90: At the entrance to the Soul Realm, a head-on confrontation

Three days after the preliminary round, the atmosphere in Pill City, far from cooling down, grew even more fervent.

Li Ao's awe-inspiring 'Void Condensing Cauldron' and his terrifying exotic flame, suspected to be of an extremely high rank, became the hottest topics on every street corner.

Countless forces secretly inquired about his origins, but the information they gathered was scarce, as if this youth, whose strength and alchemy skills were both prodigious, had appeared out of thin air.

The news of the mysterious disappearance of the Young Master of the Blood River Sect and his Elders only circulated within specific small circles, and it was naturally linked to Li Ao, which made many forces even more apprehensive of him, not daring to provoke him easily.

Three days passed in a flash.

When the morning sun once again cast its light upon Pill City, nearly a thousand Alchemists who had passed the preliminary round, along with many more representatives from various forces who came to observe, had already gathered beneath the Pill Tower.

Unlike the open-air square used for the preliminary round, today's venue had moved inside the Pill Tower.

The ground floor of the Pill Tower was not the narrow space one might imagine, but rather an incredibly magnificent hall.

The hall's ceiling was high, adorned with patterns of the stars of the Universe and the circulation of myriad flames, exuding an ancient and profound aura.

At the end of the hall, instead of a wall, there was a strange, slowly rotating luminous curtain emitting a hazy glow.

Above the luminous curtain, Soul Power fluctuations ebbed and flowed like tides, and various strange sounds vaguely emanated from within—like whispers, roars, wind chimes, and thunderous shouts—evoking contemplation and awe.

That was one of the Pill Tower's Forbidden Grounds, the entrance to the Soul Illusionary Realm, and also the passage to the Pill Tower's Small World, the Soul Realm!

In front of the luminous curtain, several Elders with profound auras, dressed in Pill Tower Elder attire, stood solemnly.

The leader was an Elder in black robes with a ruddy complexion; the badge on his chest was not a traditional Alchemist rank, but a silver miniature tower emitting eight ripples!

A Grade 8 Alchemist! And a Core Elder of the Pill Tower!

"Silence!" Elder Xuan Yi's gaze was like lightning, sweeping across the entire hall.

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly silenced all the noise.

"This old man, Xuan Yi, is in charge of this Soul Illusionary Realm assessment."

Upon hearing the name "Xuan Yi," a gasp instantly rippled through the crowd.

Elder Xuan Yi, one of the most powerful and prestigious Grade 8 Alchemists beneath the Pill Tower's three giants, his strength had long since entered the Dou Zun Realm!

"Soul is the foundation of an Alchemist!

The Soul Illusionary Realm assesses your Soul strength, resilience, purity, and control over Soul Power!" Elder Xuan Yi's voice was deep.

"This illusionary Realm was left behind by our Pill Tower's predecessors and is divided into three layers.

The first layer, 'bewitching soul path,' tests Soul resilience.

Only by enduring for the time it takes an incense stick to burn without defeat can you enter the next layer.

The second layer, 'soul refining ladder,' tests Soul strength and control.

Those who reach the hundredth step are qualified.

The third layer, 'heart questioning pass,' tests Soul purity and will.

Only those who can pass it are qualified to enter the final top hundred rankings!"

"Within the illusionary Realm, danger and Opportunity coexist.

If you can gain some enlightenment, it will be greatly beneficial to your Soul Realm.

But if you can't hold on, crush this jade token, and you can withdraw." Elder Xuan Yi waved his sleeve, and nearly a thousand smooth jade tokens accurately fell into the hands of each participant.

"Remember, act within your capabilities, do not force it, otherwise your Soul will be damaged, and you will regret it too late!" Elder Xuan Yi warned, then stepped aside.

"The assessment begins! Enter the Soul Realm!"

As his voice fell, the hazy luminous curtain suddenly brightened, emitting a powerful suction force.

Nearly a thousand Alchemists, with fervent eyes, some nervous, some confident, transformed into streaks of light, vying to be the first to plunge into the luminous curtain, their figures instantly disappearing.

Li Ao was not in a hurry.

After most people had entered, he stepped forward unhurriedly, his figure merging into the luminous curtain.

After a brief sensation of spatial distortion, the scene before him suddenly opened up.

It was not the dark illusionary Realm he had imagined, but a strange space with no end in sight.

The sky was a chaotic gray, and beneath his feet was a narrow stone path, only wide enough for three people to walk abreast, winding forward and disappearing into the distant mist.

On both sides of the stone path were bottomless dark Void Realm, from which various distorted Soul shadows, shrill roars, and mind-bewitching whispers constantly emanated, assaulting one's Soul.

This was the first layer, the bewitching soul path!

At this moment, the Alchemists who had entered earlier had already stepped onto the stone path.

Many turned pale and swayed after only a few steps, as if under immense pressure.

Even more, some were directly pulled by invisible Soul hands reaching out from the Void Realm beside the path, or were disturbed by the mind-bewitching sounds, screaming as they fell into the dark Void Realm, whereupon the jade token in their hand shattered, and their figure was teleported out.

Li Ao stepped onto the stone path and immediately felt an invisible force pressing in from all directions, trying to invade his Sea of Consciousness and disrupt his Soul.

The roaring Soul shadows and mind-bewitching sounds from the roadside also became clearer and more intense.

However, these interferences, upon approaching within three feet of him, were like hitting an invisible wall, quietly smoothed and annihilated by a more condensed and desolate will.

His Soul Realm had already reached Spirit Realm Great Perfection, and was only a step away from the Heavenly Realm.

This level of Soul interference was like a gentle breeze to him.

His steps were unhurried, not fast, but astonishingly steady, as if he were walking in his own courtyard, forming a stark contrast with the struggling and pained participants around him.

His abnormality quickly caught the attention of several top Geniuses who were also at the forefront.

Cao Ying, the Prodigy of the Cao Family, in her colorful dress, with a graceful figure, was enveloped in a faint seven-colored Soul halo, isolating the interferences, and her steps were quite light.

Her beautiful eyes swept across, and seeing Li Ao's leisurely stroll, the corners of her rosy lips curved slightly in an interested arc: "Indeed interesting."

Dan Chen of the Dan Family, with a delicate temperament, her face a little pale, but as she walked, an invisible Soul vortex seemed to form around her, quietly absorbing and dissolving the invading Soul Power, and her speed was not slow either.

Her gaze towards Li Ao carried a hint of curiosity and inquiry.

The white-robed youth from Burning Flame Valley, who possessed the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame, named Tang Huo'er (Note: In the original work, she is Valley Master Tang Zhen's daughter; here, it might be an alias or a peer Genius), relied on the might of his exotic flame, with lightning and fire intertwined, fierce and domineering, directly incinerating nearby Soul interferences into nothingness.

Seeing Li Ao, his Battle Intent surged in his eyes, clearly regarding Li Ao as a formidable opponent.

And the Black-Robed Youth, who had always been shrouded in a black robe, exuded a cold aura.

When those Soul interferences approached him, they were like mud oxen entering the sea, swallowed by a strange power.

He glanced at Li Ao, his grayish-white pupils devoid of any emotion, only a dead silence.

Li Ao sensed these gazes but did not care.

His goal was to quickly pass this test and understand the Soul Realm as deeply as possible.

Just as he was about to overtake most people and approach the end of the first layer, a slightly cold voice sounded from the side.

"Li Ao, right? You made quite a splash in the preliminary round."

Li Ao turned his eyes, only to see three Alchemists with considerable auras blocking the narrow stone path ahead, vaguely forming a encirclement.

The leader, with an arrogant expression, was dressed in the Starfall Pavilion Core Disciple attire.

His strength had reached Seven-Star Dou Huang, and his Soul Power was also quite strong, reaching Spirit Realm Middle Stage.

The other two were also at the Five-Star Dou Huang level.

These three were clearly deliberately blocking the way here.

"It's the Disciples of Mu Gu Old Man's lineage from Starfall Pavilion.

It is said that Mu Gu Old Man has some friction with the Pill Tower, are they trying to suppress the Genius favored by the Pill Tower?"

"The leader is Ge Li, Mu Gu Old Man's grand-Disciple.

His Soul Power is quite powerful, and it is said that he has inherited Mu Gu Old Man's true teachings."

"Now there's a good show to watch, how will Li Ao deal with this?"

Some of the surrounding participants who still had the energy to watch cast their concerned gazes.

Ge Li looked at Li Ao and sneered: "This bewitching soul path is narrow, Your Excellency, it's better to walk slowly, lest you... fall down."

The threat in his words was undisguised.

Li Ao's steps did not stop, and even his gaze did not change in the slightest; he merely uttered two words indifferently:

"Get lost."

Ge Li's face darkened: "You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!

Then let you taste the flavor of a damaged Soul!"

Before his words finished, a flash of light appeared between his eyebrows, and a highly condensed Soul spike, emitting a sharp shriek, like a venomous snake striking, instantly crossed several feet, directly piercing towards Li Ao's glabella!

This was a Soul attack Dou Technique favored by Mu Gu Old Man's lineage—Soul Fiend Spike!

Its power was extremely strong, enough to severely injure a Soul of the same rank!

The other two also attacked simultaneously, two slightly weaker Soul impacts striking Li Ao from the flanks!

Facing these three tricky and vicious Soul attacks, Li Ao didn't even adopt a defensive posture.

He merely raised his eyes and glanced at Ge Li.

That gaze, calm and profound, yet seemed to contain the ultimate Concept of the Universe's Return to Stillness and the end of all things!

"Buzz!"

An invisible Soul pressure, far more vast and desolate than this bewitching soul path, erupted with Li Ao at its center!

The three Soul attacks, the moment they encountered this pressure, were like ice and snow thrown into boiling water; they dissolved and annihilated silently, without even stirring a ripple!

"What?!" Ge Li and the other two's faces changed dramatically, their eyes instantly filled with boundless fear!

They felt as if their Souls were being severely suppressed by an invisible mountain of annihilation, their very thoughts almost stagnating!

"Pfft!" "Pfft!" "Pfft!"

The three almost simultaneously spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, their bodies trembled violently, their faces turned ashen, and their auras instantly withered!

Especially Ge Li, who bore the brunt of the attack, his Soul was most severely damaged, and his eyes even became somewhat unfocused!

Li Ao didn't even look at them, as if brushing away a few annoying flies blocking his path, his steps did not falter in the slightest, passing directly between the three.

The moment he passed, that terrifying pressure of annihilation slightly vibrated again.

Ge Li and the other two could no longer steady themselves, screaming, like broken puppets, they were dragged by invisible forces surging from the Void Realm beside the stone path, falling into the dark abyss, their jade tokens shattering, and they were teleported out.

With a casual glance, he severely injured three Geniuses with strong Soul Power and eliminated them!

This scene left everyone who witnessed it utterly speechless with horror!

Cao Ying, Dan Chen, Tang Huo'er, the Black-Robed Youth, and other top Geniuses, their pupils also slightly contracted, their gazes towards Li Ao becoming more solemn.

This person's Soul Power was terrifying to such an extent!

Li Ao seemed to have done something trivial, his steps still unhurried, he was the first to step out of the end of the bewitching soul path, his figure merging into the denser luminous curtain ahead, entering the second layer—the soul refining ladder.

And his utterly domineering demeanor, along with Ge Li and others who were eliminated, spread, stirring up even greater waves in this Soul Illusionary Realm.