It was when his cultivation reached the seventh rank of the Cavern Spirit realm that Nie Kong first entertained such a notion.

Among all the spirit herbs known on the Heaven Spirit Continent, the one capable of elevating a Spirit Master's cultivation directly from the seventh rank to the ninth rank of the Cavern Spirit realm possessed the most potent medicinal effect.

Not only were the herbs required for this spirit medicine exceedingly rare, but its refinement was exceptionally difficult, yielding perhaps a single pill once every century. Among all the current Medicine Kings, only City Lord Meng Feiyang of Spirit Royal City possessed the skill to refine the "Profound Void Golden Elixir"; that is, if he weren't trapped within the ice cave.

Although Nie Kong had repeatedly defeated You Li, Ling Xiao, and others, earning their regard as the foremost Medicine King after Meng Feiyang—a view even Meng Feiyang himself seemed to share—Nie Kong still only possessed about a sixty percent chance of successfully refining the "Profound Void Golden Elixir." The limiting factor was Nie Kong’s own cultivation level.

The rebound force generated when the medicinal properties of the "Profound Void Golden Elixir" merged was simply too immense, especially the explosive power released at the moment of completion. A Spirit Pharmacist at the mere Cavern Spirit cultivation level would find it exceedingly difficult to master.

If his cultivation had reached the Heaven Spirit realm, Nie Kong would have a ninety percent certainty of success. However, by that time, no matter how potent the "Profound Void Golden Elixir" was, it would offer little significant benefit to him.

Furthermore, his intent to refine the "Profound Void Golden Elixir" this evening was not solely for his own consumption; it would also prove immensely useful tomorrow when he convened the seventh-rank Spirit Pharmacists and eighth-rank Medicine Kings. If possible, Nie Kong intended to refine not only the "Profound Void Golden Elixir" but also a "Supreme Spirit Heart Pill."

The "Profound Void Golden Elixir" could advance a Cavern Spirit Master’s cultivation, while the "Supreme Spirit Heart Pill" could allow a ninth-rank Cavern Spirit Master to briefly experience the essence of the Heaven Spirit realm—another superb medicine.

"Nie Kong," Qing Yue hesitated slightly, "we have sixteen of the required medicines for the 'Golden Peak Tassel Diagram' in our herb garden, but the last three..."

"I've brought the last three back with me."

The refinement of the "Profound Void Golden Elixir" required a total of nineteen medicinal components. Categorized according to the 'Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, Envoy' structure, there were six Sovereign ingredients, three Minister ingredients, three Assistant ingredients, and a substantial seven Envoy ingredients. This included rare treasures like the 'Golden Peak Tassel Diagram' alongside common herbs such as the 'Curved Vein Wind-Defying Grass.'

The version of the "Profound Void Golden Elixir" widely circulated on the Heaven Spirit Continent currently comprised an incomplete formula, listing only sixteen ingredients.

It was only after Nie Kong helped suppress Meng Feiyang’s condition in the ice cave at Spirit Royal City yesterday that this formulation was inadvertently mentioned, allowing Nie Kong to learn the exact recipe. That very night, after being intimate with Tai Yan, Nie Kong meticulously analyzed and deduced the formula, his admiration for the Spirit Pharmacist who created it soaring to its apex.

Nie Kong could usually find minor imperfections in most prescriptions, but concerning the formula for the "Profound Void Golden Elixir," he discovered not a single flaw.

Seeing Qing Yue drift toward the exit, Nie Kong turned his gaze to Tai Yan, smiling. "Tai Yan, I might need to extract a bit of your 'Remembrance Grass' medicinal power later. If the refined 'Profound Void Golden Elixir' achieves a nine-nine percent fusion rate, I'll incorporate some of the Remembrance Grass power to push the fusion past the ten-tenths mark."

Tai Yan beamed, nodding readily, clutching Nie Kong’s arm tightly between her breasts, her voice sweet and alluring, "Brother, don't let Xiangxiang interfere, okay? We can just fight amongst ourselves. If we fight a few more times like we did in the Spirit Prison, the medicinal power will come out on its own."

"Ah?"

Nie Kong was left utterly speechless, caught between laughter and tears.

Having tasted the bliss of 'fighting,' Tai Yan was utterly captivated and now deeply obsessed. This girl possessed a simple heart; once she favored something, she would be preoccupied with it daily. Any man would inevitably feel a surge of vanity when possessed entirely by such an unparalleled beauty.

Nie Kong was no exception.

However, this was hardly the time for 'fighting.' If he truly followed Tai Yan's suggestion, not only would refining the "Profound Void Golden Elixir" and the "Supreme Spirit Heart Pill" be impossible today, but whether he could even get out of bed would be questionable. This girl’s combat effectiveness in each session wasn't high, but the duration she could sustain kept increasing.

Nie Kong put on a stern face. "Tai Yan, not today. We'll do it again in a few days. Doing this too often isn't good for your health, understand?"

"Brother is lying."

Tai Yan pouted indignantly. "When you were on Dragon Island, you fought with Sister Xue Chan every day... Hmph, Sister Xue Chan is much better at fighting than me."

Nie Kong was momentarily speechless. His eyes darted around, and he adopted a grave tone. "It’s not that it harms my body, but it harms yours. Tai Yan, you are completely different from Xue Chan. Xue Chan only has the bloodline of the Spirit Race within her; she has no inherent medicinal power. But you are a Medicine Spirit. If you fight too often, your vital medicinal essence will deplete."

"Oh."

Tai Yan looked slightly confused; losing a bit of medicinal power didn't seem to affect her much.

At this moment, Hulu, who had been listening in a daze, couldn't help but interject. "Nie Kong, Tai Yan, do you two fight often? Can fighting actually release medicinal power? That's so strange! How do you manage it? Can I watch next time you fight?"

Seeing Hulu’s wide, round eyes, looking like a curious baby, Nie Kong inwardly grumbled: Is this sort of 'fighting' something a little brat like you should be watching?

"Nie Kong, say something! If it's possible, I want to try too! Qing Yue is so mean; I want to fight all of her medicinal power out!"

"Hey—Hey! Nie Kong, you big brute, why are you hitting me? I only said I wanted to fight Qing Yue's power out; I never intended to fight Tai Yan’s power!"

"Little brat, that’s exactly who I’m hitting!"

"..."

After delivering several sharp raps to Hulu’s head, several sizable lumps swelled on the little fellow's forehead. He fled the illusory formation in a miserable state, hiding pitifully in a corner of the space, his large, bright eyes filled with grievance, looking exactly like a small pet abandoned by its master.

A little over ten minutes later, Qing Yue returned, carrying a medicine box dozens of times larger than her own body. To Nie Kong's surprise, not long after Qing Yue entered, Mu Wanqing also slipped in, her pretty face alight with curiosity, clearly intending to observe Nie Kong’s medicine refinement process.

"Medicine Cauldron Illusion Manifestation!"

Nie Kong centered his thoughts, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the illusory formation for a long moment before summoning his purple medicine cauldron. He did not add the herbs immediately; instead, he controlled a wisp of white flame to emerge first from the fire seed in his palm. The tiny flame danced gently beneath the cauldron, seemingly ready to extinguish at any moment, radiating negligible heat.

Mu Wanqing watched, utterly mystified. Since antiquity, regardless of what spirit medicine was being refined, the process involved adding the herbs first, then applying the fire. Yet, Nie Kong had completely inverted this order. She surmised there must be a profound reason for his actions, so she suppressed her doubt and stared without blinking.

"Clang!"

Several seconds later, the cauldron lid sprang open with a sharp sound, emitting a cloud of steam.

Before the vapor could dissipate, Nie Kong’s left hand swept toward the medicine box like lightning. He pinched six portions of 'Curved Vein Wind-Defying Grass' and three portions of 'Yin-Yang Crimson Phoenix Immortal' and tossed them into the cauldron. The instant the cauldron sealed shut, the fire in Nie Kong’s palm abruptly intensified dozens of times, the white flames enveloping the entire vessel.