WHOOSH!
Qin Feiyang glanced at Shi Ming's retreating figure as he also leaped into the air. Like a streak of lightning, he landed in the square of the Elixir Fire Palace.
The Elixir Fire Palace, its doors tightly shut, towered over a hundred feet high, and an ancient aura assailed them.
"Qin Feiyang, do you know what rank the Elixir Fire is in the Inner Court?" Murong Jing stood in front, her clothes fluttering, her black hair dancing with the wind.
Though her features were ordinary, the aura she exuded was particularly captivating.
"I don't know." Qin Feiyang shook his head.
"Fourth rank," said Murong Jing, her ethereal voice as calm as still water.
"Fourth rank!" Qin Feiyang's eyes flashed brilliantly.
To upgrade the Netherworld Demon Flame to Fifth Grade, it needs to devour three types of fourth-rank Elixir Fire. And Elixir Fire of the fourth rank and above is undoubtedly even rarer. If I snatch the Elixir Fire here, I'll only need two more varieties... Thinking of this, he couldn't help but frown.
If he truly did so, he would undoubtedly offend the entire Holy Temple, and then there would be no place for him in Spirit State.
But upgrading the Netherworld Demon Flame's grade was imperative!
"Looks like after I deal with the Lu Family and the Dong Family, I'll need to do some proper investigation," Qin Feiyang muttered.
He wouldn't lay a hand on the Inner Court's Elixir Fire unless it was the last resort.
BOOM!
At this moment, the doors of the Elixir Fire Palace suddenly swung open.
A middle-aged man walked out, dressed in a snow-white robe and exuding a transcendent aura.
It was the Hall Master of the Elixir Palace!
"Greetings, Hall Master!" Qin Feiyang and Murong Jing bowed respectfully.
The Hall Master of the Elixir Palace nodded, glanced at the two of them, and was momentarily taken aback.
"You've broken through again?" he asked Qin Feiyang, surprised.
Qin Feiyang grinned sheepishly. "This disciple was lucky; I just broke through not long ago."
"Lucky?" The Hall Master of the Elixir Palace was astonished, almost speechless.
Breaking through from a Three-star to a Four-star War Emperor in just a month—could this be luck?
This astonishing speed was truly dumbfounding!
Suddenly, he scanned the area behind Qin Feiyang and Murong Jing, frowning. "Where is Shi Ming? Why didn't he guide you?"
"Elder Shi has matters to attend to," Murong Jing replied.
Qin Feiyang nodded. "Yes, Elder Shi is extremely busy with official duties. How could we dare ask him to guide us?"
The Hall Master looked at their expressions and immediately understood what had happened.
This old fellow, he really is incorrigible.
"Let's go, I'll take you inside." The Hall Master of the Elixir Palace beckoned, then turned and walked into the Elixir Fire Palace.
Qin Feiyang and Murong Jing quickly followed.
Murong Jing whispered, "Are you planning to seize an alchemy room?"
"And you?" Qin Feiyang asked.
Murong Jing said, "I can tolerate other things, but when it comes to alchemy rooms, absolutely not."
The meaning of her words was already clear: they had to seize one!
Qin Feiyang shook his head and chuckled.
Despite her low profile and few words, Murong Jing was a very strong-willed woman.
The Elixir Fire Palace in the Inner Court, like the one in the Holy Temple, also had ten levels. In the center was a courtyard, with alchemy rooms built around it.
However, the difference was that there were fewer alchemy rooms here—only a hundred in total.
This was because only Alchemists with spiritual power of level eight or higher were qualified to enter this Elixir Fire Palace.
The Hall Master of the Elixir Palace explained as he led the two of them to the bottom of the courtyard.
They raised their heads and looked up. Each level had ten alchemy rooms, but not a single person was wandering about outside. An utter silence prevailed!
Qin Feiyang asked, "Hall Master, how many people are here right now?"
"Eighty-eight. Adding the two of you, that makes exactly ninety," the Hall Master of the Elixir Palace said with a smile.
"So few?" Qin Feiyang was stunned.
Murong Jing asked, "What about the Cultivation Hall then?"
"The Cultivation Hall naturally has more people than the Elixir Fire Palace. I believe there are over a thousand," said the Hall Master of the Elixir Palace.
"The difference is too great, isn't it?" Qin Feiyang gave a wry smile.
Indeed. Every Alchemist was like a rare species.
"Are all the disciples in the Inner Court War Emperors?" Murong Jing asked.
The Hall Master of the Elixir Palace chuckled. "Being a War Emperor is the basic criterion to enter the Inner Court. However, there are a few individual disciples who have already stepped into the War Ancestor realm."
"War Ancestor!" Qin Feiyang's eyes flickered.
It seems that life in the Inner Court won't be too boring from now on.
Suddenly, his eyes flashed with a keen light as he asked, "This disciple heard while outside that coming to the Inner Court provides a chance to enter the Imperial Capital. Is that true?"
This was the question he was most concerned about.
Murong Jing's usually calm expression also underwent a subtle change at this moment.
"This..." The Hall Master of the Elixir Palace pondered for a moment, then nodded. "That's right. There is indeed a chance to enter the Imperial Capital. However, it's not that easy. We can discuss the details later."
Qin Feiyang didn't press for further details.
As long as I know there's a chance, that's enough. As for how difficult it would be? He didn't dwell on it. He had to return to the Imperial Capital; there was no other choice. Even if it were as difficult as ascending to heaven, he had to face it.
"Any other questions?" asked the Hall Master of the Elixir Palace.
"Yes." Murong Jing nodded. "How are the alchemy rooms allocated?"
The Hall Master of the Elixir Palace was momentarily startled. He sized up Murong Jing, a meaningful smile flickering in his eyes.
"Just like outside, you'll have to rely on your own abilities to seize an alchemy room.
"But remember, no killing is allowed.
"I have other matters to attend to. If there's anything you don't understand, find me at the Resource Hall."
After the Hall Master of the Elixir Palace finished speaking, he rather irresponsibly left the two of them there and departed.
"Seize it ourselves, huh?" Qin Feiyang muttered, his gaze flickering uncertainly.
Meanwhile, after watching the Hall Master of the Elixir Palace leave, Murong Jing turned to look at Qin Feiyang with a peculiar expression.
"What?" Qin Feiyang looked puzzled.
Murong Jing said, "When the Hall Master said no killing was allowed, he must have been talking about you!"
"Is that so?" Qin Feiyang feigned ignorance, chuckling. "Actually, I'm quite kind-hearted."
"You? Kind-hearted?" Murong Jing's cheek twitched. She shook her head. "I really haven't seen any sign of it."
Qin Feiyang gave a wry smile.
"Newcomers have arrived!"
"Everyone, come out and welcome them!"
Just then, a loud voice rang out.
BOOM!!!
Stone doors opened one after another. Close behind, figures emerged one by one.
Qin Feiyang looked up, surprised.
Why are they all women? There were at least thirty of them—tall and short, plump and thin, a motley crew.
"Greetings, Senior Sisters." Murong Jing curtsied respectfully.
But no one replied; they all just curiously sized up Qin Feiyang and Murong Jing.
However, Qin Feiyang caught a hint of mockery in their eyes.
What's going on? They're all women. Where are the men? He was puzzled and, at the same time, secretly became vigilant. Because the voice that had welcomed them earlier belonged to a man. But now, not a single male disciple had appeared. This meant there was definitely something wrong.
"The welcoming ceremony officially begins!"
"Everyone, don't hold back!"
That male voice rang out again, coming from the tenth floor!
BOOM!!
As his words fell, the stone doors of the other alchemy rooms opened simultaneously. Streams of figures in white burst out!
They were all men, each holding a wooden basin filled with water.
Reaching the edge of the corridor, without a word, they directly splashed the water from their basins towards Qin Feiyang and Murong Jing.
SPLASH!
Water cascaded down like a waterfall.
All this sounds slow in the telling, but it happened in an instant!
If Qin Feiyang hadn't been on guard earlier, he wouldn't have been able to react in time.
SWOOSH!
He grabbed Murong Jing's wrist and shot back like lightning into the corridor behind them, avoiding the fate of being drenched.
"Huh? They actually managed to dodge it?" Seeing this, the men and women above were all somewhat stunned.
Murong Jing was also dumbfounded.
The Elixir Fire Palace fell into a dead silence!
Qin Feiyang loosened his grip on Murong Jing's wrist, glancing at the damp ground, as a cold light flickered in his eyes.
"This welcoming ceremony... is quite special," he muttered, his tone unreadable.
Murong Jing finally regained her senses, her expression unchanging, as if nothing had happened at all.
The two of them stepped back into the courtyard.
However, just as they stepped inside, another torrent of water cascaded down from the tenth floor above.
Caught completely off guard, the two of them were instantly drenched!
"HAHA..." The people above immediately roared with laughter.
This time, not only did Qin Feiyang's expression darken, but a layer of frost also crept onto Murong Jing's face.
After a sweeping glance at the people on the second to ninth floors, their gazes shot directly to the tenth floor.
At the corridor railing stood eight young men and women, shoulder to shoulder: four men and four women. All eight appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, handsome with outstanding bearing. However, their expressions were arrogant, like sovereigns looking down from on high at Qin Feiyang and Murong Jing. Their faces were filled with mocking amusement.
Each of the four men held an empty wooden basin. Obviously, they were the ones who had splashed the water!
"I'd like to ask, do you find this amusing?" Qin Feiyang said, sweeping his gaze over the eight of them, a cold glint in his eyes.
"Of course, it's amusing." The corners of the eight people's mouths curled up slightly in a playful smirk.
Murong Jing suddenly frowned and said, "Qin Feiyang, don't you think there's something wrong with the water?"
"Wrong?" Qin Feiyang paused. Taking a closer sniff, he realized something was indeed off. The water emitted a faint, foul odor!
"How is it? Does it smell good?
"Let me tell you, this is all foot-washing water.
"It's a welcome gift we specially prepared for you.
"Are you satisfied? Would you like some more?
"HAHA..."
The four men roared with laughter, and the others also doubled over, howling.
"Foot-washing water!" Qin Feiyang's face instantly turned grim. Murong Jing's expression was just as dark.
Initially, both of them had thought these people were just playing a small prank. They never imagined it would actually be foot-washing water!
"You've all gone too far!" Murong Jing said icily, her entire body exuding a chilling aura.
A blue-haired young man on the tenth floor scanned the other disciples and laughed. "She says we've gone too far. Tell me, everyone, have we gone too far?"
"Not at all!" the others all shouted back.
"HAHA..." The blue-haired young man laughed loudly, then looked down at Qin Feiyang and Murong Jing, the corner of his mouth curling upwards.
"Let me tell you, this is the rule!
"Every new disciple has to taste the flavor of foot-washing water.
"It's actually a warning.
"No matter how impressive you were outside, once you enter the Inner Court, you all better behave yourselves around us.
"Towards us, your seniors—Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters—you must be thoroughly respectful and obedient to our every word.
"And this is the way to survive in the Inner Court.
"Do you understand?"
The blue-haired young man was imperious and overbearing, displaying incredible arrogance, completely disregarding Qin Feiyang and Murong Jing.
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