Learning Alchemy

Upon hearing the system's check-in mission, Xiao Yu froze for a moment. The Mittel Grand Auction House left him somewhat dazed—Ya Fei had been a very important character in the early stages of Battle Through the Heavens. As for why it was only the early stages, it was naturally because Ya Fei lacked sufficient talent in the novel. In the end, she could only remain in the Jia Ma Empire and become the Mite'er Family's clan leader, with her strength stalled at the Dou Emperor realm!

When Xiao Yu had read Battle Through the Heavens in his previous life, this had made him feel quite miserable. Because of her age, strength, and other factors, Ya Fei believed herself unworthy of Xiao Yan. In the end, she chose to bury those feelings in her heart and remained unmarried until old age. As for this life, Xiao Yu could only let fate take its course!

However, Xiao Yu had no plans to visit the Mittel Auction House right now. First, he had no money; second, he had no pills. To go to the Mittel Auction House, he needed either something to auction off or money to bid on things. Otherwise, what was the point of going there?

After buying all the medicinal ingredients he needed, Xiao Yu told Xun Er that he would be going into seclusion to cultivate for some time. He then headed toward the back mountain. After finding a secluded cave there, he began a three-month journey of alchemy!

In a secluded cave on the Xiao Clan's back mountain.

Boom!

Xiao Yu sat cross-legged within the cave. With a wave of his hand, he drew upon the Bone Spirit Cold Flame within his body and condensed it into a pill furnace before him. He had already mastered this technique to perfection; with a mere thought, he could instantly form a Heavenly Flame pill furnace. Xiao Yu grabbed a Snow Jade Orchid beside him and tossed it inside. The instant it entered the furnace, the Heavenly Flame surged forth and enveloped it, turning it into ashes on the spot.

Was the fire too fierce? Xiao Yu wondered. He then steadily controlled the Heavenly Flame and slowly lowered its intensity.

Although the Alchemy Canon contained scenes of pill refinement, they could not replace personal experience. Xiao Yu had to try things out bit by bit himself. Focusing once more, he tossed Snow Jade Orchids into the furnace one after another.

Boom! Boom boom boom!

The Snow Jade Orchids rapidly withered. Under the refinement of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, tiny amounts of white powder gradually appeared inside the pill furnace.

Refining pills was a slow process, and Xiao Yu was in no hurry. He calmly refined the ingredients. Though he had been somewhat flustered at first, after several failures, Xiao Yu became increasingly skilled.

Xiao Yu picked up another Snow Jade Orchid and tossed it into the pill furnace. It instantly turned into a small pinch of white powder, its impurities long since burned away and removed. Next, Xiao Yu picked up an Ice Jade Fruit and threw it in. The pale-white flames instantly swept over the Ice Jade Fruit with a faint sizzle. A cloud of white mist billowed up, then vanished in the blink of an eye. The Ice Jade Fruit also transformed into a pool of jade-white liquid. After using the Bone Spirit Cold Flame to remove the impurities from that liquid as well, Xiao Yu accelerated the process, tossing spiritual herbs into the furnace one after another.

Time flew by. Inside the cave, Xiao Yu refined Snow Jade Spirit Liquid day and night. In the blink of an eye, three months had passed.

Xiao Yu's face was weathered, and stubble covered his cheeks, making him appear to have aged ten years. Yet his eyes shone brightly as he focused on the pill furnace before him. A smooth, green pill was continuously being refined by the Bone Spirit Cold Flame within the furnace, while a strange medicinal fragrance filled the entire cave!

The already-formed spirit pill continued to spin within the furnace as the pale-white Bone Spirit Cold Flame relentlessly scorched it. Xiao Yu stared fixedly at the pill inside. Suddenly, an ethereal gleam flashed across the originally smooth green spirit pill, and wild joy rose in Xiao Yu's eyes.

"The pill is complete!" Xiao Yu cried softly. He slapped the pill furnace with his palm, and the green pill shot out like a bolt. Xiao Yu struck out like lightning and caught it in his hand. A faint pattern had appeared on the pill's surface. This was a One-Pattern Spirit Pill, a Pill Pattern that only appeared on spirit pills refined to the utmost quality recorded in the Alchemy Canon.

"I finally refined this first-grade pill, the Mysterious Spirit Pill!" Xiao Yu said with a tired smile.

Over the past three months, he had studied the Alchemy Canon and begun refining first-grade pills. Relying on his powerful Soul Power, he had continuously refined pills. Now, Xiao Yu was already capable of refining second-grade pills, and he could refine any first-grade pill to its absolute limit!

The Mysterious Spirit Pill in Xiao Yu's hand could rapidly restore the Dou Qi within a Dou Zhe's body to its peak state, regardless of rank. As long as one had not reached the Dou Master realm, this Mysterious Spirit Pill could restore them to full strength in an instant, without any side effects!

Such an effect could be called terrifying. Just imagine it: after fighting your opponent to the death, you swallowed a Mysterious Spirit Pill and instantly regained your strength, while your opponent was left with less than a tenth of theirs. Wouldn't they be completely at your mercy?

However, Xiao Yu's greatest gain was raising his alchemist rank to that of a Second-grade Alchemist within three months. Though he had the support of the Alchemy Canon, Xiao Yu's own perseverance and powerful Soul Power had also been extremely important.

Moreover, Xiao Yu was delighted to discover that his strength had improved as well. He had broken through from a One-star Dou Zhe to a Two-star Dou Zhe!

Coming back to his senses, Xiao Yu put away the Mysterious Spirit Pill. During this time, he had refined a full hundred bottles of Snow Jade Spirit Liquid. Its effects were enough to rival the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid refined by Yao Lao. Furthermore, those hundred bottles of Snow Jade Spirit Liquid were undiluted. If diluted, they could yield another two hundred bottles of Snow Jade Spirit Liquid!

After packing everything away, Xiao Yu swiftly returned to his room under the moonlight. Having been so focused on alchemy, he had begun to smell rather unpleasant. After washing up thoroughly, Xiao Yu collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep. Although Dou Zhes immersed in cultivation did not need sleep, Xiao Yu still enjoyed the feeling of sleeping!

The next day.

After getting up and washing, Xiao Yu kept a bottle of Snow Jade Spirit Liquid and the Mysterious Spirit Pill he had refined close to his body. He then left the clan and hurried toward Wu Tan City's largest auction house, the Mittel Auction House!

Looking at the enormous, palace-like Mittel Auction House before him, Xiao Yu could not help sighing. "Is this the extravagance of capitalists?"

Worthy of being the wealthiest family in the Jia Ma Empire, the Mite'er Family had a history spanning several centuries. Even this branch in Wu Tan City had built such an exceptionally magnificent structure, causing Xiao Yu to click his tongue in amazement.

Several fully armed guards stood before the entrance to the Mittel Auction House, their expressions cold and stern. Xiao Yu took a white half-mask from his robe, put it on, and walked directly into the auction house.

The moment he entered the auction house, a system notification sounded in Xiao Yu's mind. "Congratulations, Host. Check-in successful. The reward will be issued shortly. Please take note and claim it!"

Xiao Yu was in no rush to inspect his reward. The moment he entered, he felt as if he had stepped from ice into fire, the contrast between the inside and outside of the auction house stark. As he looked around the immensely spacious hall, he spotted a room on the left with a plaque reading: Treasure Appraisal Room. Just as he was about to head over, a series of footsteps came from the second floor.

Looking up, Xiao Yu saw Jia Lie Bi, the Jia Lie Family's clan leader, slightly bent at the waist as he respectfully said something to the person beside him. Xiao Yu narrowed his eyes. Not only had he seen Jia Lie Bi, but he had also seen the breathtakingly seductive woman standing beside him. Clad in a fiery red qipao, her mature and alluring charm drew everyone's gaze!