165: Chapter 165 Fate Returns, Artifact Spirit!

"This one should taste pretty good, a bit better than those jelly beans from earlier."

"Here, try it."

"Wow! Thank you, Brother Chu Xiao! This is so pretty!"

Princess Ji Ziyue happily caught the Divine Pill.

Her lively, beautiful eyes curved into crescent moons from her smile.

She didn't even bother to look at it closely before tossing it directly into her mouth.

She chewed it like a little hamster.

"Mmm... it melts in my mouth, and it's a little sweet. It really is tastier than the ones before!"

The young girl's crisp voice echoed across the silent square.

It resonated clearly.

“Pfft—!!!”

Grand Elder Danchenzi could no longer suppress the churning blood in his chest.

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out wildly!

He pointed at Chu Xiao, then at the young girl who was eating the Divine Pill like a snack, his lips trembling for a long time.

Finally, his eyes rolled back.

He fainted straight away from pure rage!

...

The Alchemical Dao Conference came to an absurd conclusion amidst a dead silence.

In the entire central square, thousands of top Alchemists from all over the Central Region were now dumbfounded.

Some had their mouths agape, others had their eyes wide; everyone was frozen in place, motionless.

The sunlight fell upon them, but it brought not a hint of warmth.

Every face was etched with the same expression—numbness.

After their worldviews had been repeatedly crushed, reshaped, and crushed again, only numbness remained.

Their gazes were all focused on the white-robed young man in the center of the field.

They looked at him, and then at the young girl beside him who was treating a Divine Pill like a snack.

She ate with a face full of happiness.

Their brains had completely given up on thinking.

Pill Tribulation?

Dismissed with a single word?

Divine Pill?

Eaten like jelly beans?

These terms swirled frantically in their minds.

Yet they couldn't form any logic that they could understand.

On the high platform, several Elders of the Alchemy Immortal Sect...

...scrambled to support the Grand Elder Danchenzi, who had fainted from anger.

Some pressed on his philtrum while others infused him with Spiritual Qi.

“Pfft!”

Great Elder Danchenzi slowly woke up, only to spray out another mouthful of old blood.

He seemed to age decades in an instant.

He ignored his anxious sect brothers and just raised his eyes to stare fixedly at Chu Xiao in the distance.

In his eyes, there was no longer the previous anger, resentment, or humiliation.

In his view...

A madman?

A Prodigy?

No!

None of these words were enough to describe this fellow.

This motherfucker isn't human at all!

The dignity of the Alchemy Immortal Sect?

The orthodoxy of the Central Region's Alchemical Dao?

In the face of strength that could dismiss a Pill Tribulation with a single word...

...these things didn't mean shit!

Great Elder Danchenzi had lived for thousands of years, but he had never been as clear-headed as he was today.

He realized that if this wasn't handled well today, never mind the Alchemical Dao Conference!

The entire Alchemy Immortal Sect...

...might have its lineage severed because they offended this guy!

At this thought, his whole body shuddered.

He forcibly suppressed the churning blood in his body and struggled to stand up from his chair.

He straightened his blood-stained robes and, with a hunched back, walked down the high platform.

In that silhouette, there was no longer any hint of a Grandmaster's demeanor.

There was only humility.

On the square, everyone's eyes followed Great Elder Danchenzi's figure.

They saw this highly respected and prestigiously positioned Grand Elder walking with his head bowed.

He approached Chu Xiao step by step.

Then, he bent his waist.

"The... the second round of the assessment... is over."

Great Elder Danchenzi's voice was heard.

"The final selection... has... also ended."

"The winner of this Alchemical Dao Conference is... is Chu Xiao... Young Master Chu."

As his voice fell, the entire field remained in a dead silence.

No one cheered, no one discussed.

No one even felt surprised.

It was as if this was only natural and right.

After announcing the result, Great Elder Danchenzi did not stop.

He bowed deeply to Chu Xiao once again.

His posture was humble to the extreme.

"Young Master Chu, please... wait a moment. This old man... will go and retrieve the conference rewards for you right now."

Having said that, he didn't wait to see Chu Xiao's reaction.

He turned around and sped toward the Holy City.

That flurried appearance...

...was exactly like an old servant who was terrified of neglecting his master.

This scene made all the Disciples of the Alchemy Immortal Sect feel a burning pain in their faces.

The innate pride in their hearts...

...was completely shattered at this moment.

And those visiting Alchemists, looking at Great Elder Danchenzi's back, felt a sense of 'it's only natural' in addition to their shock.

Indeed.

Faced with such an existence, what else could you do besides bow and scrape?

It didn't take long for Great Elder Danchenzi to return.

In his hands...

...he held a tray made of warm jade.

On the tray, two items were placed quietly.

Everyone's gaze was instantly attracted by one of the items.

It was a crystal-clear blue crystal.

Inside the crystal...

...a dark blue flame was sealed.

The flame burned quietly, without emitting the slightest bit of heat.

Instead, it caused a layer of ice crystals to form in the surrounding air.

It was like a perfect work of art, beautiful yet deadly!

“Xuantian Nine Nether Flame! It really is a seed flame of the Xuantian Nine Nether Flame!”

“The legendary extreme cold fire born beneath the Nine Nethers. It can burn the Divine Soul and refine all things! It is the supreme treasure that all fire Cultivators and Alchemists in the world dream of!”

Bursts of exclamations rang out from the crowd.

Greed appeared in countless eyes.

This was a Heaven and Earth Exotic Fire!

Even if it was just a seed flame, it was enough for an ordinary Alchemist...

...to leap into becoming a Grandmaster-level existence!

However, when their gazes were with difficulty moved away from that blue flame...

...and landed on the other item on the tray.

Everyone's expressions became peculiar.

It was a cauldron.

A bronze cauldron that looked... ordinary, or even dilapidated.

It was only the size of a palm, and its entire body was covered in mottled green patina.

Some of the patterns on the cauldron's body had long since become blurred and indistinct.

There was even a noticeable chip at the rim of the cauldron.

It just lay there quietly, without any fluctuations of Spiritual Qi.

It looked like a funeral object dug out from some Mortal's tomb.

This... this is also a reward?

Placing such a piece of junk next to a legendary Heaven and Earth Exotic Fire?

What does this mean?

Is the Alchemy Immortal Sect trying to humiliate him?

Just as everyone's hearts were filled with doubt, Great Elder Danchenzi had already approached Chu Xiao with the tray.

He held the tray high above his head, his waist bent even lower.

"Young Master Chu... this... this is the champion's reward for this Alchemical Dao Conference."

"One Xuantian Nine Nether Flame seed flame, and... an ancient Medicine Cauldron, the Qiankun Cauldron."

His voice was full of awe.

However, Chu Xiao didn't care at all about what he said.

He just indifferently scanned the two items on the tray.

When he saw the Xuantian Nine Nether Flame that countless people regarded as a supreme treasure...

...his brow furrowed slightly.

It was as if he were looking at trash.

Then, under everyone's astonished gazes...

Chu Xiao extended a finger toward the blue crystal sealing the exotic fire.

He gave it a light tap.

“Crack.”

A crisp sound rang out.

The sealing crystal shattered, turning into a sky full of light specks.

The Seal was broken!

The dark blue flame escaped.

It danced joyfully in mid-air.

It seemed to be rejoicing at its regained freedom.

But in the next second, when it felt the faint aura on Chu Xiao's body...

...the entire flame suddenly froze!

Immediately afterward, like a mouse seeing a cat, it began to tremble violently in mid-air.

Even the color of the flame dimmed quite a bit.

It was afraid?!

“Is... is this the thing that can help you Cultivate? Are you sure?”

Chu Xiao ignored the shivering exotic fire and instead turned his head.

He looked at Yuan Muyu beside him.

Yuan Muyu was slightly startled.

Her Physique was special; only this kind of extreme cold fire could replenish her Origin.

She just hadn't expected...

...that Chu Xiao would help her obtain it in such a way.

She looked at Chu Xiao and nodded gently.

"Yes."

Having received an affirmative answer, Chu Xiao seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"That's good. I thought I'd worked for nothing."

He muttered to himself, and then extended his finger again.

He flicked his finger at the blue flame that was almost scared to the point of extinguishing.

Whoosh~!

That Heaven and Earth Exotic Fire, which was enough to cause a bloodbath in the outside world, instantly turned into a blue streak of light.

It streaked across the sky.

Its target was none other than Yuan Muyu!

Yuan Muyu was startled, but out of absolute trust in Chu Xiao...

...she didn't make any move to dodge.

She just stood there quietly, allowing that blue streak of light to sink into the space between her eyebrows.

Buzz~!

A cool energy...

...exploded in her Sea of Consciousness!

That energy was like a heavenly rain, frantically washing her Divine Soul.

It nourished her Origin!

Yuan Muyu only felt her whole body tremble.

An indescribable sense of comfort spread through her entire body.

A captivating blush appeared on her pretty face.

A soft moan escaped her mouth.

Streaks of dark blue brilliance emanated from her body.

Her entire aura was growing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

It was skyrocketing!

The Realm that had been somewhat unstable due to her incomplete Divine Soul was completely consolidated at this moment.

And it was still continuously climbing!

Her temperament also underwent a world-shaking change.

At this moment, she was like a piece of warm, beautiful jade.

Although she still carried a hint of coolness...

...she had gained a bit more liveliness and harmony.

It was a transformation from the inside out!

On the square, silence fell once again.

Everyone stared blankly at this scene.

Their brains had crashed once again.

He... he gave it away?

He just... gave away the legendary Heaven and Earth Exotic Fire like that?!

Just for... his woman to Cultivate?!

Is this... reasonable?

It was only at this moment...

...that they suddenly understood.

This man before them didn't participate in this Alchemical Dao Conference for the championship.

Nor was it for this world-renowned Heaven and Earth Exotic Fire!

He was just... just doing it for his woman.

To get her a little gift!

This realization caused the Dao Hearts of these Alchemists to shatter all over the floor!

The supreme treasure they had spent their lives pursuing and dreaming of...

...in this man's eyes...

...didn't even count as his own spoils of war!

It was merely a toy to give to a woman!

“Pfft!”

In the crowd, an old Alchemist who had just caught his breath sprayed out another mouthful of old blood.

His Dao Heart had completely collapsed.

Not far away, Xiao Battle looked at Yuan Muyu, whose aura was more harmonious than ever.

Then he looked at that calm-faced Chu Xiao.

[part:gemini-2.5-flash]

The despair on his face turned into a deep bitterness.

So... that's how it is?

It turns out he didn't even have the qualifications to be this man's opponent.

From beginning to end, that person was just playing a game with his woman.

In this silence, enough to drive one mad.

Chu Xiao's voice, tinged with a hint of doting, slowly sounded.

He looked at Yuan Muyu, who was feeling the changes within her body, and said with a touch of helplessness:

"I feel that this quality is still too poor!"

"I'll find something better for you later!"

These words made everyone freeze!

It was simply overflowing with boyfriend power!

Yuan Muyu slowly opened her eyes, which were now filled with a misty haze.

She looked at Chu Xiao, her pearly teeth gently biting her red lips.

Though her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

In the end, she just nodded heavily.

Thousands of words melted into the tenderness in her eyes.

After doing all this, Chu Xiao withdrew his gaze.

It fell upon the last item on the tray.

That dilapidated bronze cauldron.

Under everyone's stunned gaze.

Chu Xiao casually picked up the broken cauldron.

He didn't use Spiritual Qi, just gently tapped his finger on the verdigris-covered body of the cauldron.

"Clang~"

A clear and melodious sound.

Resounded in everyone's hearts.

Chu Xiao's face showed a satisfied smile.

"This one, it's not bad."

A simple sentence, yet it raised a huge question in the hearts of everyone present.

That Heaven-Defying Divine Pill, he disdained its Materials.

He casually fed it like candy.

That Heaven and Earth Exotic Fire, he didn't even bother to look at it, directly giving it as a gift.

Why?

Why did he show a satisfied expression specifically towards this dilapidated bronze cauldron that seemed worthless?

He showed a satisfied expression?

This broken cauldron...

What secret does it hold?!

...

After the Alchemical Dao Conference ended, Chu Xiao and his group returned to the top-tier Immortal Cave arranged for them by the Wanbao Pavilion branch.

Inside the Immortal Cave, the Spiritual Qi was incredibly rich, and spiritual mist permeated the air!

After Chu Xiao returned to the Immortal Cave.

He tossed the reward he won from the Alchemical Dao Conference onto the table.

Yuan Muyu, meanwhile, sat cross-legged on a nearby meditation cushion,

Her eyes tightly closed.

She was continuing to refine the Xuantian Nine Nether Flame that had merged into her Divine Soul with all her might.

Streaks of ethereal blue light, like ripples,

Emanated outwards in circles from her.

Princess Ji Ziyue, on the other hand, let out a satisfied burp.

That supreme Divine Pill, which Chu Xiao had treated as candy, had now been completely digested by her.

It transformed into Spiritual Qi, nourishing her entire body.

She felt warm all over, so comfortable she wanted to hum.

She skipped to the table, extended her fair and tender finger, and curiously poked the dilapidated bronze cauldron.

Then she tilted her little head and circled around it twice.

"Brother Chu Xiao, what's so good about this broken cauldron?"

The girl's clear voice echoed in the Immortal Cave.

Carrying a hint of confusion.

"It looks black and has a broken opening, it's not even as valuable as that pretty crystal that held the little blue flame just now."

In her opinion, this thing was simply a pile of scrap metal.

Completely incompatible with Brother Chu Xiao's god-like methods.

Chu Xiao merely smiled faintly at her words.

He did not answer Princess Ji Ziyue's question.

He just slowly sat down and closed his eyes.

[Ding, detected that the Host has successfully won the championship in the Central Continent Alchemical Dao Conference! Obtained the final mission reward: Ancient Medicine Cauldron - Qiankun Cauldron]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host, you have triggered the Heaven's Mandate Return Reward!!!]

[Heaven's Mandate Return Reward is being settled...]

It's here!

Chu Xiao's lips curved slightly.

He participated in this boring conference.

For this very moment!

[Congratulations to the Host, you have obtained: the hongmeng creation cauldron!!!]

Boom!!!!!

The moment the System's notification sound fell!

Chu Xiao's eyes suddenly snapped open!

At the same time!

That bronze cauldron, which Princess Ji Ziyue regarded as scrap metal,

Suddenly vibrated violently!

"Buzz buzz buzz—!!!"

The piercing hum caused the entire top-tier Immortal Cave to tremble!

"Ah! Why is it moving?"

Princess Ji Ziyue was startled and quickly retreated two steps.

The next second, a scene that left her dumbfounded.

Happened!

The dilapidated bronze cauldron's mottled verdigris on its surface, surprisingly, began to peel off inch by inch, like weathered rock.

Immediately after, the already blurry patterns on the cauldron body, and the most conspicuous gap,

Actually began to repair and grow on their own at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Streaks of purple-gold light burst forth from within the cauldron.

Illuminating the entire Immortal Cave into a dreamlike purple!

Crack! Crack!

On the walls of the Immortal Cave, those top-tier defensive Formations meticulously arranged by Wanbao Pavilion.

Shattered with a bang under the illumination of this purple light!

Shattered with a bang under the illumination of this purple light!

Outside, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi of the entire Holy City of the Alchemical Domain, at this moment, seemed to be summoned and instantly went berserk!

Endless Spiritual Qi transformed into visible Spiritual Qi vortices.

Tearing through space, they poured into the Immortal Cave where Chu Xiao was located!

The scene was like a hundred rivers returning to the sea!

"What's going on?!"

"Oh my god! Spiritual Qi! All the Spiritual Qi is heading towards Wanbao Pavilion!"

"What happened? Has some rare Treasure Trove appeared again?!"

The entire Holy City of the Alchemical Domain, countless Cultivators, were alarmed by this sudden terrifying phenomenon.

One by one, they looked up at the sky in horror.

And inside the Immortal Cave.

That bronze cauldron had completely finished its transformation!

It floated quietly in mid-air.

Its entire body displayed a profound and noble purple-gold color.

On the cauldron body, there was no longer any flaw.

Instead, there were countless mysterious Formation patterns!

Those Formation patterns seemed to be alive, slowly flowing on the cauldron body.

Every flicker.

Seemed to depict the birth and demise of a Universe!

A supreme aura.

Emanated from the cauldron body.

That aura transcended all Laws of this Realm.

It stood above all Dao!

Just a trace of it leaking out caused the space of the entire Immortal Cave to subtly distort.

As if unable to bear this pressure.

It would collapse at any moment!

"Wow..."

Princess Ji Ziyue's mouth was wide open, her pair of bright, beautiful eyes completely filled with the dazzling purple-gold light.

On the other side.

Yuan Muyu, who was refining the strange flame with all her might, was also affected by this terrifying aura.

Forcibly awakened from her deep cultivation state!

She suddenly opened her eyes.

She nearly spat out a mouthful of blood!

At this moment, she could feel the Xuantian Nine Nether Flame within her trembling.

Curled up deep in her Sea of Consciousness.

Not daring to emit even a sliver of light!

Yuan Muyu ignored her internal injuries and raised her head in horror.

When she saw the supreme Divine Cauldron suspended in mid-air, exuding a Grandmist aura.

She was completely stunned.

Her mind was completely blank.

This... what's going on?

However, this was just the beginning!

Just as the two women were still immersed in this worldview-shattering shock.

The hongmeng creation cauldron suddenly flashed with light!

At the mouth of the cauldron, the flowing Great Dao Formation patterns.

Actually automatically converged into a purple-gold vortex!

The next second.

A small figure emerged from that vortex.

Slowly crawled out.

It was a little girl who looked only three or four years old, exquisitely carved and adorable.

Extremely cute.

She had two adorable twin buns, and was only wearing a small pink bellyband.

Revealing her fair, lotus-root-like arms and legs.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes, yawned.

Then curiously looked around.

When her gaze fell on Chu Xiao.

She tilted her little head and asked in a childish voice:

"Are... are you my new master?"

"Wow! So... so cute, little sister!"

Princess Ji Ziyue saw this exquisitely carved little loli, and her beautiful eyes instantly turned into heart shapes.

Her heart was almost melted by her cuteness.

She subconsciously wanted to rush over and pinch that delicate little face.

However, before she could move.

The little loli, who had just woken up, suddenly sniffed lightly.

The next moment!

Her originally sleepy big eyes suddenly lit up!

Then, she stared intently at Chu Xiao!

As if a wild wolf, starved for three days and three nights, saw a lamb!

A string of crystal clear, extremely suspicious liquid.

Slowly flowed down from her tender pink lips.

"Master..."

The little loli's voice was still as childish.

But with a hint of hair-raising longing.

"You... you have such a fragrant, fragrant smell..."

"I... I'm so hungry..."

As she spoke, she wiped the suspicious liquid from the corner of her mouth with her hand.

As if she had discovered some peerless delicacy.

Her big eyes stared straight at Chu Xiao!

More precisely, she was staring into Chu Xiao's body!

In her world, Chu Xiao's body.

Was a Universe composed of endless Treasure Troves!

Within his Dantian, wisps of grayish Chaos Qi.

Were slowly flowing.

Just one glance made her Grandmist Origin emit a strong craving!

And beside that Chaos Qi, a golden-red flame was quietly burning, that was Vermilion Bird Divine Fire!

For her, as a Cauldron Spirit that feeds on flames and Heaven and Earth energy.

These two things.

Were simply the most delicious delicacies in the world!

Millions of times more enticing than any Divine Medicine or Dao Origin she had ever smelled in her countless years of slumber!

"Gulp."

The little loli couldn't help but swallow.

Extremely suspicious liquid, once again, flowed down from her tender pink lips.

Slowly flowing down.

She extended her little finger, pointed at Chu Xiao, and again spoke in a childish voice, stating her demand.

"Master, I'm hungry!"

"I want to eat that golden-red flame, and that grayish Qi!"

Boom!!!!

As soon as these words were uttered, it was Earth-shattering!

The air in the Immortal Cave instantly solidified!

Princess Ji Ziyue, her entire body froze in place.

The smile on her face instantly solidified, her mouth instantly forming an 'o' shape!

She... she didn't mishear, did she?

This little thing, opening its mouth to eat Brother Chu Xiao's Vermilion Bird Divine Fire and Chaos Qi?!