BTTH: From Genius to Invincible-Chapter 331: Calmly Refining Pills

Word Count: 2,532 Words

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"That's... a Heavenly Flame!!"

"My goodness, a clash of Heavenly Flames! That alchemist named Xiao Yan also possesses a Heavenly Flame!"

The collision of these two flames naturally drew countless gazes, especially since one side was Gu Tong, the Sect Leader of the Medicine Bone Sect and a 7th-tier alchemist, while the other was Xiao Yan, the initiator of the Yan Alliance who had recently been making waves!

The Wind and Thunder Fury Flame was born in the eye of a tornado, so its form resembled a whirlwind. Its sandy-yellow color was tinged with faint grayish-white, and what appeared to be swirling winds were actually strands of extremely high-temperature flames.

From a distance, it looked like a tornado ferociously colliding with a green lotus. Tongues of fire splashed in every direction as these two formidable forces clashed.

The collision of the two Heavenly Flames generated a high-temperature storm that swept outward continuously.

The temperature of this mountain range rose with the appearance of the Heavenly Flames, and even the entire Sky Serpent Mansion seemed to grow slightly warmer.

"So powerful! That person called Xiao Yan is actually not weaker than Gu Tong!"

"Gu Tong possesses the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame, but what is that green-colored Heavenly Flame?"

In the spectator stands, the old shopkeeper of the Yellow Spring Treasure Pavilion, seated beside Qiu Ping, stroked his beard and laughed. "The Green Lotus Core Flame and the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame. A duel between two alchemists wielding Heavenly Flames would be a sensational event even in the Central Plains."

Qiu Ping narrowed his eyes slightly. He hadn't expected this Xiao Yan to be hiding so deeply, actually possessing a Heavenly Flame!

Moreover, judging by this display, his skill definitely exceeded tier 5; he could very well be tier 6, or even high-grade tier 6!

"No wonder he's so arrogant. He must have a formidable Master guiding him. Without a mentor to lead the way, an alchemist couldn't possibly reach such heights," Qiu Ping said with absolute conviction, certain that Xiao Yan must have a powerful Master behind him.

"Betting Heavenly Flames..."

A glint flickered in Xiao Yan's eyes as he adopted an exceedingly confident and arrogant demeanor. He slowly asked, "Betting Heavenly Flames? How do you propose we wager?"

Gu Tong saw Xiao Yan's over-the-top confidence and was inwardly delighted.

"Let today's alchemy competition decide. Whoever loses will strip the Heavenly Flame from their soul and hand it over to the other!" he said with a beaming smile.

Gu Tong was an old fox. Not only had he inherited the legacy of a powerful alchemist and possessed a Heavenly Flame, but his alchemy had also reached tier 7. He had dominated the title of strongest alchemist in several previous Great Meetings of Factions!

Consequently, his reputation extended beyond just the North-Western Region; his name was not unknown in the Central Plains either.

His confidence in challenging Xiao Yan, even wagering his Heavenly Flame, stemmed precisely from this.

All the alchemists present turned to eye Xiao Yan. Among alchemists, it was common to settle matters by comparing alchemy skills. Such things happened frequently.

But wagering Heavenly Flames was something they'd never heard of!

"If someone insists on giving me a Heavenly Flame, so be it. Let's have a match." Xiao Yan smiled and dispersed the Wind and Thunder Fury Flame with a casual wave. Both Heavenly Flames gradually receded.

In truth, Gu Tong hadn't initially intended to make such a high-stakes bet. The main reason was that he urgently needed another Heavenly Flame.

As rumors suggested, his lifespan was nearing its end. His body would soon revert to that of a child, and at that point, he'd lose mobility, let alone continue his lineage.

For this reason, he had ventured to the Central Plains to find an 8th-tier alchemist from the Qiu Clan, hoping the other party would help refine a tier 8 pill to counteract this side effect.

He had indeed found such a person, but commissioning an alchemist from the Central Plains, especially a tier 8 one, came at an astronomical price, far beyond what most people in the entire North-Western Region could afford.

And obviously, there was one thing that could move an 8th-tier alchemist's heart.

A Heavenly Flame.

Therefore, upon discovering that Xiao Yan possessed the Green Lotus Core Flame, Gu Tong repeatedly provoked him. Earlier, he had even attempted to poach Yue Er and verbally taunted Xiao Yan, all to anger him into accepting a wager.

He wanted Xiao Yan's Green Lotus Core Flame to offer to the Qiu Clan as payment for the pill.

Gu Tong saw Xiao Yan's arrogant agreement and inwardly rejoiced. He haughtily said, "I won't bully you. Today, I'll refine a tier 6 pill. If you can produce a tier 6 pill superior to mine, then you win."

Xiao Yan slowly walked to a stone platform, shook his hands to loosen them, and said nonchalantly, "No need. You go ahead and give it your all. Besides, I'm not refining a tier 6 pill today."

Hearing his casual declaration that he wouldn't be refining a tier 6 pill, everyone's initial reaction was: 'Huh? What? Only a 5th-tier alchemist?'

Then, as someone finally grasped the implication and exclaimed, a terrifying thought surfaced in everyone's mind.

Not refining a tier 6 pill... could it be tier 7!!!

Thud!

Qiu Ping, seated in the spectator area, abruptly stood up, even knocking over his chair. At this moment, Qiu Ping, who was accustomed to storms and had some fame in the Pill Region, had a drastic change in expression. It could be said to be shock, even horror!

"A twenty-three-year-old 7th-tier alchemist! Impossible! How could some remote corner of the North-Western Region produce someone with that level of talent!" he was unwilling to believe it and didn't dare to, because a twenty-three-year-old 7th-tier alchemist was a miracle!

This wasn't something that had never happened before. In fact, there was currently such a super genius in the Pill Region of the Central Plains, whose alchemy talent even surpassed Xiao Yan's.

That woman known as the 'Witch' could refine tier 7 pills at the age of twenty, becoming an insurmountable mountain that made all alchemists in the Pill Region despair.

Her name was Cao Ying, the jewel of the Cao Clan, one of the Five Great Clans in the Pill Region.

Because of Cao Ying, the Cao Clan was thriving and even showed signs of becoming the leader among the Five Great Clans.

And now, what had Qiu Ping witnessed? Another Cao Ying!

"No, he might not necessarily be a 7th-tier alchemist; perhaps he's just a peak 6th-tier alchemist attempting to challenge a tier 7 pill." Qiu Ping kept comforting himself, but even he didn't quite believe his own words.

Because Xiao Yan was too confident!

He had agreed to wager Heavenly Flames without hesitation!

Looking at it now, was it Gu Tong scheming against Xiao Yan, or Xiao Yan tricking Gu Tong? It was hard to tell!

The old shopkeeper from the Yellow Spring Treasure Pavilion was still greatly taken aback upon hearing Xiao Yan say he would refine a tier 7 pill, even though he had mentally prepared himself somewhat. He murmured, "Whether it's true or not will soon be revealed."

Xiao Yan paid no heed to the astonished gazes around him. He produced the Ten Thousand Beasts Cauldron and placed it on the stone platform. Then he retrieved one brocade box after another from his storage ring, several bearing the emblem of the Yellow Spring Treasure Pavilion. These were medicinal ingredients he'd purchased from them.

This time, the pill he intended to refine was even more challenging than the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill.

The tier 7 Great Soul Black Purple Pill, a medicinal pill of the Hall of Souls!

"So many medicinal ingredients!" Everyone present was shocked, staring at the densely packed brocade boxes on Xiao Yan's platform as if they'd seen a ghost. Their expressions were impossible to describe.

"Good heavens, in all my life I've never seen a pill recipe requiring so many ingredients. This is insane," an elderly alchemist participating in the competition couldn't help but utter.

At this point, even those who hadn't refined tier 7 pills knew that using so many ingredients was definitely beyond tier 6; not even a Zong Breaking Pill required this many!

For a moment, countless people were drooling, eyes filled with astonishment. It was understandable; after all, to anyone, even faction leaders, a tier 7 pill was priceless. Even some Dou Ancestors might not have the opportunity to consume such a pill, let alone others.

Only dominant factions like the Sky Serpent Mansion had the resources to purchase and utilize tier 7 pills.

Previously, people might have thought that Xiao Yan accepting Gu Tong's challenge was not knowing the immensity of heaven and earth, but now, no one could criticize.

No wonder he hadn't participated in the under-thirty alchemist competition. With his strength, entering such a competition would be like playing in the mud, bullying children.

Now, he had gone from bullying kids at the Alchemist Grand Meeting in the Jia Ma Empire to bullying the elderly!

Princess Yue Er, watching from the side, could only smile wryly. By now, nothing surprised her anymore. In her eyes, Xiao Yan's alchemy was simply miraculous.

The aspects that gave alchemists the biggest headaches and were the hardest to improve—Spiritual Strength and fire control—seemed to advance rapidly for him, as if he were playing.

The most unsettled person was Gu Tong. Originally, he had intended to use this opportunity to obtain the Green Lotus Core Flame, but now it seemed victory wasn't assured!

There was a risk of losing!

Gu Tong took a deep breath and walked to a stone platform as well. He looked coldly at Xiao Yan and said sinisterly, "Fine, you've hidden deeply, but you're still too young. Today, I'll make you lose utterly. Your Heavenly Flame will be mine!"

After calming down, he regained his confidence. In his view, he had cultivated alchemy for so long. How could someone from the younger generation match him?

Even if you are also a 7th-tier alchemist, so what? I have been at tier 7 for many years and have nothing to fear!

Gu Tong also took out a large pile of medicinal ingredients, and the amount he took out was even double that of Xiao Yan's. However, he had three full sets, while Xiao Yan intended to finish the battle with just one set, not planning to leave himself any room for error!

In such a level of alchemy competition, there was no need to announce a start; refining pills above tier 6 took several days, and some tier 7 pills required half a month or even longer. Being a few minutes faster or slower made no difference.

"Watch carefully with your dog eyes. Even among 7th-tier alchemists, there are differences." Gu Tong sneered at Xiao Yan. With a stomp, he summoned his medicinal cauldron.

A thud sounded as a pure white medicinal cauldron landed. From afar, it resembled a crouching white tiger, emitting strands of white light. When these lights flickered, it was as if a white tiger appeared.

Although it wasn't as good as Xiao Yan's Ten Thousand Beasts Cauldron, this medicinal cauldron was of high quality, estimated to be a tier 8 medicinal cauldron.

"This medicinal cauldron isn't simple." Many knowledgeable experts present realized its extraordinariness, sensing the aura from the cauldron.

"That's the ancient White Tiger Cauldron that Gu Tong obtained from some ruins, a tier 8 medicinal cauldron," an alchemist recognized it at a glance.

However, some with keener eyes were fixated on Xiao Yan's crimson cauldron. As soon as he introduced the Green Lotus Core Flame into it, the myriad beast patterns on the Ten Thousand Beasts Cauldron became vivid, as if coming to life.

"That looks a bit like the Ten Thousand Beasts Cauldron from the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking..."

But the cauldrons on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking were exceedingly rare; no one dared to confirm it lightly.

Soon, as Xiao Yan and Gu Tong introduced their Heavenly Flames into their respective cauldrons, the cauldrons automatically emitted screens of light to shield their alchemy techniques.

A vast light descended, obscuring a space. This was a very common practice to prevent others from spying on one's methods.

Only after the Heavenly Flames had entered the cauldrons did the other alchemists dare to summon their own flames. After all, unless one was a fool, no one would summon their flames in front of a Heavenly Flame; that would be asking for trouble.

...

News that Xiao Yan was a 7th-tier alchemist possessing a Heavenly Flame and was wagering it against Gu Tong naturally spread throughout the Sky Serpent Mansion's mountain range.

"Tier 7?!"

She Tianhao's expression changed dramatically. For the first time, he began to take Xiao Yan and the Yan Alliance seriously!

If the Yan Alliance relied solely on Jia Xing Tian, a 1-star Dou Ancestor, the Sky Serpent Mansion wouldn't give them a second thought, let alone let Qing Lin go.

But if the Yan Alliance had a 7th-tier alchemist, and such a young one at that, it was entirely different! The influence of a 7th-tier alchemist made him somewhat apprehensive.

This was even more dangerous than Gu Tong's Medicine Bone Sect!

"No way, that young man is a 7th-tier alchemist?! Are you kidding me?! Even if he started refining pills from his mother's womb, it would be impossible!" freeweɓnøvel.com

"It's true! If you don't believe me, go see for yourself."

"Let's go, let's go have a look."

Because of Xiao Yan's actions, the originally large crowd around the arena battles suddenly thinned.

Even some factions dispatched their experts to observe.

'Young Master is truly amazing.' Qing Lin, wearing a green veil in the spectator area, revealed a happy smile upon hearing the news.

She naturally knew that Xiao Yan was a 7th-tier alchemist; after all, she had already consumed pills he'd refined.

"Mansion Lord, I wish to go watch the alchemy competition," she said softly.

She Tianhao's expression became somewhat unnatural. He knew that Qing Lin wasn't interested in alchemy itself but rather a certain alchemist!

"Hehe, since Sister Qing Lin is interested in alchemy, I'll accompany you." She Tianhao naturally had no reason to refuse her going to spectate, but he could go along!

After a moment of silence, Qing Lin could only nod lightly.

In no time, not only the Sky Serpent Mansion made their way over. The Sect Leaders of the Profound Lion Sect, the Thunderbolt Sect, and several other powerful factions also arrived to watch from the skies above the alchemist competition grounds.

Among the experts present, there were those with discerning eyes. Even if they couldn't see Gu Tong's alchemy techniques, just observing his fluid extraction of medicinal ingredients and his orderly control of flames made it clear that him being a 7th-tier alchemist was no joke!

His fire control skills and Spiritual Strength had definitely reached the level of a 7th-tier alchemist!

"His fire control is so strong. Does he have some unique fire control method?"