Second-Tier Alchemy

Three months later.

"Mad Lion Roar!"

In the valley, Xiao Yan let out a fierce shout. Red fire-attributed Dou Qi immediately gathered on the Heavy Profound Ruler, and a massive phantom lion formed from energy surged forth. Its savage roar echoed throughout the entire valley.

"Ha!"

With Xiao Yan's low cry, he hurled the Heavy Profound Ruler from his hand. The enormous energy lion lunged forward with it and crashed into the mountainside, blasting out a huge crater. As the mountain trembled, rocks tumbled down in torrents.

"Not bad."

Looking at the cavern he had blasted open, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a smile.

If Mad Lion Roar was used normally, it could only be considered a high-level Mystic Tier Dou Technique.

But if it was paired with the Heavy Profound Ruler as a throwing technique, then with the ruler's own weight, its suppressive effect on Dou Qi, and the power of Mad Lion Roar itself, it became far more effective!

It might not compare to an Earth Tier Dou Technique, but even among high-level Mystic Tier techniques, it was at least among the best.

"Mm. Use the Heavy Profound Ruler to unleash that strike, then rely on the Dou Qi that erupts after you are freed from the ruler's restraints to engage in close combat. With your current strength, that is already enough to handle some weaker Dou Masters!"

Old Yao floated out of the ring. With a sweep of his illusory sleeve, an invisible force surged out, blowing away the dust and clearing the rubble. A freshly made, spotless cave appeared before Xiao Yan.

Over the past three months, Xiao Yan had been constantly cultivating his Dou Qi and Dou Techniques.

He had now mastered several Mystic Tier Dou Techniques and one Earth Tier Dou Technique, while his strength had reached the level of a Seven Star Dou Practitioner.

Next, he needed to turn his attention to Alchemy and practical combat training.

He refined pills in the mornings, went out to hunt magical beasts in the afternoons, and cultivated his Dou Qi at night.

There were quite a few rare medicinal herbs in the valley, making it an ideal place for Xiao Yan to practice Alchemy.

As his cultivation realm improved, Xiao Yan's soul strength had also grown. Therefore, he was ready to begin refining Second-Tier pills.

The pill he planned to refine was not unfamiliar to him. Or rather, it was unlikely that anyone else in this world was more familiar with this pill than he was.

The Qi Gathering Pill was a Second-Tier pill Xiao Yan had developed himself. Its effect was simple: after a Dou Zhe consumed it, their strength would immediately rise by one star.

Its drawback was that only one could be consumed, and for two months after taking a Qi Gathering Pill, the progress of cultivating Dou Qi would become extremely slow. If one did not cultivate, however, their Dou Qi would automatically dissipate.

To Xiao Yan, this pill was nothing special.

But to those with ordinary talent, who needed half a year or even a full year to advance by one star, it was practically a divine medicine!

Besides, on the Dou Qi Continent, no pill was more valuable than one that increased strength.

Because strength was the true hard currency of this world!

Rather than thinking about how life-saving pills could preserve one's life after being injured, it was better to find ways to increase one's strength until one was powerful enough to crush any enemy, leaving them to think about how to save their own lives.

A true powerhouse should first think about how to defeat, overcome, and kill an opponent, rather than first wondering what to do if they lost, were defeated, or got injured—this mindset was practically rooted in the hearts of everyone on the Dou Qi Continent.

According to Old Yao, while pills that increased the strength of Dou Zhes were not unheard of, pills like the Qi Gathering Pill, with such stable effects and only the minor drawback of requiring two months of post-consumption Dou Qi cultivation, were indeed extremely rare. It was even less likely for one to appear in a backwater like the Jia Ma Empire.

Therefore, as long as Xiao Yan successfully refined the Qi Gathering Pill and confirmed its effects, he could become a figure revered by countless people in the Jia Ma Empire simply by selling it.

Though it would only be the admiration of some Dou Zhes, that alone showed just how popular pills that increased strength were.

He took out the medicinal cauldron and infused it with a Heavenly Flame.

Xiao Yan focused completely as his soul strength poured forth without reserve.

This was his first time refining a Second-Tier pill, so he had to give it everything he had.

Then, with a wave of his hand, medicinal ingredients were tossed into the cauldron one after another and began to be refined.

Vitality Fruit, Licorice, Ginseng and Astragalus, Red Cedar Fruit, Wormwood Leaf, Jade Lotus Root, Golden Lotus, Seven-Leaf Flower...

The many medicinal ingredients were thrown into the cauldron. Under Xiao Yan's precise flame control, they were gradually refined into their purest powders and medicinal liquids.

With Xiao Yan's current soul strength, flame-control skill, and ability to multitask, he could at most support the simultaneous refinement of ten medicinal ingredients.

But refining the Qi Gathering Pill clearly did not require that many ingredients.

Thus, once all the essences of the ingredients had been extracted, Xiao Yan's expression suddenly sharpened. The hand seals in his hands shifted, and beneath the wrapping of his soul strength and Heavenly Flame, the essences of the various ingredients began to fuse and refine in a fixed order.

Fine beads of sweat had unknowingly covered his forehead. A droplet ran down and fell into his eye, bringing a sour sting and slight pain, but Xiao Yan did not even blink.

After a period of refining, the medicinal essences finally fused together completely, forming an irregular pale-red sphere.

Next came the process of nourishing the pill.

This process did not actually involve any complicated techniques. It only required the tedious task of adjusting the temperature appropriately.

After an unknown amount of time, the irregular sphere within the cauldron became smooth and round, transforming into a pale-red pill the size of a Chinese parasol tree seed. A rich medicinal fragrance spread from the cauldron.

Smack!

Xiao Yan slapped the cauldron lid. It sprang open, and the pale-red pill flew out and landed in his hand.

"Teacher, I count as a Second-Tier Alchemist now, right?"

Looking at the smooth, pale-red pill, an excited smile appeared on Xiao Yan's face.

He was only ten years old, yet he was already a Second-Tier Alchemist.

Then when he turned fifteen, would he be a Fifth-Tier Alchemist, or a Sixth-Tier Alchemist?

At the thought, Xiao Yan's heart filled with motivation.

"Refining a Qi Gathering Pill is not something ordinary alchemists who have just entered the Second Tier can attempt easily. The fact that you refined it so effortlessly proves that your Alchemy, soul strength, and flame-control ability have all far surpassed those of ordinary Second-Tier Alchemists!"

The appreciation in Old Yao's eyes was entirely undisguised.

He had studied Alchemy for less than a year and had already reached such a level. Even Old Yao himself had not accomplished this back then.

This child's talent for Alchemy was truly terrifying!

"Hehe, it's because you taught me well, Teacher. Otherwise, controlling a Heavenly Flame properly would not have been easy."

Xiao Yan smiled at his words.

Whenever Old Yao taught him Alchemy, he often used the Bone Chilling Flame to demonstrate for Xiao Yan. He would even directly control Xiao Yan's Myriad Beast Spirit Fire, allowing him to use his soul strength to carefully sense the changes in Old Yao's soul strength as he controlled the flames.

It was truly teaching through both words and example.

Though Xiao Yan was only ten years old, his soul was very mature. Naturally, his ability to comprehend things far exceeded that of an ordinary ten-year-old child. With Old Yao teaching him like this, it was practically like feeding the food directly into his mouth. If he still could not absorb it, he would truly be worthless.

Hearing this, Old Yao nodded in gratification.

To remain humble even at a time like this—this child was truly wonderful!