Movements on All Sides!

Pill Region, Cao Family council hall.

Cao Yuan and the others were still discussing the information they had heard from Cao Chun, as well as their future attitude toward the Ye Family.

The atmosphere was exceedingly solemn.

Just then, a voice suddenly rang out in the hall, breaking the silence.

"Daddy, does the Ye Family have some kind of genius?"

A childish voice rang through the solemn council hall.

Everyone looked toward the little bundle clutching Cao Yuan's trouser leg, prompting laughter from the crowd.

"That's right! The Ye Family has produced an extraordinary genius." Cao Yuan stroked his daughter's hair and said gently.

"How does he compare to me?!"

Little Cao Ying was unconvinced. She planted her hands on her hips and puffed out her tiny lips.

"Of course he cannot compare to our Little Ying. Our Little Ying will become a peak eighth-tier alchemist in the future."

Cao Chun smiled and chimed in.

The Ye Family now possessed Heavenly Flames, and they would certainly pass them on to that boy from the Ye Family in the future.

Who would be stronger or weaker in the future was truly uncertain.

Therefore, the Cao Family also had to find a way to obtain a Heavenly Flame for Cao Ying. Even a Child Fire would do.

A Child Fire...

"Second Uncle is the best."

Little Cao Ying pumped her short legs and ran toward Cao Chun.

Cao Yuan smiled. Naturally, he had thought of what his younger brother had thought of.

If Cao Chun's guess was true, if what Ye Zhong held truly was a Child Fire and the real Heavenly Flame was in the hands of a Battle Saint—

Then cooperation was all the more worthwhile.

The Cao Family also wanted Heavenly Flames.

That was also why he had pushed for cooperation with the Ye Family.

"Little Ying, you must cultivate diligently from now on. When the time comes, I'll take you to see that boy the Ye Family has hidden away so tightly."

Cao Chun rubbed the little girl's head.

"Alright. When I grow up, I'll definitely defeat him and prove that I'm the strongest."

Cao Ying nodded her little head, clenched her tiny fists, and radiated high spirits.

The ambition contained in her small voice brought smiles to everyone in the council hall.

A hundred li from the Ye Family.

Beneath the Black Fire Sect mountain range.

"Sect Master, nearly half of the Pill Region is now discussing the Ye Family, as well as the words the Ye Family spread that night."

The Black Fire Sect disciple who had just returned from gathering information outside kept his head lowered, not daring to look at the man above him.

Black Nether closed his eyes, gave a brief acknowledgment, then said:

"Continue."

The disciple below shuddered all over, suppressing the tremor in his voice.

"Besides guessing whether the Ye Family has connected with a Battle Saint, they are also discussing whether our Black Fire Sect is colluding with the Soul Hall. Elder Qin Mo is currently..."

Black Nether abruptly opened his eyes. Black flames flickered in his pupils, and his ash-white hair whipped about.

"Useless fool. You ruin everything."

"S-Sect Master, please forgive me."

The Black Fire Sect disciple lowered his head and explained, "It is mainly because this matter involves Heavenly Flames that it spread so quickly."

"We did not have time to intercept the information."

At the words Heavenly Flames, the anger in Black Nether's heart suddenly gave way to greed.

The Black Fire Sect was famous for its fire-controlling arts, so naturally it coveted Heavenly Flames greatly.

"What Heavenly Flame is it?"

"It is said to be an ice-attributed, deep-blue Heavenly Flame. However, its color differs from the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking."

After hearing the disciple's words, Black Nether waved his hand.

The disciple, who had been staring at the ground, seemed to sense something at that moment.

Without saying a word, he rose and silently withdrew.

After the disciple had gone far away, a rumbling crash of a cave collapsing sounded from behind him.

The disciple hurried his steps, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and wore an expression of relief. He had survived after all.

"A Battle Saint? Hmph!"

A voice faintly drifted out from the cave. "I refuse to believe that your Ye Family can cling to the thigh of a Battle Saint just because of one genius."

At the same time.

Just as the Soul Hall was causing trouble.

At the center of the Pill Region stood an incomparably vast city stretching for hundreds of li: Sacred Pill City.

The sky above was filled with brilliant stars. Their light shone especially brightly, shrouding Sacred Pill City in a hazy night.

The night sky also carried a special atmosphere, one brimming with spirituality.

"Recently, the Soul Hall has been up to something again in our Pill Region. Xuan Yi, Tian Leizi, the two of you should look around over the next few days."

Atop the dazzling Pill Tower stood an old man dressed in plain gray-white robes. His beard and hair were entirely white, yet his face showed no signs of age. Through the white mist at his side, so close it seemed almost touchable, he gazed at the starry sky above.

Two people stood behind him.

One was dressed in a deep black gown. She was exceptionally beautiful, with a noble yet icy temperament. Her eyes, fixed on the stars, were extraordinarily cold, as though they contained a faint trace of sorrow.

The other wore red robes. He was powerfully built, dark-skinned, and rough-featured. Faint lightning flickered around him, giving him an aura of violence and strength.

These two were two of the Three Great Heads of the Pill Tower, while the old man was Xuan Kongzi.

The woman and the dark-skinned elder were Xuan Yi and Tian Leizi.

"Hmph. If you ask me, we should just gather our people and have a real fight with the Soul Hall."

Tian Leizi snorted. His beard fluttered in the night wind, making him appear rather uninhibited.

"I've long found those bastards unpleasant to look at. Then whoever loses is the grandson."

Hearing Tian Leizi's words, Xuan Kongzi's mouth twitched.

Even though he had known Tian Leizi for a long time, he still found it difficult to respond whenever Tian Leizi suddenly blurted out something like that.

If they really lost, at his age, could he truly become someone else's grandson?

He still had his pride.

Even Xuan Yi's cold expression vanished as she turned to look at Tian Leizi.

"Enough. The Soul Hall is not so simple. It would be unwise for us to make a major move against them."

Xuan Kongzi coughed dryly, feeling utterly stifled.

He did not want things to be this way either, but after investigating the Soul Hall's limits for so many years, he still had not uncovered even the slightest clue. It made him feel that the Soul Hall was far from simple.

The world was vast, and it was not so simple either.

"But those sneaky rats are now stirring up trouble in our Pill Region, leaving all those families uneasy."

Anger surged within Tian Leizi. His red hair flew about like burning flames.

Xuan Kongzi pondered for a moment, seriously considering how to resolve the Pill Tower's predicament.

"If we do not act, the Pill Tower will likely lose a great deal of prestige."

Seeing the two men remain silent, Xuan Yi furrowed her brows and spoke as well.

Xuan Kongzi said nothing, but he understood the importance of the matter.

The Pill Tower's authority could not be insulted.

It seemed he would have to do as before and focus on striking a few Soul Hall forces.

Having reached that conclusion, Xuan Kongzi looked at Tian Leizi with a solemn expression.

"Tian Leizi, send people to wipe out several Soul Hall forces in the near future, but do not make too much of a disturbance."

Upon hearing Xuan Kongzi's words, Tian Leizi was delighted. He only thought about where to find a few Soul Hall lackeys; not a single word of Xuan Kongzi's latter sentence entered his head.

Whether the commotion became large or not was none of his concern. Someone would handle the aftermath anyway.

Before long, Tian Leizi, eager to settle scores, went down to gather a team and prepare to find some targets.

"You are far too wary of the Soul Hall."

Xuan Yi looked at Xuan Kongzi with puzzlement.

Xuan Kongzi shook his head. He had made it so obvious, yet only Tian Leizi, who never used his brain, had failed to notice.

But he did not say much.

He himself had yet to figure out what exactly the Soul Hall was. He only felt as though there was a great hand behind it.

"Xuan Yi, follow Tian Leizi later and handle this matter."

Seeing Xuan Yi's gaze, Xuan Kongzi changed the subject.

There was no use voicing his concerns now. He might as well investigate slowly on his own.

"Alright!"

Xuan Yi parted her rosy lips and uttered a single word.

With that—

Ripples spread through the space before Xuan Yi. She stepped forward once and drifted away.

"Troubled times indeed."

Xuan Kongzi's gaze passed through the starry sky overhead, as though he could see beyond its farthest reaches.

In a place perceptible only through soul vision, there lay a gigantic dragon coiled endlessly through space. Its eyes were tightly shut, while strange violet-black flames curled around its body.