Chapter 345 Dan Tower Declares War

The news spread faster than anyone could have anticipated.

The news of the Pill Tower declaring war on the Hall of Souls seemed to sprout wings, spreading from the Central Plains to the Northwest, and from the Northern Desolation to the Southern Ridge in just a few short days.

In teahouses, wine shops, Sects, and aristocratic clans, everyone was talking about it everywhere.

“Have you heard? The Pill Tower is going to declare war on the Hall of Souls.”

“How could I not? That Elder Xuan Yi of the Pill Tower was almost besieged and killed by the Hall of Souls' people; how could they not settle this debt?”

“Exactly. How many Alchemists has the Hall of Souls captured over the years? Sixth-tier, seventh-tier, eighth-tier... anyone with a bit of talent is targeted by them. The Pill Tower is truly desperate this time.”

“Now that the Pill Tower is getting serious, I'm afraid we'll finally see the true power of Alchemists.”

Discussions rose and fell; some clapped in delight, some watched coldly from the sidelines, but most were simply waiting to see what would happen.

The Pill Tower, a Holy Land for Alchemists that had existed for thousands of years, had never participated in the continent's conflicts.

Now that it was taking the initiative to declare war on the Hall of Souls, what did it mean?

It meant that the landscape of the Central Plains was about to change.

Shen Residence.

Shen Wen had not left his doors for the past few days.

It wasn't to avoid the spotlight, but because he truly had no time.

After slaying those Dou Shengs like Hun Qianmo and the Soul Demon Elder, a vast amount of pure energy had accumulated within the great dao treasure bottle.

Refined by the treasure bottle, this energy had long since shed the cold attribute of the Hun Clan's power, leaving only the purest Origin.

He sat cross-legged in the Quiet Room, his aura surging all around him.

Eight illusory projections of ancestral talismans rotated slowly behind him, decomposing and absorbing the Origin power flooding into his body one by one.

The Flame Ancestral Symbol burned away Impurities, the devouring ancestral talisman accelerated the refinement, and the life and death ancestral talisman harmonized the Yin and Yang... the eight powers each performed their duties, cooperating seamlessly.

His aura climbed steadily.

Four-Star Dou Zun.

Four-Star Peak.

Five-Star Dou Zun.

The momentum of his ascent only began to slow when he reached the mid-stage of Five-Star Dou Zun. Shen Wen did not get greedy; he naturally concluded his cultivation and opened his eyes.

He looked down at his hands.

Beneath the surface of his skin, purple-gold patterns were faintly circulating. Those were the traces left after the primordial dragon bone was completely refined.

At this moment, the bones in his body had completely transformed, with runes of ancient true dragons inscribed on every inch of bone.

With a thought, purple-gold scales emerged from beneath his skin.

Those scales were finer and denser than before, each one shimmering with faint dragon patterns and emitting an ancient, majestic aura.

The Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Art had reached Major Achievement.

He stood up and stretched his limbs; his bones let out crisp, explosive pops that sounded like dragon roars.

Shen Wen nodded in satisfaction and pushed the door open to walk out.

The sunlight in the courtyard was just right.

Xiao Yi Xian was sitting in the Flower Hall, holding a bowl of soup and taking small sips. Seeing him enter, she set down the bowl and let her gaze sweep over him.

“You broke through?”

Shen Wen sat down beside her and nodded: “Five-Star Dou Zun.”

The corners of Xiao Yi Xian's lips curved into a gentle arc as she pushed the bowl of soup toward him: “Sister Cai Lin had someone bring this back from the Nine Serene Earth Nether Python. She said it was brewed from Yin Spiritual Plants from the depths of the Yellow Springs and is good for tempering the Physical Body.”

Shen Wen looked down; the soup was deep black and emitted a faint, cold aura.

He picked it up and took a sip; the cold energy melted upon entry, flowing down his throat and into his body, where it was instantly absorbed by the power of the Desolate Ancient Saint Body and the Azure Heaven Dragon Transformation Art.

“Not bad.” He set the bowl down and looked at Xiao Yi Xian, “Is there any news from Cai Lin's side?”

“Yes.” Xiao Yi Xian took out a Jade Slip from her sleeve and handed it to him, “It just arrived yesterday. She said she found the nest of a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python and obtained its Legacy.

She is now a Six-Star Dou Zun and is on her way back.”

Shen Wen took the Jade Slip and probed it with his Soul Power; a moment later, his eyebrows arched slightly.

Six-Star Dou Zun.

This speed was even faster than he had anticipated.

“There's more.” Xiao Yi Xian took out another Jade Slip, “This came from the Northwest. The Heavenly Serpent Empire has already conquered seven surrounding Empires, and its territory is more than three times larger than before.

The matter of the State Religion is also progressing steadily; thirty-six faith anchor pointss have already been established.”

Shen Wen took the Jade Slip, glanced at it, and nodded.

Thirty-six faith anchor pointss was more than he had expected.

The Power Of Faith from those believers converged into a river, continuously flooding into his body to be refined and settled by the Great Origin Technique, opening up a fifth Origin.

It was an indescribable power. It wasn't Dou Qi, nor was it Soul; it was something even purer, more fundamental.

It merged into his flesh, bones, and Soul, making his Foundation even more stable than before.

Shen Wen leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting out the window.

The Pill Tower's declaration of war, the conquests in the Northwest, the faith anchor pointss... everything was progressing step by step.

The Hun Clan wouldn't make any big moves for the time being, the Gu Clan's energy was being tied down by the Spirit Devouring Life-Extinguishing Array, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix and the Void Ancient Dragon were in a standoff, and the Nine Serene Earth Nether Python was already completely under control.

What he needed to do was accumulate as much power as possible during this rare period of peace.

“Oh, right.”

Xiao Yi Xian suddenly remembered something, “Aunt Xuan sent someone yesterday to ask when you would be free to make a trip to the Pill Tower.

She said there's something she wants to discuss with you.”

Shen Wen was slightly startled, then nodded: “Understood.”

Xiao Yi Xian glanced at him but didn't ask further.

Cai Lin returned in the afternoon.

Shen Wen was sitting in the Flower Hall drinking tea; sensing that familiar aura, he set down his teacup and went out to meet her.

A slender figure stepped out from the Void Realm, nine-colored light circulating around her body before slowly receding.

Cai Lin wore a simple, plain-colored long dress today with her long hair flowing loosely; compared to when she left, she had gained an extra touch of an indescribable charm.

Those purple eyes looked at Shen Wen, and the corners of her lips curved slightly.

“You're back?”

Shen Wen walked up to her and reached out to hold her hand. It was slightly cool and soft, just as before.

Cai Lin nodded, letting him hold her hand as her gaze swept over his face: “You've gotten thinner.”

Shen Wen laughed: “You were only gone for a few days, how could I have gotten thinner?”

Cai Lin didn't respond to that, simply leaning gently into his embrace.

Shen Wen put his arm around her waist and bowed his head to sniff her hair.

That faint, delicate fragrance was still there, but it was tinged with a hint of the cold aura from the depths of the Yellow Springs.

“Where is One Thought?” she asked.

“Xiao Yi Xian is looking after her; she's doing fine.”

...

It was noon the next day when Shen Wen went to the Pill Tower.

Xuan Yi was waiting for him in the meeting hall.

She was the only one in the hall; Xuan Kongzi and Tian Leizi were both absent.

She wore a light green Alchemist robe today, her hair tied up high; her complexion was much better than a few days ago, with no remaining traces of her injuries visible.

Seeing him enter, she raised her head, her gaze lingering on him for a moment.

“You're here?”

Shen Wen nodded and sat down across from her.

Xuan Yi pushed a Jade Slip in front of him: “This was compiled by the Little Pill Tower; it concerns the locations of the Hall of Souls' branch halls throughout the Central Plains.

There are twenty-four Earth Fiend Halls in total, distributed across the Central Plains. There are also the three Great Heavenly Gang Halls.”

“The Heavenly Gang Halls likely have Dou Shengs guarding them, so our targets are the Earth Fiend Halls.”

Shen Wen took the Jade Slip and unrolled it.

Densely packed text entered his sight, with every location clearly marked.

Locations, defensive forces, and the permanent experts of the Hall of Souls.

“Is this Senior Xuan Kongzi's intention?” he asked.

Xuan Yi nodded: “Declaring war isn't just talk. If we're going to hit them, we'll hit where it hurts.”