Chapter 815

Xiao Yan glanced once and knew that Cao Zi had no ability to refine an Imperial Grade Pill; though the Alchemy Furnace was brimming with energy and looked ready to complete, the end result would only be an explosion.

Cao Zi merely wanted to lure Xiao Yan out, assuming Xiao Yan would care about his status in the Ancient Myriad Grasslands and would intervene to stop him from becoming an Elder.

The result was, they overlooked that Xiao Yan came from a Lower Plane and didn't even know the Elder rules of the Ancient Myriad Grasslands, let alone what privileges Elders held.

He came today purely by chance.

He was merely a passing Alchemist driven by interest.

"Wasted a whole batch of fine Medicinal Materials," Xiao Yan couldn't help feeling pained for those precious materials—they were Medicinal Materials for an Imperial Grade Pill; back then, on the Dou Qi Continent, people fought bloody battles over a single Primitive Pill.

"Heaven has a path you refuse to take; hell has no door but you rush right in—hand over the Dimensional Embryo and the Pill Refining Inheritance, or today is your death day!" Cao Zi, seething with hatred toward Xiao Yan, gritted his teeth as he refined.

Losing publicly to Xiao Yan had ruined his reputation; he was even expelled from his sect by the Elders of the Ancient Myriad Grasslands, who despised him for losing a Pill Alchemy duel and shaming the Ancient Myriad Grasslands—so he devised this scheme to lure his enemy into a trap.

Xiao Yan looked at him calmly and lazily said, "Enough with your whining. Since I came, I had no intention of leaving. Debts must be paid—it's only natural. You owe me something, so I've come to collect."

"Bold words indeed!" A cold, deep voice rang out as Cao Shenzi stepped forward slowly; his Dharma Form unfolded gradually, as if the Dao itself were crushing this realm, suffocating all who felt it.

Cao Shenzi's cultivation was immensely powerful—he not only possessed an ultimate Sacred Artifact left by a Heavenly Supreme, but also had reached the peak of Earth Supreme cultivation.

Cao Shenzi's icy gaze flashed like lightning, capable of piercing through all before him; he glared coldly at Xiao Yan and said, "Daring to covet the Pill Refining Inheritance of the Ancient Myriad Grasslands—you are declaring war on the Ancient Myriad Grasslands!"

Xiao Yan smiled calmly and said, "Yes, yes, yes—save your villainous slander. Everyone in the world witnessed the Pill Alchemy duel; Cao Zi himself wagered the Ancient Myriad Grasslands' Pill Formula and Inheritance against me. You don't blame him for staking his inheritance, but blame me?"

"You speak recklessly even as death approaches!" Cao Shenzi's eyes turned terrifying; he hastily cut off Xiao Yan's words, for there was currently a powerful Elder of the Ancient Myriad Grasslands inside.

Xiao Yan slowly glanced at Cao Shenzi, shook his head with a smile, and said, "Bring out whatever tricks you have. But before you do, let me give you a warning: evacuate your old, weak, and frail. Otherwise, when this realm collapses, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"Hahaha!!" Upon hearing this, Cao Shenzi burst into wild laughter; even the many Elders and Guardians of the Heavenly Saint Sect couldn't help laughing, as if this were the funniest joke they'd ever heard.

Cao Shenzi's icy eyes shot lightning as he sneered, "Foolish creature—today you'll learn what it means to wish for death!"

"Wait."

!?!

"There's no need to rush just yet." At that moment, another cold voice rang out.

Boom! An old man stepped forward, instantly emerging from the depths of the Heavenly Saint Sect; with each step he took, heaven trembled and earth shook, his presence boundless.

The old man's body was not particularly imposing, yet he radiated an overwhelming aura of dominance—as if his entire power could erupt at any moment; his form subtly shifted, resembling a Celestial Lord's Spiritual Body.

"Sssss!! It's the Ancient Myriad Grasslands' Nu Shan Medicine Saint!"

"A peak-level Grandmaster Alchemist—the legendary Alchemist said to be on the verge of becoming a Grandmaster Alchemist!!" Upon seeing the old man, elderly Sect Masters and Clan Heads outside the Heavenly Saint Sect gasped in shock: "He—he was supposed to have retired! How is he appearing again?!"

"The Ancient Myriad Grasslands' Nu Shan Medicine Saint is said to be an ancient peak Earth Supreme who has lived for eons. His greatest achievement is refining a semi-Heavenly Supreme-grade Sacred Medicine—so even though he's not a Grandmaster Alchemist, he's still called Medicine Saint." Many on the Tian Sheng Continent had heard of this legendary figure; such a half-step Grandmaster Alchemist was a being even Heavenly Supremes treated with respect.

"Legend says he retired because his Pill Alchemy could no longer advance—he couldn't break through the Grandmaster bottleneck. Yet here he is, emerging again!" someone exclaimed in awe.

Many present exchanged glances; the only possible reason such a retired Alchemist would emerge was that Nu Shan Medicine Saint had set his eyes on Xiao Yan's Pill Refining Method.

As a half-step Grandmaster Alchemist who had lived countless ages, his power and wealth were incalculable; whether from the Ancient Myriad Grasslands or the Dan Shen Clan, he had likely acquired every known Pill Refining Method and even received direct instruction from a true Grandmaster Alchemist—yet still could not cross that final threshold.

So when he learned that a Lower Plane Alchemist like Xiao Yan had surpassed the Ancient Myriad Grasslands' Pill Refining Method, he saw hope.

If he could obtain Xiao Yan's Pill Refining Inheritance, he might finally break through the last bottleneck—become a Saint through Pill Alchemy, become a Heavenly Supreme through Pill Alchemy!

"Since Cao Zi's Pill Refining is nearing its end, let us wait until he finishes." At this moment, Nu Shan Medicine Saint glanced at Xiao Yan and spoke calmly.

"This…" Hearing Nu Shan Medicine Saint's words, Cao Shenzi's expression changed slightly; though Cao Zi was a rare Pill Alchemy prodigy for the Heavenly Saint Sect, he was insignificant in the Ancient Myriad Grasslands.

Even without Xiao Yan saying it, he knew Cao Zi lacked the ability to refine a Divine-Star Pill—and the Heavenly Saint Sect clearly had no strength to oppose Xiao Yan; they needed the Ancient Myriad Grasslands to act.

If Cao Zi failed to refine a Divine-Star Pill and remained merely an Ordinary Disciple, Nu Shan Medicine Saint would never intervene—so the Heavenly Saint Sect had devised this plan to stir Nu Shan Medicine Saint's interest with Xiao Yan's peerless Pill Refining Inheritance.

Hearing Nu Shan Medicine Saint's words, Xiao Yan's lips curled slightly in a faint smile. Nu Shan Medicine Saint's words carried hidden meaning—only fellow Alchemists of equal rank could understand the subtext.

Xiao Yan instantly saw that Cao Zi's refinement was doomed to fail; as a peak Grandmaster Alchemist, Nu Shan Medicine Saint could see it too—so there was absolutely no need to watch a guaranteed failure.

The reason Nu Shan Medicine Saint spoke this way was simple: he was secretly testing Xiao Yan's Pill Alchemy.

Both were Pill Alchemy Masters; their exchange of techniques wasn't limited to personally refining pills—subtle details alone could reveal the superiority of one Master's skill over another.

Nu Shan Medicine Saint had observed Cao Zi's entire refinement; though it had reached this stage, with his own Pill Alchemy prowess, he could still turn the tide and help Cao Zi complete the Pill—he was implying that if Xiao Yan's Pill Alchemy matched his own, he would not interfere in the Heavenly Saint Sect's affairs.

"If you want to watch, then watch—I too wish to see what level of Pill I can refine now." Xiao Yan stretched his neck, revealing a confident smile.

Now that Xiao Yan's Strange Fire was fully awakened, the Burning Scripture had evolved, and his Soul Power had surged forward, he was curious how precise his Pill Alchemy had become after this power boost.

Whoosh! Xiao Yan stomped on Space, a lightning arc flashing across his body; beneath his feet, thunder erupted; in a flash of Three Thousand Thunder, he appeared on Cao Zi's Alchemy Platform.

"You!"

Cao Shenzi was about to intervene, but Nu Shan Medicine Saint raised a hand to stop him, saying calmly, "Watch."

Cao Shenzi's face darkened, yet he dared not defy Nu Shan Medicine Saint; though both were peak Earth Supremes, their status differed vastly—Nu Shan Medicine Saint's single word could reduce the entire Heavenly Saint Sect to ashes.

"Weak Fire Control Power, uneven Soul Perception distribution, insufficient refinement, excessive impurities in medicinal substances, ignorance of the Medicinal Materials' nature—even the fundamental effects of this Pill are misunderstood before refining begins. With such talent, you'll never become a Grandmaster Alchemist." Xiao Yan's Soul Force swept into the Alchemy Furnace, confirming his assessment: Cao Zi's talent was mediocre—Golden Pill Alchemist was his absolute limit.

Roughly on par with Hun Xu Zi—or rather, even Hun Xu Zi's current Pill Alchemy surpassed Cao Zi's.

"Lies! You haven't even seen the Pill Formula!" Cao Zi's face flushed red; though he sensed his fusion would fail, being exposed publicly enraged him—he refused to admit it.

"Move aside. Waste of Medicinal Materials." Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened; instantly, an invisible Soul Slash struck Cao Zi.

Cao Zi spat a mouthful of blood and flew backward, crashing into the ground and carving out a deep crater. The gap between Cao Zi and Xiao Yan was like heaven and earth—they were not even on the same level.

"Spiritual Soul attack?!"

"Isn't that the power of the Domain Beyond demons?!"

Seeing Xiao Yan's Soul Slash, Nu Shan Medicine Saint frowned; Alchemists of the Great Thousand World cultivated Soul Perception, not Spiritual Soul attacks—they rarely used Spiritual Soul to strike opponents.

Seeing Xiao Yan knock Cao Zi flying with just a glance, some watching Alchemists tensed and said, "It's over—the furnace will explode!"

Without the Alchemist's control, the flames inside the Alchemy Furnace boiled like water; the furnace's energy exploded outward, the flames unbound, becoming fire tongues ready to devour everything within.

Xiao Yan's expression remained calm as still water; he pressed his palm onto the Alchemy Furnace, and instantly, a mass of Black Flame materialized inside—it swirled like a tornado, scouring the entire furnace; Cao Zi's flames were swiftly devoured and replaced by Mao Wu's.

Xiao Yan willed it, and within the furnace, countless hair-thin Black Flame threads—each one one-thousandth the thickness of a strand of hair—appeared; under his terrifyingly precise Fire Control Power, these threads darted through the fist-sized Primitive Pill like needles threading silk.

As each Black Flame thread pierced the Primitive Pill, a wisp of medicinal substance was consumed by Mao Wu.

"What is this Soul Sect Flame Lord doing?"

"He seems to be purging impurities from the Primitive Pill."

"Eliminate the materials?! The medicinal properties of the Wind Divine Pill are incomparably complex—it uses a hundred thousand types of medicinal materials, including eight at the Earth Supreme level. The slightest mistake, the loss of even a trace of medicinal property, and all previous efforts would be wasted. He hasn't even looked at the pill formula!"

"This Flame Venerate has gone mad, hasn't he? He hasn't even looked at the pill formula—how could he possibly know how much of each medicinal material is needed? This is sheer recklessness."

Only the Medicine Saint Nushan, himself a Pill Alchemy Grandmaster, perceived something. As Xiao Yan manipulated the Black Flame threads to devour the medicinal properties within the Primitive Pill, the energy inside the Primitive Pill gradually began to stabilize, and its surface grew rounder and smoother.

"He grasped the essence of the Wind Divine Pill with a single glance!" Medicine Saint Nushan's eyes narrowed slightly. As a Pill Alchemy Grandmaster, he knew that Spirit Refining could never rely on merely reading the pill formula's recipe.

A Grandmaster must possess his own understanding of Elixirs. After all, Elixirs act upon a person—one must comprehend how an Elixir exerts its effect before one can draw inferences and know the proper ratio between medicinal materials. Different medicinal materials, having grown under different conditions, naturally possess different medicinal properties.

Understanding the refinement of Elixirs—this is the foundation for becoming a Grandmaster.

Clearly, Cao Zi did not possess this. He only followed the pill formula exactly as written—if it said a certain amount, he used that amount. He didn't even understand that the medicinal properties of the most basic medicinal materials could vary due to differences in their years of growth. He would never be able to become a Grandmaster.

Xiao Yan glanced at the medicinal materials on the table and found none that he needed. After a moment's thought, he took three stalks of medicinal material from his Void Space, then without the slightest hesitation tossed them into the Alchemy Furnace.

"That's Vermilion Star Flower, Three-Yellow Ginkgo Leaves, and ordinary lotus petals?"

"What is this Flame Venerate trying to do? When Cao Zi was refining, he shouldn't have added these three medicinal materials!" Seeing Xiao Yan add three medicinal materials not in the pill formula, every Alchemist present was instantly shocked.

"Is he altering the pill formula?"

Medicine Saint Nushan shook his head and said in a low voice: "No, he hasn't altered the pill formula. When Vermilion Star Flower, Three-Yellow Ginkgo Leaves, and lotus petals are refined together, they can produce a substance with the same medicinal properties as Three-Star Silver River Grass. The Three-Star Silver River Grass refined at the start hadn't grown well enough, resulting in weaker medicinal properties, and there was no Three-Star Silver River Grass on site, so he used other medicinal materials fused together to create a substitute with the same medicinal properties."

A strange glint flashed through Medicine Saint Nushan's eyes. Though he had discerned Xiao Yan's purpose, he too had not known that the efficacy of the Three-Star Silver River Grass was insufficient—after all, he had been outside the arena and had not personally refined the Elixir.

Hearing Medicine Saint Nushan's words, many Alchemists present felt a jolt in their hearts—such a method was actually possible!

Seeing the trace of delight in Medicine Saint Nushan's eyes, the Divine Son Cao felt his heart sink, a strong sense of foreboding. Could it be that Medicine Saint Nushan wanted to take Xiao Yan as his disciple!!

"No, I cannot let this happen!" The Divine Son Cao roared, saying: "Flame Venerate, you have employed the soul-evil power of the Domain Beyond evil race—a crime deserving a thousand deaths! All disciples of the Heavenly Saint Sect, follow me to vanquish evil and uphold the Dao!"

(End of this chapter)