Chapter 361: Ice Chi Pill Flame Advancement, Fourth-Stage Pill Refiner

He also had tens of thousands of second-tier blood beast crystal cores in his possession.

Observing the entire process of the Blood God Guard Grand Commander forging the Blood Pool, Wang Yu thought he might be able to perfectly utilize the power of these crystal cores with blood pill alchemy. He wasn't aiming for the same cultivation-boosting effects as the Myriad Spirit Blood Essence. If he refined gentler elixirs that enhanced meridian strength, physical potential, or even replenished life essence, that would also be good. There would certainly be no shortage of buyers.

This baptism had greatly benefited him; his mana limit had reached 4,400 strands in one go, leaving him 1,600 strands short of the peak of Core Formation Layer Eight, a level not achievable in the short term. Therefore, Wang Yu dedicated all his energy to alchemy. After refining three years' worth of elixirs for the Four Cold Blood Clans, he also prepared rations for the Five-tailed Snow Fox. The little creature had an excellent bloodline and the potential to break through to the Nascent Soul stage, so he couldn't let that go to waste.

The Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon had connections with the demonic beasts deep within the Northern Divided Mountain Range, and their demand for elixirs was the highest, aside from daily cultivation needs. Wang Yu almost entirely devoted his energy to this. He refined a large quantity of high-grade third-tier spirit elixirs for trade, acquiring numerous rare treasures in return.

He also had a fourth-tier Ice-Blood Flood Dragon crystal core in his possession. Naturally, he intended to utilize it. To advance the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame to the fourth-tier, replicating his actions back in Guiling City, the Cold Scaled Pill was at the core of the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame, and its pharmacological principles were the same. All he needed to do was enhance the medicinal power of various spirit herbs. If he could refine a spirit elixir capable of promoting the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame, having a fourth-tier spirit flame to assist would give him greater confidence and a higher success rate in refining fourth-tier spirit elixirs. It could also be used in combat, further increasing his strength. It was a win-win situation. The only trouble was the material collection; the Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon could provide the largest quantities of materials that could only be obtained from certain demonic beasts. Therefore, this alchemy session lasted for nearly half a year.

The aftershocks caused by the Blood Abyss trial gradually subsided. Evil God Peak found itself in a more difficult position than in previous years, with increasing calls for its abolition. Xie Xiean also disappeared within the sect, having been assigned to an unknown location.

On this day, Wang Yu held a geomancy compass and, using blank formation flags and the profundity of the Earth Mother Sutra, specifically arranged a practical geomantic array. It was called the "Merging Mind Flame Ascension Array"! This was a typical solo array. For the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame to advance, perfectly absorbing the Ice-Blood Flood Dragon crystal core was paramount. Wang Yu created this array. It could provide some assistance at critical moments using geomantic wonders.

After preparations were complete, a large quantity of spirit herbs and precious materials were drawn by his magic power into the Starfall Cold Furnace. The Ice-Scaled Pill Flame blazed fiercely as the furnace fire ignited. A round of alchemy officially began. Wang Yu poured a tremendous amount of energy into the process, focusing intently on the changes in the materials, completing each step of the procedure: Extraction, fusion, pill condensation, and pill nurturing!

The first step was not difficult, relying on meticulousness and control over the pill flame. However, starting from the second step—fusion—it would be a test of Wang Yu's alchemy talent. The pill formula was one he had decided on himself, not a pre-existing item. Therefore, unforeseen variables were highly possible. Under the refinement of the blue flame, a medicinal fragrance gradually spread. The fusion step also proceeded without any issues, with the Ice-Blood Flood Dragon crystal core as the main component. A mass of liquid medicine gradually formed, shimmering with multicolored light. In the third step, pill condensation, as each pill-condensing seal was struck, the liquid medicine immediately transformed, taking on the shape of a pill. However, a slight issue arose: perhaps due to a complete match in properties during condensation, the pill actually began to absorb the power of the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame.

Wang Yu's purpose in refining it was to elevate the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame's tier. Now, however, during the pill's formation, a reverse absorption occurred, using the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame's essence to complete the spirit elixir. “This is simply… an inversion of the natural order!” In a flash, Wang Yu cut his wrist with a fingernail. With the Dragon Spine Divine Marrow exerting its power, several drops of essence blood splattered out. This was the blood refining technique from blood pill alchemy; he wasn't yet proficient in it, but the innate power, similar to both the pill and the pill flame, immediately met the spirit elixir's formation requirements. A large amount of surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth converged, subtly creating a minor phenomenon. Elixirs of excessively high grade could also attract lightning tribulation. But a fourth-tier spirit elixir was still far from enough.

The final step: Sealing the furnace! Nurturing the pill! As the fluctuations subsided, the pill entered its final stage. The fiery refining method was intense and sought speed; the final stage required ample heat for its transformation. Given the great importance, Wang Yu did not leave for a single step. He nurtured it for over ten days.

“—Open the furnace!”

The precious light emanating from the spirit elixir instantly shot skyward. The ethereal pill fragrance enveloped the vicinity of his cave abode, and the radiating coldness caused localized snowfall, creating a unique phenomenon. Half of Cold Blood Peak could witness it. Seeing this, Wang Yu contentedly activated his cave abode's formation array. Like Jiang Taigong fishing, waiting for those willing to take the bait, this was only his first step in fishing. After all, a single success could be attributed to luck, but multiple successes carried an entirely different significance. Especially in an environment where demonic alchemists were scarce, the limit of rare resources he could acquire would also increase by one tier.

Time was becoming increasingly pressing. After the Blood Pool baptism, Zhuo Shouyun had returned to Ghost Square. Once the final results were known, Fu Xiao would definitely make a move against him, so Wang Yu was racing against time. Before confronting Fu Xiao, those five Skyfiends definitely had to be used. Whether they could significantly enhance the strength of the Profound Origin Devil Embryo was also closely related to the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame.

After the fourth-tier Cold Scaled Pill was released from the furnace, its appearance was as strange as a snow globe, with the vivid figure of an Ice-Blood Flood Dragon in the center. The spirit elixir was almost completely transparent. After observing it briefly, Wang Yu decisively swallowed it.

In an instant, the power of the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame erupted. This flame, cultivated for many years, had continuously absorbed Wang Yu's mana nourishment and countless ice-attributed heavenly materials and earthly treasures during his daily cultivation. It was already a top-tier third-tier spirit flame. Now, it erupted with full force, completely transforming Wang Yu's cave abode into a sea of ice flames. Countless ice spikes shot skyward, influenced by the medicinal effects of the Cold Scaled Pill. The pill flame's origin began to grow significantly. This time, it did not separate from his body, so everything remained under control. With the cave abode's formation array activated, the unleashed power of the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame was confined within this small space. Before long, it surpassed its original limits.

The Merging Mind Flame Ascension Geomantic Array was actively activated by Wang Yu. The spirit elixir's medicinal properties immediately became even more outstanding. However, an unexpected situation occurred: the peculiar phenomenon of the realm that arises when a cultivator advances to the Core Formation stage showed an anomaly. The Sovereign Fire of the Heart, the Minister Fire of the Kidneys, the Commoner Fire of the Bladder! The Three Flavors True Fire, formed by the convergence of these three, unexpectedly surged forth spontaneously from his Golden Core. He had barely ever used this flame. Its sudden appearance caught him off guard. He almost lost control. Fortunately, the fusion of the spirit elixir and the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame went smoothly. The pre-arranged geomantic array, surprisingly, caused the Three Flavors True Fire to react and fuse with the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame. Both were already closely connected with Wang Yu. Though their natures differed, their origins were interconnected. After a brief thought, Wang Yu decided to use the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame to replace the Three Flavors True Fire, allowing it to closely integrate with his Golden Core. Under these circumstances, it was akin to developing a second innate divine ability/magic treasure, possessing the characteristics of two innate items, as it was a pill flame. This successful advancement could even help Wang Yu purify his mana. As for future enhancements, he didn't need to consider them too much for now. Execution was key. Even an unexpected turn could become an opportunity. Fortunately, his proactive nature seized this opportunity; otherwise, the outcome would have been unpredictable. This action was tantamount to feeding the Three Flavors True Fire to the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame. The time for advancement and fusion was greatly extended, but the ultimate benefits gained were also greatly increased and long-lasting. It could constantly help him purify his mana, providing immense assistance for breaking through the Nascent Soul barrier.

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

The phenomenon of extreme cold quickly receded. In the alchemy room, Wang Yu, sitting cross-legged, was covered by a thin layer of pale white flame. It was indeed the Ice-Scaled Pill Flame! Its color had changed again; this pale white leaned towards light gray, yet it was also similar to the pure transparency of ice spirits. While beautiful to behold, it actually contained violent power of extreme cold and extreme heat. Yin and Yang clashed yet merged with each other. If one were to inwardly examine his Qi Sea, they would discover that Wang Yu's blue-black Golden Core was also covered by this layer of flame. Even his four magic treasures—the Glazed Ice Heart Pagoda, the Yellow Springs Demonic Sword, the Ghost Cry Flute, and the Geomancy Compass—were undergoing tempering. Their enhancement speed was more than double what it used to be.

“Fourth-tier Ice-Scaled Pill Flame…”

Since Wang Yu had slowly nurtured it from the first tier, he controlled it with utmost ease, finding it more compatible than any spirit flame born of heaven and earth. Now, it was integrated with his Golden Core. It felt like an innate ability; wielding it was as effortless as lifting an arm or a leg, and its consumption was reduced to a minimum. His first reaction was to integrate it with various divine abilities. What was past was past; now, with this enhanced control, he could even combine it with the Minor Asura Killing Fist, compensating for that divine ability's insufficient true destructive power. Simply put, it was like a universal plugin. When combined with any divine ability or spell, its power would skyrocket. After reviewing his new gains, Wang Yu checked his two corpses again; these two would also be able to advance to late third-tier in a few more years. It seemed his combat power had reached its peak. Yet, upon careful examination, there were still many areas for further improvement. What he lacked most was time…

Leaving the alchemy room, Wang Yu was stunned by the sight outside. Because quite a few people were waiting outside his cave abode, and upon seeing him emerge, they hastily offered loud congratulations.

“Congratulations, Seventh Elder, on advancing to a fourth-tier alchemist!”

“Congratulations, Seventh Elder, on advancing to a fourth-tier alchemist!”

“Congratulations, Seventh Elder…”

Their voices, like thunder, echoed ceaselessly through this corner of Cold Blood Peak.

Wang Yu's mouth twitched. With a wave of his hand, he retracted the cave abode's formation array. He realized he had underestimated the appeal of a fourth-tier alchemist not governed by the Alchemy Hall; his 'fishing' had turned into 'netting'. Too many people were attracted! He even saw cultivators from other peaks whose attire suggested a high status, and there were also members of the Elder Council among the crowd. After a moment's thought, he decided to simply receive them all at once.

The crowd filed in. Without Wang Yu needing to speak much, they began introducing themselves and clarifying the purpose of their visit.

“Seventh Elder, I am Wu Kui from Gu Poison Peak, specially here to request your alchemy services. Compensation is negotiable…”

“Seventh Elder, I am Ji Bochang of the Ji Clan, acting on the Ancestor's orders…”

“Seventh Elder, I am Chu Xiao…”

“Sev…”

“—Enough!”

The buzzing in his ears, like a swarm of flies, ruined his good mood. For once, Wang Yu raised his voice. “Regarding alchemy collaborations, I, Wang, am currently unavailable. I must first satisfy the demands within Cold Blood Peak. Honored guests from other peaks, please leave for now; there will be opportunities for collaboration later.”

“This…”

Since the host was dismissing them, those who had come to join the fun or try their luck gradually left. However, some, still holding onto hope, called out before departing.

“Seventh Elder, please don't forget us! You can contact us anytime about alchemy matters. Compensation is negotiable.”

“Alright, alright, alright.”

After the crowd had thinned out by more than half, Wang Yu paid no mind to the people from the Four Cold Blood Clans. He had just seen the figure of Long Que and naturally chose to receive the representative sent by the Blood-Eyed Demonic Flood Dragon first. Old Man Yu was quite honorable. With the connection to Yu Tangtang, Wang Yu naturally felt closer to him. Long Que, moreover, had personally witnessed Wang Yu's cultivation rise from the Qi Refining stage to his current Core Formation stage; his power had increased faster than a rocket. Thus, suppressing all pride, as it descended from high in the sky, it specifically lowered its head and said gently, “Lord Demonic Flood Dragon requests your presence. The message you entrusted to Miss last time, Lord believes it is now time.”

Hearing this, Wang Yu raised an eyebrow. They had smelled blood, it seemed. The last message was sent before the Blood Pool baptism, and there had been no movement since, yet they appeared precisely now, as he was 'fishing' for the Heavenly Frost Demonic Lord. Thinking about it, it made sense. If third-tier resources were already so rare, let alone fourth-tier ones, without truly showing off his skills, who could be at ease? Furthermore, Wang Yu's cultivation was his most obvious weakness. Demonic spirit elixirs naturally required the infusion of demonic qi. How could a mere Core Formation cultivator control demonic qi? With such a filter, the fourth-tier spirit elixirs he could refine were very limited. If he also had to select those with lower refining difficulty and usefulness for Demonic Nascent Soul cultivators, they would be even rarer.

Wang Yu didn't want his existence to become a mere convenience. At this moment, he naturally had to show off his skill, demonstrating what it meant to be a genius alchemist grandmaster. He immediately leaped onto the peacock's back, turned his head, and spoke to the crowd, “You've seen the situation. If you have time, wait here for a month. When I return, I'll discuss matters with you. I'll take my leave for now.” Wang Yu waved his token, and the moment the formation array activated, it 'squeezed' everyone out. The Three-Colored Dragon Que spread its wings and soared high, instantly vanishing from Cold Blood Peak.

The remaining people exchanged glances.

“Since we're already here, let's wait another month then.”

“Brother Chu is right. We've waited three months, what's another month?”

“Come, come, Brother Bochang, how about a game of Go?”

“Alright, but observe the game in silence. I hope my fellow Daoists won't offer advice…”

“Naturally.”

“Definitely.”

“You lousy player, why aren't you occupying the gold edge and playing in the center?”

“Play here. After 127 moves, you'll be able to cut off the dragon.”

“Here, Brother Bochang.”

“—I'm furious!!!”

With a clang, the elderly Snow clan member, who had been babbling the most, had the Go board slammed onto his head, where it hung around his neck like a scarf. He yelped a few times, his scalp bleeding from the impact.

“I'll fight you to the death!”

While the old men were having a blast in front of Wang Yu's cave abode, Wang Yu's situation was proceeding smoothly. After arriving at Old Man Yu's cave abode aboard the Dragon Que, he was indeed assigned an alchemy task, a fourth-tier one at that. The Cold Scaled Pill was rather special, without specific grade subdivisions. However, the spirit elixir the Demonic Flood Dragon wanted him to refine had a grade requirement, and he only had a fifty percent chance of refining a mid-grade fourth-tier elixir. As for high-grade, it would be absolutely impossible unless it was an ice-attributed spirit elixir. Success or failure hinged on this one attempt.