It could’ve been a coincidence if only their eyes were similar, but the Nine Li Magus Maiden was also mortal. Her situation was identical to Huan Chenxue’s. That made a coincidence quite unlikely.

The two women must have been related somehow.

“Senior Old Snake, regarding this woman…”

Yi Yun questioned Old Snake. Since Old Snake knew Huan Chenxue, he naturally had to understand the secret behind the Magus Maiden.

However, Yi Yun never expected Old Snake to spend a while pondering before sending Yi Yun a voice transmission. “I do not know who she is either.”

“Senior, you don’t?” Upon hearing Old Snake’s words, Yi Yun was speechless. From Yi Yun’s point of view, Old Snake had lived for eons. He should’ve known a thing or two.

“What’s so strange about it? It’s not like I’m omnipotent and omniscient. That lass Chenxue’s race is even more ancient than my Soaring Serpent race. Although I have had some interaction with her, I do not fully understand the various secrets of that ancient secret race.”

…

“My young friend, Yi Yun. This is our Magus Maiden,” introduced Aged Blackrock.

At that moment, the black-dressed woman had already stood up. She walked towards Yi Yun. “Young Master Yi, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Sorry for troubling you by making you come all this way.”

Yi Yun cupped his fists and said, “Your Highness, it’s nothing. The Nine Li Magus Empire helped extricate me from a tough situation in Cloud Pool City, so how could it be a trouble?”

Upon hearing Yi Yun’s words, the Nine Li Magus Maiden gave a faint smile and said, “I heard from Senior Blackrock that although you were surrounded when he arrived, you appeared unflustered. I’m sure you would have extricated yourself from that perilous situation even without our help.”

The black-veiled woman’s voice was gentle and alluring. The way she spoke no doubt easily won a favorable impression from others.

Yi Yun smiled without a response. Instead, he asked, “Your Highness, I wonder what the Nine Li Magus Empire has invited me here for.”

The Nine Li Magus Maiden shook her head and said, “Young Master Yi, there’s no rush. My main goal in inviting you here is to acquaint myself with you. As for what must be done… I’ll bring you there to take a look. However, the matter is just too difficult. Perhaps you might not be able to complete it now, but there will come a day when it can be completed. When that happens, my Nine Li Magus Empire will definitely be eternally grateful.”

As the Nine Li Magus Maiden spoke, she stood up. Yi Yun and Aged Blackrock followed behind her as she went through a corridor and entered a massive square. There were already more than ten thousand people gathered there. These people were the alchemists and warriors from elsewhere.

The people from the Pillheart Sect were naturally there too.

“It’s Yi Yun. That little bastard is coming.”

Upon seeing Yi Yun, the Pillheart Sect members spoke in murmurs. As the saying goes, enemies see red the moment they meet. This was even more apparent when the Pillheart Sect realized that Yi Yun had received preferential treatment. He had been brought by Aged Blackrock to meet someone but they had been left waiting. They were naturally unhappy about it.

“Who is that woman?”

The Pillheart Sect crowd were baffled when they saw the Nine Li Magus Maiden. Wasn’t she a mortal?

Why would a mortal appear here? Furthermore, she seemed to be of high standing?

“Since all of you come from afar, join us in witnessing this.”

The Nine Li Magus Maiden did not mind the huge crowd in the square. She produced a tiny, exquisite dagger seemingly from nowhere and sliced her palm, causing it to drip blood.

The blood did not drip onto the ground and instead was absorbed by some energy. It flew into mid-air and the drop of blood seemed to land on an invisible water surface before disappearing. Simultaneously, the blood drop seemed to stir ripples across the water surface as beautiful ripples emanated outwards slowly.

“This is…”

At the moment the ripples appeared, people felt an ancient and vast aura inundate them. It made them feel like they had transmigrated to an ancient void where they witnessed the legends of the ancient world.

They saw an entrance appear in the middle of where the blood drop was. From the entrance, they could see the boundless edge of another massive world. That world seemed like a scene of devastation. It was filled with swaths of desert that resembled an ancient battlefield.

“Here is it. Those who want to see it, follow me.”

After the Nine Li Magus Maiden said that, she slowly walked into that world.

At that moment, the entrance had expanded to two hundred feet wide. After a slight hesitation, the crowd from the square began to shuffle in.

When they stepped into the desert, it felt like they were stepping on the vestiges of history from hundreds of millions of years ago. The crowd proceeded slowly until a dark red ancient runic pattern appeared beneath the sand. It seemed to turn the sand into blood.

It was a massive array.

Everyone was astonished. The massive array was no trifling matter. It was unknown what its purpose was.

And when Yi Yun stepped in, he felt something extremely familiar. It was…

“This world is a pocket world created by my Nine Li race. Senior Divine Alchemist had set up a massive array in this world. This array has already existed for a very, very long time. Its goal is to… nurture a pill.”

When the Nine Li Magus Maiden said those words slowly, everyone present felt a jolt.

Nurture a pill?

A massive array that filled a world was actually a Herb Nurturing Array!

There were many alchemists present. They knew how difficult it was to refine many pills. Alchemists would often choose to refine an incomplete pill before placing it in a massive array to nurture it for thousands of years before the pill would be ready.

But the massive array before them was not as simple as any ordinary Herb Nurturing Aray. Just from the numinous array patterns, they could appreciate how terrifying the massive array was.

“What pill is it that requires one to go to such great lengths?”

“It was said that Senior Divine Alchemist left something unfinished. Could it be this pill? Then, wouldn’t it mean that this array has been in operation for hundreds of millions of years?”

People realized this conundrum as they drew gasps. It would be extremely shocking to nurture a pill or herb for a hundred thousand years using typical Herb Nurturing Techniques. A million years of nurturing almost never happened. After all, Divine Lords only lived for a few million years.

What did it mean to nurture a pill for hundreds of millions of years!?

The Nine Li Magus Maiden nodded. “That’s right, this is a legacy of Senior Divine Alchemist. However, this array formation was not meant to be in operation for hundreds of millions of years. Unfortunately, Senior Divine Alchemist never returned after he left. He was unable to finish the pill within the array. And with Senior Divine Alchemist gone, no alchemist has been capable of finishing it. My Nine Li race has gathered alchemists from all over the world numerous times to study it but to no avail.”

“We have been maintaining the operation of this massive array all these years. The worldly essence that has been accumulated over hundreds of millions of years has reached an unimaginable amount. We do not know how much the pill within the array has evolved…” said the Nine Li Magus Maiden lightly. Every word she said left one astonished!

If that were the case, the value of the pill was beyond imagination!

“That is truly a huge commitment…” An alchemist who was advanced in his years said wistfully. “Only Senior Divine Alchemist could leave behind such a miracle. I will not be able to attain Senior Divine Alchemist’s level even after dedicating all my life to alchemy…”

“This array is too majestic in scale. We will probably not be able to complete it.” another alchemist said.

They had come hoping to broaden their horizons after hearing about the item the divine alchemist had left behind. They also had the wish that they might be able to complete the item left behind by the divine alchemist. If they succeeded, not only would they gain fame, they would also receive immense benefits.

But just from looking at the Herb Nurturing Array that had been in operation for hundreds of millions of years, they began bemoaning their inadequacies. How were they to complete an array of such massive scale?

Instantly, many alchemists decided to give up. All that was left was for them to broaden their horizons.

…

At that moment, an elderly voice resounded among the crowd. The person was an elder who wore a heavy cape.

“To think an unfinished Herb Nurturing Array frightens you that much. None of you even have the courage to probe the profundity of it. With such a disposition, how can you call yourselves alchemists?”

When they heard the elder’s words, the alchemists who had previously commented were enraged. Who was it that spoke so arrogantly!?

Just as they were about to retort, they instantly shut up when they saw who the caped elder was.

The elder was standing amongst the Pillheart Sect delegation. It was unknown why no one noticed him in the beginning.

And what was more shocking was that the Pillheart Sect’s True Lord Seven Kills was respectfully standing behind him.

“What…”

People knew True Lord Seven Kills’s standing in the Pillheart Sect. He was nearly equal to the sect master. There was only one person that could garner True Lord Seven Kills’s respect—Patriarch Pillheart.

“That elder is the Patriarch Pillheart!? The Patriarch Pillheart actually came here too?”

“Didn’t he seal himself in Bloodcull Jade? It has been more than a million years since he last showcased his skill.”

People were astounded. In order to extend their lifespans, patriarchs would seal themselves in Bloodcull Jade. Only when their sects experienced danger would they appear to ensure the light bestowed on the sect by providence lasted for tens of millions of years.

Old monsters that sealed themselves in Bloodcull Jade would have their lifespans greatly shortened every time they came out of it. People never expected that the Patriarch Pillheart would pay such a price to come personally for the divine alchemist’s legacy in the Nine Li Magus Empire!