Venerable Yao

At this moment, the southern region of the Central Plains.

"Hurry up, the Four Pavilions Assembly is about to begin." By now, many cultivators from all over the southern region had caught wind of the news and rushed over. In particular, independent cultivators and minor cultivators from nearby areas had arrived early in this part of the southern Central Plains, watching from afar.

These independent cultivators and low-level practitioners certainly did not qualify to enter the Four Pavilions Assembly. Still, they hoped to fish in troubled waters and see whether any chaos might give them a chance to slip inside. Even if they could not enter, merely watching those important figures from afar would be worthwhile. If they were fortunate enough to glimpse the bearing of a Dou Zun, their trip would not have been in vain.

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

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

Each Four Pavilions Assembly was hosted by a different pavilion. This time, it was 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 people was simple: it did not take in mediocrities. Yet even so, Starfall Pavilion remained the most popular force among young disciples in the Four Pavilions. The reason was none other than the fact that its pavilion master was a renowned alchemist.

"I wonder whether we'll get the chance to see the famous Venerable Yao at this Four Pavilions Assembly." A minor cultivator waiting at the foot of the Heavenly Star Mountain Range had golden light gleaming in his eyes as he fantasized 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 time, it's not just the Four Pavilions Assembly. Venerable Feng will also announce his retirement and hand the position of pavilion master over to Venerable Yao." A somewhat older middle-aged man beside him spoke with a grave expression.

"Venerable Lei is here!" At that moment, a burly man arrived riding wind and lightning, thunder booming around him. Venerable Lei had only three to five people accompanying him, but he made no effort to conceal the might of a Dou Zun. Thunder still rumbled endlessly, causing many inexperienced minor cultivators to turn pale at the sight.

"Venerable Lei truly is remarkable. He founded the Wind Lightning Pavilion only twenty or thirty years ago, yet it has already developed into an existence on par with the other three forces and become one of the Four Pavilions." Seeing Venerable Lei approaching from afar, many people spoke enviously.

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

Venerable Yellow Springs transformed into a stream of yellow springs descending from the horizon, stretching across the Heavenly Star Mountain Range, reaching up to the blue heavens and down to the yellow springs.

When Myriad Sword Pavilion arrived, a crisp sword cry rang throughout the entire mountain range. A massive sword formed from Dou Qi spanned the heavens, and atop it stood more than a hundred disciples. Every one of them stood straight as a sword edge, like unsheathed sharp swords.

However, everyone soon noticed a problem. Three Dou Zun pavilion masters of the Four Pavilions had already arrived, yet there was still no sign of Starfall Pavilion's Venerable Feng.

Not long after the three Dou Zuns gathered at Starfall Pavilion, deep within the Heavenly Star Mountain Range, in a secluded tower within Starfall Pavilion, a man dressed in a long azure robe slowly raised his head.

The azure-robed man had a rather handsome face, and his long black hair fell over his shoulders. His body seemed to carry an unusual medicinal fragrance at all times, making people instinctively feel close to him.

"It seems everyone has arrived." A low murmur slowly escaped the azure-robed man's lips. With a smile at the corners of his mouth, 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 waited to see when Starfall Pavilion, the host, would send out its important figures, the mountains suddenly shook and the earth trembled. The entire Heavenly Star Mountain Range seemed to be experiencing an earthquake, and many cultivators were so frightened that they hurriedly grabbed onto whatever was beside them.

"What happened? Was there an earthquake?" some minor cultivators exclaimed in shock.

But everyone soon realized that was not the case. Following the gazes of the three Venerables, countless people looked toward the depths of the Heavenly Star Mountain Range. A maple-red beam of light shot into the sky. Beneath that maple-red pillar, amid countless shocked gazes, the beam swept across the area as clouds and mist abruptly surged forth. Within only a few blinks, they condensed into an enormous silver thundercloud nearly a hundred meters wide!

The expressions of the three Dou Zun pavilion masters changed dramatically at once, and they all rose in shock.

As a Dou Zun with lightning-attributed Dou Qi, Venerable Lei naturally knew what the silver thundercloud signified. He furrowed his brows and said in a deep voice, "The rumors were true. He really can refine eighth-tier medicinal pills already. That is the silver thundercloud that only appears for eighth-tier medicinal pills."

Eighth-tier medicinal pills possessed spirituality and even some basic intelligence. In other words, eighth-tier medicinal pills possessed their own life force. More importantly, they were pills used by Dou Zun-level experts. Even Dou Zuns often owed favors in order to obtain a single eighth-tier medicinal pill.

Seeing this, Venerable Yellow Springs and the Sword Venerable could only shake their heads and smile bitterly. Clearly, the balance of the Four Pavilions had been completely broken. At this moment today, he had gathered everyone from the Four Pavilions and so many cultivators to display the successful refinement of an eighth-tier medicinal pill. Was he not simply telling the entire world that the title Venerable Yao 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 Dou Zun cultivation. But now... I fear no one will question it any longer."

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

With a whoosh, the medicinal pill within the beam 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 tier is that medicinal pill? 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 descended onto the seat of honor on the Four Pavilions Assembly stage. He offered the other three Venerables a slight apologetic gesture. "I am Han Feng, pavilion master of Starfall Pavilion. Refining the pill delayed me somewhat. I have kept you Venerables waiting."