A god-level alchemist, starting by manually crafting forbidden pills.

The water puppet raised its hands, and hundreds of azure ice needles quickly condensed from the surrounding water vapor, shooting towards Luo Fan!

Luo Fan neither dodged nor avoided, but simply sprinkled a handful of shimmering white powder from his sleeve.

Condensate!

This is an unorthodox medicine he refined last night using the cold water of the secluded pool. He originally intended to study the medicinal properties of water-based medicines, but unexpectedly, it came in handy.

The powder dissolved upon contact with water, causing the fierce ice needles to freeze in mid-air, soften, and eventually turn into puddles of clear water that spilled onto the ground.

The water puppet's movements visibly faltered, seemingly not expecting its attack to be so easily neutralized.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Luo Fan rushed straight to the eye of the earthen formation and grabbed a handful of pill residue that had not yet been fully integrated.

He ignited the Cold Spring Flame in his palm and used fire control techniques to extract the earth element essence from the residue!

"Freeze!"

The residue melted and condensed in his palm, turning into dozens of yellowish-brown pills the size of soybeans.

Luo Fan flicked his fingers repeatedly, sending the pills flying towards a three-zhang radius around the water puppet's feet.

Bang bang bang!

The pill exploded upon landing, and puffs of yellow mist seeped into the soil.

The land softened and, in a matter of breaths, became a small swamp!

The water puppet's feet sank into the mud, and the more it struggled, the deeper it sank.

The water ripples around it, and it tries to shovel the swamp, but the swamp only becomes more viscous.

"Senior sister, the water puppet is trapped!"

Luo Fan turned his head and shouted loudly.

Bai Jie caught a glimpse of this scene out of the corner of her eye and secretly praised it, thinking that this little rascal's fighting talent was no less than that of alchemy.

But she had no time to be distracted at that moment.

The golden golem swung its giant axe in rapid succession, launching a fierce attack.

Bai Jie's ice crystal longsword flew through the air, each strike specifically targeting the joints and spirit rune nodes of the golden puppet.

clang!clang!clang!

The sound of metal clashing was incessant.

The golden golem's defense was truly astonishing; Bai Jie's ice sword could only leave white marks on its body.

"We must break through its core!"

Bai Jie's gaze was fixed on the crack in Jin Kui's chest, an internal injury caused by the backlash of spiritual energy when she stabbed his wrist.

However, the crack was too small and was concealed by the dark gold light, making it extremely difficult to detect.

"Xiao Fan, help me stall it for three breaths!"

Bai Jieqing drinks it.

"Okay!"

Luo Fan held three crimson pills in his hand.

Instead of throwing it at the golden puppet, he rushed straight at the fire puppet that was attacking wildly!

The fire puppet was surrounded by raging flames, and its fists crashed down like meteors, each strike carrying a scorching shockwave.

Ordinary cultivators would be burned if they got close, but Luo Fan was protected by the Nether Spring Cold Fire and was not afraid of the high temperature.

"Fire is powerful, but water overcomes fire! Senior sister, may I borrow some water?"

"Come and pick it up yourself!"

In the midst of her busy work, Bai Jie unleashed a sword strike that swept across the edge of the pool, whipping up a cloud of cold water that shot towards Luo Fan.

Luo Fan let the cold water pour over him, and formed hand seals, with the cold spring and cold fire weaving into a net in front of him.

The cold water and the cold fire did not cancel each other out upon contact; instead, they formed a balance under his control.

This is the fusion of water and fire!

"Water and fire combine to form mist!"

Luo Fan pushed forward with both hands.

The energy from the fusion of water and fire erupted with a deafening roar, creating a vast expanse of white, frigid mist that instantly enveloped the fire puppet.

This cold mist was extremely frigid, yet it was also mixed with the purifying power of the cold fire from the secluded spring.

The flames around the fire puppet quickly dimmed, and its movements slowed down by a third.

Luo Fan, however, did not linger in battle and turned to charge at the golden puppet.

At this moment, Bai Jie had already prepared herself.

She stood in mid-air, her long sword hovering in front of her, and icy blue spiritual energy gathered wildly around her.

"Endless Spirit Sword Technique!"

A yin-yang pattern emerged from behind her, accompanied by countless sword shadows.

The longsword transformed into streaks of light, carrying a chilling aura, and crashed down upon the golden puppet.

One of the most ferocious sword energies was aimed directly at the crack in its chest!

As if sensing something, the golden puppet blocked its chest with its giant axe.

clang--!

The sword strike produced a deafening roar, and the main sword energy was blocked by the giant axe, unable to advance an inch.

Little did they know that this was exactly what Bai Jie wanted!

At this moment, Luo Fan had already rushed behind the golden puppet.

With a flick of both hands, three crimson pills shot towards the ground beneath its feet.

"Fire Essence Pill, explode!"

Boom boom boom!

Three deep craters were blasted open in the ground, the golden puppet swayed, and the giant axe momentarily shifted.

It was at that very moment!

A cold glint flashed in Bai Jie's eyes, and the ice crystal longsword suddenly split into three.

Three sword shadows bypassed the giant axe and stabbed at the crack from three different angles!

Click! Click! Click!

Three faint cracking sounds rang out simultaneously.

Cracks spread across the golden puppet's chest like a spiderweb, the light in its eyes flickered, and it let out a furious roar of resentment.

But ultimately, there was nothing that could be done.

boom--!

Its dark gold body exploded, turning into countless points of light.

The first stone golem is destroyed!

Luo Fan had already turned towards the wooden puppet.

At this moment, the wooden puppet had been severely damaged by the Fire Essence Pill and the Withered Wood Powder, its vines were withered, and its movements were slow.

Bai Jie followed up with a sword strike, the icy sword energy passing right through his body.

The wooden puppet collapsed.

The two worked together more and more seamlessly.

The water puppet was trapped in the swamp, and was completely frozen by Luo Fan with Water Condensation Powder, and then shattered by Bai Jie with a single sword strike.

The fire puppet was suppressed by the ice, fire, and cold mist, and its power was greatly reduced. Under the combined attack of the two, it also met the same fate.

It only takes the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

All four puppets—metal, wood, water, and fire—are destroyed!

Only the earthen puppet remained, standing motionless like a mountain.

The earthy yellow light in its eyes had turned crimson, and its aura surged at an astonishing speed.

Foundation Building Level 1... Foundation Building Level 2... Foundation Building Level 3!

"As expected, once the four puppets are broken, the earth puppet will absorb the remaining spiritual energy to strengthen itself."

Luo Fan wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced to his side. "Senior sister, it's the last hurdle."

Bai Jie nodded, her ice crystal longsword pointing diagonally at the ground, her aura calm and composed.

A third-level Foundation Establishment earth puppet is comparable to a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator and is by no means easy to deal with.

"Xiao Fan, are your pills still usable?"

"no problem."

Luo Fan took out several more jade bottles from his storage bag, his smile somewhat strange.

"I have three plans to deal with the earth puppets."

He snapped his fingers.

"The first strategy is to use wood to overcome earth, but unfortunately I don't have many wood-attribute pills on hand, so the effect is limited."

"The second approach, using metal to break through the earth, borrowing the sword energy of my senior sister is the best choice."

"The third set..."

He shook a black jade bottle in his hand. "Let's use some underhanded methods."

Bai Jie raised an eyebrow. "What kind of strange elixir have you concocted this time?"

"Well..."

Luo Fan poured out a pill that was completely black with strange spiral patterns on its surface. "This is called the Bone-Softening and Tendon-Lowering Pill. It was originally used to deal with body cultivators, making their bodies weak and their spiritual energy unable to circulate smoothly."

"Last time I refined it, I accidentally added an extra spiritual herb, and as a result, the pill mutated. As for its current effects..."

Luo Fan chuckled, "It can make the victim feel intense guilt, making them feel that they shouldn't be standing here blocking the way and should find a crack in the ground to crawl into."

Bai Jie: "..."

She paused for two seconds, then rubbed her forehead and said, "You really are being inappropriate!"

Luo Fan smiled brightly, "Making my senior sister happy is my mission."

"Alright, stop joking around."

Bai Jie suppressed her helplessness and said seriously, "Earth puppets have no intelligence, so will guilt work on them?"

"Why not give it a try? It won't hurt."

As Luo Fan spoke, he flicked out the pill.

The black pill arced through the air and struck the earth puppet in the chest.

The elixir exploded into a cloud of black mist, which seeped into the stone body.

then…

The clay puppet's movements were indeed a beat too slow.

The crimson light in its eyes flickered erratically, and its waving stone fist hesitated for a moment.

Although it was only for a brief moment, it was enough for a sword cultivator like Bai Jie.

She became one with her sword, transforming into a streak of icy blue light that pierced straight into the earth puppet's brow.

The Netherworld Cold Fire erupted in Luo Fan's hands, forming a dense net of fire around the earth puppet, blocking its retreat.

puff--!

The ice crystal sword pierced three inches into the earthen puppet's brow.

The earthen golem froze, and the crimson light in its eyes dimmed.

But since it was the core of the Five Puppet Masters, it did not immediately collapse, but instead emitted a low rumble.

Immediately afterwards!

The stone body began to expand, clearly about to self-destruct!

"No good, retreat!"

Bai Jie shouted urgently, trying to draw her sword and retreat.

However, the longsword was firmly stuck in the earthen golem's stone body and could not be pulled out for a while!

"Senior sister, let go!"

Luo Fan suddenly appeared behind the earth puppet and placed his hands on its back.

"Give me the town!"

The cold fire entered the body but did not cause any damage; instead, it spread throughout the earth puppet's entire body.

It also formed a fire net inside, suppressing the chaotic surge of spiritual energy.

The earthen golem's swollen stone body suddenly shrank back, finally crashing to the ground and shattering into a pile of stones.

All five stone golems are destroyed!

Just as the two breathed a sigh of relief, another unexpected event occurred.

The shattered stone suddenly glowed with an earthy yellow light, and the spiritual energy inside surged wildly!

"not good!"

Luo Fan's pupils contracted; his Eye of Truth revealed that the stone was about to explode.

Without a second thought, he lunged at Bai Jie, opened his arms and pulled her into his embrace, not forgetting to set up layers of fire behind him.

"Be careful, senior sister!"

boom--!!!

The earth-shattering explosion echoed through the valley, sending debris flying in all directions.

With a muffled groan from Luo Fan, the wall of fire behind him shattered layer by layer, and several pieces of rubble slammed into his back.

The two were thrown several feet by the force of the explosion, and even after falling to the ground, Luo Fan still held Bai Jie tightly in his arms.

"Xiao Fan!"

Bai Jie hurriedly broke free from his embrace, turned over and sat up, only to see that Luo Fan's eyes were closed and his face was pale.

A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and he lay motionless on the ground.