95: The completion of the elixir triggers calamity, and the annihilation swallows thunder.

Li Ao's words were like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up monstrous waves across the Ten Thousand Herbs Plaza and even the entire viewing platform area!

"Bloodbath the Central Plains? Billions of lives as sacrifice?"

"Ancient secret? How did he know?"

"soul fiend barrier-breaking pill? That's a Medicinal Pill that's extremely difficult to refine at the Peak of Grade Seven, specifically designed to counter various Evil Qi of the Soul and manipulation techniques!"

Exclamations, doubts, and discussions rose and fell. Everyone was shocked by the earth-shattering news Li Ao threw out and the Medicinal Pill he chose. If what he said was true, then the Hall of Souls's danger level would far exceed their previous imagination!

On the viewing platform, Elder Xuan Yi and the other Pill Tower Elders exchanged glances, seeing the solemnity and surprise in each other's eyes. Li Ao's words were too alarming, but as high-ranking members of the Pill Tower, they possessed far more information than outsiders. Upon careful consideration, some of the Hall of Souls's secret activities in recent years seemed to subtly align with this 'sacrifice' theory.

The Family representative who had previously reprimanded him had a terribly gloomy expression, and a hint of imperceptible panic flashed deep within his eyes.

Cao Ying, Dan Chen, and other Geniuses also temporarily slowed down their Alchemy, looking at Li Ao in shock. Coming from powerful factions, they understood the threat of the Hall of Souls, but they had never imagined its ambition to be so terrifying.

"Hmph, alarmist! You'd better focus on your Alchemy first! A Grade Seven Peak Medicinal Pill, how easy is it to refine? Be careful of the Medicinal Pill being destroyed and people dying!" A doubter sneered.

Li Ao turned a deaf ear to all the discussions. His mind was completely immersed in the Alchemy.

Dozens of medicinal ingredients of various shapes and even conflicting attributes floated around him, enveloped by dozens of Void Swallowing Flame Child Fire lines as thin as hair. Among these ingredients, some were extremely yang and rigid, others extremely yin and cold, and a few even contained natural Soul Evil Qi, which ordinary Alchemists avoided like the plague.

However, under Li Ao's powerful Soul Power, which was half a step into the Celestial Realm, and the exquisitely precise control of the Void Swallowing Flame Child Fire, these medicinal ingredients were individually tempered and purified. Violent energy was forcibly tamed by the flames, yin and cold Qi were quietly neutralized, and the wisps of Soul Evil Qi were directly purified and stripped away by the 'Return to Stillness' essence contained within the flames, leaving only the purest medicinal essence.

Throughout the entire process, he did not use a Medicine Cauldron, relying entirely on Soul Power to construct an invisible furnace domain, using flames as his hands to perform extremely difficult bare-handed Alchemy! His strong Soul control and deep understanding of flames left all knowledgeable Alchemists spellbound, and even Elder Xuan Yi couldn't help but nod slightly.

Time passed bit by bit.

On other Alchemy platforms, the crucial moment was gradually approaching. In Cao Ying's Medicine Cauldron, colorful light soared into the sky, with faint sounds of a Phoenix's cry. Above Dan Chen's black Medicine Cauldron, a small patch of milky white Soul Cloud condensed. Tang Huo'er's Lightning Fire Cauldron rumbled continuously, and the Medicinal Pill's fragrance was domineering. The Black-Robed Youth's pale white flame condensed into a ghost face, spitting out medicinal power.

But everyone's brilliance seemed to be overshadowed by Li Ao's bare-handed control of dozens of fire lines, demonstrating the art of Alchemy.

Three days and three nights passed in a flash.

For high-grade Alchemy, this amount of time was not long. During this period, several Alchemists successfully formed Medicinal Pills, triggering varying degrees of Pill Lightning, but the highest grade was only Intermediate Grade Seven.

On this day, it was precisely noon, with the scorching sun overhead.

The dozens of pure medicinal liquids floating around Li Ao finally, under the guidance of his Soul, began to converge like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, towards a central point!

Fusion is the most difficult step in refining the "soul fiend barrier-breaking pill"! Dozens of medicinal properties with vastly different attributes need to find a perfect balance point, especially the main ingredients containing barrier-breaking and evil-expelling characteristics. A slight carelessness can cause an energy riot, leading to all efforts being wasted!

Li Ao's expression was solemn, his hands pressed together, his Soul Power like the most precise instrument, regulating the Fusion of every trace of medicinal property. In his Sea of Consciousness, the grayish, desolate Soul Origin slightly vibrated, emitting a peculiar essence of 'stabilizing the universe' and 'calming all dharmas,' helping him stabilize the violent medicinal energy.

"Melt!"

He let out a low shout, and all the medicinal liquids suddenly contracted, turning into a fist-sized, viscous liquid constantly changing between gray, white, and gold! A strange Medicinal Pill fragrance diffused, making one's Soul clear when smelled, yet subtly feeling a sharp intent to destroy evil!

The Medicinal Pill form was initially condensed!

At the moment the Medicinal Pill form condensed, above the Ten Thousand Herbs Plaza, the originally clear sky suddenly darkened! Heavy dark clouds gathered like ink from all directions, layering upon layer, covering the entire plaza! Within the dark clouds, silver snakes danced wildly, thunder rumbled, and a heart-palpitating heavenly might descended!

"Pill Lightning! It's the Pill Lightning of a Grade Seven Peak Medicinal Pill!"

"Such power, it's several times stronger than the Pill Lightning of the Intermediate Grade Seven Medicinal Pill before!"

"He's really about to succeed!"

Everyone looked up at the sky, their faces filled with shock.

"Boom! Crack!"

The first silver lightning bolt, as thick as an arm, tore through the dark clouds, carrying a destructive aura, and struck fiercely towards the three-colored Medicinal Pill liquid in Li Ao's hand!

Li Ao's eyes turned cold. He did not use Dou Qi to resist. Instead, with a thought, the Void Swallowing Flame Child Fire that had been quietly burning in his palm suddenly surged, transforming into a dark flame curtain, meeting the Pill Lightning!

Under the gaze of countless astonished eyes, the silver lightning, powerful enough to severely injure a Dou Emperor, upon contact with the dark flame, was like a clay ox entering the sea. It did not even stir up a ripple before being completely swallowed and annihilated by the profound flame!

The Flame of Stillness can burn all things, and it can also... swallow lightning!

"What?! He actually directly swallowed the Pill Lightning with an abnormal flame?!"

"This... what kind of flame is this? It can even swallow heavenly lightning?!"

Everyone's understanding was once again overturned.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

As if provoked by Li Ao's actions, the dark clouds churned, and even more violent lightning poured down like a torrential rain! The second, the third... each one thicker than the last, their color changing from silver to green, and finally even transforming into terrifying dark purple lightning pillars!

However, it was useless!

The Void Swallowing Flame in Li Ao's palm seemed to have transformed into a bottomless abyss. No matter how much lightning came, it was easily swallowed and refined, making the flame's light even more profound and restrained. And the three-colored Medicinal Pill liquid, under the tempering of the lightning power and the protection of the flame, became even more solid, its radiance contained within, and its Medicinal Pill fragrance became increasingly rich and captivating.

When the last dark purple lightning pillar was silently swallowed by the dark flame, the dark clouds in the sky seemed to have exhausted their strength, slowly dispersing unwillingly, and sunlight once again shone down.

All was silent.

Everyone's gaze was focused on Li Ao's palm.

There, an eye-sized Medicinal Pill, entirely chaotic gray in color, with three natural Texture (gray, white, gold) on its surface, was spinning, emitting a majestic and peculiar Soul fluctuation. Around the Medicinal Pill, space was slightly distorted, and an essence of breaking through illusion and suppressing evil circulated faintly.

Grade Seven Peak Medicinal Pill — soul fiend barrier-breaking pill, complete!

Moreover, it was refined through bare-handed Alchemy, resisting and swallowing all the Pill Lightning! Its quality had already reached the perfect level!

Li Ao held this Medicinal Pill, which was enough to cause Dou Venerate powerhouses to contend for, and his gaze once again swept towards the viewing platform, his voice calm yet carrying undeniable power:

"This Medicinal Pill can break Soul Evil Qi, suppress Heart Demons, and specifically counter the Hall of Souls's evil techniques of manipulating Souls! This is... part of my proof of the Hall of Souls's harm."

He paused, his gaze like a knife, sweeping across the grim-faced Family representative and certain corners in the Void Realm, saying coldly:

"You scumbags of the Hall of Souls, and you poor Souls who have been deluded and corrupted by them, are you... ready?"

"This reckoning has only just begun!"