Battle Through the Heavens: Purple Heaven Thunder Emperor

Chapter 149 The Library

Xiao Bai withdrew his soul power from the prescription and sorted out the information about the pill formula in his mind. A hint of enlightenment flashed in his eyes.

Dragon Power Pill, a fifth-grade pill, grants the user extremely powerful strength for a short period of time. This strength is unrelated to the amplitude of battle qi and is purely physical strength.

"This Dragon Power Pill is a bit more difficult to refine than ordinary fifth-grade pills. So, are you still going to refine it?" Elder Huo asked in a calm tone after he finished reading the pill formula. He chose this pill formula in the hope that he would give up.

"Not bad!" Xiao Bai smiled reservedly and nodded.

Seeing this, Elder Huo snorted inwardly, speechless. Since this guy wants to refine it, let him refine it. It's just a waste of some medicinal materials. He's quite wealthy and can afford to waste these things. I'd like to see how he refines this Dragon Power Pill!

The elders around, who had initially come with the intention of watching the spectacle, couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation when they saw that Xiao Bai's expression remained unchanged after reading the pill formula.

Xiao Bai's gaze slowly swept over the medicinal herbs on the table. He already had a general idea of ​​how to refine the Dragon Power Pill. During the three months he spent with the Snake-People, under the guidance of the Old Medicine Master, he gained a deep understanding of alchemy. In addition, through constant discussions and research with the Old Medicine Master, he put in a lot of effort to make himself, an unorthodox alchemist, appear no different from other alchemists to outsiders.

Xiao Bai arrived in front of the medicine cauldron, examined it for a moment, and nodded. Although he had never used a proper medicine cauldron before, he had quite a bit of experience in how to use it. With a flick of his finger, a streak of crimson flame arced through the air and landed inside the medicine cauldron. Instantly, the roaring flames, accompanied by faint thunderous sounds, rose up inside the medicine cauldron.

The materials required for this Dragon Power Pill are numerous and varied, numbering around forty. The medicinal properties of these various herbs blend and interact with each other, creating a complex and tangled mess. Without exceptional soul power, it would be difficult to even remember them all, let alone precisely control them during the refining process. This is why high-level alchemists need strong soul power, not just the ability to control flames.

Recalling the entire process again, Xiao Bai waved his hand, and two medicinal herbs that looked like withered branches were thrown into the cauldron and were swallowed by the flames. Afterwards, the medicinal herbs that were tossed around in mid-air were almost never stopped, and all the steps were completed in one go.

An elder watching the spectacle from the sidelines had a slight gleam in his eyes. Regardless of whether Xiao Bai could actually refine it, the sheer speed and fluidity of his technique, without the slightest pause, was enough to show that this guy was truly something special.

Unlike the other elders, Elder Huo, who was standing to the side, had a solemn expression. His eyes went from initial doubt to confusion, and finally to disbelief. As the saying goes, the layman sees the show, while the expert sees the details. Some of Xiao Bai's steps were different from the pill formula, and he thought that this guy was messing around!

If we follow Xiao Bai's method, this batch of pills will probably be ruined. I'm starting to doubt whether he even knows how to refine pills. Not following the steps in the pill formula is just ridiculous!

However, he gradually discovered that the refining process did not encounter such an accident, which made him a little suspicious. Smelling the medicine cauldron that not only did not fail, but also emitted a faint medicinal fragrance, a hint of disbelief flashed in Elder Huo's eyes.

How did this guy do it? At this moment, he dared not question Xiao Bai like before. He found that he could not understand this refining method. He wanted to ask something, but seeing Xiao Bai concentrating on refining, he did not make a sound to disturb him. He even breathed carefully, his eyes fixed on the black-clothed youth, afraid of missing the slightest thing.

"The medicinal herbs have been extracted. Next... is the fusion!" With a faint smile, Xiao Bai looked at the pale red liquid churning inside the cauldron and muttered to himself. He glanced at the group of people who had gathered around him and said casually, "Judging from your expressions, you seem more nervous than I am, the one who refined it. It's just a fifth-grade pill! Relax, I'm very familiar with this!"

The elders were speechless. So what if it's a fifth-grade pill? Do you think fifth-grade pills are as common as cabbages? Look at that old man Huo, he's practically strutting around like crazy just because he's a fifth-grade alchemist!

"Stop talking nonsense! Hurry up, we've come this far, we absolutely can't fail!" Elder Huo stared intently at the medicine cauldron as if it were some rare treasure, glancing anxiously at Xiao Bai's nonchalant expression.

Xiao Bai rolled his eyes inwardly, and under Elder Huo's glare that seemed to want to punch him, he said leisurely, "See, you're in such a hurry again! Elder! Let me tell you, alchemy is something that can't be rushed. What if something goes wrong?"

"Haha." The elders couldn't help but laugh when they saw Elder Huo, who usually bossed them around, get his comeuppance.

Amidst laughter, Xiao Bai's soul power split into two streams, surging into the medicine cauldron. One stream controlled the temperature inside the cauldron, while the other quickly enveloped the medicinal liquid, bursting out to compress and fuse it.

As the medicinal liquid in the cauldron fluctuated violently in an instant, Xiao Bai carefully sensed the changes within it with his soul power. With each fluctuation, ripples of medicinal energy slowly surged out, colliding with his soul power.

"Bang!"

The dark black cauldron trembled slightly. The medicinal liquid inside seemed to realize that it could not spread outwards, and then it collapsed towards the center at a speed visible to the naked eye, rapidly shrinking. In the blink of an eye, a light red pill the size of a thumb appeared in the black cauldron.

As the pill appeared, a pale red, violent energy ripple burst forth from the cauldron, spreading outwards from the stands. As the ripples spread, a faint medicinal fragrance permeated the entire stands.

"It's done!" Even the elders who didn't know anything about alchemy had their eyes light up. Sensing the fluctuations and the fragrance of the pill, they knew that the pill had been successfully refined. Countless eyes were fixed on the black cauldron with great anticipation, waiting for the pill to appear.

"Quickly... open the cauldron and take out the pills!" Elder Huo shouted impatiently to Xiao Bai.

Without keeping everyone waiting long, Xiao Bai waved his hand, and the lid was lifted, revealing a pale red pill, like a ruby, before everyone's eyes.

"Elder Huo, please take a look!" Xiao Bai said with a soft laugh as he watched Elder Huo rubbing his hands together, his eyes fixed on the pill, trying to reach for it.

Upon hearing this, Elder Huo's expression brightened. He grabbed the floating pill and carefully examined it, sniffing it. After closing his eyes and sensing it for a moment, he opened them, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, filled with shock. He murmured:

"Judging by its shape, it is round and full; observing its nature, its medicinal power is pure; sensing its energy, it is exceptionally abundant, and there is also a vital energy swirling around it. It is truly a top-grade product!"

Upon hearing this, and seeing his shocked and ecstatic expression, the jaws of the group of old men around him almost dropped to the ground. Although Old Man Huo was infuriating, his skill in alchemy was undeniable. They had never seen him submit to anyone. But now, he was completely devoid of his usual arrogance!

"Quickly, Xiao Bai, explain this to me!" Elder Huo voiced the questions he hadn't asked earlier for fear of disturbing him.

After listening to Elder Huo's question, Xiao Bai stroked his chin and pondered for a moment before saying, "It's because of my soul power. My soul power is quite good, so I moved some steps forward and combined them with the others, instead of following the exact steps in the pill formula!"

"I see!" Elder Huo nodded in realization. He had been thinking that if he had done it the way Xiao Bai had, he would have failed long ago. Now he understood. After Xiao Bai's explanation, he instantly realized that he had done this before, but only when refining third or fourth-grade pills.

Thinking of this, Elder Huo seemed to realize something. This person dared to refine fifth-grade pills like this... He looked at Xiao Bai with a strange expression and said, "Are you really a fifth-grade alchemist?!"

"Old man Huo, do you want to listen to what you're saying? The pills are already in your hands, what are you still doubting?" the gray-robed elder next to him said irritably.

"You know nothing!" Elder Huo glanced at him, and seeing that everyone around seemed to have misunderstood, he explained:

"Some high-level alchemists don't strictly follow the formula when refining low-level pills. Strictly following the formula is something only alchemists of that level do when learning to refine pills. High-level alchemists refine low-level pills by hand, and some are too lazy to bother, so they simplify the process by performing several steps simultaneously, which saves a lot of time!"

"So, is it wrong of me to suspect that he's more than a fifth-rank official?"

Everyone suddenly realized, and then looked at Xiao Bai with eager eyes. Could this guy be above the fifth rank?

Xiao Bai was both amused and exasperated. This Elder Huo, who had previously doubted that he could be a fifth-rank cultivator at eighteen, was now doubting that he was more than a fifth-rank cultivator. Helplessly, he nodded and said, "I am indeed a fifth-rank cultivator!"

Xun'er and Little Fairy Doctor watched this scene with smiles, their gazes falling on the figure in the middle of the crowd, a sense of pride rising in their hearts.

Xun'er watched Xiao Bai's rapid progress after breaking through to the Dou Zhe level, and she was very satisfied and proud of everything about him now, except for his womanizing.

Little Fairy Doctor thought to herself, so what if I can't become an alchemist? The man I found is not only an alchemist, but a genius alchemist who has achieved the fifth rank at a young age.

As dusk settled and the selection competition came to a slow end, Xiao Bai finally broke free from the group of enthusiastic old men and started walking back home.

"These old men are way too enthusiastic!" Xiao Bai wiped the cold sweat from his brow, and when he thought of the elders from before, whose eyes were so eager they looked like they wanted to devour him, he couldn't help but shudder. He complained to Xun'er and Xian'er beside him.

"Hehe. An alchemist who can easily refine fifth-grade pills enjoys treatment comparable to that of a Dou Wang or even a Dou Huang. Of course they're enthusiastic!" Xun'er said with a charming smile.

"That's right! The elders were a bit reserved when they spoke to us before, but after Xiaobai refined the pills, they became much more polite!" Little Fairy Doctor chimed in with a smile in her beautiful eyes.

"How about it? Your husband is amazing, isn't he?" Xiao Bai said with a smug smile.

"Pah! Xian'er, let's go, let's ignore this narcissistic guy!" Xun'er's face flushed slightly, she glanced at him with her beautiful eyes, and pulled Xian'er forward.

Xian'er's pretty face was as red as rouge. She was pulled by Xun'er and looked back. She saw that guy was still smiling and winking at her. Her heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly turned her head away and cursed inwardly, "Shameless!"

"Haha." Xiao Bai looked at the two graceful figures in front of him, feeling relaxed and ignoring the strange looks he was getting.

Time passed slowly, and seven days later, the day when the top five in the selection competition would enter the library.

In the spacious and bright room, bookshelves were crisscrossed and filled with all kinds of ancient books, exuding a strong scholarly atmosphere. A man and a woman stood quietly. Behind a table in front of them, an elderly man with white hair and beard was flipping through documents in his hands. The whole room was filled with a quiet atmosphere.

A knock on the door broke the silence. The old man put down the documents in his hand and said, "Come in." Three people filed in, and the reactions of the people in the room upon seeing the newcomers varied.

The young man's pupils contracted sharply upon seeing the newcomers, a look of apprehension and fear appearing on his face. The young woman also seemed somewhat frightened. The old man, however, smiled broadly: "The three of you have finally arrived!"

His gaze swept across them, pausing slightly, a hint of surprise in his eyes. In just a few days, the two little girls' cultivation had increased again. But when he looked at Xiao Bai, there was a hint of speechlessness in his eyes.

If you didn't know his cultivation level and identity as an alchemist, this kid would seem quite ordinary. Apart from his appearance and temperament, he's almost like an ordinary person.

"Alright, now that everyone's here and you all know the purpose, I won't waste any more time!" Hu Qian stood up and smiled, "You're the top five, and according to the rules, you're qualified to try your luck in the library. Follow me!"

After saying that, Hu Qian went to the wall behind him and casually patted it a few times. A low rumbling sound rang out, and then a dark passage appeared in front of everyone.

Hu Qian went in first, while the other two kept glancing at Xiao Bai out of the corner of their eyes, seemingly hesitant to go first. Helpless, Xiao Bai had no choice but to pull Xian'er and Xun'er along and go in directly. After he went in, the remaining two hurriedly followed.

After entering the passage, a faint light shone down from the top of the cave walls. Although it was not very bright, it was enough to make people see the passage clearly.

A moment later, after exiting the passage, a very deep valley came into view, and in the center of the valley, an enormous and imposing pavilion stood.

As he approached, Xiao Bai's gaze slowly swept over the pavilion. A rustic atmosphere washed over him. Above the main entrance of the pavilion, on the ancient plaque, were three mottled characters weathered by time, faintly visible.

Library!

Leading the five men, Hu Qian walked slowly, then suddenly stopped about twenty paces from the library. He bowed and clasped his hands, saying, "This year's selection competition has concluded, and the top five have been determined. I have brought them here, and I request that you elders open the door!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Bai's sensitive soul power detected a subtle spatial fluctuation at the entrance of the library. Two gray-robed figures sat cross-legged on the ground and appeared in everyone's sight.

"These must be the two elders, Qianbai and Erlao!"

This was the first time Xiao Bai had ever seen someone wield spatial power to this extent. Among the people he had encountered so far, only Cai Lin and Xiao Jinlong had demonstrated this ability, but neither of them could compare to these two.

After the two appeared, they remained motionless, as if they hadn't heard Hu Qian's words. Hu Qian still maintained his clasped-fist posture, which left Xiao Bai speechless.

This is just pretentious, as if they can't show their strength without doing this!

Suddenly, Xiao Bai felt a faint sense of being watched. His expression remained calm, and he lowered his eyes, as if he didn't know anything!

(End of this chapter)