On Daoist Cloudrise's side, after some hesitation, he decided to go forward and negotiate.
"Fellow Daoist is in the critical stage of Core Formation, so I'm sure you don't want to fight with us. Why don't we both take a step back and let Cheng Xu go? We'll let you leave safely. How about it?"
"You speak as if you can stop this lord? If you want me to let this kid go, you'll have to pay the price." The black-robed middle-aged man said sarcastically.
"What do you want? Just tell me." Reverend Dan Yang asked hurriedly.
The black-robed middle-aged man changed the topic and said seriously, "It's said that about 10,000 years ago, a great war broke out in Southern Heaven. I want to know what happened in Southern Heaven back then."
When the orthodox Dao cultivators heard this, they looked at each other in confusion.
"What war from 10,000 years ago? What are you talking about?"
"How could we possibly know about something that happened 10,000 years ago?"
Seeing the reactions of the various sect leaders, the black-robed middle-aged man couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. "It seems that even you, local cultivators, don't know much about what happened back then."
"From your words, it seems that your devil Dao's invasion this time has some other purpose?" Daoist Cloudrise frowned as he sized up the black-robed middle-aged man.
"If that's the case, then there's no need to continue this conversation!"
The black-robed middle-aged man laughed wildly. A strong blood qi surged around his body, as if he was going to start a fight with everyone.
Just as the battle was about to start, Chi Yao Zhenren stood up hesitantly. "Wait a moment. Since fellow Daoist is in the critical stage of Core Formation, can you recognize this medicine?"
He raised his chubby little hand, and a golden pill with electric patterns jumping on its surface appeared in his hand.
The moment the pill appeared, it instantly attracted everyone's attention.
In particular, the unique energy fluctuations emitted by the pill shocked everyone.
The black-robed middle-aged man's eyes were fixed on the pill in Chi Yao Zhenren's hand. His eyes gradually turned from shock to excitement, and his breathing gradually became rapid. "This is... cracking pill?"
The leaders of the various sects naturally also recognized this legendary medicinal pill, and each and every one of them was dumbfounded.
"Cracking pill! Fellow Daoist Chi Yao has refined a cracking pill!"
"Daoist Chi Yao, you actually managed to create a cracking pill without making a sound?"
Facing the crowd's bewilderment, Reverend Dan Yang was also dumbfounded. He looked at Reverend Chi Yao in astonishment. "When did Junior Brother successfully refine the cracking pill? I don't even know about it."
Chi Yao Zhenren was silent, his eyes fixed on Cheng Xu held by the black-robed middle-aged man's hands.
"Hahaha… I've long heard that the Medicine Celestial Valley's alchemy skills are the best in the entire Southern Heaven. Now that I've seen it with my own eyes, it's true to its name." The black-robed middle-aged man stared at the pill in Chi Yao Zhenren's hand. "I didn't expect that Chi Yao Zhenren could actually refine this almost extinct cracking pill. You are indeed worthy of the title of the number one alchemist in little Southern Heaven!"
Chi Yao Zhenren didn't pay attention to the other party's flattery and went straight to the point, "I'll use this cracking pill to exchange for my disciple. How about it?"
"Really?"
The black-robed middle-aged man was ecstatic. He wanted to throw Cheng Xu over immediately.
"Hand over the pill and the person." Chi Yao Zhenren said decisively.
The leaders of the orthodox Dao beside him were greatly shocked when they heard this.
"Daoist Chi Yao, aren't you helping the evildoer?"
"That's right, knowing that this demon is about to turn into a core, how can we give him the cracking pill!"
"If we really let this devil break through to the Core Formation stage, how will our orthodox sects survive?"
In the face of everyone's panic, Chi Yao Zhenren was unmoved. "I only want my disciple to live."
"Don't be hasty, Chi Yao Zhenren." Tayun Zhenren said anxiously, "We'll definitely think of a way to save Cheng Xu. Daoist Chi Yao, please don't be rash."
Seeing that the various sect leaders had started to persuade him, the black-robed middle-aged man became anxious. "Fellow Daoist, don't listen to their nonsense. As long as I want to leave, these people won't be able to stop me no matter what. In my opinion, they just can't bear to give up this cracking pill."
"Don't talk nonsense, devil!"
The sect master of the Scorching Sun Sect explained hurriedly.
The two sides were in a heated argument over a single pill.
Cheng Xu, on the other hand, was in a state of confusion.
What the hell was a Core Formation stage?
Wasn't the Nascent Soul stage after the Aurous Core stage?
Also, what was the cracking pill that his master had taken out? How could it make the big shots so excited?
"Father, do you really want to use this kid to exchange for that pill?" Xu Lu, who was standing at the side, was equally confused.
"That cracking pill is the only medicine that can assist in pill transformation. Do you want to exchange or not?" The black-robed middle-aged man panted slightly and said meaningfully, "I just didn't expect this kid to be so valuable."
After knowing that it could assist in pill transformation, Xu Lu immediately understood the value of the cracking pill. "If that's the case, then it's indeed worth the exchange. However, are you sure that's the cracking pill?"
"That unique aura and energy fluctuation can't be fake."
Hearing this, Xu Lu didn't say anything more. Although she was very curious about the strangeness of Cheng Xu's body, her father's Core Formation was more important.
As long as his father broke through to the Core Formation stage, wouldn't it be easy to capture Cheng Xu?
The orthodox cultivators were still sparing no effort in persuading Chi Yao Zhenren, drooling as they looked at the cracking pill in his hand.
Although they were only in the late-stage of the Aurous Core stage, there would be a day when they would need to use the cracking pill.
"Little Cheng, don't be afraid. Although I'm not strong enough, I can still save you in my own way." Chi Yao Chenren ignored everyone's persuasion and slowly walked forward with the cracking pill in his hand.
When the various sect leaders saw this, they anxiously slapped their thighs.
Fellow Daoist, you're so silly~!
Only Immortal Dan Yang was relatively calm. After all, in his opinion, Cheng Xu was indeed more valuable than a cracking pill.
Although they had a chance of saving Cheng Xu if they worked together, it was better to be safe than sorry.
At this moment, Chi Yao Zhenren had already walked in front of the black-robed middle-aged man with large strides. "We agreed to hand over the pill and the goods."
"No problem," he said.
The black-robed middle-aged man was quite straightforward. To show his sincerity, he directly pushed Cheng Xu to Chi Yao Zhenren.
With his strength and the distance between him and Chi Yao Zhenren, he naturally didn't need to worry about Chi Yao zhenren going back on his words.
The moment he grabbed Cheng Xu's hand, Chi Yao Zhenren's trembling heart finally calmed down. After casually throwing the cracking pill to the other party, he quickly retreated with Cheng Xu.
"It really is the cracking pill!" The black-robed middle-aged man who had successfully obtained the cracking pill laughed out loud. "If I fail to break through to the Core formation stage in the future, I'll have to trouble Chi Yao Zhenren again."
Chi Yao Zhenren snorted, too lazy to respond.
The black-robed middle-aged man did not ger angry. He laughed and grabbed Xu Lu, ready to leave. "Hahaha, the Green Mountains will never change, and the green water will always flow. We'll meet again~!"
"You want to leave? It won't be that easy!"
Since Cheng Xu had already been saved, Perfected Cloudrise and the others naturally had nothing to worry about. Seeing that the black-robed middle-aged man was about to escape, they immediately began to encircle him.
"Even if we can't keep him here, we have to let him shed a layer of skin. We can't let him break through to the Core Formation stage easily!"
The sect leaders knew very well that if they really let the devil return safely, it would be no different from releasing a tiger back into the mountains. Moreover, the devil had an additional cracking pill in his hands.
"Shenluo Formation, activate!"
The hall master of the Divine Gaze Hall flew into the sky and took out a dark golden array disc that looked like a three-layer cake. The array disc was densely packed with needles that were connected to each other in an orderly manner, giving off an ancient and mysterious aura.
As the array board turned, a huge golden array instantly enveloped the entire mountain.
The formation was surrounded by three dragon-patterned halos. As they spun, they projected Golden Dragon shadows. With a series of dragon roars, they pounced toward the black-robed man.
On the other side, the Wondrous Spell Sect's master released a large number of yellow talismans. Like the autumn wind sweeping the fallen leaves, they formed chains of talismans and surrounded the black-robed middle-aged man.