Chapter 115: First Attempt at Alchemy

  Yang Tian stared at the delicate undergarment in his hand, his eyes fixed on the embroidered image of a woman. Compared to her usual cold demeanor, the woman in the image exuded a seductive charm, her alluring eyes seemingly capable of captivating anyone who looked at her. Her cheeks were flushed with a shy blush, adding to her irresistible allure.

  The woman in the portrait was wearing the very garment Yang Tian now held. The high, perky chest and the faint blush on her skin radiated an overwhelming temptation. Her curvaceous figure sent shivers down Yang Tian's spine. This was none other than the Holy Maiden of the Ancient Holy Land!

  "Did Gu Mo steal this undergarment, or did the Holy Maiden give it to him? Stealing such a personal item from a War Emperor-level expert seems impossible, doesn't it?" Yang Tian rubbed his chin, a sly smile spreading across his face.

  At that moment, Yang Tian's spiritual sense sank into the Golden Crow Divine Furnace, where Gu Mo was suffering miserably.

  "Yang Tian, you little bastard! Let me out!" Gu Mo's face twisted in rage, his teeth clenched as he roared, causing the furnace to vibrate violently.

  "Still so stubborn, huh? I like that," Yang Tian said coldly. With a thought, a fiery domain descended upon Gu Mo's head, engulfing him in searing flames.

  "Ahhh—!" Gu Mo's agonized screams echoed endlessly within the furnace. His bloodshot eyes glared at Yang Tian, but his defiance was quickly drowned out by the relentless flames.

  "That's more like it," Yang Tian said with a faint smile. "I finally understand why that Holy Maiden is so protective of you. So, you two have been having an affair, huh? And with your own aunt, no less. Gu Mo, I have to hand it to you. If this scandal were to spread, what do you think the consequences would be?"

  "You... you..." Gu Mo seemed to recall something, his face turning red with panic.

  Yang Tian laughed heartily, his spiritual sense withdrawing from the furnace. He glanced at the undergarment in his hand, a mischievous glint in his eyes. If this scandal were to spread across the Eastern Continent, it would certainly cause quite a stir.

  The Holy Maiden's undergarment, embroidered with her own image, was indeed thought-provoking...

  Next, Yang Tian refined the Golden Dragon Seal, familiarizing himself with its control. Then, he immersed himself in the alchemy knowledge he had acquired...

  A day passed, and the entire Ten Thousand Mountains were abuzz with activity. The Holy Maiden of the Ancient Holy Land had caused a commotion in the mountains, battling the Purple-Eyed Gold Beast to a stalemate. Both sides suffered heavy losses, and the Holy Maiden left in frustration, vowing to kill Yang Tian.

  Yang Tian's name had spread throughout Demon-Suppressing City. Several major families had dispatched their younger generation to capture him, while the Ancient Li Family and the Yin-Yang Sect had also sent their youths to seize the techniques Yang Tian possessed.

  The outskirts of the Ten Thousand Mountains were bustling with activity. Many powerful young cultivators had set up a massive net to capture Yang Tian. However, it was worth noting that Yang Tian had not been seen for several days.

  This development brought relief to many. Back in Qing Stone Town, within a massive martial arts hall spanning thousands of feet, loud shouts echoed through the air.

  The Dragon Star Martial Hall, once a small establishment in a tiny town, had expanded dozens of times and had become the most prosperous place in the surrounding area. It was even guarded by powerful experts from the Qingyang Empire.

  In a quaint courtyard, a middle-aged man in his thirties sat cross-legged on a stone bench. Lin Yuan looked much younger now, his face firm and resolute. After consuming the Vitality Springwater and a vast amount of pills, his cultivation had directly broken through to the Martial Warrior realm.

  "Xiao Tian, you must come back safely," Lin Yuan murmured, his face filled with worry as he read the message in the jade slip. He sighed deeply.

  Three days passed inside the Ancestral Dragon Ring. Yang Tian slowly opened his eyes and sighed. Alchemy was far more complicated than he had imagined, requiring numerous steps and meticulous attention.

  The process of alchemy was divided into five stages: refining the herbs, fusing the elixir, shaping the elixir, solidifying the elixir, and finally, extracting the elixir. Each stage had its own intricacies and challenges.

  To become an alchemist, one needed not only precise control over the alchemical flames but also exceptional mastery of spiritual energy. The second stage, fusing the elixir, required an extremely delicate touch and a strong spiritual sense.

  Yang Tian's spiritual sense was nearing its peak, which was generally sufficient to refine a high-tier first-grade elixir. However, success rates varied greatly. Some alchemists might fail ten times before successfully refining a single batch.

  Alchemy was also an incredibly expensive profession. Only major families could afford to nurture a high-tier alchemist. Fortunately, Yang Tian had the Ancestral Dragon Ring and a vast supply of spirit herbs. He also believed his financial resources were substantial.

  After some thought, Yang Tian immersed himself in the Thunder Dragon Flame Control Technique. The first step, forming the flame orifice, required thousands of hand seals. A single mistake in forming the seals would ruin the entire batch.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Yang Tian focused on the hand seals, his hands occasionally moving through the air. The surrounding spiritual energy fluctuated, sometimes gathering, sometimes dispersing, creating ripples in the air.

  There were over a thousand hand seals, each requiring perfect execution. Any mistake could lead to the destruction of the elixir.

  Technique, flame, spiritual energy, and a decent cauldron were all essential. It was said that some high-tier alchemists could use the heavens and earth as their cauldron, refining elixirs directly within nature.

  Alchemists were among the wealthiest and most well-connected individuals on the continent. In the Eastern Continent, there was a place called the Pill Valley, a gathering place for alchemists. However, these forces were even more reclusive than the three Holy Lands, rarely making public appearances.

  Time flew by...

  Around Yang Tian, the fluctuations of energy grew increasingly intense. After three days, his understanding of the hand seals had deepened significantly. What were once complex and difficult seals could now be executed with ease.

  His fingers seemed to have gained a life of their own, dancing through the air. In just a few breaths, he had formed dozens of seals with incredible speed, creating a dazzling display that was almost hypnotic.

  When Yang Tian formed the final seal, he suddenly opened his eyes. Though tired, his eyes sparkled with joy.

  He summoned the flame seed, and a wave of heat surged forth. The energy within the flame was much stronger than before, though the purple lightning arcs surrounding it remained unchanged.

  After a moment of silence, Yang Tian's eyes snapped open, and his hands began forming seals. The flame seed hovered above his palm, and as he executed the seals, the surrounding spiritual energy began to stir.

  The flame seed, originally the size of a thumb, began to change rapidly. Energy gathered around it, and as Yang Tian continued forming seals, the energy grew brighter and more intense.

  After forming nearly a hundred seals, the energy mass in the air had grown to the size of a human head. Purple lightning arcs danced around it, and the intense heat caused the air to sizzle.

  "Thunder Dragon Flame Control Technique, gather the flame orifice!" Yang Tian shouted, his hands moving rapidly. Strange lights flickered from his fingertips as the energy mass began to transform.

  The energy mass slowly took the shape of a dragon's head. Just as the head was about to fully form, the surrounding spiritual energy suddenly fluctuated, and the dragon head showed signs of collapsing.

  "Not good!" Yang Tian's heart sank as he desperately tried to suppress the instability. However, the more seals he formed, the more unstable the energy became.

  *Sizzle...* Suddenly, the nearly formed dragon head disintegrated, shrinking rapidly until it vanished completely.

  "What happened? I didn't make any mistakes with the seals..." Yang Tian stared at the dissipating energy in confusion. He replayed the process in his mind but couldn't figure out where he had gone wrong.

  He observed the flickering flame in the air, surrounded by faint lightning arcs...

  "It must be the lightning. That's why it collapsed," Yang Tian muttered after some thought. He reviewed the flame control technique and began forming seals again.

  Every time the energy came into contact with the lightning, it became unstable. Lightning was inherently violent and yang in nature, making it extremely difficult to control.

  After several attempts, Yang Tian found that every time he was close to success, the violent energy would accumulate and cause the flame orifice to collapse.

  "The Thunder Dragon Flame Control Technique is named after 'thunder,' so it must have a way to control the lightning. But with my current strength, I can't suppress this violent energy. If I keep trying like this, I'll never succeed," Yang Tian muttered, feeling helpless.

  After recovering his energy, Yang Tian sat cross-legged, deep in thought. After some time, a spark of inspiration flashed in his eyes, and his fingers began to move.

  Spiritual energy gathered around him, and Yang Tian's vital energy surged. As the energy mass in the air grew to the size of a human head, Yang Tian's mind became calm.

  "Gather!" Yang Tian shouted, his seals changing as he guided the energy mass into the shape of a dragon.

  Unlike before, Yang Tian didn't try to suppress the violent lightning. Instead, he allowed it to flow freely within the forming dragon head.

  The energy inside was extremely unstable, and Yang Tian was constantly worried it would collapse. Finally, he formed the last seal.

  *Roar!* The dragon-shaped energy mass seemed to come to life, standing proudly in the air. Dense lightning arcs danced around it, and the dragon's head glowed with a fiery red light.

  "Finally, success!" Yang Tian's eyes lit up with joy as he gazed at the thunder dragon head in the air. He chuckled to himself, then took out a cauldron and poured his vital energy into it.

  The crimson cauldron expanded to a size of ten feet under the influx of energy. Yang Tian placed it on the ground in front of him.

  "Go," Yang Tian said, clenching his fist. The cauldron's lid flew open, and a burst of fiery light shot out, accompanied by a wave of scorching heat.

  The dragon-shaped flame orifice in the air descended into the cauldron.

  *Sizzle...* The previously calm cauldron erupted into roaring flames, and the surrounding spiritual energy surged into it.

  "Finally, it's time to begin," Yang Tian said with a smile, taking out a large pile of spirit herbs and a first-tier low-grade pill recipe. The recipe was for a Body Tempering Pill, the most basic type of pill used to strengthen the body.

  "Seven Star Grass, Yin Shan Grass, Apricot Blossom..."

  After glancing at the required herbs, Yang Tian noted that the Body Tempering Pill required eight spirit herbs. For him, this was the perfect recipe to practice with.

  "Go," Yang Tian said, clenching his fist. The cauldron's lid flew open, and a pillar of fiery light shot into the air.

  At that moment, Yang Tian tossed a Seven Star Grass into the cauldron, and the lid closed.

  Inside the cauldron, the Seven Star Grass slowly descended to the center, surrounded by flames. The herb began to emit a faint glow, resisting the intense heat.

  Suddenly, the dormant flame orifice at the bottom of the cauldron stirred. The dragon's mouth opened, spewing a burst of fiery flames intertwined with lightning arcs.

  *Sizzle...* As the flames engulfed the Seven Star Grass, the herb began to tremble. The glow around it gradually faded, and the herb started to melt from the roots upward.

  The thunder dragon breathed out, spewing bursts of alchemical flames. Waves of heat filled the cauldron, accelerating the melting of the Seven Star Grass.

  Yang Tian's energy was rapidly depleting. The initial excitement of his first attempt at alchemy was slowly being replaced by exhaustion.

  Alchemy required not only precision but also immense patience. Some high-tier pills could take days to refine, and according to ancient texts, some pills could even trigger heavenly tribulations.

  This refining process continued for five hours. By the end, Yang Tian had successfully melted six of the eight required herbs. For a first attempt, this was quite impressive.

  Inside the cauldron, flames roared, and the temperature was terrifying. At the center, a large mass of medicinal liquid emitted a radiant glow. As bursts of alchemical flames continued to pour in, the energy within the liquid was compressed.

  "Fuse!" Yang Tian suddenly opened his eyes and shouted. The mass of medicinal liquid began to churn, and Yang Tian's spiritual energy surged into the cauldron.

  Yang Tian's hand seals changed, and the surrounding spiritual energy surged once more. Inside the cauldron, his spiritual energy guided the medicinal liquid, which began to solidify into a pill.