Yan Qingshan's Problem

Within a valley in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, under the blazing sun, the fragrance of medicinal herbs permeated the entire valley.

Yan Qingshan looked at the neatly arranged herbs before him and forcibly calmed himself. Though his repeated failures had left him irritated, they had also honed his experience and given him a deeper understanding of alchemy.

His gaze swept roughly over the stone platform, yet he unhurriedly picked up several herbs. Azure Spirit Grass and Underworld Grass were simultaneously tossed into the medicine cauldron using a special technique.

Under the suppression of his Soul Perception, the Peach Blossom Flame gently enveloped the herbs thrown into the cauldron. As it extracted the essences of the two herbs, it also completed their fusion. Next came the processing of the other ingredients, everything proceeding as smoothly as flowing clouds and running water.

As Yan Qingshan continued his movements, the initial form of the Rejuvenation Pill slowly took shape within the medicine cauldron. Time passed quickly. After the pill inside the cauldron had rolled over an unknown number of times, it finally became round and smooth.

Yan Qingshan's forehead was covered in sweat, and both hands trembled. Problems had arisen at this final stage during the previous attempts; this time, he would not make the same mistake again.

Yan Qingshan carefully controlled the flames as they subsided, forcibly circulating the scant Dou Qi within his body and using Soul Perception to maintain control. In the end, he even used Shuguang for assistance. Finally... accompanied by waves of medicinal fragrance, the Peach Blossom Flame withdrew, leaving a smooth pill suffused with medicinal aroma at the bottom of the cauldron.

"Success!"

Several heads immediately crowded over. Everyone looked at the pill at the bottom of the cauldron. Its smooth surface glimmered faintly, and its unique medicinal fragrance refreshed their spirits.

After concentrating for a moment to recover, Yan Qingshan waved his hand. A pale green pill burst from the cauldron and rapidly flew toward him.

Yan Qingshan raised the jade bottle he had prepared long ago before him, and the pale green pill was accurately collected within it. Slowly setting down the jade bottle, Yan Qingshan let out a soft breath.

After handling it slightly, Yan Qingshan took the pill out of the jade bottle. It was about the size of a thumb, pale green throughout, with a faint ring of emerald ripples spreading across it like ripples on water. It looked rather unusual.

"It actually has Pill Markings... This pill's quality is quite good. You managed to figure out how to refine pills with nothing but a notebook, and the quality is this excellent. If you hadn't insisted on starting with a second-grade pill, you might have achieved results long ago."

Even the well-informed Eight-winged Black Serpent Emperor White Fang was somewhat surprised. Yan Qingshan had already astonished him several times over the past few days, bringing him far too many surprises, but seeing this high-quality pill still moved him once again.

Normally, only when a pill's quality and luster reached their peak could such Pill Markings appear. This was a sign of an exceptional pill.

Though it was Yan Qingshan's first successful refinement, he had failed so many times beforehand that he had become thoroughly practiced. There was a reason why his first success had produced such a high-quality pill.

"However, kid, I have to pour some cold water on you."

The Eight-winged Black Serpent Emperor White Fang suddenly changed the subject and solemnly said to Yan Qingshan, "Although you absorbed and refined the Peach Blossom Flame, giving yourself the ability to use flames and refine herbs, you should have noticed something.

"You can use Wood Attribute Dou Qi to drive the Peach Blossom Flame, but it consumes far more Dou Qi than using Fire Attribute Dou Qi to drive Beast Flame. Furthermore, the Peach Blossom Flame's refining power is limited—or rather, you cannot fully unleash its power. Do you know why that is?"

"Please explain."

Yan Qingshan listened attentively to White Fang's words and nodded for him to continue.

White Fang continued, "Alchemists are the most esteemed profession on the continent, but their innate requirements are quite demanding. Apart from the most crucial Soul Perception, one must possess both Fire and Wood Attributes, and usually, the Fire Attribute is stronger than the Wood Attribute.

"Although alchemists are so esteemed, it is not as though powerhouses of other attributes have never entertained such thoughts. Some high-level pure Fire Attribute powerhouses can rely on their powerful strength and spiritual abilities to forcibly fuse medicinal liquids and condense them into pills, but such people can generally only refine low- to mid-grade pills.

"There is another type: changing one's innate attributes. But this requires extremely high-grade materials or pills to alter one's aptitude, and changing innate attributes can easily trigger a series of problems. Even those with the financial means rarely truly do it.

"There is also a third type, people like you. Those with a Wood Attribute but powerful innate Soul Perception can refine pills if they obtain suitable Beast Flame.

"But you should have felt it yourself. Using the Peach Blossom Flame for a short time is fine, but when you refine herbs and pills for long periods, you easily lack the strength to continue. Your chances of failure are greater than those of ordinary alchemists.

"With your current Dou Master cultivation, you can barely refine second-grade pills with the Peach Blossom Flame. But the Peach Blossom Flame is, in the end, merely fifth-tier Beast Flame. In truth, it does not even need to be fifth-tier; even if your strength improves, it will probably only be able to refine third-grade pills at most. This is basically your limit."

Qingling said brightly, "Lord White Fang, is there any way to solve Young Master's problem? You have seen it too—Young Master is so, so very hardworking."

"If hard work were enough, what would talent be for?"

The Eight-winged Black Serpent Emperor White Fang shook his head, but he did not speak too absolutely. He continued, "For this situation, one option is to replace it with higher-tier Wood Attribute Beast Flame, but Beast Flame is truly rare among high-tier Wood Attribute magical beasts.

"There is another possibility. It is said that there was once an unparalleled Dou Saint who was originally only of the Wood Attribute, yet by a fortunate coincidence obtained the legendary Flame of Life. After embarking upon the path of alchemy, he advanced by leaps and bounds, becoming a Ninth-grade Alchemist and earning renown across the continent for nearly a thousand years."

Xiao Yi Xian frowned. "The Flame of Life—the Heavenly Flame ranked fifth on the legendary Heavenly Flame Ranking."

"That's right, a legendary Heavenly Flame. I am not saying this kid must obtain the Flame of Life. Rather, if he can find a Heavenly Flame compatible with his own body, this problem can also be resolved."

After nodding, White Fang continued, "For alchemists, Fire is generally stronger than Wood. The Fire Attribute makes up the greater part, while the Wood Attribute only guides the medicinal liquids in fusing and condensing. Soul Perception governs everything.

"Although he possesses the Peach Blossom Flame, he is still strong in Wood and weak in Fire, and his conversion efficiency is not particularly high. If his Soul Perception were not so terrifyingly powerful, he could never have refined this pill.

"But if he obtains a stronger source flame, there is no need for the Fire Attribute in his body to surpass the Wood Attribute. As long as the flame itself is powerful enough, the consumption will be very small. And because his Wood Attribute is strong, he can fuse medicinal liquids much more smoothly than ordinary alchemists. In that case, his path as an alchemist will be exceptionally smooth.

"However, this will not be easy. Neither Heavenly Flames nor high-grade Beast Flames are so easily acquired, much less ones that happen to suit his constitution."

Today is the trial recommendation push. There will be another chapter after two o'clock this afternoon. I hope everyone will show more support and cast more recommendation votes; data is crucial for a new book.