The Eternal Saint of Alchemy

Xiao Fan pointed to the crack running from top to bottom on the west side of the tower. At its widest point, it was about half a foot wide, enough for a person to squeeze in.

Master Gu Yuan stamped his foot impatiently and said, "Why do you want to go in? We have no idea what's inside!"

Xiao Fan briefly explained the matter of the Soul-Suppressing Lamp.

If the wisp of divine soul power left by Taixu in the lamp were injected into it, the seal could be stabilized again. This would be far more thorough than simple repairs.

Yun Ruoxi walked over calmly and said, "I'll go in with you."

Xiao Fan glanced at her, then nodded and said, "Okay."

He left Master Guyuan and Han Fei on the north side of the valley, Granny Miao stayed on the west side with Aduo and Acai, while he and Yun Ruoxi went to the western crevice.

Xiao Fan dodged to the side, and Yun Ruoxi followed him inside.

The light inside the tower was much dimmer than outside.

The dome hangs high in the air, the surrounding walls are gray and dusty, and fine dust floats in the air. With each step, fine sand and gravel fall from above.

The ground inside the tower was covered with a thick layer of grayish-black powder, which felt soft and spongy underfoot, like burnt ashes.

Xiao Fan looked up and saw the Soul-Suppressing Lamp floating in mid-air, only about two meters above the ground.

The bronze lamp body was covered in rust, the lamp was empty, and the runes on the lamp base had faded and lost their luster.

He walked around the tower and found that a floor tile in the north corner had loosened, revealing a small hidden compartment.

He bent down, lifted the floor tile, and revealed a jade box the size of a palm.

The jade box was as white as jade, without any sealing wax or lock. Xiao Fan opened it and found a thin piece of silk cloth inside, on which were written a few words: "Tai Xu Dan Sheng".

"This tower is the core of the nine great formations. If the lamp oil has run out and there is someone with the jade slip here, they can inject my soul power into the lamp, and the lamp will light up, and the entire great formation will return to normal."

But remember, once this lamp is lit, my soul power will be exhausted. If anything happens to the nine towers, you'll be gone forever. Use it with care.

Xiao Fan put away the silk, pondering in his heart. The meaning of the Grandmaster of the Void was very clear: this wisp of soul power was a one-time use; it would be gone once it reached the Southern Frontier. If the other eight towers also encountered problems, then he would have to rely on his own abilities.

However, the Tower of Southern Frontier is the core of the nine great formations. Once the core of the formation is destroyed, no matter how strong the other formations are, they will not be able to hold it.

Without hesitation, he walked directly to the Soul-Suppressing Lamp, activated the Qiankun Refining God Technique, and slowly extracted that wisp of golden divine soul from his sea of ​​consciousness.

Golden light rose from his palm, flowing like a gentle stream and slowly disappearing into the lamp.

Originally, the lamp was empty, but as golden soul power was injected, a pool of golden liquid gradually condensed inside, crystal clear, like melted amber. The dim runes on the lamp base lit up, emitting a soft golden light.

The tower trembled, and the broken runes on the walls began to repair themselves automatically. The rocks at the edges of the cracks also slowly grew and healed, like a dried-up river being filled with water.

Just when Xiao Fan thought everything was going smoothly, a muffled loud noise came from outside the tower.

"Bang!"

The sound was like a heavy hammer striking a stone door, shaking the dust off the roof of the palace.

Just then, a piercing shriek came from the tower gate, accompanied by a scorching heat.

Grandma Miao's angry shouts came from outside: "Stop her! This little brat has black flames!"

Xiao Fan's expression instantly turned ugly.

The girl who had been digging tiles in the woods last night had actually arrived at this moment, holding a ball of black fire in her hand. He quickly poured the last bit of golden soul power into the lantern and turned to stand in front of Yun Ruoxi.

"Bang!" The crack on the tower door split open by half an inch, and a dark red flame, mixed with a burnt smell, spurted in through the crack.

Xiao Fan shouted, "Ruoxi, step back behind me!"

He formed hand seals, pushing the Qiankun Refining God Technique to its limit. His powerful true essence condensed into a pale golden shield, blocking his way.

The black flames struck the barrier, hissing like hot oil being poured onto ice, producing large amounts of white smoke.

Just then, the Soul-Suppressing Lamp at the top of the tower suddenly lit up, its golden light pouring down like mercury, illuminating the entire tower. The golden light surged towards the tower door, as if an invisible hand was forcing the black flames out from the cracks in the door.

The woman outside the door cried out in surprise and anger, and then the black flames went out.

Xiao Fan dared not relax for a moment, continuing to maintain the barrier. Ten breaths later, there was no further movement outside. Then, Granny Miao's voice came from outside: "They escaped! They escaped to the northeast!"

Xiao Fan slowly lowered his hand, his back covered in cold sweat. He turned his head and looked up—the Soul-Suppressing Lamp was burning slowly, its golden flames quiet and gentle, illuminating the entire tower.

The cracks on the tower are healing rapidly, the runes are lighting up, and the cracks on the tower door are slowly closing.

"The light is on." His voice was low and somewhat hoarse.

Yun Ruoxi stepped forward, took his hand, and remained silent.

Xiao Fan and Yun Ruoxi emerged from the crack in the west, bathed in bright sunlight.

The cracks on the tower have almost healed, with only a few shallow scratches still visible.

The cracks in the tower gate had shrunk to the thickness of a finger and were slowly closing. The chilling aura that had enveloped the valley for many days had dissipated by more than half.

Granny Miao approached, leaning on a black wooden cane, her face somewhat grim. "That girl ran really fast. I only chased her for half a mile before losing track of her. However, I planted a kind of Gu needle in her body, so she can't use her spiritual power for at least ten days to half a month."

Xiao Fan cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Grandma."

Grandma Miao said irritably, "Did you light it?"

"It's lit." Xiao Fan pointed to the interior of the tower. Through the tower's doors, a warm golden light could be faintly seen emanating from within. The Grandmaster of the Void had said that this lamp could stabilize the seal for a hundred miles; as long as this lamp didn't go out, the tower wouldn't face any more major trouble.

Granny Miao nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "That little girl's cultivation technique is somewhat mixed, containing yin fire, which seems to have been stolen from someone else. I suspect that someone is guiding her behind the scenes."

Xiao Fan thought so too. That girl only had the cultivation of the eighth rank of the Profound Realm; it was impossible for her to find all nine pagodas alone, nor could she have inscribed runes on them, let alone broken the seals. There must be a much more powerful being behind her.