Refining the Emperor's Extreme Pill

Before long, the Amethyst Winged Lion King flew back.

Three powerful beastly figures came with her, along with a number of other magical beasts.

They were the Amethyst Winged Lion King's subordinates: three fifth-order magical beasts and dozens more, every one of them a fourth-order magical beast. They came in a great procession, an imposing sight.

Each of these magical beasts carried a large basket of medicinal ingredients on its back, their sheer quantity astonishing.

After all, unlike human society, magical beasts had no storage tools such as Storage Rings, so they could only resort to this primitive method of transporting medicinal ingredients.

There was a rich variety of ingredients, including not only the materials needed for the Emperor's Extreme Pill but also countless other things.

Medicinal herbs were piled as high as mountains, numbering in the thousands or perhaps even tens of thousands.

Xiao Yan's entire face flushed red. He stepped closer to examine them carefully, and drawing on the knowledge from his previous life, he quickly identified their types and qualities.

Ice Spirit Flame Grass, Blood Lotus Essence... Hiss... These were ingredients for refining a fifth-grade Blood Lotus Pill, and they were exceedingly rare!

A Dou Wang expert could advance a full star simply by consuming a Sky Jade Fruit. Refined into a pill, its effects were even more potent, granting another star.

There were also the materials needed for the Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill and the Purple Heart Barrier Breaking Pill, and even those for the Dou Ling Pill and the Sect Breaking Pill...

Was this the collection of the overlord of the Magical Beast Mountain Range? What an abundant foundation!

Suddenly, the young man seemed to spot something, disbelief showing in his eyes. He then reached up and rubbed them hard before snapping them open and looking closely. The familiar object was right before him. His whole body jolted, and he was filled with delight.

"This... this is..."

Xiao Yan took a deep breath, trying to suppress his excitement, but he still couldn't resist the temptation. He jumped into the pile of ingredients and, breathing heavily, held "it" up with trembling fingers!

Likewise, at the sight, a look of astonishment appeared on Yao Lao's face inside the Bone Flame Ring.

He, too, hadn't expected that, by a fortunate coincidence, they would obtain this item again.

The plant in the young man's hand was exceptionally exquisite, its blossoms a riot of colors. It gave off a wondrous fragrance that seemed capable of nourishing the soul.

That's right, it was the high-grade medicinal ingredient-Seven Illusory Azure Spirit Saliva!

"Teacher! We've struck it rich!"

After discovering this medicinal ingredient, Xiao Yan ignored everything else and immediately put it into his Storage Ring, leaving Yao Lao free to examine it.

But once Yao Lao got a clear look, he frowned.

"What's wrong?"

Xiao Yan asked in confusion. Yao Lao shook his head and shared what he had discovered:

"Although this Seven Illusory Azure Spirit Saliva is brightly colored, its stem and roots are slender, and its presence is weak. It looks as though it has only just sprouted. I'm afraid it will need to be nurtured for some time before it matures."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan was somewhat disappointed, but he still looked on the bright side. "Either way, we've gained something at last, haven't we?"

Yao Lao agreed. "That's true. And once it matures, perhaps my soul power will be able to reach Peak Dou Zong directly."

Thinking of the Amethyst Winged Lion King's contribution, Yao Lao couldn't help feeling somewhat moved. "This lion really is sincere. It's time to honor our promise."

Xiao Yan chimed in, "I'll take care of it right away, Teacher!"

Then, with Yao Lao's permission, Xiao Yan's presence surged. Once again drawing on that vast, boundless soul power, he commanded the Amethyst Winged Lion King with authority:

"All of you, withdraw. I'm going to prepare to refine the medicine!"

At this, delight flashed in the Amethyst Winged Lion King's eyes. She hurriedly assented, then turned and roared:

"Did you hear what Senior said? Withdraw with me, and make no noise! Guard Senior's pill refinement with your lives! Anyone who disobeys will be killed without exception!"

Roar!

A fierce blast of sound boomed from the Lion King's mouth, bursting into waves that drove the beasts back.

After all, the Emperor's Extreme Pill he was refining was her chance to break through. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong.

Whoever dared to cause trouble...

She, the Amethyst Winged Lion King, would go after them!

Sensing the Dou Qi pressure contained in that blast of sound, the magical beasts all shrank back in fright. When they heard her command, they promptly obeyed, not daring to defy it in the slightest.

After all, even together they were no match for the Amethyst Winged Lion King. And with an even more powerful existence behind her, who would dare defy her will?

The beasts looked at one another, their gazes meeting. In the end, they chose to submit and dispersed under the lead of the Amethyst Winged Lion King and the Little Lion King, leaving Xiao Yan alone to wait where he was.

"Teacher, they've all left."

Xiao Yan swept his soul power over the surroundings, and only after confirming that there was no movement did he use a little Bone Spirit Cold Flame to seal the cave entrance and the wall that had been shattered earlier. Then he summoned Yao Lao.

On hearing him, Yao Lao showed no intention of refusing.

The ring on the young man's hand trembled, and streams of transparent white mist emerged, slowly gathering into an aged figure.

"Mm, I can finally come out and stretch my limbs!" Yao Lao stretched and looked at Xiao Yan again, remarking:

"You rascal, all you do is borrow your teacher's power like a fox borrowing a tiger's might. Use it less from now on, or there'll be no point in your training."

After finishing his idle chatter, Yao Lao assumed his position. Countless wisps of eerie white flame emerged around him, sweeping up all the ingredients needed for the Emperor's Extreme Pill. A presence both cold and scorching rushed at the young man.

"Watch carefully now. The chance to see a sixth-grade pill refined comes once in a thousand years, and it will be of great benefit when you embark on the path of an alchemist in the future."

Yao Lao reminded him in a stern voice, unwilling to let his disciple slack off in this regard.

Noticing his tone, Xiao Yan answered solemnly, "I understand, Teacher!"

Though he had already learned these techniques over two lifetimes, an alchemist could never go wrong learning humbly. Besides, this was his own teacher's experience, so he still had to show respect.

Not long after he answered, the old man floating in the air slowly pointed a finger at the space between his brows, then gently pushed outward, pulling a ball of black light from within.

The black light flickered brilliantly, darting around the old man and the youth as though it possessed intelligence.

At last, it stopped between them, and boundless black Qi instantly appeared around it.

At the center of the black Qi, a huge cauldron gradually emerged.

"Teacher, what is this?"

Xiao Yan asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Heh, eighth on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking, the Black Demon Cauldron!"

"Ordinary people generally know only that Heavenly Flames can increase the chances of successfully refining medicine. It never occurs to them that, to an alchemist, a good medicinal cauldron is no less valuable than a Heavenly Flame."

"There are countless medicinal cauldrons in the world. And so, a profound grandmaster alchemist traveled the continent in search of all manner of strange cauldrons and furnaces, eventually compiling this Heavenly Cauldron Ranking in secret!"

Seeing Xiao Yan's thirst for knowledge, Yao Lao gave a smug explanation, while also highlighting the Black Demon Cauldron's lofty standing.

"Oh, oh!"

Xiao Yan was clearly possessed by a seasoned actor. In an instant, he put on a show of such extreme excitement that he seemed on the verge of losing control, clenching both fists and shaking them before the old man.

"I know you're excited, but don't get excited just yet. Once I've successfully refined the Emperor's Extreme Pill, I'll naturally let you take a good look at it," Yao Lao said, reaching out to calm him.

Xiao Yan nodded excitedly. "There's something that good in store?"

Hearing this, the young man said impatiently, "Really, Teacher? Then hurry and get started!"

"Hehe, don't rush. I'll begin right away!"

Yao Lao brought his palm close to the Black Demon Cauldron, which immediately unleashed a powerful suction force. All the medicinal ingredients were drawn inside, and then eerie white flames surged from the old man's hand into the cauldron.

Thus began the long process of refining the medicine.