," Yao Chen replied, his voice full of approval.
"Good." Lin Hai asked no more. "I'm heading to the Ancient Realm now. I leave the Xiao Clan's safety in your hands. If an enemy proves too much for you, crush this jade talisman." He tossed Yao Chen an ordinary-looking white jade talisman, imbued with a trace of his spatial mark and power.
"I understand!" Yao Chen accepted it solemnly.
With everything arranged, Lin Hai swept his sleeve, and spatial energy enveloped the four human-shaped demonic beast Dou Saints behind him.
In the next instant, all five vanished without a trace from the Xiao Clan's rear courtyard.
Central Plains, Sky Medicine City.
This great city, renowned for its alchemists and pill trade, remained bustling as ever.
Lin Hai entered the Myriad Medicine Pavilion once more, accompanied by four silent attendants.
The manager recognized the mysterious major customer at once. He was even more deferential and obsequious than before.
Lin Hai said nothing. He simply took out three jade bottles, each containing an Eighth-Tier Pill rich with medicinal fragrance and etched with profound pill patterns.
"Same as before. Exchange these for the ingredients needed to refine nine Eighth-Tier Pills." Lin Hai's voice was calm and even.
The manager's hand trembled as he took the bottles, and his grip was unsteady.
Three Eighth-Tier Pills! What an astonishing fortune to lay out!
He didn't dare slack off for a moment. At top speed, he gathered the finest supplies from the storerooms, assembling ingredients of perfect quality for nine Eighth-Tier Pills. He respectfully presented them in several high-grade Storage Rings.
Lin Hai swept them with his spiritual sense, confirmed everything was in order, and put the rings away. Then he turned and left without the slightest hesitation.
After leaving the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, he didn't linger. He headed straight for the massive Myriad Fire Hall in the western part of the city.
When the proprietor of the Myriad Fire Hall saw Lin Hai—and especially when he sensed the heart-chilling aura faintly radiating from the four unfathomable attendants behind him—his knees nearly gave out. He practically ran over to greet them.
Lin Hai took out the remaining seven jade bottles. Inside were seven Eighth-Tier Pills, each shining brilliantly.
"Exchange these for Sixth-Rank Beast Flames. Seven hundred varieties. No duplicates."
The proprietor sucked in a sharp breath. Seven Eighth-Tier Pills, just to exchange for seven hundred varieties of Sixth-Rank Beast Flame?
It was like trading gold bricks for rubble!
But he didn't dare ask questions. He hurriedly answered, "We have them, we have them! Please wait a moment, my lord. Our stock is ample, and we can absolutely meet your requirements!"
The Dou Qi Continent was home to hundreds of thousands of demonic beast species, and fire-attribute beasts made up a sizeable proportion. Sixth-Rank Beast Flames were precious, but far easier to gather than Eighth-Tier Pills.
The Myriad Fire Hall had deep reserves. Before long, it had assembled seven hundred varieties of Sixth-Rank Beast Flame, each with a different shape and vibrant color. They were sealed in specially made flame containers and packed into three large Storage Rings.
Lin Hai took the rings and swept them with his spiritual sense. Seeing the variety and ample energy contained within, he nodded with satisfaction.
With his objective accomplished, Lin Hai had no intention of wasting more time in Sky Medicine City.
He set out with the four demonic beast Dou Saints. With a single step, he tore through the space above Sky Medicine City and formed a deep spatial passage.
"Let's go."
The five figures disappeared into the passage.
All that remained were the countless experts in Sky Medicine City who had sensed the brief yet terrifying spatial fluctuations. They stared at one another, hearts pounding with fear.
At the far end of the spatial passage, an ancient, vast aura came faintly into view, bearing boundless pressure.
That was the Ancient Realm, home to one of the Ancient Eight Clans: the Ancient Clan!
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