Refining the Exotic Flame (Part 2)

"Forget it. The Myriad Beast Spirit Fire is still a Heavenly Flame after all. That you found it in the Pill Realm might just be fate."

Ling You waved his hand, but a faint, ambiguous smile crept onto his face.

"I heard from that disciple of Xuan Kongzi's that you also found other treasures in that space within the Pill Tower?"

Cao Ying and the Dan Family Siblings had long since emerged from that space within the Pill Tower.

The news that Ling Xi had obtained the Purple Abyss Cauldron there naturally spread with their departure.

"That's right, Master. Please take a look."

Since Ling You was his own teacher, there was nothing to hide.

A flash of light flickered from the Nakai Ring on Ling Xi's finger, and a purple medicinal cauldron appeared in the room.

"Indeed, it's the third on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking—the alchemist's divine artifact lost for a thousand years... the Purple Abyss!"

Ling You reached out and touched the rough surface of the Purple Abyss Cauldron, a look of deep emotion crossing his face.

"Your luck, boy, is truly heaven-defying..."

Shaking his head, Ling You couldn't help but tease.

"A single trip into the space opened by the Pill Tower, and not only do you get the Myriad Beast Spirit Fire from the Heavenly Flame Ranking, but you also trade for the third-ranked divine artifact on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking."

"Indeed, boy, you were born to walk the path of an alchemist."

Ling Xi rubbed his head sheepishly.

The Myriad Beast Spirit Fire was something he'd gotten from the system after checking in, but the Purple Abyss was truly a freebie he'd stumbled upon.

"That disciple of Xuan Kongzi's said that not long after you entered the Pill Tower's space, you tried to refine a fifth-grade Blood Lotus Pill."

As if recalling something, Ling You spoke with curiosity.

"Release your Soul Power and let me see just what level it's reached."

To be honest, Ling Xi himself didn't know what level his Soul Power had reached.

Hearing Ling You's words, he didn't hesitate. Surging Soul Power burst forth from his brow and spread outward.

The entire space of the room trembled violently under the fierce pressure of that Soul Power.

"Damn, Soul Power at the Spirit Realm level..."

Ling You's face twitched.

Though he'd long known Ling Xi's Soul Power wasn't weak, reaching the Spirit Realm was still a bit too exaggerated.

After all, even Ling You's own Soul Power was only at the late Spirit Realm.

And it was precisely that late Spirit Realm Soul Power that allowed him to become one of the rare Eighth-grade Alchemists on the continent.

"Even within the Ling Clan, no one has reached the Spirit Realm level of Soul Power at your age."

Ling You's teeth felt sour.

"What you lack now is only alchemical experience and your own Dou Qi strength."

"Once you have enough experience and steadily improve your Dou Qi, you'll face no obstacles before advancing to an Eighth-grade Alchemist."

"Your growth far exceeds my expectations. From now on, I can rest easy."

Ling You stepped forward and patted Ling Xi on the shoulder, a look of relief on his face.

"Master, seeing you this time, I feel you've aged a lot."

Hesitating for a moment, Ling Xi finally voiced the words that had been weighing on his heart.

"You... the injuries on your body—is there really no way to treat them?"

By all logic, a Dou Venerate should possess eternal youth and a long lifespan.

Yet in just two and a half years, Ling You had aged beyond recognition.

"Speaking of which, there are some things I should tell you now."

Ling You plopped down on Ling Xi's bed, a trace of melancholy flickering across his face.

"Back when I advanced to Eighth-grade Alchemist, I was determined to find a Heavenly Flame, hoping to use its power to elevate my alchemical skills."

"After years of searching, heaven finally granted my wish. I found the Wind Fury Dragon Flame in the Extreme West."

Hearing this, Ling Xi raised an eyebrow slightly and murmured.

"The Wind Fury Dragon Flame, ranked eighteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking..."

Ling Xi had seen records of the Wind Fury Dragon Flame in Ling You's collection of books.

This Heavenly Flame was born in the eye of a fiery tornado in an ancient desert.

Unlike other Heavenly Flames, the Wind Fury Dragon Flame had no fixed location. It appeared randomly anywhere in the desert during the hottest few days of the year, extremely rare.

Each time it manifested, it took the form of a tornado, combining wind and fire. The flames rose hundreds of meters high, roaring forward like a massive fire dragon, possessing immense destructive power, turning everything in its path into a sea of fire.

"Master, given your strength at the time, refining the eighteenth-ranked Heavenly Flame shouldn't have been too difficult, right?"

Though Heavenly Flames were powerful, the Wind Fury Dragon Flame was only ranked eighteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.

For a Dou Venerate like Ling You, absorbing a Heavenly Flame ranked fifteenth or lower on the Heavenly Flame Ranking should have been absolutely no problem.

"With my strength at the time, refining the Wind Fury Dragon Flame was well within my grasp. But at the most critical moment, I was ambushed by two Soul Clan experts stronger than myself."

At this point, Ling You's tone suddenly turned grim, showing that he still remembered the incident vividly.

"In the face of that crisis, I self-detonated the Heavenly Flame and burned my very essence to slay those two Soul Clan experts!"

"Though I had long known the Soul Clan was gathering the Soul Power of alchemists across the continent, I never imagined I would become their target myself!"

Ling Xi remained silent. The Soul Clan's method of boiling the frog slowly was indeed insidious.

Back then, the other six Ancient Clans sat idly by as the Xiao Clan was annihilated by the Soul Clan. What became of them afterward?

At least the Xiao Clan still had bloodlines surviving, but the Ling Clan and Shi Clan were utterly wiped out.

The Ancient Clan was no better either.

After the Xiao Clan fell, the Soul Clan was also severely weakened—even Soul Heaven Emperor was gravely wounded and near death at the hands of Xiao Xuan.

In that state, the Soul Clan couldn't even track the Xiao Clan's Tuoshe Ancient Jade, let alone search for the Xiao Clan's space.

So where did all the Xiao Clan's millennium-old heritage go? Those high-tier cultivation methods and Dou Techniques?

They all fell into the hands of the Ancient Clan.

Otherwise, how could the Ancient Clan have become the openly strongest among the Eight Ancient Clans?

"My body was caught in the explosion of the Heavenly Flame, and my soul origin was damaged. Even a Ninth-grade Alchemist couldn't save me."

Ling You showed little resistance to his own death, instead looking at Ling Xi with a face full of relief.

"But passing on everything I've learned to you means I haven't come to this world in vain."

As he spoke, Ling You took out a scroll brimming with intense spiritual energy from his Nakai Ring.

"This is a Soul Technique—a skill that can only be executed by relying on Soul Power. It's also the most precious thing I obtained from the Ling Clan's inheritance."

"Back then, it was by relying on this Soul Technique that I killed those two Soul Clan experts who were besieging me."

Ling Xi took the scroll from Ling You's hand. The surging Soul Power within it made even Ling Xi's soul feel unsettled.

"Earth Grade High—Eye of the Netherworld!"