Chapter 146: Maintaining His Dignity

He had succeeded!

The Hell Python Flame was gone, but its energy had strengthened the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame, allowing him to obtain an even more powerful strange flame.

Most importantly, he had survived.

Long Feng carefully withdrew his soul power and opened his eyes.

Outside, Elder Zixuan stood motionless. He had been prepared to rescue Long Feng, yet the situation had suddenly reversed before he could intervene.

The flame that had nearly killed the young man was now completely under his control.

Elder Zixuan narrowed his eyes, trying to understand what had happened.

He had clearly witnessed Long Feng lose control. The young man’s soul power had been insufficient to suppress the flame, and the Frostheart Stabilization Pill was already failing.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, everything had changed.

’How did he do it?’

Elder Zixuan’s gaze settled on Long Feng.

The young man had successfully refined the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame, but the elder was certain that ordinary flame-refinement techniques alone could not explain the sudden change.

Something had happened inside Long Feng’s body, that even an eighth-rank alchemist like himself could not understand.

Meanwhile, Long Feng examined the newly refined flame within his spiritual sea, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

He had gained a powerful new flame, and the mysterious leaf had once again demonstrated its extraordinary nature.

Although he still had no idea what the leaf was, one thing had become clear.

It was far more valuable than he had originally imagined.

Long Feng slowly opened his eyes, and a delighted smile appeared on his face.

Just as he was about to express his gratitude, Long Feng noticed Elder Zixuan standing nearby with a stern expression. The elder’s face was cold, and there was not the slightest hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

’What’s wrong with him?’

Before Long Feng could ask, Elder Zixuan snorted.

"Your performance was truly disappointing."

"Disappointing?" Long Feng froze.

"Of course!" Elder Zixuan said sternly. "You nearly lost your life refining a strange flame. If you delayed even a few moments, you might have turned into a pile of ashes! Is this the result of the talent that made Elders pay so much attention to you?"

Long Feng fell silent.

Although the elder’s words sounded harsh, he couldn’t deny that they were true. If not for the mysterious leaf, he might not have survived.

He had never refined a strange flame through his own efforts before. His Hell Python Flame had originally been obtained through the system, so he had never experienced the dangers of refining one from scratch.

Since he lacked experience, he naturally assumed Elder Zixuan’s criticism was justified.

He lowered his head slightly and replied, "This disciple understands. I will be more careful next time."

Seeing Long Feng accept his criticism so readily, Elder Zixuan’s mood improved considerably.

’Hmph! At least he knows his shortcomings.’

In truth, the elder had been rather displeased when he had nearly needed to intervene. He had personally provided Long Feng with a precious flame and explained the refinement method, yet the young man had somehow managed to turn the entire process into a life-or-death struggle.

Worse still, Long Feng had ultimately succeeded without requiring his assistance.

Where was the dignity of a senior brother in that?

The teacher already favored him anyway. What if his position is put at risk in the future? No, he must hold onto his position.

Naturally, Elder Zixuan couldn’t simply praise him.

Fortunately, Long Feng appeared to have taken his criticism seriously.

Elder Zixuan nodded with satisfaction before continuing, "Forget it. Since you’ve already refined the flame, there’s no point dwelling on what happened. You should first familiarize yourself with its properties before attempting to use it in alchemy."

Long Feng nodded, then suddenly remembered something.

"Elder, there’s something I’d like to ask."

"What is it?"

"Exactly what kind of beast did this flame originate from?"

Elder Zixuan raised an eyebrow. "You didn’t even ask about the flame’s origin before refining it?"

Long Feng smiled awkwardly, rubbing back of his head.

"I was too focused on refining it."

In his mind, getting it matters right now; he’ll worry about figuring it out later.

Elder Zixuan shook his head, seemingly disappointed.

"This is another example of your poor preparation. Remember, an alchemist must understand the properties of something before attempting to experiment with it. Otherwise, even a slight mistake could cost you your life."

Long Feng nodded obediently.

"You’re right, Elder. I’ll remember that."

Only then did Elder Zixuan begin explaining.

"This beast flame originated from a Obsidian Scale Beast, which was an exceptionally powerful spirit beast. Its cultivation had reached the Saint King Realm, and its flame possessed the unique ability to materialize its energy."

But hearing a unknown realm of cultivation, Long Feng’s expression changed.

"Saint King Realm?"

He had heard about the realms dividation in this world, that is; Qi Refining, Spirit Condensing, True Spirit, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Life and Death, and Void Ascension realms.

And recently, he also knew that there was a legendary Saint Realm existed above them. However, he had never heard of the Saint King Realm.

Seeing his confusion, Elder Zixuan continued, "The Saint Realm is divided into three minor realms: Great Saint, Saint King, and Sacred Saint. Each represents a significant difference in strength. To put it another way, it was an eighth-rank mid-tier spirit beast."

Long Feng’s eyes widened slightly.

An eighth-rank mid-tier spirit beast!

He had known that the flame was extraordinary, but he hadn’t expected its original owner to have reached such a terrifying level.

No wonder the flame’s power had nearly destroyed his body during the refinement.

However, his shock soon turned into excitement.

A flame originating from a Saint King Realm beast, with the ability to materialize its energy—just how powerful could it become after he mastered it?

Long Feng couldn’t help smiling.

He had truly obtained a remarkable treasure.

Elder Zixuan noticed his expression and immediately frowned.

"Why are you smiling? Did you forget how close you came to dying just now?"

Long Feng’s smile stiffened. "Of course not, Elder. I was merely thinking about the flame’s potential."

"Hmph! Potential means nothing if you don’t have the ability to control it."

Elder Zixuan folded his hands behind his back, once again adopting the dignified bearing of an experienced alchemist.

"Listen carefully. The Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame is not an ordinary beast flame. Its ability to materialize energy means you can eventually condense your flame into tangible forms. With sufficient mastery, you may even use it to create weapons or defensive structures.

However, these applications require precise control. You must learn to use its power gradually rather than attempting everything at once."

Long Feng nodded, committing the elder’s words to memory.

He had already witnessed how the flame’s scales could become almost tangible. If he could learn to exploit that property, it would undoubtedly become a powerful weapon.

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder."

Elder Zixuan’s expression finally softened a little.

"Good. Return to your residence and practice controlling it. Once you can manipulate the flame without difficulty, begin experimenting with pill refinement. If you encounter any problems, you may come to ask me."

"Yes, Elder."

Elder Zixuan then took out a token and tossed it toward Long Feng.

Long Feng caught it and examined it curiously.

The token was dark red, with the character for Alchemy engraved on its surface. Faint spiritual energy flowed through its edges, indicating that it was no ordinary token.

"Elder, this is..."

"The is my token." Elder Zixuan explained. "You may use it to enter the Alchemist Hall’s library freely and read any book stored there."

This caused Long Feng’s eyes brightened.

As an alchemist, he understood the value of such a privilege. The library surely contained countless records concerning medicinal herbs, pill formulas, flame control, and the experiences of previous alchemists.

Some of those records might even help him understand the Obsidian Scale Beast’s Flame more thoroughly.

"Thank you, Elder!"

"Don’t thank me yet. Reading a few books won’t make you a great alchemist, but refusing to learn from the experiences of others will only make your path more difficult."

"This disciple will remember your advice."

Elder Zixuan nodded with satisfaction.

’Good. At least this boy knows how to listen.’

He then waved his hand impatiently.

"All right, you may leave now. Focus on mastering your new flame and improving your alchemy. Don’t come running to me over every little problem."

Long Feng bowed respectfully.

"Elder, this disciple takes his leave."

After Long Feng departed, Elder Zixuan finally allowed his stern expression to fade.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

’This brat nearly scared me to death, but he really did manage to refine the flame.’

Even now, the elder couldn’t fully understand how Long Feng had overcome the final crisis. The young man’s soul power had been impressive, but it hadn’t been enough to suppress the rampaging flame.

Something unexpected had clearly happened.

However, Elder Zixuan had no intention of questioning him for the time being. Everyone had their own secrets, and as long as Long Feng continued improving, there was no need to investigate every little detail.

Besides, the young man’s talent was extraordinary. If he continued developing at this pace, he might truly become a remarkable alchemist in the future.

Elder Zixuan stroked his beard, looking rather pleased with himself.

’With my guidance, perhaps he can reach the seventh rank sooner than expected.’

After thinking about it, his smile widened slightly.

He had given Long Feng the flame, explained the refinement method, provided a protective pill, and even granted him access to the Alchemist Hall’s library.

Surely, that counted as excellent guidance.

With that satisfying thought, Elder Zixuan returned to his seat, once again adopting the dignified bearing of a senior alchemist.