Venerable Yao

At this time, Southern Region of the Central Plains.

"Hurry up, the Four Pavilions Assembly is about to begin." By now, quite a few cultivators from all over the Southern Region had already rushed over upon hearing the news. In particular, the independent cultivators and low-level practitioners nearby had arrived early in this part of the Southern Region of the Central Plains, watching from afar.

These independent cultivators and low-level practitioners certainly did not qualify to enter the Four Pavilions Assembly. However, they hoped to fish in troubled waters and see whether there might be some chaos they could exploit to sneak in. Even if they could not enter, it would still be worthwhile to catch a distant glimpse of those great figures. If they had the chance to witness the bearing of a Dou Venerate, their trip would not have been in vain.

After all, the Four Pavilions Assembly was not merely a day when the leaders of the Four Pavilions among the One Hall, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Pavilions gathered. It was also a time for the young people of the four regions of the Central Plains to display their talents. If some Venerable happened to take a liking to them and accept them as disciples, then becoming a Dou Zong powerhouse capable of walking through the void would be within reach.

Thus, many cultivators with modest cultivation but some confidence in their talent came to join in the excitement. Moreover, all Four Pavilions understood the importance of fresh blood, so they attached great importance to this assembly.

Each session of the Four Pavilions Assembly was hosted by a different pavilion, and this year, it happened to be Starfall Pavilion's turn.

Starfall Pavilion was located in the Southern Region of the Central Plains. Among the so-called Four Pavilions, it had the fewest disciples, since its standard for accepting members was simple: no mediocrities. Yet even so, Starfall Pavilion remained the most popular force among young disciples in the Four Pavilions. The reason was simple: its pavilion master was a renowned alchemist.

"I wonder whether we'll have a chance to see the famous Venerable Yao at this Four Pavilions Assembly." A young cultivator waiting at the foot of the Heavenly Star Mountain Range had eyes gleaming with excitement, fantasizing about receiving a medicinal pill from Venerable Yao and rising to the pinnacle of life from then on.

"There should be a chance. I heard that this gathering is not merely for the Four Pavilions Assembly. It is also for Venerable Feng to announce his retirement and hand the position of pavilion master to Venerable Yao." A somewhat older middle-aged man spoke with a grave expression.

"Venerable Lei has arrived!" At that moment, a burly man came riding the wind and lightning, accompanied by rumbling thunder. Venerable Lei had only three to five people accompanying him, but he made no attempt to conceal the might of a Dou Venerate. Thunder rolled around him, turning the faces of many inexperienced young cultivators pale.

"Venerable Lei truly is remarkable. He founded Wind Lightning Pavilion only twenty or thirty years ago, yet it has already developed into an existence comparable to the other three forces, standing as one of the Four Pavilions." Seeing Venerable Lei arrive from afar, many people spoke in admiration.

"Venerable Yellow Springs of Yellow Springs Pavilion and Sword Venerable of Myriad Sword Pavilion have also arrived." As time passed, the others from the Four Pavilions arrived one after another.

Venerable Yellow Springs transformed into a stream of yellow springs that came from the horizon, stretching across the Heavenly Star Mountain Range, reaching from the highest heavens to the deepest Yellow Springs.

When Myriad Sword Pavilion arrived, a clear sword cry echoed throughout the entire mountain range. A massive sword formed from Dou Qi spanned the sky, carrying over a hundred disciples on its blade. Every one of them stood straight as a sword edge, like sharp swords drawn from their sheaths.

However, everyone soon noticed a problem. Three of the Dou Venerate pavilion masters of the Four Pavilions had already arrived, yet Venerable Feng of Starfall Pavilion was nowhere to be seen.

Not long after the three Dou Venerates gathered at Starfall Pavilion, in a secluded pavilion somewhere within Starfall Pavilion deep in the Heavenly Star Mountain Range, a man dressed in a blue-green robe slowly raised his head.

The blue-robed man had a handsome face, with long black hair falling over his shoulders. His body seemed to constantly carry an unusual medicinal fragrance that made people instinctively feel close to him.

"It seems everyone has arrived." A low murmur slowly escaped the blue-robed man's lips. Smiling faintly, he said softly, "They came so early. It seems the three Venerables are quite anxious."

Boom! Boom! Boom! Just as many cultivators and young practitioners eagerly awaited the appearance of some great figure from Starfall Pavilion, the host, the mountains suddenly shook and the ground trembled. The entire Heavenly Star Mountain Range seemed to be experiencing an earthquake, and many cultivators hurriedly clutched whatever was beside them in fright.

"What happened? Was there an earthquake?" Some young cultivators cried out in shock.

However, everyone soon realized that was not the case. At that moment, many followed the gazes of the three Venerables and looked toward the depths of the Heavenly Star Mountain Range. There, a maple-red beam of light shot straight into the sky. Beneath that maple-red pillar, amid countless stunned gazes, the beam swept across the area, and mist suddenly surged forth. Within a few blinks, it condensed into an enormous silver thundercloud nearly a hundred meters wide!

The expressions of the three Dou Venerate pavilion masters changed drastically in an instant, and they all rose in astonishment.

As a Dou Venerate with lightning-attributed Dou Qi, Venerable Lei naturally knew what that silver thundercloud meant. Frowning deeply, he said in a low voice, "The rumors were true. He truly can refine Grade Eight medicinal pills. That is the silver thundercloud that only Grade Eight medicinal pills can produce."

Grade Eight medicinal pills possessed spirituality and even a degree of basic intelligence. In other words, Grade Eight medicinal pills possessed their own vitality. More importantly, they were medicinal pills used by Dou Venerates. Even Dou Venerates often owed favors just to obtain a single Grade Eight medicinal pill.

Seeing this, Venerable Yellow Springs and Sword Venerable could only shake their heads and smile bitterly. Clearly, the balance of the Four Pavilions had been completely shattered. At a time like today, gathering everyone from the Four Pavilions and so many cultivators to display the completion of a Grade Eight medicinal pill—was this not simply a declaration to the entire world that Venerable Yao's title was no empty name?

Venerable Yellow Springs sighed and said, "In the past, most people called him Venerable Yao because he inherited his master's title, or because of his cultivation as a Dou Venerate. But now... I fear no one will question it again."

Sword Venerable nodded lightly. Looking at the figure gradually becoming clear within the pillar of light, then at that handsome face, he said, "Supreme among medicines, Venerable Yao—Han Feng."

With a sharp whoosh, the medicinal pill in the beam of light vanished along with the thundercloud and was caught in the man's hand. In an instant, a pill fragrance spread throughout the entire Heavenly Star Mountain Range.

"Wow, it smells so good. I feel like my body has become several years younger."

"What grade medicinal pill is that? This trip to the Four Pavilions Assembly was not in vain."

The terrifying pill fragrance transformed into seven-colored auspicious clouds, like mist enveloping the entire mountain range.

Holding the medicinal pill, Han Feng stepped upon the pill clouds and took a single step onto the seat of honor at the Four Pavilions Assembly stage. He offered a slight apology to the other three Venerables. "I am Han Feng, pavilion master of Starfall Pavilion. Refining the pill delayed me for some time. I have kept you Venerables waiting."