Chapter 425: Chaos in the Core Region
Inside the cave, Xiao Ze conjured a large golden flame cauldron. Knowing the Rock Demon heart was extraordinary, he treated it with utmost caution to avoid damaging this precious item. Closing his eyes, he carefully extended his immense soul power to sense the heart thoroughly.
Normally, Xiao Ze could experiment with various herbs to understand the properties of a treasure. However, he only had one Rock Demon heart, so wasting herbs was not an option. Therefore, he didn't aim for perfection but rather focused on removing any harmful effects and enhancing the heart's properties. This approach was similar to when he refined the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit for Ziyan. Given more Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruits, Xiao Ze could have achieved a perfect refinement or even turned it into a pill, but with only one, he couldn't afford such luxury.
After spending half a day sensing the heart, Xiao Ze finally opened his eyes and exhaled deeply. He rummaged through his storage ring, pulling out numerous herbs and arranging them around him. Nearly a thousand types of herbs filled the cave with a rich aroma, to which Xiao Ze was already accustomed.
Using his soul power, Xiao Ze began adding the herbs to the cauldron one by one. The golden flames incinerated impurities, leaving only the purest essence. Time flew by as the fire roared, and five days passed in the blink of an eye. By then, the herbs had been reduced to liquids or powders, floating within the cauldron. The Original Emperor Flame's speed in refining herbs was unmatched, and Xiao Ze's advanced soul power made the process even faster. In just five days, he had refined nearly a thousand herbs.
With the herbs ready, Xiao Ze didn't rush. He took out the Rock Demon heart again, rechecked it meticulously, and, satisfied, gently tossed it into the cauldron. The golden flames surged, enveloping the heart, while the various refined essences floated towards it under his control.
The heart, sensing the threat from the Original Emperor Flame, began to beat violently, releasing a powerful, strange energy as if it were alive. However, under the suppression of the flames, its resistance was futile.
"It's too late to resist now that you're in the cauldron," Xiao Ze remarked. If the heart had released such energy earlier, it might have attracted countless Rock Demons from the core region. But now, inside the cauldron, all its fluctuations were isolated by the flames, making any resistance pointless.
Outside the cave, Xiao Yixian, Medusa, and the others had finished refining their Rock Demon cores, significantly boosting their strength and physical toughness. A mere wave of their hand could now cause spatial ripples without using any Dou Qi. They remained on guard outside, accustomed to the long process required for refining high-grade pills. Even with Xiao Ze's exceptional skills and the power of the Original Emperor Flame, it was not a quick task.
Qing Lin occasionally used her Green Snake Three Flower Pupils to scan the area within a hundred-mile radius. Some adventurers had passed by, but upon sensing the formidable auras of Xiao Ze's group, they wisely avoided confrontation. The Rock Demon realm was not a place of peace; competition and conflict were common, and stealing Rock Demon cores from others was a constant threat.
Suddenly, Qing Lin's eyebrows furrowed, and she turned to Xun'er. "Sister Xun'er, it seems some of your clan members are heading this way."
Xun'er was surprised. "Didn't Brother Qingyang and his group head towards the core region? Why are they coming back?"
"Tell me more," Xun'er said.
"They seem to be fleeing from the depths of the core region," Qing Lin explained, her green eyes rotating as she analyzed the situation.
Xun'er frowned, pondering what could have driven them out. "You all stay here and guard Brother Xiao Ze. I'll go check it out."
Without hesitation, Xiao Yixian and Medusa nodded. They trusted Xun'er to handle the situation with her clan.
Xun'er quickly moved in the direction Qing Lin had indicated. Within minutes, she found Gu Qingyang and his group, who appeared anxious and were hastily leaving the core region.
Sensing Xun'er's presence, Gu Qingyang halted, surprised to see her. "Xun'er, what's happening? Why are you fleeing the core region?"
Xun'er's powerful aura astonished Gu Qingyang's team, revealing that her gains were greater than theirs.
"Xun'er, to make it short, there's chaos in the core region. Several powerful Rock Demons have allied and seem to be trying to unify the core region," Gu Qingyang explained, his words causing Xun'er to tense.
The Rock Demons' linking ability allowed them to combine their strength, potentially creating a force that could dominate the core region. If successful, their power would surge dramatically.
"Gather your team and leave the core region immediately. We have over two months left to stay here. Let's move to the central area for now. If the chaos spreads, we'll have to exit the Rock Demon realm," Gu Qingyang urged.
Xun'er nodded. "Thank you, Brother Qingyang. I'll go inform my friends."
With a slight bow of gratitude, Xun'er hurried back, leaving Gu Yao speechless, his invitation for Xun'er to join them swallowed unspoken.
(End of the chapter)