First Time Refining Medicine

The Xiao Clan Branch lay on the outskirts of Ten-Thousand-Zhang Mountain, while the Beast Zone was located in the true core region. The Magic Beasts there were far beyond those Xiao Yan and the others had hunted before. That place was a hundred, a thousand times more dangerous.

Xiao Yan's target was the battle skill atop the mountain, but he understood the dangers involved. Now that Yao Lao was no longer his final shelter, he had only one life. Once lost, it was gone.

At the edge of the Beast Zone, a black-robed figure looked at a cave before him and exhaled a breath of stale air. After days of searching, he had discovered that this cave was the most suitable place for refining medicine.

Xiao Yan entered, blocked the cave entrance with stones, and only then settled down to begin refining medicine.

Xiao Yuting had prepared sufficient medicinal ingredients and food for Xiao Yan. According to the prescription, the pill he would refine this time was a first-grade medicinal pill: the Qi-Recovery Pill.

The Qi-Recovery Pill was a first-grade medicinal pill that could instantly restore fifty percent of the battle qi of anyone below the Emperor King Realm. Before one's battle qi was completely exhausted, repeated use was ineffective.

When venturing out for training, Qi-Recovery Pills were practically essential. Although they could not instantly restore all battle qi, sometimes recovering half of it was enough to change the outcome.

On World-Creation Continent, the Myriad-Beast Cauldron from Battle Qi Continent naturally could no longer be used. The medicinal cauldron Xiao Yuting had prepared for him was somewhat old, but Xiao Yan did not mind. After all, Xiao Yuting was not an alchemist. It was already quite good that she had managed to prepare so many things so thoroughly for him.

With a flick of Xiao Yan's finger, a cluster of yellow flames appeared beneath the medicinal cauldron. The first step in refining medicine was extracting the useful portions of the medicinal ingredients.

When the temperature of the medicinal cauldron reached an appropriate level, Xiao Yan tossed a Jade Branch into it. The last time he had been reading, he had happened to see an introduction to the Qi-Recovery Pill, which was one of the reasons he had chosen it. Just like its name, the herb was entirely emerald green, like a crystal-clear gemstone. This medicinal ingredient was easy to find in the mountains and not difficult to refine. Under the intense heat of Heavenly Fire, it quickly turned into a droplet-like mass of liquid.

Xiao Yan let out a sigh of relief. A good beginning meant success was halfway won. He believed he could refine this Qi-Recovery Pill in one go. His soul power having reached the Emperor Realm had brought Xiao Yan tremendous convenience. He smoothly completed the extraction of several other medicinal ingredients, but things did not seem to be progressing as he had imagined.

When Xiao Yan refined the Purple Spirit Fruit, it unexpectedly turned to ashes before his eyes. He tried again, but nothing changed. Sweat began to bead on Xiao Yan's forehead. Once might have been an accident, but after repeated attempts, there could only be one reason: there was a problem with his refining method.

Having experienced many things, Xiao Yan did not become discouraged because of this. He began recalling every step of his refining process—the temperature of the flames, the refining techniques, and many other aspects. Yet there was nothing wrong with any of them.

Could there be a problem with the prescription? Xiao Yan pondered.

That was right—the prescription's temperature requirement for the Purple Spirit Fruit was wrong. Xiao Yuting had provided Xiao Yan with medicinal ingredients for pill refining, but no matter how carefully she concealed it, she could not hide it from the Xiao Clan's elders. Naturally, they would not let such a good chance to test Xiao Yan slip away. Therefore, when Xiao Yuting took the prescription, an alchemist elder secretly altered it. Xiao Yuting was not an alchemist, so she certainly had no idea that she had become a tool for the elders to test Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan adjusted his emotions and started over. He raised the temperature bit by bit, and finally found the most suitable temperature for the Purple Spirit Fruit, successfully turning it into a pale-purple mass of liquid.

First Time Refining Medicine

Things went much more smoothly afterward. Under the effects of Heavenly Fire, all the medicinal ingredients had been extracted. Next came the fusion of medicinal liquids with different properties. Their properties differed from one another, and some even restrained each other, so they had to be mixed properly according to the prescription. This process demanded even more from one's soul power and was also a great test for an alchemist.

Xiao Yan drew a deep breath. Flames burned atop the medicinal cauldron like dancing sprites. Feeling that the temperature was about right, he used his soul power to guide the refined medicinal liquids into the cauldron one after another in sequence, where they slowly fused together. Since it was his first fusion, Xiao Yan did not dare hold anything back. His soul power surged into the medicinal cauldron without regard for the consequences.

Fortunately, that Xiao Clan elder had been relatively humane and had changed only one part. Xiao Yan encountered no other problems during the fusion of the medicinal liquids. As for certain details, Xiao Yan simply managed to skirt around them.

Who knew how much time passed before Xiao Yan's soul power sensed a medicinal pill gradually taking shape inside the cauldron. Xiao Yan also breathed a sigh of relief. This signified that the pill was basically complete. Now, he only needed to maintain the heat and wait for the pill to fully form.

Before long, a medicinal pill appeared inside the cauldron, and only then did Xiao Yan reveal a smile. After such long effort, he had finally successfully refined his first medicinal pill. Even with Xiao Yan's temperament, he could not help wanting to jump up. After all, this pill marked a major breakthrough in his alchemy.

The success of the first medicinal pill brought Xiao Yan far more than joy; it also brought confidence. If he could successfully refine a pill even with an erroneous prescription, then what did Xiao Yan have left to fear? Looking at the large pile of medicinal ingredients before him, Xiao Yan did not feel a headache. Instead, he was delighted. If he refined all of them into medicinal pills, he believed his chances of obtaining that battle skill would rise by several points, and his safety would gain at least a little assurance.

Thus, Xiao Yan ate some food and began a new round of medicine refinement.

On a mountain peak in the Beast Zone, Ning Jing stared at the cave where Xiao Yan was in seclusion, her brows tightly furrowed. She was beginning to regret meddling in this matter. Originally, there was a time limit on her stay here. She had intended to find Xiao Yan and take him straight back, but she had never expected him to come here to refine medicine—and then remain inside for several months. She had no choice but to send someone back to inform the president while she continued waiting here for Xiao Yan.

If not for the occasional leakage of energy from the cave, she would have almost been unable to resist barging in, grabbing Xiao Yan out, beating him up, and throwing him back to the Xiao Clan. Since when had she become a bodyguard?

Several more months passed. Only after the final medicinal pill was placed into a jade bottle did Xiao Yan sit down on the ground. Continuous high-intensity medicine refinement was taxing even with his soul power at the Emperor Realm.

"Gurgle, gurgle." Xiao Yan's stomach voiced its protest as well. Looking at the tightly sealed cave, Xiao Yan thought that it was time to go out. I wonder how long I've been in seclusion. How are Xiao Jian and Xiao Jun doing? And, of course, that battle skill. I, Xiao Yan, am coming. After going through so much trouble, you had better not disappoint me.