"Who exactly is this senior? Why would Elder Du call himself a disciple?" Mina hadn't quite recovered from the shock yet, tugging at Yang Kai's sleeve and whispering.
"Ask Elder Du yourself some other time." Yang Kai took a gentle breath.
"Keeping secrets, as usual." Mina pouted.
With her old temperament, she would have marched right up and shouted: "Hey, old man, who are you?"
But seeing Elder Du act with such solemnity, even Mina didn't dare be too rash.
She might be straightforward, but she wasn't stupid.
The group had yet to fully recover from their excitement and astonishment when Yang Kai looked toward Old Man Tianzang and said, "Elder Li, the information Brother Zhai has about the Millennium Demon Flower — you must have been the one who told him."
"Correct." Elder Li nodded slightly, gazing at Yang Kai with a warm smile. "Young man, I've sensed an aura from you that is somewhat similar to my own. When this matter is settled, would you be willing to chat with me for a while? If you don't mind, there are many things I'd like to share with you."
Cang Yan and the others' eyes lit up, and they kept signaling to Yang Kai, urging him to agree.
Yang Kai was an alchemist, and the expert before him was one of the greatest alchemical masters under heaven. Anyone would渴盼 the chance to receive his guidance. Such a golden opportunity suddenly appearing — how could he possibly refuse?
Yang Kai smiled bitterly. Just moments ago he'd been debating whether or not to reveal his secret of possessing Divine Sense Fire, only to find that this expert had already sensed it.
If that was the case, there was no point hiding it. Besides, Yang Kai had felt no ill will from this expert whatsoever. He quickly said, "I would be honored!"
"Good, good, good." Elder Li nodded repeatedly, his smile growing broader.
"Master, let's talk about the Millennium Demon Flower first. Brother Yang and the others must be completely confused by now, waiting for your explanation," Zhai Yao suggested.
Everyone immediately turned their attention to Elder Li.
Elder Li took a gentle breath and said, "Mm. It was my idea to have Zhai Yao wait here, because this celestial phenomenon hasn't truly appeared yet. The Millennium Demon Flower is still in its final stages of preparation. It will take roughly half a day before it manifests. There's no rush to go up there now — it's nothing but a chaotic battlefield up there. Going now would serve no purpose."
"The last time the Millennium Demon Flower bloomed a thousand years ago, it was Master who refined the medicinal liquid from it. So in this regard, he understands more than anyone," Zhai Yao explained in a low voice.
Cang Yan and the others shuddered.
This was news they had never heard before.
A thousand years ago, Old Man Tianzang certainly hadn't enjoyed the elevated status he had now, revered by all living beings. Back then, he must have been just like Yang Kai and Zhai Yao — young, spirited, and sharp.
Over time, he had gradually made a name for himself, and little by little, people forgot his true name. They came to call him Old Man Tianzang.
Everything before that had been nearly forgotten by the world.
Elder Li chuckled and said slowly, "The Millennium Demon Flower is said to be a product of the starry sky. According to legend, many ages ago, a seed fell upon Cliff Gazing at the Sky, and from it the Millennium Demon Flower came into being. Its medicinal liquid is of great benefit to those in the Transcendent Realm seeking to ascend to the Sacred Realm. That is why every thousand years, this place becomes extremely lively. And many people die."
"Numerous powerhouses have attempted to claim the Millennium Demon Flower for themselves, but no matter how many come or who they are, before the appointed time arrives, none can find any trace of it. Cliff Gazing at the Sky once stood ten thousand ren high. Now it stands at only eight thousand ren, because those powerhouses, in their search for the Millennium Demon Flower, leveled it layer after layer."
Everyone listened intently, afraid of missing a single word. Their expressions were focused to the absolute extreme.
"Why can't they find it? I've always been curious — if this flower is so important, why does it always appear on Cliff Gazing at the Sky without anyone ever taking it?" Mina asked, puzzled.
"Because the Millennium Demon Flower is a rootless flower!" Elder Li said, glancing at her with a smile. "And it is not a physical object!"
"Not a physical object?" The crowd was stunned.
"Mm. It is a product of heaven and earth, containing extremely profound energy within. Wait a little longer, and you'll be able to see it yourselves. Then you'll naturally understand what I mean." Elder Li seemed to have no intention of keeping secrets, and related everything he knew truthfully. "Furthermore, it is extremely sensitive. The moment it detects the aura of a Sacred Realm powerhouse, it will seal itself and refuse to emerge. On several occasions, the interference of Sacred Realm powerhouses caused the Millennium Demon Flower to fail to bloom. That is why, in recent cycles, no Sacred Realm powerhouses have come here."
"Elder Li, what should we do once we go up there?" Cang Yan asked urgently.
"Escort the two young ones into the heart of the flower. After that, it's up to their own fortune. There's nothing more any of you can do to help."
Cang Yan was taken aback.
Elder Li chuckled. "I can't explain it clearly now. You'll understand when the time comes."
Cang Yan and the others nodded slightly, asking no further questions.
During their conversation, violent battle fluctuations continued to ripple from the mountaintop. The entire mountain range seemed to have become a battlefield, with Transcendent Realm powerhouses simultaneously escorting the alchemists in their groups forward while fighting off rivals at great risk.
Gradually, the sounds of battle subsided somewhat, as if everyone had sensed something unusual about the Millennium Demon Flower — it was no longer as fierce as before.
Half a day later, the five-colored radiance at the horizon suddenly erupted. In the void above, a magnificent, multicolored flower bud appeared, its beauty breathtaking, casting its light across heaven and earth.
The bud was enormous — even from Floating Cloud City dozens of miles away, it could be seen with perfect clarity. It simply hung suspended in the void, with Cliff Gazing at the Sky directly beneath it.