Chapter 95

The Alchemy Hall was a three-story building, but each floor was quite spacious. As soon as one entered, the rich aroma of alchemy herbs greeted them.

"This place is filled with the fragrance of medicine; it truly is a treasure land," said Chu Yan.

"Really? Are you interested in joining the Medicine King Group? All disciples of the Medicine King Group can freely take herbs for alchemy," said Mu Ling'er with a smile.

Chu Yan shook his head. Although alchemists were respected, that was not his dream. He still hoped to advance further on the path of martial arts. Only by doing so could he defeat that person and return to the wilderness.

"I knew you wouldn't agree, but it doesn't matter. How about it, have you been interested in a competition after ten years?" Mu Ling'er said playfully to Chu Yan. Initially, her alchemy skills were taught by Chu Yan, but now, after ten years, she wanted to show him how proficient her alchemy had become.

Chu Yan hesitated for a moment and then nodded with a smile. Alchemy and martial arts were the same; they both required mutual practice and exchange to improve.

He had been refining pills in the Vast Heaven Sect for some time, but he hadn't made much progress. Now, by sparring with Mu Ling'er, he could improve further, so he agreed.

"Then let's each choose our materials and see who can refine a pill of higher quality and greater utility, how about that?" Mu Ling'er said provocatively.

"Sure!" Chu Yan agreed with a smile. They then each chose their materials. Mu Ling'er first selected a Red Sun Grass, then a Supreme Yin Fruit, and various auxiliary materials. Chu Yan was slightly surprised as he watched. Although he had refined few pills, he had the pill formulas left by the Pill King, so he could immediately tell that Mu Ling'er was going to refine a Third-Rank Yin-Yang Pill?

"This girl has made significant progress in ten years," Chu Yan praised inwardly. The Yin-Yang Pill was extremely difficult to refine because it required balancing yin and yang. However, once refined, it had great benefits for the body, balancing the vital energy, opening the yuan meridians, and unblocking the acupoints. It was a very rare pill.

However, Chu Yan was not to be outdone. He selected three herbs: Ice Lake Seaweed, Heavenly Mountain Snow Lotus, and Supreme Yin Fruit. Mu Ling'er looked at him with surprise.

"All yin herbs?" Mu Ling'er frowned. Alchemy was similar to the human body, requiring both yin and yang, not necessarily in balance, but not too biased. Now, Chu Yan had chosen all extremely yin herbs. Could he really form a pill with intense fire?

"Be careful not to blow up the furnace and kill yourself," Mu Ling'er teased. Chu Yan didn't mind. After selecting their materials, they both began refining.

They started the fire, preheated, refined, and extracted, performing a series of steps with near-perfect skill. This attracted many disciples who gathered to watch.

"Senior Sister Ling'er is competing in alchemy?"

"Yes, this is quite rare. Senior Sister Ling'er's alchemy skills are recognized by the Pill Venerable, comparable to many elders. This boy is really overestimating himself, isn't he?" Many disciples discussed, but they watched intently, hoping to learn something.

Alchemy required precise fire control, which was the most challenging part, especially for three-colored pills, which required the addition of fire patterns to form the pill.

These fire patterns were very powerful. Strong fire patterns could even be used for attacks, forming massive fire arrays. If one accidentally entered such an array, even a king might face a catastrophic end. Therefore, one should never underestimate a powerful alchemist. Who said they lacked offensive power?

Once given time to set up a fire array, these usually elegant alchemists could become like asuras.

"It's a fire pattern! Senior Sister Ling'er has finally used it, her trump card, the Yin-Yang Fire Pattern Array!"

"Yes, this fire pattern array seems ordinary, but it has a balanced yin and yang, half like ice and half like fire. If used for attack, the target would quickly have their yin and yang shattered, leading to an explosive death."

Chu Yan also looked at Mu Ling'er and smiled. "Impressive, after ten years, you've grasped such a high-level fire pattern."

Fire patterns were very mysterious, only alchemists could sense them, and the higher the rank, the harder they were to grasp. Mu Ling'er's fire pattern was a third-rank fire pattern, which was very difficult to sense, requiring the refinement of three flames in the spirit consciousness palace.

"Looks like I can't win this girl without using my trump card," Chu Yan thought, then closed his eyes. His spirit consciousness appeared in another world, not the dantian, but the spirit consciousness palace.

The human body has two vital points: the dantian, which everyone knows, and the spirit consciousness palace, where the soul resides. Everyone has it, but many cannot open the door. Only some high-level alchemists or those who have reached the king stage and enhanced their perception can enter.

In the spirit consciousness palace, Chu Yan took a deep breath. His spirit consciousness palace was not large, but the sky was filled with fire pattern arrays. These fire patterns were left by Qin Ruomeng, the highest being a ninth-rank fire pattern, which was said to be lost in the mortal world. If it appeared, it would surely cause a great stir.

Chu Yan sat cross-legged. This was not his first time in the spirit consciousness palace, but it was his first time sensing a fire pattern.

However, Chu Yan had a clear goal, which was why he chose three extremely yin herbs.

The Ice-Fire Divine Pattern!

Chu Yan reached out and grabbed one from the sky, a smile on his face. The world only knew that fire was the most yang element, capable of burning everything, but few knew that there was also cold fire, similar to ice, seemingly burning but actually freezing.

"It's you!" Chu Yan was delighted. His own fire power was already strong, with a yang aura, so he needed a yin pill to balance it. Now, this Ice-Fire Divine Pattern could compensate for this, adding an extremely yin force to his fire.

"The Ice-Fire Divine Pattern can block yang energy and break the balance, so even with all yin herbs, a pill can still be formed!" Chu Yan opened his eyes, and the flames in front of him began to swirl, faintly showing a blue light. The three extremely yin herbs were continuously refined, and a terrifying cold fire pattern formed in the alchemy furnace.

"That boy... can use fire patterns too? And such a cold fire pattern." Everyone in the Alchemy Hall was stunned by Chu Yan.

Mu Ling'er was also greatly surprised. Such a cold force, could it still be called a fire pattern?

"Hmph, this little brat is still so unusual," Mu Ling'er glared at Chu Yan, but her eyes betrayed a hint of admiration: "He doesn't give me any face at all, I'm going to lose face in front of the disciples."

"Senior Sister Ling'er's pill is complete." After a long time, the alchemy furnace in front of Mu Ling'er emitted a fragrant aroma, and she took out a Yin-Yang Pill.

"A Third-Rank Yin-Yang Pill, amazing." Many disciples were envious, and one looked at Chu Yan: "I wonder what level of pill he refined, whether it can surpass Senior Sister Ling'er."

"Of course not, Senior Sister Ling'er is a genius in the Alchemy Hall. No one can beat her except Senior Brother Xuanfeng."

"Bang!" As the discussion continued, there was a sudden explosion in front of Chu Yan. Everyone was stunned. A furnace explosion?

Mu Ling'er frowned, and Xu Tian Tian laughed: "He had a lot of momentum, but didn't expect a furnace explosion? How embarrassing."

However, Chu Yan smiled and didn't care, standing up and smiling at Mu Ling'er: "I lost."

"Are you okay?" Mu Ling'er didn't care about the win or loss, but was worried.

Chu Yan smiled and shook his head, then put away the alchemy furnace without even opening it. Many alchemy disciples sneered.

"Good that you're okay, your fire pattern was impressive, but your choice of herbs was problematic. How can all yin herbs form a pill?" Mu Ling'er glared at Chu Yan, then handed him a Yin-Yang Pill: "Here, I saw that your yang energy was too strong, regulate it."

Chu Yan was surprised, not expecting that Mu Ling'er had chosen the Yin-Yang Pill to balance his yin and yang.

"I'll take it." Chu Yan didn't refuse, and Mu Ling'er continued: "Since you won't join my Medicine King Group, do you want to take the Alchemy Hall's qualification test? That way, you can come to the Alchemy Hall whenever you want to refine pills."

"Thanks, but I don't want to be killed by the stares." Chu Yan smiled bitterly. Just a moment ago, everyone was looking at him with murderous intent. If he joined the Alchemy Hall, he would be in danger every day.

Mu Ling'er rolled her eyes but didn't say more. Chu Yan stayed in the Alchemy Hall for a while longer, learning a lot and watching the elders refine pills, especially when they used fire patterns. He was very attentive, wanting to learn more.

In the evening, Chu Yan left the Alchemy Hall. But before he could walk far, a figure blocked his path.

"Is there something?" Chu Yan frowned. The person lifted his head, a young man, the same one who had appeared with Mu Ling'er in the Mirror Trial, the alchemy genius, Xuanfeng.

"Nothing much, just a friendly reminder to stay away from Mu Ling'er. She's not a woman you can touch," Xuanfeng said calmly, but it sounded sarcastic to Chu Yan. A reminder? Was this a reminder? The violent energy was clearly a threat.

"Whether I stay close or far from Senior Sister Ling'er is none of your business, right?" Chu Yan said emotionlessly.

"Boom!" Xuanfeng didn't waste words, a fierce energy enveloped Chu Yan, pressing him down.

"Thud!" Chu Yan's feet sank into the ground, deeply. So strong! The pressure from Xuanfeng was no less than that from Lin Changsheng?

"I watched your battle in the Mirror Trial today. To make Lin Changsheng suffer, that's quite interesting. But Lin Changsheng is just one of the last few in the arena, a waste. I advise you not to cause trouble for yourself." Xuanfeng's words were cold, and he added: "Also, I heard you competed in alchemy with Ling'er today? Furnace explosion? You're not fit to be an alchemist, don't come here again."

With that, Xuanfeng turned and left, his proud figure towering like a giant.

"You're not fit to be an alchemist, don't come here again!"

What a humiliation!

But as Xuanfeng turned, Chu Yan smiled. Thunder rumbled in the sky, but stopped with a wave of his sleeve.

A deep blue, icy pill appeared in his palm.

The pill was exquisitely detailed, seemingly freezing the space. The moment it appeared, Mu Ling'er's pill began to tremble. Was it afraid?

Did Chu Yan really lose?