Yuan Chen took the proposed improvements Xiao Yan had submitted and began studying them carefully. Even an eighth-tier alchemist was not a god; he could not judge the value of Xiao Yan's revisions in an instant. He needed time to assess the methods proposed by different people.
Yet as he waited, Xiao Yan felt as though the contents of his mind had become impossible to make out. The feeling was intensely uncomfortable.
"Just one crucial piece short!"
Xiao Yan sensed that the idea within him was faintly taking shape, but it still lacked one critical link. Just that tiny bit!
Then Xiao Yan noticed the owl magical beast standing beside Yuan Chen. This was the fellow that had swallowed some of his Heavenly Flame earlier and was still eyeing him greedily. At that moment, a bright ray of light suddenly pierced into Xiao Yan's mind, scattering the hazy fog of confusion completely. He understood. A brilliant gleam abruptly flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes!
While Yuan Chen was still studying the pill formula Xiao Yan had presented and had yet to assign it an appropriate score, Xiao Yan made a move that took everyone by surprise. Flames abruptly rose from his hand, directly burning the improvements he had submitted to ashes.
The owl magical beast beside Yuan Chen's eyes lit up. It swallowed another mouthful of the flames in Xiao Yan's hand, then flew off to the side sheepishly, seemingly afraid Yuan Chen would scold it, and worked hard to digest the energy of the Red Lotus Core Flame.
Yuan Chen looked at Xiao Yan without the slightest anger. "What? Why did you do that?"
Xiao Yan looked at the owl magical beast to the side before asking Yuan Chen, "Elder Yuan, what rank was this magical beast when you first