Chapter 584: The Greatest Elixir in the World

After an absence of two and a half months, Zhong Shan returned to Blue Flame City with Zhao Suoxiang!

News of Zhong Shan's victory against the Taisui Heavenly Dynasty's army at Yan Hong City had also reached Blue Flame City.

When the Blue Flame Emperor heard that Zhong Shan had repelled the Taisui Heavenly Dynasty's army with only five thousand soldiers, he was stunned. After all, this was the invincible army led by the Crown Prince of the Sky, known for his undefeated record and unstoppable force.

Had Zhong Shan really forced them to retreat?

How was that possible? Zhong Shan had taken only five thousand disposable soldiers. How could he have won? It was unbelievable, absolutely impossible.

The Blue Flame Emperor and his prime minister were in disbelief. How could the Crown Prince of the Sky, a renowned military genius of the West, have retreated?

But when they saw the images in the memory crystal handed to them by the scouts, their jaws dropped. Who was this Zhong Shan? How could he be so formidable? Was that sword strike even humanly possible?

And what about the Iron Spear Camp? Was this truly the power of the Iron Spear Camp? They had always thought it was a mediocre force. How had these five thousand soldiers displayed such overwhelming strength?

Remembering Zhong Shan's words before he left, both men fell silent. Had they really given such a powerful army to Zhong Shan?

The Blue Flame Emperor's eyes turned cold.

"Your Majesty, what's lost is lost. Don't let it affect your relationship with Zhong Shan," the prime minister sighed.

Thinking about Zhong Shan, the man who had managed to repel the Crown Prince of the Sky, the Blue Flame Emperor took a deep breath and nodded reluctantly.

At that moment, Zhong Shan, led by a servant, returned to the site of the Ten Thousand Elixirs Conference.

The Blue Flame Emperor immediately approached him.

"Congratulations, Emperor Zhong, on your victory over the Crown Prince of the Sky. This will surely become a tale spread across the world!" the Blue Flame Emperor said with a smile.

"Oh? Is my reputation not greater than that of the Crown Prince of the Sky?" Zhong Shan asked with a smile.

"Uh?" The Blue Flame Emperor was momentarily taken aback.

Indeed, was Zhong Shan's reputation not greater? The Crown Prince of the Sky's influence was limited to the Western Shenzhou, whereas Zhong Shan's numerous achievements had impacted the entire world.

Zhong Shan's Heavenly Collapse Plan, a business war that toppled two dynasties, had caused every dynasty to change their strategies. His quest for the immortal elixir had caused a sensation with the Phoenixes, and his triumphant return had been witnessed by billions. He had played a crucial role in the downfall of the Elysium and the establishment of his own dynasty within a few short decades.

Could all these grand achievements be compared to those of the Crown Prince of the Sky?

It was clear that the Blue Flame Emperor's perception was overly influenced by the Western Shenzhou.

"Emperor Zhong is right. I was being presumptuous," the Blue Flame Emperor said with an awkward smile.

"Now that the siege of Yan Hong has been lifted, I will no longer interfere in your Western affairs," Zhong Shan said, nodding.

"Thank you for your efforts," the Blue Flame Emperor replied.

With nothing more to say, they parted ways. The Blue Flame Emperor returned to his throne, and Zhong Shan rejoined Qian You and the others.

Seeing Zhong Shan's return, everyone was overjoyed.

"Are you alright?" Qian You asked anxiously, though she could see he was fine.

"I'm fine. We had quite a harvest this time," Zhong Shan said with a smile, handing over a memory crystal that recorded the events of that day.

Qian You immediately began to watch the memory crystal, while Zhong Shan simply smiled.

The harvest had indeed been plentiful. While gaining Zhao Suoxiang's allegiance was significant, the greatest gain was within Zhong Shan himself. He had healed the psychological flaw that had previously plagued him. Now, even thoughts of the Crown Prince of the Sky would not cause him to lose control. This breakthrough in self-mastery marked a step towards a more perfect and balanced Zhong Shan.

Around them, countless alchemists continued to watch the Eternal Alchemy Platform with tireless concentration, growing more intense and excited with each passing moment.

Atop the Eternal Alchemy Platform, only three alchemy furnaces remained, as all other alchemists had already stepped down.

"Your Majesty, in the two and a half months you were away, twelve alchemists have successfully refined ninth-grade divine pills, including an alchemist from the Dali Heavenly Dynasty!" Ah Da explained.

"Hmm," Zhong Shan nodded, continuing to observe the platform above.

Three groups remained: the outermost group led by the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint, the second group with the Great Qin's Xu Fu, and the central group featuring Bao'er.

All three were working on refining supreme divine pills.

No one dared to underestimate Bao'er and Xu Fu anymore. While many had initially focused on the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint's techniques, attention had gradually shifted to the other two.

All three had achieved the pinnacle of alchemy, their pill breath manifesting vividly.

The Tiger Dragon Pill Saint's round furnace was enveloped by a constant stream of auspicious energy and merit, channeling into the furnace. A dense purple mist surrounded the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint, forming a vivid scene above the furnace.

A purple dragon and a purple tiger circled the furnace, heralding the imminent birth of a supreme divine pill.

This was the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint's technique, the Tiger Dragon Fetus Breath Technique.

Countless onlookers learned much from observing the Pill Saint, who generously displayed every technique without reservation, embodying the demeanor of a grandmaster.

In the second circle, Xu Fu.

People considered him on par with the Pill Saint for good reason. Above Xu Fu's massive black furnace, a remarkable scene also unfolded.

A massive black dragon, formed from the furnace's pill breath, slowly rotated around the furnace, exuding a powerful, explosive energy.

The black dragon created by Xu Fu's pill breath was even clearer than the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint's manifestations, appearing almost tangible and significantly larger.

In the center was Bao'er.

Bao'er used the massive Heaven and Earth Mysterious Yellow Cauldron, fueled by the pitiful Suzaku, forced to continuously release its Nanming Lihuo. Thanks to Ling'er's constant comfort and provision of food, Suzaku hadn't fled.

Above Bao'er's cauldron, the pill breath formed a beautiful scene: a hundred celestial cranes gently flying around the cauldron, their melodious calls creating an idyllic, picturesque environment. Despite their small size, the sheer number of cranes and their harmonious cries drew most of the audience's attention.

Pill breath manifestation!

This was a legendary occurrence in Shenzhou's history, where only peerless alchemists, when refining supreme divine pills, could manifest such phenomena. It had been nearly twenty thousand years since such a sight had been witnessed. Even the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint had never achieved this before.

It was evident that the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint had made significant breakthroughs in his alchemical arts. Without the presence of Bao'er and Xu Fu, he would undoubtedly have reclaimed the title of the greatest alchemist in Shenzhou. However, the presence of these two equally formidable figures made the situation quite intriguing.

Everyone watched in anticipation.

Zhong Shan waited patiently as well. After watching the memory crystal, Gu Qianyou's heart was at ease, knowing Zhong Shan had overcome his psychological flaw. Her face beamed with joy.

The two resumed their wait quietly, once again taking out a Go board to play while waiting.

Suddenly, two earth-shaking roars emanated from the Eternal Alchemy Platform.

One was the roar of a dragon, the other the roar of a tiger.

It was the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint. Above his alchemy furnace, the dragon and tiger each let out a long roar before descending rapidly, plunging into the furnace.

Without any obstruction, they shrank and disappeared into the furnace along the mouth from which the pill breath was emitted.

The roars echoed from within the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint's furnace. Despite his pale face, he couldn't hide his excitement and joy.

"The pill is complete!" one of the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint's disciples shouted excitedly.

The pill was finally complete. As countless expectant eyes watched, the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint performed a hand gesture, and the lid of the furnace slowly lifted. Instantly, a large amount of red light shot into the sky, the scent of the pill filling the air.

Almost every alchemist craned their necks to see.

With a wave of his hand, a golden-red pill the size of a dragon's eye flew out of the furnace. The red light that had been emanating from the furnace seemed to find its home in the pill, retreating into it. The pill bore the faint, totem-like images of a dragon and a tiger, appearing both illusory and magnificent.

"Li Yun Pill? The greatest divine pill, Li Yun Pill?" a surprised alchemist exclaimed.

"Li Yun Pill? Is it true? That is the highest-grade pill in Shenzhou legend, the top of the ninth grade, no, the pinnacle of ninth-grade pills. The Li Yun Pill!"

"Master, what is a Li Yun Pill?" a young alchemist asked.

His question drew looks of disdain from everyone around. How could he not know what a Li Yun Pill was? How did he even qualify to attend the Ten Thousand Elixirs Conference?

"The Li Yun Pill is the holy medicine for healing. Whether the primordial spirit is damaged, the soul shattered, or the body crippled, no matter how severe the injury, as long as there is a breath left, one Li Yun Pill is enough for a complete recovery. A full, thorough recovery!" someone explained.

The young alchemist gasped upon hearing his master's explanation.

No wonder it was hailed as the greatest divine pill; its capabilities were astonishing.

"Congratulations, Tiger Dragon Pill Saint, for refining the Li Yun Divine Pill," many alchemists said with admiration.

"You flatter me!" the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint smiled, placing the Li Yun Pill on a jade plate.

"We speak the truth. It has been nearly twenty thousand years since anyone has refined this pill. Being able to witness its creation is a blessing for us," an alchemist said with deep emotion.

As the alchemists continued to marvel at the Tiger Dragon Pill Saint's achievement, the competition among the remaining contestants grew even fiercer. Bao'er and Xu Fu's efforts had everyone on edge, knowing that the outcome could still change dramatically.