https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-654-Tribulation-Pills-Tribulation-Pills-/12947133/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-656-The-Promise-of-the-Eight-Peaks/12966074/
Chapter 655: The Master Alchemist
Chapter 655: The Master Alchemist
"..."
In the dimly lit room, Ye Lan stared fixedly at the dishes on the table, her expression from earlier completely gone, leaving only an unshakeable indifference.
Just a moment ago, at the Eight Peaks Council, she had mentioned a few matters.
Before even a day had passed, someone had once again stepped into this small courtyard.
As coldness flashed in Ye Lan's eyes, the candlelight in the room suddenly stopped flickering, freezing on the wall, and the entire courtyard seemed to become ethereal, as if isolated from the world.
The courtyard was filled with lush trees and rustling leaves, but the sounds abruptly ceased.
The shadows of leaves on the ground gradually took on the shape of swords.
In the blink of an eye, the two elders behind Liu Ruifeng were drenched in cold sweat, their backs straightening, and their faces uncontrollably trembling.
In comparison, Liu Ruifeng, who was neither as old nor as skilled as them, appeared calm and composed, his eyes filled with an intense excitement.
At this moment, he was more eager than anyone for Ye Lan to make a move.
His father was watching this place, and he knew he wouldn't be in any danger to his life, at most, he would suffer severe injuries.
Those Senior Uncles and Senior Masters might feel guilty, which was why they refused to speak up and joined forces to take away this woman's Peak Master position.
If this woman attacked a fellow disciple from another peak without reason, and that disciple happened to be the only one who could refine Tribulation Pills... Tsk, fighting amongst themselves would affect the Great Dao of their Senior Master, and the entire Divine Void Mountain would not tolerate her!
Thinking of this, Liu Ruifeng's breathing gradually became heavier.
To exchange half his life for a Peak Master position was simply too good a deal!
Just then, the candlelight on the table suddenly returned to normal, and the sword shadows on the ground quickly retracted, transforming back into the shape of branches and leaves.
Liu Ruifeng's face twitched slightly.
He saw that the black-robed youth had, at some point, placed his palm on Ye Lan's hand, gently pressing down to stop this invisible storm filled with endless killing intent.
"Good."
Shen Yi withdrew his hand, glanced outside the room, his expression unchanged, and then took out a jade slip, swiping his finger across it.
The next moment, all the confusions he encountered during his deduction were recorded into the jade slip.
Shen Yi tossed the jade slip over and lightly nodded, "Thank you."
"..."
Liu Ruifeng took the jade slip, his face looking strange, and he remained silent for a long time before he could speak.
What nonsense! Can't he even understand what's being said? Coming here to take back their Pill Peak, and actually wanting me to help solve his doubts, treating my Sixth Peak like a pushover, am I a fool?
"What, do you regret it?" Ye Lan glanced at her hand, slightly curling her fingers.
In the past, she would never have let Liu Ruifeng leave the Fifth Peak unscathed, because she didn't care about these things at all, otherwise, she wouldn't have directly left Divine Void Mountain.
But the situation was different now, and she couldn't act as freely as before.
Hearing this, the two elders gently bumped Liu Ruifeng with their shoulders, "..."
The words were already spoken, and if he changed his mind now, wouldn't it confirm that he had come to provoke them?
"That, that's impossible."
Liu Ruifeng forced a smile, immersing his mind into the jade slip, and after reading its contents, his smile became more genuine.
It had to be said that this new kid was indeed a talented alchemist.
His basic skills were extremely solid.
No wonder Ye Lan had brought him all the way to Divine Void Mountain and even had unrealistic thoughts.
But, judging from these questions alone, this person was likely from a small family, far from reaching the level of Tribulation Pills, and there was an unknown gap between them.
By the time he mastered alchemy, it would be too late.
Thinking of this, Liu Ruifeng closed his eyes, although his answer was a bit perfunctory, he didn't intentionally leave any wrong answers.
No matter what, this person was still an alchemist, and wanting to lead him astray wasn't something that could be done on a whim. If this kid discovered something amiss, he might use it against him later, which would instead affect his own reputation.
To secure the Peak Master position of Pill Peak, Liu Ruifeng needed a 'justification' more than Ye Lan, and that was to think of everything for the sake of their Senior Master.
With victory already in hand, why create more trouble?
"The Void Treasure Pill is too profound for you; this Azure Dragon Blood Jade Pill is an entry-level Tribulation Pill. It only requires infusing one tribulation power to be considered complete, and it's more suitable for your practice."
Of course, even though Liu Ruifeng knew that Shen Yi's alchemy cultivation was shallow, he still wasn't willing to hand over the recipe for the Void Treasure Pill, so he casually gave him an entry-level pill recipe and told him to figure it out slowly.
"Thank you." Shen Yi reached out and took back the jade slip.
"Don't mention it, if you need anything, just ask." Liu Ruifeng nodded, his expression unreadable.
His main purpose for coming to the courtyard today was to provoke Ye Lan and, secondly, to investigate the new disciple's abilities.
Although he didn't see this woman take action, after investigating, he found that her alchemy skills were only so-so, and she could only fool around with this outsider.
To think of taking away the Pill Peak was nothing but a pipe dream.
"Senior Sister, it's getting late, and I won't disturb you further." Liu Ruifeng bowed respectfully and turned to leave with the two elders, heading downhill.
The two elders finally breathed a sigh of relief once they reached the foot of the mountain, still feeling the lingering fear. "It's unimaginable that this woman, having left Shenxu Mountain, could still make such rapid progress in her cultivation, even without the sect's resources. If she had stayed at Dan Peak, she would have likely reached the Fourth Rank by now!"
The Fourth Rank was the title for Immortal Officials, but among cultivators, the Fifth Rank was when one could attain the Dao Fruit. The next step was to further cultivate and evolve the Dao Fruit, creating their unique variations.
Even among the Eight Peak Masters, only two had yet to reach this realm.
Could it be that her lack of talent in Alchemy was compensated for by her exceptional innate talent for cultivation?
"What's the use?" Liu Ruifeng scoffed, disdainfully saying, "No matter how powerful one's abilities are, can they surpass that of Senior Master?"
To put it bluntly, with a Great Enlightenment Immortal overseeing the sect, his longevity seemed eternal to ordinary cultivators, almost akin to immortality.
As long as he didn't perish in the tribulations, the Fifth and Sixth Rank disciples were no different under his guidance.
"So, how serious is the situation?" The two elders slowly came to a stop.
"What problem? By the time that person refines the Tribulation Pill, Senior Master will likely have already emerged from seclusion in anger."
Liu Ruifeng raised an eyebrow and looked up at the peak of the mountain.
If the Ancestor statue wouldn't let him, then he would just have to use his own statue.
...
Inside the courtyard of Dan Peak, within a room.
"Is there a problem?" Ye Lan coughed lightly, her eyes shifting uneasily, feeling somewhat uncomfortable looking at the youth beside her.
As the Peak Master, it was embarrassing to need the youth's reminder for such a minor matter.
"There's no problem," Shen Yi said, holding the jade slip and quietly absorbing its contents.
With his six tribulations' worth of experience in thoroughly reading the foundation of Dan Peak's Secret Law Pavilion's alchemy books, he could discern truth from falsehood with a glance.
"Should we stay at Shenxu Mountain now, or should we return first and come back after you've made progress in your alchemy?" Ye Lan asked softly.
Hearing this, Ye Jing slightly lowered her eyes, having already been through enough surprises for the night.
Ever since they arrived at Dan Peak, her sister seemed to have become Shen Yi's... assistant.
Was this the same Yanlan General who was renowned throughout Southern Nanzhou?
"Let's try it first."
Shen Yi didn't dare to be too firm, mainly because the demonic beast's lifespan was almost up.
With nothing in his pockets, he couldn't muster the courage.
Qinghua was already doing her best to clear the way, but after such a long wait, they had barely managed to gather two tribulations' worth of lifespan, which was better than nothing.
There weren't many demonic beasts bold enough to challenge the immortal soldiers.
He stretched lazily, put down the jade slip, and headed towards the Alchemy Workshop at the mountain's waist.
"Try it?"
The two sisters looked up at the youth's departing figure, their faces filled with bewilderment.
What was he planning to do?
...
Under the curious gazes of many disciples, Shen Yi slowly walked into an alchemy room.
Instead of immediately starting the alchemy, he sat cross-legged in front of the alchemy furnace, supporting his chin as he sank into deep thought.
According to the jade slip, the biggest difference between the Tribulation Pill and ordinary medicinal pills was how to retain the tribulation power contained within the ingredients.
Those with profound skills could preserve up to eighty to ninety percent of it.
As for those with rudimentary skills... it would be impressive if they could retain even a trace of tribulation power in the refined pill.
And this so-called skill, aside from innate talent, required an enormous amount of heavenly materials and treasures for practice.
【Sixth Stage. Azure Dragon Blood Jade Pill Book: Uninitiated】
【Remaining Demonic Beast Lifespan: Two Tribulations】
"Tsk."
Shen Yi shook his head; he couldn't provide these precious ingredients containing tribulation power.
Fortunately, this was Dan Peak.
He softly called in a disciple on duty and listed the required ingredients: "Please help me gather a few portions."
"A few, a few portions?"
The disciple on duty stared at the list, standing there in shock for a long time before stammering, "Senior Uncle, these items are quite limited in stock on the mountain..."
How could they give such valuable resources to an outsider for practice?
No one on Dan Peak had ever received such treatment.
"I'll go and ask. I'll try my best to send you one portion."
But thinking of the fact that this person was brought back by Ye Lan, the disciple on duty gritted his teeth, not daring to refuse the request.
...
Shen Yi watched the disciple walk away, feeling speechless.
He was sure the disciple didn't have any ulterior motives, but from this reaction, it seemed true that the ingredients were indeed limited.
Could he only rely on his own talent? It should be fine.
Shen Yi recalled the events in the Nanyang treasure land. If not for his decent alchemy skills, how could he have competed with that old dog in the end?
Soon, the disciple on duty returned with a green ring: "Senior Uncle, all the ingredients are here... Please use them sparingly."
There was only one portion; how could he use them sparingly?
What he really wanted to say was, "Let's not refine it..."
This Senior Uncle, ever since he arrived at Dan Peak, whether it was meticulously selecting items in the Secret Law Pavilion or merely reading the alchemy books for two days, wanted to attempt refining the Tribulation Pill. These actions were far from what a normal person would do.
"You may leave now."
Shen Yi stood up, exhaling softly, and carefully removed all the medicinal ingredients from the finger ring, arranging them neatly on the shelf.
His gaze was calm, and his expression became increasingly serene.
Immediately, the demonic beast's lifespan essence was infused into the pill formula.
As he activated the furnace flame, Shen Yi's entire being seemed to transform as he skillfully gathered the medicinal ingredients, attempting to preserve the tribulation energy within them during the refinement process.
Several precious and rare medicinal herbs were consecutively added to the alchemy furnace, and the entire process flowed smoothly, seamlessly executed.
The furnace roared to life, emitting fragrant medicinal aromas.
Over the course of days and nights, the entire process lasted for a full three days! Shen Yi stood with his hands clasped, silently observing the alchemy furnace, his eyes seemingly capable of seeing through the furnace walls, scrutinizing the gradually forming pill within.
His composed demeanor hinted at a touch of the master's demeanor.
After a moment, he exhaled softly.
Indeed, it was still not enough.
The Azure Dragon Blood Jade Pill had been refined, but the remaining tribulation energy...
To put it simply, one tribulation equated to 129,600 years.
Shen Yi had managed to preserve around 600 years' worth of tribulation energy in this pill.
Those with profound skills could retain eight or nine-tenths of it, so what level was retaining only one-tenth?
He wasn't entirely sure.
But if he were to take this pill out, forget about helping Ye Lan regain her position as the Peak Master, Shen Yi doubted he could even obtain the next batch of medicinal ingredients.
He was just an ordinary person, devoid of exceptional talent.
To refine a high-quality Tribulation Pill, one still needed a substantial amount of medicinal ingredients for practice; there were no shortcuts.
However, he feared he didn't have the luxury of time to waste at Shenxu Mountain.
Shen Yi wasn't surprised by this outcome; he had been pondering another issue all along.
Since these medicinal ingredients inherently possessed the ability to withstand tribulation energy, the pills refined from them should possess the same characteristic.
If so, why couldn't the pills refine themselves?
Shen Yi watched the nearly formed pill, and once again, the robust demonic beast's lifespan essence was infused into the Azure Dragon Blood Jade Pill.
"The first tribulation, you have already memorized this formula inside and out. Now, as you ignite the furnace and the pill takes shape, you don't rush to solidify it completely. Instead, you let it remain in the furnace for 129,600 years!"
A single embryonic pill remained in the alchemy furnace for a full 129,600 years!
The condensed medicinal ingredients, over this lengthy period, began to absorb the tribulation energy of heaven and earth anew!
...
"It's been three days. Why hasn't the furnace exploded yet?"
Several disciples on duty were gathered on the mountainside outside the alchemy workshop, whispering to each other.
"There's no need to underestimate him; he will definitely succeed in pill formation."
Surrounded by his disciples, Liu Ruifeng casually toyed with the finger ring, a hint of playful amusement on his lips. "However, regarding tribulation energy, there's no way much of it could be preserved."
He was genuinely excited to see how the young man would react when he emerged with a subpar pill, still bold enough to request the next batch.
The ingredients for the Azure Dragon Blood Jade Pill were indeed precious, but they weren't essential for the main task.
He wanted to see if the Peak Masters would dare to provide the ingredients for the Void Treasure Pill and let the young man play around with them.
Before he could finish speaking, the disciples behind him suddenly fell silent, then simultaneously bowed, "Greetings, Peak Master!"
On the mountain path, two women walked towards them, one in front of the other.
"Hmm."
Liu Ruifeng smiled silently, releasing the finger ring, and bowed towards the mountainside, "Greetings, Ye Master. Are you here for that fellow disciple? Don't worry, he's in the alchemy workshop. Counting the days, he should be done soon."
It was a polite remark, but with his peculiar tone, even a good-natured girl like Ye Jing couldn't help but glance at him.
Ye Lan seemed unaffected, silently staring at the alchemy workshop.
Only after Shen Yi entered the workshop did she realize what he meant by "give it a try."
A newly initiated third-generation disciple had taken a set of tribulation pill ingredients, and this news had spread throughout the Sixth Peak, becoming common knowledge.
Ye Lan didn't expect a positive outcome.
She only hoped that Shen Yi wouldn't be discouraged by the challenges of refining tribulation pills and the gossip of others, causing him to lose confidence.
As long as the pill wasn't too outrageous.
Even if she had to lose face, she would ensure his supply of medicinal ingredients for the future.
Just then, a golden light shone on Ye Lan's fair face, causing her to pause slightly.
In an instant, the golden light, like a rainbow, spread rapidly across the entire Fifth Peak.
"..."
The disciples narrowed their eyes, momentarily unsure of the source of this commotion.
Liu Ruifeng's palms stiffened in mid-air, his pupils entirely bathed in gold.
The smile on his lips visibly faded, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
The tribulation pill was complete, perfectly formed.
The medicinal ingredients, containing one tribulation's worth of energy, had been transformed into a pill containing the same amount of tribulation energy.
Not a single bit was lost; there was no dissipation.
(End of Chapter)
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