Chapter 116: The Thunder Body Tempering Pill
As Xiao Yan's casual and confident tone settled over the crowd, Gu He's breath hitched.
"Could he truly be a seventh tier alchemist?"
Staring at Xiao Yan's young, almost impossibly gifted face, Gu He found it difficult to believe. Yet, there was no turning back now he had forced himself into this confrontation.
"Fine! No matter what, I must fight this out today!" Gu He roared inwardly. With a wave of his hand, an ancient, blue purple cauldron appeared before him.
"Gu He, regardless of the outcome, your insolence will not go unpunished," Yun Shan said coldly, his face dark with displeasure.
"After this match, I'll accept any punishment from you, Sect Leader," Gu He replied, gritting his teeth as he lowered his head.
"This stubborn mule," Yun Po Tian muttered with a shake of his ghostly head as he hovered near his memorial tablet.
Having experienced life and death, Yun Po Tian was relatively unshaken by the scene before him. Instead, he marveled at Xiao Yan's seemingly otherworldly talent. Back when he was a Dou Zun, he had visited the Central Plains and even the Pill Tower. The most talented individuals he met back then were fifth tier alchemists at Xiao Yan's current age.
But a seventh tier alchemist at sixteen? That was nothing short of fantastical.
"Does he really have the skill of a seventh tier alchemist?" Yun Yun muttered under her breath as she stared at Xiao Yan.
While she had yet to develop deep feelings for him, his domineering confidence and talent continually left her in awe. These qualities overshadowed even the impressive background he came from.
"Today, I'll show you what true alchemy looks like!" Xiao Yan declared with a smile, summoning his own cauldron before him.
Dressed in a white robe and radiating an aura of confidence, Xiao Yan's presence captivated the crowd. Many female disciples of the Yun Lan Sect couldn't help but feel their hearts flutter.
Even Nalan Yanran, who had always been proud and reserved, found her gaze drawn to Xiao Yan. Despite herself, she admitted that there was something undeniably magnetic about him.
"If only he had come to fulfill the engagement instead of breaking it," a strange thought crossed her mind before she quickly suppressed it.
"This Xiao Yan may be talented, but he's still an insufferable rogue," she told herself angrily, only to blush as memories of their shared flights surfaced.
"Yanran, my Yanran..." Nearby, Liu Ling's heart felt like it was being crushed as he watched her growing admiration for Xiao Yan.
It was clear to him that Nalan Yanran was falling for Xiao Yan. Yet Liu Ling felt powerless. Xiao Yan was younger, had a stronger background, and most painfully was far more skilled. Faced with such a rival, Liu Ling couldn't even summon the courage to challenge him.
"Teacher, you must win this!" Liu Ling silently urged Gu He, clinging to a shred of hope.
As the two high level alchemists prepared for their match, the crowd held its breath, eager to witness the rare spectacle.
Among the spectators, alchemists from the sect's Refining Peak were especially focused, hoping to learn from the duel.
Gu He, sensing the pressure, suppressed his unease and flicked his finger. Dozens of medicinal ingredients appeared before him, the centerpiece being a radiant golden vine.
"Royal Extreme Immortal Vine? Is he trying to refine the Royal Extreme Pill?" Xiao Yan chuckled, shaking his head.
Six months ago, Gu He might have been a decent challenge. Now, he was little more than a stepping stone.
"You first," Xiao Yan said, gesturing grandly toward Gu He.
His nonchalant demeanor sent the Yun Lan Sect's female disciples into a frenzy. A sixteen year old boy, handsome and powerful enough to overshadow even seasoned experts he was the embodiment of their dreams.
"Hmph! Pretending to be calm," Gu He thought, forcing himself to focus. With a sharp exhale, he summoned a blue flame into his cauldron.
"What kind of trash flame is that?" Xiao Yan muttered, his eyes filled with pity.
Judging by its intensity, the flame was at best from a sixth tier magical beast, or possibly just a strong fifth tier one.
"How poor can you get?" Xiao Yan shook his head in disbelief.
In the Xiao Clan, even the lowest ranked alchemists were provided with flames of this caliber on their first day. Those who reached fifth or sixth tier could request flames from seventh or eighth tier beasts.
In the Central Plains, the weakest flames among young alchemists in the Pill Tower were also from sixth tier beasts. Yet here was Gu He, a sixth tier alchemist, struggling with such a meager flame.
"I almost feel sorry for him," Xiao Yan thought.
Gu He, meanwhile, misinterpreted Xiao Yan's gaze.
"Ha! He's trying to unnerve me. He must be nervous!" Gu He reassured himself, steadying his mind as he began refining.
Unfortunately, his flame's limitations quickly became apparent. Extracting the essence from his ingredients was slow and inefficient, and it wasn't long before Xiao Yan grew bored.
"How slow can you be?" Xiao Yan yawned, eventually retreating to his seat to meditate.
"His composure is remarkable," Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran both thought, glancing at Xiao Yan with admiration.
The crowd, however, remained captivated by the process. Watching two high level alchemists refine pills was a rare treat, and none of them wanted to miss a moment.
Two days later, a crisp chiming sound broke the silence as Gu He completed his work. A golden pill floated above his cauldron, radiating a brilliant light.
Excited murmurs spread through the crowd.
"Xiao Yan, it's your turn," Gu He said, his voice hoarse but filled with determination.
"Is a single Royal Extreme Pill really worth showing off?" Xiao Yan muttered, stepping up to his cauldron.
With a flick of his wrist, over a hundred rare ingredients floated into the air.
The crowd gasped. Many of the materials were clearly used for crafting seventh tier pills, sending shockwaves through the audience.
Among them were the Heavenly Thunder Mystical Fruit, Nine Spirit Tempering Nectar, and a magical core from a sixth tier thunder element beast.
Xiao Yan was preparing to refine the Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Pill. This pill could harness the power of thunder to refine the user's body. With the proper body tempering technique, it could strengthen a person's physique to withstand even a Dou Huang's attacks.
"My turn," Xiao Yan said with a confident smile, summoning a black and white flame from his fingertip.
The moment the flame appeared, the gathered alchemists went pale with shock.
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