The following day.
On a mountain behind the Inner Academy, three figures stood facing one another.
"Junior Sister Xun'er, these are the three puppets we agreed upon. One is a four-star Dou Ancestor-level puppet, while the other two are peak Dou Emperor-level puppets. These three puppets only need to be imprinted with a soul mark, after which you'll be able to control them at will."
"Junior Sister can inspect them and see whether they meet your expectations."
As he spoke, Lin Yuan flicked his finger lightly. Three puppets shot out from his Storage Ring and appeared between the two of them. Three fierce and bloodthirsty auras immediately spread outward.
Ling Ying, who was standing guard nearby, felt his heart sink slightly upon seeing this. Every one of these three puppets possessed strength no weaker than his own!
Gu Xun'er calmly nodded. After closing her eyes and sensing them for a moment, her pretty face blossomed like a green lotus.
"Thank you, Senior Lin Yuan. The items from our side of the transaction are already on their way and should arrive soon."
"Excellent!" Lin Yuan nodded and smiled. "Then Junior Sister can take these puppets first."
"Won't you wait until my items arrive before completing the exchange? Aren't you worried that something might happen on my side?" Gu Xun'er asked indifferently.
"Consider it a little sincerity and goodwill on my part." Lin Yuan casually waved his hand and said meaningfully, "I know your identity well. You wouldn't go back on your word over such a minor matter. Those three items aren't particularly valuable to you."
"Your clansmen are about to arrive. It would be better to let Brother Xiao familiarize himself with this puppet as soon as possible."
"After all, I know a little about the traditions of the Ancient Clan. Your relationship with Brother Xiao will likely provoke their hostility. To prevent any unexpected incidents, it's better to make preparations in advance."
Upon hearing this, Gu Xun'er's expression became more solemn.
Just as Lin Yuan had said, after she had repeatedly "subsidized" Xiao Yan and the Xiao Clan, some people within the clan, especially the younger generation, had developed a certain attitude toward Xiao Yan and the Xiao Clan.
The fact that several young people had been sent to deliver the items this time was enough for her to guess what some members of the clan were thinking.
Although Gu Xun'er possessed a noble status, her strength was ultimately too weak. Facing those young and vigorous clansmen with powerful cultivation, her deterrence was limited. She could not guarantee that they would not resort to excessive measures.
Under such circumstances, having a Dou Ancestor-level puppet protecting him meant that Xiao Yan would be far less likely to encounter any accidents.
As for Yao Lao, it would be inappropriate to expose his existence to certain members of the clan.
After all, the Ancient Clan was one of the Ancient Eight Clans, and quite a few of its members had close relationships with people from the Yao Clan. As for the grudges between Yao Lao and certain members of the Yao Clan.
Gu Xun'er had currently sealed off all information regarding Yao Lao. At present, only she and her trusted subordinate Ling Ying within the Ancient Clan knew of his existence.
After remaining silent for a moment, Gu Xun'er slightly lowered her proud head and said solemnly, "Thank you, Senior Lin Yuan. Then Xun'er will accept them."
As she spoke, she put the three puppets away.
"It's only a small matter. There's no need to be so formal." Lin Yuan casually waved his hand and said meaningfully, "I hope this mutually beneficial 'friendship' between us can continue for a long time. I'll take my leave, Junior Sister Xun'er."
With that, faint spatial ripples spread through the air, and Lin Yuan's figure strangely vanished before Gu Xun'er's eyes.
Watching Lin Yuan's afterimage gradually fade away, a contemplative look flashed through Gu Xun'er's eyes.
"Lin Yuan a Dou Ancestor and a Seventh-Grade Alchemist.?"
Ling Ying pondered for a moment before saying solemnly, "Miss, in approximately half a month, the Black Annihilation Army will arrive. The scale of this operation is quite large. It seems they have already made up their minds to bring you back to the clan."
After a pause, he continued, "There's also the matter of the Ancient Jade. They might."
Upon hearing this, Gu Xun'er pressed her fingers against her forehead and said helplessly, "The Ancient Jade should have already fallen into the Soul Clan's hands. Tell them not to disturb the Xiao Clan."
During the following five days, Lin Yuan did not immediately rush to begin refining pills.
The Pills he intended to refine were not ordinary Seventh-Grade pills. They were all among the more difficult Seventh-Grade pills to refine. Every set of Seventh-Grade medicinal ingredients was extremely precious, so if possible, Lin Yuan did not want to waste any of them.
If one wishes to do good work, one must first sharpen one's tools.
During these five days, Lin Yuan adjusted himself to his optimal state while simultaneously completing his cultivation of the Five Ring Flame Separation Art.
After mastering the Five Ring Flame Separation Art, his control over flames had not only risen to another level, but his control over his Dou Qi and soul power had also improved considerably.
"It's time."
Lin Yuan slowly opened his eyes. His normally deep eyes were exceptionally bright and clear at this moment.
Putting away the hand seals of the Heavenly Heart Soul Art, he slowly stood up and took a step forward.
Immediately, a faint ripple spread through space. After his figure trembled slightly, he strangely vanished from the bluestone platform atop the mountain.
A faint rumble of thunder sounded as a blurry figure flashed toward the center of the Inner Academy at an almost teleportation-like speed.
At the center of the Inner Academy stood a towering flight of stone steps. At the end of those steps was a small platform roughly a zhang in area.
This was the highest point of the Inner Academy and also the place where Mang Tian Chi cultivated when he was in the Inner Academy.
At a certain moment, a faint rumble of thunder sounded, and Lin Yuan's figure gently landed on the stone platform.
He raised his eyes and looked around. The entire scenery of the Inner Academy was laid out before him.
After sensing the surroundings of the platform, Lin Yuan nodded in satisfaction.
"What an ingenious and well-hidden spatial formation. As expected of a place used by a Dou Venerable-level Dean. Whether it's the concentration of energy or the level of security, both are absolutely excellent!"
To maximize the chances of successfully refining the pills, Su Qian had specifically opened this place temporarily and allowed Lin Yuan to use it freely.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. With a turn of his palm, the crimson Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron suddenly appeared and landed on the stone platform with a resounding clang.
"I'll start with the Venerable Beginning Pill..."
After deciding which pill to use to begin his journey as a Seventh-Grade Alchemist, Lin Yuan lightly waved his sleeve.
One medicinal ingredient after another immediately floated out from his Storage Ring.
Ninety-nine different medicinal ingredients, each wrapped in strands of Dou Qi, hovered in midair beyond the stone platform.
They resembled clusters of blue-green light and revolved around Lin Yuan like a small, dazzling galaxy.
Lin Yuan had not deliberately concealed either his actions or his aura, so he was quickly discovered by the others.
Throughout the Inner Academy, figures rapidly shot into the air and flew toward the stone platform, eventually stopping a hundred meters away and gazing toward Lin Yuan.
At the same time, space rippled, and Xiao Yixian, Su Qian, and Elder Huo successively stepped through the air, arriving near the stone platform.
The surrounding elders hurriedly bowed in greeting upon seeing them.
Su Qian casually waved his hand.
"There's no need for formalities. Don't disturb Lin Yuan's alchemy."
Elder Huo, standing nearby, stared fixedly at Lin Yuan, his eyes filled with excitement.
Lin Yuan's path as an Alchemist had been personally initiated and guided by him. Although they did not have the name of master and disciple, they possessed the substance of such a relationship.
Elder Huo knew Lin Yuan's temperament too well. He was the typical kind of person who planned everything thoroughly before taking action.
Therefore, even if it were a Seventh-Grade peak pill, the moment Lin Yuan decided to make a move, it meant that he already possessed a certain degree of confidence in succeeding.
Elder Huo was filled with confidence in him.
Now that Lin Yuan was about to reach a new pinnacle in the history of Jia Nan Academy's Alchemy Department, Elder Huo could hardly suppress his excitement.
Xiao Yixian said nothing. She simply focused her gray-purple eyes on Lin Yuan.
The sudden appearance of so many Inner Academy elders naturally caused a commotion among the students.
Following the elders' gazes, everyone looked toward the stone platform and saw the outstanding young man standing there.
"Lin Yuan? Is that Lin Yuan the former number-one genius of the Outer Academy?"
More than three years had passed since Lin Yuan entered the Inner Academy. Quite a few people who had known him when they were in the Outer Academy had gradually entered the Inner Academy as well.
"A genius? Are those two words really enough to describe our Lin Yuan-gege? At the very least, you should add the words 'peerless' in front of them. How ignorant can you be? Do you even know what cultivation level our Lin Yuan-gege has reached?"
"Lin Yuan? I heard that he became an elder a long time ago, so he must have reached the Dou King level."
"Dou King? I heard he's a Dou Emperor and a high-level Alchemist..."
"Dou Emperor? A Dou Emperor this young? How is that possible? Even if he had started cultivating from the moment he was born, he couldn't possibly advance that quickly..."
"Why is Senior Lin Yuan there?"
"Based on the rumors I've heard and the medicinal ingredients beside him, I'm guessing he's going to refine some kind of high-level pill. But what kind of pill requires so many medicinal ingredients.?"
"I'm completely confused. Is the Lin Yuan on that stone platform really the same person as the number-one genius of the Outer Academy, Lin Yuan, and the Lin Yuan that the Earth Demon Old Ghost sought out a few months ago?"
"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? But I can confirm that he's Senior Lin Yuan, the number-one genius of the Outer Academy."
"Senior Lin Yuan seems much more handsome than Senior Lin Xiuya. He should be the number-one handsome man in our Jia Nan Academy, right.?"
The whispers of countless students spread throughout the Inner Academy like a tide.
As the tide of discussion spread, more and more students emerged from various parts of the academy. They raised their heads and gazed toward the young man standing on the stone platform high in the sky.
Looking at this figure who was almost like an "academy legend," the students wore various expressions. Some were confused, some awestruck, and some filled with admiration.
But the most common emotion was unfamiliarity.
And this was understandable.
After Lin Yuan entered the Inner Academy, he immediately became an Elder and rarely appeared before the students.
Later, after becoming a candidate for the position of Grand Elder, the academy's higher-ups had sealed away information about him in order to protect him.
Even now, most of the Elders did not know much about Lin Yuan, let alone the students of the Inner Academy.
Only after Lin Yuan returned this time did Su Qian feel that he had already grown strong enough and had passed the stage of "when a tree grows taller than the forest, the wind will destroy it." He therefore began releasing various pieces of information about Lin Yuan, establishing the prestige he would need as the future Grand Elder within the Inner Academy.
However, Lin Yuan's rate of growth over these four years had been far too abnormal.
Under such circumstances, even with Su Qian releasing various pieces of information, it was difficult for everyone to connect the Lin Yuan from these different periods together. Quite a few people assumed they were simply different people who happened to share the same name.
After all, a Dou Grandmaster, a Dou King, and a powerhouse capable of contending with the Earth Demon Old Ghost were truly difficult to associate with one another.
"Isn't this place too noisy? Won't it disturb him while he's refining the pill?" Xiao Yixian slightly furrowed her brows as she looked at the commotion below.
"Hehe, Xiao Yixian, you can rest assured." Su Qian waved his hand and explained with a smile, "That stone platform is the cultivation ground of the Dean. There is a spatial formation he personally established around it that can isolate all external disturbances."
"That boy Lin has kept a low profile these past few years. It's time for everyone to get to know the future Grand Elder."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yixian nodded and devoted some of her attention to guarding the surroundings.
Pan Gate Headquarters.
Xiao Yan, who had already broken through to the five-star Dou Spirit realm, stood side by side with Gu Xun'er, both gazing toward Lin Yuan on the stone platform.
At this moment, Yao Lao floated out of the Bone Flame Ring. He gazed faintly toward Lin Yuan and murmured, "Ninety-nine medicinal ingredients. It seems he's going to refine the Venerable Beginning Pill. If he can successfully refine it, refining the Bone Melting Blood Fusion Pill should be no problem for him either."
"Lin boy, let this old man see your true strength in alchemy."
"Venerable Beginning Pill, a Seventh-Grade Peak Pill?"
Xiao Yan murmured. The pride he had felt after successfully refining a Fifth-Grade pill two days ago had faded, and his expression became considerably more solemn.
"This opponent really isn't on the same level as those I faced before! Fortunately, once I advance to the Sixth-Grade, Teacher will teach me a soul cultivation technique."
"Right now, I'm a Fifth-Grade Alchemist while he's a Seventh-Grade Alchemist. There are still seven years before the next Pill Gathering. I should have a chance to catch up to him."
Although he felt somewhat anxious, once he thought of the many forms of support Yao Lao could provide, Xiao Yan's confidence quickly recovered.
Gu Xun'er's expression remained calm, but as she gazed at Lin Yuan, traces of struggle occasionally flashed through her eyes.
Everyone had their own thoughts, but none of them could affect Lin Yuan any longer.
On the stone platform, Lin Yuan took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes, eliminating all distracting thoughts.
The detailed process for refining the Venerable Beginning Pill slowly flowed through his mind.
After approximately fifteen minutes, Lin Yuan slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was as deep as an unfathomable pool.
Suddenly, a flash of azure light appeared in his deep eyes.
The Green Lotus Core Flame immediately surged upward. With a flick of his finger, the azure flame traced a beautiful arc through the air and fell into the medicinal cauldron, instantly erupting.
Roaring azure flames surged and churned within the cauldron.
The scorching temperature spread outward, causing the surrounding air to gradually become increasingly hot.
"The temperature is about right."
After sensing the temperature inside the medicinal cauldron, Lin Yuan nodded lightly.
With a casual wave of his sleeve, a powerful gust of wind surged forth, sweeping one of the five primary ingredients of the Venerable Beginning Pill, the Primordial Spirit Branch, along with more than a dozen auxiliary ingredients into the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron.
With a thought, an incomparably vast soul force suddenly poured out.
"This what an incredibly powerful soul force."
Elder Huo was startled. He looked at Lin Yuan with lingering fear. For a moment just now, he had even felt an urge to kneel in submission.
"Just how far has this boy Lin's soul cultivation reached now?"
Compared with ordinary cultivators, Elder Huo possessed exceptionally strong soul perception. Therefore, he could feel Lin Yuan's powerful soul force more clearly than anyone else.
His own soul force as a Sixth-Grade Alchemist was like a mere firefly compared to the bright moon that was Lin Yuan's soul.
Lin Yuan paid no attention to everyone's thoughts.
With a thought, dozens of azure fire dragons leapt out from the scorching sea of flames within the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron.
Their jaws opened wide, swallowing the various medicinal ingredients one after another.
Lin Yuan formed a profound hand seal, and the dozens of fire dragons crossed and converged.
"Condense!"
With a soft shout, the mass of azure flames formed by the converging fire dragons twisted and transformed.
A green flame lotus containing dozens of "lotus seeds" condensed into existence.
Upon closer inspection, one would discover that each "lotus seed" contained a medicinal ingredient. Furthermore, each lotus seed was connected to the central lotus seed containing the Primordial Spirit Branch through a series of tiny channels.
Under the high temperature of refinement, the essence of the auxiliary ingredients was rapidly extracted and then flowed toward the primary ingredient.
Nourished by the essence of more than a dozen auxiliary ingredients, the Primordial Spirit Branch rapidly became as translucent as emerald jade.
Then, under the extraction of the Green Lotus Core Flame, a drop of emerald-green medicinal essence was extracted.
One of the difficulties in refining the Venerable Beginning Pill was that it placed an extremely high demand on both soul force and flame control.
When extracting the five primary ingredients of the Venerable Beginning Pill, the auxiliary ingredients had to be extracted simultaneously so that their conflicting properties could be neutralized in advance.
At the same time, the temperature had to be precisely and delicately controlled for numerous medicinal ingredients with different medicinal properties, allowing their essences to be extracted and neutralized separately.
This process placed extraordinarily strict requirements on both soul force and flame control.
However, for Lin Yuan, whose soul had already reached the Half-Step Spirit Realm, these requirements could no longer pose any obstacle.
As Lin Yuan completely entered the state of alchemy, the hand seals in his hands began changing rapidly. Various techniques flashed before the eyes in dazzling succession, while his soul force occasionally surged explosively.
The medicinal ingredients sometimes transformed into medicinal powder and sometimes into medicinal liquid. The entire process was extraordinarily complicated.
Even those watching from the side felt dazzled and overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of the operations.
Yet amid these intricate procedures, the refinement of the Venerable Beginning Pill was steadily and rapidly progressing.
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