Chapter 93: Refining Humans into Medicine

**Chapter 93: Refining Humans into Medicine**

"What kind of pill do you want to refine?" Ye Fan wanted to buy as much time as possible; even at this moment, he refused to give up.

"Naturally, an immortal pill that can cross the sea of suffering, traverse the divine bridge, and reach the other shore," Elder Han said, a faint sneer on his face, as if he had seen through Ye Fan's thoughts. "There's no need to waste your efforts stalling. No one will come to save you. Just prepare to be refined as the main ingredient."

"Aren't you afraid that knight will appear again?" Ye Fan asked, showing no panic or fear; instead, he was remarkably calm. "Perhaps you don't know that person's true identity."

Elder Han's expression remained unchanged. "What is his identity?" he asked.

"He comes from the Desolate Ancient Aristocratic Family—the Jiang family," Ye Fan said, sighing lightly. "You've brought great trouble to the Spirit Void Cave Heaven. Perhaps you don't even know my true identity. I have some connections with the Jiang family, and that knight came searching for me..."

Ye Fan spoke with such conviction, continuing his story.

Elder Han listened silently, his expression unchanged, eventually saying coldly, "How could someone like you possibly have connections with the Jiang family?"

"I once rescued a young daughter of the Jiang family who was stranded, and thus formed a great bond with them. If you don't believe me, you can inquire at the Misty Cloud Cave Heaven to verify my words. Not long ago, I even ventured there with members of the Jiang family."

"This..." Elder Han's expression immediately changed. As one of the six sects in Yan Land, the Spirit Void Cave Heaven naturally knew about the Jiang family's recent intrusion into the Misty Cloud Cave Heaven.

Elder Han gritted his teeth. "No matter what you say, you won't survive," he stated.

Ye Fan spoke earnestly, his expression serious. "Elder Han, you must consider the consequences of offending a Desolate Ancient Aristocratic Family. Don't think you can act without anyone knowing. You've already clashed with the Jiang family's knight today; they will surely trace the clues."

"You little brat, you're quite cunning for your age. Do you think you can trick me like this? You underestimate me far too much." Elder Han suddenly let out a sinister laugh. "The more you talk, the more you reveal. I finally understand what happened. That knight is indeed from the Jiang family; he recently intruded into the Purple Sun Cave Heaven. He must be pursuing *you*!"

Having lived for so many years, Elder Han was incredibly shrewd. Connecting this with recent events, he almost immediately deduced the truth.

Ye Fan's heart sank completely. "Old geezer Han, you're far too conceited! Just wait for disaster to strike!" he retorted.

"You little brat, you're remarkably calm. Even now, you still want to trick me. Just wait until I properly refine you." Elder Han let out a sinister laugh, grabbing Ye Fan. "Don't worry, no outsiders will disturb us. I've carved countless 'Dao patterns' here. Once I enter this grotto, this place will be completely isolated from the outside world; no one will be able to find it."

The fact that a Jiang family knight was pursuing Ye Fan perplexed Elder Han, and also caused him some hidden worries. After all, he had snatched what someone else was hunting for. He thoroughly searched Ye Fan from head to toe.

"Nothing but useless items on him," he muttered. He first picked up the broken jade with a missing corner, examined it repeatedly, and then threw it to the ground.

Ye Fan inwardly cursed the unscrupulous Daoist. That scoundrel had sworn the jade pendant could save his life at a crucial moment, but it had turned out to be utterly useless.

"Duan De, Duan De, damn you, you truly are a scoundrel!"

"What is this?" Elder Han held the Bodhi bead, carefully observing the Buddha image on it. "A pattern formed by natural textures..." he murmured. "Why does this bald man look familiar? It seems there are such bald men outside the Eastern Wasteland."

"Bald man..." Ye Fan was speechless.

Elder Han put away the Bodhi bead, then turned to Ye Fan. "Alright," he said, "it's time to put you into the medicine cauldron."

"Elder Han," Ye Fan pleaded, "I don't have much time left. Could I at least have one last full meal?"

"Don't waste your efforts," Elder Han said. "What difference would a few more moments make? Just get in." He lifted Ye Fan, brought him to the cauldrons, and added, "Choose one yourself. That's your only right."

Ye Fan knew there was no chance left, and began to curse loudly: "Old geezer Han, damn your ancestors, and your entire female lineage for eighteen generations!"

Elder Han remained unperturbed, turning a deaf ear. He directly tossed Ye Fan into the cauldron, then walked to a corner of the stone chamber. He brought over several large ceramic jars and, with "gurgling" sounds, poured an unknown liquid into the cauldron.

"What is this?" Ye Fan asked, as waves of fragrance assaulted his nostrils.

"This is the essence extracted from various medicinal herbs, indispensable for refining pills," Elder Han explained. "If purified further, it can become Hundred-Herb Liquid." As he spoke, he poured all the liquid from the large ceramic jars into the cauldron.

Afterward, Elder Han brought the rare spiritual medicines from the cabinet closer. "Finally, I've gathered all the spiritual medicines," he said. "I hope I can successfully refine the divine elixir I need."

At this point, he first took out the lotus seed from the Black Jade Divine Lotus. The pigeon-egg-sized seed was lustrous black and translucent, emitting rays of dark light. Its fragrant aroma permeated one's internal organs, and just the scent alone was enough to make one feel refreshed.

"Little brat, are you thinking of swallowing it whole?" Elder Han sneered, staring at Ye Fan. "Don't harbor unrealistic fantasies." As he spoke, he placed the lotus seed into the cauldron. At the same time, he pulled out a dagger and, with a *thud*, plunged it into Ye Fan's left arm. The moment he pulled it out, blood gushed forth.

"You..."

"Refining medicine, refining medicine! You are the main ingredient, and your essence lies in your flesh and blood. Naturally, your blood must flow out first to consecrate the cauldron." Elder Han revealed an extremely cruel side at this moment, stroking his severed arm. "To find you, I lost an arm today. Naturally, I must refine you thoroughly. I can only succeed; I cannot fail!"

*Splatter!*

Blood splattered as Elder Han pierced Ye Fan's right arm with the dagger. Blood surged, instantly staining the cauldron red. Elder Han revealed his ferocious nature, no longer listless. Two sinister beams of light shot from his eyes as he also pierced Ye Fan's legs.

Ye Fan felt excruciating pain in all his limbs, and his face turned pale.

"Don't fantasize about miracles!" Elder Han declared, then directly stabbed the dagger into Ye Fan's chest. "I won't injure your heart, so you won't die immediately," he stated grimly. "Immersed in this Hundred-Herb Liquid, you should be able to live for a long time. I want you to remain conscious, slowly being refined into the divine medicine I need."

Elder Han, like a malevolent ghost, stuck out his shriveled tongue and licked the bloodstains on the dagger, looking utterly ferocious. "A very sweet taste," he said. "I eagerly await the moment the pill is formed."

"You old geezer..." Ye Fan gnashed his teeth and glared. He felt intense pain throughout his body, and his life was slowly ebbing away.

At this moment, Elder Han opened an ancient-looking jade box, took out a fruit as crystal clear and brilliant as green jade from the Green Jade Snow Lotus, and placed it into the cauldron. Its green divine radiance made the liquid inside gleam brightly.

"You little brat, be content," he sneered. "To be melted in one cauldron with so many spiritual medicines is a blessing cultivated over ten lifetimes."

"Blessing your grandfather! And greetings to your entire female lineage!" Ye Fan cursed loudly, wishing he could flay Elder Han alive. Blood continuously flowed, and he felt his life slowly withering away.

At this moment, Elder Han picked up a Nine-Leaf Divine Herb, which resembled red jade. Red light shimmered and sparkled in his hand. Legend had it that this rare spiritual medicine could only grow in sacred lands touched by the divine blood of a phoenix.

After he placed the Nine-Leaf Phoenix Divine Herb into the cauldron, he suddenly frowned and murmured to himself, "No, it's too risky to put all these spiritual medicines in at once. If it fails, all my efforts will be for nothing..." He hesitated, then decided, "Perhaps I should refine the main ingredient first. If that succeeds, I'll add the other spiritual medicines."

He stopped after putting in only three rare spiritual medicines.

The medicine cabinet shimmered with brilliant light and emitted fragrant aromas. Strange spiritual medicines of various colors were all surrounded by glowing mists, and each one was no less potent than the three herbs he had just put into the cauldron.

"First, I'll refine these three spiritual medicines with the main ingredient to see the effect," Elder Han decided, putting away all the other divine-glowing spiritual medicines.

"Little brat, do you have any last words?" Elder Han asked with a mocking expression, picking up the cauldron lid and preparing to close it.

Ye Fan was extremely weak. "Old geezer," he managed to say, "can you just smash your head against this cauldron and die?"

*Thud!*

Elder Han directly pressed the bronze lid onto the cauldron, then he began to draw fire for refining the medicine. Ordinary flames could not possibly refine spiritual pills. He drew "underground spirit fire" from beneath the ground; a milky white silver glow flickered and pulsed beneath the great cauldron.

The reason he had carved out a secret grotto here was precisely because of the underground spirit fire below. It was the strongest flame he could control at his cultivation level.

"Little brat, I lost my left arm searching for you," Elder Han said, stroking his severed arm, his voice chillingly cold. "I will refine you for seven days and seven nights, making you suffer endless torment before you turn into a pill!"