Purple Haze Mountain in the Western Region had once been famous for producing Purple Cloud Crystals containing Primordial Purple Qi. Now, however, it was shrouded in dense dark energy. Most of the mountain had turned scorched black, and the Purple Cloud Spring at its summit had long since dried up. Only an enormous dark Origin Venerate, the Bone Demon, occupied the spring's source.
The Bone Demon's body was made entirely of black bones, with thick black mist coiling around it. Ghostly green flames burned in his eyes, and he held a bone spear fashioned from a spine. His presence had astonishingly reached the Intermediate Origin Venerate stage. He guarded this place, slaughtering every cultivator who tried to approach the Purple Cloud Spring. Their remains had piled up into mountains, becoming Purple Haze Mountain's new "scenery."
Xiao Yan arrived through the air. As soon as he approached Purple Haze Mountain, he felt a wave of chilling dark pressure rush toward him. His brows furrowed slightly as his Origin Venerate Dharma Body quietly appeared, five-colored flames swirling around him and keeping the dark pressure at bay.
"Another ant come to die." The Bone Demon's voice sounded like bones grinding together, harsh and grating. He raised his bone spear and pointed it at Xiao Yan. "Those Origin Venerates who came a few days ago had rather hard bones, but unfortunately..."
Before he had finished speaking, the bone spear suddenly became a black shadow, stabbing toward Xiao Yan's heart with a howl that tore through the air. The dark energy coiled around its tip was enough to corrode an Origin Venerate's defenses. If an ordinary Intermediate Origin Venerate were struck, they would be gravely injured even if they survived.
"Too slow."
Xiao Yan snorted coldly, leaving an afterimage behind as he easily dodged the bone spear. At the same time, the Heavy Xuan Ruler appeared in his hand, five-colored Heavenly Flames blazing upon it. The ruler swelled to a hundred feet long and swept toward the Bone Demon with a force that could burn the heavens and destroy the earth.
The Bone Demon's pupils contracted. Clearly, he had not expected Xiao Yan to be so fast. He crossed his arms, layers of dark runes appearing on his bone armor as he tried to take the blow head-on.
"Clang!"
The Heavy Xuan Ruler collided with the bone armor with a deafening crash. The Bone Demon was sent staggering backward, countless cracks spreading across the armor on his arms. The ghostly green flames in his eyes flickered violently; he had clearly taken a considerable blow.
"An Initial Origin Venerate with such strength?" A trace of surprise and doubt flashed through the Bone Demon's eyes.
Xiao Yan wasted no words. He activated the Origin Stabilizing Divine Stone and the Void Origin Stone Fragment at the same time. Spatial power and the power of the stars intertwined, forming an invisible domain that enveloped the Bone Demon. His movements instantly grew sluggish, as though he had sunk into a quagmire.
"Heavenly Flames: Lotus Fall!"
Xiao Yan gave a low shout. The Green Lotus Core Flame and Fallen Heart Flame merged into an enormous black Fire Lotus. It flew toward the Bone Demon, carrying a terrifying explosive force within it.
Sensing the threat, the Bone Demon roared, and the dark energy within him erupted wildly as he tried to break through the spatial domain. But Xiao Yan's spatial power had been tempered in the Pill Realm and was no longer what it once was. The domain did not budge.
"Boom!"
The black Fire Lotus exploded above the Bone Demon's head, engulfing him completely in a raging shockwave of flame. He let out a piercing scream as his bones broke apart inch by inch in the flames, and the dark energy was swiftly purified by the Heavenly Flames.
Xiao Yan pressed his advantage. The Heavy Xuan Ruler swept out once more, and the five-colored flames condensed into a pillar of fire that spanned heaven and earth, striking the Bone Demon's soul core with pinpoint accuracy.
"No-!"
The Bone Demon's soul core shattered, and his enormous body fell apart completely, turning into a pile of scorched black bone dust.
With the Bone Demon dealt with, the dark energy on Purple Haze Mountain swiftly receded, revealing the dry spring source. At its bottom lay several Purple Cloud Crystals, giving off a faint purple light. The crystals contained pure Primordial Purple Qi.
Xiao Yan stepped forward and put the Purple Cloud Crystals away. The Primordial Purple Qi felt warm and smooth to the touch and contained the power of creation. It was one of the key ingredients for refining the Primordial Purification Pill.
Just as he was about to leave, a dense stream of purple haze Qi suddenly burst from the Purple Cloud Spring's source and surged into his body. This Qi was a hundred times purer than the Primordial Purple Qi in the Purple Cloud Crystals. It was clearly Purple Haze Mountain's Origin Qi, which the Bone Demon had forcibly suppressed while guarding this place.
"This is..."
Xiao Yan's heart stirred, and he hurriedly circulated his cultivation technique to absorb it. Primordial Purple Qi flowed into his dantian and merged with his Origin Venerate Dharma Body. The five-colored flames on the Dharma Body grew ever more brilliant, and the faint outline of a sixth flame even began to take shape. His presence began to soar, and the barrier at the Initial Origin Venerate stage showed signs of loosening. He was actually going to seize this opportunity to break through to Intermediate Origin Venerate!
"Just in time!"
Xiao Yan stopped suppressing himself and guided the Primordial Purple Qi with all his strength to temper his Origin Qi. Purple Haze Mountain's original power poured into his body in an endless stream, resonating with the power of the Heart of the Pill Realm. The Origin Venerate Dharma Body in his dantian let out a long cry, and his presence broke through the bottleneck, carrying him firmly into the Intermediate Origin Venerate stage!
With the breakthrough complete, Xiao Yan felt as though his entire body was filled with inexhaustible strength. His control over the Heavenly Flames and the laws had deepened yet another level. He clenched his fist, feeling the Origin Qi surging through him, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
After leaving Purple Haze Mountain, Xiao Yan did not stop, heading straight for the Star River Secret Realm in the Eastern Region.
The three days had just passed, and the Star River Secret Realm opened as scheduled. Its entrance lay above an enormous lake, whose waters reflected a sky full of stars, forming a dazzling star river. When the secret realm opened, a small amount of silver liquid condensed in the lake: the Water of the Nine Heavens Star River.
Several Origin Venerates from the Heavenly Wind Kingdom of the Eastern Region guarded the secret realm. When they saw Xiao Yan arrive, they all bowed respectfully. They had long since received a message from Xuan Kongzi and knew how formidable this newly advanced Intermediate Origin Venerate was.
Xiao Yan did not delay. The moment the secret realm opened, he collected the Water of the Nine Heavens Star River. The water contained the pure origin of the stars, which resonated with the power of the stars within him and made his Origin Venerate Dharma Body somewhat more solid.
Having gathered all the ingredients, Xiao Yan returned to Pill City in the Southern Region without stopping.
Inside the Pill King Hall, Xuan Kongzi, Lin Qingxue, Mo Chen, and the other core members of the Great Thousand Alliance had already been waiting for a long time. Seeing Xiao Yan return safely with the Primordial Purple Qi and the Water of the Nine Heavens Star River, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Wonderful!" Xuan Kongzi said excitedly. "With these, we can refine the Primordial Purification Pills!"
Xiao Yan nodded, took out the Burning Heaven Cauldron, and brought out all the ingredients one by one. "I'll start refining them now."
He walked to the center of the hall and suspended the Burning Heaven Cauldron in midair. Pill Patterns lit up on its surface, and the Pill Realm's Origin Fire burned fiercely. The Water of the Nine Heavens Star River, Primordial Purple Qi, Spirit-Purifying Grass, Light Flower... The various rare ingredients were placed into the cauldron in sequence, according to the Primordial Pill Scripture.
Xiao Yan formed hand seals, pouring his Origin Venerate power and soul power into the cauldron without reservation, carefully controlling the heat and the fusion of the ingredients. Five-colored Heavenly Flames circulated inside the cauldron, removing every impurity from the ingredients and leaving behind the purest energy.
Everyone in the hall held their breath and watched the pill furnace intently. The survival of the Great Thousand World depended on this batch of Primordial Purification Pills; there could not be the slightest mistake.
Time passed little by little, and the medicinal fragrance emanating from the cauldron grew stronger and stronger. It even drew upon the power of Pill Essence above Pill City, forming an enormous Pill Cloud. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled within it, showing faint signs of a Pill Tribulation.
"They're almost ready!" A trace of anticipation flashed in Xuan Kongzi's eyes.
Cold sweat seeped from Xiao Yan's forehead. His soul power was focused to its limit as he guided the energy in the cauldron to condense into pills. He could feel that the power contained in this batch was far too vast, enough to trigger a Pill Tribulation.
"Condense!"
Xiao Yan roared and activated his Heavenly Flames and Origin Venerate power with all his strength. The Burning Heaven Cauldron shook violently, and a golden light thirty thousand feet high burst from its opening. Thirty-three purple-gold pills, Primordial Purple Qi flowing across their surfaces, slowly flew out and hung in the air.
Every pill gave off a presence that purified all things. Under their radiance, even the lightning in the Pill Tribulation clouds began to dissipate.
"Thirty-three Primordial Purification Pills! They drew down a Pill Tribulation, yet they can suppress it too!" Xuan Kongzi cried out in astonishment. "These are already within the realm of Divine Grade pills!"
Xiao Yan looked at the Primordial Purification Pills floating in the air and smiled, weary but gratified.
With these pills, their chances of victory against the Lord of Darkness had grown greater still.
He picked up a Primordial Purification Pill, feeling the immense power within it, and looked north.
Soul-Severing Cliff, where the Lord of Darkness's true body was located.
That was where the final battlefield lay.
"Make preparations. In three days, we march on Soul-Severing Cliff!" Xiao Yan's voice echoed through the hall, carrying an authority that brooked no doubt.
"Yes!"
Everyone in the hall answered in unison, flames of hope burning in their eyes.
The horn of war was about to sound.