Breaking the Masked Man

As for Ling'er... Yao Yan wasn't sure if the little one would turn against him. The fifth-ranked strange fire, and one that had already condensed a strange fire spirit, even if it wasn't good at fighting, was obviously not something he could refine at will. Moreover, he had developed feelings for her, and he didn't want to use force directly, as that would be too utilitarian.

Perhaps in the future he could trick her into joining on her own; he didn't believe Ling'er wouldn't be interested in the primordial fire seed formed by the fusion of several different flames...

Thinking of this, Yao Yan glanced at the little fox chugging the bottle, a mischievous smile flashing in his eyes. Knowing Ling'er as he did, he knew that this silly little foodie would definitely not be able to resist.

at this time.

Suddenly, Cai Die asked, "Young master, do you know my true identity?"

Her peach blossom eyes were watery, and perhaps because of the wine, her beautiful and delicate face had a blush like rouge, making her even more charming and attractive. She pursed her moist lips and looked at Yao Yan with hesitation, as if she wanted to know, yet didn't want to know.

Having lost her memory, she lost everything she once had, leaving her feeling empty inside. She instinctively wanted to recapture the past, but the images that kept surfacing in her mind made her afraid of it.

Yao Yan nodded, looked at the hesitant Cai Die, and directly revealed the answer: "Yes, you are the sister of Queen Medusa. The current Queen Medusa of the Snake People is an identical twin, and it seems that the Snake People only need one queen. You became that sacrifice. After that, you must have used some secret method to escape from the Snake People's palace, which caused you to lose your memory."

Cai Die was stunned upon hearing this, and then a sudden sharp pain shot through her head, causing her to instinctively cover her head as the memories she had lost began to resurface in her mind.

"Snapped!"

A sudden jolt interrupted the butterfly's reverie, stopping the images that kept replaying in her mind.

"Son..."

Cai Die stared blankly at Yao Yan, seemingly a little confused, not understanding why Yao Yan was hitting her head again. She felt that if Yao Yan kept hitting her like this, she would really become stupid.

Yao Yan gently rubbed Cai Die's head and comforted her, "Don't make things difficult for yourself. In a few days, I will break the seal in your body, and you will naturally regain your memories. You have amnesia now because your companion soul is sealed by spatial energy. If you forcefully break the seal, you will only hurt yourself."

"Then why doesn't the young master say anything?" Cai Die muttered to herself.

It seems the connection with the companion soul is still very strong... Yao Yan thought to himself. He was not deliberately provoking Cai Die. He was just using this method to judge the strength of the seal, which would determine how he would help Cai Die break the seal. In the current situation, he could even break the seal directly without using pills, awaken the sleeping companion soul, and then let Cai Die refine that spatial power herself.

……

……

The inner courtyard of the auction house.

Hai Bodong glanced at the defeated middle-aged steward without even raising his eyelids, and said indifferently, "Failed?"

"That young master is not the type to be attracted to beautiful women."

The middle-aged steward gave a wry smile and said helplessly, "Who would have thought that a young man wouldn't like beautiful women? Those were beauties he had carefully selected. Although they weren't as good as that snake-man, they were still top-quality. He shouldn't have been so resolute."

Hai Bodong was not surprised by this. Which of the true chosen ones is not a person of strong character? How could they be tempted by mere beauty?

That night, Queen Medusa deliberately released a very alluring charm. Given the Medusa clan's irresistible power over men, which was like an aphrodisiac, any man with impure thoughts would even show his ugly side. However, Yao Yan calmly communicated with her.

Otherwise, why would Queen Medusa have so easily entrusted her sister to Yao Yan?

He didn't continue the topic, but handed over the soul scroll containing the medicinal herbs and instructed, "Prepare the herbs listed here as soon as possible. If they are not available here, obtain them from the capital."

The middle-aged steward respectfully accepted it.

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 56 Three Patterns of Green Spirit Pill

After the meal, Yao Yan went to the quiet alchemy room.

He sat cross-legged on the futon with his eyes closed, his body surging with powerful blood and qi, like a giant dragon lurking within. Every now and then, tiny spatial energies would emanate from his body, causing the surrounding space to distort. After a long time, his body suddenly turned bronze, filled with specks of silver light, and a terrifying power erupted, shaking the surroundings.

"This spatial power is indeed beyond my current reach..."

Yao Yan slowly opened his eyes, a look of heartache deep in his eyes. If it weren't for his amazing physique, he would have really died in that spatial storm. But even if he survived, the spatial energy in his body was quite troublesome. He could only slowly grind it down with the power of his blood and qi, and this process was extremely painful, as if there were shards of glass in his body, constantly tearing his flesh apart.

If it weren't for the self-healing ability provided by Yao Yan's bloodline as a Dou Di from the Spirit Clan, his body would surely be shattered to pieces by now...

Fortunately, this process was not without its benefits. Between the tearing and healing, he could clearly feel the progress of his Vajra Indestructible Body cultivation increasing. Body refinement is inherently a process of self-torture, especially since he was cultivating this special body refinement combat technique, which was equivalent to refining his body as a puppet.

It seems that Hun Xuzi had planned this all along... Yao Yan thought to himself as he felt the power of his physique.

To unleash the full potential of the Devouring Spirit Clan's talents, a powerful physical body is essential; otherwise, how could one withstand the surge in power? This is the real reason why Soul Void Master had him devour the bloodlines of the Stone Clan and the Spirit Clan's Dou Di. The essence of the two clans' blood, combined with the Vajra Indestructible Body, was enough to strengthen his physique to an astonishing degree during his youth.

It can forcibly accelerate one's cultivation progress regardless of the opponent's qi level, without leaving any aftereffects.

Yao Yan had no doubt that his cheap teacher, Hun Xuzi, had already planned out his path to becoming a Dou Sheng. He only needed to follow the steps to reach the Dou Sheng realm, but this path was clearly not what he wanted.

Now he wants more; he wants to try the path to the very top!

"It's time to consider breaking through to the Great Dou Master level!"

He pondered for a moment, his gaze falling upon the medicine cauldron before him. A thought stirred within him, and he immediately raised his hand to retrieve a large quantity of medicinal herbs from his storage ring. These were all prepared by Hai Bodong, who had prepared at least three portions of each herb, in case the alchemy failed.

This is also an unspoken rule when others ask alchemists to refine pills. No one can guarantee a 100% success rate in refining pills, especially for pills of grade three or higher, where the difficulty of refining them increases exponentially.

Of course, this does not include Yao Yan. His soul power has always far exceeded his battle qi cultivation. If he were not limited by battle qi, he would even like to try making sixth-grade pills. Especially after being taught by Hun Xuzi last time, he felt that his alchemy skills had improved again. What he lacks now is simply experience in making sixth-grade pills.

To refine a sixth-grade pill, one must have at least a Battle King cultivation level, because such pills are beyond the scope of ordinary pills. Even among the Medicine Clan, sixth-grade pills are extremely precious.

"Three-Patterned Azure Spirit Pill..."

A pill formula appeared in Yao Yan's mind. This formula did not come from Hun Xuzi, but from the herbalist. It was the most suitable pill formula for the Three Flowers Gathering Fire Technique among the medicine clan, and it could also be used to verify whether the Three Flowers Gathering Fire Technique had been mastered.

Three-Patterned Azure Spirit Pill, a fourth-grade elixir.

Ordinary Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill can help a Dou Shi break through to the threshold of becoming a Great Dou Shi. If a Great Dou Shi takes it, there is a small chance that the user's level will be increased by one star, and there are no adverse effects.

The most interesting thing about this pill is that it has three grades. Each grade will form a ring of pill patterns on the pill body. If three rings of pill patterns can be formed, it is the highest grade Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill. Its effect can increase a Great Dou Master by three stars in a short period of time. At the same time, there is also a certain chance of causing a backlash. Those who suffer the backlash may have their strength reduced by one to two stars, but there is no danger to their lives.

To upgrade the Three-Patterned Azure Spirit Pill to its highest grade, three different flames are required, and the transformation between the three flames must be mastered to perfection; otherwise, the failure rate is extremely high.

During the Great Dou Master stage, there is only one opportunity to take the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill. If taken again, it will be wasted due to the body's drug resistance. However, if one advances to the Dou Ling level in the future, one can take it again. But this time, even if successful, it will only increase the level by two stars at most, and the failure rate will be multiplied.

Materials needed: Green Flame Grass, Black Gastrodia...

Yao Yan has only refined one type of beast fire, the Illusionary Gold Fire, but his Three Flowers Gathering Fire Technique can condense three special flames: Qi Fire, which is mainly based on battle qi; Divine Fire, which is mainly based on soul power; and Essence Fire, which is mainly based on the power of qi and blood.

In theory, any alchemist can condense these three special flames.

Just like in the original novel, when Yao Lao lost his physical body, he used his soul power to activate the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, which is itself a method of burning the soul.

Low-level alchemists simply don't dare to try, because neither their soul power nor their own blood and qi is enough for them to do so. Most of them mainly use battle qi to refine pills, and only when they truly grow up will they try it once or twice.

The reason why the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top technique is called the strongest foundation-building technique by the Medicine Clan is precisely because of this: when it is perfected, one can cultivate these three special flames.

However, its cultivation speed is extremely slow. Most people cannot cultivate it to the highest level in their lifetime and remain at the Dou Shi level for life, unable to even step into the Great Dou Shi level. This forces many members of the Medicine Clan to directly switch to other cultivation methods.

Over the years, only a handful of people, including Elder Yao, have managed to succeed in the Medicine Clan.

"Whoo~"

Yao Yan ignited the medicine cauldron with the Illusionary Golden Fire, and then used his soul power to control the required medicinal materials to fly into the cauldron, refining them into drops of medicinal essence that resembled gemstones. This was not difficult for him at all; the only thing he needed to consider was the consumption of his battle qi.

Several hours later, all the medicinal materials needed to refine the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill were extracted into medicinal essence, which floated in the Illusory Golden Flame like stars.

"let's start."

Yao Yan's gaze narrowed slightly as he muttered to himself, a hint of burning desire appearing in his eyes. This was a pill he used to test his cultivation progress. Ordinary three-patterned Azure Spirit Pills could be easily refined, but a true three-patterned Azure Spirit Pill tested one's control over three types of fire energy, something even some sixth-grade alchemists couldn't achieve.

Even choosing the three kinds of beast fire is easier than igniting the three fires of essence, energy, and spirit.

Yao Yan, who was cultivating the Three Flowers Gathering Fire Technique, obviously did not need such a trick. He removed the Illusory Gold Fire from the medicine cauldron, activated the Three Flowers Gathering Fire Technique, and ignited the three fires of essence, energy, and spirit inside the medicine cauldron. The special flames of red, yellow, and white colors instantly rose within it, clearly distinct from each other, yet seemingly one. As they merged, they were able to transform into each other.

Hundreds of medicinal essences floated and sank within, and then, under Yao Yan's control, began to merge with each other.

The scene was indescribably harmonious and beautiful...

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 57 One-Star Grandmaster

"Om~"

The medicine cauldron trembled slightly, and then a rich medicinal fragrance spread out from it.

At this moment, within the cauldron, the rising three-colored flames intertwined, and in the center floated a pill the size of a longan. On the smooth surface of the pill, three circular patterns—one red, one yellow, and one white—were arranged in an extremely orderly manner, emitting a three-colored medicinal fragrance that resembled clouds and mist, making it extremely dreamlike and beautiful.

"It seems easier than I thought..."

Yao Yan looked at the finished Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill and muttered to himself. But the next moment, he understood the key. If it was made with three kinds of flames, the difficulty would be extremely high. He would need to consider the conversion between the three flames and ensure that the temperature did not change in the slightest.

This is an extreme test of the alchemist's soul power and control over the three types of flames; the slightest mistake will lead to failure.

In the original novel, Xiao Yan experienced a series of power surges, and ultimately failed twice before finally refining the elixir.

His method of refining the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill was obviously not as complicated, nor did it require frequent changes of flame. He only needed to ignite the three flames of essence, qi, and spirit to refine it directly. Since essence, qi, and spirit are inherently one, the three special flames could be switched perfectly without any concern about temperature changes.

"It seems that without realizing it, my Three Flowers Gathering Fire Technique has also reached a high level."

Looking at the three-colored flames burning inside the medicine cauldron, Yao Yan had a sudden realization. He had repeatedly devoured the essence and blood of the imperial clan, and his own essence, energy, and spirit had long since transformed to a level that others could hardly reach. He had already overcome the most difficult part of the Three Flowers Gathering Fire Attack, and everything else was just a matter of course.

The rich, tri-colored medicinal fragrance gradually dissipated.

Under the control of his soul power, the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill flew out of the cauldron and landed steadily in Yao Yan's palm. Looking at the pill he had personally refined, he smiled slightly, then put it into a medicine bottle. He calmly closed his eyes to regulate his breathing and recover his condition, planning to take it later to break through to the Great Dou Master level.

Although he is currently only at the level of a seven-star Dou Shi, his own accumulated experience is enough to rival that of some great Dou Shi, so taking this three-patterned Azure Spirit Pill is not a problem for him.

An hour later.

Yao Yan opened his eyes, his condition having recovered to its peak. He took out the Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill, flicked it into his mouth, and then closed his eyes to begin refining it.

The Three-Patterned Azure Spirit Pill melted upon entering the mouth. In Yao Yan's perception, it quickly transformed into three waves of pure energy, each stronger than the last, like a rushing river, surging down the throat and roaring as it forcefully poured into the meridians.

The moment the three streams of energy entered the meridians, they transformed into three illusory flames that burst forth and adhered to the meridians. Immediately, a tingling sensation spread through the body, and one could clearly feel that the already extremely spacious meridians were slowly expanding again. At the same time, the surrounding天地能量 (heaven and earth energy) roared in and surged wildly into the body.