Ding!

A loud metallic chime echoed through the marketplace.

A moment later, a massive bronze cauldron materialized in midair.

Ancient runes glowed along its surface, releasing waves of spiritual pressure that caused many nearby cultivators to instinctively retreat several steps.

The cauldron was clearly no ordinary artifact.

It was a treasure refined through countless years of nurturing and possessed frightening power.

To say that pill masters lacked offensive capabilities was a misconception held only by fools.

While most pill masters focused their lives on alchemy rather than combat, many of them possessed unique methods of fighting.

Their techniques were often unconventional, relying on flames, poisons, spiritual herbs, and treasured cauldrons capable of crushing mountains.

Pill Master Gao Shan was no exception.

"Die!"

With a furious roar, he pointed toward Lin Feng.

The enormous cauldron immediately transformed into a streak of bronze light.

It crossed dozens of meters in the blink of an eye, carrying enough force to flatten buildings.

Its target was obvious. Lin Feng’s head. Gao Shan intended to silence him forever.

If the attack landed, not only would Lin Feng’s skull be shattered, but his entire body would likely be reduced to a bloody pulp.

Bang! Bang!

The collision sounded like a thunderclap.

The ground trembled.

Nearby stalls collapsed from the shockwave while countless spectators staggered backward in panic.

However, when the dust settled, everyone froze. Their eyes widened in disbelief.

Their mouths hung open. No one could believe what they were seeing.

"Am... am I seeing things?"

A cultivator rubbed his eyes repeatedly.

The scene before them was simply too absurd.

Lin Feng stood exactly where he had been before.

Not a single step had been taken backward. Not a single strand of hair was out of place.

His expression remained calm and indifferent, as though nothing noteworthy had happened.

Most shocking of all, he was defending against the gigantic treasure cauldron with only one finger.

Just one finger.

The enormous artifact that could crush boulders and kill powerful cultivators was being effortlessly blocked by Lin Feng’s raised index finger.

He resembled an ancient mountain standing against the heavens.

Unmovable. Unshakable. Invincible. The cauldron trembled violently.

Its spiritual light flickered as if it were frightened.

It attempted to retreat and return to its master’s side, but no matter how hard it struggled, it could not escape.

It was as though Lin Feng’s finger had become an eternal prison.

The mighty treasure was completely trapped.

"This is a fine treasure cauldron."

Lin Feng examined it with interest.

His tone was casual, as though he were evaluating merchandise at a market stall.

"It’s just a pity that its owner is both weak and evil."

His words caused Gao Shan’s face to turn pale.

Before anyone could react, Lin Feng lightly flicked his finger.

The massive cauldron instantly bounced into the air.

The artifact that had moments ago threatened to kill him now looked no different from a toy.

Under countless stunned gazes, Lin Feng casually spun the giant cauldron on the tip of his finger.

Round and round it went.

The enormous treasure rotated effortlessly, just like a basketball being played with by an ordinary mortal.

The crowd stood frozen.

Many people subconsciously pinched themselves to make sure they were not dreaming.

That terrifying cauldron, capable of crushing experts into meat paste, was now being toyed with by Lin Feng as though it weighed nothing at all.

At that moment, everyone finally understood one thing.

The gap between Pill Master Gao Shan and Lin Feng was not merely large.

It was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.

"Give it back!"

Pill Master Gao Shan roared in panic and fury.

His hands rapidly formed seals as he desperately tried to summon his precious cauldron back to his side.

Spiritual energy surged from his body in waves, but to his horror, nothing happened.

The cauldron remained obediently hovering beside Lin Feng.

It did not move even an inch.

"This... this shouldn’t be possible!"

Cold sweat appeared on Gao Shan’s forehead.

The treasure cauldron had accompanied him for decades.

He had refined it with his own blood and soul, forming a blood contract with the artifact.

Under normal circumstances, nobody but him should have been able to control it.

Yet now the connection felt strangely distant.

It was as if the treasure no longer recognized him as its master.

"Not happening."

Lin Feng smiled leisurely.

"You already threw it at me, so I naturally assumed you were tired of owning it and wanted to give it away."

He casually patted the side of the massive cauldron.

"Since you’re being so generous, I can only accept your gift. Thank you. This cauldron belongs to me now."

The spectators were left speechless.

Stealing another person’s bonded treasure was already difficult enough.

Doing it within seconds and in front of the original owner was simply unheard of.

"Impossible!"

Gao Shan’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

At that very moment, he felt the final thread connecting him to the treasure snap apart.

The blood contract that he had painstakingly established over countless years vanished completely.

He could no longer sense the cauldron. It was no different from losing a limb.

"You... what did you do?"

His voice trembled.

Lin Feng merely shrugged.

"Nothing is impossible. The only limits that exist are the ones people place upon themselves."

A playful smile appeared on his face.

"Speaking of which, do you have any more treasures that you would like to throw at me? Perhaps another cauldron? A sword? Maybe a storage ring full of spirit stones?"

The crowd immediately understood what he was doing.

He was deliberately provoking Gao Shan. And it was working perfectly.

"I WANT YOU TO DIE!"

Gao Shan completely lost control.

His face twisted with rage while veins bulged across his forehead.

The humiliation was simply too much.

Years of reputation, status, and pride had been shattered within minutes.

"Burn for me!"

Boom!

An ocean of crimson flames erupted from his body.

The surrounding temperature instantly soared.

Within seconds, the marketplace felt as though a miniature sun had descended from the heavens.

Wooden stalls began to smoke. Metal objects turned scorching hot.

The stone pavement cracked from the intense heat.

Many weaker cultivators found themselves struggling to breathe.

"What terrifying flames!"

"He has gone mad!"

"Everyone run!"

The spectators no longer dared to remain nearby.

No treasure was worth losing their lives over.

People immediately fled in every direction, pushing through the crowded streets as fast as possible.

Some merchants abandoned their stalls.

Others left behind valuable goods without a second thought.

Their only concern was escaping the battlefield before they became collateral damage.

In just a few moments, the bustling marketplace had transformed into a chaotic scene of panic and retreat.

Yet amidst the rising sea of flames and fleeing crowd, one person remained perfectly calm.

Lin Feng.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his expression relaxed and unbothered.

The terrifying heat capable of making others panic felt no different from a gentle summer breeze to him.

As he looked at the furious Gao Shan, a faint smile appeared on his face.

Finally.

Things were becoming interesting.