“Breaking Plague Pill,” three faintly black characters, slightly blurry, were drawn on the ancient parchment, exuding a hint of ancient aura. A smile flickered in Xiao Yan’s eyes as his gaze slowly swept over the parchment. When his eyes passed over the effects of the pill recorded on it, the smile on his face became even more pronounced. “A sixth-grade pill, capable of breaking most seals with its miraculous effects. After consuming it, one can also develop a resistance to such seals within their body. In the future, if they encounter the same seal again, there is a chance of being immune to it.” “Tsk tsk, quite a fine item indeed…” Scanning the parchment several times, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but smack his lips. He hadn’t expected that this item could not only break seals but also increase the resistance of those who had been sealed. Just this alone justified its status as a sixth-grade pill. “Of course, it’s good. The cost I paid to get this formula still makes my heart ache when I think about it,” Hai Bo Dong said with a wry smile, gazing at Xiao Yan. “Hehe, no matter what the cost, compared to regaining your Battle Emperor strength, it’s insignificant.” Xiao Yan comforted him, and then, right before Hai Bo Dong’s eyes, unceremoniously stored the ancient formula into his storage ring. In the world of alchemy, there was an unwritten rule: if someone wanted an alchemist to refine a specialized pill, they not only had to provide the formula but also the necessary materials. Moreover, the alchemist had full discretion over the formula, even keeping it for themselves if they so desired. Crafting a formula in the alchemy world wasn’t as simple as just jotting down notes. The alchemist had to use their soul force as ink, and only then could they create a qualified formula. When using the formula, the alchemist had to infuse it with their soul force to obtain the hidden data and essential information for refining the pill. For instance, the required amount of herbs, the degree of heat, and so on. These details were crucial for successfully refining the pill. Without these, even the most skilled alchemist would need multiple trials to replicate the pill described in the formula, and during these trials, many precious herbs would be wasted, leading to a significant loss. Therefore, although Hai Bo Dong had obtained this formula some time ago, he still could not replicate it. Seeing Xiao Yan’s actions, Hai Bo Dong’s mouth twitched, and after a while, he shook his head in frustration, letting Xiao Yan take the hard-earned formula without any compensation. Smiling, Xiao Yan stowed away the formula for the Breaking Plague Pill and turned his attention to the pile of herbs on the table. These herbs were all considered rare. Some of them, if auctioned, could fetch no less than 500,000 gold coins. However, such items were often not available for sale, as discerning individuals would keep them, hoping to find an alchemist in need, which would make for a highly satisfactory transaction. Perhaps due to fear of failure, Hai Bo Dong had prepared two or three sets of each herb, neatly arranged on the table. After carefully inspecting the herbs and finding everything in order, Xiao Yan nodded and looked at Hai Bo Dong, who was watching him intently. “Old Sir, you should know that refining pills always comes with a risk. Before I start, let me say that I have some confidence in refining this sixth-grade pill, but I can’t guarantee success. If something goes wrong and I fail, I hope you understand…”
“Of course, I won’t hold you responsible. You alchemists are all the same. Can I force you to stay if you fail?” Hai Bo Dong said, shaking his head with a wry smile.
“Hehe, I’m glad you understand. Could you prepare a quiet room for me? No one, including you, should disturb me until I come out.”
Nodding, Hai Bo Dong led Xiao Yan through a side door. They entered a dimly lit corridor, walked for a bit, and stopped at a door at the end. Pushing it open, a soft light filled the room, which was quite tidy, likely due to regular cleaning. It was a suitable place for temporary residence during alchemy.
Xiao Yan surveyed the room, nodding with a smile.
“Little brother, is this acceptable?”
Seeing Xiao Yan nod, Hai Bo Dong continued, “Then, please refine the pill here. I’ll guard the corridor. You will have the quiet environment you need, and no one will disturb you.”
“Alright.”
With a nod, Xiao Yan watched Hai Bo Dong leave and gently closed the door. He didn’t rush to start, instead pacing around the room, thoroughly checking every corner. After a while, he came to the center of the room and tapped his ring, asking silently, “Teacher, is this place okay?”
“Yes, I’ve checked. It seems the guy didn’t play any tricks here.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded, smiling, “In that case, Teacher, it’s your turn to act…”
As he spoke, Xiao Yan gently stroked his storage ring, and the pile of materials reappeared on the table.
“Sigh… I knew you’d rely on this old bone to do the hard work.”
The ring trembled slightly, and Yao Lao floated out, looking at the numerous materials on the table with a helpless shake of his head.
“Hehe, I’d like to do it myself, but with this sixth-grade pill, even with my current Flame, I can’t refine it.”
Yao Lao could only roll his eyes and sigh, landing beside the table and casually fiddling with the herbs. Then, he gestured to Xiao Yan, and the black, ancient ring on Xiao Yan’s finger fell into Yao Lao’s hand.
Carefully holding the black ring, Yao Lao flicked his finger, and a desk-sized, pure black medicinal cauldron appeared. The cauldron was large and sturdy, emanating a stable aura. Its surface was adorned with lifelike flame totems, and as it rotated, the totems seemed almost real, with faint flames beginning to gather around it.
“Good cauldron!”
Eyes shining, Xiao Yan marveled at the impressive black cauldron. Compared to Yao Lao’s, his own cauldron was far inferior. Moreover, the black cauldron was not just visually impressive; the automatic gathering of flame energy around it clearly enhanced the alchemical process.
“A good cauldron is the most important tool for an alchemist. It greatly increases the success rate of pill refinement. My cauldron, known as Black Demon, was a costly acquisition.”
“Black Demon? Indeed, very fitting…” Xiao Yan smacked his lips in admiration, shaking his head. He, who had little contact with the alchemy world, naturally did not understand the allure this name held for alchemists.
Like the Flame Ranking, the Alchemy World had a Heavenly Cauldron Ranking, listing extremely perfect and outstanding cauldrons. The ranking included thirteen cauldrons, each with the power to attract countless alchemists. The Black Demon ranked eighth on this list.
Seeing Xiao Yan’s amazement, Yao Lao smiled but didn’t elaborate on the cauldron’s origin. He shook his palm, and white flames quickly surrounded it. Gently placing his hand on the rhombus-shaped fire hole of the cauldron, he flicked his finger, and the white flames swirled inside the cauldron.
“Hehe, looks like Teacher takes this alchemy seriously, even bringing out his own cauldron.”
Looking at the flames rising in the black cauldron, Xiao Yan smiled. Previously, Yao Lao would refine pills directly in his palm.
“Sixth-grade pills have a high failure rate, and I’m currently in a soul state, not as strong as before. Refining this pill requires the cauldron’s assistance.”
Yao Lao spoke calmly, his hand moving rapidly over the table, grabbing the herbs and tossing them into the cauldron. Removing his hand, Yao Lao’s expression was serene, and his withered hand moved like a whirlwind, flicking his fingers. The hot, white flames in the cauldron obediently divided into several smaller flames, enveloping the herbs.
Watching Yao Lao’s fluid movements, Xiao Yan admired his skill. He wondered when he would reach such a level. Sighing, he sat quietly on a chair, carefully observing Yao Lao’s work. At Yao Lao’s level, every tiny step provided Xiao Yan with profound insights.
In the quiet chamber, the white flames danced elegantly, and a faint medicinal aroma filled the air.
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