Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, who was kidnapped to another world

"No, it shouldn't be that. It's probably just that the most people are requesting this kind of pill," Han Zhi muttered as they walked with Ye Zhong towards the most suitable location for alchemy in Ye City. "No matter what, that old man Ye Zhong wouldn't let his granddaughter marry someone with so many children."

Back when Ye Zhong invited him to Ye City to preside over this ranking assessment, Ye Zhong said that in order to solve the Ye family's difficulties, he had specially invited his prospective son-in-law. Although Ye Zhong put it very tactfully, Han Zhi, who knew that the only unmarried person in the Ye family was Ye Zhong's granddaughter, naturally understood what Ye Zhong meant.

"I remember... you said before that Xiao Yan is your Ye family's... prospective son-in-law?" A few minutes later, looking at Xiao Yan, who suddenly had two girls beside him, Han Zhi's lips twitched slightly as he looked at Ye Zhong and asked.

“Uh…actually, it’s just a title,” Ye Zhong hesitated for a moment before choosing to tell the truth. “As you know, the only way to get Xiao Yan to participate in the assessment of the five major families on behalf of our Ye family is to make him a member of the Ye family.”

"So, you'd rather sacrifice your granddaughter's reputation?" Han Zhi sighed and asked.

"The only thing we're sacrificing is our reputation," Ye Zhong said with a wry smile. "It's better than agreeing to the Cao family's demands and ending up making the Ye family a complete appendage of the Cao family, isn't it?"

"...You've changed a lot for the sake of the Ye family." Looking at the bitter smile on Ye Zhong's face, Han Zhi remained silent for a while before speaking.

"Perhaps," Ye Zhong said calmly, closing his eyes.

*

About three hours later, when the dark clouds in the sky dispersed, Xiao Yan presented Han Zhi with a jade bottle containing a sapphire blue pill.

"Quality...perfect."

After various observations and investigations, Han Zhi, in a short, deep breath, reported the quality of the Xuanpu Foundation Building Pill that Xiao Yan had refined in those three hours.

With a somewhat stiff expression, Han Zhi handed the jade bottle back to Xiao Yan, but he finally couldn't help but ask, "How did you do that? Refining a peak seventh-grade pill within three hours?"

As an eighth-grade alchemy master, Han Zhi naturally wouldn't spend ten or even twenty days refining seventh-grade pills like he did when he first started. However, he would still need one or two days, not to mention that the Xuanpu Foundation Building Pill is a peak seventh-grade pill, and even the most difficult one among peak seventh-grade pills.

However, right under Han Zhi's nose, Xiao Yan, the disciple of Medicine Venerable, a six-star Dou Zong... a young man who was inferior to him in every way except for soul power, refined a Xuanpu Foundation Establishment Pill in just three hours, and it was a Xuanpu Foundation Establishment Pill of perfect quality!

"How did you do that?" Even though he knew that his question was extremely impolite, and that it would most likely... or even 100% touch on Xiao Yan's alchemy techniques, Han Zhi still couldn't help but ask it.

You should know that even if he were to refine this Profound Bodhi Foundation Establishment Pill and ensure its perfect quality, it would take him at least a week!

"...It's not exactly a secret," Xiao Yan said after thinking for a moment, looking at Han Zhi's somewhat dazed expression. "I possess a different kind of fire, and my soul power far surpasses yours."

Upon hearing the words "different fire," Han Zhi's expression stiffened slightly for a moment. Given his status, he naturally knew the details of the Different Fire Ranking, and even that a Three Thousand Burning Flame was sealed within the Pill Tower. Therefore, he accepted the answer, and after a brief moment of stiffness, his expression returned to normal.

However, after hearing the second half of Xiao Yan's sentence, Han Zhi finally broke down a bit—

"I am at least an eighth-grade alchemist!" Han Zhi emphasized his status as an eighth-grade alchemist and the fact that his soul power was also at the Spirit Realm.

“But your soul power hasn’t moved since you entered the Spirit Realm,” Xiao Yan said bluntly. “Moreover, it’s only at the level of someone who has just crossed the Spirit Realm… and it’s only slightly stronger than Ye Zhong.”

"...That's also the Spirit Realm!" Han Zhi's face twitched as he emphasized again.

“When I was fifteen, my soul power had already broken through to the Spirit Realm,” Xiao Yan looked at Han Zhi with a bit of a speechlessness. “Five years have passed, and my soul power is at least at the mid-stage of the Spirit Realm… Mid-stage Spirit Realm soul power is far stronger than yours, is there a problem?”

Upon hearing the words, "At the age of fifteen, his soul power had already broken through to the Spirit Realm," Han Zhi's expression froze completely. He had previously thought that Xiao Yan had only recently broken through to the Spirit Realm, but it turned out that he had already broken through to the Spirit Realm several years ago.

However, Han Zhi's reaction stopped there. After all, talent is such an unreasonable thing. Even though his soul power has not changed for decades, his talent has actually surpassed that of most alchemists on the Dou Qi Continent.

"Then take a break for a while, and then you can start refining your best eighth-grade pills." Han Zhi said after putting away his expression.

"Wait, don't you suspect I'm lying?" Xiao Yan, who was preparing to answer Han Zhi's question, was completely bewildered when he suddenly heard this.

"What's the point of asking about talent?" Han Zhi scoffed.

"Oh, you mean why I don't question why your soul power broke through to the Spirit Realm when you were fifteen, and that you've already reached the mid-stage of the Spirit Realm, right?" After making a sarcastic remark, Han Zhi suddenly realized what Xiao Yan meant.

"More or less...?" After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Yan nodded. He was indeed curious as to why Han Zhi's reaction was so calm. After all, according to Yao Lao, a fifteen-year-old Spirit Realm cultivator's soul power should have broken through the previous record of the Pill Tower.

"You know the five major families of the Pill Tower, right?" After receiving Xiao Yan's answer, Han Zhi said straightforwardly, "Dan, Cao, Bai, Qiu, and Ye. You should know these, right?"

"Mm." Xiao Yan nodded.

"The two most talented people from the Dan and Cao families are at least on par with you in terms of soul power," Han Zhi said casually. "At least, you've never had a situation where your body couldn't handle your soul power, right?"

"Uh... no, really." Xiao Yan answered honestly. His soul power was indeed very strong, and he was even at the level where he could break through to the Heavenly Realm at any time. However, his physical strength was also ridiculously exaggerated. Back in the Tianxuan Continent, his physical qualities were comparable to those of a Reincarnation Realm... or Dou Zun level magical beast. After returning to the Dou Qi Continent, his physical strength improved again...

Unless his soul power breaks through to the Emperor Realm now, there will be no situation where his body cannot withstand the powerful soul power.

Chapter 376 The Three Giants

"The Dan family's little girl is physically weak because her soul power is too strong. Although she is now a Dou Huang, her physical fitness is probably only equivalent to that of a Dou Ling level person."

Although he didn't know Xiao Yan's situation, Han Zhi had already anticipated Xiao Yan's answer. So after Xiao Yan finished answering, he directly said, "Although I haven't inquired with the Dan family, that little girl should have broken through to the Spirit Realm in her soul power when she was a teenager."

"I see... Ah." Xiao Yan nodded. Indeed, if one's innate soul power is too strong, preventing the improvement of physical strength, then one's soul power would most likely be able to break through to the Spirit Realm in their teens.

"Then there's that little girl from the Cao family..." Han Zhi nodded, very satisfied with Xiao Yan's expression. "When she was born, she displayed a shocking soul power, and even her mother was almost killed on the spot by that soul power."

"Huh???" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan instantly straightened up. "Her soul power had already reached the Spirit Realm right after she was born?"

Given the status of the Cao family as one of the five great families of the Pill Tower, the mother of this genius from the Cao family must at least have the strength of a Dou Zong, and the soul power that is almost enough to kill a Dou Zong... she must be at the level of the Spirit Realm, right?

“Oh, no,” Han Zhi waved his hand. “Her mother was only a Great Dou Master when she was born, and her soul power was at most at the early stage of the Mortal Realm when she was born.”

Then, Han Zhi casually revealed some dirty secrets about the Cao family.

"Uh..." Upon hearing Han Zhi's words, Xiao Yan was speechless for a moment.

"She was born with the soul power of the early mortal realm, and with the great nurturing of the Cao family, more than ten years should have been enough for her to break through to the spirit realm, right?" Han Zhi, in a completely unethical manner, took Xiao Yan's silence as an expression of admiration for the monstrous talent of the Cao family.

"Probably..." Xiao Yan's lips twitched slightly as he spoke.

"So, now you know why I had no doubts when I learned that your soul power had broken through to the Spirit Realm at the age of fifteen, right?" Han Zhi said with a smile.

"Haha..." Xiao Yan chuckled dryly.

"I never imagined that in just a few decades, the Pill Tower would have two more individuals with such high soul power talent?" Yao Lao's voice rang in Xiao Yan's ears. "Although it's quite normal..."

Although the Pill Tower has not been around for tens of millions of years like the Medicine Clan, a thousand years is enough time for the talents of the various families in the Pill Tower to flourish. To be honest, it is strange that only two people with naturally strong soul power have appeared in recent years.

"Have you decided which grade eight pill to refine?" Han Zhi asked again during Xiao Yan's silence.

"Hmm... the One Beginning Pill, perhaps." After a brief hesitation, Xiao Yan spoke.

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Upon hearing the words "First Beginning Pill," Han Zhi coughed violently: "The First Beginning Pill, like the Profound Foundation Building Pill, is a pill for laying the foundation for newborns. However, the First Beginning Pill is of a slightly higher grade..."

"A grade eight five-colored pill, are you sure you can refine it?" After the coughing stopped, Han Zhi looked at Xiao Yan with some doubt and asked.

"There shouldn't be any major problems," Xiao Yan said. He hadn't refined the One Beginning Pill before, but he had already refined more difficult pills. This time, he wanted to refine the One Beginning Pill to actually confirm the difference between it and the Profound Bodhi Foundation Establishment Pill, in order to prepare for his future research into the fourth-grade secret techniques of the Snake-People race. "May I begin?"

"No, wait a minute..." Han Zhi rubbed his temples in annoyance. "You should know that I am only an eighth-grade, second-level alchemist... Do you have any medicinal materials to refine the Poria Cocos Elixir? Let's start with the Poria Cocos Elixir."

"Uh... okay then." Xiao Yan, who finally remembered Han Zhi's alchemist level, reluctantly accepted Han Zhi's suggestion.

"...Did you deliberately say the name Yi Shi Dan?" It was that reluctant look that made Han Zhi realize something was wrong. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Xiao Yan.

"How could that be?" Xiao Yan laughed heartily. "I just thought your pill rating level exceeded your alchemist level!"

Alright, just hearing Xiao Yan's words, Han Zhi was 100% certain that Xiao Yan had deliberately mentioned the "One Beginning Pill" earlier. After all, he was the one who had just said that Xiao Yan's soul power talent was not particularly exaggerated, and was even somewhat "common".

'Tsk, what a petty fellow,' Han Zhi couldn't help but click his tongue slightly at the thought. 'There are only two people in the entire Pill Domain with soul power talent similar to yours. Is it really necessary for you to retaliate against an old man like me who's just trying to comfort himself?'

'Fuling Qingdan…Speaking of which, what star Dou Zun was Heavenly Flame Venerable in his lifetime?' While recalling the medicinal herbs needed for Fuling Qingdan, Xiao Yan suddenly remembered this. 'Hmm…he probably hasn't recovered to his best condition yet, has he?'

When he was first resurrected, Venerable Tianhuo only showed the strength of a two-star Dou Zun. But a Dou Zun who could infiltrate a place where fire lizardmen lived should not only have that much strength.

'Perfect, I'll give this Poria Cocos Elixir to him later,' Xiao Yan thought, recalling the spatial wormhole leading to the Northwest Continent that was already under construction not long ago. He immediately decided on the elixir's future ownership. 'I suppose, in order to recover to his former level, Elder Yao wouldn't mind serving as my bodyguard for a few more years.'

Having decided on the ownership of the pills and the future reward, Xiao Yan's subordinates became increasingly skilled and swift in their actions.

'Wait a minute…' Looking at the flames already rising in the medicine cauldron in front of Xiao Yan on the stage, Han Zhi suddenly had a bad feeling. 'An eighth-grade, second-color pill… he wouldn't even need a day, would he?'

Han Zhi, who had planned to contact the Pill Tower headquarters during the ten days to half a month that Xiao Yan was refining pills, and invite a higher-level alchemist appraiser, suddenly felt a pang of anxiety when he saw Xiao Yan's skillful movements. If it still took less than a day to refine the Poria Green Pill, it seemed that he really had no way to directly contact the Pill Tower headquarters!

Han Zhi's worst fears ultimately did not materialize. After all, Xiao Yan's soul power had not yet broken through to the Heavenly Realm, making it somewhat difficult to refine an eighth-grade, two-colored pill within a single day, even if it was just the simplest Poria Green Pill...

A day later, Han Zhi heard a low rumble of thunder suddenly come from the previously cloudless sky. Then, without warning, thick dark clouds appeared, and streaks of silver lightning could be seen flying and dancing within them.

"..." Looking at the piled-up cloud of pills, Han Zhi's expression froze. After a long while, just before the pill lightning struck, he let out a long breath and chuckled dryly, "Truly... heroes emerge from among the young, hahaha..."

Eighth-grade, second-color pills only require one day to make. If Han Zhi had known from the beginning that Xiao Yan had such a level of alchemy skills, even his own father would never have called him from the Pill Tower to Ye City to help Xiao Yan assess his alchemist level!

"Did you know from the beginning?" Thinking of this, Han Zhi suddenly turned his head and looked at Ye Zhong beside him.

“Even if I had said it from the beginning,” Ye Zhong glanced calmly at Han Zhi, “would you have believed me? A rank eight alchemist who has just turned twenty can refine a rank eight two-color pill in just one day. Even if I had said it, would you have believed me?”

Upon hearing this, Han Zhi's lips twitched. Let alone whether he believed it or not, if Ye Zhong had said these words to him from the beginning, he might have thought that Ye Zhong had been driven crazy by the pressure of the assessment of the five major families.

Then, today, after seeing that Xiao Yan spent only one day refining the medicinal herbs, melting the demon core, and finally fusing the pill, Han Zhi truly believed that there really were young people who could refine an eighth-grade, two-color pill in a single day.

"Old Ye, tell me honestly," Han Zhi licked his dry lips and asked, "what level of pills can he refine at most right now? Four-color? Or five-color?"

Having witnessed firsthand the speed at which Xiao Yan refined the Fuling Green Pill, Han Zhi had begun to speculate about the highest-grade pill Xiao Yan could currently refine, but—

"Before coming to Ye City, Xiao Yan had just completed the refining of a pill," Little Fairy Doctor said calmly, "the Shiva Wheel Karma Pill. When the pill was completed, the clouds in the sky displayed eight colors."

"Shiva Wheel of Karma..."

Han Zhi and Ye Zhong both froze. Even though Little Fairy Doctor didn't say the second half of her sentence, their status alone was enough for them to know the grade of this pill: Grade 8, eight colors. In terms of difficulty, it was no less than most Grade 8, nine-color pills. Most alchemists would try to refine this pill before they felt they could refine a Grade 8, nine-color pill.

"Ahem, it seems we'll have to contact those three this time..." After a long while, looking at the gradually thinning Dan Lei, Han Zhi chuckled and said this.

*

The Pill Tower, a sacred place in the hearts of all alchemists on the Dou Qi Continent, boasts three legendary powerhouses who would rank among the top ten even in the entire Central Continent. Today, however, the atmosphere among these three is exceptionally tense—

"Are you sure you want to stop me, Xuan Kongzi?" The beautiful woman in the cheongsam looked coldly at the old man in white in front of her and said.

"Stop fooling around," the white-robed elder, Xuan Kongzi, one of the three giants of the Pill Tower, looked at the cheongsam-clad beauty with a great headache. "Since Yao Chen has returned to the Starfall Pavilion and has even started refining pills for others again, it means he is doing well!"

"But he's been missing for decades!" Xuan Yi, one of the three giants of the Pill Tower, and the beautiful woman in a cheongsam who had a close relationship with Yao Chen, said angrily. "In these decades, not only us, but even Venerable Feng didn't know where he was! Moreover, not long after Yao Chen disappeared, even that bastard Han Feng disappeared!"

"Perhaps something came up at the last minute, which is why he didn't even inform Venerable Feng?" An elderly man with piercing eyes and dark skin beside the two advised, "Now that you're back, don't worry, maybe he'll come to the Pill Tower on his own in a while..."

"Tian Lei Zi, do you even believe that yourself?" The dark-skinned old man's words immediately drew the attention of the man in black. "After he won the Pill Gathering, how many times did he come to the Pill Tower? Wasn't it always me who went to find him?"

“No…” The dark-skinned old man, Tian Lei Zi, the last of the three giants, realized that he had said the wrong thing.

However, Xuan Yi didn't care whether Tian Lei Zi had said something wrong or not, and just continued to output power, showing no trace of the demeanor of the three giants of the Pill Tower.

Beside the three giants, the two girls huddled like quails, not daring to let them know of their presence. However, their eyes gleamed with excitement. They knew that Xuan Yi had a story with the Medicine Venerable who was known throughout the continent, but now it seemed that it wasn't so simple!

"Cough cough hmm."

The debate among the three leaders continued, but it was soon interrupted by a cough. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw a sprightly old man with white hair standing outside the door, watching the three of them.

"What's wrong, Sheng Yao? What happened?" Upon noticing the newcomer, Xuan Kongzi breathed a sigh of relief and asked as if he had been saved.

"Han Zhi sent back a message," Sheng Yao, one of the elders of the Pill Tower, said calmly, ignoring Xuan Yi's displeased expression. "The Ye family has invited back an alchemist, but he is unable to determine the alchemist's level. The three of you need to arrange for one of you to go."

"Why don't you go?" Xuan Yi frowned and said.