Battle Through the Heavens: Xiao Yan, I am your second master

boom--

"Cough cough—it failed again. Why did it explode this time?"

Xiao Li was completely black at this moment. When he was refining the pill, something went wrong during the fusion process. The pill was destroyed and even exploded. If it weren't for the high quality of the Blue Flame Cauldron, Xiao Li would have been in much worse shape than just having a black face.

"Brother Xiao Li, do you need to refine pills to break through to the Dou Ling realm? Our teacher said that long-term use of pills can lead to unstable Dou Qi and an unstable foundation," Yun Yun said with some concern.

"I refine the pills myself and consume them myself, so how can they be considered 'empty'? I absorb the energy of heaven and earth through cultivation, and consuming pills is also a way of absorbing energy, so why would the latter be considered 'empty'?"

Besides, even if I'm weak, I have ways to deal with it. Yun'er, you'd better cultivate diligently, or you won't be able to catch up with me~

Xiao Li held a disdainful attitude towards the theory that elixirs were unrealistic.

Does absorbing the energy of heaven and earth prevent one from cultivating superficially? Aren't medicinal herbs rare and precious, rich in energy? Alchemists remove impurities from medicinal herbs and condense them into pills; is that really inferior to absorbing battle qi oneself?

How could alchemists on the mainland possibly have such a good life? They might as well just cultivate asceticism instead of taking pills.

Why not use the elixirs you have and instead rely on grinding away at cultivation? Isn't that just asking for trouble? Don't you know that time is the most precious thing?

As for the issue of foundation, even if my foundation is weak, I am still stronger than your solid foundation as a Grand Master. Do you also have a Heaven-rank Battle Technique called Ghost Possession?

Xiao Li took out the waste pills from the medicine cauldron, cleaned the inside of the cauldron, and then looked to the side.

"Tsk, there are only two portions of medicinal herbs left. Three portions have already been wasted. How can a Grade 5 pill fail so easily?" Xiao Li said speechlessly.

The pill that Xiao Li is about to refine is called the Spirit Ascension Pill, a fifth-grade pill. Its effect is that it can increase the cultivation level of a Dou Ling by two stars.

Xiao Li refined it as a form of insurance for himself. Generally speaking, there shouldn't be any problems for a Great Dou Master to advance to Dou Ling, but if the energy is insufficient, the advancement may fail.

Xiao Li is currently in the Monster Mountain Range, where the fire-attribute energy of heaven and earth is not very abundant. If he were in the Tagor Desert, Xiao Li would have chosen to break through on the spot.

Breaking through in the Monster Mountain Range wasn't out of the question, but Xiao Li was afraid that his Earth-rank cultivation technique might attract powerful monsters while absorbing the energy of heaven and earth. To be on the safe side, Xiao Li decided to take pills to break through.

Taking elixirs eliminates the need to absorb large amounts of energy from heaven and earth, thus avoiding unnecessary changes.

"Let me take another look at the pill formula and notes. Where did I go wrong just now?" Xiao Li opened the pill formula for the Spirit Ascension Pill and the alchemy notes left by Elder Wang, and began to check what mistakes had occurred in his alchemy process.

After careful inspection, Xiao Li finally discovered his problem. It turned out that the heat during the condensation process of the Spirit Ascension Pill could not be too high. If it was too high, the embryonic pill would not be able to withstand it and would explode.

"No wonder they say the process of condensing the core cannot be rushed; I see. Let's continue!"

Xiao Li put away the notes and pill formulas, regulated his breathing for a while, and then continued to refine the medicine.

. . . . . .

On his fourth attempt at refining the Spirit Ascension Pill, Xiao Li's technique was even more skillful than the previous three times. Indeed, failure is the mother of success, and failure prepares for the next success.

Inside the Blue Flame Cauldron, in the center of the purple flames, the bluish-green medicinal liquid gradually condensed into the prototype of a pill. Xiao Li lowered the heat, using a gentler heat to nurture the pill, which gradually became fuller.

Xiao Li was extremely tired at this moment. Refining fifth-grade pills was quite difficult for him, especially the final process of condensing the pill, which required a great deal of concentration.

"Yun'er, Qi-restoring pills! Ice-heart pills!" Xiao Li shouted, and Yun Yun, who was about to doze off, immediately perked up.

Soon, Yun Yun poured out a Qi-restoring pill and an Ice Heart pill from a jade bottle beside her, and then hurriedly came to Xiao Li's side to feed them to him.

After Xiao Li took two pills, his tired soul instantly became clear, and his previously insufficient fighting spirit was restored.

"Phew~" Yun Yun wiped the sweat from her forehead. These days she had been assisting Xiao Li in refining medicine, giving him Qi-restoring pills when his fighting spirit was insufficient, and Ice Heart Pills when his soul was exhausted.

Yun Yun dared not relax for a moment, after all, Xiao Li was someone she had worked hard to build a friendly relationship with, and the future development of Yunlan Sect would still depend on him, and even she herself would have to rely on him in the future.

Although Yun Yun was young, she was quite knowledgeable about adult matters. Some disciples in the sect tried to curry favor with her, but Yun Yun ignored them. How could important matters of the sect be delayed by matters of personal feelings?

Afterwards, she attended some gatherings with her teacher Yunshan, and many families wanted to form marriage alliances with her in order to gain access to the Yunlan Sect.

However, Xiao Li gave her a different feeling. Although she could feel Xiao Li's gaze often sweeping over her body, Yun Yun did not feel disgusted because Xiao Li would say it very bluntly.

Xiao Li: Yun'er is so beautiful, it reminds me of the softest cloud on the mountaintop—but this cloud always makes people want to reach out and pluck it, to hide it in their arms and admire it alone.

Yun Yun blushed immediately upon hearing this. She had heard sweet words before, but none were as good as Xiao Li's. More importantly, it was Xiao Li who said them.

Yun Yun currently has no intention of choosing a partner. After all, the sect has not yet risen to prominence, and as the young sect leader, she should set an example. How could she be swayed by romantic feelings?

However, if she had to choose, Yunyun preferred Xiao Li's type. He was handsome, had impressive cultivation, and always spoke the truth without beating around the bush. Yunyun felt that her man should be like that.

Yun Yun herself detests cowardly, sycophantic men who can't speak properly and always beat around the bush. What kind of man is that? (I'm talking about you, Gu He!)

(Author: Chuang, why does this feel like it's talking about me too? Waaaaah, I've been hit hard, brothers.)

hum-

A remarkable energy fluctuation emanated from within the Blue Flame Cauldron.

"It's about to be completed! Tian Na really is a fifth-grade pill, and the alchemist is not even eighteen years old!" Yun Yun exclaimed, but she did not stop what she was doing and hurriedly took out an empty jade bottle.

"open!"

Xiao Li used his Dou Qi to open the Blue Flame Cauldron, and a blue-green pill the size of a longan flew out of the cauldron, wreathed in purple flames.

As soon as the pills were made, they released an extremely rich medicinal fragrance, which also had a slight bluish tint, filling the entire cave.

"This is a phenomenon that only appears when a 4th grade or higher elixir is formed!" This was the first time Yun Yun had ever seen such a phenomenon with a 5th grade elixir.

"Phew, finally succeeded. This beast fire is still not very effective. I really want a different kind of fire." Xiao Li lay down exhaustedly.

Yun Yun put the Spirit Ascension Pill into a jade bottle, then sat down next to Xiao Li: "If you need it when you search for strange fire in the future, you can come to me anytime."

"Oh? What if that strange fire already has an owner?" Xiao Li said with a smile.

Yun Yun pondered for a moment, then said firmly, "Then kill that person and seize the strange fire. In the Dou Qi Continent, strength reigns supreme, and acts of force and robbery happen every day. I don't mind doing such a thing for you."

Xiao Li looked puzzled, as if he were meeting Yun Yun for the first time: "Huh? I thought you wouldn't do something like forcibly seizing something for the greater good, and that we'd go find the strange fire elsewhere. I didn't expect you to be so radical? Have I become a conservative?"

Yun Yun pouted: "Do I look like such a pedantic person? I'm not that pedantic. Everyone is equal before opportunity. Whoever grabs it gets it. If you're not strong enough, you can't blame others."

"I actually got taught a lesson by you, you little brat, tsk tsk tsk."

Yun Yun said angrily, "I'm not young! I'm only a year younger than you. By the way, Li~ when are you planning to advance to the Dou Ling level?"

Xiao Li sat up: "I need to rest for three days before breaking through. I'll have to trouble Yun'er to protect me."

"It's nothing."