Battle Through the Heavens: Reap the Red Lotus Karmic Flame at the Start

"Of course it's because it looks cool!" Wei Jiangyuan explained excitedly, "And it's not easy to show your true face, which gives you the air of a top master."

Xiao Yan was momentarily at a loss; sometimes he truly didn't know how to deal with someone like Wei Jiangyuan. But he still sent his companion, Little Fairy Doctor Lei Jingxiao, ahead of him.

As Lei Jingxiao walked by, he glanced sideways at Wei Jiangyuan, who was completely hidden in a black robe. He seemed to dislike the latter's behavior and muttered with disdain, "Idiot."

"Xiao Yan, look at this brat you've brought along!"

"What do you want?" Xiao Yan didn't bother to pick up where Wei Jiangyuan left off and asked directly.

"I'll help you ascend to the top of the Heavenly Talents List." Wei Jiangyuan finally spoke after seeing Little Fairy Doctor and the other two walk away, but he deliberately kept them in suspense.

Xiao Yan, however, completely ignored the challenge, crossing his arms and waiting for Wei Jiangyuan to continue.

Wei Jiangyuan seemed somewhat helpless as he rubbed his forehead and said, "You know about the 'Myriad Pill Recipes' level you're going to go to later, right?"

Xiao Yan nodded without hesitation. After all, it was a trial he was about to participate in, so he had naturally learned about it thoroughly from Xuan Kongzi beforehand.

The five trials each test the alchemist's abilities, while the fourth trial, "Myriad Pill Recipes," emphasizes the alchemist's mastery and innovation of pill recipes.

The trial begins with participants randomly drawing a pill formula between the third and sixth grades. They must then immediately identify any errors in the formula. This is just the basics; if the alchemist has their own ideas, they can innovate based on the formula's properties. Finally, the senior members of the Pill Tower will award a score based on the final product.

Xiao Yan wasn't afraid of this challenge, but he wasn't entirely confident either. Since he began learning alchemy, he had been entirely taught by Yao Lao, so his basics were sound, and any problems with the formulas wouldn't be a problem for him. However, Xiao Yan's time learning alchemy was still relatively short, and he hadn't yet come up with any particularly groundbreaking ideas for improving or innovating formulas. In the past, Yao Lao had a rich collection of formulas and naturally hadn't forced Xiao Yan to do anything specific. In Yao Lao's words, when Xiao Yan's alchemy skills reached their limit and he couldn't break through, he would naturally have the time and inclination to do these things. Now, after all, was the golden period for Xiao Yan's alchemy breakthrough; focusing solely on creating new formulas would actually be a waste of his precious time.

"Can you guarantee I'll choose a specific pill formula?" Xiao Yan asked curiously. Wei Jiangyuan had come specifically to see him, so there must have been a reason. Based on Wei Jiangyuan's fearless nature, Xiao Yan made a bold guess.

"I really can't do that, after all, the person in charge of this stage is quite stubborn and wouldn't make any exceptions," Wei Jiangyuan said with some emotion.

"However, you should know that when that senior was in charge of this level, he said that if you wanted to get a perfect score from him, what were the conditions?"

"I know." Xiao Yan paused, then said, word by word, "Create your own pill formula!"

The difficulty of creating a pill formula and modifying a pill formula are worlds apart. Modifications, after all, follow established paths prepared by predecessors, allowing one to simply add their own new ideas. Moreover, pill formulas below the sixth rank are indeed within the reach of these gifted young people. However, creating a pill formula requires completely figuring out a path from scratch, something simply impossible for the younger generation.

All those who attempt this stage choose to modify the original pill formula; no original pill formula has yet appeared, which is enough to illustrate how difficult it is to create one.

Wei Jiangyuan then took out a scroll of pill formulas and played with it in his hand: "Isn't it a coincidence that I have a pill formula here that I created entirely myself?"

"What are the effects?" Xiao Yan's eyes lit up at this moment. Any alchemist would be tempted and curious about a brand new pill formula.

"As for its effects..." Wei Jiangyuan then handed the scroll to Xiao Yan, his tone seemingly calm but actually concealing an uncontrollable smugness: "You can understand the Emperor-level Pill at the Dou Zong level!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's heart stirred. He knew the effects of the Royal Extreme Pill all too well: it could raise a Dou Huang by one star.

The effect is simple and straightforward, and it is precisely because of this simplicity that the Imperial Extreme Pill becomes a top-tier sixth-grade pill, arguably the most popular one. Conversely, a pill capable of raising a Dou Zong's level by one star has yet to be created. It's not that raising a Dou Zong's level by one star is particularly difficult, but rather that for a Dou Zong to absorb it, the pill must be at least seventh-grade. Pills above seventh grade are simply too much for a Dou Zong to handle.

The Dou Zong realm is a watershed moment, requiring a significantly higher level of Dou Qi compared to Dou Huang and Dou Wang, making it impossible for ordinary materials to meet the demands of advancement. Therefore, despite years of research across the Dou Qi Continent, no truly suitable pill formula has ever emerged, leaving this region a genuinely unfilled void.

"Is it really a seventh-rank?"

"Of course, it's a high-grade seventh rank, and not even close to triggering pill lightning," Wei Jiangyuan explained.

As an eighth-grade alchemist, Xiao Yan knew this was the most difficult part; a seventh-grade high-level formula meant the medicinal materials required for this pill wouldn't exceed the required limits. Even Xiao Yan himself had to admit that submitting this pill formula would inevitably earn him a perfect score.

However, he didn't look at the contents of the scroll. Instead, he reluctantly returned the scroll to Wei Jiangyuan: "This is your creation. It hasn't been released or popularized yet. I'm sure it will fetch a high price if it's sold. I won't look at it."

Xiao Yan's words surprised Wei Jiangyuan, who asked, "You don't want it? Do you also have your own original pill formula? I must tell you, it's impossible to get away with this. The Pill Tower has been around for so many years, and the number of pill formulas it has collected is countless."

Xiao Yan also shook his head frankly: "In terms of creating pill formulas, I am really not as good as you, but I don't need your pill formula, or rather, I don't need the next perfect one."

Why?

"What's yours will always be yours. I don't need to rely on your creations to build my fame," Xiao Yan said slowly. "Besides, I'm quite interested in this challenge and want to see how far I can go with my own strength."

"Don't you want that Spirit Fusion Cauldron? It's something I've been eyeing. If we weren't short on time, I would have definitely shown up to participate!"

"Of course I want it." Xiao Yan wouldn't believe himself if he said he wasn't tempted by the medicine cauldron.

"But how do you know I can't win it on my own merits?"