Even though Qingyue excelled at growing herbs and possessed the Heavenly Spirit cultivation level, separating such a supreme quality herb was no easy feat. Under Nie Kong’s carrot-and-stick persuasion and threats, Qingyue finally accepted the assignment. That day, she spent a full four hours, using the ‘Four-Leaf Jade Eyebrow Fruit’ as the source to separate a seedling, leaving herself utterly exhausted, only recovering with the aid of Nie Kong’s Natural Origin power.
Two days later, Qingyue successfully separated a cutting from the ‘Gyro Tower’; four days after that, the ‘Celestial Star Wood Fragrance Vine’ also yielded a new seedling. On that very day, the mature ‘Four-Leaf Jade Eyebrow Fruit,’ the ‘Gyro Tower,’ and the ‘Celestial Star Wood Fragrance Vine’ all entered the little fellow’s belly.
While Xiangxiang slept, preparing for her advancement, Nie Kong was busier than ever. Not only did he have to sample the various medicinal herbs and spiritual elixirs newly delivered, but he also had to spend a great deal of time researching the ninth-grade pill recipes left behind by the Pill Immortal Sect ten thousand years ago. As for tenth-grade pills, Nie Kong had not yet ventured into that territory.
“Nie Kong, are you certain?”
Inside the dwelling of the Nine-Layered Herb Garden, Mu Wanqing glanced at Nie Kong with surprise. “What you’re attempting to refine isn't an eighth-grade spiritual medicine, but a ninth-grade one!”
Nie Yan smiled faintly. “How can there be absolute certainty in such matters? I have prepared for a full four months. If I don't attempt it myself, the prescription I’ve written will remain merely a conjecture. Only by successfully refining a ninth-grade spiritual medicine with it can I proceed with the subsequent steps.”
“But, you’ve only just broken through to the second layer of the Heavenly Spirit realm. Refining a ninth-grade spiritual medicine with your current cultivation base might be a bit…”
Mu Wanqing delicately furrowed her brow, yet she withheld the word ‘dangerous’ that followed. Even for a Heavenly Spirit expert like her, refining eighth-grade spiritual medicines was unsafe; particularly when an eighth-grade medicine failed at the point of near completion, it could even endanger the alchemist’s life. For Nie Kong, at the second layer of the Heavenly Spirit realm, to attempt refining a ninth-grade spiritual medicine was truly too rash.
Seeing Mu Wanqing’s worried expression, Nie Kong chuckled. “Auntie Wan worries too much. Don’t forget, we have Hulu.”
“Auntie Wan, leave it to me,” Hulu chirped in a milky voice, patting his chubby chest with resounding thuds.
In nearly a year, the Spirit Mansion had accumulated quite a few Spirit Masters, ensuring ample vital energy. Coupled with the occasional absorption of Natural Origin power from Nie Kong, Hulu’s four limbs had taken rough shape; though short and fat, he looked utterly comical, and everyone in the Spirit Mansion adored him immensely.
“Auntie Wan, I’m here too,” Tai Yan added, her pretty face blooming like a flower. After sparring with Nie Kong for four more months, she could now control the vast majority of the spiritual power within her body. However, the residual power remained hidden deep within the stamens of the Huímóu Grass, stubbornly refusing Tai Yan’s command, rendering all fighting useless.
“Be extremely careful!” Seeing that neither Hulu nor Tai Yan seemed worried, Mu Wanqing could only shake her head with a wry smile, then solemnly cautioned Nie Kong once more.
“……”
In a moment, Nie Kong’s mind settled completely. He first placed four qian of the ‘Overturning Fire Earth Core Lotus’ into the cauldron. This ‘Overturning Fire Earth Core Lotus’ was a ninth-grade herb cultivated right there in the Nine-Layered Herb Garden. The ninth-grade spiritual medicine Nie Kong intended to refine used this as its primary ingredient, added in two phases, much like refining the ‘Void-Penetrating Golden Elixir’—four qian first, with the remaining two qian added later.
In Nie Kong’s prescription, besides the ninth-grade herb ‘Overturning Fire Earth Core Lotus,’ there were three eighth-grade herbs, one seventh-grade herb, four sixth-grade herbs, three fifth-grade herbs, seven third-grade herbs, and two second-grade herbs—a total of twenty-one herbs altogether. If the refinement succeeded, it could raise his cultivation from the second layer of the Heavenly Spirit realm to the third. This spiritual medicine could be described as tailor-made for Nie Kong.
“Hoo!”
A stream of white flame emerged slowly from the fire seed in his right palm. Since Xiangxiang was still asleep, Nie Kong was using an ordinary, though decent, medicinal cauldron. Thus, he dared not unleash fierce flames immediately, choosing instead to heat it slowly, allowing the medicinal essence of the ‘Overturning Fire Earth Core Lotus’ to release. He would only significantly intensify the heat when adding the ingredients for the second time.
Everything was calm and quiet. Minutes later, the ninth-grade herb had completely transformed into a ball of crimson medicinal essence.
“Clang!”
The cauldron lid suddenly opened, and the three fifth-grade herbs—‘Stone Reed Grass,’ ‘White Tongue Iron Wire,’ and ‘Ice Silk Ribbon’—shot into the mixture like lightning.
“Boom!”
The instant the cauldron lid slammed shut, the fire in Nie Kong’s palm surged violently. Tai Yan and Hulu had been alerted by Nie Kong prior to the alchemy, knowing when they needed absolute focus. They stared at the cauldron without blinking. Mu Wanqing’s nerves were even more tightly wound. Unlike Tai Yan and Hulu, who only knew what was happening but not why, she was acutely aware that the fusion of the main and auxiliary medicinal essences during the refinement of such a high-grade medicine was the most perilous moment, especially as Nie Kong had added three auxiliary medicines simultaneously.
Time ticked by, and Nie Kong’s expression remained solemn as the fire beneath his palm layered and intensified.
“Bang!”
Dozens of seconds later, Nie Kong’s brow twitched slightly, and he suddenly struck the cauldron with his left palm. Almost the moment his palm contacted the cauldron body, a violent burst of sound reverberated from within the vessel. This resonant note struck Mu Wanqing’s heart like a giant hammer, instantly raising her tension to the absolute limit. At that precise moment, Hulu flashed out, his mouth sealing the opening of the cauldron lid, immediately followed by his belly beginning to inflate at an astonishing speed.
Moments later, Hulu drifted back to the ground, opening his mouth to release a surge of energy that rolled out like ocean waves. Nie Kong’s right palm maintained its fierce heat, but his left hand had quietly withdrawn from the cauldron body.
Seeing this scene unfold, Mu Wanqing let out a soft sigh of relief, and the taut string of her nerves loosened slightly. Only then did she realize she had broken out in a cold sweat.
In truth, Mu Wanqing’s worry was entirely unnecessary. Given Nie Kong’s mastery of the ‘Crimson Star Battle Body’ combined with his current Heavenly Spirit cultivation, even if the cauldron exploded, it would hardly injure him in the slightest. And if his body could not withstand it, he still had Tai Yan, the Assassin Copper, present. If she acted, she could completely absorb the force surging out from the shattered cauldron. As for Hulu, his presence was not to protect Nie Kong, but to neutralize the turbulent forces erupting inside the cauldron, thereby increasing the success rate of the refinement. This was precisely why Nie Kong dared to attempt refining a ninth-grade spiritual medicine while only at the low stage of the Heavenly Spirit realm; otherwise, why would he gamble with his own life?
“Clang! Clang…”
The cauldron lid opened repeatedly, and medicines were continuously thrown in. In just twenty minutes, Nie Kong had opened the cauldron six times, adding thirteen types of medicine. Hulu had also opened his mouth three times to inhale the violent energy raging inside the cauldron, allowing Nie Kong’s alchemy to persist amidst the dangers.
All of this appeared methodically organized.