Liu Xi sat calmly atop the stone seat, his gaze steady as it rested upon Tang Zhen and the other two within the plaza. His expression was placid, completely indifferent to whether their alchemy would succeed or fail.
In truth, he truly didn't care. If it succeeded, so be it. If it failed, so be it. This was nothing more than a casual attempt in his eyes.
Around him, aside from Xiao Yixian and Yao Tianhuo seated nearby, there were over a dozen alchemists. Yet all of them bore the same conflicted expression—wanting to speak but holding their tongues. They longed to exchange a few words with Liu Xi, but no one dared to disturb him. To be ignored by such a figure would be far more unbearable than silence itself, so they remained quiet.
Among the gathered 6th and 7th Tier Alchemists, no one found Liu Xi's aloofness strange. Even though he looked young, he was still an 8th Tier Alchemist—a true grandmaster whose achievements towered far above theirs.
In the plaza, Master Huan and Master Xiao had already made their preparations. Seeing this, Tang Zhen turned and sat cross-legged on a stone seat opposite them.
With a flick of his sleeve, a massive crimson cauldron appeared from thin air and landed heavily upon the stone platform with a dull thud.
The cauldron was fiery red, with intricate volcanic patterns carved along its body, exuding a violent, oppressive aura at first glance.
Seeing this cauldron, many alchemists around the plaza showed startled expressions. There was not one among them who failed to recognize it—one of the thirteen legendary Heavenly Cauldrons on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking: the Mountain Melting Cauldron.
Master Huan exclaimed, "The Mountain Melting Cauldron? So Valley Master Tang has been keeping this in his possession all along. What fortune! To find such a cauldron is no small blessing!"
Tang Zhen chuckled lightly. Though he lacked the talent of an alchemist, he could still refine simple pills. His ability to do so relied entirely on the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame and this Mountain Melting Cauldron.
"A coincidence of fate," he replied. "This is one of my few advantages. So, the two of you need not bear too much pressure—just let things flow naturally."
"That's good!"
"Then we can proceed with ease!"
The two masters nodded in relief. From how thoroughly Tang Zhen had prepared, they could see his sincerity and resolve.
Tang Zhen clasped his hand, and with a faint sound, a wisp of silver-white flame rose from his palm. Nine small dragons swam within it, exuding a faint draconic might.
He flicked his wrist, and the silver-white flame drifted into the Mountain Melting Cauldron, igniting it in a fierce blaze.
"Before we begin, take these pills. They'll help you endure longer within the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame and reduce the risk of injury."
As he spoke, Tang Zhen retrieved a jade bottle containing two silver-white pills that radiated the same aura as the flame. He tossed it toward Master Huan.
Master Huan caught the bottle without hesitation. There was no need to doubt Tang Zhen's intentions at this point. He swallowed one pill immediately and handed the other to Master Xiao.
Master Xiao's eyes lit up with joy as he took it. His strength was slightly inferior to Master Huan's; without this pill, he would barely be able to endure the flame at all.
Once the two had taken the medicine, Tang Zhen's expression hardened. With both hands weaving intricate seals, numerous medicinal ingredients appeared out of thin air, filling the air with a thick, refreshing fragrance.
"Let's begin," he said in a deep tone.
Master Huan and Master Xiao nodded. From between their brows surged immense Spiritual Power, now tinged faintly with the aura of the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame—no doubt an effect of the pill.
Tang Zhen reached out, and the mass of herbs before him flew into the Mountain Melting Cauldron. The nine dragons within the flame immediately surged forward, swallowing the ingredients one after another.
Each dragon blazed brighter, turning into miniature cauldrons themselves as they refined the herbs individually.
Meanwhile, Master Huan and Master Xiao extended their Spiritual Power into the cauldron. Instantly, they were assaulted by the terrifying heat of the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame.
Both of them paled slightly. Were it not for the protection of the pill, they would have already been burned out of their minds.
"Masters, prepare yourselves—the first batch of ingredients will be ready soon."
About twenty minutes later, Tang Zhen's voice rumbled across the plaza.
Both alchemists jolted and steadied their minds, focusing entirely on the cauldron.
Moments later, the nine dragons opened their maws, spitting out waves of medicinal essence—some as liquid, some as powder—all filled with rich medicinal aroma.
Master Huan and Master Xiao moved in unison. According to the Pill Recipe, they gathered their respective essences and began carefully merging them with their Spiritual Power, fusing each bit of energy with extreme precision.
Both men were veterans in the craft, their control steady and deliberate. Even Liu Xi, observing from above, nodded faintly in approval—their foundations were indeed solid.
Under their guidance, the refined essences were gradually merged, forming a shimmering pool of medicinal liquid.
Satisfied that everything was proceeding smoothly, Tang Zhen exhaled softly and began refining the next set of ingredients. The nine dragons roared and surged like tireless machines, constantly tempering new batches of herbs.
Even Liu Xi had to admit in thought, 'This Valley Master Tang truly has remarkable control. To split his focus ninefold without faltering—impressive. Were he born with alchemical talent, his achievements would have been astounding.'
As time passed, the hovering herbs in the sky dwindled rapidly. After three days, only half remained.
Tang Zhen, his cultivation profound, showed no signs of fatigue. But the same couldn't be said for Master Huan and Master Xiao—their Dou Qi was nearly exhausted. They had been relying on recovery pills just to continue.
Outside the plaza, the gathered alchemists watched the long, drawn-out process without much excitement. After witnessing an 8th Tier Pill and its tri-colored lightning before, a 7th Tier High-Level Pill seemed far less impressive.
Another three days passed. The herbs were finally exhausted, and the nine dragons spewed out the last of the refined essences in eight radiant clusters.
Tang Zhen's hands trembled slightly as he said, his voice calm but quivering, "The ingredients are fully refined. Masters, it's up to you now."
Master Huan and Master Xiao looked utterly spent. Endless refinement had drained both body and mind, yet they forced themselves to focus, drawing together the final eight clusters of essence.
But by this point, Master Xiao's mind was nearly blank. The Nine Dragon Lightning Flame's scorching might had long since torn into his soul.
Then, disaster struck. The eight clusters of essence began to repel one another violently, sending waves of chaotic energy rippling outward.
Pfft!
Master Xiao spat a mouthful of blood and collapsed unconscious. Master Huan tried to hold on but soon followed, coughing blood as his Spiritual Power faltered.
With both assistants down, the unstable essences spiraled out of control. The fusion process shattered, and the cauldron began to tremble violently.
Tang Zhen's expression froze as his lips trembled. "It failed…" he muttered blankly.
(End of Chapter)
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