Heavenly Flames

Xiao Yan naturally had no idea what Ya Fei and Gu Ni had discussed in the room, but even if he had known, it would not have mattered.

"Sir, Ya Fei has prepared all the medicinal ingredients for you. Is there anything else you need help with?" Ya Fei quickly finished preparing the ingredients, knocked on the door, then pushed it open and spoke respectfully.

"Hehe, then thank you. Please also prepare a Medicinal Cauldron, one thousand Blood-Coagulating Grass plants, one thousand Vitality Fruits, and two thousand Poppy Flowers. There is no rush for the ingredients or the cauldron, though. Take your time preparing them, and I will collect them next time I come." Medicine Elder said calmly.

As Medicine Elder spoke, the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. He had originally only intended to prepare enough for five hundred batches, yet the little fellow had asked for a thousand as soon as he opened his mouth. Even for practice, this was excessive!

"Please rest assured, Ya Fei will do her utmost to prepare them for you," Ya Fei said respectfully.

"Then many thanks. I have other matters to attend to, so I should not stay any longer." Medicine Elder thanked her and turned to leave.

"Sir, Ya Fei will see you out." Ya Fei spoke softly, shooting Master Gu Ni a meaningful glance as well.

Medicine Elder did not refuse this time. Previously, he had been cautious because he feared that auctioning the Foundation-Building Elixir would attract unwanted attention. This time, he had not brought any Foundation-Building Elixir, so there was no need to be overly careful.

After Medicine Elder left, Ya Fei turned to Gu Ni and asked, "Why did the old gentleman ask us to prepare a Medicinal Cauldron and so many medicinal ingredients? What kind of pills are these ingredients meant to refine?"

"Hehe, all these ingredients possess fairly good healing properties, so they are likely meant for refining some healing medicine. As for preparing so many batches of ingredients and a cauldron, they are probably for a beginner to practice with. Given his status, he would hardly refine so many low-grade healing medicines himself," Gu Ni said evenly.

"Could it be that he has taken in an apprentice?" Ya Fei asked in surprise.

"That is very likely!" Gu Ni said with certainty.

"I wonder which lucky little fellow in Wutan City has caught that old gentleman's eye. To have the chance to become an Alchemist is truly enviable," Ya Fei said with some emotion.

While the two discussed the matter, Xiao Yan swiftly returned to the Xiao Clan and hurried up the Back Mountain cliffs. He pulled an iron chain from a concealed patch of grass, then climbed down along it. When he reached the end, he curled his right hand into a claw and generated a powerful suction force in his palm, pulling himself toward a section of cliff. Like a swinging pendulum, Xiao Yan landed on a platform.

The platform was about two and a half meters long and three meters wide, with a stone table in the middle. Xiao Yan had specifically chosen this natural platform, then expanded it with an axe and chisel over the past year. Whether cultivating or refining pills, it was extremely convenient here.

Whether one was cultivating or refining pills, one could not be disturbed. Otherwise, if one suffered backlash, it would be no laughing matter.

Xiao Yan gently removed the ingredients needed for the Gathering Qi Powder from his Storage Ring. After placing them on the stone table, he examined them carefully.

Ink-Leaf Lotus: its body was withered yellow, while its five leaves were as black as ink. The number of leaves represented its age; one leaf grew every ten years.

Snake Saliva Fruit: a round, jade-green fruit about half the size of a fist. When held beneath the nose, it emitted a sweet, cloying sour scent. This fruit only grew beside the nests of fifth-tier snake-type Magical Beasts and was quite rare. Since snakes were yin in nature, this fruit also leaned toward cold yin properties. It was commonly used in alchemy to balance potent medicinal ingredients.

Spirit-Gathering Grass: it looked no different from ordinary grass, except that a faint phosphorescent glow shone at the tip of its stem. The stronger the glow, the more abundant the pure energy contained within it.

A second-tier water-attributed Magic Core: entirely azure-blue in color, it filled the area around the stone table with water vapor after being placed upon it. This showed just how rich the water-attributed energy within it was.

Looking at the medicinal ingredients on the stone table, Xiao Yan could barely contain his impatience as he asked softly, "Teacher, all the materials are ready. We can refine it now, right?"

"Yes. You can carefully observe your teacher's pill-refining methods as well. It will help lay a foundation in advance." Medicine Elder spoke approvingly. He was becoming increasingly satisfied with Xiao Yan, who considered everything thoroughly. This stone platform, for example, had been prepared by Xiao Yan beforehand. Even the iron chain hanging from the cliff had been bought in sections by Xiao Yan, then fused together by Medicine Elder using Heavenly Flames.

Xiao Yan nodded. He had observed Medicine Elder refining pills before, but Medicine Elder had not explained the process, so Xiao Yan could only grasp the general outline and could not discern much of its intricacies.

Seeing Xiao Yan nod, Medicine Elder gently exhaled. He held his palm flat, and white flames slowly rose from its center.

When Xiao Yan saw the white flames in Medicine Elder's hand, he could not hide the envy in his eyes. He too hoped that one day he could subdue Heavenly Flames, but subduing them was incredibly dangerous—nine deaths out of ten, perhaps even certain death.

Seeing Xiao Yan stare enviously at the white flames, Medicine Elder unusually began to explain their origins. He assumed Xiao Yan did not know what those white flames were.

"Alchemists can generally determine the grade of a flame by its color. The flames of ordinary Alchemists are pale yellow, and the higher their grade, the deeper the color. However, aside from using Dou Qi to catalyze flames, Alchemists can also borrow fire!" Medicine Elder said calmly.

"Borrow fire?" Xiao Yan asked, pretending to be puzzled.

"That is right, borrow fire. Within this vast world, there exist certain Heavenly Flames, perhaps a spark carried within the core of a meteorite that fell from the heavens." Medicine Elder explained softly. As he said this, he gave Xiao Yan a deep look. Xiao Yan was left utterly bewildered, unable to understand what it meant.

Medicine Elder continued, "There is also the Molten Earthfire that has been tempered for thousands of years deep within volcanoes, and so on. These Heavenly Flames are far more powerful than flames catalyzed by Dou Qi. When used in alchemy, they can even improve the quality of pills. However, these Heavenly Flames are all exceptionally violent. They are rarely encountered, and even when one finds them, it is extremely difficult to make them one's own. Many Alchemists search their entire lives for Heavenly Flames, only to have their wishes go unfulfilled. Even when they do find one and attempt to subdue it, nine deaths out of ten await them. More often, they are burned to ashes by the Heavenly Flames. Back then, I nearly became ashes myself."

"Ah! Sooner or later, I will have to face Heavenly Flames too," Xiao Yan said with a sigh.

Xiao Yan was not frightened by the terror of Heavenly Flames, because he had no choice but to walk the path of subduing them. Unless he chose to become an ordinary powerhouse and merely make a name for himself on the Northwestern Continent. As for Xun'er, he could forget about her. No matter how much Xun'er liked him, it would be meaningless; at most, she would regard him as her first love.

"Forget it! Life and death are determined by fate, wealth and honor by heaven. I did not come to Dou Qi Continent to be a useless nobody. So what if they are Heavenly Flames?" Xiao Yan had initially hesitated, but his expression swiftly turned resolute.

"You want to possess Heavenly Flames too?" Seeing Xiao Yan stare blankly at the white flames, his expression constantly changing, Medicine Elder teased him.

"Of course! Who would not want to possess a wondrous treasure of heaven and earth like Heavenly Flames?" Xiao Yan came back to himself and replied as though it were only natural.

"Hehe, there will be an opportunity. And besides..." A nearly imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of Medicine Elder's mouth.

"And besides what?" Xiao Yan asked doubtfully.

"Hehe, you will find out soon enough. For now, let us refine the Gathering Qi Powder first!" Medicine Elder did not answer Xiao Yan's question.

Xiao Yan curled his lips again. It was always like this. Was Medicine Elder trying to keep him in suspense until he died?