Chapter 1157: Pills Completed
Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
The moment the Heretical God Fire Seed entered the Divine Alchemy Cauldron, it fused with the Divine Alchemy Cauldron seamlessly. On the surface, the Divine Alchemy Cauldron remained gray and lusterless. It did not emit any form of light.
Although many people watching Yi Yun did not know alchemy, quite a number of them had seen others refine pills. The scene before them was completely different from their knowledge of the refinement process. Their recollection of refinement processes by other alchemists typically had flames that illuminated the sky. One could sense the Heaven Earth Yuan Qi fluctuations and the immense medicinal essence from a distance.
However, in Yi Yun’s case, there was no phenomenon at all. The ancient Divine Alchemy Cauldron held everything within.
As a result, some people weren’t even sure if Yi Yun had ignited a flame or not.
"What is this punk up to?"
Huyan Cang frowned. Three herbs had been thrown in at once, but the cauldron went silent after.
Huyan Cang attempted to probe with his perception. Most cauldrons had the ability to block perception probing. However, Huyan Cang believed that, since the internal array of Yi Yun’s cauldron was broken, its power to block probing would definitely be weaker. However, when his perception came into contact with the cauldron, he felt pain in his soul sea. It was as though his perception was being engulfed in flames. Following that, he felt his perception sink as though it were drowning in a bottomless ocean, until it was completely consumed.
What just happened?
Huyan Cang looked at Zuoqiu Bo and, from his expression, he knew that Zuoqiu Bo had also failed to probe the gray cauldron with his perception.
This was no ordinary cauldron!
Huyan Cang began to suspect that he had underestimated the cauldron. Although the array within was damaged, the material it was made of was extraordinary, at least in the aspect of protecting it from perception probing.
Ninety seconds passed when Yi Yun grabbed another two herbs and threw them into the Divine Alchemy Cauldron.
Upon seeing this scene, Huyan Cang was somewhat stunned. When an alchemist was refining one or several herbs, they would absolutely not add in new herbs or the ingredients added at different times would experience different levels of heat. Without absolute control, it would only lead to trouble.
Only when one finished refining the herbs they threw in first, and extracted all their medicinal essence, could one begin refining subsequent herbs.
Yi Yun had just thrown in more herbs, which could only mean that the herbs from before had been fully refined. Yet only ninety seconds had passed. No one was capable of extracting all the medicinal essence from three herbs in one fell swoop.
Extraction of medicinal essence was the most difficult step of any refinement. Even Huyan Cang had to do it extremely carefully, spending a great deal of time on this step.
"So this punk hasn't started a fire yet!"
Huyan Cang snorted coldly. The Divine Alchemy Cauldron remained quiet. Although there were some nomological rhythms reverberating on its surface, there was no Yuan Qi being expelled, nor was there a surge in medicinal essence. So not only did Yi Yun hastily throw in so many herbs in such a short period of time, but Huyan Cang was also certain that Yi Yun had not begun refining the herbs at all.
Otherwise, the refinement would have already gone awry.
However, it was impossible for Yi Yun to ignite the fire after throwing in so many herbs. As for him taking the herbs back out later? That would be a joke.
"Master Zuoqiu, what's going on?" City Lord Qin did not understand the alchemical process.
Zuoqiu Bo stroked his beard as his eyes shimmered while looking at the Divine Alchemy Cauldron. He would typically not bother studying a junior's refinement process, but he realized that the way things were developing was rather different from what he had expected.
If Yi Yun had not begun the process, then what were the nomological rhythms reverberating around the cauldron?
Zuoqiu Bo was a seasoned alchemist. From his point of view, these nomological rhythms were extremely intriguing. Furthermore, they were a style that he did not understand.
After pondering for a while, Zuoqiu Bo said, "The alchemical technique that Yi Yun is employing is one that I have never seen before. It must be a very ancient or brand new style. This method of handling the herbs is rather new. However, no matter how unique the style is, it is impossible to handle more than ten herbs in one go."
Just as Zuoqiu Bo finished saying that, he saw Yi Yun grab and throw another herb into the Divine Alchemy Cauldron.
Even though he could control two fire wisps, and had the Purple Crystal's ability to extract energy, Yi Yun had to become even more careful as the number of herbs increased. He began refining one herb at a time to ensure no mistake.
Zuoqiu Bo frowned. Yi Yun was seriously throwing in herbs one after another.
After the herb was thrown, Yi Yun threw another Fey relic into the cauldron. He extracted the energy from the Fey relic not through alchemical methods, but through the Desolate Heaven technique. However, this was even easier for Yi Yun.
In fifteen minutes, Yi Yun had thrown all the herbs into the Divine Alchemy Cauldron.
At this moment, the lingering nomological rhythms around the Divine Alchemy Cauldron increased in strength. The entire cauldron also began to vibrate gently.
At this moment, even those who were not well-versed in alchemy could tell that Yi Yun had truly begun the refinement of the herbs.
Huyan Cang immediately widened his eyes. What was going on?
"Master Zuoqiu, you just said that it's impossible to handle so many herbs at once. Then, why is this happening? Or could it be that Yi Yun has already extracted and refined each and every one of the herbs?" City Lord Qin asked.
Zuoqiu Bo was also perplexed. Be it the refinement of more than ten herbs at once or how Yi Yun had done so in such a short period of time, both were equally shocking feats.
"Well…Alchemy is extensive and profound. This young fellow's alchemical method is a new one. However, the extraction of medicinal essence cannot happen that quickly under any circumstance." Zuoqiu Bo said as he shook his head.
At that moment, Zuoqiu Haoyu, who was by the side, could no longer stay composed. He was staring at Yi Yun's cauldron intently as he reached out his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.
He was expecting Yi Yun to make a fool of himself, but he had never expected Yi Yun to actually reach the beginning of the refinement process! This darn Yi Yun. Did he…really know of some profound alchemical method?
His hands and his reputation were at stake, so how could Zuoqiu Haoyu remain composed?
Huyan Cang grunted coldly and said, "Young Master Haoyu, what are you worrying about? If Yi Yun can't even refine Body Cleansing Pills, how can he succeed in refining Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills? In my opinion, Yi Yun is just deploying smoke and mirrors. We have to wait for the outcome to know the result!"
Upon hearing Huyan Cang's words, Princess White Fox smiled lightly. She glanced at Huyan Cang and did not say a word.
To Zuoqiu Haoyu and company, the atmosphere immediately turned tense.
Meanwhile, Yi Yun was constantly injecting Yuan Qi into the cauldron.
He was completely focused as his soul and the cauldron appeared to act as one. All the herbs' energy and essence had been extracted, transforming into crystalline liquid droplets.
With a thought, these droplets began to fuse together.
It was extremely difficult fusing the essences of different herbs. It required precise control of one's soul, and nomological marks needed to be infused with the essences.
The first step was an easy task for Yi Yun, who possessed the Purple Crystal.
The last step was rather difficult. Even Yi Yun needed to put in sufficient time to complete it.
Hours passed as Yi Yun remained intent. The nomological aura lingering around the Divine Alchemy Cauldron grew stronger as Zuoqiu Bo could vaguely sense that these disparate laws were beginning to combine. He revealed a look of disbelief.
"Is…is he already condensing the pills? But when did he extract the medicinal essences from the herbs?"
Yi Yun had only spent fifteen minutes throwing all the herbs into the cauldron. He did not take them out after that and it was, in Zuoqiu Bo’s opinion, absolutely impossible to process so many herbs at the same time.
"Condense the pills? Hasn't it only been about fifteen hours?" Someone asked puzzled.
Those that did not know alchemy had no idea what was happening inside the cauldron. However, they also knew that a cauldron of extremely difficult pills would probably take a few days. Yet, it hadn’t even been a full day.
At that moment, they heard a clear ring as brilliant light emitted from within the cauldron.
All the nomological runes fused with the medicinal essences, coalescing together into several drops of liquid energy. Following that, the liquid condensed and turned into pills.
Drip, drip, drip.
Seven pills rolled into Yi Yun's palm. They resembled crystalline water droplets that dazzled like they were refracting sunlight.
Pa!
Zuoqiu Bo stood straight up from his seat.
The pill refinement process was done!
Seven supposedly-difficult Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills had been formed. Even Zuoqiu Bo himself would not have been able to refine more than nine. And Yi Yun was just a junior!
It was too astounding. In all of Myriad City, the number of alchemists that could accomplish this feat was extremely low. And most importantly of all, Yi Yun had done it in fifteen hours.
That can’t be right!
As Zuoqiu Bo was reeling in shock, he suddenly realized something was amiss. He had refined Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills several times before. He knew very well that the normal color of Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills was green.
If the quality was poor, the pills would contain impurities that made them a murky blackish-green color. If the quality was excellent, they would be a mellow and full emerald green color.
Zuoqiu Bo had seen an alchemist sage refine Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills before. Twelve pills were formed from a cauldron and that was the maximum number of Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills possible. Furthermore, every one of them was emerald green in color.
That green color was a stunning color. It had been Zuoqiu Bo's first time seeing such beautiful Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills, so it had left a deep impression on him.
Now, Yi Yun had refined Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills that were ice-blue in color. Furthermore, they were as crystal clear as actual ice crystals.
That was absolutely not the color of the Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills.
Just before Zuoqiu Bo could say anything, he saw Yi Yun extend a finger as pure Yin energy gathered together, forming a light blue ball of water.
Yi Yun cultivated in both Yin and Yang, so the water he condensed contained no impurities. It was cold like an ice mountain's snow spring.
Yi Yun casually threw the Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills into the water fountain and, following that, the seven Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills seemingly dissolved into the water and vanished.
Yi Yun nodded when he saw this. By vanishing upon being immersed in water, the Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills could barely be considered passable.
He waved his hand again as seven Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills flew out and landed back in his palm. As they had just been submerged in water, the pills now had a layer of dew condensed on their surfaces. The dew quickly condensed into light-blue frost and, together with its intricate luster, they looked like they were carved from gems. They were extremely gorgeous.
Many people that did not know about pills were astonished at the beauty of the Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills that Yi Yun had refined. It was as if they came from a dream.
But at that moment, a discordant voice sounded—
"Bogus pills! These are not Supreme Palace Iceheart Pills!"