Alchemy

Following Elder Huo, Xiao Ling entered the Alchemy Room before long.

The moment he stepped inside, Xiao Ling felt a wave of heat wash over his entire body, as though he had entered a drying room from his previous life. Fortunately, he was now a Dou Zhe. With a slight circulation of his Dou Qi, most of the sweltering sensation faded. Moreover, Fire Attribute energy was far more active here. If he cultivated in this place, he should progress faster than usual.

Looking toward the center of the room, Xiao Ling saw a medicine cauldron nearly half a meter tall.

The cauldron was entirely brown, with several red patterns running across it. Two ferocious wolf heads were carved beneath it, their gaping mouths forming three interconnected fire channels. The channels twisted and wound inward, narrowing the deeper they went, as though they concealed some mystery. At the top of the cauldron, a giant serpent coiled into a dark-red lid. There was also a special opening on the lid, intended specifically for adding medicinal ingredients. The surface of the cauldron was adorned with exquisite magical beast carvings, so lifelike they seemed almost alive.

"The Alchemy Room is where the Alchemy Department specializes in refining pills. The cauldrons provided here are the same as the one I gave you—every one of them is a three-mouthed cauldron."

Elder Huo walked to the cauldron and waved his hand. A pile of medicinal herbs appeared beside it. "Watch carefully. I'll only demonstrate this once."

This was also the first time Xiao Ling had truly witnessed an alchemist refining pills. A dark black flame entered the cauldron, and stalk after stalk of medicinal herbs was devoured by the flames, leaving behind either powdery or paste-like Medicinal Essence. In the end, the essences of the various ingredients fused into a Pill Precursor with a pitted surface. As it was tempered by the flames, the pill inside the cauldron became rounder and smoother. It turned green, and a faint medicinal fragrance spread from the cauldron.

Normally, an alchemist required a quiet environment to refine pills, free from all disturbances. However, since this was a First-grade Pill, it was effortless for Elder Huo, so he explained every step in detail. The pill was soon finished. Elder Huo circulated his Dou Qi and drew the pill into his hand, then placed it in a jade bottle and tossed it to Xiao Ling.

With a slight activation of Suction Palm, the jade bottle landed steadily in his hand. Before Xiao Ling could put it into his belt, Elder Huo said, "This is a First-grade Pill, the Flame Condensing Pill. It can slightly improve the cultivation of Fire Attribute Dou Qi. The Pill Recipe is in your Storage Ring. You can use this pill to get more practice. I've demonstrated it once already, so now it's your turn to refine one." With that, he stepped aside and gave up his position.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Ling first emptied his mind and rid himself of all distracting thoughts.

He placed his hand over one of the cauldron's fire channels and poured Beast Flame into it.

Puff.

With a muffled sound, blue-pink Beast Flame appeared within the cauldron, churning and burning without end.

Xiao Ling closed his eyes and began sensing the Wood Attribute Dou Qi within his body. Ever since absorbing the Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor's Trunk Bone, his affinity for the Wood Attribute had greatly increased. It took only a minute for him to lock onto that stream of green Dou Qi.

Xiao Ling extended a finger and lightly touched another fire channel. A thumb-thick stream of green energy was slowly poured inside.

The instant the green energy entered the cauldron, the blue-pink Beast Flame within abruptly quieted, as if it had undergone a chemical reaction. At this moment, even before Xiao Ling controlled the Beast Flame, he could sense that its violent nature had already been neutralized by Wood Power. Furthermore, due to the principle of wood feeding fire, the flames were clearly more enduring and easier to control than before.

After recalling the ingredients required for the Flame Condensing Pill and Elder Huo's refining method in his mind,

his Soul Perception entered the cauldron and began controlling the Beast Flame. Thanks to his exceptional Soul Perception and the neutralizing effect of Wood Attribute Dou Qi, Xiao Ling handled the Beast Flame with ease.

He placed the required medicinal herbs into the cauldron one step at a time, extracting and purifying them, fusing the essences of the various ingredients into a Pill Precursor, then continuing to temper it with flames.

Following Elder Huo's steps, Xiao Ling carefully completed every requirement.

After seven failures, he finally refined the first pill of his life on the eighth attempt. Though its surface was pitted, Xiao Ling still broke into a broad smile.

Taking out a specially made jade bottle, he used Suction Palm to draw the pill into it, then stored it in his belt. Xiao Ling had long planned to treasure this first pill he had refined.

Elder Huo, standing nearby, was quite satisfied, a fatherly smile appearing on his face.

The facts proved that Xiao Ling not only possessed extraordinary cultivation talent, but was no less gifted in alchemy.

Elder Huo said from the side, "Although the pill doesn't look very good and its surface is pitted, it is already extremely rare to complete a breakthrough from zero to one in such a short time. I have to admit, you're far better than I was back then."

Hearing this, Xiao Ling felt a mischievous urge and asked, "Then how long did it take you to refine your first pill, Elder?"

Elder Huo's smile gradually vanished, and his face darkened slightly as he rolled his eyes.

He had thought this was an honest child, but he was actually so devious. For this old man to have misjudged someone too.

Clearing his throat, Elder Huo changed the subject. "Although you have refined a First-grade Pill, that does not mean you are now a true First-grade Alchemist. There was a certain amount of luck involved in that refinement process."

"To become a true ranked alchemist, you must also ensure the quality of your pills and your success rate. Remember to practice diligently in the future. You must not slack off!"

Elder Huo still hoped Xiao Ling would remain grounded and not become arrogant over a small accomplishment. Xiao Ling could be considered half his disciple, after all, and he naturally hoped Xiao Ling would travel farther and farther down the path of alchemy.

Over the many years he had spent at Jia Nan Academy, he had seen far too many geniuses. Though no monster like Xiao Ling had ever appeared, there were countless geniuses only a level below him.

He had seen many people who, through arrogance and refusal to heed advice, squandered their cultivation talent and ultimately failed to live up to their potential when they grew up.

"Understood. I'll practice diligently from now on."

Xiao Ling quickly agreed to Elder Huo's earnest advice. He understood the meaning behind it as well: he could not become complacent over minor achievements. Besides, Xiao Ling knew that in the Central Plains, there was Cao Ying, the Enchantress of the Cao Family, who could refine pills at the age of seven. Xiao Ling truly did not believe his talent in alchemy surpassed people like Cao Ying or Dan Chen.

Seeing that Xiao Ling had truly taken his teachings to heart, Elder Huo nodded in satisfaction. Stroking his beard, he waved his right hand, and a large pile of medicinal herbs appeared beside the cauldron.

"These are the practice ingredients I prepared for you. If you run out in the future, go to the storeroom and give them my name. They'll provide you with more ingredients."

Seeing this, Xiao Ling quickly bowed. "Thank you, Elder."

Elder Huo smiled and stroked his beard. Leaving behind only the words, "Keep practicing diligently from now on!" he departed from the Alchemy Room.