The Problem with Flames (Seeking Recommendations, Seeking Follow-ups)

After returning, with Xu Tianlong keeping watch, Xu Haoyu began studying new Dou Techniques.

He took out the seven scrolls he had obtained from the Dou Technique Pavilion one by one from his Storage Ring, then picked up the metal-element Dou Technique scroll, Golden Wheel Slash, first.

He opened it and pressed it to his forehead, releasing his soul perception. In an instant, the words on the scroll seemed to come alive, glowing as they flowed along his soul perception like tiny tadpoles and entered Xu Haoyu's mind.

Before long, the complete cultivation method for Golden Wheel Slash was deeply imprinted in Xu Haoyu's memories, becoming an indispensable part of his soul.

Opening his eyes, Xu Haoyu first put away the scroll, then raised his right hand. At the same time, his mind sank into his dantian. From within that dazzling seven-colored vortex, he drew out a surging mass of Dou Qi filled with the solemn, murderous aura of metal. It flowed through his meridians and reached his palm, but it could not break through the confines of his skin. His Dou Qi could not leave his body. That was why Golden Wheel Slash, a Mystic High-Rank Dou Technique, could only be cultivated by a Da Dou Shi or above.

Xu Tianlong watched from the side and shook his head with a laugh. His good grandson was still a little too impatient. The Dou Technique he had chosen was restricted by his current realm, and he could not cultivate it yet. Xu Tianlong comforted him, saying, "Don't waste your effort. Below the Da Dou Shi realm, Dou Qi cannot leave the body. That is something no one can change. These high-level Dou Techniques are not so easily cultivated."

"Take Golden Wheel Slash, for example. You need to release Dou Qi outside your body before you can condense that white wheel of light comparable to a divine weapon."

"Think about it. Even a close-combat Dou Technique like Thousandfold Strike would have taken you much longer to master without Blood Jade Reconnecting Ointment to heal and strengthen the meridians, tendons and bones, and muscles in your hands. If you forced yourself to cultivate it, your hands would have been ruined."

With a thought, Xu Haoyu redirected the Dou Qi trapped beneath the confines of his skin through another meridian and drew it back into the vortex.

Though he could not cultivate it immediately, the method of using Golden Wheel Slash had already been deeply etched into Xu Haoyu's mind. He could study it whenever he wished, and once he broke through to Da Dou Shi, he would be able to quickly grasp it.

Xu Haoyu was not disappointed in the slightest. Instead, he spoke with great confidence.

"Grandfather, it's fine. I can memorize it first and cultivate it after I break through to Da Dou Shi. I believe it won't take me too long."

Xu Tianlong smiled kindly, his eyes narrowing as the corners of his lips lifted uncontrollably. He said gently, "Good. Tell Grandfather whatever you need. As long as I am here, you only need to focus on improving yourself."

Hearing this, Xu Haoyu eagerly praised Xu Tianlong. He was his greatest support now. With just a word from him, his grandfather could obtain everything he needed.

Next, Xu Haoyu learned the other six major Dou Techniques as well: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, and lightning. He possessed Dou Qi of all seven attributes, and these seven attribute-based Dou Techniques would allow him to better unleash his strength.

However, since he had yet to reach Da Dou Shi, he still needed to focus on strengthening his training in Heaven Splitting Palm and Thousandfold Strike.

Other than earning him greater praise within the Xu Family, breaking through to the Dou Shi realm did not bring much change to Xu Haoyu.

Apart from diligently cultivating Dou Qi and Dou Techniques, what Xu Haoyu did most was study alchemy under Li Fufeng.

After breaking through to the Dou Shi realm and visiting Li Fufeng again, Xu Haoyu finally learned the pill recipe for the Rank 3 Pill, Rebirth Pill.

This was a pill that could quickly heal one's injuries after suffering severe wounds. Even among Rank 3 Pills, it was considered quite precious.

Having learned the pill recipe and with a steady supply of medicinal ingredients below, Xu Haoyu began his first attempt at refining it, launching his charge toward becoming a Third-Rank Alchemist.

Spring passed into autumn, and a year went by in a hurry.

Alchemy Room!

Seated before the medicinal cauldron, Xu Haoyu was refining a pill. One hand pressed against the Fire Vent, feeding in Dou Qi, while the other continuously tossed precious medicinal ingredients into the cauldron.

The ingredients he was using were four fifty-year Ink Leaf Lotuses, two ripe Snake Saliva Fruits, one twenty-year Spirit Gathering Grass, and a second-tier water-attribute Magical Core.

These were precisely the main ingredients for refining the Rank 4 Pill, Qi Gathering Powder. The pill Xu Haoyu was refining was none other than the Rank 4 Pill, Qi Gathering Powder.

Before long, all the medicinal ingredients inside the cauldron had transformed into either liquid, powder, or granular medicinal essence.

At that moment, Xu Haoyu's hand seals suddenly changed. His soul perception poured forth completely, fusing all the medicinal essences one after another within the alchemical flame. Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

But suddenly, the mixed medicinal essences began to fluctuate violently, sending out waves of energy ripples. Finally, with a bang, they exploded. All the medicinal essences were destroyed in the flames, turning into a cloud of charred ash.

"Failed again..."

Xu Haoyu's face darkened. Ever since successfully refining Returning Spring Powder on his first attempt, he had known that he too was an alchemy genius. Over the past year, he had become a Third-Rank Alchemist, yet he had not succeeded even once in refining a Rank 4 Pill in his attempt to become a Fourth-Rank Alchemist.

Though the Xu Family was wealthy and the loss of these medicinal ingredients was barely worth mentioning, Xu Haoyu could not help but begin doubting himself after failing again and again.

At this moment, Li Fufeng, who had been observing from the side, frowned in thought. At last, he came to a conclusion.

"Little Haoyu, I watched the entire refinement process this time. There was absolutely nothing wrong with your refining technique. Then the problem must lie either in the medicinal ingredients or in the flame."

"None of your attempts have succeeded, which rules out the medicinal ingredients. In that case, the culprit behind your repeated failures should be the flame."

"The alchemical flame you ignite is not sufficient to refine the medicinal essences of these ingredients to the standard required for a Rank 4 Pill. In other words, while your Dou Qi is abundant enough to rival that of an ordinary Da Dou Shi, you are indeed only a Nine-Star Dou Shi."

After hearing this, Xu Haoyu came to a sudden realization, though he also felt somewhat helpless. His Myriad Laws Body, combined with the Earth Rank Low Level Guiyi True Art, gave him an extremely rapid cultivation speed. In only one year, he had advanced from a One-Star Dou Shi to a Nine-Star Dou Shi.

The vortex within his dantian had been completely filled with liquid energy. That dazzling seven-colored liquid energy made his Dou Qi exceptionally abundant, but it also made it harder for him to compress his liquid Dou Qi into solid Dou Qi.

He could feel that he still needed to temper himself a little longer. This was a good thing. Only greater accumulation could lay down a stronger foundation.

But then, how was he supposed to become a Fourth-Rank Alchemist as soon as possible...

Then an idea struck Xu Haoyu. He recalled that Xiao Yan had been able to refine Rank 4 Pills while still at the Dou Shi realm, but the flame he possessed at the time had been the Green Lotus Core Flame.

That was right. Alchemists pursued flames throughout their lives because a good flame could provide tremendous help in alchemy.

Perhaps he too needed to leave and seek out a flame for himself, one that could allow him to break through his current bottleneck.

If he wanted to write a genius's story, mindless conflicts would not be interesting. For the sake of a flame, he was finally about to take his first step out of the beginner's village...

The protagonist's first flame would be a Beast Flame. As for obtaining Heavenly Flames, that would require planning things step by step. After all, one careless mistake while absorbing a Heavenly Flame could cost him his life.