Chapter 31: Shocking the Three Pill Tower Elders
When the Dou Wang attendant saw Xiao Yan write "Imperial Extreme Pill" on the paper, he froze for a moment before his face filled with astonishment.
"Are you really going to refine the Imperial Extreme Pill?" he couldn't help but ask, staring at Xiao Yan's youthful face.
The Imperial Extreme Pill was a sixth tier pill, and not just any sixth tier pill it was one of the finest and most difficult to refine in its class.
"Is there a problem?" Xiao Yan responded with a polite smile.
"N no, no problem at all!" The Dou Wang quickly shook his head and turned to submit the paper and prepare the materials.
The Pill Tower, being wealthy and resourceful, had promised to provide materials for anything below the seventh tier. Two sets of materials for the Imperial Extreme Pill were nothing to them, so the Dou Wang had no objections. However, he couldn't suppress the shock in his heart as he recalled Xiao Yan's youthful, almost tender appearance.
The Elder's Reaction
"Elder, this is what Medicine Master Yao Chen's disciple is planning to refine!" The Dou Wang handed the slip of paper to a high ranking seventh tier elder.
"Hmm?" The elder nodded absentmindedly as he glanced at the note. The next moment, his eyes widened to the size of saucers.
"The Imperial Extreme Pill!" He looked toward the white robed youth in the square, his gaze fixed on Xiao Yan's youthful yet composed face.
"Proceed. It's just two sets of materials for the Imperial Extreme Pill," the elder finally said, though he fell silent as he pondered.
A fifteen year old attempting to refine a sixth tier pill, especially one as complex as the Imperial Extreme Pill, was unheard of. In his long career, he had seen many talented alchemists, but never anyone with such boldness or skill at this age.
Pill Tower's Highest Level
In the highest chamber of the Pill Tower, the three Pill Tower Elders Xuan Kong Zi, Tian Lei Zi, and Xuan Yi were gathered alongside Yao Chen.
"Hoho, there are quite a few remarkable young talents in this competition," Yao Chen remarked with a smile as he observed the bustling square below.
"Hmph, old thing. I think you just want to show off that disciple of yours," Xuan Yi quipped, rolling her eyes at Yao Chen.
"Hoho," Yao Chen chuckled, his expression brimming with mystery and satisfaction.
Even Xuan Kong Zi couldn't help but feel curious. Knowing Yao Chen's usual demeanor, it was clear that Xiao Yan's alchemy skills must be exceptional to make him so confident.
"He must at least be a fifth tier alchemist," Xuan Kong Zi mused. "Maybe even a peak fifth tier."
If that were true, then Xiao Yan's talent was truly extraordinary. Xuan Kong Zi glanced down at the square, where the white robed youth stood confidently. Xiao Yan's smile was calm and radiant as he bantered with Cao Ying and teased the bashful Dan Chen, making the latter's cheeks flush red.
Materials Delivered
By this time, the Dou Wang attendants had returned, each holding a tray with a spatial ring.
"Here are your materials," one attendant said, handing the ring to Xiao Yan.
"Thank you." Xiao Yan ended his banter with Cao Ying, inspecting the materials with his soul perception. While the Pill Tower was unlikely to make a mistake, caution was always wise, especially in something as delicate as alchemy.
Once he confirmed the materials were correct, he placed the ring by his side.
"Hmph! Do you think the Pill Tower would make a mistake?" Cao Ying snorted, mocking Xiao Yan's meticulousness.
"Attention to detail is how you respect yourself. Would you trust something as important as your own success entirely to others?" Xiao Yan countered, his tone calm and instructive.
Cao Ying huffed but, surprisingly, began inspecting her own materials as well.
The Competition Begins
DONG!
A deep chime echoed across the square, silencing the audience.
"It's time. Participants, prepare yourselves. The competition officially begins now!" a Pill Tower elder announced.
As his words fell, flames of every color and intensity erupted across the arena, filling over a thousand cauldrons simultaneously. The sight was a spectacle of light and heat, and the crowd burst into cheers of excitement.
Xiao Yan Begins
While the other participants began, Xiao Yan didn't waste time. He opened his mouth slightly, releasing a small green flame shaped like a lion. The flame darted into his cauldron, instantly igniting it with vibrant green fire.
"What is he planning to refine?" Cao Ying wondered, narrowing her eyes as she observed Xiao Yan.
However, she quickly collected herself. Refining pills required utmost concentration, and distractions could lead to failure.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan was already ahead, his focus unwavering. He retrieved a sixth tier fire type magical beast core from his ring and tossed it into the cauldron.
Boom!
The core was enveloped by the green flames and began to melt under their intense heat.
Even with his current level of Dou Qi and fire control, Xiao Yan estimated it would take at least an hour to fully refine the core's essence.
The Process
While his flames worked on the magical beast core, Xiao Yan continued multitasking. He directed the fire to separate strands, using them to purify over a dozen medicinal ingredients simultaneously.
"Voidless Grass, Spirit Washing Cold Marrow..."
After half an hour, the core had melted into a radiant red liquid, while the medicinal essences had been expertly extracted. Xiao Yan then combined them in a precise sequence, neutralizing the fire attribute of the core and leaving behind a colorless, pure liquid.
The first step of refining the Imperial Extreme Pill was to strip the core of its elemental properties and purify it into a neutral state.
"Excellent," Xiao Yan muttered, placing the purified liquid into a warm jade bottle for safekeeping.
Cao Ying's Efforts
Nearby, Cao Ying was meticulously refining her ingredients for the Dou Spirit Pill. Her forehead glistened with sweat, reflecting her intense focus.
Watching her progress, Xiao Yan felt a flicker of gratitude for Yao Chen's rigorous guidance. Without the past seven days of high intensity training, he might not have been able to outpace her so decisively.
"This time, I'll conquer you completely," Xiao Yan thought, his lips curling into a mischievous smile.
Casting another glance at Dan Chen, who was quietly focused on her own task, Xiao Yan took a deep breath and retrieved a radiant golden vine from his ring.
The Three Elders' Shock
Above the square, the Pill Tower Elders and Yao Chen were closely observing the competition.
When they saw Xiao Yan refining a sixth tier magical beast core and pulling out the legendary Imperial Vine, their expressions shifted dramatically.
"Purifying a sixth tier beast core... and using Imperial Extreme Vine?!"
Xuan Kong Zi turned to Yao Chen with a stunned expression.
"Yao Chen, your disciple could he be attempting to refine the Imperial Extreme Pill?"
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