Danding Peak.
The roar of tigers and dragons already resounded through the heavens, audible clearly across the entire peak.
“Judging by this aura, it seems Elder Xue’s alchemy skills have improved once again.”
“Could he be refining a fourth-tier treasure elixir? That would make him a true Pill dao master.”
“He’s even released a field. The pill he’s refining must be extraordinary.”
Everywhere on the peak, the disciples and stewards were buzzing with speculation.
Everyone was quite curious.
Fu Tu, watching the dragon and tiger auras above the peak, appeared lost in thought.
“Fu Tu steward, your Green Snake bl**d Spirit Pill is ready.”
The male disciple in a white robe took out a wooden box.
Fu Tu took it with a nod, then asked:
“Is it known what pill Elder Xue is refining today?”
“This, I don’t know either.”
The disciple clicked his tongue, helplessly saying:
“Whenever our master refines a pill with Junior Brother Xiaobao, they don’t let us watch.”
“Ah, I see.”
Fu Tu nodded, then turned and went towards Beast Treasure Peak.
…
At the peak.
The flames in the pill cauldron surged and leapt wildly, like a devil’s dance~
Li Mo was draped in an Impermanence Crystal Silk Cloak, his face flushed red from the firelight. On him, a flame color even darker than the furnace flames flickered.
The internal energy he refined, though less compared to the furnace fire, excelled in its quality.
“Grandfather Xue, I’m fine.”
Young Master Li confidently declared he could push even harder.
Xue Jing narrowed his eyes, watching Li Mo’s slightly red complexion. He was just as fine as Tang Xiaobao, which made Xue Jing relax slightly while simultaneously marveling internally.
This wasn’t merely about physical endurance.
Even if he brought those blacksmiths from Shenbing Peak over, they wouldn’t be able to withstand this level of heat.
“Well then, next up I’ll be increasing the furnace temperature.”
“Young Brother, don’t interrupt your meditation.”
“Alright!”
Xue Jing made a pill gesture.
The dragons and tigers above the pill cauldron slowly came alive, moving as if they were real creatures.
The temperature rose again.
“Brother Li.”
Tang Xiaobao spoke by his side.
“Hmm?”
“If you get burned and can’t control it later… you can lick me a couple of times.”
“…”
Li Mo, looking at his serious little face, hesitated at the idea.
“No one’s ever been into the pill cauldron with me.”
Tang Xiaobao’s expression showed gratitude:
“If your method works, after we meditate together, I might stand a chance to complete the cultivation of my vital points. Getting licked by you isn’t a big deal.”
“This… this is our bond!”
“Alright, I know.”
Li Mo didn’t know how to refuse.
Because strangely, he was starting to feel… fired up…
“Meditate!”
“Hmm!”
Tang Xiaobao practiced his pill refining method.
Li Mo also closed his eyes and meditated.
He fully channeled the “Crimson Lotus Flame Technique,” transforming him into a ball of flames.
The phoenix bl**d hidden in his waist boiled at this moment, adding fuel to the fire.
Though the temperature inside the furnace didn’t rise,
his essence energy added into the mix changed the flames visibly deeper in color.
The refined essence of the herbs Xue Jing had just thrown in became even purer.
Seeing both the two were unharmed and, if anything, complementary,
Xue Jing took a Qingxin Pill given by Li Mo and waited for the herbs to be refined.
This, was only the first step.
Half an hour passed.
The… er, marination process, or rather, the drug dissipation phase ended.
Tang Xiaobao’s golden glow was brighter this time. He opened his sparkling eyes with joy:
“Master, Brother Li, I feel so good.”
“Huff… It was painful, though.”
Li Mo, though fine, was really feeling the heat. He had the sensation of being on fire.
Yet, the effects were genuinely excellent.
The phoenix bl**d hidden in his body had been almost entirely refined.
The Lotus in his dantian gently unfurled a petal.
“I’ll proceed with the next step.”
Xue Jing said with gravitas.
“Hmm!”
Xue gave him ample time to adapt.
With the experience of refining herbs earlier, Li Mo knew how to coordinate his essence with the Dragon-Tiger Pill Cauldron.
“Great!”
A barrel of black demonwood oil was tossed in.
About… ten seconds?
The temperature immediately soared.
Li Mo frowned.
“Uncomfortable?” Xue Jing immediately asked.
Li Mo: “…Promise me, Elder Xue, next time when Ying Bing comes asking you for ingredients, whatever you do, don’t give her any.”
Xue Jing was startled.
What? He’d never given her ingredients.
Ying Bing had come asking if black demonwood oil was edible, never imagining it would be used for cooking.
Well, as long as Li Mo hasn’t…
Opportunities don’t last forever.
Next came the fusion phase. This was the most critical step in pill refining!
“Let’s go!”
Tang Xiaobao solemnly shouted.
“I’m ready!”
Li Mo’s expression was dead serious.
Boom!
The temperature surged.
Up close, Li Mo caught that familiar scent of pills, only this time it was ten times as strong, giving one the illusion of ascending to celestial status.
Tang Xiaobao was encased in various purified herbal energies.
The energies churned and surged, slowly being absorbed into his body with the flames that carried Li Mo’s essence.
Under the intense blaze, he resembled a pure gold-cast golden child.
What surprised Li Mo was that the Infernal Flames didn’t cause Tang Xiaobao any discomfort.
Perhaps because…
Infernal Flames only inflict extreme destruction on the malevolent?
Still, Li Mo took no chances. His heightened sense of perception, honed by Shang Wu, keenly monitored the fluctuations of his essence.
“Huff…”
Meanwhile, Li Mo struggled to maintain the flow of the “Crimson Lotus Flame Technique.”
Finally…
It’s coming!
An array of colorful lights emanated from Tang Xiaobao’s body, dragon-and-tiger gold glints circling him.
His small frame gradually unraveled, or more accurately, was being sucked into his heart.
Li Mo finally understood.
It was Big Brother Xiaobao’s core pillar.
A golden pill with the essence of the Way flowing through it, its aura tens of thousands of miles strong, extremely boundless!
The golden pill had seven orifices.
And now, one of these orifices was gradually opening under the infusion of the various energies.
“Master, we need a bit more power!”
The golden pill vibrated slightly, issuing Tang Xiaobao’s anxious voice.
Xue Jing, ultimately, was not a Pill Dao Master.
Though he had given it his all.
He could only watch helplessly as the eighth aperture, which had opened slightly, slowly began to close.
“I’ll do it!”
The flames erupted in loud pops.
It was their top chef of Qiushui Pavilion, best hotpot king of Ziyang Mansion – Master Li!
The初级 level Crimson Lotus Flame Technique, wielded by him to its zenith.
Is this martial arts?
No, this was decades of his profound understanding poured in!
Amidst the pill field, the lotus flower that had opened a single petal fluttered, combined with the drop of phoenix bl**d he’d just consumed.
Burn! Burn! Burn baby!
Boom!
The top of the pill furnace spun wildly, flying straight into the sky.
The roaring dragon and tiger auras became increasingly real at this moment.
“Ascended… Ascended… right?”
Xue Jing fell to the ground, blankly eyeing the pill furnace.
However, the overwhelming energy was too much, exceeding his field of control.
“Xiaobao!”
“Xiao Mo!”
He called out twice.
Several seconds passed before a response came.
“Master, my pill is… complete!”
Tang Xiaobao’s voice came through with excitement.
This meant he had opened another aperture.
Coming one step closer to the legendary nine-orifice golden pill.
Before Xue could rejoice…
A puzzled voice from Li Mo came through:
“Um… Elder Xue, I seem to have… ascended too?”
“Hold on…”
“Did Big Brother Xiaobao take my ascension?”
Xue Jing：“？”
What nonsense is this?
PS: Big Brother Xiaobao has no gender.
