A Bug-Like Existence

At that moment, Li Tianlan was also immersed in the sensation of alchemy. He discovered that his body seemed to remember a whole series of complicated techniques.

It was an instinct much like eating and drinking—he only needed to follow it.

Everything fell naturally into place!

A moment later, all the herbs had been purified.

The droplets of medicine flowed together as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water.

The Profound Water Pill slowly took shape!

The fragrance of the pill wafted out. In terms of quality alone, it was in no way inferior to the one Xiao Yan had refined!

"Smack!"

Li Tianlan slapped the Alchemy Furnace, and the white Profound Water Pill dropped into his hand. Only then did he snap out of his dreamlike state and withdraw from that mysterious sensation.

Looking at the Profound Water Pill in his hand, nearly equal in quality to Xiao Yan's, Li Tianlan stared in stunned disbelief. "This... was refined by me?"

"This is ridiculous! You managed to refine something of this quality while spacing out?"

Xiao Yan was deeply shaken and could not help but sigh. "Sigh, comparing people can drive you to death, and comparing goods makes you want to throw yours away! Your talent... is simply unbeatable!"

Li Tianlan looked at the Profound Water Pill in his hand, feeling that it was not as simple as mere talent!

The quality of his first-ever pill refinement rivaled that of Xiao Yan, an Emperor-grade Alchemist. Even cheating would not be this outrageous!

Suddenly, he remembered that, theoretically speaking, Xiao Yan counted as his martial soul!

Could it be that, for some reason, he shared Xiao Yan's alchemy skills?

As long as Xiao Yan demonstrated something once, he could use it directly!

Thinking of this, Li Tianlan told Xiao Yan about his idea.

"Whether that's the case or not, we'll know after an experiment!"

Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, then handed Li Tianlan another pill formula. "This is Healing Ointment, a first-tier medicinal pill mainly used to treat injuries! Give it a try and see if you can refine it!"

"No problem, Teacher!"

Li Tianlan was interested as well. He immediately accepted the formula and glanced through it.

It was among the simplest types of first-tier medicinal pills. Back then, Xiao Yan seemed to have started his alchemy journey by refining this kind of Healing Ointment.

Setting down the formula, Li Tianlan slapped the Alchemy Furnace again, and Bone Spirit Cold Flame surged up.

The furnace quickly reached the proper temperature. Li Tianlan cautiously tossed a Ten-Year Blood Ginseng into it.

"Boom!"

Bone Spirit Cold Flame flared up, and in an instant, half the Blood Ginseng evaporated.

Li Tianlan was startled. Bone Spirit Cold Flame completely went out of control, and the remaining half of the Blood Ginseng vanished as well!

Under the scorching heat of the Heavenly Flame, not even dregs remained!

The Healing Ointment refinement had failed!

"Teacher, I failed!"

Instead of being alarmed, Li Tianlan was delighted, his face full of excitement.

Though he had failed, it also proved another possibility.

That was, as long as Xiao Yan demonstrated the refinement of any pill once, he would be able to reach Xiao Yan's level!

If that was truly the case, then... would Xiao Yan's combat techniques, as well as the other martial souls he summoned in the future, work the same way?

Xiao Yan realized this as well and said seriously, "Tianlan, release control. I'll refine it once, then you can try again!"

"Alright!"

Li Tianlan's heart raced with excitement as he relinquished control of his body.

Once Xiao Yan took over, refining Healing Ointment was far faster than his step-by-step instruction for the Profound Water Pill.

With a raised hand and a grasping motion, the temperature inside the Alchemy Furnace swiftly rose to the proper level. Then, he tossed herb after herb into the furnace.

That speed was more than ten times faster than before.

In just half a quarter-hour, the herbs had been fully refined and fused into a fist-sized mass of amber-colored ointment.

It carried a faintly pungent scent! After storing the ointment in a jade bottle, Xiao Yan released control and said impatiently, "Kid, it's yours again. Give it a try!"

Li Tianlan recalled Xiao Yan's earlier movements. His hands instinctively copied Xiao Yan's actions as he tossed herb after herb into the Alchemy Furnace.

Whether in speed or quality, there was not the slightest difference!

After half a quarter-hour, a batch of Healing Ointment whose quality was no worse than Xiao Yan's floated within the Alchemy Furnace.

Even its scent was just as pungent!

"Teacher, I succeeded!"

Li Tianlan was ecstatic. "My guess was right after all!"

Seeing Li Tianlan's ecstatic expression, Xiao Yan could not muster any excitement at all. Instead, he said with some concern, "Kid, you're celebrating too soon!"

"What's wrong, Master?" Li Tianlan asked in confusion.

Xiao Yan sighed and explained, "Kid, you've forgotten something. You may be able to instantly learn any pill I refine, but when it comes to other pills, you're still at a normal level! That means I'm afraid I won't be able to demonstrate pill refinement for you in the future. Otherwise... I'd only be harming you!"

"Giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish?"

Li Tianlan realized the issue as well.

However, after carefully sensing himself, he said with some pleasant surprise, "Master, I've discovered... my understanding of Heavenly Flames and my control over Soul Power have improved!"

"Oh?"

Xiao Yan froze, then said in surprise, "Could it be that every time I refine something, you not only learn that particular pill, but your alchemy skills improve as well?"

Li Tianlan thought of that possibility too, and his mood immediately brightened. "In that case, Master, give me another pill formula. We'll know after trying it!"

"No problem!"

Xiao Yan readily tossed Li Tianlan another first-rank pill formula.

This formula was the familiar Body Tempering Fluid, though Xiao Yan had made slight adjustments to it!

After all, there were no magical beasts on Douluo Continent!

Li Tianlan glanced over the formula and began refining pills once more!

Sure enough, compared to when he had refined the Healing Ointment, his improvement this time was considerable.

After an hour of stumbling through the process, Li Tianlan actually managed to refine all the herbs successfully and fuse them into a lump of pitch-black medicinal paste.

Li Tianlan looked at the Body Tempering Paste and scratched his head awkwardly!

Under normal circumstances, perfect-quality Body Tempering Paste was red.

Inferior versions were dark red.

As for black paste like this, it was the lowest-quality Body Tempering Paste. Its medicinal effects were greatly reduced, and it even contained a certain degree of toxins!

"You've indeed improved a lot!"

Xiao Yan's tone was full of astonishment. "If your previous result was a zero, then now you've at least reached a passing grade! Then... let's try again!"

With that, Xiao Yan once more took control of Li Tianlan's body and demonstrated how to refine Body Tempering Paste.

Afterward, he gave Li Tianlan a new first-rank pill formula and had him refine it.

Sure enough, compared to the stumbling pace at which he had refined the Body Tempering Paste last time, Li Tianlan's speed soared once again!

His performance was nearly comparable to that of an ordinary First-Rank Alchemist!

In just half an hour, a first-rank pill took shape in Li Tianlan's hands!

Although its quality was ordinary, only a few hours earlier, Li Tianlan had not even entered the field!

In merely a few short hours, he had made the progress that would normally take someone three to five years—or even eight to ten years!

That rate of progress was nothing short of monstrous!