Bodhi Great Returning Pill

About another two hours passed, and the three of them gradually finished refining all the medicinal ingredients in their cauldrons. Although the four of them refined the ingredients at different speeds, the tiny differences were insignificant. At their level, the refining process alone was not enough to stop anyone.

Yao Ling steadied her mind and released all her Soul power. As she carefully observed the energy fluctuations within the medicinal cauldron with her Soul power, she slowly condensed the immense quantity of energy inside. Although failure in pill refining was perfectly normal, the ingredients she had chosen this time included a precious holy artifact like the Bodhi Seed, something that became rarer with every use. Therefore, she treated this pill-refining process with extreme caution, determined to succeed in one attempt.

This condensation lasted seven days. During those seven days, the other three Shi Clan alchemists ruined eight batches of ingredients and blew apart four fire cauldrons, leaving the three of them scratching their heads in frustration. The difficulty of refining a Nine-grade Treasure Pill was truly no small matter; it had brought them all to their knees.

At dawn on the eighth day, Yao Ling finally let out a long breath. With a moment to spare, she gently wiped away the fine beads of sweat covering her forehead with her delicate jade hand. Handling such an enormous amount of energy had been quite troublesome even for her. Fortunately, the Bodhi Seed, with its pure and mild medicinal properties, served as the core ingredient, reducing the violence of the various energies surging within the cauldron. This allowed her to successfully complete the condensation of that vast energy in a single attempt.

After resting briefly, she took a deep breath and recovered some of her strength. With another wave of her jade hand, the churning flames in the medicinal cauldron gathered into an azure-white fire dragon roughly a hundred zhang long. Within less than half a day, the countless strands of pure energy in the cauldron were completely absorbed by the azure-white fire dragon.

"Fire Dragon Pill Condensation..."

This level of pill-refining skill filled the three Shi Clan alchemists beside her with envy. Setting aside the precision and steadiness required to condense the energy successfully in one attempt, the Fire Dragon Pill Condensation technique alone was far beyond anything the three of them could match.

"The Yao Clan truly deserves to be called one of the Ancient Races that treats alchemy as the supreme art of its clan."

One of the Shi Clan alchemists on the platform muttered in a voice only the other two could hear. The two nodded in agreement. They had heard of a pill-refining technique like Fire Dragon Pill Condensation, but none of them was confident they could wield it freely, much less dare to use it at such an important ceremony.

"Roar!"

The fire dragon within the medicinal cauldron let out an earthshaking roar and soared into the air, flying a thousand zhang into the sky as it danced wildly above. As time passed, increasingly powerful pill fluctuations emerged from the fire dragon's body, and a faint medicinal fragrance drifted through heaven and earth.

As that barely perceptible pill fragrance appeared, countless clouds surged in from every direction and gathered into a pitch-black storm cloud of an extraordinarily deep color. Gazing at that darkness-black cloud, Yao Ling's expression grew solemn.

She had indeed probably refined the Treasure Pill. However, given the power of the Black Demon Lightning, even she had to carefully consider what to do next. The slightest mistake could leave her seriously injured while receiving the Black Demon Lightning and might even affect her future cultivation.

"Little girl, let this old man receive the Black Demon Lightning for you." The alchemist who had spoken with Yao Ling before the ceremony noticed her expression and smiled faintly. "That Black Demon Lightning probably cannot even scratch this old man's skin."

"Then I must trouble you, Senior." Yao Ling did not stand on ceremony and immediately replied. "This ceremony exists to display the friendship between our two clans. I shall refine the pill on behalf of the Yao Clan, while Senior shall shield me from the storm on behalf of the Shi Clan. Such an act will aptly demonstrate the unity of our two clans."

"Hehe, you certainly know how to speak." The Shi Clan alchemist said nothing more. His figure flashed, and he appeared above the fire dragon, meeting the black lightning rushing toward him head-on. A massive lightning storm swept outward, forcibly collapsing even the space within a thousand zhang.

"Hiss, we truly have this Senior to thank this time." Watching the violent Energy Storm, Yao Ling drew several sharp breaths.

The alchemist stood firm amid the lightning storm. Violent silver lightning bombarded the surface of his body for more than ten minutes, yet he did not even furrow his brow. About twenty minutes later, the clouds dispersed and the lightning ceased, revealing clear skies bright with color. Then, before everyone's eyes, the azure-white fire dragon exploded, and a point of light shot out.

Yao Ling had long been prepared. In only a few breaths, she flashed in front of the point of light and caught it with an outstretched hand. She then poured some Dou Qi from her body into it, and the point of light immediately transformed into an emerald-green pill about the size of a longan, lying quietly in Yao Ling's hand.

"Thank you for receiving the Black Demon Lightning for me, Senior. Please accept this pill as a congratulatory gift I prepared for you." Seeing the alchemist flying rapidly toward her, Yao Ling did not dare neglect him and spoke courteously. "This Nine-grade Treasure Pill is called the Bodhi Great Returning Pill. It can help an expert at the peak of Dou Zun advance into the Half-Saint realm, and it can also nourish the body of a Dou Saint expert."

"Thank you. You are thoughtful." The Shi Clan alchemist did not stand on ceremony either, directly placing the Bodhi Great Returning Pill into his Storage Ring. No alchemist would refuse a Nine-grade Treasure Pill delivered freely to his door.

"Old Man Dan, that little girl truly knows how to conduct herself." Watching this arrangement from afar, Shi Gandang nodded in satisfaction. Even within the Shi Clan, a Nine-grade Treasure Pill was considered an exceedingly rare pill. "When will my Shi Clan have such a talented genius, accomplished in both the scholarly and martial arts?"

"Hehe, that is also a blessing for my Yao Clan." Yao Dan nodded with satisfaction. In his eyes, a Nine-grade Treasure Pill was not particularly precious. If he were willing to refine them personally, he could make more than ten in a month. Giving such a gift not only gave the Shi Clan face, but also benefited the Yao Clan in substance. It was a perfect win-win arrangement.

"Clan Leader, Miss Yao Ling officially advanced to Ninth-grade Treasure Pill Grandmaster today. So in truth, if you wait a few more months, you will still be able to refine that Nine-grade Profound Pill. It is merely a matter of sooner or later." Seeing that Yao Dan was in a good mood, Yao Wangui, who was seated nearby, cautiously said.

"There is some truth to that, but my Yao Clan cannot truly let the younger generation charge at the forefront." Although Yao Dan knew there was more to Yao Wangui's words, he decided to pretend not to understand. "Would it not make my Yao Clan seem devoid of capable people if we placed such a crucial task on a junior who has not even reached Dou Saint?"

"Clan Leader is right." Yao Wangui did not dare argue and promptly agreed.

"Old Man Dan, this old man has another favor to ask." Shi Gandang hesitated during the gap in their bickering. Seeing a young man hurry over, he finally forced himself to speak. "This young man is the Young Clan Leader of my Shi Clan, Shi Wei."

"Shi Wei greets Clan Leader Yao Dan." The young man stopped before Yao Dan and bowed deeply.

"Old Man Shi, why are you being so formal with me? And this young friend need not pay such great respects either." Seeing that the young man was imposing and handsome, with sword-like brows and tiger-like eyes, Yao Dan immediately took a liking to him. "If there is something you need, just say it. So long as it is not an excessive request, I, Yao Dan, will certainly do my utmost to fulfill it."

"If the Young Clan Leader of my clan could marry that shrewd and capable young genius girl of your clan, the relationship between our two clans would surely rise to another level." Shi Gandang said with an embarrassed smile. "I swear that if that girl is willing to agree to this request, I, Shi Gandang, will treat her as my own daughter."