Ice Soul Pill (Seeking Recommendations, Seeking Follow-ups)

After chatting for a few more moments, Hu Qian left with Hu Jia, while Xu Haoyu, under Fire Elder's guidance, familiarized himself with the Alchemy Department's internal workings.

From then on, Xu Haoyu was a new student of the Alchemy Department.

However, he did not need to start as an alchemy apprentice. With Fire Elder's permission, he could even go up to the sixth and seventh floors to study the corresponding Pill Recipes and use the corresponding medicinal ingredients.

Fire Elder suddenly touched his Storage Ring. A flash of light passed, and a scroll appeared in his hand. He casually handed it to Xu Haoyu and said, "This scroll records something called the Pill Fire Technique. It is a fire-control art unique to our Alchemy Department. After learning it, whether you are fighting enemies in battle or controlling flames during alchemy, it can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"In our Alchemy Department, only alchemists of the fourth rank and above may learn the Pill Fire Technique, because only Fourth-Rank Alchemists and above can control tangible flames. You have proven that you are a Fourth-Rank Alchemist, so naturally, you are qualified to learn the Pill Fire Technique."

Xu Haoyu reached out and accepted it. He had also learned fire-control techniques from Li Fufeng, but that did not prevent him from learning more, comparing them against one another, and improving himself. He replied, "Thank you, Fire Elder. I will study it carefully."

Fire Elder nodded in satisfaction. He already knew that Xu Haoyu had a teacher who was a Peak Rank 6 Alchemist. He had originally thought that if Xu Haoyu refused, he would persuade him properly—after all, the Alchemy Department's Pill Fire Technique had its own unique merits.

Thus, seeing Xu Haoyu's humble attitude, Fire Elder found himself liking him more and more. If he taught such a genius well, it would bring him honor in the future as well. He immediately smiled and said, "Then you may move about freely now. If you have any questions about alchemy, you may come find me at any time."

Xu Haoyu nodded at those words and replied, "Alright, Fire Elder!"

Then, just as Xu Haoyu put the scroll into his Storage Ring, Fire Elder also returned to his office on the seventh floor.

After giving it some thought, Xu Haoyu headed to the sixth floor. That was where Fifth-Rank Alchemists operated, and it stored Rank 5 Pill Recipes as well as numerous medicinal ingredients used to refine Rank 5 Pills.

Although Li Fufeng had given Xu Haoyu many fifth-rank and even sixth-rank Pill Recipes, the scrolls all had Soul Barriers placed on them. His Soul Strength was still insufficient to break through those Soul Barriers.

Driven by curiosity, Xu Haoyu could not help wanting to study some fifth-rank Pill Recipes in advance. He arrived on the sixth floor and found the room where the Pill Recipes were stored.

It was a windowless room illuminated by glowing gemstones. The walls were reinforced, and if he had not received Fire Elder's permission, there was absolutely no way he could have forced his way in.

Inside the room stood rows of stone platforms. On the left side of each platform lay a scroll containing a Pill Recipe, while on the right sat an iron plate bearing an introduction to the pill.

Xu Haoyu walked over and paused before every stone platform, curiosity glinting in his eyes as he examined them carefully.

Suddenly, he stopped. He remained before one particular stone platform for a long time, his gaze fixed firmly on the iron plate placed atop it.

"Ice Soul Pill, a peak Rank 5 Pill. If its effect were not so specialized, it would be fully comparable to a Six-Rank Pill."

"When the body has suffered severe damage and every healing method is powerless, one may swallow an Ice Soul Pill. Its extreme cold can freeze a person from the inside out. That way, the injuries will not worsen, leaving enough time to seek a life-saving solution."

Xu Haoyu's thoughts continued to spread as he mused inwardly, The Ice Soul Pill's effect really is rather specialized. Its extreme cold can freeze the person who consumes it from the inside out. Hypothetically, if I took an Ice Soul Pill while refining Heavenly Flames, could its extreme cold suppress the Heavenly Flames' violent nature and reduce their high temperature? Perhaps it could replace the Ice Spirit Cold Spring.

The more Xu Haoyu thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. He had consumed a Pure Yang Pill and already possessed a Pure Yang Body, giving him a tremendous advantage when extracting and refining a Heavenly Flame seed.

Once he truly found Heavenly Flames, he could then rely on the Ice Soul Pill's extreme cold to suppress them, greatly increasing his chances of refining them.

That way, he would only be lacking a Spirit Receptacle, an item to store the Heavenly Flames. Then, he would be confident in refining Heavenly Flames.

Xu Haoyu's expression brightened with excitement. He could put off learning the other fifth-rank Pill Recipes for now, but he had to learn the Ice Soul Pill's recipe in advance. If he could refine it himself, he would do so; if not, he would ask Fire Elder to act.

He reached out, picked up the scroll, and put it away before turning to leave. He was somewhat impatient to find a place to study it.

Fortunately, there were many rooms on the sixth floor. They were not only quiet but also free from interruptions. He casually picked one, entered it, locked the door from within, and walked over to sit on a stool.

He took out the Ice Soul Pill scroll, opened it, and pressed it against his forehead, using his soul perception to study the vast amount of knowledge recorded within.

A torrent of information surged in—from the types and quality of medicinal ingredients, to the heat and timing of refinement, and finally the reaction formulas and precautions for pill condensation. All of it was deeply imprinted in Xu Haoyu's memory.

A moment later, Xu Haoyu let out a long breath and frowned as he pondered for a while.

"A peak Rank 5 Pill really isn't so simple. Its ingredients include a Rank 5 Ice-Type Magical Beast's Magical Core—the main ingredient and source of the cold energy—as well as Ice Spirit Grass, Azure Frost Fruit, and Cold Marrow Branch, which further purify the cold energy. Four ingredients in total... I wonder whether the academy can gather them all. If not, I may have to make a trip to the Black-Corner Region."

There was no point thinking too much about it now, so Xu Haoyu simply stopped dwelling on it for the time being. He put away the scroll, intending to return it later, then took out another scroll containing the Pill Fire Technique.

He did not lack methods for fighting enemies, but learning the Pill Fire Technique would also improve his control over flames and help him become a Fifth-Rank Alchemist sooner.

He opened the scroll and pressed it against his forehead in the same manner, using his soul perception to study it. Soon, a great deal of knowledge about the Pill Fire Technique was poured into Xu Haoyu's mind.

After a long while, Xu Haoyu finally sorted through the vast amount of knowledge. It was a fire-control technique. As he compared it with what he had learned before, inspiration suddenly burst forth, and he could not help wanting to try it.

He raised his right hand. With a thought, a stream of white energy traveled through his Meridians to his palm, emerged from his body, and transformed into white flames.

Xu Haoyu stared at that flame, then extended his left hand and touched his glabella, releasing his soul perception. His soul perception wrapped around the flame.

The ball of flame swayed continuously. As though it had taken physical form, it began to be shaped by him, and a tiny white tiger with wings appeared before him.

However, the winged white tiger was still rather blurry. Its details had not been properly refined, and it lacked that sense of spirit. Xu Haoyu began correcting it bit by bit...

Thanks to Dugu Yue Changtian for the 5,000 Qidian Coins donation!