324: First time meeting Danlei

During the several days that Jiang Donghua was diligently nurturing the pill at the Xiao Family's back mountain alchemy platform, the external speculation and discussion regarding the Xiao Family's unusual actions had reached a peak.

The news that the Xiao Family was acquiring top-tier medicinal ingredients, regardless of cost and almost frantically, had long spread throughout the surrounding cities.

Although the spies sent out by the major powers could not penetrate the Xiao Family's core area, they still managed to gather some information.

The Xiao Family seemed to be preparing for a mysterious major figure to refine a medicinal pill, and there were even rumors claiming that the Xiao Family had internally let slip that an Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster had arrived!

As soon as this news broke, it immediately caused an uproar among the high-level circles of the major powers, but what followed was almost unanimous ridicule and doubt.

"An Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster? Hahaha! Did Xiao Zhen, that old fellow, damage his brain while cultivating in seclusion? How dare he spread such outrageous boasts?"

"I think they spent too much money acquiring ingredients and are trying to find an excuse to frighten us and save some face, right?"

"Exactly! How noble is an Eighth-Grade Grandmaster? Would he run off to our remote, desolate area? And specifically refine pills in the Xiao Family? That is simply a huge joke!"

"In my opinion, it's highly likely that Elder Qiu failed at refining pills again, and the Xiao Family, fearing embarrassment, concocted such an outrageous excuse!"

Almost no one believed that the Xiao Family could truly invite an Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster.

After all, such an existence was like a figure of legend to these regional powers, completely unattainable.

Everyone was inclined to believe that this was a tactic employed by the Xiao Family to cover up some sort of failure or to boost their own prestige.

However, just when the voices of doubt and ridicule were at their peak, an anomaly occurred!

On this day, the originally clear sky suddenly began to gather patches of lead-black dark clouds without any warning!

These dark clouds were not ordinary rain clouds; they began to condense above the area of the Xiao Family's back mountain and carried a heavy, heart-stopping pressure!

Within the clouds, silver, snake-like electrical arcs faintly flashed and traversed, emitting a low rumble of thunder!

"Pill Lightning! It is Pill Lightning!"

Inside the Xiao Family's mountain base, Xiao Zhen was the first to sense the anomaly in the world's energy, and his expression instantly became extremely solemn!

His figure flashed, and he appeared high in the sky near the back mountain alchemy platform.

Immediately after, the other Dou Zong Elders remaining in the Xiao Family also sensed this powerful energy fluctuation, emerging from seclusion one after another and arriving beside Xiao Zhen.

"Ancestor! The might of this Pill Lightning is truly terrifying! I fear it was caused by at least a Seventh-Grade Intermediate medicinal pill!"

An Elder looked at the increasingly dense thunderclouds in the sky, felt the might of the world that seemed capable of destroying everything, and his voice carried a trace of tremor.

Xiao Zhen stared at the center of the thunderclouds and said in a deep voice.

"That's right! This Pill Lightning has considerable power. It would be difficult for this old man to resist it completely alone. When the Pill Lightning strikes later, the few of us must join forces to set up a defense, ensuring that Young Friend Jiang's pill refinement is not disturbed!"

"Yes! Ancestor!"

The few Elders responded in unison, their Dou Qi secretly beginning to circulate within their bodies, preparing to meet the baptism of the Pill Lightning.

And at this moment, the surrounding powers who had originally been ridiculing the Xiao Family were all alarmed by this sudden natural phenomenon!

The leaders or Elders of various powers flew into the air, gazing toward the back mountain of the Xiao Family at the thunderclouds—which were clearly abnormal and contained destructive energy—their faces filled with shock and disbelief!

"Pill Lightning! It really is Pill Lightning! Judging by its might, it is definitely not something an ordinary pill could induce!"

"seventh-grade pills! Is the Xiao Family really refining seventh-grade pills?!"

"Could the news released by the Xiao Family be true? Is there really an Alchemy Grandmaster refining pills in the Xiao Family?"

"Eight-Grade is too exaggerated, but this Pill Lightning's intensity is probably not something Elder Qiu could conjure, right?"

"Quick! Immediately send more men! We must find out exactly what is happening inside the Xiao Family, no matter the cost!"

In an instant, all sounds of ridicule ceased abruptly, replaced by intense surprise, apprehension, and a hint of unease!

If the Xiao Family truly befriended an Alchemy Grandmaster capable of refining pills of the seventh grade and above, then the structure of the surrounding powers might truly undergo earth-shattering changes!

Countless gazes, whether fearful, greedy, or complex, were focused on the thunderclouds above the Xiao Family's back mountain, which were continuously gathering destructive power.

Above the sky, the lead-black dark clouds were stacked together like heavy lead blocks, covering the sky and sun, shrouding the entire Xiao Family's back mountain in a depressing gloom.

Deep within the clouds, silver electrical arcs moved wildly like dancing pythons, emitting deafening roars, as destructive energy continuously brewed and compressed within them!

"Boom! Crack—!"

Finally, the first bolt of Pill Lightning, like a massive silver blade cleaving down from the Nine Heavens, tore through the sky, carrying a judgment-like majesty and blinding light, striking fiercely towards the Medicine Cauldron on the alchemy platform below!

"Form the array! Block it!"

Xiao Zhen shouted sternly.

The two Xiao Family Dou Zong Elders, who had long been standing ready, immediately joined forces to activate their Dou Qi, and a thick energy barrier instantly condensed above the alchemy platform!

"Bang—!"

The silver lightning struck the barrier fiercely, producing an earth-shattering boom!

The barrier trembled violently, and intense ripples spread across its surface. The faces of the two Elders turned pale, and their bodies shook simultaneously; they were actually forced back half a step by the immense impact force!

"What powerful Pill Lightning!"

One of the Elders couldn't help but exclaim, his face filled with horror.

The power of just the first bolt of Pill Lightning was so astonishing that it required the full effort of both of them just to barely withstand it!

However, the thunderclouds in the sky did not give them a chance to catch their breath.

No sooner had the first bolt of lightning dissipated than the second and third bolts of silver lightning, thicker and more violent, followed one after another, plunging down like two enraged silver dragons!

"Boom! Boom!"

Two continuous bolts of lightning struck down fiercely!

The energy barrier could no longer hold up, letting out a mournful groan of being overwhelmed before shattering with a loud crash!

The two Xiao Family Elders were struck as if by a heavy blow, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, their figures flying backward in disarray, clearly unable to fight any further!

The might of the Pill Lightning was truly terrifying!

Seeing that the fourth, even more terrifying bolt of lightning had already condensed in the clouds and was about to strike, if it hit the Medicine Cauldron, all efforts would be wasted!

"Hmph! Let this old man meet this Pill Lightning of yours!"

Xiao Zhen, the Xiao Family Ancestor, who had been floating high in the sky with a profound aura, finally moved!

With one step, he appeared directly above the Medicine Cauldron.

Facing the might of the world that was enough to make ordinary Dou Zongs change color, his expression remained calm, and brilliant, dazzling golden light suddenly erupted around his body!

A heavy, majestic, and incomparably sharp metallic Dou Qi, like a sleeping lion awakening, shot up into the sky!

"middle-rank earth tier Dou Technique — Indestructible Golden Adamant!"

Xiao Zhen pushed both palms forward, and his mighty golden Dou Qi condensed in front of him into an enormous, seemingly solid golden shield. Runes flowed across the shield's surface, emanating an indestructible aura!

"Rumble—!"

The fourth bolt of Pill Lightning, carrying power more terrifying than the previous three combined, struck the golden shield fiercely!

Golden light and silver electricity wildly intertwined and annihilated each other!

The immense energy shockwave spread out like ripples, shattering the surrounding mountain rocks!

Xiao Zhen's body swayed slightly, but his footing remained as steady as a rock. Although the golden shield's light had dimmed considerably, it still firmly blocked the ferocious attack!

However, the Pill Lightning seemed to be enraged; the fifth and sixth bolts struck down consecutively like a sudden, violent storm, each one fiercer than the last!

Xiao Zhen's expression was grave. He exerted his Peak Dou Zong strength to the maximum, his palms flying as he continuously blasted out solidified golden palm prints or shields, clashing head-on with the descending Pill Lightning!

"Boom boom boom boom—!"

The deafening explosions were incessant, and the entire back mountain platform seemed to be trembling!

After forcibly taking a full seven bolts of Pill Lightning, Xiao Zhen's aura was slightly disordered, and his Qi and blood churned within him.

He raised his head to look at the thunderclouds in the sky, which were still churning relentlessly and seemed not to have exhausted their energy, and a massive wave of shock surged in his heart!

"The power of this Pill Lightning far surpasses that of an ordinary Seventh-Grade Intermediate medicinal pill! It is actually this continuous, with its power increasing layer by layer!"

Xiao Zhen's eyes were filled with incredible shock.

"This must be the Pill Lightning that only a legendary seventh grade high-tier medicinal pill can induce! Is this child actually refining a seventh grade high-tier medicinal pill?!"

Thinking of how young Jiang Donghua was, and how he was not only a monstrous talent in Dou Qi cultivation but had also reached such a terrifying height in alchemy, only one thought remained in Xiao Zhen's mind.

"This child's talent is simply extraordinary! No, it is heaven-defying! The Xiao Family truly made the right gamble this time!"

He took a deep breath, suppressed the shock in his heart, and his gaze became even more resolute.

No matter what, he must block this final Pill Lightning!

This was not only to fulfill his promise to Jiang Donghua but also for the Xiao Family's massive future opportunity!