"Xiao Li, let this old man see your Heavenly Flames." Fire Elder had already squeezed his way over. As an Alchemist, he naturally cared about such things.
"Mm." Xiao Li raised his right hand, and a transparent flame appeared. It then transformed into a Fire Serpent that slithered through his hand.
"Can you refine an Imperial Origin Pill now? Could you let this old man observe? I want to see what alchemy with Heavenly Flames looks like." Fire Elder was a pure Alchemist, though unfortunately, his own progress in alchemy had not been very good.
"No problem. I was just about to test the power of Heavenly Flames. Let's do it here." Xiao Li directly took out his Medicine Cauldron.
The Medicine Cauldron Xiao Li currently used was a Rank 7 Medicine Cauldron. Its entire body was crimson, and ancient Cloud Patterns were engraved upon it.
"Oh? This is the Rank 7 Medicine Cauldron, the Fire Cloud Cauldron, that this old man obtained years ago. Did you take it from the Library Pavilion?" Mang Tian Chi stroked his beard as he spoke.
"Yes."
"You lucky brat. If this old man's family fortune weren't so substantial, you'd have probably turned the whole place upside down." Mang Tian Chi laughed heartily.
"I'll refine a Dou Spirit Pill first to get a feel for it. Hmm, where are the medicinal ingredients? I'm out of ingredients. Does the academy have ingredients for Dou Spirit Pills?"
Xiao Li suddenly realized that he no longer had enough medicinal ingredients. Aside from some crucial materials, most of them had gone into Little Dragon Emperor's stomach.
"Wait here. We'll go get them and be right back!" Fire Elder led a group of elders from the Alchemy Department to fetch medicinal ingredients, and Su Qian went with them. Jia Nan Academy had collected quite a few ingredients for Imperial Origin Pills and Breaking Ancestor Pills over the past few days.
There were a full fifteen sets of ingredients for Imperial Origin Pills, while there were fewer ingredients for Breaking Ancestor Pills—only six sets.
A quarter of an hour later,
Before the Heavenly Burning Refining Tower, a transparent flame was tossed into the crimson Medicine Cauldron, where it began refining the medicinal ingredients.
Boom—
"Tsk! As expected of Heavenly Flames, the power is immense. I hadn't gotten used to the flame's intensity yet, and one moment of carelessness destroyed all the ingredients. What a pity."
Xiao Li had not yet become familiar with the power of the Fallen Heart Flame. Even though he was already a Rank 6 Alchemist, mistakes could still happen.
"Still, that mistake just taught me how convenient Heavenly Flames are for extracting medicinal ingredients. They're far less troublesome than Beast Flame. Good, let's continue!"
Xiao Li cleared the residue from the Medicine Cauldron and once again threw in a set of ingredients for a Dou Spirit Pill. Then, the transparent Fallen Heart Flame entered the cauldron.
This time, Xiao Li controlled the flame's intensity. The Fallen Heart Flame obediently refined the ingredients, extracting the many medicinal ingredients into Medicine Liquid.
Because Xiao Li's cultivation and Soul Force had both improved, and with the boost from the Heavenly Flames, refining Dou Spirit Pills became much easier. Previously, Xiao Li's success rate in refining Dou Spirit Pills had been roughly close to fifty percent.
Saying he had a hundred percent success rate now might have been too boastful, but eighty or ninety percent was certain!
"Open!"
Xiao Li used Dou Qi to open the Medicine Cauldron. Immediately afterward, the natural phenomenon unique to a Grade 6 Pill shot into the sky.
Then, an emerald-green pill floated before everyone's eyes.
"My heavens, such a natural phenomenon—and the quality of this Dou Spirit Pill! It's top-grade!"
No one had expected Xiao Li's second attempt at refining a Dou Spirit Pill to produce a top-grade one.
"I didn't expect Heavenly Flames to provide such a huge boost. No wonder." Xiao Li stroked his chin and smiled. It truly deserved to be called a treasure of the Dou Qi Continent; the effect was remarkable.
The elders of Jia Nan Academy, especially those who had never taken a Dou Spirit Pill, nearly drooled at the sight of it.
"Ahem, mind your image, mind your image!" Su Qian coughed. This appearance was damaging Jia Nan Academy's reputation.
"I'm feeling good right now. I'll directly try an Imperial Origin Pill." Xiao Li took a Jade Bottle from his Storage Ring, poured out a Qi Xiu Pill, and swallowed it.
A Qi Xiu Pill was a consumable Grade 5 Pill. It could accelerate the recovery of Dou Qi even for Dou Emperors and Dou Zongs, making it a relatively high-grade consumable pill.
An ordinary Dou Emperor might not even get the chance to consume a Qi Xiu Pill, yet Xiao Li swallowed one without a second thought. Perhaps this was the luxury unique to Alchemists.
After that, Xiao Li began a long session of alchemy. Next, he would refine the Imperial Origin Pill that he had never successfully made before.
The Imperial Origin Pill was a Rank 6 Top-grade Pill. Most Rank 6 Alchemists could not refine an Imperial Origin Pill. A Rank 6 Alchemist like Old Wang, who could refine one, was already among the best.
Over the following days, natural phenomena appeared frequently around Jia Nan Academy. The various phenomena, large and small, prompted many forces in the Black Horn Region to gather together, intending to jointly attack Jia Nan Academy and seek wealth and glory.
Led by Old Ghost of the Earth Demon from Demon Flame Valley, numerous experts from the Black Horn Region headed straight for Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy.
But in the end, Old Ghost of the Earth Demon saw someone who could give him nightmares standing there. He was immediately scared out of his wits and fled without regard for his dignity.
Then, those Black Horn Region experts with any sense of awareness clasped their hands toward Jia Nan Academy and said that they had come merely to observe the natural phenomena, had accidentally entered Jia Nan Academy, and begged forgiveness before immediately fleeing into the distance.
The remaining fools who had courage wrapped around their bodies were all beaten to death by Jia Nan Academy's elders. In the end, they were all hung from the Death Spirit Tree in Peace Town.
As the saying went:
The phenomena of Jia Nan alarmed the Black Horn, and smoke rose as the Black Horn demons gathered.
The demons assembled to plot against Jia Nan, seeking to share wealth and glory alike.
Earth Demon spotted Tian Chi and ran home without looking back.
Those with brains all admitted their mistakes, and when disaster came, each flew away on his own.
The brainless charged forward in fierce defiance, while blade light and sword shadows sent blood flying.
A string of ropes hung from the Death Spirit Tree, and from then on, brothers were bound heart to heart.
The Black Horn demons attacked Jia Nan; the wise fled first while the brainless charged on. Where blades flashed, blood splashed, and souls scattered, sworn brothers rejoiced upon the Death Spirit Tree.
(Just some casual doggerel. The author's writing isn't very good, so this is all I've got. Just have a laugh. The longer poem above was written by me, while the shorter one below was written by my group moderator.)
"Huff—"
Xiao Li had been immersed in alchemy, with all his attention focused on the Medicine Cauldron. Only after he refined an Imperial Origin Pill did he prepare to rest a little before continuing.
When Xiao Li looked up, he saw that every elder was stained with blood and carried Killing Intent.
"What happened?" Xiao Li looked utterly bewildered.
"Nothing much. A few blind bugs were buzzing around everywhere. They've all been dealt with now." Su Qian patted Xiao Li on the shoulder. At that moment, dried blood stained Su Qian's left cheek and clothes, making him look somewhat frightening.
"Bugs? Forget it, I won't think about it. After absorbing the Fallen Heart Flame, my alchemy has improved greatly. Previously, I was probably only at the level of a beginner Rank 6 Alchemist. Now, my alchemy is at least Rank 6 Advanced."
Xiao Li still cared more about his alchemy. It concerned whether he could extend Old Wang's life and whether the Xiao Clan could rise another level.
"Hehe, boy Xiao Li is too modest. Your Soul Force has reached the Mortal Realm Late Stage. One more step, and you will reach the Mortal Realm Peak. Oh, perhaps you do not know how Soul Force realms are divided.
Soul Force realms are divided into four levels: Mortal Realm, Spirit Realm, Heaven Realm, and God Realm. The vast majority of people, even Alchemists below the Eighth Grade, have Soul Force realms that remain at the Mortal Realm.
Your Mortal Realm Late Stage is equivalent to a Rank 7 Intermediate Alchemist. It is only your alchemy and Dou Qi level that remain at the Rank 6 level.
You still have plenty of room to improve. At any rate, before you begin refining Grade 7 Intermediate Pills, you will not encounter a problem of insufficient Soul Force realm. And when you break through to Dou Emperor, your Soul Force will improve again.
When you break through to Dou Zong, tsk tsk tsk, your Soul Force may reach the Spirit Realm. Reaching the Spirit Realm would mean you possess the level of a Rank 8 Alchemist."
Mang Tian Chi gave Xiao Li an introduction to the Soul Force knowledge of Alchemists.
"Thank you for your guidance, Headmaster." Xiao Li clasped his hands in thanks.
Before you continue