The Treasure Pavilion.
In a quiet room filled with a delicate fragrance, Huo Xiyan, the master of the Treasure Pavilion, reclined on a bed, her beautiful eyes full of frustration.
She wore a red dress, her skin as white as jade, her figure voluptuous and her legs long and slender. Most striking of all were her large, liquid eyes, which radiated endless allure.
"Making an astonishing achievement in this tiny Flame Dragon City is far too difficult! Father is so heartless. Who knows when I'll be able to go back!"
Huo Xiyan swung her small, pearly-white feet as she muttered to herself in frustration.
"Miss, something has happened!"
Just then, a pretty young girl in a green dress walked in, her eyes filled with anxiety.
"Green Ruo, what happened?"
Huo Xiyan asked curiously.
"Five-colored auspicious clouds have appeared above our Treasure Pavilion! The heavenly phenomenon has drawn a crowd of onlookers!"
Green Ruo hurriedly explained.
"Five-colored auspicious clouds?"
Huo Xiyan paused in surprise, then walked to the window.
Her pupils suddenly contracted. Sure enough, a billowing bank of five-colored auspicious clouds hung in the sky, looking mysterious and extraordinary.
At the same time, Huo Xiyan sensed the vast spiritual energy all around them surging toward the Treasure Pavilion like a whirlpool.
It was as though the Treasure Pavilion had devoured every trace of spiritual energy within a hundred-mile radius.
"Devouring the spiritual energy within a hundred-mile radius? How domineering! Only a Dragon Transformation Realm martial artist could do that. There shouldn't be any Dragon Transformation Realm experts in Flame Dragon City!"
A trace of gravity appeared in Huo Xiyan's eyes.
Then she looked at her maid, Green Ruo, and asked solemnly, "The source is our Treasure Pavilion! Has anything unusual happened here today?"
"Anything unusual? I don't think so. Oh, right, miss! A mysterious person in a black robe came to the Treasure Pavilion today, bought several dozen kinds of spirit herbs, and rented an alchemy chamber!"
Green Ruo paused, then remembered something and hurriedly explained.
"Rented an alchemy chamber? An alchemist? Could this heavenly phenomenon have something to do with him?"
A thoughtful look appeared in Huo Xiyan's eyes.
"He should be an alchemist! Miss, I heard that the mysterious man in black was quite extraordinary. Even the Spirit Sea Realm steward couldn't discern his cultivation and suspected he might be in the Dao Foundation Realm, or even... stronger!"
Green Ruo explained.
"A Dragon Transformation Realm alchemist? Or did he refine some kind of spirit pill capable of triggering a heavenly phenomenon?"
Huo Xiyan's thoughts stirred. She instinctively felt that the phenomenon above the Treasure Pavilion had to be connected to that mysterious man in black.
"Miss, should I invite him over once he comes out?"
Green Ruo asked.
"Yes! Never mind, I'll go take a look myself!"
Huo Xiyan's eyes were full of curiosity.
Whether he was a Dragon Transformation Realm alchemist or had refined a spirit pill capable of triggering a phenomenon in heaven and earth, either possibility meant that the mysterious man in black was extraordinary.
Why would such an important figure appear in tiny Flame Dragon City?
"He's gone?"
Huo Xiyan stared at the empty alchemy chamber, somewhat stunned.
She had never expected that the mysterious man in black would leave so decisively.
"Bring me the list of spirit herbs that alchemist purchased!"
After pondering for a moment, Huo Xiyan suddenly spoke.
"Yes!"
Soon, the Treasure Pavilion's steward brought over the list of spirit herbs Ning Chuan had purchased.
"Mystic spirit grass, blazing flame flower, frost-defying wood, golden roselight fruit, soil-covering root... this is?!"
When Huo Xiyan saw the list of spirit herbs Ning Chuan had purchased, her eyes widened, filling with disbelief.
Towering waves surged through her heart.
This list of spirit herbs was remarkably similar to a pill formula she had obtained in an ancient ruin.
That formula was known as the Perfect Marrow-Cleansing Pill!
It was ten times as effective as a Marrow-Cleansing Pill, capable of scouring the meridians and cleansing the marrow, transforming a person down to their very bones and turning them into a Martial Dao genius.
Yet despite years of research, the Treasure Pavilion had never successfully refined a Perfect Marrow-Cleansing Pill.
Now she had discovered that someone in Flame Dragon City had actually refined a Perfect Marrow-Cleansing Pill?
That heavenly phenomenon just now was probably triggered by the birth of a Perfect Marrow-Cleansing Pill! That mysterious man in black actually knows how to refine them? If I get my hands on a Perfect Marrow-Cleansing Pill, won't victory be mine for certain?
Huo Xiyan silently speculated, her heart pounding wildly and her beautiful eyes brimming with excitement.
"Investigate! Spare no effort! You must uncover that mysterious black-robed senior's identity. Whoever finds him will receive a hundred spirit stones!"
Huo Xiyan commanded in a firm voice.
"Yes, Pavilion Master!"
Everyone in the Treasure Pavilion immediately grew excited, their eyes shining with enthusiasm.
One spirit stone was worth a hundred thousand taels of silver.
A hundred spirit stones meant ten million taels of silver, and that was merely the reward for finding one person. The entire Treasure Pavilion erupted with excitement.
Meanwhile, the elderly steward who had received Ning Chuan was so consumed with regret that his guts nearly turned green. Had he known, he would have kept Ning Chuan there at any cost.
He had missed out on a hundred spirit stones!
"Ning Chuan, you worthless trash! How dare you humiliate me? I'll tear you into ten thousand pieces!"
At the Li Family estate, Li Yunfei sat in the main hall, fury blazing in his eyes, his handsome face twisted into a vicious expression.
Shattered porcelain littered the floor. Several servants knelt before him, trembling all over in terror.
"Young Master, Young Master Shen Ruzhuo of the Shen family has come to visit!"
Just then, someone reported in a quavering voice.
"Shen Ruzhuo? What is he doing here? Send him in!"
Li Yunfei's gaze turned cold.
Shen Ruzhuo was the grandson of the Shen family's grand elder and possessed exceptional Martial Dao talent. He had reportedly entered seclusion recently to attempt a breakthrough to the Spirit Sea Realm. Li Yunfei had not expected him to visit the Li Family.
Soon, a refined-looking young man in white robes strode in, a faint smile on his lips and his eyes deep and bright.
Powerful fluctuations of spiritual energy radiated from him, revealing his impressive cultivation.
"The Spirit Sea Realm? Shen Ruzhuo, I never thought you'd really break through to the Spirit Sea Realm! What are you doing here?"
Li Yunfei's eyes flickered as he stared at Shen Ruzhuo and asked.
"Brother Li, I heard that spineless good-for-nothing Ning Chuan humiliated you at the Shen estate?"
Shen Ruzhuo asked with a faint smile.
Li Yunfei's expression chilled. "What? Have you come to laugh at me? If you have nothing else to say, get lost!"
"Don't be so impatient, Brother Li. I came to discuss working together!"
Shen Ruzhuo calmly sat down, picked up the tea on the table with an air of ease, and took a sip.
"Working together?"
Li Yunfei's eyes flickered before he sneered. "Don't tell me you want to join forces against Ning Chuan. No matter what, he's still your Shen family's son-in-law. Are you planning to bite the hand that feeds you?"
"Don't put it so harshly! How does a useless live-in son-in-law like Ning Chuan deserve that title? I believe only you are a worthy match for Qianxun, Brother Li! We work together and get rid of Ning Chuan. You marry Shen Qianxun, and I become the head of the Shen family. What do you think?"
Shen Ruzhuo said with a faint smile.
"So you actually want to become the head of the Shen family? Hahaha... Shen Ruzhuo, you really are shameless, but I like it! How do you want to proceed?"
Li Yunfei laughed, his interest immediately piqued.
"It's simple! I heard City Lord Zhao's granddaughter has been poisoned and is on the brink of death. City Lord Zhao has tried all sorts of methods, but none have cured her?"
Shen Ruzhuo asked.
"That's right! City Lord Zhao's granddaughter is afflicted with the extremely rare god-devouring gu poison. Never mind us-even the Three-Star Alchemist at the Treasure Pavilion is helpless! Apparently, only an exceptionally special high-grade spirit pill has any chance of expelling it!"
Li Yunfei nodded.
"I heard that brat Ning Chuan is skilled in the Acupuncture Technique, and that he was the one who expelled Shen Qianxun's fire poison! Tell me, what would happen if City Lord Zhao's granddaughter died under Ning Chuan's treatment?"
Shen Ruzhuo asked with a beaming smile.
Li Yunfei shuddered, a brilliant gleam flashing in his eyes as he immediately understood Shen Ruzhuo's intent.
"Hahaha... Shen Ruzhuo, oh, Shen Ruzhuo, you certainly are vicious! If Ning Chuan kills City Lord Zhao's granddaughter while treating her, City Lord Zhao will fly into a thunderous rage. Even Shen Qianxun will suffer!"
Li Yunfei said excitedly.
"Exactly! I don't need to explain how to make Ning Chuan treat City Lord Zhao's granddaughter, do I? When the time comes, not only will Ning Chuan die, but Shen Qianxun will suffer too. Once she's removed as family head and I take her place, won't marrying her be as easy as turning your hand?"
Shen Ruzhuo nodded, a sinister look flashing in his eyes.
"Good! Shen Ruzhuo, I'll make sure you get your wish. I'll kill Ning Chuan and make you the head of the Shen family! Then shall we toast to a successful partnership?"
Li Yunfei laughed and raised his teacup.
"To a successful partnership!"
Shen Ruzhuo replied with a smile, raising his teacup in a toast from across the table.
His heart burned with anticipation. As long as he became the head of the Shen family, he could obtain that thing.
Only then could he soar into the heavens in a single leap.
Ridiculous Li Yunfei. Does he really think I'm doing this for the Shen family head position?
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