The Mutation

Seeing such a formidable display, even if some in the crowd harbored restless thoughts, they suppressed their dark desires. After all, with a Dragon Transformation realm martial artist controlling the scene, who would dare to act recklessly?

The atmosphere quickly quieted down, and everyone craned their necks, eagerly awaiting the results, curious to see which family would be the lucky one.

After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the cracks in the Jade Dragon Secret Realm grew more numerous. Finally, with a loud crack, like the sound of an eggshell breaking, the barrier shattered completely.

The nearby mountain also collapsed.

Amidst the ruins, the space rippled like water, and in an instant, the figures of over a hundred people appeared out of thin air.

Seeing the trial participants emerge, the elders outside grew excited and immediately stepped forward to ask who had obtained the inheritance.

They looked exactly like parents waiting outside a college entrance exam hall, eagerly asking their children how they had performed.

However, before they could get close, the golden-armored general appeared as if teleporting, blocking their path and shouting, "Everyone, step back!"

The crowd exchanged glances and stopped in their tracks, not daring to advance further.

The golden-armored general then turned his gaze to the trial participants. Though his expression was calm, his tone carried an unmistakable urgency: "Among you, who has obtained the Alchemy King's inheritance? Step forward and come with me to meet His Majesty."

Hearing this, all the trial participants turned their heads with complex expressions, looking toward Gu Qingfeng and Qiu Xiaocui, who stood to the side.

The elders followed their gaze, and their hearts sank.

"Damn, it's not my disciple!"

But at the same time, they also felt a slight sense of relief.

"At least it's not our rival's disciple either."

Then, a big question popped into their heads.

"Whose disciple is this? Why do they look so unfamiliar?"

They couldn't help but sneak glances at each other, trying to see who might be showing signs of ecstatic joy, which would reveal the lucky family.

However, when they looked around, all they saw were faces filled with confusion.

While the major factions were bewildered, the golden-armored general didn't care about any of that. He only cared about the emperor's orders. It didn't matter who had obtained the inheritance, as long as someone had.

He shifted his gaze to Gu Qingfeng and Qiu Xiaocui, his voice softening slightly for the first time: "Which of you two has obtained the Alchemy King's inheritance?"

This was the first time in his life he had shown such "gentleness" toward someone weaker. He had no choice—he was afraid of death.

Anyone who mastered the method to refine the Ageless Pill, no matter how weak they were, would never be underestimated by anyone in the world.

As the golden-armored general asked his question, all eyes in the vicinity focused on Gu Qingfeng and Qiu Xiaocui, making the two the center of attention.

In this moment of intense scrutiny, Gu Qingfeng stepped forward without hesitation.

His step truly tugged at the hearts of everyone present.

While all eyes were on Gu Qingfeng, no one noticed the flash of determination and ruthlessness in Qiu Xiaocui's eyes. She reached into her sleeve and gripped a black sphere...

Gu Qingfeng was reveling in this moment of glory. His expression was calm, neither joyful nor sorrowful, exuding an air of unshakable composure as he declared, "It is I, humble as I am, who has..."

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, a dark spherical barrier erupted from Qiu Xiaocui, enveloping both her and Gu Qingfeng at lightning speed.

The sudden turn of events stunned everyone.

The golden-armored general, being the closest, reacted first. He roared, "You dare, thief!"

His eyes blazing with fury, he unleashed a radiant golden light from his hand, striking the black spherical barrier. However, the barrier only rippled slightly before returning to its original state.

The golden-armored general was horrified. In the span of a single breath, the black spherical barrier, along with Gu Qingfeng and Qiu Xiaocui, shrank and then vanished completely.

Silence.

An eerie silence.

The shocking turn of events left everyone dumbfounded, taking a full second to process what had just happened.

Then, chaos erupted!

The entire scene exploded into uproar, like water poured into a boiling oil pot. The atmosphere was electric with tension.

"Ah!" A deafening roar erupted from the golden-armored general, his terrifying aura spreading like that of a demon god.

The pressure was so intense that even the grandmasters felt their chests tighten and their breath shorten. Some weaker martial artists even vomited blood and fainted on the spot.

"After them!" the golden-armored general barked, leading a dozen grandmasters as they vanished in an instant.

The remaining crowd was left in stunned silence.

After a moment, they too snapped out of their daze and began issuing frantic orders.

"Quick! Notify the sect (family) to launch a full-scale search!"

The inheritor of the Alchemy King's legacy had disappeared, and everyone saw an opportunity. Who wouldn't want the Ageless Pill?

......

In a hidden valley.

Gu Qingfeng glared at Qiu Xiaocui, Li Qianren, and the fox spirit, shouting angrily, "Do you have any idea how much I hate being interrupted when I'm in the middle of showing off? Couldn't you have waited until I finished speaking before leaving?"

The three of them glanced at Gu Qingfeng but ignored him, continuing their discussion among themselves.

"What's your plan? Without the Ageless Pill, your revenge will be difficult to carry out," the fox spirit said with concern.

Li Qianren frowned deeply. "I never expected Gu Qingfeng to obtain the inheritance. In that case, we'll have to make him refine the Ageless Pill."

"But it won't be long before the world knows that Gu Qingfeng is the one who obtained the inheritance. Even if you get the Ageless Pill, you won't be able to become the 'Peerless King.'"

"No matter. I'll just change my face again."

"But the risks involved..."

"I said, you three ants, there's a limit to how much you can ignore someone!" Gu Qingfeng's face suddenly darkened.

Li Qianren frowned as he stared at Gu Qingfeng. "Gu Qingfeng, don't force me to take action against you. Rest assured, as long as you..."

"Kekeke..."

A sinister, maniacal laugh interrupted Li Qianren.

"Sorry, I didn't catch that. Were you saying not to force you to take action?"

Li Qianren's frown deepened. "Gu Qingfeng, I hope you understand the situation. Even though you possess strength comparable to a grandmaster, you..."

Boom!

A deafening sonic boom erupted!

A fist brimming with power compressed the air, creating layers of sonic waves. The speed was so fast that the surrounding air heated up from friction, producing white streams of vapor. The fist, surrounded by swirling white currents, shot toward Li Qianren with terrifying force.

In that moment, Li Qianren's pupils contracted to pinpricks. He felt the shadow of death envelop him instantly. He wanted to dodge, but it was too late. Instinctively, he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Thud!

An unstoppable force slammed into Li Qianren, sending him flying backward.

His body hurtled uncontrollably, crashing into a mountain behind him.

The moment he made contact with the mountain—boom!

It shattered into pieces!

Li Qianren's momentum didn't slow in the slightest.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of continuous collisions echoed as he smashed through one mountain after another—two, three, four...

His body finally stopped after plowing through six mountains, lying in a heap of rubble.