Yao Lao's Test, the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill, Three Different Flames

Xiao Household's back mountain.

This was the cultivation spot Yao Lao and Xiao Yan often visited.

Usually, only Xiao Yan and Yao Lao could be found here, but at this moment, there was one more person—Yao Xuan.

Xiao Yan kept glancing at Yao Xuan, seemingly wanting to say something, yet he hesitated for a long while.

Yao Xuan also noticed Xiao Yan's unusual behavior and spoke first. "Xiao Yan..."

"Judging by your expression, do you have something to say?"

After Yao Xuan spoke first, Xiao Yan finally said softly, "Brother Xuan..."

"Could you refine a Two-Stripe Green Spirit Pill like the one at the auction today for my father?"

In truth, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Xiao Household earlier, he had noticed the troubled look on Xiao Zhan's face.

Having witnessed everything that happened at the auction, Xiao Yan naturally knew why Xiao Zhan was troubled—it was because of that Green Spirit Pill.

That was why Xiao Yan wanted to ease some of Xiao Zhan's worries. After all, to a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, a Fourth-Grade Pill should amount to nothing.

Upon hearing this, Yao Xuan smiled faintly. "A Two-Stripe Green Spirit Pill?"

"It is not some high-grade pill. Since you've asked, I happen to have some ingredients left. I can refine around three Green Spirit Pills, so I'll consider them a meeting gift for you..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yao Xuan waved his hand.

Several vividly colored spiritual herbs appeared in midair. Azure Spirit Root, Dew-Congealing Flower, Qi-Nourishing Grass, and the other main ingredients needed to refine a Green Spirit Pill were neatly arranged in the air.

These medicinal ingredients had all been collected in the Shennong Mountain Range earlier.

They might have been rare outside, but they were nothing special in the Shennong Mountain Range. Thus, when Yao Xuan left the mountain range, he had stored plenty of ingredients in his Storage Ring, including those for the Green Spirit Pill.

The next moment.

A wisp of golden Yellow Mysterious Flame rose from Yao Xuan's palm...

Its temperature was restrained and unassuming, yet it carried the pressure of an exceptionally pure Heavenly Flame.

Although Yao Xuan had only acquired the Yellow Mysterious Flame recently, he used it to refine the ingredients with remarkable fluency...

His movements were exceedingly skillful. Spiritual seals danced at his fingertips as strands of gentle flame, accompanied by soul force, precisely stripped away the impurities from the ingredients, removing the dross and retaining the essence.

The entire alchemy process flowed like drifting clouds and running water. Fire control, liquid condensation, and pill fusion were completed in one smooth sequence, without a single redundant movement, fully displaying the profound foundation of a Sixth-Rank Alchemist.

In less than half an incense stick's time, two round, plump pill embryos slowly took shape within the flames. Pill fragrance instantly spread across the entire back mountain, sweet and rich, refreshing the heart and mind.

As Yao Xuan withdrew the flames and stabilized the pill, two pristine white pills slowly descended into his palm. Two faint green pill patterns encircled each pill's surface, clear and orderly, brimming with spiritual energy. They were precisely superior-quality Two-Stripe Green Spirit Pills.

However, at the instant the pills formed, the black Storage Ring on Xiao Yan's finger trembled slightly, and an illusory, aged soul form slowly emerged.

Yao Lao stood in the air, his gaze falling upon the pills in Yao Xuan's hand, his eyes filled with approval.

"Not bad. Your fire control is flawless, more than ninety percent of the impurities have been removed, the pill patterns are stable, and their appearance is excellent."

Yao Lao nodded slightly and voiced his approval.

"At such a young age, your alchemy foundation is solid. Your control of the heat and your condensation of pill energy already far surpass those of ordinary Sixth-Rank Alchemists..."

"When I was your age, I was nowhere near your equal..."

Yao Xuan merely smiled, answering modestly, "Uncle Chen, you flatter me. It is only a matter of practice making perfect..."

"After all, these are only two Two-Stripe Green Spirit Pills..."

Yao Lao's gaze narrowed slightly. Looking at the two flawless Two-Stripe Green Spirit Pills, he suddenly asked in a probing tone:

"Since your techniques are so exquisite and your ingredients are still sufficient, would you be willing to try refining a Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill?"

Xiao Yan was rather curious upon hearing that. "Teacher, what is different about a Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill?"

Yao Lao stroked his beard and said solemnly, "A Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill can be considered a fifth-grade pill. Its medicinal effects are far beyond those of a Two-Stripe pill..."

Yet Yao Xuan gently shook his head.

"Uncle Chen, you also know that the requirements for refining a Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill are extremely harsh. Ordinary alchemists simply cannot reach that level..."

"This Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill requires three flames in order to form its patterns..."

Yao Xuan paused, raising his hand as two flames appeared above it, then continued explaining:

"I currently possess only two flames. One is the Yellow Mysterious Flame; the other is Beast Flame I obtained in the Yao Clan in my early years..."

"To refine a Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill, I am still lacking one type of flame..."

A barely perceptible gleam flashed through Yao Lao's eyes as he chuckled softly...

Yao Lao slowly spread open his palm, and a wisp of ghostly white flame quietly flickered there.

The flame was cold enough to pierce the bones, without the slightest hint of heat. Instead, it exuded a deathly stillness filled with the chill of freezing all things!

It was Yao Lao's Heavenly Flame—the eleventh-ranked Bone Chilling Flame on the Heavenly Flame Ranking!

"No matter. If you lack a third flame, I can lend you a wisp of Bone Chilling Flame."

Yao Lao spoke in a deep voice. Then, a tiny yet incomparably pure wisp of Bone Chilling Flame drifted lightly toward Yao Xuan's palm.

Yao Lao hovered in the air, his eyes locked tightly onto Yao Xuan. He appeared to be offering his flame as aid, but there was a deeper meaning behind it.

At this moment, Yao Lao's true intention was not to see whether Yao Xuan could refine a Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill.

What Yao Lao truly wanted to see was just how much Yao Xuan understood and comprehended Heavenly Flames...

After all, Yao Lao had already begun considering letting Yao Xuan cultivate the Flame Mantra. The most unique aspect of the Flame Mantra was its ability to evolve by devouring Heavenly Flames.

Thus, Yao Lao's action could also be considered a test for Yao Xuan...

The wisp of Bone Chilling Flame circled around Yao Xuan. Feeling its bone-piercing cold, Yao Xuan's expression turned grave as his vast soul force spread out in full, spiritual seals changing rapidly at his fingertips...

Yao Xuan did not forcibly suppress the flames' natures. Instead, he used an exquisite method to divide them into separate regions...

His soul force balanced the powers of the three flames as much as possible. Although the Bone Chilling Flame did not belong to Yao Xuan, he still used his soul force to temporarily suppress it and make it serve his purpose.

Within the pill furnace, a round pill embryo slowly took shape.

Yao Xuan focused completely, spreading out his soul force once more as he controlled the three flames to condense three distinct pill patterns.

Time slowly passed, while the dense pill fragrance grew increasingly rich and spread through the mountain forest.

When the pill embryo had fully solidified and the pill patterns emerged, Yao Xuan abruptly withdrew his momentum, and all three flames receded at once.

A lustrous pill slowly rose. Three green patterns wound around one another across its surface, shimmering with flowing light and brimming with imposing spiritual energy. It was a Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill of perfect quality!

Although Xiao Yan had yet to formally enter the path of alchemy, even he could tell from the pill fragrance that the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill was far superior in grade to the Two-Stripe Green Spirit Pill!

Yao Lao watched this scene and secretly nodded.

With merely a Heavenly Flame borrowed at the last minute, Yao Xuan had perfectly harmonized three flames and successfully formed the pill. His fire control and soul foundation far exceeded those of ordinary people.

Perhaps this boy truly could attempt that mysterious Flame Mantra...