Chapter 154: Thunder-Refined Body
Once betrayed by someone close, one begins to doubt the entire world.
Yao Lao was no exception. He had once even suspected his close friend Feng Xian. Now, facing the mystery-shrouded Yao Yan, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of suspicion. But after a moment, he pushed those thoughts down. After all, he no longer possessed anything worth coveting.
Once known as the greatest alchemist in the Central Plains and revered as the Medicine Sovereign, he had enjoyed unmatched glory with countless people seeking to please him.
Now, he was just a remnant soul. Everything valuable had already been taken by Yao Yan or traded away. The only things left of use were the pill formulas he knew and his soul essence—but the former had already been agreed upon with Yao Yan.
As for the latter, unless Yao Yan was from the Soul Hall, it was useless. Techniques capable of absorbing someone's soul essence were incredibly rare across the entire Dou Qi continent.
And if Yao Yan did have such a technique, he wouldn't have waited until now to use it.
I'm just becoming paranoid… Yao Lao lowered his gaze and sighed internally before his expression returned to calm. He believed Yao Yan bore no malice toward him. If he had, this old body would've died long ago. Yao Yan had plenty of chances to kill him but never did.
Unless the kid was playing an elaborate game just to toy with him… and if that were true, well, Yao Lao was almost intrigued.
After all, for him, there wasn't much to look forward to anymore. Watching how far Yao Yan could go had become one of his few remaining pleasures.
Not far away, Yao Yan continued extracting medicinal essences, completely unaware of Yao Lao's complex thoughts. His full attention was on the cauldron. Refining a tier-seven pill still placed considerable pressure on him—especially since the Ice Heart Pill was among the more difficult ones to craft in its tier. It demanded extreme focus.
"Ice Heart Pill… tier-seven. Its medicinal effect is intense, containing a strand of extreme cold that can instantly freeze the body. Even heavenly flame struggles to melt it. Most importantly, it keeps the user in a state of perfect mental clarity, unaffected by external distractions and resistant to inner demons. It requires a total of 126 medicinal ingredients…"
As he extracted essences, the pill formula steadily surfaced in his mind. He reviewed the key points over and over again, not daring to slip up. It was his first time attempting this pill, and he couldn't guarantee success. Thankfully, he had plenty of Earth Core Tempering Milk, giving him some margin for error.
He could always try again if needed.
That thought flashed across his mind and was immediately suppressed. His gaze locked onto the glowing droplets inside the cauldron. With a slight downward motion of his fingers, the green-blue flames instantly lowered in intensity.
After a moment of consideration, he pulled out a jade bottle from his Bone Flame Ring. With soul force, he uncorked it, and six crystal-clear drops—like glowing gemstones—dripped from within. Even from a distance, both Cai Lin and Yao Lao could sense the immense energy contained in them.
"Let's begin."
Yao Yan muttered internally, his gaze sharp. He directed the six drops of Earth Core Tempering Milk into the Black Demon Cauldron, where the Green Lotus Core Flame surged up like a beast, instantly devouring them.
The suppressed heat exploded like a volcanic eruption.
With the flames at full power, the extracted essences became even more translucent, their impurities burned away in an instant. Yao Yan guided the pure liquid into the six drops of Earth Core Tempering Milk, drop by drop, in a specific sequence. The liquid darkened in color and began to release a chilling aura.
It was a bizarre sight—roasting within a scorching flame, yet emitting increasingly frigid energy.
As over a hundred drops of refined essence merged into the six drops of Earth Core Tempering Milk, six cold, gel-like masses appeared. They seemed nearly solid and emitted a chill that directly challenged the surrounding heavenly flame.
Yao Yan closed his eyes and maintained the Green Lotus Core Flame at a balanced temperature. He continued baking the six masses, fusing their medicinal properties. This process tested a refiner's endurance. An ordinary Dou Wang would've collapsed long ago—but Yao Yan thrived in prolonged battles.
A man needed stamina.
"This step is the most difficult in crafting the Ice Heart Pill. One must completely refine the medicinal properties of the six masses. Once they solidify, their essence will be fully integrated. After that, you extract, fuse again, and finally condense the pill. It all hinges on the refiner's soul power and deep understanding of the hundreds of ingredients involved… But with his Spirit Realm soul, he should manage."
Yao Lao stroked his beard with a solemn gaze, quietly observing Yao Yan's progress.
Beside him, Cai Lin bit her lip slightly and asked softly, "Will this take a long time?"
"Depends on his control over the Green Lotus Core Flame. If all goes well, maybe one or two days," Yao Lao replied with a flicker in his eyes.
And he was right. Nearly two days later, under the moonlight, the previously still cauldron finally stirred. The six masses cracked open, releasing a powerful burst of energy that slammed against the cauldron's interior with a sharp clang.
Cai Lin and Yao Lao, both seated nearby, were instantly alerted.
"What is that…"
Cai Lin stared at the cauldron in surprise. Loud hums echoed from within, as if something inside was exploding.
"This is the critical moment. If he can suppress those energy bursts, he can continue. If not…" Yao Lao's expression darkened slightly. No one could help now—this step was Yao Yan's alone to complete.
Yao Yan calmly watched the increasingly chaotic energy in the cauldron. Not only was he unshaken, but a smirk curled his lips. "Now it's getting interesting~"
Alchemy, especially at higher tiers, was fascinating. These pills had started to develop their own spiritual nature. Pills above tier-nine could even possess human-like intelligence and formidable strength at birth. While this tier-seven pill wasn't quite there, it was a step in that direction—and naturally harder to control than lower-grade pills.
He watched as the six broken droplets of liquid revealed six crystalline cores. These weren't normal medicinal beads; they radiated a strange sentience, even resisting the flame.
But their resistance was weak. Not enough to change their fate.
After about half an hour, the turbulence began to subside. At that moment, Yao Yan's powerful soul force surged in like a predator, instantly suppressing the six spiritual cores and then brutally mashed them together. His movements were swift and aggressive.
Even Yao Lao was stunned.
He had seen many tier-seven alchemists at work—including elite disciples from the Pill Tower—but never anything like this.
And yet… it worked!
Within the emerald flames, a pill that looked like a shard of ice crystal floated calmly. It radiated a gentle star-like glow, breathing in surrounding energy. Perhaps because it was born in heavenly flame, it now resisted that same flame—completely unaffected by its heat.
"He actually succeeded…" Yao Lao muttered in disbelief. When did pill refinement become so violent? Clearly, this boy's path was very different from his own.
"Is it done?" Cai Lin asked.
"Almost. The hardest part is over. All that's left is to draw the pill. But the thunder tribulation will be fierce!" Yao Lao warned. Different pills drew different tribulations. The Ice Heart Pill was no ordinary tier-seven pill. Given its spiritual nature, the thunder it summoned would be incredibly strong—too much even for some Dou Zongs to take directly.
As if on cue, the previously clear sky darkened as black clouds formed above the cauldron. A terrible pressure began to gather. It was clear—the heavens would not allow this pill to be born easily.
"Pill Tribulation…"
Yao Lao looked up at the sky and sighed. To an alchemist, pill tribulation was a mark of success—something to be proud of.
An eighteen-year-old tier-seven alchemist… what terrifying talent…
Yao Lao looked at Yao Yan again, eyes filled with complexity.
"Should we intercept it?!" Cai Lin raised her chin and narrowed her eyes. Within the clouds, lightning surged like silver dragons, releasing an ominous, dangerous aura.
"If he can't withstand it, then we intervene," Yao Lao said, exhaling deeply. His soul force enveloped the area—ready to act at a moment's notice.
Cai Lin nodded, her eyes slightly tense.
At that moment, Yao Yan stood directly beneath the dark clouds. Silver lightning danced above his head, and thunder rumbled so loudly it made one's eardrums buzz.
He didn't seem worried at all. In fact, he glanced at the Ice Heart Pill in the cauldron. It was nearly complete—but perhaps sensing the looming danger, it began to suppress its own aura, albeit clumsily.
Alchemy really was like creating life…
Compared to the last time he made the Instant Qi Pill, this Ice Heart Pill had received far more effort. It was his true masterpiece. At this moment, he understood Hun Xu Zi's obsession with perfection. Most real alchemists shared that obsession.
Boom!
A bolt of silver lightning as thick as an arm shot down from the clouds, lighting up the sky. The Ice Heart Pill's presence could no longer be concealed. Its spiritual nature made it impossible to escape the targeting of pill tribulation.
Yao Yan looked up at the thick clouds. The thunder seemed to explode right beside his ears.
He stretched his wrist and smiled at Yao Lao. "Please keep an eye on the cauldron for me. Don't let the little guy run off~"
With those words, he spread his Dou Qi wings and shot into the sky toward the black clouds. The first bolt of lightning was already forming. If he didn't act now, it might strike and disrupt the pill's final formation.
He also wanted to test if pill tribulation could temper his body. Since it could refine the Sky Demon Puppet in the original, there was no reason it couldn't work on his own flesh.
He was actually looking forward to it.
But to Cai Lin and Yao Lao, this was outrageous. Both stared in disbelief. As Yao Yan rose into the air, his skin turned silvery, and a powerful aura surged from his body—on par with a Dou Zong's. But this wasn't Dou Qi pressure—it was the oppressive force of raw vitality, the pressure of life itself.
Boom!
Just as Yao Yan activated his Indestructible Vajra Body, a bolt of thunder as thick as a bucket slammed down toward him, as if determined to crush this defiant ant.
"Come on!"
Yao Yan didn't resist. He let the lightning strike him directly.
In that instant, he was bathed in thunder. The violent power tore at his flesh—but it also awakened the boundless vitality within him. Between destruction and regeneration, his body began undergoing a strange transformation…
(END CHAPTER)
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