Chapter 77: Heaven Cauldron Black Demon!

"The terrain here is rather peculiar. Rare medicinal herbs growing together on such a large scale are rarely seen in the outside world. I hope I can refine a Fourth-Rank Pill within a month."

Xiao Yan had already made up his mind to raise his Alchemy to Fourth-Rank and refine the Soul-Gathering Pill.

Xiao Yan's Spiritual Heart Soul Gathering had already been cultivated to the late stage of Minor Accomplishment several months ago, and his Soul Strength was equivalent to the late stage of mid Common Realm, fully sufficient to refine a Fourth-Rank Pill.

Coupled with the help of the Void Swallowing Flame sub-flame, Xiao Yan had enough to refine a Fourth-Rank Pill. The only problem now was his lack of Alchemy experience.

Xiao Yan's hard conditions were already in place to refine a Fourth-Rank Pill; what he lacked was practical experience.

In the secluded Small Valley, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian lived quietly, each absorbed in their own pursuits—one diligently cultivating his Alchemy, the other painstakingly studying her poison scripture. Apart from teasing each other at mealtimes, these peaceful days were quite leisurely and fulfilling.

It was also thanks to the Small Valley's medicinal herbs growing extremely fast, with precious Medicinal Materials everywhere. Combined with the several months Xiao Yan spent as a wild man in the Mo Shou Shan Mai, collecting plenty of Magic Cores, this provided him with a "free experience-gathering" opportunity.

Boom! An explosion sounded from within the Cave. Xiao Yixian, who was studying her poison scripture inside the thatched hut, merely glanced over indifferently. Long since used to it, she shook her head helplessly.

Over the past dozen or so days, Xiao Yan could be said to have caused explosions several times every day; furnace blowouts were routine.

"Cough, cough, cough." Xiao Yan walked out of the black smoke covered in soot. Fourth-Rank Pills were not that easy to refine.

Over these dozen or so days, Xiao Yan had not successfully refined a single Fourth-Rank Pill.

After all, Fourth-Rank Pills marked the beginning of a watershed. First to Third-Rank Pills were mostly mediocre in effect—some healed wounds, some restored Dou Qi—while only Fourth-Rank Pills and above possessed truly Shen Mi Zhi Yi effects.

When a Fourth-Rank Pill or above was successfully refined, Pill Fragrance would permeate the air, accompanied by energy fluctuations.

"Pah, pah, pah! This Alchemy Furnace actually cracked!" Waiting for the black smoke to clear, Xiao Yan walked into the Cave and discovered that the Alchemy Furnace had been blown to pieces!

But then again, this Alchemy Furnace was only a three-mouth Alchemy Furnace, generally used only for refining Third-Rank Pills. It could no longer withstand the Infernal Heat of the grown Void Swallowing Flame sub-flame.

Xiao Yan looked at the shattered Alchemy Furnace on the ground, thought for a moment, then took out an Alchemy Furnace from his storage ring.

An entirely pitch-black Alchemy Furnace appeared before Xiao Yan.

The Alchemy Furnace was quite stout in build, with a steady aura faintly lingering all over its body. The surface of the Alchemy Furnace was also painted with lifelike flame totems; as it slowly rotated, these flame totems actually seemed as real as physical objects.

This Alchemy Furnace was something that had been stored in the storage ring from the start. Xiao Yan guessed that this Alchemy Furnace should have been used by the storage ring's original owner.

However, Xiao Yan had never used this Alchemy Furnace for Spirit Refining, because this Alchemy Furnace was no ordinary object—it was the Black Demon, ranked eighth on the Heaven Cauldron List!

The Heaven Cauldron List contained only thirteen Alchemy Furnaces in total, and this pitch-black Alchemy Furnace before him was one of them.

"Truly a fine treasure."

No matter how many times he looked, Xiao Yan could not help but sigh at the beauty and Baba of this Alchemy Furnace.

Xiao Yan had always been afraid to use it, because the Black Demon possessed a special effect: when using the Black Demon to refine Elixirs, the Alchemist would enter a state of obsessive focus on Spirit Refining, a selfless state that eliminated all distracting thoughts, and Soul Force would enter an extremely sensitive state, thereby greatly increasing the success rate.

But this was not necessarily a good thing, because once one became too focused and lost oneself in Spirit Refining, it was possible for Soul Force to be overdrawn, ultimately turning one into a deranged idiot.

Like walking into demonic deviation, hence the name Black Demon.

"Since the Alchemy Furnace blew up, perhaps this is heaven telling me to try using the Black Demon."

Xiao Yan gently stroked the lifelike flame patterns on the Black Demon. After these dozen or so days of Spirit Refining and cultivating the Spiritual Heart Soul Gathering, Xiao Yan's Soul Force was now comparable to a peak Fourth-Rank Alchemist; otherwise, Xiao Yan would not have dared to try using the Black Demon.

Sitting cross-legged, Xiao Yan slowly circulated the Spiritual Heart Soul Gathering to restore his Soul Force.

After quite a while, through the restoration of the Spiritual Heart Soul Gathering, Xiao Yan's Soul Force recovered to its peak state.

With a flick of his finger, a wisp of Black Flame burrowed into the Black Demon. When flame entered the Black Demon, the lifelike flames on the Alchemy Furnace actually emitted a strange glow.

It automatically gathered the surrounding flame energy, rapidly raising the temperature of the Alchemy Furnace, actually causing the temperature of the Black Flame to rise once more.

Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened, his eyes resolute, as Soul Force emanated from his body. The instant Xiao Yan controlled his Soul Force into the Black Demon, he suddenly discovered that all the sounds around him had vanished!

In his mind, apart from the Pill Formula, there were no other thoughts.

His palms swept rapidly over the table, and one by one Medicinal Materials were grabbed into Xiao Yan's hands, then all tossed into the Alchemy Furnace in one go.

At this moment, Xiao Yan's expression was extremely calm, with not the slightest trace of distracting thought in his eyes, his mind completely focused. His young hands suddenly began to wave rapidly, as if plucking flowers and leaves.

And as Xiao Yan's fingertips danced like playing the piano, the scorching Black Flame within the Black Demon obediently transformed into a dozen or so small clusters of flame, wrapping around the Medicinal Materials that had been thrown in, continuously extracting the essence of the medicines.

A series of fluid motions, actually possessing a hint of the composure Hun Xu Zi had when refining back then!

That time Hun Xu Zi refined had definitely left an enormous impact on Xiao Yan's heart; one could say it had given Xiao Yan a touch of Enlightenment, bringing him a sudden sense of clarity.

And now, Xiao Yan had finally thoroughly comprehended it through the Black Demon.

The dark flames danced enchantingly, and after a period of time, a faint Pill Fragrance began to permeate the air.

Within the flame-tossing Alchemy Furnace, a thumb-sized pale blue Pill embryo slowly took shape under the flame's forging.

Suddenly, at a certain moment, a heart-penetrating Pill Fragrance suddenly emanated from the Alchemy Furnace, and a Medicinal Mist lingered without dissipating.

Xiao Yan withdrew his Soul Force with a pull, reaching out toward the Black Demon. That pale blue Pill was spat out by the Black Demon and obediently landed in Xiao Yan's palm, which he placed into a Pill Bottle.

Xiao Yan didn't even glance at the Pill, casually tossing it aside, then took out other medicinal herbs from his storage ring, intending to refine more Elixirs.

With Xiao Yan's current strength, refining one Fourth-Rank Pill was his limit; refining another would definitely cause overdraft.

Just as Xiao Yan flicked the Black Flame into the Black Demon, the Void Swallowing Flame within the Black Demon suddenly erupted. Overwhelming Black Flame spewed from the mouth of the Alchemy Furnace, countless Black Flames directly enveloping the entire Alchemy Furnace.

!!!!

The Void Swallowing Flame's devouring of the Black Demon was equivalent to isolating the Black Demon. Losing the Black Demon's influence, Xiao Yan was suddenly jolted awake.

"Ha!" A wave of exhaustion surged into his heart, and Xiao Yan, whose Soul Force was severely depleted, lay on the ground panting continuously.

"This Black Demon is too dangerous. Good thing Mao Wu has spiritual awareness and sensed I was in danger, otherwise I might have overdrawn my Soul Force."

Xiao Yan still remembered what had just happened. After his Soul Force entered the Black Demon, he seemed to have entered a selfless state. If not for the Void Swallowing Flame's devouring ability, Xiao Yan would likely have completely exhausted his Soul Force.

After recalling the Void Swallowing Flame, Xiao Yan looked at the Black Demon with lingering fear. It truly lived up to its reputation as the eighth-ranked Alchemy Furnace on the Heaven Cauldron List; its effects were indeed bizarre.

Xiao Yan turned his head to look at the Pill Bottle on the ground, and seeing that the Soul-Gathering Pill had been successfully refined, he also breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he could successfully refine one Fourth-Rank Pill, refining other Fourth-Rank Pills afterward would be easier.

"I still need to find another Alchemy Furnace. I shouldn't use the Black Demon unless absolutely necessary." Pah.

(End of this chapter)