In a spacious secret chamber, soft lights illuminated every corner, banishing all darkness. In one corner of the chamber stood a flat stone bed, upon which Xiao Yan sat cross-legged. In front of him were various rare herbs, neatly arranged. These herbs were quite precious; if they were sold in the Black Corner Region, they could fetch a substantial price. The sheer quantity was astounding, prompting one to marvel at Han Feng’s considerable wealth. As his gaze swept over the piles of herbs, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but shake his head, once again astonished by Han Feng’s riches. However, it was a pity that this wealth would ultimately only benefit him.
“Among these herbs, there are enough to refine a batch of Fu Zi Ling Pill,” Xiao Yan mused, his eyes narrowing in slight surprise.
Thinking of the Fu Zi Ling Pill, memories of the Ice Emperor Hai Bo Dong from the Jia Ma Empire surfaced. As his first companion, the seemingly cold old man had earned Xiao Yan’s genuine respect, especially for lending a hand during his escape from the Yun Luan Sect. This act of kindness made Xiao Yan immensely grateful.
Therefore, the debt of the pill he owed Hai Bo Dong had always weighed on his mind. He had previously lacked the strength to refine it, and even after gathering the necessary herbs, they had vanished during his time underground. Now, seeing the complete set of ingredients for the Fu Zi Ling Pill, Xiao Yan immediately thought of Hai Bo Dong.
“Heh, with the herbs at hand, I should start refining it for that old man. Otherwise, when I return to the Jia Ma Empire and face questions, I won’t have a good answer,” Xiao Yan smiled, his lips curling slightly as he shook his head. With a wave of his hand, a large crimson medicinal cauldron flew out from his sea-blue storage ring, landing heavily on the floor.
The crimson medicinal cauldron was enormous, covered in various mysterious patterns. On its surface, fierce beasts were intricately carved, their gaping mouths almost seeming to emit a faint roar. These strange details indicated the extraordinary nature of the cauldron.
This crimson cauldron did not belong to Xiao Yan but was left behind by Han Feng, likely used for his alchemy.
“Looks like this guy profited greatly in the Black Corner Region,” Xiao Yan mused, tapping the crimson cauldron lightly. The clear, metallic sound echoed pleasingly in the chamber. Satisfied, he nodded and chuckled.
Although he didn’t know the cauldron’s exact origins, he knew that compared to the others he had used—aside from the “Heavenly Cauldrons Ranking” listed black magic cauldron from Elder Medicine—this one was superior. The others were merely garbage in comparison.
With a flick of his fingers, a green flame appeared at his fingertips. As the flame manifested, the temperature in the chamber rose. However, it posed no hindrance to Xiao Yan. His eyes fixed on the cauldron, he waved his hand, and the green flame shot into the cauldron through its fire channel.
The green flame, upon entering the cauldron, expanded rapidly, turning into a raging fire. It burned fiercely, releasing terrifying heat. Yet, the crimson cauldron remained completely unaffected, maintaining a cool exterior despite the high temperature inside.
“Excellent cauldron!” Xiao Yan exclaimed, his eyes glowing as he gazed at the massive structure. Although he hadn’t started refining yet, he could already guess the significant help this cauldron would provide. It might even increase his success rate, which was invaluable for an alchemist.
As the green flame raged, the temperature inside the cauldron gradually reached the required level. During this time, Xiao Yan reviewed the refining method for the Fu Zi Ling Pill. Elder Medicine had long ago imparted the recipe, but his earlier low alchemical skill prevented him from attempting it.
After revisiting the recipe several times, Xiao Yan’s spirit calmed. With a wave of his sleeve, several herbs were deftly thrown into the blazing cauldron. Under the intense heat, the herbs quickly withered, their leaves shriveling while their stems oozed liquids of different colors. When the leaves turned to ash, the colored liquids floated above the green flames, the heat purifying them.
Satisfied, Xiao Yan nodded and continued throwing more herbs into the cauldron. The sight of herbs flying and falling into the cauldron was quite impressive. However, this audacity was possible now due to his increased strength and refined control over his flames. With the fused green flames and the crimson cauldron, even refining a sixth-grade pill would have a high success rate.
As the herbs transformed into powders or liquids within the cauldron, the number of floating substances increased. Such a process demanded a significant amount of soul power, but Xiao Yan could afford to expend it. After placing the final herb, he focused intently. Usually, the process of refining pills was segmented, but now he completed it in one go, adjusting the flame’s intensity for each herb.
All his soul power surged into the cauldron, unimpeded by the high temperature. The warmth allowed his soul power to function smoothly. As the soul power flowed, he gained control over the floating materials. After a deep breath, his hand seals changed.
The green flames intensified, and the materials began to evaporate rapidly, their impurities being extracted. “Condense!” he commanded, and the differently colored liquids and powders swiftly merged, forming a fist-sized mass. Under the intense heat, it gradually shrank, forming a pill.
After two to three hours, the mass had reduced to the size of a thumb. As it spun slower, a rough pill shape emerged. Xiao Yan sighed in relief. Though the Fu Zi Ling Pill was a sixth-grade pill, its requirements were not too stringent. Its unique effects made it useful only to a few, and thus, its actual value was lower than that of a Dou Spirit Pill.
The green flame’s temperature receded, forming a small, fist-sized flame. Beneath the faint purple pill, the heat slowly completed the final step: brewing the pill. The temperature evaporated, making the pill shiny and smooth.
An hour later, an unusual fragrance and energy fluctuation emerged from the cauldron. Xiao Yan opened his eyes to see the fragrances and energy contained within the cauldron, unable to escape.
“Can this cauldron also conceal the anomalies of a sixth-grade pill?” he marveled, opening the cauldron’s lid with a wave of his hand. A purple pill, scented and shimmering, flew out and was caught by Xiao Yan, who then placed it in a prepared vial.
Gazing at the gem-like, glossy purple pill, Xiao Yan smiled. The reward he had promised Hai Bo Dong was finally realized. Successfully refining the Fu Zi Ling Pill was a joyous achievement, symbolizing his mastery as a sixth-grade alchemist, though the Fu Zi Ling Pill was one of the simpler ones.
Suppressing his happiness, Xiao Yan turned to the other herbs and sighed. It seemed he would be spending a long time with this cauldron…
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