Elk Essence Stabilizing Pill

In the blink of an eye.

A month had passed since Yao Yan's life-and-death battle with Mu Xiao. During that month, he had slowed his Cultivation Speed and immersed himself in alchemy every day, using it to familiarize himself with his own power. Whether it was Dou Qi, Soul Power, or Blood Qi, all of them had grown far too much over the past year and needed to be properly tempered and consolidated.

He began practicing with First Grade Pills. Once he had warmed up, he started refining second- and third-grade pills, while gradually raising his standards for himself until they became downright demanding.

An alchemist was inherently a profession that demanded extreme rigor from oneself. Perfect control over one's Dou Qi and Soul Power was merely the foundation. After that came flawless command of flames. Virtually every alchemist was a master of fire, manipulating flames even more deftly than their own fingers.

In this regard, Yao Yan was not weak. He possessed near-divine-grade Yao Clan Dou Di Bloodline Power, coupled with Soul Power imbued with Spiritual Qi. Whether in refining medicinal ingredients or controlling flames, he had innate advantages. With the guidance of an Alchemist Grandmaster like Hun Xuzi, his alchemy had nearly reached the limit possible for someone his age.

The only things limiting him were his own Dou Qi cultivation and Soul Power.

Therefore, when refining low-grade pills, he had an unimaginable Success Rate.

For first- to third-grade pills, it reached ninety-nine percent, and every pill was of perfect quality.

If not for one failure caused by insufficient Dou Qi, his Success Rate would have reached a shocking one hundred percent. Even many sixth- or seventh-grade alchemists could not achieve such a rate, yet Yao Yan was currently only a fourth-grade alchemist...

In just one month, the waterfall cave had gained many Medicine Bottles filled with all kinds of pills, ranging from first to fourth grade. Quite a few were rare treasures that could not be bought even with money on the market.

At that moment, they were casually piled in a corner like rubbish by Yao Yan, left for Ling Er to consume.

Ling Er felt that this month had been the happiest month of her life. She could eat whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Pills containing pure Flora Essence fell into her stomach one after another, as though they would never run out. In two words: pure bliss!

After swallowing so many pills, Ling Er's body had noticeably plumped up...

Yao Yan was rather speechless about this. If he had not known that she was a Strange Fire Spirit, he would truly have worried that she would eat herself sick. The Medicinal Power and energy contained within pills were no joke, especially in Fourth Grade Pills, which already contained some Heaven and Earth Energy and were no longer simple pills.

Fortunately, there were not many Fourth Grade Pills, and they were all auxiliary pills of average value. Otherwise, he really would not have been able to afford raising this little thing.

At that moment.

Yao Yan was focused on refining a fifth-grade Elk Essence Stabilizing Pill.

This pill was one of the inherited prescriptions of the Yao Clan, given to him by Yao Nong. Its Refining Method was complicated, and its ingredients were expensive. It was a pill exclusively used by the Yao Clan to nurture its younger members. After consuming it, one could not only strengthen one's sinews and bones, but also enhance one's cultivation talent and nourish the soul.

Its value was so high that even in the Yao Clan, where pills below the sixth grade could be taken freely, it was supplied only in limited quantities.

Three years ago.

If Yao Yan had tested above fourth grade in bloodline rank and been listed as a core clan member, he would have been qualified to receive this pill, consume it to nourish his body, increase his cultivation talent, and gradually widen the gap between himself and ordinary people.

The methods used by a Dou God Clan to nurture its young were beyond what outsiders could imagine.

Just like how Hun Xuzi had raised Yao Yan: fifth- and sixth-grade Body Tempering Pills were treated like snacks, eaten whenever he pleased. Even precious Natural Treasures like Diamond Fruit were supplied in large quantities. As long as Yao Yan's body could withstand it and he had the potential, cultivation resources would be provided almost without limit.

"The preparation is complete."

The leisure on Yao Yan's face vanished. His gaze narrowed slightly, golden flames reflected in his eyes as he stared at the Yao Ding before him. Illusory Gold Flame blazed fiercely within it, while dozens of droplets of medicinal essence in different colors floated amid the fire like flawless gems, awaiting his processing.

Extracting medicinal essence from ingredients was the simplest step in pill refinement. As long as one could skillfully control Soul Power and flame temperature, it could be done.

If someone failed at this stage, it could only mean that they were still an alchemy apprentice.

"Phew..."

Yao Yan slowly took a deep breath. At the same time, he picked up a bottle of Tier 3 Qi Recovery Pills from beside him and held it in his mouth in case his Dou Qi ran short. Then, he began the process of pill condensation.

Every medicinal ingredient had different properties, and different combinations produced different Medicinal Effects. An alchemist combined different ingredients together, eventually condensing them into a pill with a special effect. The process was somewhat like materials science, while pill prescriptions were synthesis pathways.

Many alchemists would attempt to devise new synthesis pathways on their own. Different ingredient orders and different fusion durations would all yield different results.

If an alchemist did not possess a pill prescription of his own, he would inevitably be laughed at.

However, such things were still too early for Yao Yan. For now, he only wanted to attempt refining a fifth-grade pill. His Soul Power had long been sufficient; the only thing lacking was Dou Qi. Yet with Tier 3 Qi Recovery Pills to replenish it, he could still give it a try. Under his control, the gem-like droplets of medicinal liquid began to fuse one by one.

During this process, Yao Yan needed to control the temperature of the flame, the speed of fusion, and its duration.

Any mistake during this period would result in failure.

Gradually, beads of sweat appeared on Yao Yan's forehead. Refining a fifth-grade pill consumed too much mental energy, and his Dou Qi was slowly drying up, forcing him to tilt back his head and swallow pills. As the Tier 3 Qi Recovery Pills entered his body, his depleted Dou Qi began to replenish.

The process lasted for More Than Half A Day before he combined all the medicinal essences into a semi-finished product the size of an infant's fist. It shimmered with dazzling colors, spinning rapidly within the golden Illusory Gold Flame.

"Only... one last step."

Yao Yan tipped his head back and swallowed another Tier 3 Qi Recovery Pill, his expression growing increasingly serious. He needed to thoroughly refine the Medicinal Power within the semi-finished pill into a single whole. This was also the most important step for an alchemist, testing one's control over Soul Power and flames. If he failed, the furnace would explode, and all his previous efforts would be wasted.

As Yao Yan's Soul Power poured in, the Illusory Gold Flame within the Yao Ding burned ever more fiercely, like roiling golden magma. The semi-finished pill within began to shrink under the scorching flames. Its originally dazzling colors gradually blended together, eventually turning grayish-brown. A faint medicinal fragrance drifted out from the Yao Ding.

"Ying ying?"

Ling Er, who had been asleep, opened her bleary eyes and looked toward the Yao Ding. She sensed that something good was being born inside, drawing her unconsciously to Yao Yan's side. She rubbed against his thigh, but Yao Yan did not respond to her, so she could only lean against him and continue waiting.

About the time it took to drink a cup of tea later.

Inside the Yao Ding, the grayish-brown pill spinning within the Illusory Gold Flame suddenly halted. Then, a fierce Energy Fluctuation surged out from the flames, striking the Yao Ding like ripples and producing several thunderous booms. At the same time, a rich medicinal fragrance spread out like a faint white mist, filling the cave.

Its fragrance was exceptionally sweet. Merely taking one breath made one feel invigorated, as though one's body had been soaked in a hot spring and nourished.

This was the phenomenon that occurred when a fifth-grade pill was formed.

Yao Yan understood this perfectly. Neither pleased nor alarmed, he continued controlling the Illusory Gold Flame for the final warming process. This would determine the pill's final quality, and he did not want the fifth-grade Elk Essence Stabilizing Pill he had refined to be some inferior product.

About the time it took to drink a cup of tea later.

A grayish-brown pill floated out of the Yao Ding and landed steadily before Yao Yan.

"Success!"

Yao Yan's face was slightly pale, but a delighted smile appeared on his lips.

Yet before he could be happy for long, a green blur silently shot out from beside him and snatched the freshly refined fifth-grade Elk Essence Stabilizing Pill in its mouth.

"Fuck! Don't eat it!!"

A furious, anguished scream immediately echoed through the cave.