Preparing to Refine

In the small courtyard of the Xiao Clan, the space rippled slightly, and the figure of Lin Hai emerged as quietly as ink diffusing in water.

He had not been gone for long, yet the atmosphere within the courtyard had already shifted.

Yao Chen had a small medicine cauldron suspended before him, with forest-white flames leaping within; he was clearly in the middle of refining pills, and the air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs.

Xiao Yan stood to the side, acting as a guardian.

Xiao Yixian watched the cauldron with a mix of nervousness and anticipation, her small hands tightly clutching the hem of her clothes.

Seeing Lin Hai return, the three of them immediately turned their gazes toward him.

Lin Hai did not speak; he walked straight to Yao Chen and flipped his palm, revealing a deep blue ice bead that had been extremely compressed and was radiating a terrifying chill.

The moment the ice bead appeared, the temperature of the entire courtyard plummeted!

A layer of white frost instantly condensed on the ground and tabletops, and the moisture in the air turned into ice crystals that fell with a rustling sound!

That extreme cold even interfered with the burning of Yao Chen's Bone-Chilling Cold Fire, causing the flames to flicker slightly!

"This... what is this?!" Yao Chen's eyes widened sharply as he stared fixedly at the ice bead. His soul body fluctuated violently from the sheer shock, his voice rising in a sharp, distorted pitch. "Such purity! Such terrifying cold energy! This... this is... Ice-Ridge Cold Spring Essence Bead?! And it has been compressed and refined to this degree?!"

As an eighth-tier alchemy grandmaster with vast experience, he naturally recognized the essence of the bead at a glance, and he could feel the extreme energy contained within it, which far surpassed that of ordinary Ice Spirit Cold Spring!

What kind of terrifying means would be required to compress an entire pool of cold spring into such a form?!

Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian were shivering from the cold and retreated repeatedly, their eyes filled with shock.

The mere residual power radiating from this bead was more than they could withstand!

Lin Hai's thoughts stirred, and he suppressed most of the bead's overflowing cold air, allowing the temperature in the courtyard to slowly rise.

He said indifferently, "Well, is this enough?"

"Enough! More than enough! It is far more than enough!" Yao Chen was so excited he nearly danced, floating around the ice bead several times. "With this essence of the cold spring, let alone refining that mere Nether Poison Dragon Fire, even when the lad Xiao Yan swallows a true Heavenly Flame in the future, his success rate will increase by thirty percent! It is even a supreme treasure for refining certain high-tier pills with extreme cold attributes! Sir, you... you truly have... boundless divine abilities!"

He could not find the right words to describe the shock in his heart.

This sir had gone out for a trip and not only found the Ice Spirit Cold Spring but had also brought back a concentrated essence version!

This efficiency was simply inconceivable!

Xiao Yixian looked at the ice bead; although her lips were pale from the cold, her beautiful eyes shone with an incredibly bright luster.

This was the treasure that Lin Hai had specifically gone to retrieve for her!

"How is the pill refining going?" Lin Hai looked toward Yao Chen's medicine cauldron.

Yao Chen immediately reined in his excitement and said confidently, "The Pulse-Protecting Pill is already finished. It is only a second-tier pill, so it is a simple task for this old man." With a wave of his hand, the cauldron opened, and a pill the size of a dragon's eye, emitting a soft halo of energy, flew into a jade bottle.

"The Ice Spirit Pill is slightly more complex, but it is also nearing completion!" The flames within the cauldron surged once more as the essences of various medicinal herbs rapidly fused together.

Lin Hai nodded and handed the Ice-Ridge Cold Spring Essence Bead to Xiao Yixian. "Keep this safe. When you refine the beast fire later, listen to your teacher's guidance on how to use it."

Xiao Yixian carefully took the jade bottle (Lin Hai had already used his energy to temporarily isolate most of the cold). Even though it felt bone-chillingly cold to the touch, she felt incredibly warm inside and nodded heavily. "Mm! Yixian understands!"

After only a moment, the medicine cauldron hummed again, and the fragrance of pills wafted out.

A snow-white Ice Spirit Pill, radiating a cold aura, was successfully produced!

Everything was ready!

Yao Chen's expression became incredibly solemn. He looked at Xiao Yixian and said in a deep voice, "Yixian, girl, focus your mind and calm your spirit! I will soon drive the Nether Poison Dragon Fire into your body. You must guard your heart and mind, and with all your might, circulate the basic fire-control technique I just taught you. Guide the poison fire to circulate along the specific meridians, and at the same time, slowly use the origin power of your Woeful Poison Body to fuse with and devour it!"

"During the process, the heat and poison may impact your meridians, bringing intense pain and a burning sensation. Once you feel you cannot bear it, immediately take the Ice Spirit Pill and the Pulse-Protecting Pill!"

"If the situation becomes critical, trigger a sliver of the Ice Spirit Cold Spring's energy to protect your heart and main meridians!"

"Remember, the initiative lies with you. Your poison body is far stronger than it; do not be afraid. What you need is control and fusion!"

Xiao Yixian took a deep breath, her beautiful little face filled with determination. She sat cross-legged and nodded heavily. "Teacher, I am ready!"

Lin Hai and Xiao Yan retreated to the side to watch quietly.

Yao Chen's soul power wrapped around the black crystal bottle. The moment the cap was opened, the dark green Nether Poison Dragon Fire surged out like a venomous snake escaping its cage, emitting a scorching, toxic, and malevolent aura!

"Go!" Yao Chen gave a low shout, controlling the cluster of flames to transform into a green light that instantly submerged into Xiao Yixian's dantian!

"Ugh!" Xiao Yixian's delicate body trembled violently, and she let out a painful muffled groan!

In an instant, a strange dark green color appeared on the surface of her skin. Wisps of heat and poisonous mist seeped from her pores. Her brows furrowed tightly, and her body began to tremble slightly from the extreme heat and the intense pain of her meridians being impacted.

But she kept Yao Chen's instructions in mind, gritting her teeth to persist. Her hands struggled to form seals, and the dormant origin of her Woeful Poison Body seemed to be activated by the intruder, beginning to surge autonomously to attempt to wrap around and devour the invading poison fire.

Yao Chen perceived her state with full concentration, ready to intervene at any moment.

Lin Hai watched quietly, his expression calm.

He knew this was only the beginning, but given Xiao Yixian's perseverance and the tyrannical nature of the Woeful Poison Body, successfully refining this beast fire was only a matter of time.

Once she succeeded, she would take the most crucial first step toward controlling her own destiny and embarking on the path to becoming an alchemist.