After Hai Bodong left, Yao Chen prepared to begin refining pills.
Since his rebirth, Yao Chen had never refined a pill himself. The one he'd used to restore his physical body had been given to him by the system, so now he planned to refine a batch.
Yao Chen looked through his Storage Ring. Last time, he'd collected quite a few medicinal ingredients from a cave in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. He would use them to refine a batch of pills.
"I'll start by refining the pill to treat Hai Bodong!"
Yao Chen searched his Storage Ring and found a Fifth-grade Pill recipe: the Purple Spirit Rejuvenation Pill.
The Purple Spirit Rejuvenation Pill was a precious Fifth-grade healing pill.
Its effects were potent and remarkable, allowing it to quickly penetrate the injured person's meridians and internal organs.
Whether for severe internal or external injuries, or damage to the meridians caused by a violent outburst of Dou Qi, the Purple Spirit Rejuvenation Pill could produce an excellent healing effect.
It could stop bleeding and regenerate flesh in a short time, repair damaged bones and meridians, promote cell regeneration, replenish the injured person's depleted vitality, and rapidly restore their bodily functions.
For cultivators who had long suffered from illness and injury, and whose bodily functions had deteriorated, the pill could also nourish and restore them, renewing their bodies' vitality and vigor.
However, because the ingredients required were exceedingly rare and the refining process was complex and arduous, its success rate was low. As a result, the Purple Spirit Rejuvenation Pill was extremely rare on the market and worth a fortune.
Refining this pill required eight ingredients: 1. Purple Spirit Flower, 2. Rejuvenation Vine, 3. Dragon Blood Ganoderma, 4. Spirit Dream Grass, 5. Moon Soul Fruit, 6. Jade Bone Ginseng, 7. Jade Heart Leaf, and 8. Nine Sun Immortal Grass. In addition, it required a Fifth-Tier Magic Core.
"Fortunately, I found these ingredients and a Magic Core in the cave last time. I'll get started on the Purple Spirit Rejuvenation Pill, then."
After reading the recipe, Yao Chen decided to refine the pill to heal Hai Bodong.
An old, mysterious air filled the secret chamber. Under the dim oil lamps, the stone walls cast swaying shadows all around.
Yao Chen stood before the enormous stone platform in the center of the chamber, his expression grave and focused. His gaze remained fixed on the various pill-refining ingredients arranged before him.
A dark, ancient-looking cauldron stood firmly atop the platform. Strange symbols and patterns covered its body, as if recounting the secrets of an ancient art of pill refining.
This was the Heavenly Cauldron ranked eighth on the Cauldron List, known as the Black Demon!
Yao Chen took a deep breath and gently swept both hands outward. A soft mass of Bone Spirit Cold Flame surged from his palms, instantly enveloping the cauldron.
As Bone Spirit Cold Flame flowed into it, the cauldron trembled slightly and let out a low hum, as if answering Yao Chen's summons.
"Let's begin," Yao Chen murmured. He reached out and picked up a Purple Spirit Flower, examining it carefully.
Its petals were a mysterious pale purple, glimmering faintly as they radiated rich spiritual energy.
Yao Chen gently dropped the Purple Spirit Flower into the cauldron. Bone Spirit Cold Flame in his hand surged rapidly into its base.
White flames blazed within the cauldron. The Purple Spirit Flower quickly melted, turning into a pool of purple liquid.
Yao Chen kept his eyes fixed on the cauldron, continually adjusting the temperature of Bone Spirit Cold Flame to control the refining process.
Next, he picked up a Rejuvenation Vine, which writhed like a green spirit snake.
Without hesitation, Yao Chen placed it in the pill furnace. The Rejuvenation Vine rapidly broke down in the intense heat and fused with the Purple Spirit Flower's liquid.
The temperature in the secret chamber rose sharply. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Yao Chen's forehead, but his hands remained steady as he controlled Bone Spirit Cold Flame without the slightest hint of disorder.
One by one, he added the precious ingredients, including Dragon Blood Ganoderma, Spirit Dream Grass, and Moon Soul Fruit. Each ingredient had to be added at exactly the right moment, with the flames controlled just so.
As he added more ingredients, the liquid inside the cauldron grew ever more complex, its color constantly shifting.
At times, it was a deep purple; at others, a flash of jade-green light flickered through it.
Yao Chen's expression grew sterner. He knew the refining had reached a critical stage.
Suddenly, the liquid inside the cauldron began to churn violently, as if trying to break free.
Yao Chen abruptly increased his Dou Qi output. The flames surged fiercer, suppressing the liquid's turbulence.
"Condense!" Yao Chen roared. Dou Qi poured from his hands into the cauldron like countless threads, and under its influence, the liquid gradually gathered, beginning to take the shape of a pill.
But just then, a powerful energy fluctuation burst from the pill furnace, shaking the entire chamber.
Yao Chen's heart tightened. He knew this was the backlash that came as the pill took shape. If he couldn't control it, not only would the refining fail, but the furnace might even explode.
Yao Chen clenched his teeth and poured all his Dou Qi into the cauldron without reservation. His hands swiftly formed seals, sending mysterious symbols flying toward the pill furnace in an attempt to stabilize the energy within.
Under Yao Chen's all-out control, the energy fluctuations inside the furnace gradually weakened, and the pill's shape grew clearer.
At last, a smooth, round pill slowly took shape inside the furnace, radiating a captivating light.
Yao Chen let out a long breath and carefully withdrew Bone Spirit Cold Flame, waiting for the pill to cool.
Once its temperature had dropped enough, Yao Chen opened the cauldron. A pill radiating purple light slowly rose into the air, and a rich medicinal fragrance instantly filled the entire chamber.
"The Purple Spirit Rejuvenation Pill is finally complete." Yao Chen smiled with relief. He knew this pill would be enough to heal Hai Bodong's injuries.
Though exhausted, Yao Chen's eyes were filled with a sense of accomplishment.
He gently placed the Purple Spirit Rejuvenation Pill into a jade box, then leaned against the stone platform to rest a little, preparing for his next round of refining.
The secret chamber grew quiet once more. Only the lingering medicinal fragrance drifted slowly through the air, bearing witness to the thrilling pill-refining process that had just taken place.
After a while, Yao Chen recovered. He stood up and examined the pill-refining tools and remaining ingredients on the stone platform once more.
"I'll take this to Hai Bodong for treatment first. I can refine the remaining ingredients later."
Yao Chen then sent a mental message to Hai Bodong, telling him to come collect the pill.
After receiving the message, Hai Bodong came to the secret chamber and knocked on the door.
"Senior, I'm here."
"Come in," Yao Chen said.
As soon as Hai Bodong entered the chamber, he spotted the jade box on the table and asked Yao Chen,
"Senior, is this the pill you refined for me?"
"That's right. Take it and consume it."
As Yao Chen spoke, Hai Bodong eagerly opened the jade box. A rich medicinal fragrance wafted out.
"Is this a Fifth-grade Pill—the Purple Spirit Rejuvenation Pill? Senior, this pill is far too precious!"
Looking at the Fifth-grade healing pill, Hai Bodong knew how valuable it was and naturally didn't dare accept it lightly.
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