Refining Seventh Grade

"Brother Li, can you really handle this Undying Divine Tree that's been tainted by deathly qi?"

Inside the ancient city pavilion of Ten Thousand Demons Valley, Monkey, Old Crane, and the newly returned Second Valley Lord of Ten Thousand Demons Valley, Spirit Cat, had all gathered in Yan Kuan's courtyard. They stared at the Divine Tree branch on the stone table, which emitted a faint green glow. Monkey's eyes were full of longing but also tinged with hesitation.

After Yan Kuan and his two companions returned with some gains from the Burial Grounds of Earth Immortals, the undeterred Old Crane and Monkey had scoured the Ten Thousand Demons Valley's archives, trying to find a method to refine and process it.

Unfortunately, they were quickly disappointed. Since ancient times, few methods for refining Undying Divine Medicine had been passed down, and most involved direct refinement with enormous waste. The Divine Tree branch they brought back still contained deathly qi within; if it were refined into the body without removal, it would turn them into half-living, half-dead evil spirits.

Just as they had given up, Yan Kuan told them to prepare a batch of spiritual medicines, intending to use this Divine Tree branch as the main ingredient to refine pills. Their hesitation was only natural.

Yan Kuan replied calmly, "Within the alchemy inheritance I've studied, there exists a formula that uses a certain evil medicine similar to Nethergrass as the main ingredient to refine the Life-Devouring Pill."

Monkey asked hesitantly, "Life-Devouring Pill—that name doesn't sound like a normal pill. What does it do?"

When Yan Kuan mentioned the Life-Devouring Pill, his tone was rather strange, as if he were anticipating it yet also conflicted. "A Seventh Grade Life-Devouring Pill can directly boost the user's strength. Of course, this pill also has severe side effects—it greatly drains the user's lifespan.

The original Life-Devouring Pill could elevate the user's cultivation to a level comparable to the Four Extremities Realm, but the cost is that the user would have only three years left to live."

"Three years of life."

The three valley lords of Ten Thousand Demons Valley had initially been somewhat interested in the Life-Devouring Pill, but upon hearing that it left only three years of life, they lost all interest.

A leap to the Four Extremities Realm might be a divine medicine for ordinary people, but with only three years left, only those desperate for revenge would be interested. How could they, as great cultivators at the Four Extremities Realm, ever need such a pill?

Yan Kuan wasn't surprised by the three valley lords' reaction. Seeing that the three demons had fallen silent, he continued on his own, "Three valley lords, according to our previous agreement, if I'm to refine pills, you must provide support and assistance.

The Life-Devouring Pill's effect is indeed like a chicken rib—useless yet a pity to discard—but for a pill of this grade, given my current cultivation, I wouldn't normally be able to succeed. Using the Undying Divine Tree as the main ingredient might give me a chance to try.

You should understand how important it is for an alchemist to have the opportunity to refine a higher-grade pill!"

Yan Kuan's words convinced the three valley lords of Ten Thousand Demons Valley. Old Crane stepped forward and declared, "Brother Li, since you've put it that way, we brothers naturally support you. The spiritual medicines you need will be delivered within three days."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Countless demons had gathered in the square of Ten Thousand Demons Valley. The valley had been quite efficient, collecting all the needed spiritual medicines in less than two days, and Yan Kuan, having emerged from seclusion, had sat cross-legged there for a full day.

At noon on the third day, an invisible force rippled through the air. Yan Kuan's pitch-black eyes slowly opened, faint glimmers of sharp light flickering within them.

"The time has come."

A voice emerged from Yan Kuan's mouth, and then his body moved. With a wave of his hand, a fiery red cauldron descended onto the earth-fire formation at the center of the square.

Yan Kuan took a deep breath to adjust his state. A cluster of multicolored flames soon appeared inside the Medicine Cauldron, erupting with extreme heat.

From the very start, Yan Kuan had deployed the Empyrean Flame, showing just how seriously he took this alchemy. The dazzling, colorful flames churned continuously within the cauldron, and the rapidly rising temperature made the surrounding air feel scorching hot.

As the flames surged, Yan Kuan waved his sleeve. One after another, spiritual medicines flew out, suspended in midair under the protection of divine power and the control of his spiritual force, like tiny, glowing clusters of light.

"Life-Devouring Pill, Seventh Grade, possesses the astonishing effect of directly boosting the user's strength. It uses evil spiritual medicines imbued with life force and deathly qi as the main ingredients. The better the main ingredient, the greater the effect. The materials required for refinement are extremely complex..."

The description and refinement method of the Life-Devouring Pill slowly surfaced in Yan Kuan's mind, with key points firmly etched into his memory.

Nearly a hundred types of spiritual medicines, each pair opposing in nature—the final quality of the pill depended on the quality of the main ingredient.

A flurry of scattered thoughts flashed through Yan Kuan's mind. He cast them all aside, raised his head, sensed the temperature inside the Medicine Cauldron, and nodded slightly. With a subtle gesture of his finger, the raging multicolored flames subsided.

His gaze locked onto the cauldron. After a moment, Yan Kuan moved his finger, and a beam of light shot over, transforming into a blood-red Spirit Mushroom that landed in his hand.

As soon as this mushroom appeared, it emitted a thick, bloody scent. Within that bloodiness, one could faintly sense a fairly pure energy fluctuation.

Blood Spirit Mushroom, a special mushroom that grew in blood burial grounds. Yan Kuan's fingers gently rubbed its surface, feeling the slightly yin-cold yet pure energy within.

He let out a light breath, flicked his finger, and the Blood Spirit Mushroom turned into a red streak, thrown into the Medicine Cauldron. The multicolored flames that had been lying dormant inside surged up, refining it into a mass of blood-red medicinal liquid that gave off a strange fragrance.

After refining the Blood Spirit Mushroom, Yan Kuan's ten fingers moved rapidly. The many light points suspended in midair immediately split off nearly ten of them, flying one after another into the cauldron.

Refining so many ingredients simultaneously placed a strict demand on his soul power. Fortunately, Yan Kuan had already cultivated his soul to a level infinitely close to the Spirit Realm, easily meeting the requirements for refining a Seventh Grade pill.

The numerous ingredients rushed into the cauldron. Within a few breaths of contact with the Empyrean Flame, they rapidly withered, their bodies turning to ash. Drops of pure medicinal liquid remained, which Yan Kuan then skillfully merged under the precise control of his soul power.

A mass of blood-red liquid about half a fist in size appeared inside the cauldron. The flames enveloped it, causing the liquid to slowly shrink while its color grew increasingly vivid. When the blood-red liquid had shrunk to the size of a thumb, it had become extremely viscous.

Seeing this, Yan Kuan waved his hand to set it aside. With another gesture, a beam of light flew over, transforming into a white fruit covered in pits and bumps. The Empyrean Flame followed once more, beginning the second round of auxiliary ingredient refinement.