Pill Formulas and Medicine Cauldrons

Steam rose from the milky-white water in the tub. Wu Bai's pores opened, greedily absorbing the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk and the pure energy extracted from various Medicinal Herbs.

Meanwhile, the Yellow Springs Demon Saint dropped Bone-Tempering Spirit-Nurturing Pills into Wu Bai's mouth one after another.

The Bone-Tempering Spirit-Nurturing Pill was a Fifth-grade Pill. A person could take at most nine; even someone with poor aptitude could reach the Dou Huang Realm within their lifetime.

For those with better aptitude, its medicinal power would gradually improve their physique and strengthen their foundation.

Beads of sweat rolled down Wu Bai's forehead. The intense pain made him bite his lips until they turned slightly pale.

His bones were being tempered again and again, improving his aptitude for cultivation.

This bout of pain lasted a full ten minutes.

But it also gave Wu Bai some resistance to pain of that intensity.

Just as the process was about to end, Wu Bai's aura, which had already reached its limit, began to fluctuate violently.

The liquid in the tub gradually cleared, returning to the appearance of ordinary water.

After climbing out, Wu Bai examined his Sea Urchin Dou Crystal, then threw himself onto the bed and relaxed.

"I didn't expect to break through to Dou Ling so soon..."

Since returning to the Inner Academy, Wu Bai had cultivated for only two and a half months on the ninth floor of the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower. He had already reached the peak of Nine-Star Great Dou Master, with no room to advance further at that level.

He had thought he would need more time to build up his strength before advancing. He hadn't expected the breakthrough to go so smoothly.

Perhaps the medicinal power of those seven Bone-Tempering Spirit-Nurturing Pills had saved him a great deal of effort.

Or perhaps it was the Earth Core Body Tempering Milk.

Or perhaps it was some mysterious state he couldn't explain...

Whatever the reason, his aura was steady, his Dou Qi was condensed, and his foundation was firm. There was no need to dwell on it.

After resting for a while, Wu Bai packed up his things. At his teacher's urging, he headed to the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower.

"Wu Bai, are you staying in the tower all night again?"

"Oh, Elder Liu. I've just made a breakthrough, so I thought I'd come and stabilize my cultivation."

"I see. You certainly should."

Before long, Wu Bai reached the ninth floor.

He closed the door and asked curiously, "Teacher, why did you want me to come here?"

"Hmm... Nothing serious. I just want to confirm whether it's really as you said: beneath this tower, there's not only a Fallen Heart Flame in its infancy, but also the Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion."

With that, the Yellow Springs Demon Saint silently descended.

Wu Bai's mouth twitched. Why did that Fallen Heart Flame seem more important to his teacher than the Heavenly Fire Venerable?

He stopped speculating. What he had told Elder Liu wasn't entirely an excuse; he really did intend to temper his Dou Qi.

He already knew his Dou Qi was well condensed, but he would feel more at ease after tempering it a few more times.

The next day, Wu Bai packed his things and left the Inner Academy.

The Inner Academy Selection Tournament was approaching. The next time he came here, he would be a full-fledged Inner Academy student.

As soon as he returned to the Outer Academy, he could feel the fervor for cultivation.

With less than a week until the Inner Academy Selection Tournament, everyone was training harder than ever.

Back at the dormitory, Wu Bai sensed that Han Yue, like everyone else, was deeply immersed in cultivation.

He left her undisturbed.

Before long, Wu Bai arrived at the Alchemy Department and found Elder Huo.

"Wu Bai, when did you get back?"

"Just now. The Inner Academy Selection Tournament is about to start, after all."

"Sit. What kind of tea would you like?"

"Anything's fine."

After they had sat for a while, Elder Huo studied Wu Bai and suddenly realized he could no longer see through the young man.

He had been able to discern a little before. Why couldn't he make out anything now?

"Your Soul Power has grown again, hasn't it?"

"Yes. Nothing gets past you, Elder Huo."

"Don't flatter this old man. I asked because I can't see through you at all."

Elder Huo shook his head helplessly. If he hadn't seen Wu Bai with his own eyes, he would never have believed such a monstrous genius existed.

At Wu Bai's age, becoming a certified first-rank Alchemist would already have made someone a genius.

"Then I'll get straight to the point. I came to borrow a few Sixth-grade Pill Recipes."

"You can refine Sixth-Grade Pills now!"

"I can't say for certain about the Emperor's Extreme Pill, but I'm fairly confident I can refine a Dou Ling Pill."

Wu Bai assessed his abilities. He felt quite confident about a mid-tier Sixth-Grade Pill like the Dou Ling Pill.

Hearing that, Elder Huo did not hesitate. He handed Wu Bai all the Sixth-grade Pill Recipes passed down through the Alchemy Department.

There were only a few in total. Aside from the commonplace recipes for the Dou Ling Pill and Emperor's Extreme Pill, there were just two others.

One was a widely used healing pill, gentle enough to take even with the gravest injuries.

The other targeted fire poison. It was more specialized, but it could also aid cultivation.

It had clearly been prepared by one of the academy's experts specifically for the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower.

But its grade was too high, so it had been left gathering dust in the Alchemy Department.

"Elder Huo, there's one more thing I'd like to ask you."

"Oh? Let's hear it."

"A Medicine Cauldron. I'd like to buy a better one, preferably one that will last me through seventh-rank alchemy."

Wu Bai's beginner Medicine Cauldron was still usable, but he didn't want the cauldron that had accompanied him for so long to die in the line of duty...

An exploding cauldron would be one thing. What if it took him with it?

After all, even the Eighth-Rank Alchemy Grandmaster Venerable Yao had died in a cauldron explosion. Serious face.

"A cauldron of that quality won't be easy to find. But I know someone who has one."

"Is it one of the elders?"

Wu Bai blinked, considering what he could offer. At worst, he could refine a couple of Sixth-Grade Pills for the owner.

"No. You've met him. It's Hu Gan."

"The Vice Dean? I don't think he's an Alchemist."

"He isn't. But that doesn't stop the old fellow from wanting to use his excellent Medicine Cauldron as payment to get a sixth-rank Alchemist to help him. He's been stuck at Peak Dou Emperor for years."

"Is that so?"

Wu Bai nodded slowly and made his decision.

"I trust your alchemy skills, of course. The Vast Sea Cauldron is yours!"

Hu Gan did not hesitate for long. He had no doubt that Wu Bai's alchemy skills would one day reach the point where he could refine a Sect Breaking Pill.

If Wu Bai couldn't do it, no one else stood a chance.

After thanking him, Wu Bai noticed the young woman standing gracefully nearby.

She was Hu Gan's granddaughter, Hu Jia.

"Come to think of it, I never had a chance to thank you after that last expedition, Vice Dean. I wasn't capable of much then. Since your granddaughter is here today, why don't I give her this Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill?"

"A Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill? Doesn't that require three kinds of flame to make?"