by Translator: BornToBe; Author: Ordinary Magician (平凡魔术师); Licensed From: 17k
After settling Little Snow’s matter, Long Chen used the golden page to cut open a cave within a large mountain. He then sealed the cave with himself inside. This way, Long Chen could focus completely on absorbing the Neidan’s beast flame. But he first rested for two hours to raise his mental and spiritual states to their peaks.
Looking at the Neidan, Long Chen took a deep breath. Placing his hand over it, his flame energy began to pour inside.
BOOM!
The instant Long Chen’s Pill Flame entered the Neidan, it was like he had ignited explosives. A ferocious flame blazed into existence within the Neidan.
That violet flame immediately swallowed Long Chen’s Pill Flame. And that wasn’t all. This violet flame acted just like the berserk Violet Phoenix Sparrow, actually releasing an attack on Long Chen.
It was like floodgates had opened. This terrifying flame surged into Long Chen’s body. Its goal was to completely swallow all the Pill Flame that had provoked it.
Long Chen felt as if lava was flowing through his meridians. That was incredibly painful, but Long Chen clenched his teeth and endured. He allowed the violet flame to chase after his Pill Flame.
Once all the energy within the Neidan poured into his body, Long Chen took his hand away and turned his body’s meridians into a prison, trapping the beast flame.
This was a different method from how he had subdued his previous beast flame. Just now, Long Chen had sensed that if he tried to forcibly subdue this beast flame, it would cause it to instantly erupt with fury, and Long Chen’s meridians would explode.
With his current strength, he should have only been able to subdue fourth rank Magical Beasts’ beast flame. A fifth rank Magical Beast’s beast flame was wishful thinking.
The reason Huo Wufang dared to absorb it was definitely because he had his own secret techniques. He definitely wouldn’t be subduing it like Long Chen was trying to.
Although Long Chen had no secret technique, he was still confident. A mindless beast flame acting only on instinct was unable to make things hard for him.
With his body as a prison, he used his Pill Flame as a lure, drawing the beast flame throughout his body. When the beast flame was about to erupt, he would feed it a portion of his Pill Flame to make it calm down. Then he continued leading the beast flame around his body.
One reason he did this was to let his meridians become accustomed to its power. The other reason was for the beast flame to get accustomed to its new surroundings.
This cat and mouse game continued throughout Long Chen’s body. The violet beast flame was constantly chasing after Long Chen’s Pill Flame. In any case, as long as Long Chen’s spiritual qi didn’t run out, he had more than enough Pill Flame to feed it.
As it consumed more and more of Long Chen’s Pill Flame, the violet flame’s berserk nature was gradually eroded. This was precisely the effect Long Chen had been looking for.
There was simply no way around it. Although this method would waste quite a bit of time, it was safe, easy, and now it was painless as well.
After three days, the violet flame had consumed an incredible amount of Long Chen’s Pill Flame. Its temperament was no longer so berserk, and it was accustomed to its new environment.
After ten days, the violet flame seemed to have gotten tired of playing this game and was too lazy to chase after the Pill Flame. It would only go consume it when the Pill Flame took the initiative to provoke it.
After half a month, the violet flame completely ignored Long Chen’s Pill Flame. It just stayed within Long Chen’s body, treating it as its new home.
“Hehe, welcome to your new home. I hope you live and work happily.”
Long Chen laughed. The time was ripe. His Spiritual Strength erupted out, suppressing the beast flame. This was the final step to subdue it.
Chapter 389 Refining the Alioth Pill
BOOM!
The mountain Long Chen had hidden himself in crumbled. Terrifying energy soared out, crashing into the sky, causing the very heavens to change color.
A violet flame erupted, igniting the void, spreading throughout a region of over a mile.
The huge trees that had been atop the mountain were instantly burned to ash. An intense temperature scorched the earth. Cracks were spreading out quickly in every direction.
“Hahahaha, I’ve finally succeeded!” Long Chen raised his head up to the sky and roared. Violet flames burned around his body, making him look like a flame god filled with a domineering spirit.
Three figures quickly rushed over. They were Meng Qi, Chu Yao, and Lu Fang-er. They were the first to sense this powerful aura, and so they were the first to rush over to see what was going on.
Seeing Long Chen wrapped up in those violet flames, emitting a powerful pressure and surging heat waves, their hearts shook.
“Excellent, you succeeded Long Chen!” exclaimed Chu Yao. It had to be known that a fifth rank Magical Beast’s beast flame was ordinarily something only Meridian Opening experts could refine. Even top geniuses would have to at least reach the Bone Forging realm.
But Long Chen was only at Tendon Transformation and only early Tendon Transformation at that. This truly was too shocking. Now all their worries were swept away.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, three startled cries rang through the air, and they hastily turned around, their hands covering their faces, not daring to look at Long Chen any longer.
“Long Chen, hurry up and put on some clothes!” chided Meng Qi.
Long Chen had been laughing heartily. He had sensed those three coming and had just been about to say something when he saw their odd movements. Then with Meng Qi’s reminder, he looked towards his body.
Even with Long Chen’s incredibly thick skin, he had an urge to crawl into a hole and die. Just now, when he had subdued the beast flame, the beast flame had released all its berserk nature in one explosion.
In his excitement, Long Chen had actually forgotten that that terrifying heat had already turned his clothes to ash. Currently, there was not a single thread covering his body as he stood there.
Then thinking of how he had brazenly laughed so heartily, Long Chen felt his face scorching and not from the flame. He hastily put away the beast flame and put on some clothes.
Even after getting dressed, Long Chen still felt very embarrassed. He might not be a shy person, but this was far too embarrassing.
“Cough, so you’ve come.” Long Chen awkwardly laughed, not knowing just what to say.
“Uh-huh.”
The three of them still refused to turn around and look at Long Chen. Long Chen could even hear their hearts pounding.
“Cough… about that, how are those little chicks you were incubating?” Long Chen could only try and change the topic.
Hearing that, the three women were much more excited. Although they were still red, they waved their hands. A spiritual fluctuation passed and four figures appeared in front of Long Chen. They were all over three meters tall.
Looking at those four figures, Long Chen couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. “Are these really the Violet Phoenix Sparrows? They look just like chicken chicks.”
These four figures were large, but in terms of form, they truly did look just like newly hatched chickens. Their feathers hadn’t even grown out, and their skin was violet, looking just like ugly chicks that had only just hatched.
“Aiya, Long Chen, don’t be so mean! They were only just born. Once their feathers grow out, they’ll be divine steeds!” protested Lu Fang-er. She gently rubbed one of the Violet Phoenix Sparrows.
“That’s right! They’re still young. But even though they’re still so young, don’t you find that they are extremely cute?” Chu Yao was also dissatisfied with his appraisal.
The four chicks used their bare heads to rub against the three women as soon as they were summoned out.
“They wouldn’t be trying to get milk, right?” Seeing those fellows rubbing against the three women’s chests, Long Chen c
ouldn’t help being a bit curious.
“Long Chen, you’re disgusting! Bite him, Little Violet!” The three of them turned completely red, and Lu Fang-er even directly ordered her chick to attack him.
The little chick that had been fawning over Lu Fang-er immediately opened its mouth and came biting at Long Chen.
However, its movements were incredibly clumsy. Even walking was awkward for it. Long Chen laughed and took a step to the side.
But seeing Long Chen dodge, that chick furiously opened its mouth and spat out a fiery heat wave.
That did make Long Chen jump in fright. However, it was only able to spit out some hot air. Obviously, it still didn’t have the ability to spit out flames yet.
“Haha, truly vicious enough,” laughed Long Chen.
“Wicked Long Chen, are you trying to make a roundabout insult at us?” rebuked Meng Qi.
Ah, you really can’t fight with tongues with women. That’s a truth that hasn’t changed for all eternity. Long Chen laughed and asked them about their recent situation.
Chu Yao’s core energy had been replenished. After absorbing a small portion of the tree-heart’s energy, she had begun to practically glow.
She excitedly said that the tree-heart’s energy was so enormous that it was hard to imagine. Her wood energy was surprisingly beginning to once more transform to become even stronger.
Currently, she had yet to refine even a tenth of the tree-heart’s energy. Once she completely refined it, her power would definitely reach a terrifying level.
That filled Long Chen with excitement. Chu Yao’s combat strength was focused on defense. If her wood energy once more transformed to become stronger, then her defense would practically be invincible.
In group battles, Chu Yao would be like a powerful shield, protecting the entire group’s life.
She could attack, she could defend, and she could even heal people. Wood cultivators were the most popular people when it came to group battles.
Furthermore, Meng Qi and Lu Fang-er were both incredibly excited as well. Although these Violet Phoenix Sparrows were still in their infant state, as Beast Tamers, they had their own secret techniques to help them grow faster.
As long as they took them hunting, then adding on special medicinal pills, these chicks would be able to quickly grow up in just a few months.
The four of them conversed for a while. Long Chen said he would once more enter seclusion and that the three of them should go wandering. After all, they needed to go hunting to allow the Violet Phoenix Sparrows to grow.
With the three of them together, a powerful fourth rank Magical Beast by their side, and with Chu Yao’s status as a powerful wood cultivator, they had nothing to fear except for peak experts on the level of Yin Luo.
Chu Yao also had to spend time refining the tree-heart. As she did, her strength would continuously climb. As for Meng Qi and Lu Fang-er, their most important task was to once more find suitable housepets as well as let the Violet Phoenix Sparrows mature.
The most important thing for Long Chen was condensing the Alioth Star. Staying together now would just waste time. It was better for them to split up. Although there were dangers everywhere in the Jiuli secret realm, there were also countless opportunities. The more you explored, the greater chance you would have of running into a lucky opportunity.
The three of them had also had such thoughts before, but they hadn’t wanted to say them to Long Chen. They were actually extremely excited that Long Chen would not be so emotional as to not be willing to part.
Before leaving, the three of them all gave Long Chen a tender look that was enough to make Long Chen’s bones soft. Just like that, the three of them began to search for their own opportunities.
Long Chen didn’t waste the slightest bit of time after they left. He rushed over to the cave that they had been in and took out his pill furnace.
A violet flame soared in Long Chen’s hand. With a thought from Long Chen, that flame jumped from finger to finger, going from his thumb along to his pinky, then from his pinky back to his thumb. His control had reached a smooth and easy level.
It was not in vain that Long Chen had spent so much time raising this flame. He had sacrificed half a month’s time to bring its repulsion to the lowest level before subduing it.
But this time was not wasted. After spending so much time, his control immediately reached a high level as soon as he subdued it.
Placing his Pill Flame within his furnace, he controlled the flame to keep it at its lowest temperature. He couldn’t use such a high temperature to warm up the furnace, or it would not only reduce the lifespan of the furnace, but it would even cause a furnace explosion.
After he had refined that giant pill for Little Snow and his furnace had exploded, Long Chen had specially bought ten pill furnaces from the monastery.
There was no way around it. The monastery had no pill cultivators, and there were no good pill furnaces. These pill furnaces were practically antiques that had piled up within the monastery for who knew how many years.
So to be safe, Long Chen had immediately bought all the pill furnaces in stock. That way he wouldn’t have to worry about running out even if he caused a few furnace explosions.
Long Chen placed the Qilin Fruit into the pill furnace and increased the flame power. The Qilin Fruit instantly melted and began to slowly turn to powder.
In truth, if you were to look at each bit of powder microscopically, you would see they were actually tiny beads that had locked all the medicinal essence inside.
Long Chen’s previous Pill Flame had been unable to condense those tiny beads. That would cause the majority of the medicinal essence to be wasted. So, no matter how amazing your pill refining arts were, you also needed a powerful Pill Flame.
“Amazing, this speed is absolutely frightening!” Long Chen was incomparably excited.
Refining the Qilin Fruit’s essence had only required a breath’s time. Compared to his expectation that it would take an hour, the difference was immense.
Long Chen felt as if he was a beggar who had suddenly become an emperor. Compared to this Phoenix Sparrow violet flame, his previous Flame Salamander blue flame was absolute garbage.
It was a pity those Pill Sovereign memories in his head were incomplete. He only had pill refining techniques as well as some information about medicinal ingredients. It was truly regretful he didn’t have any special fighting techniques. After fighting with Huo Wufang, Long Chen had been amazed by how powerful pill cultivators were.
He knew that Huo Wufang’s strength did not just lie in his beast flame and cultivation base. The main thing he relied on was his special techniques to control his flame.
All the flame control techniques Long Chen had were only for refining pills, not fighting. It seemed he would have to find some more techniques in that aspect in the future.
After refining the Qilin Fruit, Long Chen raised his focus to his peak and began to pour in more medicinal powders.
At the same time, he adjusted the Pill Flame’s temperature. Although he had his Pill Sovereign memories, even true gods could not guarantee a one hundred percent pill refining rate.
The slightest mishap could cause the entire pill refinement to fail. He had so few Qilin Fruits, and he couldn’t waste a single one.
An hour later, all the medicinal powders had been properly added, and he finally sealed the furnace. Long Chen increased the flame. As long as he controlled the temperature properly, this would allow even more of the medicinal essence to be locked within the pill.
Two hours later, his pill furnace finally emitted a banging sound. Opening the lid, pill fragrance filled the air.
“Hehe, success!”
Long Chen laughed and wiped off his sweat. He reached into the pill furnace.
Chapter 390 The Alioth Star’s Might
As soon as he opened the lid, a dense pill fragrance floated out along with bursts of light. The entire cave was lit up by nine longan-sized medicinal pill
s. Long Chen excitedly cried out:
“Three-ring high grade pills!”
Those nine pills shone like jade, and three rings of light slowly revolved around each of the pills as if alive.
This manifestation was something that would appear at the peak of high grade medicinal pills. When the medicinal energy and spiritual qi joined together, it would form a defensive layer on the outside of the pill.
Not only would this lock the medicinal energy inside the pill, but as those rings of light revolved around the pill, they would absorb energy from the outside, continuing to nourish the pill almost as if it were alive.
However, this nourishing was incredibly slow, so Long Chen didn’t really care about it. What he did care about was that he had refined three-ring high grade pills.
Normally, only those who had reached the Pill King tier could do that. But refining pills wasn’t the same as cultivation base; cultivation realms were not exact standards for what tier an alchemist could reach.
There were two standards required for Pill Kings. One was that they could refine fourth tier medicinal pills, while the other was that they could refine at least one-ring medicinal pills. Only once you met both standards could you be considered a Pill King.
If you wanted to reach such a level, other than needing great talent, plentiful spiritual qi, and vast soul energy, you also needed a Pill Flame that had reached a high enough level.
With those things as a foundation, you also needed skillful control and techniques. Otherwise, no matter how high your cultivation base was, even a Xiantian alchemist would be unable to satisfy those two requirements.
There were two kinds of Pill Kings. One had official credentials, while the other was essentially a wanderer.
In the pill refining world, there was only Pill Valley. Pill Valley was the holy land for pill cultivators, and ordinary pill cultivators did not even have the qualifications to learn anything about it.
Thus, the Pill Tower had become the temple for pill cultivators. If you wanted the credentials of a Pill King, you would have to go there to be examined.
They had alchemists specialized in performing those trials. Once you passed, you had two options: one was to join the Pill Tower, becoming one of its members and enjoying the luxurious treatment of a disciple of the Pill Tower.