I run a casino in the immortal realm.

Chapter 243 Surpassing Oneself

The strange phenomenon lasted for an hour.

The vortex in the sky dissipated, and the spiritual energy subsided.

The heavy stone door of the Earth Fire Spirit Cave slowly opened.

Zhao Ling came out.

She wore a simple, plain-colored long dress and no magical artifacts, yet she exuded an ethereal aura.

Her originally pale skin now had a radiant glow, her eyes were clear, and a faint blue lotus mark flashed in the depths of her pupils.

The oppressive aura of the flawless golden elixir had not completely subsided, and the surrounding air distorted slightly with her breathing.

Zhao Wenyuan was the first to rush forward, looking his sister up and down.

"You successfully formed your core?"

"Um."

Zhao Ling nodded.

Su Wanqing stepped forward, a genuine smile on her face: "Congratulations."

Zheng Yifei stood a few steps away, his gaze fixed on Zhao Ling. He could sense that the spiritual energy within Zhao Ling was extremely pure, without a trace of impurity.

Zhao Ling walked past Zhao Wenyuan and stood in front of Zheng Yifei.

She clasped her hands together, bowed deeply, and performed a very formal salute.

"Thank you, Brother Yifei."

"You have a good foundation."

Zheng Yifei raised his hand to support her arm and helped her up.

Zhao Ling straightened up and looked directly into Zheng Yifei's eyes: "Brother Yifei, I have already formed my core. My spiritual sense and spiritual power are sufficient to support the refining of fourth-order pills. I have long since memorized the formulas for the Golden Core and the Breakthrough Pill. We can start the furnace now."

"No rush."

Zheng Yifei said, "You've just broken through, and your realm isn't stable yet. Go into seclusion for half a month to thoroughly refine your Golden Core."

"I can stay calm."

"Refining pills consumes a great deal of spiritual energy, especially fourth-grade pills."

Zheng Yifei's tone was calm, yet it conveyed an undeniable sense of authority.

Zhao Ling did not back down.

"The Qingyun Sect is gone, and the Su family has also been wiped out."

Her voice wasn't loud, but she spoke quickly: "The Fifth Elder is seriously injured, and you and Sister Wanqing both need to break through to the Golden Core stage. Hu Lie and Qin Cang won't give us much time; you need to reach the Golden Core stage as soon as possible, more than anyone else."

Zheng Yifei looked at her.

Zhao Ling usually appears gentle and weak, but she has an almost obsessive stubbornness when it comes to alchemy and certain decisions.

"There are only seven portions of spiritual materials."

Zheng Yifei flipped his wrist, and seven jade boxes sealed with array patterns appeared on the stone table.

These are fourth-tier spiritual materials that Tie Feng has secretly collected in Xuantian Market and various black markets over the past two years, each worth tens of millions.

"Seven portions are enough."

Zhao Ling put away the jade box, turned around and walked back to the Earth Fire Spirit Cave.

The stone gate slammed shut again.

Inside the Earth Fire Spirit Cave.

Zhao Ling sat cross-legged in front of the alchemy furnace.

This is the "Crimson Dragon Furnace," a top-grade fourth-tier alchemy furnace that Tie Feng acquired at an auction in Xuantian Market for an astronomical price.

The furnace body is engraved with three coiled crimson dragons, and fire surges from below, instantly turning the bottom of the furnace red-hot.

She did not immediately begin refining the elixir, but instead closed her eyes and meditated for three hours.

She only opened her eyes when the flawless golden elixir within her body reached its peak and her divine sense reached its zenith.

The first batch of spiritual materials was put into the alchemy furnace.

Golden Spirit Fruit, Jade Marrow Ganoderma, Seven Star Grass... Thirty-six kinds of auxiliary medicines were put into the furnace in turn.

Fire rose from the ground.

Two hours later, a muffled cracking sound came from inside the furnace.

A pungent, burnt smell filled the air.

Failed.

Zhao Ling expressionlessly cleaned away the dregs at the bottom of the furnace. The medicinal properties of fourth-grade pills were ten times more potent than those of third-grade pills, and her control over the heat was still stuck in the habits of the Foundation Establishment stage.

She closed her eyes, quickly replaying each step she had just taken in her mind.

Half an hour later, the second batch of spiritual materials was put into the furnace.

This time, the purification and fusion stages went very smoothly, and the medicinal liquid gradually condensed and took shape under the protection of divine sense.

However, during the final stage of the core-dividing process, Zhao Ling's spiritual energy output fluctuated slightly.

The furnace lid was lifted, revealing ten dusty, waste pills inside.

Two consecutive failures resulted in the loss of tens of millions of spirit stones.

Zhao Ling didn't pause, nor did she show any emotional fluctuation. She swallowed a pill to restore her consciousness and began refining it for the third time.

three days later.

The Crimson Dragon Furnace emitted a clear hum.

The furnace lid opened, and ten round pills flew out and landed in the jade plate.

The surface of the elixir gleamed with a faint golden light, but it lacked any elixir patterns.

The lower grade is the golden elixir.

Zhao Ling glanced at it and pushed the jade plate aside. Although a low-grade Golden Core pill could increase the chances of forming a core, it would leave a small amount of pill toxins, which was not enough for someone like Zheng Yifei who pursued ultimate combat power.

The fourth refining.

Mid-grade Golden Core Pill. A blurry pattern appeared on the surface of the pill.

The fifth refining.

The superior-grade Golden Elixir has clear elixir patterns and a rich medicinal fragrance.

Five batches of elixirs were produced in ten days.

Zhao Ling's alchemy skills transformed at an alarming rate. From having no experience to refining high-grade fourth-level pills, she only took ten days.

If the elders of the Xuantian Sect's Pill Pavilion were to see this scene, they would be absolutely astonished. For an ordinary alchemist to cross this chasm, it would take at least ten years, or even several decades.

There are only two spiritual materials left.

Zhao Ling stopped.

High-grade Golden Core pills were not her goal; she wanted to refine the ultimate Golden Core pills.

Only the finest elixirs can propel Zheng Yifei and Su Wanqing into the Golden Core stage without any side effects, and forge the most perfect foundation for their Dao.

She shut down the earth fire, walked out of the alchemy area, and lay down on the stone bed in the spirit cave.

After ten consecutive days of intense alchemy, her spiritual energy was exhausted, and her face was deathly pale.

She slept for two days and two nights.

On the morning of the third day, Zhao Ling woke up on time.

She washed up and changed into a clean blue robe.

Sitting before the Crimson Dragon Furnace once more, her gaze became extremely focused, and her entire aura merged with the furnace and the earth fire.

The sixth spiritual material floated in mid-air.

Zhao Ling formed a hand seal, and the earth fire roared up, transforming into three fire dragons that swirled inside the furnace.

Add the golden lingguo.

In just three breaths, the hard fruit transformed into a pure golden liquid.

Add chalcedony fungus.

Add the seven-star grass.

Thirty-six kinds of auxiliary medicines transformed into streaks of light in mid-air, precisely landing in different areas of the flames.

Zhao Ling's divine sense split into thirty-six parts, simultaneously controlling the purification of all the medicinal liquids.

This is a brand-new technique she learned during her review, and it is extremely dangerous. Once her divine consciousness is out of control, all the spiritual materials will be instantly destroyed.

But she did it.

The immense spiritual power provided by the flawless golden elixir continuously sustained the consumption of divine sense.

Half an hour later, all the medicinal liquids were purified.

"凝".

Zhao Ling gave a low shout.

The three fire dragons suddenly contracted, squeezing all the medicinal liquid together. The different medicinal properties clashed violently, and the alchemy furnace began to tremble violently.

Zhao Ling rapidly changed hand seals, sending streams of azure-gold spiritual energy into the furnace.

The tremors gradually subsided.

The medicinal liquid fused into a dark golden gel-like substance.

"point."

The divine sense transformed into an invisible blade, evenly cutting the gelatinous substance into ten parts.

The flames rose again for the final tempering.

Two hours later.

An extremely rich fragrance of elixir wafted from the furnace opening, filling the entire spiritual cave with a golden halo.

"open!"

Zhao Ling patted the furnace.

Ten pills shot into the sky, but she caught them with her spiritual power and put them into a jade plate.

Ten Golden Elixirs.

Seven of them have two red lines on their surface, making them top-grade.

The other three stones have three naturally formed golden patterns printed on their surfaces.

Top-grade Golden Elixir.

The rate of top-quality items is 30%.

Zhao Ling stared at the jade plate for a long time.

This is already an extremely astonishing achievement. Even her master, the Dan Pavilion Master of the Xuan Tian Sect, Mu Daoren, could not possibly achieve a top-grade success rate of 30% when refining fourth-order pills.

But Zhao Ling frowned.

"not enough."

She murmured to herself.

Zheng Yifei has five spiritual roots, so he needs at least five top-grade Golden Core pills.

She closed her eyes, and every detail of the alchemy process she had just performed replayed in her mind.

The timing of the heat adjustment, the timing of the medicinal liquid fusion, and the distribution of spiritual energy during the separation of the pills.

Half an hour later.

Zhao Ling opened her eyes, a flash of understanding in them.

Without resting, she immediately picked up the last batch of spiritual materials.

The seventh alchemy session begins.

This time, her movements became extremely slow, even somewhat clumsy.

However, the flames inside the Crimson Dragon Furnace exhibited an eerie calm.

There were no cracking sounds, no shocks from the clash of spiritual energy.

All the medicinal liquids naturally melt and purify the moment they are added.

Zhao Ling entered a state of sudden enlightenment.

Her consciousness no longer forcibly manipulated the medicinal liquid, but instead followed the properties of the herbs themselves, guiding them to blend together.

The flawless golden elixir slowly rotated within the dantian, emitting a bluish-gold light.

The light flowed into his hands through his meridians and merged into the flames.

The medicinal liquid inside the alchemy furnace began to emit a strange rhythm, as if it had come to life.

Three hours passed.

Zhao Ling's forehead was covered in sweat, and her face turned pale again, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

"receive."

She uttered a single word softly.

There was no tapping of the furnace body, and no burst of spiritual energy.

The lid of the Crimson Dragon Furnace slid open silently.

Ten golden rays flew out from the furnace and hovered in front of Zhao Ling.

The rich fragrance of the elixir instantly transformed into a tangible golden mist, permeating the spiritual cave.

Zhao Ling took the jade plate and caught the pills.