"Although you have a thirst for learning, your comprehension of alchemy is average and your thoughts are scattered. The 'Pill King Secret Manual' in your hands would only gather dust. Leave now." The elderly Emperor Yan shook his head and slowly raised one hand.

"Senior, I can..." Yuan Ming was in a state of panic, just about to say something more, when his vision suddenly blurred.

In the next moment, his figure had already appeared outside the vermillion hall.

The whole process seemed like instantaneous movement; he wasn't even sure how he had left the hall.

Yuan Ming gazed at the interior of the hall, feeling a sense of deep unwillingness.

He knew that his talent in alchemy was ordinary, but with the Stealing Heaven Tripod, he believed that as long as he was willing to study and practice, he would be no less than any alchemy grandmaster of his time.

He wanted to tell that elderly Emperor Yan that entrusting the Pill King Secret Manual to him would not be a waste.

With this thought, Yuan Ming stepped forward, intending to try and enter the hall again.

However, at that moment, it seemed as if the hall was shrouded in an invisible barrier, blocking his way.

Just as Yuan Ming was about to try using a spell or brute force to break the barrier, his divine sense suddenly detected several auras approaching.

"These guys have come really fast!" Yuan Ming's expression changed slightly. After quickly turning his mind, he immediately gave up trying to break the restriction and moved to an open space beside the hall.

He took out the Transformation Stone Talisman, held it in his palm, and activated it. His body emitted a faint yellow light and soon transformed into a five-foot-tall stone, standing quietly to the side.

Just as Yuan Ming concealed himself, two streaks of spirit light came together from the distance. As the light scattered, it was Mao Yi and the Black-armored Man, who had transformed from a black dragon turtle, arriving first at this place.

"Good! Looks like we are the first to arrive; the Pill King Pavilion Inheritance really is destined for me." Mao Yi glanced around, laughed heartily, and then instructed the Black-armored Man to guard the entrance while he impatiently rushed into the hall.

However, when he saw only a thick book left on the altar inside the hall, he was momentarily stunned.

"Who are you?" On the Taishi Chair, the corpse of the elderly Emperor Yan stood up again.

"Emperor Yan!" Mao Yi seemed to recognize the elderly Emperor Yan and was taken aback.

But he quickly realized the person before him was a corpse and regained his composure.

"Black Evil Sect, Mao Yi, where is the Complete Heaven Exquisite Tripod?" Mao Yi answered and then rudely asked.

"It has already been taken." The elderly Emperor Yan replied calmly without any anger.

"Taken! Who did it? Was it that Yuan kid?" Mao Yi was stunned, recalling Yuan Ming's figure, and asked in a deep voice. Brought to you by *.

"...Would you like to undergo the second test to inherit the 'Pill King Secret Manual'?" The elderly Emperor Yan did not answer, instead, he asked in return.

Mao Yi ignored the elderly Emperor Yan and unleashed a powerful divine sense, searching inside and outside the hall, as well as a large maze area.

Outside the hall, Yuan Ming's heart was also in his throat.

Although the Transformation Stone Talisman was powerful, he wasn't sure if it could deceive the divine sense of a Dharma Phase Cultivator.

Fortunately, the Transformation Stone Talisman did not disappoint him. Mao Yi's divine sense swept over the stone he had transformed into without noticing anything unusual, and soon moved away.

"Escaped? Impossible, that kid's tunneling speed isn't that fast. Could it be...he was transported out after passing the test?" Mao Yi got nothing and murmured with a frown, suddenly asking the elderly Emperor Yan again.

"Would you like to undergo the second test to inherit the 'Pill King Secret Manual'?" The elderly Emperor Yan asked again without any expression.

Mao Yi was displeased but had no way to vent his frustration on a corpse, so he silently swallowed this discontent, nodded slowly, and agreed to participate in the test.

Following that, he experienced the alchemy test exactly like Yuan Ming did.

The elderly Emperor Yan did not increase the difficulty because of Mao Yi's higher cultivation, but even so, Mao Yi's performance was no better than Yuan Ming's, and he soon failed, similarly being transported out of the hall.

"Shall I give it a try?" The Black-armored Man asked proactively after following him out.

"No need. The elderly Emperor Yan's standards are too high. Unless you are a genuine alchemy master, you have no chance of passing the test." Mao Yi's face darkened.

"What about seizing it by force?" The Black-armored Man asked through voice transmission.

"Impossible! Although the elderly Emperor Yan is merely a corpse, the restrictions placed here are formidable, likely a sixth-level array, not to be underestimated." A trace of temptation flashed across Mao Yi's face, but he quickly dismissed it.

"Then..." The Black-armored Man pondered deeply.

Mao Yi quickly surveyed the surroundings while contemplating.

Jiang Liu had also arrived earlier, given his abilities, he should have been here already. Perhaps Jiang Liu has a way to acquire the Pill King Secret Manual.

At that moment, Mao Yi's expression suddenly changed, and he quickly turned his head to look to the side.

Three beams of tunneling light flew out from the maze, heading straight towards the area.

"It's them!" Mao Yi's face darkened. The newcomers were Bai Yuan along with his subordinates Gao Feng and Dian Xiaosan.

Regarding Bai Yuan and Gao Feng, he didn't care much, but Dian Xiaosan was different. He was one of the foremost alchemy masters of the Dongji Sea and was highly likely to pass the test of the elderly Emperor Yan. He must be prevented from entering the hall!

Bai Yuan appeared cheerful at first, but seeing Mao Yi already there, his brows furrowed before loosening again. He smiled and said:

"Haha, I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Mao to arrive so quickly. Could it be that you've already obtained the treasure?"

"Hmph, enough nonsense. The Pill King Pavilion Inheritance is inside the hall, if you want it, first get past me!" Mao Yi took action fiercely, a black dharma manifestation appeared behind him in an instant, his right hand enveloped in smoke-like black light raised, grabbing towards Bai Yuan.

"Mao Yi, are you crazy!" Bai Yuan was taken aback, not expecting Mao Yi to attack immediately, so ruthless.

However, being a Dharma Phase Cultivator as well, Bai Yuan's reaction was not slow in the slightest. As he saw the black giant palm incoming, dazzling golden light burst out from him, a seated Golden Buddha dharma manifestation with closed eyes emerged in an instant.

The Buddha dharma manifestation raised its hands vertically, and a large patch of golden light rose to meet the attack.

In an instant, rolling black smoke collided with dazzling golden light in the sky, exploding with an unprecedented terrifying roar, the earth shook violently, as if a volcano would erupt and spew forth at any moment.

The black-armored man, Gao Feng, and Dian Xiaosan were shaken with stars before their eyes, unable to stand firmly, only able to retreat repeatedly, not daring to approach the battlefield.

At the center of the fierce collision of black and golden light, Mao Yi suddenly turned his head towards Dian Xiaosan,

The black dharma manifestation copied the motion, its eyes suddenly projected two thin black lightning bolts, shooting rapidly towards Dian Xiaosan.

Dian Xiaosan was horrified, not understanding why Mao Yi was targeting him.

Although his cultivation was not weak, having reached late stage Returning Void Realm, he couldn't compare to the Dharma Phase Realm, and was not skilled in combat spells, unable to dodge in time.

Seeing Dian Xiaosan trapped in a predicament, Bai Yuan quickly formed a seal with his left hand and pointed at his brow, while his right hand grasped the void.

The right hand of the golden Buddha dharma manifestation flashed with golden light, producing a golden bottle aimed at the two black lightnings.

Boom!

A terrifying suction force emanated from the golden bottle, enveloping the two black lightning bolts, immediately slowing their speed severalfold.

Simultaneously, the brow of the golden Buddha dharma manifestation cracked open, revealing a golden vertical eye.

A flame-like golden light shot out, intercepting the two black lightning bolts.

"Boom" "Boom", two loud bangs, the black lightning was shattered, turning into nothingness.

This all seems lengthy, but in fact, it happened in the blink of an eye.

"Mao Yi, I never thought you'd be so vile, being a Dharma Manifestation Stage Great Power, yet you sneak attack a Returning Void Stage young cultivator!" Bai Yuan stood in front of Dian Xiaosan, scolded in a deep voice.

Mao Yi secretly thought it was a pity, didn't respond to Bai Yuan's words, and continued to command the black dharma manifestation to attack.

Bai Yuan seeing this, kept silent and faced the battle.

The battling parties started using their full strength, dense black and golden beams scattered and splattered, the entire labyrinth space began to tremble, becoming pitted and uneven in an instant, filled with black smoke and dust.

However, under such intense aftermath of spell combat, the nearby great hall remained intact. Occasionally, scattered black smoke and golden light bombarded the great hall, but they were all blocked by a layer of red spirit light, causing no damage at all.

"The power of a Dharma Phase battle is indeed amazing!" Yuan Ming thought to himself.

His transformed stone block by the aftermath of the battle was flung away, buried under a heap of ruin debris, but this was good, making it less likely to get injured.

"Fight, fight, the more chaotic the situation the better, best to fight directly into the great hall and drag Emperor Yan into it too!" Yuan Ming rejoiced inwardly.

In the chaos, he would seize the opportunity to snatch the Pill King Secret Manual.

Just as the two were fiercely engaged, two tunneling lights approached quickly, Bai Yuan, who was under suppression, suddenly brightened up.

"Brother Zhu Yu, this demon is powerful, quickly come help me!" Bai Yuan seeing this, quickly shouted.

The two spirit lights revealed the figures inside, it was Zhu Yu and the blue-haired lady devil cultivator.

Just revealed, Zhu Yu paused, his gaze only lingered on Bai Yuan and Mao Yi for a moment, then turned to the great hall.

Seeing this, Bai Yuan secretly cried out in alarm.

Although he was in alliance with Zhu Yu, obviously seizing the Pill King Pavilion Inheritance was more in Zhu Yu's interest than helping Bai Yuan.

Mao Yi likewise realized this, his expression became even more grim.

Yet unexpectedly, after Zhu Yu saw the Pill King Secret Manual stored in the great hall with his divine sense, his eyes turned, he laughed aloud, then soared into the sky, a large area of bright blue water light emanated from him.

"Brother Bai Yuan, don't worry, I'm here to help you eliminate the demon." He laughed, punching out.

Only to see a giant Kun dharma manifestation towering to the heavens appear above his head, its back blue, belly white, surrounded by azure ribbons of water light, its size astonishingly larger than Bai Yuan and Mao Yi's dharma manifestations, crashing viciously towards Mao Yi.

Bai Yuan, though confused, became very happy, counterattacking Mao Yi.

With Zhu Yu's addition, the tide of battle rapidly reversed, Mao Yi soon fell to a disadvantage, forced back step by step by Bai Yuan and Zhu Yu's combined forces, unable to mount a counterattack, appearing very embarrassed.

No sooner said than done, Ouyang Qiang and the other two finally arrived outside the great hall.

"Palace Master Ouyang, quickly come help me!" This time, it was Mao Yi's turn to shout out, seeking Ouyang Qiang's assistance.

Ouyang Qiang however pretended not to hear, her gaze turned to the inside of the great hall, directly falling on the Pill King Secret Manual.

Different from Zhu Yu, she entirely ignored Mao Yi's plea, didn't even bother uttering a single unnecessary word, her figure slightly blurred, preparing to charge into the hall alone.