At first, that faint fragrance didn't draw much attention. But as time passed, it grew richer and spread farther, until it filled the entire area.
The Xuandan Region had always been where the most alchemists gathered, so the moment people caught a whiff of that scent, they immediately knew something was unusual.
One by one, alchemists began to gather, following the trail of the fragrance. Before long, they found the source—a secluded cave mansion. But even though they could see the cave clearly, no one could break through the barrier surrounding it.
The runes covering the barrier were intricate and strange, completely different from any modern style of inscription.
Then someone suddenly spoke up.
"These runes are so ancient-looking. Could they be from the primordial era?"
That single guess spread like wildfire, and more and more cultivators rushed over.
Everyone knew one thing: in the ancient era, alchemists were far stronger than those of the current age. Back then, even Saint-rank alchemists weren't rare.
But now, at least on the surface, there wasn't a single Saint-rank alchemist left in the entire world. If this barrier truly came from the ancient era, then what about the treasures sealed inside the cave mansion?
Could it be the inheritance of an ancient powerhouse?
And if a fragrance this potent could still linger after all those years, then just what level were those pills inside?
Saint-grade?
Divine-grade?
They didn't even dare to imagine!
As the rumors spread, even more alchemists gathered. At first, they only speculated about a possible ancient origin, but most were still skeptical.
By the third day, Mahayana cultivators began to appear.
Several Mahayana experts joined forces to break the formation, but even they couldn't crack it. The crowd was stunned. If even Mahayana cultivators couldn't destroy the barrier, then its ancient origin seemed almost certain!
Soon after, sects started to get involved. When ordinary disciples failed to break the barrier, they called in their elders.
The news spread like a storm.
Within half a month, nearly every sect besides Xuandan Gate had tried their hand at the barrier. Yet not one managed to even scratch the outer layer.
That day, while everyone was still trying to shatter the barrier, the entire mountain suddenly shook violently. The cave mansion collapsed in an instant.
From the ruins, a golden alchemy furnace slowly rose into view. It glowed with the radiance of the sun, emanating waves of searing heat, and the mysterious medicinal fragrance was pouring out from within it.
"This aura…" one Mahayana expert muttered in disbelief. "That's a Saint-grade furnace… it's a Saint-grade alchemy furnace!"
His voice rose sharply, trembling with excitement.
"Not just the furnace! Look over there, there are porcelain bottles and jade slips too!"
"Could those be ancient pills and pill formulas?"
"Is the golden age of alchemists about to begin again?!"
The crowd exploded with excitement.
Underground, Yang Yun sat cross-legged, his expression dark and grim. Everything was proceeding exactly as the demonic soul had planned. More and more alchemists were gathering, and it was only a matter of time before Xuandan Gate caught wind of it.
And honestly, what alchemist in the world could resist a temptation like this?
Not a single one!
A trace of despair crept into Yang Yun's heart.
Once the demonic soul devoured this crowd, no one in this small world would be able to stop it. After that, it could devour Ji Wusi and the others freely. Breaking the spatial barrier would only be a matter of time.
At that thought, Yang Yun couldn't help thinking of Yun Jin. That strange woman—wasn't she good at creating miracles?
The demonic soul was about to unleash a massacre, so why didn't she show up and pull off another miracle now?!
Yang Yun screamed inwardly.
The demonic soul sensed his thoughts and sneered. "You're really grasping at straws, still hoping that woman will save you? Yun Jin's quite the celebrity among humans, but if she dares come here, she won't be leaving alive."
Yang Yun's face twisted, but he couldn't argue.
On their way through the Human Realm, he'd heard countless stories about Yun Jin and Wushuang Sect, but he'd never truly believed them. How could a woman who'd been a mere Golden Core disciple of a middling sect just a few years ago suddenly become so powerful?
To him, Yun Jin's so-called feats were just human propaganda. After all, she had the backing of three Holy Lands. Those "miracles" might've been staged by Ji Wusi and his people to build her reputation.
If they really fought, how could Yun Jin possibly stand against the demonic soul?
"Enough," the demonic soul said smugly. "Don't cling to false hope. Cooperate with me, and maybe when the Demon God descends, I'll ask my true body to spare your pitiful life."
His voice was filled with arrogance and triumph.
Finally.
He was on the verge of success. Soon, he'd tear open the spatial barrier and welcome the outer-realm demons into this world.
The demonic soul's pride swelled as he thought of it. He really was a genius. Surely, when his true body found out how clever he'd been, it would be proud of him. A creepy, gleeful laugh echoed in the darkness.
By now, the demonic soul was certain the news had already reached Xuandan Gate.
"Those alchemists have refined their brains into mush. There's no way they'll resist this bait. All we have to do is wait here."
Under his control, Yang Yun closed his eyes and fell into silent waiting.
At Xuandan Gate, a group of alchemists looked furious.
"What did he just call us? Brain-dead alchemists?"
This Demon Sovereign was going too far!
The worst part was, if Yun Jin hadn't warned them in advance, their chances of being fooled really would've been one hundred percent.
Yun Jin coughed lightly and said, "Don't take it to heart. Even if I hadn't said anything, I believe none of you would've fallen for such a petty trick."
"That's right, there's no way we'd be fooled by something this obvious," Qing Yun said quickly.
"The Demon Sovereign's underestimating our intelligence," the others agreed at once.
Xuan Feng remained calm. "Then all we need to do is act surprised and head to the barrier as planned."
Yun Jin nodded. "Let Martial Uncle Man Sen go with you. I'll go ahead and disguise myself as an ordinary cultivator near the barrier. You don't need to find me. Just follow the plan. When the time comes, I'll make my move."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
After saying goodbye, Yun Jin descended the mountain ahead of them.
Not long after, Xuandan Gate received the official report about the barrier.
Xuan Feng treated the matter seriously. He immediately convened a sect meeting, and after a round of discussion, everyone agreed—they'd send their best forces to the site.
The Xuandan Gate team set out in full formation, their numbers grand and imposing.
Meanwhile, Yang Yun, under the demonic soul's control, curved his lips into a sinister grin. Since they were coming, they might as well stay forever.
Every last one of them…
Would become his strength.