After a while, the interior of the medicine cauldron seemed to boil, accompanied by a rumble, punctuated by sharp, popping explosions.

"Dong!"

Nie Kong’s slightly curled index finger and thumb suddenly snapped out like lightning against the rapidly spinning body of the cauldron.

This single touch did nothing to impede the cauldron's rotation. However, the instant Nie Kong’s finger contacted the metal, a dense surge of spiritual energy shot out, piercing directly into the cauldron’s core. Instantly, the popping detonations intensified.

At this moment, the steam rising from the lid transformed into a faint, ethereal fragrance.

"Sniff, sniff!"

Lian Tianxin inhaled deeply, nodded slightly with satisfaction, then lowered his voice to critique, "The Purple Li Pill is beginning to take shape. The spiritual force the little fellow just injected landed precisely on the fissure within the pill; the timing was excellent. Too early, and the pill would have directly detonated. Too late, and it would have been useless, only widening the cracks and leading to an explosive failure."

Nie Xingyun replied with a touch of pride, "Well, look whose apprentice he is! Among all the alchemists in the Nie family, only two have shown such exceptional performance on their first attempt at refining a Grade Two spirit medicine—one is this apprentice of mine, and the other is that little girl, Fenghua."

Lian Tianxin rolled his eyes, "He’s your apprentice, but isn't he mine too? Still, the Patriarch’s youngest daughter truly possesses outstanding talent, a pity she was taken by the Grand Elder of the Ink Snow Sect."

"Dong!"

Nie Kong’s left hand tapped the side of the cauldron again. Nie Xingyun and Lian Tianxin stopped speaking, their four eyes fixed intently on the medicine cauldron hovering above Nie Kong’s right palm.

Time crept by. Nie Kong’s tapping on the cauldron grew more frequent, and the roaring sound from within grew increasingly vigorous.