Chapter 1293: Opening the Furnace to Refine Elixir

The heavy doors of the grand hall slowly opened, revealing the massive, seven-colored cauldron to everyone present.

Gazing at the seven-colored cauldron, many powerful experts present showed surprise in their eyes. This cauldron was no ordinary object; named the Seven-Colored Heaven Refining Cauldron, it was a genuine Dual-Lotus-grade Sacred Artifact. It could not only be used for refining elixirs but also for combating enemies. If someone were trapped inside, even a regular Saint would likely suffer immensely, if not killed outright. Those below the Saint realm would be instantly reduced to ashes.

As the alchemy hall opened, the void above the hall subtly twisted, and several figures radiating immense power emerged.

These were, of course, the Saints stationed in All-Heaven City. Cang Yuan was among them, and to the surprise of many present, they also spotted two unfamiliar Saints. Only after explanations from others did they learn that these two were actually Xu Beiyan's other two Saint masters.

This turn of events sparked a lively interest in many onlookers. Clearly, news of Xu Beiyan's replacement had reached his two other masters, who had then rushed to All-Heaven City to support him.

Although all three of Xu Beiyan's masters were only One-Lotus Saints, their combined strength meant they likely had little to fear, even when facing Cang Yuan, a Dual-Lotus Saint. Many exchanged glances, sensing that today's elixir refinement would be quite eventful.

As the Saints made their appearance, a stir arose from another side of the plaza. All eyes turned to see Xu Beiyan slowly approaching. It must be said, Xu Beiyan's external image was quite impressive; he was handsome and possessed an extraordinary demeanor. Along his way, numerous experts from the Genesis Domain realm greeted him, indicating his formidable influence and connections.

The moment he arrived in the plaza, he instantly became the center of attention.

“Brother Xu, your assistance is truly indispensable for refining the Ancestral Dragon Elixir. All of us are relying on you for our Ancestral Dragon Elixirs.”

“Indeed, Brother Xu, rest assured, after today, you’ll likely return to that position.”

“Although Zhou Yuan has potential, he’s still too inexperienced. Perhaps once he attempts to assist in refining the Ancestral Dragon Elixir, he’ll understand the difficulty. If he’s smart enough then, he should withdraw.”

Many people around expressed goodwill towards Xu Beiyan. After all, he was not only powerful but also well-connected. His previous assistance in refining the Ancestral Dragon Elixir had earned him many allies, making him one of the most prominent figures even in All-Heaven City, a gathering place for top experts.

In response to these words, Xu Beiyan wore a warm, gentle smile, greeting everyone politely. His humble demeanor further endeared him to them.

After acknowledging everyone, Xu Beiyan’s gaze finally turned towards the alchemy hall, his eyes deep, with faint glints of unusual light.

As the atmosphere in the plaza grew increasingly fervent, the side door of the alchemy hall slowly opened, and two figures leisurely walked out, drawing countless gazes.

The appearance of these two figures completely ignited the atmosphere in the plaza.

“Lady Divine Maiden!”

“We finally see Lady Divine Maiden’s peerless beauty again!”

Gazing at the exquisite figure among the two, many present became fervent, their eyes filled with zeal. In the past two years, Yaoyao’s prestige in All-Heaven City had truly reached its peak.

While those fervent gazes fixed on Yaoyao, they also inevitably swept over the young figure beside her. The meaning in their eyes was exceptionally complex: curiosity, jealousy, disdain… This was normal, however. In the past two years, no one had truly been able to get close to Yaoyao. Her aloof, almost indifferent, personality made her difficult to approach even for the Saints guarding All-Heaven City. Yet, Zhou Yuan’s appearance immediately revealed an extraordinary relationship between the two, which truly stirred envy, jealousy, and even hatred.

Yaoyao paid no heed to the many fervent gazes. She merely gave Zhou Yuan a slight nod, then gracefully ascended to her main seat, a tall white jade platform.

Zhou Yuan, on the other hand, scanned the surroundings. Everywhere his gaze landed, he saw powerful Genesis Qi fluctuations that made him click his tongue in amazement. This All-Heaven City truly gathered nearly half of the Nascent Source and Genesis Domain experts from all heavens. If the Saint Race were to directly invade and destroy it, the All-Heavens would genuinely suffer a severe blow.

Fortunately, All-Heaven City was not only guarded by Saints but also insulated from all perception, hidden amidst chaos, making it difficult even for the Saint Race to deduce its location.

As he scanned, Zhou Yuan suddenly paused, spotting Wu Yao, Su Youwei, and Zhao Mu Shen.

Su Youwei met his gaze with a smile, her beautiful eyes filled with encouragement and support.

Wu Yao, however, merely glanced away instantly, maintaining her pride, like a phoenix.

Zhao Mu Shen’s eyes held a playful look, laced with a hint of provocation.

Zhou Yuan smiled and withdrew his gaze. It seemed these three were actually part of a small team, which was quite interesting. After all, during the Nine Regions Grand Meeting, Zhao Mu Shen had tried to devour the fortunes of both women, creating considerable animosity among the three. Yet, for them to be able to team up like this showed just how dangerous the void battlefield truly was in clashes with the Saint Race, forcing even these three to make compromises with each other.

He moved, appearing on a stone platform to the lower right of Yaoyao’s position.

Scanning around, he saw thirteen figures seated cross-legged around the four sides of the seven-colored cauldron. Vast Genesis Qi surged within their bodies, causing the void itself to subtly warp.

These were the thirteen Genesis Domain experts, providing Genesis Qi for the elixir refinement.

At this moment, the thirteen Genesis Domain experts were staring at Zhou Yuan with scrutinizing eyes. From their gazes, Zhou Yuan could sense strong skepticism. Clearly, more than half the people in All-Heaven City had objections to him replacing Xu Beiyan.

Zhou Yuan’s expression remained calm in the face of these questioning gazes. He knew this was a normal reaction; after all, Xu Beiyan had performed quite well previously, and his sudden arrival to usurp someone’s position would naturally not be popular.

However, this skepticism was mostly based on their concerns for their own interests. As long as he could prove himself, all doubts would vanish. At that point, aside from Xu Beiyan or those directly related to him, no one would have any dissatisfaction with him occupying this position.

With these thoughts in mind, Zhou Yuan sat down cross-legged on the stone platform, his expression unruffled.

Meanwhile, above the grand hall, the Saints, led by Cang Yuan, also took their seats, with Genesis Qi forming luminous lotuses beneath them.

Saint Green Willow gazed indifferently into the alchemy hall, then suddenly chuckled faintly towards Cang Yuan, “Great Venerable Cang Yuan, you stole the Divine Stone back then, which counts as protecting Her for many years. But now, it seems others don’t acknowledge that favor.”

The gradual awakening of Yaoyao’s divinity, which led to her emotional detachment and increasing estrangement from Cang Yuan, was clearly no secret within the Saint circle.

For Green Willow to suddenly utter these words now was clearly meant to provoke Cang Yuan.

Cang Yuan gave Saint Green Willow an indifferent glance, then looked at Saints Gou Lang and Poison Fire. He said, “Everything this old man has done is for the All-Heavens.”

“Then, knowing that refining the Ancestral Dragon Elixir is exceptionally important, why would you let your disciple sabotage it?” Saint Poison Fire asked.

Cang Yuan’s gaze lingered on Zhou Yuan’s figure as he calmly stated, “Because Zhou Yuan will do it better.”

Upon hearing this, the three, including Green Willow, scoffed, “Then we shall wait and see.”

Faced with the sharp confrontation between these two sides, the other Saints chose to remain neutral. After all, today’s matter primarily concerned the disciples of both parties, and as their masters, it was natural for them to feel some indignation.

Cang Yuan did not argue further with the three. With a flick of his sleeve, a faint voice echoed.

“All preparations are complete. Begin the elixir refinement!”