In the heart of the Jia Ma Empire, the headquarters of the Flame Coalition stands as a testament to their formidable power. The scale of the coalition has grown significantly in the past year, encompassing almost a third of the central region of the empire. Each department under the coalition is well-organized and dedicated to enhancing the coalition’s strength. The Pill Hall, one of the most important divisions within the Flame Coalition, is where myriad elixirs and medicinal herbs are produced daily and then distributed to the Mercantile Hall, from where they are sold through the channels of the Mi Teer family to every corner of the empire.
The Flame Coalition has now thoroughly integrated into the fabric of the empire, and the people of Jia Ma Empire have grown accustomed to this new, formidable force. Various factions that had been hesitant are now beginning to align with the coalition, and it is clear to everyone that the status and reputation of the Flame Coalition will soon surpass that of the Yun Lian Sect of old.
The Pill Hall is located near the center of the imperial capital, attracting alchemists from all over the empire. It has become the largest trading center for alchemists, with rare medicinal ingredients and unique prescriptions constantly appearing. The vast Jia Ma Empire holds many hidden treasures in its remote mountains, and those who happen upon such treasures often wish to exchange them for what they need.
The recent war with the three great empires and the implementation of new policies by the Flame Coalition have also led to an increase in visitors from other empires, further boosting the prosperity of Jia Ma. The Pill Hall, now more extravagant than its predecessor, the Alchemists’ Guild, has become a hub for activity.
While the bustling trading hall buzzes with activity, deep within the Pill Hall, a series of secluded alchemy chambers can be found. These are specially designated for the alchemists of the Flame Coalition. Each chamber is attended by a pair of male and female attendants, ready to carry out any small tasks requested by the alchemists inside.
In the central area of these alchemy chambers, there are a few made from a rare purple rock, which has the special property of preventing temperature fluctuations, making it ideal for alchemical work. Due to its rarity, few alchemists can afford to build such chambers, but the wealth of the Flame Coalition has no problem in constructing several high-level alchemy chambers. Only alchemists of a rank 4 or higher may use these chambers, while regular alchemists must use the outer, more common chambers. Though this tiered system initially caused some discontent among the lower-ranked alchemists, it has since provided them with a goal, driving them to improve their skills and earn the right to use the high-level chambers.
At the very center of these high-level chambers, there lies a particularly dark purple alchemy chamber accessible only to Xiao Yan, Fahar, and a select few advanced alchemists of at least a rank 5. This place is considered a restricted area of the Pill Hall, and regular people or low-ranking alchemists are strictly prohibited from entering.
Inside this heavily guarded chamber, the fragrant aroma of elixirs lingers, filling the air with various colored mists. In the center, a stone platform holds several large medicinal cauldrons, within which raging flames burn, spreading heat throughout the chamber. Several figures stand around the platform, their eyes fixed on the cauldrons, as they carefully adjust their hand seals, causing the flames to undulate and refine the materials inside.
“Hehe, the division of labor method you proposed, Sir Leader, is really quite effective. The ‘Life-Consuming Pill’ was originally difficult for alchemists of rank 5 to produce, but with their combined efforts, the success rate has increased. With more cooperation, I believe the success rate will improve even further, and the production speed of the ‘Life-Consuming Pill’ will also increase,” Fahar said, smiling and nodding his head as he watched the cauldrons bubble with the alchemists’ materials.
Xiao Yan also smiled, fixing his gaze on the cauldrons. The production of the ‘Life-Consuming Pill’ requires the skills of a rank 5 alchemist, and if all goes well, it takes about five days to produce one. Of course, failures do occur, and in such cases, it can take up to half a month to create just one pill. For alchemists of rank 5, the cost of producing the ‘Life-Consuming Pill’ is significant, and thus, two batches of six alchemists are always on standby, rotating to ensure continuous production. However, the handover between batches requires a high level of coordination, and countless medicinal ingredients have been lost in the pursuit of this harmony.
“At present, we have successfully refined two ‘Life-Consuming Pills,’ which Elder Hai will temporarily keep. The cultivation of the death squad must also begin,” Xiao Yan said, turning to the standing figure of Haidong, who stood with his arms crossed.
“The selection of candidates for the death squad won’t be a problem. As long as we can maintain the supply of ‘Life-Consuming Pills,’ the Flame Coalition should see an addition of ten Dou Wangs within half a year,” Haidong stroked his beard and replied with a smile.
“We will do our best to increase the production speed. Whenever Elder Fahar and I have free time, we will contribute as well. However, I won’t stay in the Jia Ma Empire for too long. Perhaps after a while, I will leave, and at that time, everything will depend on Elder Fahar,” Xiao Yan mused.
If Little Healer Immortal sent word, he must go. The affairs of Jia Ma Empire would then be entrusted to his brother, Haidong, and Elder Fahar. Moreover, he had no intention of staying in the Jia Ma Empire indefinitely. The vastness of the Dou Qi Continent, with its countless strong practitioners, appealed to Xiao Yan, who preferred to travel and grow stronger. If not for the need to protect the Xiao Clan, he might not have established the Flame Coalition. Furthermore, the Jia Ma Empire no longer posed a significant challenge to his growth; only the broad Dou Qi Continent could provide the fastest path to improving his strength. Rescuing the old pharmacist, his father, and searching for Xuan’er would require a powerful foundation, and so, Xiao Yan had a profound desire for strength. Now, he needed to quickly organize the major affairs of the Flame Coalition before he could leave with peace of mind.
The vast continent, filled with many strong practitioners, filled Xiao Yan with a sense of anticipation.
“Of course, I will do my utmost. However, there is someone within the Jia Ma Empire better suited for this task than me. If he were to oversee the production of the ‘Life-Consuming Pill,’ the efficiency might double,” Fahar chuckled and continued.
“Oh? Who is it?”
Startled, Xiao Yan expressed his surprise. “Who are you talking about?”
“King of Alchemists, Gu He,” Fahar hesitated briefly before speaking.
Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, then nodded. “Gu He’s alchemical skills are indeed unquestionable, but given our relationship, it might be difficult for him to help.”
“Fahar, surely you can convince him?” Xiao Yan asked, astounded. He was well aware that Gu He, like himself, possessed exceptional talent in alchemy, and drawing such a person into his ranks would be a challenge, as he was not the type to willingly submit to others.
“If there’s a chance to invite him to join the Pill Hall, I can rest assured leaving. Do you know of the ‘Pill Pagoda,’ a free organization respected by countless alchemists across the Dou Qi Continent?” Fahar asked with a grin.
“Pill Pagoda?” Xiao Yan frowned, feeling a sense of familiarity but unable to recall the details.
“The Pill Pagoda is an organization formed by alchemists from all over the continent. It has existed for a long time and even created the alchemist ranking system. Though it is somewhat loosely organized, its reputation is terrifying. Very few forces in the entire Dou Qi Continent would dare to provoke it,” Fahar explained, “However, the Pill Pagoda has a core group of elite alchemists, all of whom are renowned masters of alchemy. Gu He’s dream is to enter the Pill Pagoda for training.”
“But to enter the Pill Pagoda, one needs the recommendation of a highly prestigious alchemist organization. I once sought the help of the Alchemists’ Guild, but our guild, though influential in the Jia Ma Empire, held little weight in the broader continent, and thus, we did not have the required qualifications. Therefore, I had to decline,” Fahar paused, then added, “The current Pill Hall has a greater potential than the Alchemists’ Guild. I believe it will soon reach the necessary prestige. If the leader approaches Gu He with this, I think he will agree to join the Pill Hall.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan stroked his chin, glancing at the sweat-drenched alchemists. After a moment, he nodded. “Hmm…we can try.”
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