Chapter 424: Aftermath

Xiao Ming let out a slow breath, suppressing the pounding of his heart. The previous events had been too perilous. Even though his soul could contend with a low-star Dou Saint, it still seemed insufficient now. He knew he needed to find a way to further enhance his strength.

Should he head to the Fallen Spirit Ice Source to seek the heavenly treasure, the Endless Spirit Ice, or should he go to the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe and refine the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit together with Zi Yan?

Alternatively, he could visit the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe and seek the inheritance of Demon Saint Huang Quan.

Any of these options would significantly boost his strength.

'However, I still don't know if Zi Yan has unified the Ancient Void Dragon Tribe. Though they have a high-star Dou Saint guarding them, it's better not to disturb her rashly,' Xiao Ming weighed his options and excluded the one involving Zi Yan.

Before he could ponder further, a group of people suddenly surrounded him.

The newcomers were the Elders from the Pill Tower. As they gathered around, they were also filled with excitement and cheerfully exclaimed,

"Elder Xiao Ming, you truly hid your strength well! To think you could kill that Hall of Souls' First Tianzun, a two-star Dou Saint, you've truly elevated the prestige of our Pill Tower today! Hahaha!"

"Thanks to you, the outcome of this great battle became much less uncertain. Those dogs of the Hall of Souls could never have imagined that you possessed such strength! Hahaha!"

"After today, Elder Xiao Ming, your reputation in the Central Plains will soar. Even those hidden old antiques won't dare to overlook you. This is truly cause for celebration!"

"Among the Ancient Clans, there's probably no one of your age who could exchange blows with Hun Mie Sheng, let alone come out unscathed. I'm willing to call you the number one among the young generation on the continent!"

"..."

If one were to rank the prominent figures in Central Plains, the Hall of Souls' Chief, Hun Mie Sheng, would undoubtedly be among the top.

In that distant era, Hun Mie Sheng once single-handedly massacred dozens of sects in a single night. The rivers ran red with blood, and corpses were scattered everywhere. Even five peak two-star Dou Saints fell under his hands.

That fateful night cemented Hun Mie Sheng's legendary status, establishing the Hall of Souls as the undisputed ruler of the Central Plains. Even the Pill Tower dared not easily confront them.

The notoriety he once possessed reached a level that terrified the entire Central Plains. Although he later faded from the public eye due to his long seclusion, his infamous reputation still endured.

Now, Xiao Ming's ability to kill First Tianzun and exchange blows with Hun Mie Sheng indeed made him one of the most influential figures in Central Plains, if not the most influential.

It should not be forgotten that Xiao Ming was barely twenty-one years old.

Surrounded by numerous Elders showering him with praises, Xiao Ming decided to set aside thoughts of where to go next. He smiled at the Elders' attempts to elevate him and said nothing.

After all, in this situation, there was no need to be overly modest; otherwise, people might mistake him for arrogance. Acknowledging their compliments with a smile was sufficient.

"Alright, everyone quiet down..."

The crowd fell silent when the First Elder's voice echoed. They moved out of the way, and the First Elder and Xuan Kong Zi appeared in front of Xiao Ming.

"Xiao Ming, you did well this time," said the First Elder, his elderly face displaying a satisfied smile as he approached.

Though they hadn't met before, the First Elder had already heard of Xiao Ming's excellence. After all, Xiao Ming was one of the Eight Great Elders, and technically a member of the Small Pill Tower even if he hadn't entered.

Seeing him today, the First Elder found him even more remarkable than the rumors suggested.

Not even he himself could accomplish killing First Tianzun, yet Xiao Ming achieved it solely with his soul power, showcasing the terrifying strength of his soul.

Soul power was the core of an alchemist's abilities, and with Xiao Ming's talent in alchemy, he might not be inferior to Xuan Kong Zi and the others.

"First Elder, Old Xuan!" Xiao Ming greeted them with a bow.

In Small Pill Tower, the First Elder held a very high status. Besides the Pill Tower Ancestor, everyone had to show him respect.

'Calm and collected, not bad.' Seeing this, the First Elder became even more satisfied.

"You don't need to worry about Hun Mie Sheng. As long as you stay in Holy Pill City, he won't be able to do anything to you with the Ancestor present."

With these words, the surrounding Elders suddenly realized.

"The Ancestor? The one who made the move just now was the Ancestor?"

"No wonder his strength was so profound!"

"..."

The Pill Tower Ancestor was known for his penchant for disappearing, and even in the Small Pill Tower, there were only a few who had seen him. Xuan Kong Zi and the other two giants had only encountered him once. Only the First Elder had more frequent encounters with him. Hence, so many people didn't have a strong impression of the Pill Tower Ancestor.

Of course, some people had already guessed his identity, and Xiao Ming was one of them.

"I will be careful," Xiao Ming replied with a smile and a nod.

Hun Mie Sheng may be strong, but he couldn't possibly keep an eye on him all the time, could he? He just needed to act cautiously. It was impossible not to go out at all. If he remained in Holy Pill City forever, how would he continue to grow rapidly?

Seeing this, the First Elder chuckled and stroked his beard, suddenly suggesting, "Your potential is exceptionally high. It's better not to waste time in the position of one of the Eight Great Elders. Resign from the position and enter the Small Pill Tower to cultivate. Due to your tremendous contributions this time, I'm planning to have you join the Main Elder Council."

The Main Elder Council was the core institution of the Small Pill Tower, and entering it required assessment along with other Elders.

The First Elder's direct offer to Xiao Ming indicated that he had no intention of subjecting him to the assessment. However, the people around them were not opposed to the idea.

First, Xiao Ming's strength was formidable, and he contributed significantly this time. Second, they were all master alchemists who understood that Xiao Ming's soul power could represent his alchemy skills to some extent.

Xuan Kong Zi had been listening quietly, but when he heard the First Elder suddenly propose that Xiao Ming resign, his face darkened.

"First Elder, Xiao Ming still has a few years left in his term. The Eight Great Elders are not overly busy, and it will not hinder his cultivation."

"Should the time of a genius like Xiao Ming be measured in the same way as that of others? Even a day wasted is a huge loss! This matter is settled."

Xiao Ming blinked, not expecting the First Elder to say that, but he didn't refuse either. Staying in the position of the Eight Great Elders no longer served him any purpose.

"From now on, Xuan Kong Zi, I leave the matters of Holy Pill City to you. Bring back the bodies and soul bodies of the deceased Elders to the Small Pill Tower."

As he mentioned this, the joyous atmosphere from the victory in battle diminished.

Even though the Pill Tower had fought on its home turf, casualties were inevitable. The current state of Holy Pill City still showed signs of ruins, and it could be said that the number of people affected was not small, even though the Pill Tower's experts had tried to draw the battle into the sky as much as possible.

"I have cultivated a resurrection technique. If their souls remain, I can resurrect those Elders," Xiao Ming said regarding this matter.

-----------------

-----------------

// Hello everyone,

I just wanted to inform you that there will be some irregular updates for the BTTH story this week. I had an orthodontic treatment yesterday and need to rest for a couple of days.

But there is some good news! Remember that today is the official release of the fanfic "One Piece: The Pirate Princess Becomes King," and in honor of the series' live-action being released and turning out to be pretty good, I will be publishing 14 chapters this first week!

The first 5 chapters will be available today, one hour apart.

Look for the story in my profile and, if it piques your interest, add it to your library. I hope to see you there, and make sure to leave a comment!