“Netherwood Flame!” At that moment, Master Yuling touched his storage ring, and a withered small branch flew out, darting above the blood pool.
“Netherwood!” Lin Xiao’s expression tightened. As a spirit controller, he knew full well how precious Netherwood was. Even a small branch could burn for a long time, possessing a trace of flame power akin to the nether attribute.
“Hiss!” Master Yuling’s spiritual energy rubbed against the Netherwood, igniting it. The branch burst into flame and dropped into the blood pool.
Instantly, a ghastly, roaring fire blazed above the blood pool. Waves of terrifying aura and fluctuations continuously emanated from within.
The scorching heat caused the temperature of the surrounding space to spike dramatically.
The blood pool continued to be seared by the ghostly flames, the blood within boiling fiercely.
“One hour from now, the pill will condense,” Master Yuling said, observing the scene before him.
This ancient array blood pool was truly miraculous. Once the materials were added, no control was needed during the forging process—only a slight infusion of spiritual energy was required when the pill began to form.
Time passed slowly.
On an ordinary day, an hour would pass in the blink of an eye for a martial artist.
But facing death, an hour felt excruciatingly long, and everyone was in torment.
Aside from the City Lord’s Mansion’s people, no one knew what they carried or what method they used to remain unaffected by the binding force.
However, apart from the City Lord and Master Yuling, the other members of the City Lord’s Mansion wore expressions of perpetual shock.
Their City Lord’s scheme was simply too grand.
“We can’t just wait to die like this, can we?” As time dragged on, Qingyun grew anxious and asked Lin Xiao.
“Then what can you do?” Lin Xiao countered, and Qingyun immediately fell silent.
Still, she found some comfort in the thought that this unexpected turn of events might mean her father could be saved. Even if she died, it would be worth it.
Yet, dragging Lin Xiao and the others into this filled her with guilt.
In the hall, there were plenty of angry shouts, but after Master Yuling killed a few people, the entire auction hall quieted down.
They might die later, but speaking out now meant instant death, so no one dared to open their mouth recklessly.
They could only hope that, in an hour, someone would discover this place—or that some twist of fate would occur.
As time crept by, the blood pool’s disturbances came in waves. When nearly an hour had passed, the pool gradually calmed.
Master Yuling, who had been assisting with spiritual energy control, was drenched in sweat. Though the blood pool relied on the array to operate automatically, requiring only minor assistance from a spirit controller, the array was so formidable that even this small effort nearly drained him completely.
“Hiss!” Finally, the blood pool became utterly still, without a single ripple. Then, everyone saw that the pool had dried up. A black-red pill, the size of a fingertip, slowly floated up under Master Yuling’s control.
Seeing this pill, the usually composed Lord of Blackwind City trembled slightly, his excitement palpable.
“The Beast Transformation Pill, the ancient pill that forged peak powerhouses—I’ve finally obtained it.” Peng Du carefully reached out, gently pinching the pill between two fingers.
The pill appeared utterly tranquil, devoid of any glow, but anyone could imagine the immense energy it contained.
“I hope that pill blows him apart!” the crowd silently prayed. With such a terrifying pill, consuming it carried a high risk of self-destruction.
“I’ve known this secret for over a decade, and today I’ve finally succeeded. From now on, I’ll rule this region—who would dare defy me? Hahaha!” Holding the pill, Peng Du threw his head back and let out a狂笑, a stark contrast to his earlier calm demeanour.
“Whoosh!” But at that moment, something unexpected happened. The pill suddenly shot out of Peng Du’s hand, hurtling towards the direction of the private rooms.
That direction was precisely where Lin Xiao stood.
The pill flew at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, as the crowd stared in shock, it reached Lin Xiao and his group.
“Ling Hu, open your mouth!” Lin Xiao shouted urgently.
Startled awake by Lin Xiao’s call, Ling Hu didn’t hesitate and opened his mouth. The pill shot inside.
He trusted Lin Xiao implicitly, and in this moment, it was their only chance at survival.
“You dare!” Peng Du roared in fury. After waiting countless years, the prize he’d nearly claimed had slipped away. He felt like he might explode with rage. A wild burst of energy erupted from him as he charged towards Ling Hu like a bolt of lightning.
“Spirit controller!” Master Yuling was equally enraged. He hadn’t expected another spirit controller to be hiding here, seizing the moment he’d relaxed to snatch the pill from Peng Du’s grasp.
And that young man had acted so decisively, swallowing the pill without hesitation—didn’t he fear it would destroy him?
Even if it did cause him to explode, the pill would be ruined. Master Yuling’s entire body surged forward, rushing at full speed.
At the same time, a wave of spiritual energy shot invisibly from his brow towards Ling Hu.
He was determined to take it back.
Everything happened in a flash. Peng Du’s figure naturally outpaced Master Yuling, reaching Lin Xiao and the others in an instant.
Whoosh!
At that very moment, a terrifying black-cyan flame surged from Lin Xiao’s brow. The space within a dozen metres darkened instantly.
The black-cyan flame danced chaotically, like a shapeless monster flailing wildly. An overwhelming, terrifying aura radiated out, its immense pressure spreading in all directions, an inexplicable force gripping everyone’s hearts.
In that split second, Peng Du’s expression turned to horror. He felt as if he were about to crash into a gaping, devouring demon. An indescribable terror enveloped him, threatening to swallow and incinerate him.
“Spiritual energy!” Master Yuling’s heart jolted violently, his face displaying utter disbelief.
As a spirit controller, he knew exactly what spiritual energy signified.
It was a rare, ancient power of heaven and earth, the dream of countless spirit controllers. How many ages had passed since a powerhouse wielding spiritual energy last appeared? Yet this young man, so youthful, possessed it.
This was nothing short of a miracle!
As Lin Xiao unleashed his spiritual energy, Qingyun and the others from Tianmen were stunned. They’d never seen Lin Xiao display any talent for spiritual energy before.
Now, not only had he used spiritual energy to control the Beast Transformation Pill, but he’d also unleashed such a terrifying force. They were so shocked they could barely process it.
The surrounding crowd was equally astonished, feeling an inexplicable power as if a colossal beast stood before them, ready to devour them, pull them in, and burn them. Their hearts trembled involuntarily.
But with this sudden turn of events, hope flickered in their minds. If Peng Du’s beast transformation failed, they might have a chance to survive.
