Chapter 440 - 439: Fire Pool

Chapter 440: Chapter 439: Fire Pool

Ling Fei rose to his feet and brushed off his robes before turning to look at Yuan Chong and the others. He wore a smile, but an imposing aura naturally emanated from him.

It was the unique aura of a true powerhouse.

"Senior Brother Yuan, Senior Brother Mo, Senior Sister Wan, Brother Jiang!" Ling Fei said with a smile, offering a slight bow with cupped hands toward the four of them.

"Greetings, Ling the Pill Master!" Jiang Chen felt an inexplicable surge of excitement upon seeing Ling Fei’s gesture.

’Ling Fei’s status was already distinguished before, but now he was a powerhouse at the Nascent Soul Realm Level. How many among the younger generation could even compare to him?’

He felt incredibly honored to be treated as a peer by such a person.

"Ling the Pill Master... you-you’ve broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm?" Wan Qianxiang asked, her voice tinged with excitement.

She was the pride of the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers, a prodigy in alchemy, and few could rival her in Martial Arts. She had already reached the Celestial Pill Perfection Realm long ago.

Yet now, she felt nothing but immense admiration for Ling Fei. The young man before her seemed to possess an irresistible charm that left her utterly captivated.

’How many men like him existed in this world?’

"The Nascent Soul Realm?" Ling Fei paused for a moment, then smiled. "I suppose you could say that."

His Divine Soul had undergone its tribulation, making it comparable to that of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator.

In fact, when it came to the Soul Dao, Ling Fei was even stronger than a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. All he lacked were the corresponding Martial Arts Divine Techniques.

But as a Quasi-Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, he could fully compensate for his lack of Divine Techniques with the power of his Divine Soul.

Thus, even if he were to face a true Nascent Soul Realm powerhouse, it was hard to say who would come out on top.

"Congratulations on breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm, Junior Brother Ling! Haha, give it some time, and I fear few in the entire Southern Wilderness will be able to contend with you!" Yuan Chong congratulated him.

He looked extremely excited.

’With the power Ling Fei has demonstrated, he’s bound to dominate the Nascent Soul Realm in the future.’

’If he breaks through to the Divine Mansion Realm, even fewer people in the entire Southern Wilderness would be his match.’

It was something to look forward to.

"The Nascent Soul Realm is just the beginning," Ling Fei chuckled.

’The path of Martial Arts is vast; for him, this was truly just the beginning.’

"Now that Ling the Pill Master has reached the Nascent Soul Realm, becoming a Pill King is surely just a matter of time," Wan Qianxiang said with a graceful smile, offering her congratulations.

’The young man before her was destined to become the most dazzling genius in the Southern Wilderness.’

Wan Qianxiang found herself staring, mesmerized, as she gazed at Ling Fei.

’It was her good fortune to live in the same era as a man like him.’

"Haha, the road ahead is long, and I still have much to strive for." Ling Fei smiled, then continued, "The Medicine Garden at the foot of the Medicine Mountain is empty. The only one left is on the summit, but it’s protected by a powerful Restriction, making it extremely difficult to enter. Shall we head to the Pill Hall now?"

"Since there are no more herbs to gather on Medicine Mountain, we should indeed go and try our luck at the Pill Hall," Wan Qianxiang said with a smile.

"Very well, let’s head to the Pill Hall then," Ling Fei said with a smile.

"Yes," everyone nodded, and they descended the mountain together.

Along the way, Ling Fei and his group encountered alchemists from the other sects.

"It really is Ling the Pill Master!"

"Ling the Pill Master’s aura is so powerful! It’s far beyond any of the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators at the Divine Wheel First Realm I’ve ever seen!" Everyone’s face was filled with envy.

Afterward, Ling Fei and the others arrived at the foot of another tall mountain within the Medicine Vein.

At its peak floated a grand hall.

This was the Pill Hall of the Medicine Vein.

Inside the Pill Hall was an Artifact Hall that housed pill furnaces. In addition, there was an Inheritance Hall that held the legacies of the Alchemy Dao.

This was the true destination for the alchemists from every sect.

Ling Fei led the group in breaking the mountain’s Restriction and proceeded inside.

Upon reaching the summit, Ling Fei and the others saw the Pill Hall, enveloped in Forbidden Patterns.

The Pill Hall floated in mid-air, completely shrouded in Light Patterns and radiating a dazzling glow. It was a magnificent sight, like a Divine Hall standing between heaven and earth.

"This is the Pill Hall. Once inside, we can take the trial to find a pill furnace," Ling Fei explained to the group.

"A pill furnace!" The eyes of Yuan Chong and the others burned with fervent desire.

A good pill furnace allowed an alchemist to refine better Elixirs.

It was an essential tool for any Pill Master.

"Haha, in that case, let’s go inside," Jiang Chen, Wan Qianxiang, and the others said, gazing up at the colossal hall with burning anticipation.

"Let’s go!" After exchanging a look, everyone turned into streaks of light and flew toward the hall ahead.

Before they could even reach the hall, the Void rippled. A stretch of Forbidden Patterns flickered, forming a vortex that pulled them into the Ancient Hall.

"I wonder if Ling the Pill Master will gain anything in the Elixir Hall." Outside, the crowd was still focused on Ling Fei.

However, once inside the Elixir Hall, the internal Restrictions blocked all sight, making it impossible for them to see what was happening.

"We can use the lingering aura from Ling Fei’s brand on his Waist Token as a conduit. If we inject it into the North Spirit Stele, we might be able to see something," someone suggested.

"Good idea." With a wave of his hand, Sect Leader Yuan sent a glowing projection of a Waist Token into the North Spirit Stele before him.

The Spirit Patterns of this North Spirit Temple had already been activated. Cultivators from each sect only needed to channel the soul aura of one of their disciples into it to project an image of their situation.

The people from the Beiming Sword Sect, however, wore grim expressions.

Beiming Huahai flicked his sleeve and closed his eyes, apparently having no desire to watch Ling Fei’s progress.

At that moment, Ling Fei, Yuan Chong, Mo Fan, and the others were all drawn into the Pill Hall.

WHOOM!

In an instant, the crowd watching saw Ling Fei appear inside a massive, cavern-like hall.

The hall was immense, soaring to a height of a thousand meters.

Before Ling Fei were numerous vents of fire, like natural springs.

These vents were separated by crimson rock, forming individual Fire Pools, each with Array Patterns carved beside it.

Furthermore, in front of each vent stood a crimson pillar.

’Fire vents and Fire Pillars. I have to control the Fire Flame within these vents and channel it into the Fire Pillars to activate the Array Patterns inside.’

’The higher the light on the Array Pillar shines, the better the corresponding Pill Furnace Hall I’ll be sent to, where I can find a suitable pill furnace.’

Gazing at the Fire Pools and Fire Pillars before them, Ling Fei and the others understood the test perfectly.

They had all learned about the Pill Hall’s trials before they arrived.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Yuan Chong, Mo Fan, Jiang Chen, Wan Qianxiang...

...and the other alchemists all appeared inside the great hall.

They were all itching to get started as they eyed the Fire Pools before them.

"Haha, everyone, please," Ling Fei said with a smile, gesturing with cupped hands to Wan Qianxiang and the others.

"In that case, I’ll go first and embarrass myself!" Jiang Chen said with a smile. Not standing on ceremony, he focused his Heart Spirit and immersed it into the Array Pattern beside one of the Fire Pools.

This was a test of one’s Control Power over the Fire Flame.

VMMMM!

As Jiang Chen’s Heart Spirit sank into the Array Pattern, it immediately activated the corresponding Fire Pool, and a stream of the potent Fire Flame was drawn into the pattern.

’This Fire Flame is scorching hot.’ The moment the flame surged into the space within the Array Pattern, Jiang Chen felt as if his Heart Spirit was about to be incinerated.

He immediately focused his Heart Spirit, trying his utmost to merge with the Fire Flame and bring it under control so he could activate the Array Pattern on the Fire Pillar.

After a moment, Jiang Chen’s furrowed brow relaxed. With a single thought, the Fire Flame within the Array Pattern condensed into a fiery rainbow and shot into a Crystal Stone embedded in the corresponding crimson Fire Pillar. In the next instant, the Crystal Stone absorbed the Fire Flame.

VMMMM!

As the Crystal Stone absorbed the Fire Flame, the fire patterns engraved on the pillar immediately burst forth with a dazzling fiery light.

The Light Patterns flickered, rising higher and higher—from ten feet, to twenty, to thirty...

"It’s already thirty feet high!"

"Once the Fire Pillar’s patterns reach thirty feet, you get sent to a Spirit Level Artifact Hall to find a Spirit Level pill furnace. If you can light it up to ninety feet, you can enter the hall that houses Profound Spirit Level pill furnaces! Jiang Chen placed fourth in the last alchemy competition; he’s a rare talent. I wonder how far he’ll get?"

As the fire patterns lit up and continued to climb, the blood of the cultivators watching began to boil with excitement.

They were so agitated, it was as if they themselves were the ones taking the trial.

Ling Fei was also watching the Fire Pillar, though he appeared perfectly calm.

The people on the North Spirit Platform were watching this all unfold as well.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The patterns on the Fire Pillar before Jiang Chen continued to light up, climbing higher and higher until they quickly reached sixty feet.

Even after sixty feet, the fire patterns continued to spread.

Eighty feet!

Eighty-seven feet!

"He’s almost at ninety feet!" Everyone was on the edge of their seats.

Reaching ninety feet meant he had a chance to obtain a Profound Spirit Supreme Treasure Level pill furnace!

VMMMM!

Finally, with a flash, the Array Pattern at the ninety-foot mark lit up.

"He reached ninety feet! Senior Brother Jiang is amazing," a few nearby alchemists said, their faces full of envy.

Jiang Chen let out a sigh of relief at this, but he gritted his teeth and continued to push his Heart Spirit to its limits, constantly channeling the Fire Flame into the pillar’s Crystal Stone.

One hundred and two feet!

Finally, at one hundred and two feet, Jiang Chen’s Heart Spirit gave out, and he could no longer hold on. The Light Patterns on the Fire Pillar froze at that height.

"One hundred and two feet. Not bad at all," Jiang Chen nodded, satisfied.

Outside, the people from the North Sea Sect also nodded slightly.

"Lighting the patterns to one hundred and two feet is enough to enter a Pill Furnace Hall containing Profound Spirit Treasures. For any of us, that is indeed a great opportunity." Wan Qianxiang nodded slightly. "Profound Spirit Level alchemy furnaces are exceedingly rare, even in the Southern Wilderness. They can’t be forged by just any Nascent Soul Realm Artifact Refining Grandmaster."

"It requires a powerhouse at the Pill King Level."

"But Pill Kings are exceptionally rare, and most of the Treasure Furnaces they left behind have long since been destroyed."

"Besides, pill furnaces have spirits of their own. Once they’ve had a master, it’s quite difficult for a second person to gain perfect control."

"So, it’s always best to have a new one for yourself."

VMMMM!

Just then, a flash of Light Patterns appeared before Jiang Chen and enveloped him.

At the front of the great hall, an Array Pattern Light Curtain materialized.

It was the portal leading to the Hidden Furnace Hall.

"Everyone, I shall go on ahead." Jiang Chen cupped his fists toward the others before being drawn by the Light Patterns into the Hidden Furnace Hall.

"It’s enough to make anyone jealous!" Yuan Chong said, his face full of envy.

’After all, obtaining a Profound Spirit Level pill furnace was no easy feat!’

’Besides, even Profound Spirit Level pill furnaces came in different grades.’

’Since Jiang Chen could activate the patterns to a height of one hundred and two feet, he could probably obtain a Mid Level Profound Spirit Pill Furnace.’

’Among those here, only Junior Sister Wan and Junior Brother Ling could possibly surpass Jiang Chen!’ everyone thought.

Then, all eyes turned to Ling Fei and Wan Qianxiang.

"I wonder how many feet of fire patterns Ling the Pill Master can light up?" Even the people on the North Spirit Platform were filled with anticipation.