I'm not mentally ill, I'm a master of a thousand faces!

Chapter 368, The Terrifying Two-Faced Person

This is not to say that the Yin Sha Ghost Pearl is ineffective.

As a ninth-tier treasure capable of nourishing the soul, the Yin Sha Ghost Pearl is no less precious than any ninth-tier elixir, and may even be more so!

However, Zhao Xun's progress in spiritual cultivation was slow. Apart from slowly consuming eighth-order Thunderfire Golden Pills, he had no other good methods to rapidly increase his spiritual cultivation.

When it comes to the soul, he dares not act recklessly. He has always been patiently and steadily consuming Thunderfire Golden Pills to increase his strength.

Fortunately, he had already cultivated a Dao body, and his spiritual cultivation was also increasing day by day.

Although it is a hindrance compared to magical power and physical cultivation, in fact, in the realms of spirits and demons, and even throughout countless ages, being able to cultivate one's soul to the late stage of the eighth rank in such a short time is already an extremely rare existence!

Zhao Xun had only recently broken through to the late stage of the eighth rank, and his spiritual power was depleted.

After refining the Yin Sha Ghost Pearl, this void was greatly filled; most of the Ghost Pearl's power was actually put into it.

Therefore, even if one refines a ninth-order Yin Sha Ghost Pearl, it is still not enough to achieve the Great Perfection!

"What a pity, I was just one step away from breaking through, but luckily I still have a backup plan!" Zhao Xun muttered to himself, shook his head, and got up to leave the seclusion.

The door to the training room suddenly swung open.

"Greetings, Your Excellency!" Upon hearing the commotion, the Heavenly Guards guarding the cultivation room, led by a celestial official clad in golden armor, hurriedly came over to pay their respects.

"No need for formalities, take me to see the Heavenly Emperor." Zhao Xun nodded slightly.

Knowing Zhao Xun's status and position, the golden-armored celestial official dared not be negligent and immediately led Zhao Xun to the Jade Pool Wonderland.

The Heavenly Emperor was still chatting and playing chess with the Starry Sky Venerable when he saw Zhao Xun emerge from seclusion in such a short time. He looked at him with a serious expression.

"But what difficulties have you encountered in your cultivation?"

Upon hearing this, the Star Celestial Venerable, who was looking down at the chessboard in thought, raised his head, glanced at it, and then lowered his head again.

With just one glance, he knew that Zhao Xun's cultivation had improved again.

After taking this disciple, Star Celestial Venerable hardly taught him anything, which was very worry-free. Without him paying too much attention, the disciple's cultivation level would rise rapidly.

Sometimes, even he, as the master, felt somewhat ashamed.

"I would like to ask Fellow Daoist Tianyi and my teacher for help in refining elixirs," Zhao Xun said after a moment's thought, cupping his hands in a respectful gesture.

"Oh?" The Heavenly Emperor knew that Zhao Xun was a grandmaster of alchemy. For a grandmaster to need the help of two cultivators who were not very skilled in alchemy, the pills he made must be extraordinary.

He immediately became interested.

Star Celestial Venerable looked at Zhao Xun and laughed, "You're after our Three-Nine Heavenly Tribulation cultivation, aren't you?"

Zhao Xun smiled somewhat embarrassedly and said, "Teacher's insight is truly remarkable. I need to refine a ninth-grade spirit pill, but my current cultivation level is still somewhat insufficient. However, with the help of you, teacher and fellow Daoists, I am certain I can succeed!"

"A ninth-grade spiritual pill!" The Heavenly Emperor and the Starry Sky Venerable were both taken aback.

When one cultivates to the Mahayana or Tribulation Transcending stages, the reliance on elixirs decreases significantly, with a greater emphasis placed on comprehending the laws of nature.

However, as long as one is a cultivator, one cannot do without the two most important things for a cultivator: elixirs and magical treasures.

Magical treasures are a means of defending against enemies. Without formidable strength, even with cultivation, one cannot protect oneself. Therefore, every Venerable One who has transcended tribulation possesses their own natal ninth-tier magical treasure.

And elixirs are one of the most important sources of increasing cultivation level.

Among them, ninth-grade pills are the most precious pills in the lower realm. Some ninth-grade pills can even assist in comprehending the laws.

Zhao Xun's cultivation has reached the limit of the Mahayana stage. He is only one step away from undergoing the tribulation and breaking through to the Tribulation stage. The ninth-grade pill he is going to refine must be extraordinary!

"It's a pill that enhances the spirit and soul. I've already prepared the specific ingredients," Zhao Xun said.

The Heavenly Emperor took a breath, somewhat shocked, and said, "A ninth-grade Divine Soul Pill, Fellow Daoist Zhao's generosity is truly impressive. But Fellow Daoist, are you confident you can succeed?"

Zhao Xun was only at the Mahayana stage of cultivation, yet he was trying to refine ninth-grade pills.

Not to mention the Heavenly Emperor, even the Star Celestial Venerable frowned and looked somewhat worried.

The failure to refine the pills was not the only problem; he was worried that it would affect Zhao Xun's breakthrough to the Tribulation Transcending stage.

From the Mahayana stage to the Tribulation stage, there are many types of lightning tribulations, one of which is the mental tribulation.

"Just keep refining. I have plenty of materials, so you can rest assured, fellow Daoist." Zhao Xun smiled, his expression showing complete confidence and assurance.

The Heavenly Emperor and the Star Lord nodded slowly: "Since you have confidence, we will naturally help you."

As the most powerful force among humans and the supreme ruler of the Xuan Tian Domain, the Heavenly Court has numerous alchemy rooms.

The group arrived at a pill-making room.

In the very center of the alchemy room stood a pitch-black alchemy furnace. Despite its unassuming appearance, it was a ninth-rank alchemy furnace. In fact, the Heavenly Emperor had obtained this furnace by chance back then.

The Heavenly Emperor was extremely excited at the time, but he quickly lost interest because he didn't know how to refine elixirs.

The alchemy furnace is something only alchemists can handle. For other cultivators, it's just a useless thing; they either put it in their storage ring to gather dust or trade it away.

The Heavenly Emperor, being extremely wealthy, left this ninth-tier alchemy furnace here after acquiring it, and has hardly ever used it.

The Heavenly Court has a large number of alchemists, but none of them are qualified to use a ninth-order alchemy furnace!

"Let me make this clear beforehand: I know absolutely nothing about alchemy. I'll only provide you with magical power. If you ruin it, I won't be responsible," the Heavenly Emperor said hastily when he saw Zhao Xun sitting solemnly in front of the alchemy furnace.

They haven't even started refining the elixir yet, and they're already spouting discouraging words.

Zhao Xun gave him an annoyed look and shook his head, saying, "Do you have any faith in me? I can be a Grandmaster of Alchemy; there's no pill in the world I can't refine!"

Hearing his disciple's boasting, Star Celestial Venerable simply smiled and sat down next to the Heavenly Emperor behind Zhao Xun.

"rise!"

After a moment, Zhao Xun calmed his mind and adjusted his breathing to its optimal state. He raised his hand, and the ninth-order alchemy furnace in the middle flew into the air in the alchemy room and slowly began to rotate.

Subsequently, the Xuanming True Water flew out from his body and entered the ninth-order alchemy furnace, where it began to nourish the furnace.

The ninth-level alchemy furnace, just the step of nurturing the furnace alone, consumed a full ten percent of Zhao Xun's magical power.

However, Zhao Xun was even more delighted. After all, the stronger the alchemy furnace, the lower the success rate of refining ninth-grade spiritual medicine. As for magic power, it was the last thing he lacked.

Nourishing the furnace, adding medicine, quenching the spirit...

Zhao Xun executed each step with effortless grace, leaving the two Transcending Tribulation Venerables behind him, Star Celestial Venerable and Heavenly Emperor, dazzled by the spectacle.

One has to admit that alchemy is an incredibly arduous task, far beyond what a human can do!

Zhao Xun slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, tossed a spirit pill into his mouth to replenish his depleted mana, and then focused all his attention on the pill furnace, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

Until the stage of elixir formation—

"Quickly pour your magic power into my body!" Zhao Xun shouted as he cast a series of incantations, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. He felt the pressure and hurriedly shouted.

Boom! Boom!

The Heavenly Emperor and the Starry Sky Venerable immediately activated their magical power, pouring two streams of Venerable-level magical power into Zhao Xun's body, instantly relieving Zhao Xun's pressure.

The previously restless alchemy furnace gradually calmed down.

Zhao Xun stared intently at the alchemy furnace, his hands forming a hand seal without pause. The golden alchemy seal, like a gentle stream, disappeared into the furnace.

The formation of the elixir is the most crucial step in the entire alchemy process, as it not only determines whether the elixir can be formed, but also affects its quality.

Moreover, this is the longest phase.

Time passed slowly, and eighty-one days had gone by since the alchemy began. Finally, the last step had arrived.

Collect the elixir!

Zhao Xun flicked his hand, and the lid of the ninth-order alchemy furnace flew off and crashed to the side. At the same time, a beam of light, interwoven with gold and azure, shot up from the furnace.

Zhao Xun was overjoyed upon seeing this.

The ninth-order Thunderfire Golden Core is complete!

(End of this chapter)