“Heh, I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. I was sent by Elder Hall Master Yang to buy some things at the trading market. Thanks for your concern, but I’m doing quite well at the Medicine Hall.”
Ling Xiao said with a faint smile.
“Junior Brother Ling, how is Bai Yun doing?”
Ming Tian suddenly asked.
“And who might this be?”
Ling Xiao deliberately feigned ignorance. He truly despised Ming Tian’s character. Though the man’s talent was remarkable, the things he did back then still made people feel disgusted when recalled.
“Heh, it seems Junior Brother Ling is still upset about what happened that day.”
As Ming Tian spoke, he suddenly released his aura, a terrifying pressure surging toward Ling Xiao.
“Mortal Realm, First Layer!”
Ling Xiao was startled.
But on second thought, it made sense. Ming Tian’s aptitude was already exceptional, and with the guidance of Demon Flame Heavenly Sovereign, advancing to the First Layer of the Mortal Realm was hardly surprising. After all, back in the secular world, his cultivation had been much higher than Ling Xiao’s.
“Almost at the Second Layer, you know.”
Xu Ying interjected, “Now you understand why Ming Tian abandoned old man Bai Yun, don’t you? There’s no future with that guy.”
“Hmph, if he had only chosen to leave, I could understand, but he shouldn’t have attacked Master Bai Yun!”
Ling Xiao snorted coldly, activating his Mountains and Rivers Martial Soul, instantly neutralizing Ming Tian’s oppressive aura.
Suppressing him with aura was not so easy.
“Strength rules all, nothing more to say. If you see Bai Yun again, tell him to stop dreaming of opposing Master Demon Flame. Crushing him would be as easy for Master Demon Flame as squashing an ant.”
Ming Tian said coldly.
Failing to suppress Ling Xiao with his aura surprised him slightly, but the gap in their cultivation levels reassured him, allowing him to look down on Ling Xiao with confidence.
“You can tell him yourself.”
Ling Xiao said indifferently, “I don’t have that much free time.”
“Training hard, are you? You’re just a Rare Treasure Body. No matter how hard you try, what’s the point? Back then, your cultivation was far behind mine, and now the gap hasn’t closed—it’s only grown. Don’t you feel despair?”
Ming Tian said with a hint of mockery.
“Heh, maybe, but you’d better run fast, or I’ll catch up to you soon.”
Ling Xiao gave a faint smile. Ming Tian had always been arrogant, and now, as a disciple of Demon Flame Heavenly Sovereign and having reached the Mortal Realm, he was even more so—understandably.
“Hahaha, I’ll be waiting.”
Ming Tian laughed heartily, then said to Xu Ying, “Junior Sister, let’s go.”
Xu Ying turned back and glared at Ling Xiao, saying, “You can’t even catch up to me, yet you dream of surpassing Senior Brother Ming Tian? You’re delusional.”
“Is that so?”
Ling Xiao smiled, watching their retreating figures, and said, “Don’t worry, your Senior Brother Ming Tian will soon be trampled under my feet.”
Back at the Medicine Hall, Ling Xiao handed the Array Refining Stone to Yuan Zun.
Yuan Zun, in return, gave him a few books—, , .
“Take them and read. Come back to me when you’re done.”
After speaking, Yuan Zun fell into a deep sleep.
It was clear he couldn’t stay awake for long, or he wouldn’t be able to sustain himself.
Ling Xiao took the books and returned to his cave abode. Before leaving, he took a pill furnace and some spirit wood charcoal from the Medicine Hall.
Such small matters, with Yang Danlin’s approval, no one dared to object.
Back in his cave abode, he split into two clones: one to study , the other to study the basic books Yuan Zun had given him.
His main body began refining pills.
He hadn’t even told Yang Danlin or Yuan Zun about the matter.
In this world, no one could be fully trusted without reservation, not even Yang Danlin or Yuan Zun.
People could change, especially if they learned that Ling Xiao possessed the Mountains and Rivers Martial Soul. They might become entirely different.
One must not harm others, but one must always guard against them.
This was something Hong Qi had once told him, and he kept it firmly in mind.
After grinding and processing the materials, Ling Xiao began crafting Life Pills.
For other alchemists, refining pills for profit might be routine, but for him, it was just the beginning.
He had to proceed with caution.
Even for low-grade pills, he couldn’t afford the slightest carelessness.
The process of crafting Life Pills required precise calculations.
This included the exact weight of each ingredient, as well as the humidity and flexibility of the Life Pills, all measured to the finest degree.
Even a millimetre’s error could ruin an entire batch.
Once the Life Pills were formed, it was time to light the fire.
Without the previous hassles, the spirit wood charcoal ignited easily.
With the precise control afforded by his Soul-Entry State, lighting the fire—a step where others might frequently fail—was a guaranteed success for him.
Controlling the flame after ignition was the critical step, the heart of pill refining.
He had refined Superior True Essence Pills before, so he was familiar with the process and could easily produce perfect pills with 100% perfection.
However, the Martial Vein Body Shaping Pill was a bit more challenging.
He had only read about this pill in books and had never refined it, nor had he seen Yang Danlin or Lan Yuer do so.
He hadn’t even let his martial soul clone simulate the process.
This was his first attempt.
He could have had his martial soul clone simulate it a few times before starting.
But he didn’t.
He trusted his control. These were just low-grade pills. If he still needed repeated simulations to succeed, it would only mean his skills weren’t up to par.
The spirit wood charcoal was already burning.
The flames flickered, illuminating the bronze pill furnace.
The furnace itself was particular; even low-grade pills required a Mortal Treasure-grade furnace.
Only common herbs and pills used by secular martial artists could be refined in ordinary furnaces.
The furnace Ling Xiao borrowed from Yang Danlin was a Mortal Treasure-grade furnace.
Yang Danlin had said he had better furnaces but wouldn’t give them to Ling Xiao for free. If Ling Xiao’s alchemy skills improved and he could refine Yellow-Grade Low-Level Spirit Pills, Yang Danlin would gift him a Fine Treasure-grade furnace.
A Fine Treasure-grade furnace could refine Yellow-Grade Low and Mid-Level pills, a truly valuable item.
If Ling Xiao improved further, he could receive even better ones.
Ling Xiao knew Yang Danlin was deliberately pressuring and motivating him. Without such drive, he might not be as dedicated.
This time, Ling Xiao mixed in some black beast flames—not to evaporate moisture, but to shorten the refining time.
He had tested it before: high-quality flames could improve pill quality and reduce refining time.
