Abyss Sovereign 131 to 140

 

Abyss Sovereign Chapter 131

The Yellow Heaven Elixir shared similar effects with the Ascension Elixir, both capable of boosting a Heavenly Martial cultivator’s power, but the Yellow Heaven Elixir was specifically tailored for high-tier Heavenly Martial practitioners, offering a greater chance of breakthrough. It was a highly coveted elixir among late-stage Heavenly Martial warriors.

However, the primary ingredients for the Yellow Heaven Elixir were rarer, several times more precious than those for the Ascension Elixir, and it belonged to the third-grade advanced category.

Lin Xiao’s plan to refine the Yellow Heaven Elixir meant attempting to leap two grades in refining, no small feat. At the third-grade advanced level, even Ye Yu would find it extremely difficult to refine an elixir one grade above his own.

The others nearby were equally shocked. Was Lin Xiao aiming to tackle the highest level of difficulty?

“Heimu, are you sure you want to refine the Yellow Heaven Elixir? You know, third-grade advanced elixirs aren’t easy to refine. Crafting an exceptional third-grade intermediate elixir could still win you the championship,” Le Zheng Hongmao couldn’t help but interject.

“It’s not that I’m overconfident. Ye Yu and that black-robed youth are so strong in the third-grade intermediate realm that it’d be hard to outshine them there. I can only push my limits. If my spiritual power falls short, perhaps my spiritual energy can make up for it,” Lin Xiao replied.

He spoke the truth. Refining one grade above was manageable for him, but two grades was uncharted territory.

Ye Yu and the black-robed youth had likely mastered third-grade intermediate elixirs to perfection, possibly even capable of cross-grade refining themselves. Without aiming for a third-grade advanced elixir, he’d have little chance of winning.

In terms of spiritual power, he matched others at third-grade intermediate and was nearing third-grade advanced. Combined with his dual spiritual energy fusion, refining a third-grade advanced elixir was a gamble worth taking.

He chose the Yellow Heaven Elixir because, in the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor’s memories, its ingredients were relatively easier to source compared to other third-grade advanced elixirs. The emperor had refined it more often, making it a safer bet.

Moreover, among third-grade advanced elixirs, the Yellow Heaven Elixir’s performance and quality were mid-tier. Even if Ye Yu and the black-robed youth also produced third-grade advanced elixirs, he’d still have a decent shot at victory.

“That’s a fair point. Ye Yu does have the ability to refine a third-grade advanced elixir, and that black-robed youth seems even more formidable. Sticking to third-grade intermediate might indeed leave you with no chance,” Ye Fenghua paused briefly before continuing, “Since you’ve decided on a third-grade advanced elixir, prepare well tonight. Of course, Ye Yu is one of my favored contenders too. Whether you can surpass him and that youth is up to you. As for the Yellow Heaven Elixir’s ingredients, the alliance happens to have a set. I’ll have it sent to you later. Rest up and get ready today.”

“They really have it,” Lin Xiao thought, delighted, and quickly thanked him, “Then I’ll thank you, Alliance Leader.”

While the Yellow Heaven Elixir’s ingredients weren’t rare in the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor’s hands, they were scarce in the Lanlan Empire’s markets. For the alliance to produce a set so readily, Lin Xiao couldn’t help but marvel at their resources.

Regardless, he noted Ye Fenghua’s kindness in his heart.

After a brief exchange of refining insights with Ye Fenghua, Lin Xiao returned to his room. Per Ye Fenghua’s orders, no one disturbed him, save for a deacon delivering the herbs.

With no spare ingredients, Lin Xiao could only mentally rehearse with his spiritual energy. He rested only late into the night.

…

The next morning arrived, and with the Spirit Controller Alliance’s bustling crowd, Lin Xiao returned to the competition plaza. Today’s scene was even livelier than yesterday’s.

Ye Fenghua, Chen Wendao, Zhou Moyi, Emperor Meng, and other prominent figures sat on the jade platform once more.

Amid the roaring crowd, Lin Xiao stepped into the arena, joining the fifty young disciples at the center of attention.

These fifty were the cream of the empire’s young spirit controllers, with Lin Xiao and a few others standing out as the elite among them. Nearly all eyes were fixed on them.

As the morning sun bathed the ground, Ye Fenghua rose slowly, scanning the crowd. When silence fell, he spoke, “Everyone, today we hold the final refining competition. The rules were announced yesterday: one chance, half a day, the highest-grade elixir wins.”

“As for the rewards, many of you may have heard rumors.”

“For the top fifty finalists, each can choose either an Entry Heaven Elixir or an Ascension Elixir.”

At Ye Fenghua’s words, the crowd buzzed again.

An Entry Heaven Elixir had a high chance of nurturing a Heavenly Martial expert, while an Ascension Elixir could boost a Heavenly Martial cultivator by one level. Many factions paid dearly for them.

Both elixirs were notoriously hard to refine, often priceless in the markets.

Just reaching the top fifty guaranteed an Entry Heaven or Ascension Elixir, a lavish reward for the fifty youths. Even if they couldn’t use it, they could trade it for valuable elixirs or herbs.

The crowd marvelled. Only the Spirit Controller Alliance could afford to offer so many of these elixirs at once.

As the murmurs of awe continued, Ye Fenghua added, “The top ten each receive a fourth-grade elementary Aperture Spirit Elixir and a fourth-grade elementary recipe.”

Whoa!

The mention of the Aperture Spirit Elixir sparked another wave of gasps, especially among spirit controllers. It opened the mind, heightening their grasp of spiritual power cultivation. Some could soar from there, advancing rapidly.

Paired with a recipe, the lifeblood of spirit controllers, a fourth-grade elementary one at that, these rewards held an almost magical allure. Every youth’s eyes blazed with desire.

“The top five receive a fourth-grade intermediate elixir, the Yang-Opening Blood Qi Elixir, and a fourth-grade intermediate recipe, tailored to their rank,” Ye Fenghua continued, “The champion gets a fifth-grade elixir, the Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir with a trace of dragon blood, plus a choice of any fourth-grade advanced recipe.”

“Fifth-grade elixir, Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir!”

Even the Martial Venerables present stirred at the champion’s prize. In the entire Lanlan Empire, only Ye Fenghua could refine fifth-grade elixirs.

Fifth-grade elixirs typically required a Martial Venerable to refine, but those usable by lower-tier cultivators were exceptional, and the Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir was one such rarity.

Its greatest allure lay in its refinement with serpent blood, containing a hint of dragon essence. It could solidify the dantian and blood from虚 to real, turning weakness into strength, enhancing both dantian and physique, a boon even for Martial Venerables.

“Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir!” Gazing at Ye Fenghua ahead, Lin Xiao smacked his lips. This was his goal for joining the competition.

Ye Yu, Wu Gong, the black-robed youth, and others also lit up with fervor.

The other youths’ eyes gleamed too. Even if they couldn’t refine it themselves, the elixir could fetch immense concessions from a Martial Venerable.

Surely no Martial Venerable present would pass up trading for a Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir.

The crowd outside marvelled quietly. Offering something even Martial Venerables coveted, the competition’s rewards were lavish beyond measure, no wonder it drew every young spirit controller in the empire.

“Alright, to claim the Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir, you’ll need enough talent and strength. Let’s see who among you will take this year’s championship! The final refining competition begins now,” Ye Fenghua declared.

As his words fell, a wild laugh erupted in the arena, “Hahaha, I never expected the Lanlan Empire’s refining competition to offer a Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir. This trip was well worth it!”

Abyss Sovereign Chapter 132

The speaker was none other than the black-robed youth who had excelled in the first three rounds. At his words, the atmosphere, which had been on the verge of erupting, fell silent.

Even Ye Fenghua’s expression shifted slightly.

The gazes of the youths in the arena sharpened. The Lanlan Empire had its share of disputes with neighboring empires, and the Young Spirit Controller Refining Competition had always barred foreign spirit controllers from participating.

They certainly didn’t want their resources nurturing another empire’s talent.

Yet, judging by the black-robed youth’s words, he clearly wasn’t from the Lanlan Empire. Somehow, he’d infiltrated the imperial city and joined the competition.

Not only had he reached the finals, but he’d boldly declared it in front of everyone, catching them all off guard.

This was an blatant challenge to the Lanlan Empire’s dignity and the Spirit Controller Alliance’s authority.

Ye Fenghua’s expression hardened, and he said coldly, “You’re not from the Lanlan Empire?”

The black-robed youth nodded without hesitation, “I am Yunfeng, a spirit controller from the Moyu Empire. I’ve long heard of the Lanlan Empire’s abundance of talent and countless young spirit controller geniuses, so I came to see for myself. I trust Alliance Leader Ye won’t object to me sparring with your empire’s youths?”

“Hmph, the Lanlan Empire’s Spirit Controller Competition is only for our own youths. You dared to sneak into the imperial city and join? You’ve got some nerve!” a youth in the arena snapped.

Yunfeng cast a disdainful glance at him, a mocking smile on his face, “Oh? Are all you Lanlan Empire spirit controllers just empty reputations? So many of you, yet afraid of losing to a single outsider from the Moyu Empire?”

He turned his gaze to Ye Fenghua, “Alliance Leader Ye, I admit joining the competition uninvited was presumptuous, but I genuinely came to test myself against your empire’s young spirit controllers. I hope you’ll permit me to compete in the finals. If I somehow win the championship, I’ll forgo the reward.”

“Of course, if you’re unwilling, I’ll leave the competition now.”

Yunfeng’s tone sounded polite, but the biting sarcasm in his words grated on everyone’s ears.

Though a Moyu Empire infiltrator had slipped in, driving him out publicly would leave the Lanlan Empire open to claims that its spirit controllers were inferior, unable to match a Moyu outsider.

This was a subtle coercion, pressuring Ye Fenghua to let him compete.

The arena fell quiet, all eyes on Ye Fenghua, awaiting the response of this titan of the spirit controller world.

Ye Fenghua’s gaze grew colder, his fingers tapping the table as he pondered. After a moment, he said, “The Lanlan Empire isn’t that feeble. If you want to compete, I’ll allow it. Should you win the championship, the reward is yours! But whether you can claim it isn’t decided by words alone.”

As the leader of the spirit controllers, Ye Fenghua prioritized the bigger picture, unwilling to let the Lanlan Empire Spirit Controller Alliance be branded as bullies or inferior in skill.

The other dignitaries on the jade platform remained silent, tacitly endorsing his decision.

“Truly, Alliance Leader Ye embodies the grace of a master. I thank you,” Yunfeng said, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes, a sinister curve tugging at his lips. He swept an arrogant gaze over Ye Yu and the other youths, “Then I’ll gladly take that champion’s reward.”

His tone was outrageously cocky, as if the title was already his.

“Hmph, talking big won’t strain your tongue? Yunfeng, do you think the Lanlan Empire has no one capable? Claiming the championship now, aren’t you celebrating a bit too soon?”

Wu Gong stepped forward, his voice a frigid shout. As one of the top young geniuses, he’d been outshone in the first three rounds and was already seething.

Now, learning Yunfeng was an infiltrator from the Moyu Empire and hearing him claim the championship before the contest even began—completely dismissing him—how could he not be furious?

The other youths felt the same. Yunfeng’s insult targeted the entire empire’s young spirit controllers.

The elite of the empire’s youth, outdone by Yunfeng alone.

“You’re right. So what if you did well in the first three rounds? Even if you’re the top genius of the Moyu Empire, do you think we’re all pushovers?” Ye Yu’s face darkened, glaring at Yunfeng, his voice icy.

Lin Xiao’s eyes narrowed too. There was something about Yunfeng he couldn’t quite grasp.

Sure, Yunfeng had performed impressively in the first three rounds, but not as well as him. To so arrogantly dismiss him too, Yunfeng must have some hidden trump card.

Lin Xiao was curious to see what gave him such confidence.

Unfazed by Wu Gong and Ye Yu’s challenges, Yunfeng remained calm and composed. He glanced at Ye Yu, Wu Gong, and Lin Xiao, his voice dripping with disdain, “To put it bluntly, you lot aren’t worthy of vying for the championship with me!”

With that, he stepped forward, and a vast wave of spiritual power surged from his mind, a powerful pressure bearing down on Lin Xiao and the surrounding crowd.

“Third-grade advanced spiritual power!”

Lin Xiao’s expression tightened. He hadn’t expected Yunfeng to be a third-grade advanced spirit controller.

Under thirty and at third-grade advanced, no one in the Lanlan Empire had reached that level. Yunfeng stood alone in the arena.

No wonder he was so confident. With third-grade advanced spiritual power, refining a single third-grade advanced elixir would make him nearly unbeatable.

This hit Lin Xiao with a wave of pressure. He’d planned to refine a third-grade advanced Yellow Heaven Elixir for a strong shot at the title, but against a true third-grade advanced spirit controller, even a successful Yellow Heaven Elixir might not suffice.

“What, you’re a third-grade advanced spirit controller!” Ye Yu’s face grew grave.

He’d assumed Yunfeng was just third-grade intermediate. Though Yunfeng had outperformed him in the first three rounds, Ye Yu, as Ye Fenghua’s nephew, was confident in refining the highest-grade elixir.

But facing a third-grade advanced spirit controller with comparable talent, his confidence wavered.

Wu Gong’s gaze froze. At third-grade elementary, his high talent let him refine third-grade intermediate elixirs across grades, aiming to challenge Ye Yu for the championship.

Yet now, a third-grade advanced spirit controller had emerged. Unless Yunfeng failed outright, Wu Gong couldn’t compete.

The odds of a highly skilled third-grade advanced spirit controller failing in such a competition were slim.

He’d all but lost his chance at the title.

Wu Gong’s and his master Fan Renlou’s faces outside the arena turned grim.

The entire scene stiffened.

A third-grade advanced spirit controller under thirty—an unmatched talent in the Lanlan Empire today. The winner of this competition seemed obvious.

If Yunfeng were from the Lanlan Empire, reaching that level so young would’ve thrilled the crowd. But he was from the less-than-friendly Moyu Empire.

If he took the championship, the Lanlan Empire would lose all face.

Every spirit controller in the empire would feel the shame.

Abyss Sovereign Chapter 133

At the scene, aside from Yunfeng himself, only one other person was pleased.

That was Yunfeng’s master, standing among the crowd with a sinister grin, finding the expressions of the Lanlan Empire’s people utterly delightful.

Seeing the crowd’s reactions, Yunfeng felt deeply satisfied and proud. He swept his gaze over Lin Xiao and the others, laughing loudly, “Hahaha, so, do any of you still think you’re qualified to compete with me for the championship?”

The young contestants’ expressions tightened, but they had no words to retort. Yunfeng was insufferably arrogant, yet his strength left them without the confidence to challenge him. Frustration gripped dozens of them, their fists clenched tight.

“Hmph, you’re not the only one who can refine third-grade advanced elixirs. Don’t get too full of yourself, it’s still uncertain who’ll come out on top!” Ye Yu shot a cold snort at Yunfeng. He was preparing to refine a third-grade advanced elixir across grades, one of considerable difficulty and quality.

“Oh, is that so? I’m looking forward to it. I hope you don’t disappoint me, or it’ll be too dull, hahaha!” Yunfeng replied with a mocking tone.

“Then just wait and see!” Ye Yu glared at him coldly.

“Enough, who wins or loses will be clear after the competition!” Ye Fenghua’s voice cut through at that moment.

His expression wasn’t much better. As the leader of the Lanlan Empire’s spirit controllers, if Yunfeng claimed the championship, he’d face ridicule from rival empires’ spirit controllers in the future.

But he was powerless to change it now. He couldn’t just eject Yunfeng at this point, leaving the outcome to depend on whether a miracle or upset occurred in the arena.

Glancing at Lin Xiao, he’d initially hoped Lin Xiao could refine the Yellow Heaven Elixir and take the crown, but now, even a successful refinement seemed unlikely to beat Yunfeng.

Ye Fenghua’s gaze shifted to Ye Yu, pinning his last shred of hope on him.

“I hope this kid Ye Yu can pull through!” With a long sigh, Ye Fenghua waved his hand and declared, “Now, let the competition begin!”

All eyes turned to the youths in the arena.

Most of them landed on Yunfeng first.

Ignoring the stares, Yunfeng’s face brimmed with arrogance. It was his time to shine. Before starting, he couldn’t resist taunting Lin Xiao, who’d overshadowed him in the first three rounds, “Heh, Heimu, was it? You got lucky with first place in the first three rounds. Let’s see how you compare to me in this final one!”

Lin Xiao’s face showed no trace of anger, responding calmly, “You don’t need to worry about how I’ll compete. I’ll just ask you this: in the first three rounds, didn’t you think you’d easily take first, just like you do now?”

Yunfeng had indeed been stifled by Lin Xiao in those rounds, and he’d thought the same back then. Lin Xiao’s sudden remark made his expression falter, though he quickly regained his composure.

“Heh, so what if you’ve got talent? This final round is about elixir grade. You’re just a third-grade elementary spirit controller at best, maybe capable of refining a third-grade intermediate elixir across one grade. You can’t even produce a third-grade advanced elixir, so what are you going to use to challenge me?” Yunfeng sneered at Lin Xiao.

“You don’t need to concern yourself with that. But honestly, your mindset now is just like it was in the first three rounds. I really can refine a third-grade advanced elixir,” Lin Xiao replied evenly.

“You… can refine across two grades?” Yunfeng was momentarily stunned by Lin Xiao’s words, surprised and a bit humiliated after mocking whether Lin Xiao could manage a third-grade advanced elixir.

But thinking of his own edge, he quickly reverted to his lofty arrogance, sneering at Lin Xiao, “Talk is cheap, anyone can do that. Let’s see you refine it first. And even if you all manage third-grade advanced elixirs, so what?”

He then glanced at Ye Yu, “Competing with me in third-grade advanced elixirs? Heh, you’re still too green… No point in talking more. Today, I’ll show you what a real third-grade advanced elixir looks like!”

With that, Yunfeng waved his hand, and a large pile of herbs appeared, floating before him.

“That’s Thunder Channel Wood, it can draw lightning, an extremely rare herb!”

“And that’s Blazing Sun Mysterious Stone, formed only in the hottest volcanic regions!”

“Thunder Channel Wood and Blazing Sun Mysterious Stone are precious, but they don’t seem like main ingredients for any elixir. Could the primary herbs be something else we can’t identify? What elixir is Yunfeng refining?”

The crowd buzzed with speculation. No one could discern Yunfeng’s intended elixir. Apart from some basic auxiliary herbs, many ingredients were unrecognizable.

Only Thunder Channel Wood and Blazing Sun Mysterious Stone were identified by a few seasoned spirit controllers.

Both were rare herbs, hard to find even in an entire nation.

With these two in play, he was surely crafting something extraordinary.

“Competing with herbs, eh? Heh, I’ve got some too!” Seeing Yunfeng’s materials, Ye Yu let out a slight breath of relief, smirked, and waved his hand. A crescent-shaped, moonlight-hued fruit floated up, exuding a chill.

“Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit!”

Lin Xiao’s eyes widened at the sight of this peculiar fruit.

The Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit grew in vast lakes, absorbing the essence of the moon over time to form a rare fruit imbued with cold yin energy. It could be used to refine the Cold Moon Elixir.

The specimen in Ye Yu’s hand was roughly a hundred years old, sufficient to craft a third-grade advanced Cold Moon Elixir.

Consuming it would infuse one’s power with a cold yin attribute, amplifying destructive force—an exceptionally rare and special attribute elixir.

If a ninth-layer Heavenly Martial warrior took the Cold Moon Elixir, they could hold their own against an early Martial King without falling behind. It was a life-saving trump card with immense killing power, capable of turning the tables against foes several times stronger in critical moments.

“Ye Yu’s actually got materials for an elixir with special attributes!”

“Worthy of being Ye Fenghua’s nephew, securing something as rare as a Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit!”

“The Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit is the core ingredient for the Cold Moon Elixir, a third-grade advanced elixir of above-average quality!”

“Now this is worth watching. Hopefully, Ye Yu can turn the tide and beat Yunfeng!”

The crowd erupted in excited chatter, seeing a glimmer of hope in Ye Yu.

“Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit, a material for a special attribute elixir! I can’t believe you’d part with something like that!” On the jade platform, Le Zheng Hongmao gasped in surprise.

Special attribute elixir materials were incredibly rare and coveted, even by him. He didn’t believe Ye Yu could have acquired it on his own—it must have been provided by Ye Fenghua.

Abyss Sovereign Chapter 134

“I’ve refined attribute elixirs before, so it’s not a big deal to me. Besides, this Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit is only a hundred years old, good enough for a third-grade advanced Cold Moon Elixir, but it’s not of much use to us. Might as well let him use it to hone his skills. Now, it’s up to him to see if he can pull it off,” Ye Fenghua remarked calmly.

Le Zheng Hongmao nodded. Seeing Ye Yu produce the Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit, a glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes.

In the arena, Yunfeng paused briefly, clearly surprised by Ye Yu’s Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit.

But his shock lasted only a moment before he regained his composure, sneering at Ye Yu, “Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit, huh? What a coincidence. Unfortunately, it’s still a step below my main ingredient!”

The crowd gasped. Yunfeng’s rare Thunder Channel Wood and Blazing Sun Mysterious Stone were just auxiliary herbs? His primary ingredient was even more precious than Ye Yu’s?

Amid the murmurs of astonishment, Yunfeng waved his hand, and a palm-sized, translucent broad-leafed herb glowing with blue light appeared before him.

Faint sparks of lightning occasionally crackled from it, emitting sharp “Chi! Chi!” sounds. The leaf seemed to pulse with wild thunder energy, as if it might burst forth at any moment.

“He’s got a similar rare herb too!”

“And it’s imbued with thunder energy!”

“Yunfeng really came prepared!”

The crowd erupted in exclamations, while Ye Yu’s gaze froze.

“That’s Thunder Spirit Grass!” Lin Xiao jolted in recognition.

Thunder Spirit Grass was akin to the Deep Lake Cold Moon Fruit in its uniqueness. Growing on towering peaks, it absorbed the power of mountain lightning over centuries, brimming with thunder energy.

From the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor’s memories, a Thunder Spirit Grass of this size required over a hundred years of lightning absorption to form. It could be used to refine a third-grade advanced elixir called the Thunder Spirit Elixir.

Once refined, it granted a spirit controller temporary access to thunder energy, akin to wielding thunder-attributed spiritual energy, boosting destructive power several-fold.

It was an elixir that mimicked the forces of nature, a dream for countless spirit controllers.

However, Thunder Spirit Grass, the core ingredient, was so rare and precious—seen once in a century—that the Thunder Spirit Elixir was seldom used. Its recipe had faded from common knowledge, known to very few.

Compared to the Cold Moon Elixir, the Thunder Spirit Elixir held greater allure. Its power boost was fiercer and more explosive.

Moreover, the Thunder Spirit Elixir was refined with mental spiritual power, carrying some risk during the process but leaving no lasting side effects.

The Cold Moon Elixir, refined with physical vitality, imbued the body with cold yin energy, which inevitably caused some harm.

In terms of quality, the Thunder Spirit Elixir ranked as a top-tier third-grade advanced elixir, while the Cold Moon Elixir was merely upper-mid-tier.

Of course, achieving that rank depended on the refiner’s skill. A masterful spirit controller could elevate the Cold Moon Elixir to top-tier status, while a poor one might degrade the Thunder Spirit Elixir to mid or even low-tier.

“Thunder Spirit Grass—he’s refining the Thunder Spirit Elixir!” Even Ye Fenghua on the jade platform was visibly moved.

Spiritual energy was something he coveted, and an elixir with its attributes stirred his heart.

Le Zheng Hongmao and Situ Guang showed similar awe. Even a single taste of spiritual energy was the ultimate dream for these peak empire spirit controllers.

Not just them—every spirit controller present was stunned. This genius from the Moyu Empire, traveling all this way, indeed came with extraordinary resources and rare treasures.

“It’s another one of those herbs!” Ye Yu’s expression grew graver, adding pressure to the confidence he’d held in his material advantage.

Though he didn’t know the specifics of the Thunder Spirit Elixir, a herb infused with thunder power surely yielded something exceptional.

The others in the arena tensed as well. Ye Yu was up against a third-grade advanced spirit controller with no edge in materials—possibly even at a slight disadvantage.

“When it comes to herbs, yours are inferior. In refining skill and spiritual power, you’re far beneath me. Looks like you’re out of luck—prepare for defeat,” Yunfeng taunted Ye Yu once more, then waved his hand, pulling out a dark spiritual wood and beginning to calcine his herbs.

“We’ll see who’s beneath whom once it’s refined!” Ye Yu’s gaze sharpened. Unwilling to back down, he took out an iceberg spiritual wood and a pile of auxiliary herbs, starting his own refining process.

A refining showdown had begun.

Watching both Yunfeng and Ye Yu already calcining their herbs, Lin Xiao, still unmoving, furrowed his brows deeply, “If Yunfeng’s Thunder Spirit Elixir succeeds, it’ll be a top-tier third-grade advanced elixir. With superior skill, it could even be flawless. In terms of value and quality among third-grade elixirs, nothing else could match it.”

“Even Ye Yu’s Cold Moon Elixir and my planned Yellow Heaven Elixir can’t compare…”

The Yellow Heaven Elixir, among third-grade advanced elixirs, was only mid-tier, falling short of the Cold Moon Elixir by a hair.

In other words, no matter how well he refined, if either of them succeeded, he’d have no shot at the championship.

Both were prodigiously talented young spirit controllers, and Lin Xiao didn’t believe they’d both fail simultaneously. Without refining an elixir of higher grade than theirs, he was doomed to miss the title in this competition.

“The Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir would greatly enhance my Blood Dragon phenomenon. If I take it before my revenge, my vitality would rise another level, giving me an extra lifeline…”

Lin Xiao’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at Feng Lanyue on the jade platform—calm, unfathomable, and calculating. After a moment’s thought, he made a firm decision, “If I can’t win the Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir, this competition is meaningless. Refining the Yellow Heaven Elixir guarantees defeat no matter what. I might as well go for a fourth-grade elementary elixir—the Thunderclap Evil Fire Elixir!”

For the final round, where participants supplied their own herbs, the highest-grade elixir he could currently refine used materials he’d bought earlier at the market for the Thunderclap Evil Fire Elixir, with its core ingredient, the Green Flame Evil Fruit.

The auxiliary herbs for the Thunderclap Evil Fire Elixir were already in his possession, but as a fourth-grade elementary elixir, it far exceeded his current spiritual power. He’d never intended to refine it before his revenge.

Refining the Thunderclap Evil Fire Elixir was highly dangerous—one misstep could trigger an explosion of immense power.

Most critically, the Green Flame Evil Fruit was a once-in-a-lifetime find. If he failed, finding the materials again could take an indeterminate amount of time.

But now, for the Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir, Lin Xiao had no choice but to risk it.

The Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor had refined the Green Flame Evil Fruit many times, relying heavily on absorbing vast amounts of spiritual fire energy. With his dual spiritual energies as a substitute, Lin Xiao could just barely attempt it…

Though the odds were slim, he had no other option.

At that moment, Lin Xiao’s eyes blazed with determination, his fighting spirit igniting fiercely.

Refining was a battle too, and he couldn’t afford to lose to them!

Abyss Sovereign Chapter 135

“I’m going all in!”

Lin Xiao clenched his fists, then flicked his hand, retrieving the Green Flame Evil Fruit from his storage ring. With a surge of spiritual power, he guided it to float several meters ahead and slightly upward.

The crowd murmured in surprise at the sight of the Green Flame Evil Fruit. Its glossy, dark green sheen resembled a jewel, catching the eye.

But compared to Ye Yu and Yunfeng’s ingredients, it fell short. Considering Lin Xiao’s spiritual power level, the onlookers could only sigh with regret.

Lin Xiao had been dazzling in the first three rounds, but the fourth round hinged on elixir grade. With his rank so clear, no amount of brilliance could bridge the gap.

Refining across one grade was already a monumental challenge; crossing two grades and surpassing both opponents was near impossible.

“Didn’t he say he’d refine the Yellow Heaven Elixir? What’s this ingredient?” Ye Fenghua’s brows furrowed, a puzzled look crossing his face.

He couldn’t identify this green fruit. Yesterday, Lin Xiao had confirmed he’d refine the Yellow Heaven Elixir. Had he switched to another elixir on the spot after seeing Yunfeng and Ye Yu’s plans?

Yet, Ye Fenghua couldn’t fathom what high-grade elixir this shiny green fruit could produce.

“This green fruit feels… unusual…” Ye Fenghua seemed on the verge of a realization but shook his head, “No, that recipe’s been lost for ages.”

“Father, do you know what he’s refining?” On the other side, Meng Ying watched Lin Xiao, brimming with fighting spirit, and asked with curiosity.

Emperor Meng shook his head slightly, “I’ve seen my share of things, but I’m no expert in elixirs. I can’t tell.”

“Judging by his character, he doesn’t seem like someone who gives up easily. Maybe the elixir he’s preparing isn’t low-grade,” Meng Ying mused inwardly with a sigh.

Only one person in the crowd recognized the fruit—a middle-aged man who’d sold it to Lin Xiao at the market. Even now, he didn’t know its purpose.

As for Wu Neng and Chen Tong, who’d clashed with Lin Xiao that day, their families had punished them severely, barring them from attending the competition.

Once Lin Xiao produced his ingredient, the others followed suit, pulling out their own herbs and starting to refine.

Wu Gong prepared a third-grade intermediate elixir, the highest difficulty he could manage, though he begrudged falling behind.

At the same time, Chen Qing’er, Feng Huo, Wu Sha, Xuanxuan, and others began their work.

When Wu Sha revealed a dense pile of herbs, Wu Meng’s face below the platform turned grave, his tone heavy, “Sha Sha’s actually going for that elixir…”

Noticing Wu Meng’s solemnity, Pang Po asked, puzzled, “Something’s off, old man Wu. I’ve never seen you this serious. What’s Sha Sha refining?”

“We’ll talk when the results are out!” Wu Meng snapped, sweat beading on his face.

Seeing Wu Meng’s reaction, Pang Po didn’t press further, turning his attention back to the arena.

He didn’t place such high expectations on Xuanxuan, so the pressure wasn’t as intense for him.

The scene proceeded according to the competition’s rules. Once refining began, loud disturbances were forbidden, and no spirit controller could interfere with others. The arena grew quiet.

Staring at the Green Flame Evil Fruit, Lin Xiao took a deep breath and summoned a burst of cyan fire spiritual energy to burn beneath it. But he suddenly sensed the fruit devouring the cyan fire, absorbing it entirely.

Lin Xiao broke into a cold sweat, hastily adjusting the cyan fire’s intensity and distance to prevent it from being consumed.

To refine the Thunderclap Evil Fire Elixir, the auxiliary herbs had to be fused into the Green Flame Evil Fruit first, then tempered. Otherwise, its voracious energy consumption would make blending other herbs impossible, requiring a gradual fusion followed by slow calcination.

Lin Xiao produced the fire-attributed Soaring Fire Wood, controlling it to burn beneath the Green Flame Evil Fruit. As it slowly liquefied into a woody sap, he meticulously fused it into the fruit.

The Green Flame Evil Fruit craved fire but repelled other herbs. Integrating the Soaring Fire Wood took considerable spiritual power and time.

If it weren’t a fire-attributed herb, fusion might have been outright impossible.

Next, Lin Xiao methodically blended one auxiliary herb after another. Though not rare or costly, all eighteen were fire-attributed.

Despite his efforts to hasten the process, it remained painstakingly slow.

By the time half the herbs were fused, an hour and a half had passed, and nearly a third of his spiritual power was depleted.

“What’s he refining? Why’s he fusing so many fire-attributed herbs into that green fruit?” Wen Renliang below the platform watched, bewildered.

“I’ve been staring for ages and still can’t figure out what this kid’s up to,” Pang Po shook his head, equally perplexed.

“And this method of fusing herbs into one—it’s so slow. Half a day is three hours, and half that time’s already gone. No idea how many more herbs he’s got to add,” Pang Po added.

The others were just as clueless, unfamiliar with this peculiar refining technique.

Even seasoned spirit controllers couldn’t guess what elixir Lin Xiao was crafting.

“Let’s wait and see. Hopefully, this kid gives us a surprise,” Wen Renliang sighed uncertainly.

On the jade platform, Ye Fenghua studied Lin Xiao intently, murmuring, “Vice Leaders, doesn’t it look like he’s refining an explosive elixir?”

“Explosive elixir?” Le Zheng Hongmao’s brows shot up, briefly considering the possibility before shaking his head, “No way. That kind of elixir’s been lost for centuries. He’s just a third-grade elementary spirit controller—however prodigious, he couldn’t possibly refine something like that.”

“Of course, I’d love for him to prove us wrong with a shock,” Le Zheng Hongmao added.

Situ Guang shared the same view. Experienced as they were, they couldn’t see Lin Xiao possessing the means to refine such an elixir.

Their gazes then shifted to Ye Yu, whose elixir was already two-thirds complete.

Unlike the swift pace of the first three rounds, refining high-grade elixirs demanded patience. A single mistake could ruin everything.

With only one chance in this competition, everyone proceeded with utmost caution. Completing half in an hour and a half was already double the usual speed.

When only half an hour remained, some began successfully condensing their elixirs.

“Chi!” Before Chen Qing’er, a third-grade elementary elixir took shape.

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“Cross-grade refining success! From now on, our Chen family won’t lack Skyward Elixirs!” On the jade platform, Chen Wendao exclaimed in a hushed tone, then let out a long breath of relief.

Chen Qing’er, with only second-grade advanced spiritual power, had crossed a major grade to refine a third-grade elementary elixir, a feat no less challenging than Ye Yu and others refining across grades.

“Skyward Elixirs are rare in the markets. Now our Chen family won’t need to pay exorbitant prices to hire spirit controllers to refine them,” Chen Yan said, his face alight with excitement.

Zhou Xiong, standing nearby, was equally thrilled, though Zhou Ruoyi, once Chen Qing’er’s close friend, felt an inexplicable pang of disappointment. She should have been standing alongside her.

After Chen Qing’er’s success, Meng Sheng also completed his refining, condensing a third-grade elementary elixir. As he exhaled deeply, a rich medicinal fragrance wafted from the elixir.

Le Zheng Hongmao on the platform nodded with satisfaction at the sight.

Next, Feng Huo condensed a third-grade intermediate elixir, the Fierce Yuan Elixir, which amplified raw, explosive strength, a rare and potent concoction, marking it as the highest-grade elixir refined so far.

For the younger generation, a third-grade intermediate elixir was almost unattainable, placing Feng Huo among the top ranks of youth spirit controllers.

Situ Guang’s face glowed with approval.

“Bone-Forging Elixir, finally done! In the realm of third-grade intermediate elixirs, I’m the best!” Wu Gong’s voice rang out.

A smooth, glossy elixir took shape before him.

“Bone-Forging Elixir! It outshines the Fierce Yuan Elixir in the third-grade intermediate category! Wu Gong’s got real talent,” Ye Fenghua on the platform remarked with a hint of awe.

The Bone-Forging Elixir strengthened a martial artist’s bones and physique, a rare and top-tier third-grade intermediate elixir, priceless in the markets.

Many elders would pay fortunes to secure it for their faction’s prodigies.

Its value far exceeded the Fierce Yuan Elixir.

“Looks like my elixir might be a bit higher!”

A soft voice chimed in as Wu Sha spoke, followed by the silent formation of an elixir.

“Third-grade advanced elixir!” A fourth-grade elementary spirit controller at the arena’s edge sensed its grade and was the first to cry out.

This was the highest-grade elixir yet, made even more stunning by Wu Sha’s third-grade elementary status, crossing two grades in a breathtaking display of skill.

“What, how is that possible?” Wu Gong froze, his face etched with disbelief.

He’d thought his Bone-Forging Elixir, a standout among third-grade intermediates refined across grades, would secure him a top-three spot.

He never imagined Wu Sha, whom he’d dismissed yesterday as insignificant, would leap two grades to refine a third-grade advanced elixir, outranking his own.

It was beyond belief. What was happening today? Since when were there so many super-genius spirit controllers?

Wu Gong’s mind teetered on collapse.

“It worked, it finally worked! Hahaha…” Outside, Wu Meng leapt up, slamming the table and laughing wildly, “The championship, Wu Sha’s got a shot at it!”

Pang Po and Wen Renliang were startled by Wu Meng’s fervor. Pang Po tugged at him, stammering, “Hey, old Wu, you alright? The competition’s not over. Crossing two grades is a miracle, but it’s not the championship yet.”

“No worries, no worries, just let me laugh a bit, that’s all,” Wu Meng chuckled dryly, snapping back to himself and sitting down, though his excited grin refused to fade.

“Crossing two grades, Wu Meng’s raised a real genius!” Ye Fenghua cast an approving glance, echoed by nods from the two vice leaders.

In talent, crossing two grades surpassed even Ye Yu.

The crowd outside erupted in gasps, the atmosphere peaking with Wu Sha’s feat. Meng Sheng, Xuanxuan, and others condensed their elixirs in succession, but their achievements were overshadowed.

Of course, a few failed, plummeting to the bottom ranks of the competition.

As the scene settled, all eyes turned back to Ye Yu and Yunfeng, who had been the central focus throughout.

As for Lin Xiao, still meticulously fusing herbs into his green fruit, many doubted he’d even produce a single elixir.

Nearly another incense stick’s time passed, leaving just the final one. Only three remained unfinished in the arena.

Lin Xiao, still slowly adding herbs one by one, hadn’t even finished the fusion.

By now, most had lost hope in him. No matter what, he couldn’t surpass Ye Yu and Yunfeng. All attention fixed on the two.

Their elixirs were reaching the final stage.

The arena fell silent.

“It’s done!” Ye Fenghua uttered from the platform, and a chilling elixir aura emanated from Ye Yu’s position.

Before Ye Yu, a glossy, white-glowing elixir condensed.

“Third-grade advanced, top-tier!” Sensing its aura, Ye Fenghua couldn’t help but exclaim, his eyes lighting with joy.

Ye Yu had succeeded, pushing his cross-grade refining to the limit, achieving a top-tier third-grade advanced elixir.

The crowd burst into exclamations. A top-tier third-grade advanced elixir meant that even if Yunfeng succeeded, Ye Yu wouldn’t lose.

Gazing at his elixir, Ye Yu sighed in relief, wiped his sweat, and stored it in a jade bottle before turning his eyes toward Yunfeng.

“Boom, Chi!”

At that moment, a faint rumble of thunder sounded, a subtle ripple spreading from the air before Yunfeng. A blue elixir, faintly crackling with electricity, took shape.

“Near fourth-grade elixir, I did it, hahaha…” Yunfeng’s wild laughter erupted.

“What, a near fourth-grade elixir?” Ye Yu, just relaxing, stiffened in shock.

A near fourth-grade elixir was the pinnacle of third-grade elixirs, flawless and complete, teetering on the edge of fourth-grade with the slightest push.

Even a top-tier third-grade advanced elixir fell short by a notch.

“It’s a near fourth-grade elixir!” The fourth-grade elementary referee at the edge leapt up in astonishment.

Ye Fenghua and the vice leaders on the jade platform were equally stunned. Refining a Thunder Spirit Elixir with special attributes to near fourth-grade status was something even a fourth-grade elementary spirit controller might not achieve.

Yunfeng’s refining skill was extraordinary, far beyond mere third-grade advanced spiritual power.

Abyss Sovereign Chapter 137

“How is this possible?” Ye Yu’s face twisted with unwillingness. Before the competition, he had considered the championship his own.

But now, it had slipped into someone else’s hands, leaving him unable to accept it.

A sudden sense of emptiness welled up in his heart.

At that moment, Meng Sheng, Feng Huo, and others froze as well. Deep down, they had all hoped Ye Yu would win.

“I told you long ago, you youths of the Lanlan Empire aren’t qualified to compete with me for the championship. Your empire’s refining skills can’t even compare to my Moyu Empire’s!”

Yunfeng boasted wildly, his face brimming with triumph as he scanned the jade platform. When his gaze swept over the youths in the arena, it dripped with mockery and thick disdain.

The dignitaries on the jade platform darkened, each a lofty figure. Yet today, they were being scorned by a mere junior with such a look.

Chen Yan, Feng Lanyue, and others on the platform also wore icy expressions. They were among the Lanlan Empire’s top talents, just not adept in spiritual power, and they bristled at Yunfeng’s swaggering attitude.

The youths in the arena seethed silently. Yunfeng’s contempt targeted the entire younger generation of the Lanlan Empire, a national insult that included them.

At the same time, he subtly mocked the Lanlan Empire’s overall refining prowess as inferior to the Moyu Empire’s.

“A super spirit controller genius from the Moyu Empire, huh? I wonder if you’ll make it out of the Lanlan Empire alive, heh…”

On the jade platform, Meng Ying watched the smug Yunfeng, a cold laugh echoing in her mind.

Though the Moyu and Lanlan Empires maintained a surface peace, they were locked in covert struggles. For a Moyu genius to dare provoke the Lanlan Empire, Meng Ying, a key figure in the imperial family, wouldn’t let such a talent return home to pose a future threat to her reign.

“But Heimu hasn’t finished yet…” Meng Ying’s gaze shifted to Lin Xiao. Having the championship snatched by a Moyu outsider was a profound embarrassment for the imperial family. She could only hope Lin Xiao might work a miracle.

Others shared her hope, instinctively glancing at Lin Xiao, only to see him still fusing a single herb. Their optimism faded instantly.

Lin Xiao was just a third-grade elementary spirit controller. No matter what, he couldn’t outdo Yunfeng’s near fourth-grade elixir.

It was even uncertain if he’d refine a single elixir to secure a decent rank.

“What’s that? I said your Lanlan Empire’s young spirit controllers can’t match me from the Moyu Empire, and you’re still not convinced?”

Yunfeng’s arrogance flared as he pointed at Ye Yu, “Ye Yu, do you submit now?”

Ye Yu’s expression hardened. Being singled out and questioned in front of everyone was a blatant humiliation!

Yet, the facts stared him down, leaving him speechless.

His fists clenched, his eyes practically blazing with fury.

Seeing Ye Yu’s reaction, Yunfeng grew even more smug, laughing to himself, “Hahaha, I, Yunfeng, am the champion of this refining competition. The Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir is mine!”

The crowd stiffened again. The humiliation was too raw, and everyone itched to rush up and throttle Yunfeng.

“Finally fused!” Just as the scene grew unbearably awkward, an out-of-place sigh of relief broke the tension.

All eyes turned toward the source of the sound.

A少年 gazed at a green fruit, taking a deep breath.

“…” Everyone was speechless.

After all this time, someone was still refining, seemingly so absorbed as to be unaffected by the chaos.

But the comment left them torn between laughter and tears. Others had finished, with Yunfeng producing a near fourth-grade elixir, and he’d only just completed fusing his herbs.

Only one incense stick’s worth of time remained in the competition.

Even Yunfeng paused, then glanced at Lin Xiao’s fruit still floating there, bursting into laughter, “He hasn’t even condensed it yet, hahaha…”

Yet Lin Xiao ignored all the stares and voices, casting a brief look at the jade platform and saying, “There’s still one incense stick’s time!”

With a deep breath, he unleashed his cyan fire spiritual energy, directing it to calcine the Green Flame Evil Fruit.

“Chi! Chi!” As the cyan fire neared the fruit, it was instantly swallowed up.

Immediately, Lin Xiao summoned more cyan fire spiritual energy, enveloping and pouring it into the Green Flame Evil Fruit.

“What kind of elixir is this, swallowing spiritual energy?” The crowd’s eyes flickered with curiosity, watching Lin Xiao’s every move in stunned silence.

But no matter how much cyan fire he summoned, the green fruit devoured it all. The onlookers saw sweat pour down Lin Xiao’s face, his body drenched and visibly weakening.

“He can’t hold on much longer!” After a quarter of an hour, someone exclaimed.

“Refining an elixir this long and pushing spiritual energy so hard, even a fourth-grade spirit controller couldn’t sustain it!”

“With just a quarter of an hour left, he probably won’t succeed.”

“With his dazzling talent, he might not win the championship, but he could’ve aimed for a top rank. Now, failing to refine an elixir, he’ll end up at the bottom with no high rewards. What a pity…”

Voices of regret rippled through the crowd.

Forget the elixir’s quality, Lin Xiao seemed too exhausted to finish condensing it.

But just as the cyan flames from his brow ceased, and everyone thought he was about to collapse…

A mass of pitch-black energy, like dark fire or liquid, erupted forth. It danced chaotically, as if a shapeless monster had burst from Lin Xiao’s brow, flailing wildly.

“Chi!”

The moment this energy appeared, the space within a dozen meters dimmed instantly. A terrifying aura surged outward, the air itself seeming to tremble. An inexplicable pressure radiated in all directions, a chilling, eerie force gripping everyone’s hearts.

In that instant, everyone felt as though a colossal beast loomed before them, ready to devour, their hearts quaking involuntarily.

Looking at the black flame before Lin Xiao, they saw something akin to an unknown, terrifying creature.

“That’s the spiritual energy aura from the Sky Demon Scorpion’s scales!”

Ye Fenghua was the first to leap from his seat, his eyes blazing with intensity.

He’d once stormed the Sky Scorpion Clan’s lair, battling them for this spiritual energy, only to come up empty-handed. How could it be in Heimu’s possession?

His mind churned with questions.

“The power of devouring!” Chen Wendao and others widened their eyes, strange lights gleaming within.

“One person with two spiritual energies?” Le Zheng Hongmao and the others lost their composure. Lin Xiao had previously wielded cyan fire spiritual energy, so how had it suddenly shifted to another type?

Spiritual energy was a rare marvel of the heavens, encountered once in a millennium. For one person to possess two kinds, it was unthinkable!

Could it be an exceptionally unique spiritual energy, capable of manifesting two distinct attributes?

Abyss Sovereign Chapter 138

“How does he have another kind of spiritual energy?”

“What is this spiritual energy? It feels like it’s going to devour me!”

“Terrifying, this spiritual energy is too terrifying!”

The crowd let out a series of startled cries, but among them, Feng Lanyue remained relatively calm. He had personally witnessed Lin Xiao unleash the combined cyan-black flame spiritual energy.

“At the Pan family, he used a unified cyan-black spiritual energy. Could this be a special kind that can separately manifest three attributes: cyan fire, black flame, and a fused energy?” Feng Lanyue’s face showed a mix of shock and curiosity.

In the arena, Yunfeng’s gaze also faltered. Lin Xiao’s display of spiritual energy caught him off guard.

But he quickly regained his composure, snorting coldly, “So what if your spiritual energy is special? It won’t help your elixir now!”

This was a refining contest, and with insufficient herb quality and spiritual power grade, no amount of calcination would change that.

Ignoring the crowd’s reactions, Lin Xiao unleashed his Heaven-Devouring spiritual energy, enveloping the Green Flame Evil Fruit. The entire fruit seemed swallowed by a mass of black flame.

Yet soon after, the black flame gradually converged and dissipated, revealing the green fruit once more.

This time, the green fruit had finally changed, shrinking slightly.

“Not enough!” Lin Xiao gritted his teeth, summoning another mass of Heaven-Devouring black flame, four or five times the size of a person, which danced wildly as it surged toward the Green Flame Evil Fruit.

After a while, it was absorbed again, and the fruit shrank further.

Less than a quarter of an hour remained. After half that time, Lin Xiao was struggling to muster any more spiritual energy.

“He’s still going to fail!” Ye Fenghua sighed with reluctance. He, along with Le Zheng Hongmao and others, stood watching Lin Xiao’s condensation attempt.

Half a quarter remained.

“Chi!”

Suddenly, the black flame shifted, transforming into a fire with a black core and cyan exterior, rushing toward the green fruit. Lin Xiao’s body swayed precariously, his spiritual power clearly overdrawn.

“Could it be a fusion of two spiritual energies? Impossible!” Ye Fenghua gasped, dismissing the notion instantly.

In all the history he knew, there was no record of anyone fusing two spiritual energies simultaneously.

Even with heaven-defying luck to encounter two, refining and merging them into the mind would surely cause it to explode.

“Hmph, no matter how strange, you’re still doomed to fail, without even a ranking!”

Yunfeng’s icy gaze locked onto Lin Xiao, burning with jealousy over what Lin Xiao possessed.

“Not enough, here’s a spirit core!” Unable to summon more spiritual energy and on the verge of collapse, Lin Xiao flung out a third-tier spirit core from his storage ring, originally intended for the Yellow Heaven Elixir.

The Green Flame Evil Fruit required vast energy to form an explosive elixir. A spirit beast core, brimming with power, was a desperate gambit to supplement its insatiable absorption.

He had no other choice, utterly drained of spiritual power to fuel his energy further.

The crowd gaped at Lin Xiao’s move, especially Ye Fenghua, who recognized the core as the one he’d given for the Yellow Heaven Elixir. Lin Xiao seemed to be refining chaotically now!

He also worried that the fruit, having absorbed such immense energy, might explode, with dire consequences…

Ye Fenghua readied himself to intervene.

“Chi! Chi!” As Lin Xiao had hoped, the Green Flame Evil Fruit began devouring the core’s energy, avoiding an explosion.

This relieved Ye Fenghua and others poised to act.

The fruit continued consuming the core. After a while, the core’s energy was fully absorbed, yet the final incense stick was nearly spent.

In total, less than ten breaths remained.

“Still not done?”

Lin Xiao nearly broke down…

“I won’t accept this!” Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to summon spiritual energy again, only to feel his head spin as his body slowly crumpled.

“It’s over!” The crowd clenched their fists in pity for Lin Xiao. They could see he was so close to success, yet he’d ultimately failed as his body began to fall.

“It’s finally over!” Yunfeng sighed inwardly with relief. He’d believed Lin Xiao couldn’t surpass his elixir, yet an inexplicable tension lingered, as if Lin Xiao’s success might threaten him.

Though brief, that strain felt endless, and now it was finally ending.

“Time to step in.” Spiritual power surged from Ye Fenghua’s mind, racing toward Lin Xiao and the elixir.

“Chi!” But just as Lin Xiao was about to collapse and lose consciousness, a vast wave of spiritual power erupted from his head, flooding his body with renewed vigor.

“A breakthrough!” Ye Fenghua exclaimed, hastily retracting his power.

“Ha!” Lin Xiao roared, snapping upright, his eyes blazing with light. A massive cyan-black flame shot toward the Green Flame Evil Fruit.

“Chi! Chi!”

In that instant, the fruit absorbed the final cyan-black flame, its aura shimmering.

“Condense!”

Lin Xiao enveloped the fruit with spiritual power, tightening it. The fruit, now shrunken to the size of two thumbs, condensed into a small, finger-sized, glossy elixir.

“Chi!” A tremendous wave burst from the elixir, rippling outward in all directions.

The Thunderclap Evil Fire Elixir had formed!

At that very moment, the last incense stick flickered out.

“Phew!” The crowd exhaled collectively. In the final breath, Lin Xiao had condensed an elixir. Though they didn’t know what it was, they’d all sweated for him.

The refining process had been grueling, full of twists and turns…

“It’s done, I finally did it!” Wen Renliang and others leapt up in excitement. Lin Xiao’s refining was always this thrilling…

But the true shock belonged to Ye Fenghua and the vice leaders on the jade platform. Others might not know, but they did: the energy it emitted marked a long-lost elixir type…

“Explosive elixir, it’s an explosive elixir!” Le Zheng Hongmao and Situ Guang trembled with excitement.

“It really is an explosive elixir!” Ye Fenghua quivered too, a rare loss of composure after so many years.

Abyss Sovereign Chapter 139

The entire scene fell still for a moment. After his initial shock, Yunfeng finally couldn’t hold back and sneered, “Hmph, Heimu, so what if you managed to refine an elixir in the end? Your elixir’s grade can’t possibly match mine!”

Looking at Yunfeng as if he were a fool, Lin Xiao smiled faintly, “Sorry to disappoint you, but this is a fourth-grade elementary elixir.”

“What?” Yunfeng’s whole body stiffened. A fourth-grade elementary elixir? How could that be?

Hearing Lin Xiao’s words, the others were momentarily stunned too. Lin Xiao, with third-grade elementary spiritual power—though he’d broken through to intermediate mid-process—refining a fourth-grade elementary elixir across two grades and a major境界 seemed implausible, didn’t it?

But the next voice dispelled all their doubts.

“It’s indeed a fourth-grade elixir,” Ye Fenghua’s voice rang across the plaza, “and it’s a long-lost offensive elixir, an explosive elixir!”

“What? An explosive elixir!”

The scene turned to stone. Not just the spirit controllers, but even the stronger martial artists were dumbfounded.

An explosive elixir was a devastatingly powerful offensive elixir, capable of killing foes many times stronger than oneself.

In ancient texts, those who could refine explosive elixirs were deemed the most fearsome spirit controllers!

Such spirit controllers hadn’t appeared in centuries, yet here was a sixteen-year-old youth standing before them as one.

He was an absolute prodigy!

Even those unaware of the explosive elixir’s full significance could tell from Ye Fenghua’s expression how extraordinary it was.

And just being a fourth-grade elementary elixir was enough to awe them.

In the entire Lanlan Empire, those who could refine fourth-grade elixirs could be counted on one hand!

For the younger generation, it was an unreachable dream. Lin Xiao’s leap across two grades was unprecedented in history.

“How? How could you refine such an elixir?” Yunfeng was on the verge of madness, his face twisted in disbelief. As a genius who could craft attribute elixirs, he’d naturally heard of explosive elixirs.

They were practically legendary, far outclassing attribute elixirs by a wide margin.

He’d come from the Moyu Empire with a mission, confident that his third-grade advanced spiritual power and refining skills would secure the championship as if it were already his. He’d even produced a near fourth-grade Thunder Spirit Elixir.

Yet, in the final moment, the title was snatched by a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old boy. He’d meant to strut triumphantly, only to be slapped hard in the face…

Ye Yu, Wu Gong, and others wore equally incredulous expressions. A fourth-grade elementary explosive elixir was simply too unbelievable.

Wen Renliang was struck speechless. He’d invited Lin Xiao hoping for a top-ten finish, but now he’d taken first, with refining skills far surpassing his own.

Zhou Ruoyi, Zhou Xiong, Feng Lanyue, Chen Yan, Meng Xi, Meng Ying, and others were similarly stunned.

“How I refined it isn’t your concern, but as you said, it seems the Moyu Empire’s spirit controller geniuses aren’t all that impressive,” Lin Xiao said calmly, glancing at Yunfeng with a faint sigh.

“Exactly! What rubbish about Lanlan Empire spirit controllers being inferior to the Moyu Empire’s? I’d say it’s your Moyu Empire spirit controllers who can’t compare to ours!”

“Right, Yunfeng, why don’t you crawl back to the Moyu Empire? The Lanlan Empire isn’t a place for you!”

The crowd, snapping out of their daze, jeered in unison. Yunfeng had been insufferably arrogant, humiliating the entire Lanlan Empire’s spirit controllers. Now, they could finally throw it back in his face.

Lin Xiao had let them vent their frustration gloriously!

At the same time, they buzzed with excitement over Lin Xiao’s fourth-grade elixir, their praises and cheers mingling with taunts aimed at Yunfeng.

Yunfeng’s face had turned ashen, utterly speechless against Lin Xiao’s crushing victory.

In the crowd, a black-robed elder’s expression darkened too. Today’s competition had defied his expectations.

“This boy must be recruited into the Moyu Empire, along with that recipe, or he must not be allowed to live!” His eyes flashed with intense light.

“Silence!” At that moment, Ye Fenghua’s authoritative voice boomed from the jade platform. The crowd fell quiet at his command, all eyes turning toward him.

Lin Xiao looked too, seeing Ye Fenghua fix him with a serious, astonished gaze, “Lin Xiao, explosive elixirs have been lost for centuries. How did you refine one?”

“Lost for centuries…” Hearing Ye Fenghua’s words, Lin Xiao’s lips twitched slightly. He hadn’t fully realized this. In the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor’s knowledge, even eighth- and ninth-grade recipes existed, and explosive elixirs were fairly ordinary.

But in the present day, they seemed long vanished, explaining why Ye Fenghua, Le Zheng Hongmao, and others were so shocked.

His recipe had likely drawn significant attention from spirit controllers.

“Just… a fortunate encounter…” Lin Xiao replied vaguely. No elaborate excuse would be believed, so this simple answer was the most effective.

“A fortunate encounter, I…” Ye Fenghua’s breath caught, stifled in his throat. What was the difference between that and no answer at all?

Such a colossal encounter—how had he never had one in all his years?

Spiritual energy might come from a rare encounter, but the explosive elixir recipe too, stumbled upon alongside a cosmic energy source by Lin Xiao?

“Could his master have passed him this recipe?” Ye Fenghua mused inwardly.

Beyond a fortunate encounter, this seemed the only other possibility, and it felt more likely.

“If so, that person must be a remarkable figure. One day, if I get the chance, I must pay them a visit!” Ye Fenghua paused, refraining from further questions. Finding someone he, Ye Fenghua, wished to meet was rare indeed.

He knew this setting wouldn’t yield more answers.

“That spiritual energy of yours, is it tied to the Sky Demon Scorpion?” Suddenly recalling something, Ye Fenghua couldn’t resist asking.

Over half a year ago, he’d obtained a Sky Demon Scorpion scale, its spiritual energy aura identical to this. He’d paid a steep price, even warring with the Scorpion Clan, only to find nothing.

Seeing Lin Xiao wield such energy now naturally sparked deep curiosity.

“Sky Demon Scorpion…” Ye Fenghua’s words sent a shockwave through the crowd, many drawing sharp breaths.

The Sky Demon Scorpion’s name struck terror in the Lanlan Empire. Years ago, it had stormed the imperial city alone, gravely wounding a Martial Venerable, slaying several Martial Kings and dozens of experts. It took four Martial Venerables combined to drive it out.

The name remained the empire’s greatest taboo, and since then, they’d avoided conflict with the Scorpion Clan.

Judging by Ye Fenghua’s tone, Lin Xiao’s spiritual energy seemed linked to the Sky Demon Scorpion.

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“Alliance Leader, I indeed obtained this spiritual energy from a hidden cave in the Spirit Beast Forest, but I didn’t encounter any Sky Demon Scorpion. Otherwise, with my meager strength, claiming I took it from a Sky Demon Scorpion’s grasp, I doubt even you would believe that, right?” Lin Xiao replied with feigned seriousness. If he told the truth—that he’d secretly snatched it during Ye Fenghua’s battle with the Scorpion Clan—it would be unthinkable.

Everyone nodded quietly. No one would believe Lin Xiao had wrested spiritual energy from a Sky Demon Scorpion.

Ye Fenghua’s expression tightened. Lin Xiao’s explanation made sense, but it irked him that despite his painstaking efforts to find spiritual energy, this kid had stumbled upon it.

“This, this was the spiritual energy I searched so hard for!” After a pause, Ye Fenghua couldn’t help but sigh.

Seeing Ye Fenghua’s slightly rattled demeanor, Lin Xiao’s brows furrowed. If Ye Fenghua had designs on him, that could spell big trouble.

Sweeping his gaze around before settling back on Ye Fenghua, Lin Xiao spoke firmly yet respectfully, “Alliance Leader, this spiritual energy has already fused with my mind, integrated into it. I’m essentially a vessel of that energy now. To extract it, you’d need a method to forcibly seize and recondense spiritual energy. Otherwise, even killing me wouldn’t yield it.”

“And such a method, it seems rarer in ancient texts than spiritual energy itself, doesn’t it?”

Lin Xiao’s words were directed at Ye Fenghua and the crowd alike. Even the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor knew no way to forcibly take refined spiritual energy.

Those present certainly didn’t either.

His statement made the crowd pause, surprised he’d dare speak so directly to Ye Fenghua.

Those who’d entertained such thoughts quickly abandoned them. Ye Fenghua’s fleeting lapse faded as he shook his head with a regretful sigh.

A spiritual energy emerging in this era had slipped through his fingers.

“Heh, I lost my composure there. Rest assured, I, Ye Fenghua, may be tempted, but I’m not one to let greed override my principles. Destroying something so precious isn’t my style. Keeping a spirit controller genius alive might even help us advance our cultivation in the future,” Ye Fenghua said with an awkward smile, his sincerity clear.

He understood Lin Xiao’s wariness.

“Besides, obtaining spiritual energy and the explosive elixir recipe is a matter of fate. Your talent hasn’t disgraced these heavenly treasures. Now, let’s begin testing the elixirs’ grades and quality!”

As Ye Fenghua’s voice fell, all the youths who’d refined elixirs stepped forward for testing. Every elixir’s grade matched the referees’ assessments.

Anything below fourth-grade elementary couldn’t escape a fourth-grade elementary spirit controller’s scrutiny.

For elixirs of the same grade, the testing stone revealed varying qualities.

The testing held no surprises. Once complete, Ye Fenghua announced, “Now, I’ll declare the final rankings of this Young Spirit Controller Refining Competition!”

“Lin Xiao, first place, awarded one Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir and a fifth-grade elementary recipe!”

With a wave of his hand, a jade bottle containing a gleaming golden elixir and a recipe shot toward Lin Xiao.

“Chi!” Seeing these rewards, everyone smacked their lips, their eyes burning with envy.

These prizes could make even Martial Venerables and fourth-grade spirit controllers jealous!

“Finally mine!” Catching the bottle and recipe, Lin Xiao’s eyes lit up. Refining the Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir would boost his strength another level.

Stowing the bottle, he turned to the fifth-grade recipe. For someone like him, recipes weren’t as alluring, but a glance at it stirred his heart, “Dragon Strength Elixir recipe?”

The Dragon Strength Elixir enhanced physical power significantly, sharing a faint connection with the Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir, which also tempered the body.

The stronger one’s physique, the greater the boost from the Dragon Strength Elixir. Even an average body would gain considerable strength, serving as a lifesaving trump card.

Even the Heaven-Devouring Spirit Emperor lacked this recipe.

Of course, with Lin Xiao’s current spiritual power, refining it was far beyond reach for now.

“These rewards are truly lavish,” he mused with satisfaction, pocketing both under the crowd’s eager stares.

“Second place, Yunfeng, awarded one fourth-grade advanced Nine Yang Gold Elixir and a fourth-grade advanced recipe!” Ye Fenghua waved again, sending the rewards to Yunfeng.

Though less grand than first place, the second-place prizes still drew gasps. A fourth-grade advanced elixir and recipe would tempt any fourth-grade spirit controller.

Catching his rewards, Yunfeng’s eyes flashed with excitement, but the thought of missing the Serpent Blood Void-Breaking Elixir and fifth-grade recipe filled them with bitter resentment.

“Second place, that’s…” Below the platform, Wu Meng’s face showed discontent. He opened his mouth to protest but wisely shut it.

“Third place, Ye Yu, awarded one fourth-grade intermediate Red Blood Elixir and a fourth-grade intermediate recipe…”

“Fourth place, Wu Sha, awarded one Yang-Opening Blood Qi Elixir and a fourth-grade elementary recipe!”

“…”

As the names were called, the crowd buzzed with discussion. Even the top fifty held immense prestige in many eyes.

Once all rewards were distributed on the spot, Ye Fenghua spoke again, “Alright, this year’s Refining Competition has concluded perfectly. Every youth in the top fifty is a standout in the refining field. Per the competition’s rules, you’re free to leave your current factions and join one that benefits you more. The choice is yours.”

With a flick of his long sleeve, Ye Fenghua sat down slowly, his gaze drifting to the old-timers around him. Seeing their flushed, eager stares fixed on Lin Xiao, he muttered inwardly, “Snatching him from these old foxes won’t be easy!”

At that moment, not just them, but everyone in the arena turned to Lin Xiao and the other top-ranked youths. It was clear to all that, despite Ye Fenghua mentioning the top fifty, the major factions were focused on just a few.

These were the talents worth heavy investment. Lesser-ranked youths wouldn’t draw such effort from the empire’s great families and powers.

Sure enough, as Ye Fenghua sat, someone on the jade platform couldn’t hold back, rising first with an eager voice, “Young Brother Heimu, I’m Chen Wendao, head of the Chen family. We’d like to ally with you. If you join us, I, as family head, pledge to treat you as a direct descendant, sparing no effort to nurture you and procure any herbs you need until you reach fifth-grade spirit controller status.”