The Eternal Saint of Alchemy

The chief referee gave him an "impeccable" rating.

Liu Ruyan's "Azure Nether Pill" was also successfully refined.

Granny Miao's Hundred Poisons Returning to Origin Pill, though successfully refined, only reached the sixth level of pill pattern, ranking third. When the elder of the North Sea Pill Palace announced the rankings, Granny Miao was not surprised, but smiled slightly, as if she had expected it.

Xiao Fan noticed that after the second round, Yin Tianyuan's gaze towards him had become noticeably more intense.

That look made her very uncomfortable.

That evening, Xiao Fan and Liu Ruyan met in the courtyard.

The two sat facing each other, a pot of tea that had gone cold on the table. A serious expression appeared on Liu Ruyan's face.

"Yin Tianyuan's move has eliminated at least half of the competitors of Beihai Dan Palace."

Xiao Fan said, "What he really wants is someone who can break the restrictions of the ancient ruins. He never intended to let these people in from the beginning."

Liu Ruyan nodded: "So, these ten people were all handpicked by him, and they are all valuable to us. I have a feeling that after these three rounds, he will definitely reveal his trump card."

"What are the plans of the East Sea Pill Pavilion?"

Liu Ruyan thought for a moment and said, "Let's do as my master says. If it's just a typical alchemy inheritance, then so be it. But if there's something else involved..."

She looked up at Xiao Fan, her eyes sharp: "If it contains the secret to breaking through to the Celestial Realm, then we can't let him get it."

Xiao Fan nodded: "That's what I think too."

Next, the two discussed the details and agreed to stay in touch after the third round.

Just as Liu Ruyan was about to leave, she suddenly turned around and looked at him.

"What merits or abilities does Young Master Xiao possess to earn such high regard from Yin Tianyuan? The way he looked at you today seemed somewhat different."

Xiao Fan smiled but remained silent.

Liu Ruyan didn't ask any more questions. With a flash, she disappeared into the darkness.

Xiao Fan sat alone in the courtyard, placing his hand on his dantian.

The place was empty; there was no trace of the Qiankun Creation Cauldron.

But he could sense that deep within his sea of ​​consciousness, the image of the cauldron was still there, slowly rotating and emitting a faint golden light.

Yin Tianyuan probably has his eye on more than just the Qiankun Creation Cauldron.

And himself.

The third competition was not held inside the main hall, unlike the first two.

The silver-robed disciple brought news that Yin Tianyuan had invited the top ten alchemists to Obsidian Peak to discuss important matters.

Xiao Fan led Yun Ruoxi, Han Fei, and the other two to the mountaintop. The mountaintop was a flat, open space covered with thick snow, and there was nothing around it.

Looking into the distance, there is an endless expanse of icy sea, with huge icebergs floating on the surface, reflecting colorful light under the polar sun.

Yin Tianyuan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.

A fierce wind howled in, but automatically avoided the hem of his clothes.

The ten alchemists arrived one after another. Xiao Fan glanced at the others. Although Liu Ruyan, Granny Miao, and Tie Yan were injured, they still made it into the top ten based on their performance in the previous round. The people from the other small forces also looked solemn.

Yin Tianyuan turned around and smiled slightly: "All of you who have made it this far are among the best of the alchemy masters. I have a favor to ask."

Finally, he spoke.

"In the far north, at the bottom of the icy sea, there is an ancient alchemy cave, left behind by the Taixu Alchemy Saint ten thousand years ago." Yin Tianyuan's voice, though piercing through the cold wind, was still clearly audible. "There is a layer of restrictions surrounding this relic, which requires five masters proficient in alchemy to work together to break."

I need everyone's help. After the mission is completed, we'll distribute the spoils according to our contributions.

Tie Yan was the first to speak, "The Grandmaster of the Void Pills you mentioned, could it be the one who refined the ninth-grade immortal pill?"

"Exactly." Yin Tianyuan nodded. "The Grandmaster of Pills is the ancestor of the Pill Dao lineage. His inheritance contains not only pill formulas, but also the opportunity to break through to the Celestial Realm."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.

Xiao Fan had heard of the title "Grand Sage of Pill Refining" in his previous life.

It is said that he has reached a state of unparalleled mastery in alchemy. If it truly is a relic from the depths of the icy sea in the Northern Region, then it is worth a try.

"I'll join," Granny Miao said first. "I've lived for so many years and have always wanted to see what the Grandmaster of Alchemy left behind."

Tie Yan gritted his teeth: "Me too. But Palace Master Yin, you'll have to pay for all these medicinal herbs yourself. Our Fire Refining Sect doesn't have that many resources to waste on this icy plain."

"Of course." Yin Tianyuan nodded with a smile.

"My Donghai Dan Pavilion is willing to participate," Liu Ruyan said slowly, looking at Xiao Fan.

Everyone nodded, except for Xiao Fan, who remained silent. All eyes turned to him, including Yin Tianyuan: "Young Master Xiao, what's your opinion?"

Xiao Fan clasped his hands in a fist and said, "How could I dare refuse the Palace Master's kindness? However, I have a request. I don't know how long this trip to the Ice Sea will take, so I would like to bring my wife with me."

Yin Tianyuan looked at her, smiled, and nodded.

"However, the icy sea is fraught with danger. I hope Young Master Xiao will take good care of Madam's safety."

After thanking him, Xiao Fan stepped aside.

After everyone finished their discussion, they dispersed. Xiao Fan returned to the VIP courtyard, closed the door, and looked grim.

Han Fei leaned forward: "Brother Xiao, are you sure?"

"I'll go," Xiao Fan replied. "However, I'm not going there for the ruins. I just want to see what Yin Tianyuan is up to."

Yun Ruoxi walked over with a cup of hot tea and asked, "Do you think there are any mechanisms or secrets hidden in these ruins?"

"Perhaps there are more traps." Xiao Fan held his teacup, his knuckles white. "Yin Tianyuan gathered so many top alchemists and went to such great lengths to select ten people. What about the other five? What is he planning to do with them?"

Han Fei suddenly realized: "Could it be... a sacrificial ceremony?"

Xiao Fan didn't speak, but his eyes said it all.

On the night before his departure, Xiao Fan sat alone, cross-legged, and began cultivating, circulating the Qiankun Refining God Technique.

Deep within his consciousness, the illusory image of the Creation Cauldron slowly rotated. He tried to inject a stream of true essence into the cauldron, and the cauldron trembled slightly as a message silently entered his mind.

This is a map.

Deep in the icy sea, an ancient symbol has been marked out.

Below the mark, there is a faint inscription: "If future generations see this mark, please retreat immediately. This is not a treasure, but a prison."

Xiao Fan's eyes widened, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

prison?

The ruins of the Great Void Pill Saint are actually a prison?