Xiao Ling and Qing Lin followed Elder Chihuo and jumped off the giant bird's back. They quickly looked around. In front of them stood two magnificent red mountains, which were tightly attached to each other, like a pair of guardians. A winding stone staircase started from the foot of the mountain, winding up to the top of the mountain.
Not far in front of the stone stairs, there seemed to be a subtle fluctuation in the air. It was a shocking spatial fluctuation, suggesting that there was an unknown secret hidden there.
Elder Chihuo led the way, and they walked up the stone stairs step by step. Finally, at the end of the stone stairs, they stopped.
There was a space barrier in front of him. Qing Lin gently touched it with his palm. In an instant, a powerful reaction force surged out like a tide.
"This space barrier is really hard. It is much stronger than the star realm of Xingyun Pavilion." Qinglin shook his numbed hands and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Of course, Qinglin was referring to the previous star realm. Ever since Yao Chen broke through to become a Dou Sheng and came out of seclusion again, he personally strengthened the defense of the star realm, and the current star realm is much stronger than before.
Elder Chihuo chuckled, his words revealing pride: "This spatial barrier has been personally reinforced by every master of the Burning Flame Valley. It is strong enough to withstand a full-strength attack from a Dou Zun. An ordinary Dou Zong cannot shake it at all."
Although he was only an elder in the valley, he still had some knowledge of the history of Burning Flame Valley. It was said that Burning Flame Valley had once produced Dou Sheng masters, and the space where this headquarters was located was opened up by those Dou Sheng predecessors themselves.
As for the star realm of the Falling Star Pavilion, he had also heard some about it. Although it was also a special space, it was far inferior to the space in the Burning Flame Valley that was opened up by the Fighting Saint himself.
Elder Chihuo said nothing more. He took out a fiery red jade token from his ring and gently pressed it on the space barrier. The jade token was ready to explode, and a mysterious wave spread out. The indestructible space barrier actually slowly opened up...
"Master Xiao Ling, and this lady, please come in!"
The space barrier has been opened. Elder Chihuo gave Xiao Ling and Qing Lin a kind smile. Then he jumped lightly and stepped into the transparent space barrier almost silently.
The moment he stepped in, his figure became strangely blurred, and then disappeared before their eyes.
Seeing this, Xiao Ling held Qing Lin's hand, and the two walked forward together. Their steps were unhurried, and they walked straight towards the space crack that was shining with mysterious light.
Xiao Ling crossed the space crack, and the world in front of him suddenly became as bright as day. He subconsciously squinted his eyes, then slowly opened them, and the scene in front of him gradually became clear.
Passing through the space barrier, a long bluestone staircase appears before your eyes.
On both sides of the stone steps, there is unexpectedly a vibrant green shade, and the lush trees are sparkling with the light of life in the sun.
Looking around, the silhouettes of several buildings can be vaguely seen among the green shades. Occasionally, the faint sound of human voices floats from afar, gently echoing in this bottomless valley, adding a bit of human touch.
"Look at this Burning Flame Valley. It is truly a world of its own. It is worthy of being one of the three most famous valleys..."
Standing on the unique land of Fenyan Valley, Xiao Ling couldn't help but admire the strange scenery before him.
Inside and outside the barrier, it seems like two completely different worlds, each independent and with its own merits.
"Haha, Master Xiao Ling, you are too kind," Elder Chihuo waved his hand modestly, "All of this is the grace left by our ancestors. We are just lucky enough to inherit it."
Although Burning Flame Valley was once one of the five peak Dou Sheng inheritances and was once prominent, it is no longer one of the top forces in Zhongzhou today.
Xiao Ling and Elder Chihuo were chatting when there were sudden bursts of rapid wind breaking sounds in the forest beside the stone stairs. In a blink of an eye, more than a dozen nimble figures flew out of the forest and landed lightly around the stone stairs.
As soon as their eyes met Elder Chihuo, the wariness on their faces immediately faded, and then they all bowed to the elder with a respectful attitude.
These figures that appeared were all dressed in bright red clothes. Although they were young, the fighting spirit emanating from their bodies was extremely strong, and they were at least at the level of high-level fighting spirits.
They were all disciples of Burning Flame Valley. Not only were they extremely talented, but their cultivation was also quite solid. These young faces showed a kind of confidence and determination, and they were obviously elites who had undergone rigorous training.
"Master Xiao Ling, Miss Qing Lin, let's go."
Elder Chihuo smiled and nodded at Xiao Ling and Qing Lin, then he shook his body lightly, tapped his toes in the air, and flew lightly into the depths of the valley as if he had no weight.
Xiao Ling and Qing Lin were not far behind. Under the surprised gazes of the disciples of Fenyan Valley, they stepped into the air easily and followed closely behind Elder Chihuo.
"Hey, did you see that? Those two are also Dou Zongs? They are so young and they have reached this level?"
"I guess they are probably transformed monsters. I heard that some monsters can choose their own appearance after transforming, and they don't age easily."
"You idiots, stop talking nonsense. Didn't you hear Elder Chihuo also call that guy Master Xiao Ling? You don't even know Master Xiao Ling?"
"Wow, it's Master Xiao Ling! I heard that he reached the Dou Zong realm before he was 20 years old, and he's also a genuine 8th-grade alchemist. A year has passed, and his cultivation must have improved a lot. Maybe he's even stronger than some of the elders."
"This talent is simply amazing. If I could have half, no, one-tenth of Master Xiao Ling's talent, I would wake up laughing in my dreams."
"Look, the girl next to Master Xiao Ling is very young, at most 17 or 18 years old, younger than our Miss Huo'er. But she is also a Dou Zong. Her talent seems to be even better than Miss Huo'er."
"Well, it's probably Master Xiao Ling's people. With an eighth-grade alchemist by his side, his training speed must be extremely fast. It's really enviable."
Xiao Ling didn't seem to care about the whispers around him, and although Qing Lin was a little shy, he behaved quite calmly.
They followed closely behind Elder Chihuo, and after flying for a few minutes, they began to slowly descend, and finally landed smoothly in front of a dazzling fiery red palace.
In the center of the valley, various buildings are scattered in an orderly manner. The busy figures of Fenyan Valley disciples dressed in red can be seen everywhere. Occasionally, cheers from the students' competitions can be heard, adding a lot of vitality to this quiet valley.
At this moment, outside the door of the flaming red hall, stood several solemn disciples of the Burning Flame Valley. They had sharp eyes and kept scanning the surroundings to make sure everything was safe.
"Master Xiao Ling, Miss Qing Lin, please wait a moment," Elder Chi Huo said to the two with a smile, "I have to inform the Valley Master first, and then I will come to greet you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Elder Chihuo turned and walked into the heavily guarded hall. Qinglin stood beside Xiao Ling, looking around curiously, her eyes flashing with curiosity and expectation for everything here.
"Haha, Master Xiao Ling has come in person. I am so sorry for not coming out to greet you in advance!
In less than three minutes, with a creaky sound, the door of the hall slowly opened, and a middle-aged man with a burly figure, flowing red hair, and dressed in gorgeous red fire clothes walked out.
This middle-aged man always has a warm smile on his face, but Xiao Ling and Qing Lin both know that this important figure who holds a pivotal position in Zhongzhou should not be underestimated.
The old man's name is Tang Zhen. He is the current master of Fenyan Valley, one of the three major valleys in Zhongzhou, and a powerful five-star Dou Zun level warrior.
With his unique skill of the Three Mysterious Changes of Heavenly Fire, it is said that when he was at the Dou Zong realm, he could briefly compete with the Dou Zun.
Now, his cultivation has reached the level of a five-star Dou Zun, and his combat power should not be underestimated. Beside Tang Zhen, in addition to the masters and elders of Fenyan Valley, there was also a woman in red who was particularly eye-catching. She stood opposite Qing Lin, and the two were equally beautiful, each with their own merits.
The woman in red is wearing tights and a dark red whip around her waist, outlining her slender and attractive waist. She has an outstanding appearance, with a heroic look between her eyebrows, and the fiery red outfit makes her look heroic and unique.
This woman was none other than Tang Zhen's only daughter, the apple of Fenyan Valley's eye, and Tang Huoer, who had once had a brief fight with Xiao Ling.
At this moment, Tang Huoer's gaze fell on Xiao Ling opposite her, with some complicated emotions intertwined in her eyes.
Xiao Ling seemed to feel Tang Huoer's gaze. After looking at her for a moment, he gently looked away.
The Valley Master of Burning Flame Valley personally came out to greet him, and was so humble and polite, so Xiao Ling naturally would not put on airs. He clasped his fists slightly, smiled and said, "Haha, Valley Master Tang, I have heard of your great name for a long time. Xiao Ling is here to greet you. Our Starfall Pavilion's Pavilion Master Feng Xian even asked me to say hello to Valley Master Tang!"
"Haha, Venerable Feng and I haven't seen each other for a long time. If there is a chance, I must have a few drinks with Venerable Feng." Tang Zhen waved his hand and said enthusiastically.
Afterwards, Tang Zhen walked in front and personally led the way for Xiao Ling and Qing Lin, leading them into the hall, saying as he walked: "Master Xiao Ling, Miss Qing Lin, please come in. Huo'er's situation happened suddenly this time, and I made arrangements on the spur of the moment, issued a notice, and invited several alchemists to come. I didn't expect that Master Xiao Ling would be interested in this matter and come in person."
There were already nearly ten people sitting in the hall. Most of them were wearing alchemist robes. From their weathered faces, it could be seen that they were no longer young.
Their expressions were calm, and even though they were in the lobby of Burning Flame Valley's headquarters, they did not seem to be uneasy at all.
On the contrary, there was a hint of pride on their faces to a greater or lesser extent, as if they were quite proud of their identity and status as alchemists.
But think about it, the reaction of these alchemists is also reasonable. In the Douqi Continent, alchemists enjoy a very high status.
These alchemists had been personally entertained by Tang Zhen before. When Elder Chihuo came in, Tang Zhen actually brought a group of elders to greet him personally, which naturally aroused their great interest.
At this moment, many people's eyes were turned to the entrance of the hall, curious about what would happen next.
"Look, the Lord of Fenyan Valley is personally leading the way. How great is this honor? Who is this prominent figure coming?"
"This guy looks very young, and he doesn't have an alchemist badge on him. Could he be a young master from a big family?"
"You old fellow, are your eyesight not good enough? You can't even recognize Master Xiao Ling's face? Master Xiao Ling is the youngest eighth-grade alchemy master recorded in Danta."
"What? Master Xiao Ling? He actually came here in person!"
"It's worth my trip to see Master Xiao Ling in person."
……
The dozen or so well-known alchemists in the Central Region in the hall were all surprised when they saw Xiao Ling walk in. The arrogance on their faces seemed to be blown away by the wind and disappeared without a trace in an instant. They all became respectful and didn't even dare to breathe.
In front of Xiao Ling, an 8th-grade alchemist who truly deserves the title, they, the alchemists who are at most 7th-grade, naturally pale in comparison and dare not show any disrespect to him.
More than a year ago, Xiao Ling first emerged in the Northern Territory and became famous. Then, he went straight to the Danta headquarters. In that solemn place, under the witness of the three giants of Danta and a group of elders, Xiao Ling showed his skills and successfully refined an eighth-grade four-color pill.
Amid exclamations, President Xuan Kongzi personally pinned the badge of an eighth-grade alchemist on him, marking that he officially became an eighth-grade alchemist. At the same time, he also broke the Danta record and became the youngest eighth-grade alchemist master in history.
Not long after that, Master Xiao Ling somehow joined the Xingyun Pavilion, one of the four pavilions. During this time, many powerful people came here in the hope of getting elixirs from him.
Every time a transaction was made, as long as both parties reached an agreement, the person seeking the pills would always get what they wanted and leave with a satisfied smile. After these experts returned with the satisfied pills, Xiao Ling's reputation as a master of alchemy rose and became more famous as word of mouth spread.
After all, asking a pharmacist to make pills not only requires collecting herbs personally and preparing generous rewards, but the probability of successful refining cannot be guaranteed, because even a highly skilled pharmacist cannot achieve a 100% success rate.
If the medicinal materials you provide fail to be refined into elixirs, then the losses will be borne by the elixir seeker. This risk is a reality that every elixir seeker must face.
However, those who went to Xingyun Pavilion to look for "Xiao Ling" to refine the eighth-grade elixir have never returned empty-handed. This indirectly proves the superb skills of "Xiao Ling" in refining elixir and the high success rate.
In fact, most of them arrived at Fenyan Valley early, but Valley Master Tang Zhen always said that they had to wait for an important person to arrive before they could start. At first, they complained about this kind of waiting, and they were more or less dissatisfied in their hearts.
However, when they learned that the person they were waiting for was actually this distinguished adult, their previous dissatisfaction instantly disappeared, and was replaced by respect and admiration.
"Master Xiao Ling, and this lady, please take a seat!"
Tang Zhen personally invited Xiao Ling and Qing Lin to the seat of honored guests, second only to him, the master of Fenyan Valley. As an eighth-grade alchemy master, Xiao Ling's status is naturally self-evident, and he is not inferior to Tang Zhen, the master of the valley.
Although Qing Lin was young, he was already a master of at least five-star Dou Zong, and was obviously a young genius, and also Xiao Ling's companion. Therefore, Tang Zhen gave them the highest courtesy among those present.
"Masters, I, Tang Zhen, have gathered you all here. I believe you all have an idea in mind. It is to refine a kind of elixir. The quality of this elixir is high-grade seventh-grade."
As soon as Tang Zhen finished speaking, the faces of the group of alchemy masters in the hall changed slightly. Some were surprised, some were in deep thought, but Xiao Ling was the only one who remained calm.
A seventh-grade elixir, and a seventh-grade high-grade one at that, was undoubtedly a big challenge for most of the sixth-grade alchemists present. Apart from Xiao Ling, the two strongest masters could only barely refine a seventh-grade intermediate elixir at best. They all knew about this seventh-grade high-grade elixir and knew that they were probably powerless.
The two guest elders from Danta exchanged glances, and then the alchemist known as Master Huan spoke up, "Valley Master Tang, forgive us for being frank, but a seventh-grade high-level elixir, such a high-level elixir, even the two of us are helpless. I'm afraid that this mission can only be accomplished by Master Xiao Ling himself."
As he spoke, Master Huan bowed slightly in Xiao Ling's direction. Although he was old enough to be Xiao Ling's elder, in the art of alchemy, strength was respected. Xiao Ling's alchemy skills were far superior to his, so he naturally treated him with courtesy, and in his heart he was full of sincere admiration for Xiao Ling, the young genius.
"I came here mainly to make sure everything is foolproof. My requirements are quite strict, so Master Tang Zhen asked you to give it a try to see if you are qualified." Xiao Ling gently stroked the soft fur of the little mink in his arms, raised his head and glanced at the man indifferently, then calmly looked away and said in a light tone,
"If you can't meet the standards of Valley Master Tang Zhen, then I will have to do it myself. Of course, if it really comes to that, what I need may have to be borne by Fenyan Valley."
After hearing what Xiao Ling said, everyone suddenly realized that the reason they invited the eighth-grade alchemy master Xiao Ling and gathered these seventh- and sixth-grade alchemists was because Master Xiao Ling's conditions were too difficult. Valley Master Tang Zhen probably wanted to see whether these alchemists with less high requirements could successfully complete the task.
After understanding this, the expressions of these alchemists became complicated, and they all looked at Tang Zhen with a hint of dissatisfaction. It seemed that the practice of Fenyan Valley was indeed a little difficult to accept.
Being stared at by so many strange eyes, Tang Zhen also felt a little embarrassed...
(End of this chapter)