422: Soul Shock City

In the center of Medicine King City, the Hundred Herbs Pill Platform.

Morning light pierced the mist of pill essence enveloping the entire city, illuminating the massive pill platform, carved from a single piece of ten-thousand-year-old Warm Jade, making it look like a divine miracle.

The platform, over ten zhang high, was shaped like a nine-petaled lotus. Each petal was inscribed with profound botanical runes and was currently exhaling dense, azure spiritual mist.

Beneath the platform, the crowd surged like a sea.

The two hundred participating Alchemists from the Thirty-Six Prefectures of the Eastern Domain stood solemnly in their designated areas.

The air was filled with an invisible tension.

Di Qingge's pure white skirt fluttered lightly in the gentle spiritual mist.

"Clang—!"

A magnificent bell chime echoed through the heavens, silencing all noise.

From the direction of Medicine King Valley, five figures descended through the air, landing on the main judging seat at the highest point of the pill platform.

The elder in the center wore a crimson cloud pill robe, embroidered with nine golden flames on his chest. He was the Grand Elder of Medicine King Valley, Dan Chen. The other four were Mu Qing, Pavilion Master of the Hundred Herbs Pavilion; Li Yuanhong, Patriarch of the Li Family; Yun Qingyang, Palace Master of Departing Fire Palace; and Lin Yuan, Pavilion Master of the Profound Purity Pill Pavilion.

Valley Elder’s voice boomed like a great bell, shaking the Divine Soul: "The first round of the Hundred Herbs Pill Assembly tests the Divine Soul! The path of Alchemy requires controlling fire and guiding medicine, refining essence into spirit—all rely on the Divine Soul as the Foundation! This is the Hundred Herbs Entangling Formation!" He pointed a withered finger into the air.

Buzz—!

At the lotus heart in the center of the pill platform, the botanical runes on the nine lotus petals suddenly lit up with blinding azure light.

Countless spiritual vine tendrils, dripping with emerald green and thick as a child's arm, burst forth from the jade, twisting and growing wildly, instantly weaving into a thorny forest covering the entire core area of the pill platform!

The vines were covered in tiny barbs, emitting a strange fluctuation that caused painful stabs to the Divine Soul.

"Those who enter the Formation must use their Divine Soul power to sever the vines!" Dan Chen’s voice was cold. "When wounded, the vines will absorb the attacker's Divine Soul to retaliate, and their entanglement strength doubles with every vine severed! One incense stick time limit; only those who sever one hundred vines will qualify for the second round!"

As soon as the rules were announced, the crowd below gasped in unison.

Those with weaker Divine Souls would suffer severe backlash upon rashly attacking.

"I'll go first!"

A red-faced man from the Profound Purity Pill Pavilion shouted loudly and leaped into the Formation first.

Brilliant light erupted from his brow, and a small scarlet Divine Soul Axe materialized, hacking fiercely at the nearest vine!

"Sizzle!" The vine snapped in response.

But the azure energy that instantly erupted from the break coiled around the scarlet axe like a venomous snake.

The red-faced man grunted, his face paling slightly, and the light of the Divine Soul Axe visibly dimmed.

He gritted his teeth and hacked again, but his speed slowed down. After ten strikes, he was already covered in sweat, his Divine Soul fluctuations erratic. Finally, he was struck on the spiritual platform by a vine, sent flying out with a miserable cry, blood trickling from his mouth and nose, having only severed twenty-one vines.

"Trash!"

In the Departing Fire Palace area, a hooked-nosed youth who controlled the deep crimson beast fire sneered and leaped into the Formation.

A giant fiery bird appeared above his head. Its sharp talons tore and its fierce flames burned, achieving much greater efficiency.

However, the retaliatory azure energy from the vines continuously eroded the giant fiery bird.

He persisted until the forty-fifth vine, when the fiery bird let out a mournful cry and dissipated. He stumbled out, his face the color of gold paper.

As time passed, light and shadow flickered across the pill platform. Divine Soul manifestations appeared one after another, interspersed with screams and muffled groans. Alchemist after Alchemist was either flung out by the vines or withdrew voluntarily. Very few managed to reach one hundred severed vines.

"Hundred Herbs Pavilion, Ye Xiaoqing, three hundred and eighty-three vines!" As Dan Chen announced, Ye Xiaoqing, dressed in azure robes with a gentle demeanor, calmly stepped out of the Formation. The phantom of an azure willow branch suspended above his head slowly dissipated. Although his face was pale, his Aura remained steady.

"Medicine King Valley, Ji Furong, three hundred and twenty-five vines!" Dan Chen nodded slightly.

Immediately after, several Prodigies from Departing Fire Palace and Profound Purity Pill Pavilion barely crossed the hundred-vine threshold, but all were spiritually depleted, clearly having expended immense energy.

"Li Family, Li Danxi!"

A delicate shout preceded a figure in a crimson cloud and flowing skirt who darted into the Formation like a flame.

Her ten fingers danced as if plucking strings, shooting out thin, thread-like soul flames from her fingertips!

Hiss hiss hiss!

The soul threads accurately wrapped around the vines. Before the severed vines could spray out their retaliatory azure energy, they were instantly incinerated into nothingness by the following Beast Fire!

Her figure weaved through the vine forest, graceful and swift like a dance. In the blink of an eye, she surpassed the three-hundred-vine mark, her speed barely diminishing!

This drew continuous gasps of surprise from the spectators.

"What exquisite Soul Control and Thread Manipulation technique!"

"Worthy of being the Li Family's Prodigy!"

A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on Li Danxi's lips.

"Medicine King Valley, Gu Ling!"

A cold voice sounded, temporarily suppressing the commotion.

Gu Ling, wearing a simple and elegant pill robe, stepped into the Formation.

Pure light shone from her brow, and a crystal-clear lotus, seemingly carved from ice and snow, slowly bloomed.

The lotus rotated, scattering clear radiance. Wherever it passed, the wildly dancing vines seemed to be soothed, their movements becoming sluggish, and the retaliatory azure energy grew thin. She walked calmly; under the illumination of the lotus's clear glow, the vines snapped silently, achieving extremely high efficiency!

"It's the Pure Soul Snow Essence Lotus! Senior Sister Gu Ling's innate Divine Soul phenomenon!"

"Such powerful purification energy! It can actually weaken the vines' backlash!"

Gu Ling's expression was calm, her steps steady. The number of severed vines rapidly climbed: three hundred, four hundred... finally settling at an astonishing four hundred and ninety-eight!

Fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and the ice lotus phantom swayed slightly, indicating she was clearly near her limit. However, her retreat was still composed, drawing cheers from the Medicine King Valley area.

"Medicine King Valley, Mo Han!"

A deep voice carrying the sound of metal rang out.

Mo Han's figure was burly. As he stepped into the Formation, a scorching and domineering intent soared into the sky!

A miniature sun slowly rose!

"Burn!"

The miniature sun blazed with immense light, purely scorching with incomparably violent Divine Soul heat!

The vines writhed violently and snapped under the golden light!

The retaliatory azure energy evaporated before it could even draw close!

His method was simple, brutal, and highly effective!

Wherever he passed, vines turned into flying ash in swathes!

Ultimately, he stopped at the astonishing number of four hundred and fifteen! Although his breathing was heavy and the golden miniature sun had dimmed considerably, his commanding Aura had already shocked the entire venue!

At this moment, only a few participants remained untested.

All eyes inevitably focused on the young woman in the pure white dress.

The Prodigy of the Godfall Di Clan! They had to take her seriously!

Under the gaze of thousands, Di Qingge stepped calmly into the wildly dancing vine forest.

She did not act immediately, merely slowly closing her eyes.

The Myriad Medicine Saint Body operated at full capacity. The vast essence of flora and wood from the pill platform's lotus leaves surged into her body like a returning torrent.

Her Aura became incomparably profound and immense, as if she had merged with the thousand-year-old pill platform beneath her feet and the spiritual rhythm of the flora throughout the world.

Immediately afterward, a speck of Chaos-colored light ignited between her brows.

Initially faint as a bean, it instantly expanded and bloomed!

A gigantic lotus, condensed from Chaos Pure Flame, slowly opened in the void above her head!

The moment the lotus petals unfurled, a flame will that transcended all things descended mightily!

"Hiss—!" The nearest vines seemed to have encountered their natural nemesis; they let out terrified shrieks and frantically coiled backward!

Those barbs capable of piercing the Divine Soul all softened and withered under the pressure of the Chaos Fire Lotus!

Di Qingge opened her eyes, Chaos light swirling in her pupils. Her clear voice echoed across the silent pill platform:

"Purify."

She merely moved her thought slightly.

The giant Chaos Fire Lotus above her head rotated gently.

Buzz—!

A ripple of Chaos color spread silently outward, centered on Di Qingge, spreading like spilled mercury, instantly covering the entire core area of the Formation!

All the wildly twisting vines, regardless of thickness or length, regardless of how many had been severed before, froze the instant they touched the ripple—

Solidified!

Then, starting from their tips, they silently turned into dust!

One breath.

In just one breath.

The Hundred Herbs Entangling Formation, which covered the core of the pill platform with a thousand vines, had its core area completely turned into bare, empty glazed ground.

Only a sparse dozen or so vines remained in the peripheral area, trembling under the lingering might of the Chaos ripple, like flickering candles in a gale.