Huo Yan set down his wine cup, his expression filled with admiration as he praised sincerely, "Master Qing Lian's flame-controlling ability is truly exceptional. On Skylaw Continent, rumors say that you refined a spiritual pill capable of helping a Peak Earth Sovereign break through to the Heavenly Sovereign Realm!"
The moment those words fell, the entire hall was shaken. Dozens of gazes turned toward Liu Xi, filled with blazing curiosity and awe.
Under that sea of heated eyes, Liu Xi seemed slightly dazed, his body and soul both touched by an indescribable sensation.
"Yes," he said lightly, "I refined it myself. That very pill was what allowed me to ascend to the Heavenly Sovereign Realm."
The hall erupted into commotion. The surrounding experts could barely contain their astonishment. The rumors they had once doubted were now confirmed by the man himself—accompanied by the unmistakable pressure of a true Heavenly Sovereign.
Even Huo Yan's breathing grew rapid, his eyes burning as he asked with a trembling voice, "Would Master Qing Lian be willing… to refine such a pill for me?"
"I can," Liu Xi replied calmly.
Before Huo Yan could even celebrate, Liu Xi continued leisurely, "However, to refine that pill, a single set of medicinal ingredients costs no less than one hundred billion Sovereign Spirit Liquids. To ensure success, you'd best prepare three sets—and I'll require three Divine Flames."
The entire hall froze.
Huo Yan's expression stiffened. A hundred billion? Even if the entire Fire Spirit Clan were drained dry, they could barely produce that amount—let alone three times over!
And to offer up three Divine Flames? Liu Xi was practically digging at the clan's ancestral roots.
"Haha… Master Qing Lian must be jesting… surely jesting…" Huo Yan forced out a laugh, though his heart had already turned to ice.
But with that coldness came fury. His eyes darkened, resentment beginning to stir.
'So he's that kind of man…' Huo Yan thought bitterly. 'Better to sell him out. Deliver him to the Ancient Maha Clan, and I might just obtain my chance to become a Heavenly Sovereign!'
Meanwhile, Liu Xi ignored the subtle change in expression around the hall—or rather, he didn't care. He was too busy savoring the wine in his hand.
A mere Fire Spirit Clan… if not for the allure of their Divine Flames, he would never have bothered coming here in the first place.
He had given them a chance. If they didn't take it, that was their own misfortune.
The wine, however, was exquisite—warm and fiery, like liquid flame coursing through his body, melting away tension from within. For a fleeting moment, he felt his entire being loosen, even his Spiritual Energy flow slowing pleasantly.
Cultivation was a balance between tension and rest. Sometimes, a single drunken moment could spark unforeseen enlightenment.
'Still,' he mused, 'this isn't the time to get drunk.'
Threads of azure fire began to ripple through his body, quietly burning away the faint intoxicating haze.
Setting down his cup, he smiled faintly. "Let's return to business, Clan Leader Huo Yan. How does your clan intend to 'unite through flame' and repel the demonic calamity?"
At that, Huo Yan waved his hand dismissively, his tone casual and dismissive. "Bah, the demonic calamity is nothing. The Extraterritorial Evil Race has stirred up countless invasions before, yet each time, the Five Ancient Clans drove them back."
Such indifference reflected not only his arrogance but that of much of the Great Thousand World. After all, countless years had passed, and never once had the demons truly succeeded.
Then, smoothly changing the subject, Huo Yan said, "With the Five Ancient Clans safeguarding the world, there's little to fear. Among them, the Ancient Maha Clan stands foremost. Their Clan Leader, Maha Tian, is a man of unmatched genius—destined to reach the Peak one day…"
"The Ancient Maha Clan?" Liu Xi raised a brow. He could already tell where this was headed.
"So?" he asked mildly.
Huo Yan finally revealed his true purpose, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "The Ancient Maha Clan commands vast resources. With your mastery in alchemy, Master Qing Lian, if you were to join them, it would be a perfect union—an unshakable alliance! What say you?"
Liu Xi chuckled softly, his voice laced with mockery. "So that's your plan. Trying to recruit me on behalf of the Ancient Maha Clan? You really overestimate yourself."
Then, with a faint smile that did not reach his eyes, he replied bluntly, "If Maha Tian himself comes to invite me, I might consider it. But as for you, Clan Leader Huo Yan… I'll have to decline."
The warmth on Huo Yan's face evaporated instantly, replaced by a heavy expression. "Master Qing Lian, I advise you not to reject the goodwill of the Ancient Maha Clan so hastily," he said coldly.
"Huo Yan," Liu Xi said softly, though every word carried cutting weight, "you don't speak for the Ancient Maha Clan. And tell me—who gave you the courage to act so insolent before me?"
His voice was calm, but his gaze turned sharp as blades.
He could already sense the truth—how the wine had been tampered with, how arrays had been laid in secret, how even a Late Stage Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign hid within the city's depths.
They truly thought such petty tricks would work on him?
A cold aura spread outward as Liu Xi's killing intent silently erupted. Instantly, every Fire Spirit clansman in the hall turned pale, their bodies trembling uncontrollably as if invisible blades were pressing against their throats.
Even Huo Yan himself could barely breathe. As a Peak Earth Sovereign, he could hardly resist an ordinary Heavenly Sovereign—much less this one, whose power defied all reason.
Frozen in his chair, his face contorted in fear as he met Liu Xi's calm, mocking stare. There wasn't a hint of intoxication in those eyes.
He realized at once that Liu Xi had not fallen for their scheme.
Indeed, the wine had been tampered with—not poisoned, but infused with rare tonic ingredients that enhanced Spiritual Energy and could even accelerate cultivation. It was a treasure usually reserved for offerings to the Fire Spirit Ancestor.
Huo Yan had abused his authority to take some, thinking it would dull Liu Xi's senses just long enough to trap him.
But the plan had failed spectacularly.
His jaw clenched tight. There was no turning back now. To retreat would mean disgrace without gain. His only path forward was blood.
"Since that's the case," Huo Yan shouted hoarsely, "forgive me, Master Qing Lian! Activate the Fourfold Flame-Spirit Demon-Slaying Array!"
At his command, countless runes shot into the air, weaving together in intricate formation. The entire hall trembled as the surrounding space sealed shut.
A roaring sea of fire erupted, and from within it, four blazing spirits emerged—a dragon, a tiger, a bird, and a tortoise—all formed from raging flames, surrounding Liu Xi from every side.
Liu Xi remained unmoved, merely studying the array and its fiery beasts with an intrigued smile.
He had seen much since arriving in the Great Thousand World, and this formation—clearly crafted by a Grandmaster—was of decent quality. Still, it only reached the Spiritual Grade Grandmaster level.
The four flame beasts were more impressive. Each was born from a genuine Divine Flame. Their fusion lent the array the power to rival a Late Spiritual Grade Heavenly Sovereign.
Liu Xi smiled faintly. "So, you planned this from the start. I thought this meeting was about resisting the demonic calamity, but it seems I overestimated your sincerity."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "Still, I should thank you, Clan Leader Huo Yan. I was just wondering how I'd collect all your Divine Flames—yet here you are, serving them to me yourself."
"What a generous man."
(End of Chapter)
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