The old man surnamed Zhong didn't stand on ceremony. After the surrounding mist passages condensed, he gently waved his hand, and a Fragrance-Nurturing Pill shot into his palm. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, the Fragrance-Nurturing Pill transformed into a stream of light and disappeared into a mist passage not far away.
After the Fragrance-Nurturing Pill entered the passage, ripples like water were immediately stirred up on the passage. Without hesitation, the old man surnamed Zhong leaped into it and disappeared from the sky in a flash.
Seeing this, the other alchemists present exchanged bewildered glances. It seemed that the Fragrance-Nurturing Pill had become the key to entering the third level.
Not far from Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan Huoxun Mingcheng smiled and waved to him. Then, he threw a Fragrance-Nurturing Pill into the passage and rushed in after him. Seeing this, Xiao Yan was also curious and controlled a Fragrance-Nurturing Pill to throw into the misty passage beside him. Under the quiet probing of his Spiritual Strength, a weak suction force was faintly emanating from the passage, but he could not probe any further.
Looking at the group of alchemists entering the passage one by one, Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Xiao Siyu below. The flames in her cauldron had gradually receded, and it seemed that she was about to finish retrieving the pill. If that was the case, then there was nothing to worry about.
"Call..."
With a light exhale, Xiao Yan lightly touched the air with his toes, and his body shot out, disappearing into the passage in a flash.
Upon entering the passage, Xiao Yan was immediately enveloped in a white light, which also submerged the passage behind him. Only after a moment did the world around him gradually come into view.
In a vast white world, Xiao Yan stood on a thin layer of water, observing with curiosity. He tentatively extended his Spiritual Strength outwards, but found nothing. No matter how far he explored, this space remained a void, with no end in sight and no sign of an exit. Only the endless white mist constantly gathered and dispersed.
"Hehe..."
Just as Xiao Yan was wondering what was going on, a strange, cold laugh suddenly came from within this space.
Who goes there!
Xiao Yan shouted, and his powerful Spiritual Strength spread out along the sound waves as if it were a tangible force, pushing the surrounding mist dozens of feet away. In the mist far ahead, a blurry figure could be vaguely seen.
"Whoosh!"
Xiao Yan flicked his finger, and a wisp of fire shot out, heading straight for the figure. However, after entering the mist, it mysteriously lost its direction. Xiao Yan's expression changed slightly, and with a thought, the flame he had shot out quickly flew back. Looking again at the mist where the figure had just stood, the figure was indeed there, but in the void beside it, there was a ball of grayish-white flame.
"That Old Freak Zhong seems to have some method of absorbing the Pill Qi in the illusion. Last time he came, this old fellow was Tier Seven High-Level Alchemist, and he advanced to the eighth rank not long after he left. This time, he's in such a hurry to enter the Pill Sea Illusion Realm, it seems he wants to take the opportunity to break through to the intermediate eighth rank. He's here for the Pill Gathering championship!"
Outside, on the platform, Yuwen Zong stroked his chin, recalling what had just happened, and frowned as he spoke.
"That's fine. Although Old Freak Zhong has a fiery temper, his strength is undeniable. If he can really use this opportunity to advance to the Tier Eight Intermediate Alchemist, even winning the Pill Gathering championship wouldn't be a big deal. It's better than letting those other families take it. Besides, Old Freak Zhong is all alone. If we can take this opportunity to recruit him into my Pill Tower, with his Four-Star Yuan Zun cultivation, he would be a considerable fighting force."
Chen Xuanling smiled and spoke, not taking it to heart. His gaze swept over the red-skirted woman who had floated into the air below, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Then, with a flick of his sleeve, a small cauldron spun around and appeared in the air to one side, spinning quietly. Chen Xuanling then gently closed his eyes, and with a thought, his Spiritual Strength invaded those illusions, quietly observing them.
In the illusion.
Xiao Yan stared coldly at the gray-white figure not far away. The Heavenly Flames in his palm gradually climbed up his body, and a powerful aura belonging to the Nine-Star Yuan Zong emanated from his body.
"Heh, how interesting. I never imagined you possessed so many tricks up your sleeve. You've truly brought a great gift to my birth. As long as I kill you, your Heavenly Flames will be mine, and I'll take the reins to explore this continent for you!"
The gray figure slowly raised its face, and upon closer inspection, it appeared to be identical to Xiao Yan. As Xiao Yan's aura surged and spread outwards, a gray mist also spread out around this figure, revealing a powerful aura that was in no way inferior to Xiao Yan's.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan sneered and shouted:
"Hmph, you? You dare to challenge me!"
As soon as he shouted, Xiao Yan swung his palm fiercely, and flames shot out from his palm, condensing into a fire dragon. After Formation Plate, the flames rose high and then rushed straight towards the gray-white figure opposite him.
"Hahaha! Within this illusion, you are me, and I am you. What you have, I will naturally have too!"
Seeing this, the gray-white figure grinned maliciously, raised one hand high, spread its five fingers, and inhaled fiercely into the thick white mist in the sky. The white mist then transformed into a giant dragon, which collided heavily with the oncoming fire dragon.
"Bang!"
The moment the two clashed, they exploded. Before the energy waves could dissipate, a figure burst forth from the energy, a Heavenly Flames lotus formed from grayish-white flames slowly rotating in his palms.
"What!"
Upon seeing this, Xiao Yan's eyes immediately revealed a look of horror. This guy not only copied his cultivation, but he also learned the Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus!
"Boom!"
A terrifying energy explosion suddenly swept out in the next instant. At the edge of the explosion, amidst a gray-white wave of fire, Xiao Yan transformed into a Vajra body. The black curtain in front of him neutralized half of the energy from the explosion. Relying on the Giant Elephant Art, Xiao Yan was confident that he could handle it.
Although the Fire Lotus was powerful, it was undoubtedly far inferior to the Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus, which was formed from a true Heavenly Flames.
But what truly alarmed Xiao Yan was that this bizarre illusory body could replicate his original body to such an extent that, in front of this creature, Xiao Yan felt as if all his secrets had been exposed without a trace.
This made Xiao Yan extremely uneasy.
"We must get rid of him as soon as possible!"
As soon as a surge of overwhelming killing intent rose in Xiao Yan's heart, a chilling killing intent also suddenly flashed out from behind his Vajra Body.
"Try this move, the Heaven Flipping Seal!"
A gray-white figure appeared behind Xiao Yan like a ghost. Looking at the Vajra body so close to him, the guy didn't hesitate at all. His palms flashed with hand seals, and then a strange gray-white seal was formed. He slammed it down heavily on Xiao Yan's back, as if he wanted to kill him in one blow.
"Buzzing..."
However, just as Xiao Yan hurriedly mobilized the Heavenly Flames within his body to prepare for a counterattack, a peculiar vibration suddenly emanated from deep within his body, from the Soul Origin.
"Huh?"
The moment the tremor emanated from Xiao Yan's body, Chen Xuanling on the platform outside suddenly opened his half-closed eyes and uttered a surprised sound.