Chapter 461 - Seizing the Flames (1/2)

At this moment, Ning Fan’s presence gave off the demeanor of a grand master that seemed to be innate to him.

It was like an uncut jade that had become more perfect after one hundred years of careful refining and polishing.

His eyes indifferently scanned past the jade platform. Great Elder Fu Bai immediately approached him to welcome his arrival, Yang Gu saluted him respectfully like how a disciple would to his master whereas Yun Niansu cupped his fists to greet him.

Amazement filled everyone’s eyes in the arena!

Other than Yang Gu who was a common disciple to Ning Fan, no one knew that he had Fifth Revolution pill refinement mastery.

However, even Yang Gu did not expect for Ning Fan’s pill refinement mastery to have reached such an incredible level where he could overwhelm countless Fourth Revolution Pill Masters with just his medicine soul!

At this moment, all of the cultivators of Cold Northern Country realized that Ning Fan not only had incredible strength but also extraordinary pill refinement techniques!

As for Chi Lao and the other four pill refinement masters of Scarlet Heaven Palace, each of their faces were so red it was as if they had been burnt by fire. They hurriedly got off the jade platform. None of them dared to offend Ning Fan in person at all.

Huang Tingzi was unable to conceal the astonishment in his eyes. He had heard that Yang Gu wanted to invite Ning Fan to join Pill Island and become a feudal ranking elder. However, he had rejected it.

In the past, Huang Tingzi did not believe Yang Gu’s words. He did not believe a devil lord like Ning Fan could practice his pill refinement mastery to the Fifth Revolution.

However, since he had seen it with his own eyes, how could he refuse to believe it anymore? Now, he not only believed that Ning Fan had Fifth Revolution pill refinement mastery but also the fact that he was better than him in terms of pill refinement!

Yi Yunzi’s eyes which were like wilted leaves lit up at this moment.

Ever since he had joined the Zhou Clan, he had always been calm and tranquil. Even if he faces pill refinement masters like Mo Xiu who was at the same level as him, his state of mind would never be disturbed.

At this moment, however, when he faced Ning Fan’s powerful medicine soul power, he felt a heavy pressure pressing against his entire body. This undoubtedly meant that his medicine soul was slightly weaker than Ning Fan’s.

“This young man isn’t a Sixth Revolution Pill Master but his medicine soul has probably reached the Peak Fifth Revolution! So that’s why the elders told me to be on friendly terms with him. I didn’t expect for his pill refinement mastery to actually be so strong!”

From looking shocked, Mo Xiu’s eyes gradually looked temperamental. He sat coldly on his seat.

“Zhou Ming, huh… Humph! He hid himself really well! His medicine soul is indeed not weak. It’s even slightly stronger than mine. However, pill refinement mastery doesn’t only depend on the power of one’s medicine soul!”

The unusual phenomenon in the sky slowly disappeared. Ning Fan walked towards the seats designated for female cultivators.

Yang Gu and Yun Niansu followed behind him.

“Greetings to Master! It has been a while since we last met. Master’s pill refinement mastery has improved again. It really impressed this disciple!” Yang Gu could not contain his excitement. Ning Fan just indifferently nodded his head as a reply.

“I’m Yun Niansu, a member of the Profound Heaven Palace. Greetings to Brother Zhou.” Yun Niansu cupped his fists and said.

“Profound Heaven Palace…”

Countless thoughts ran across Ning Fan’s mind. He then remembered that Yun Niansu had once invited him for a meeting on Pill Island but he ignored his offer.

Today, their identities had changed. Ning Fan had become a revered elder of the Great Heaven Palace while Yun Niansu was the divine son of the Profound Heaven Palace. Their palaces were friendly with each other. Additionally, Yun Niansu boldly spoke up for Ning Fan and defended his honor just now. Hence, Ning Fan began to have a good impression of him.

He cupped his fists in return right away and had a brief conversation with them. The topic of their conversation was unquestionably related to the Profound Heaven Palace, Pill Ceremony and the matter of becoming a feudal ranking elder of Pill Island.

Among these topics, what Ning Fan was most concerned about was regarding the matter of becoming a feudal ranking elder of Pill Island.

Once he successfully obtains that status, he could then use the Soul Washing Pond in Pill Island to improve his medicine soul again and make preparations for attaining the Sixth Revolution pill refinement realm.

When they talked about that matter, Yang Gu’s expression looked rather awkward. He was constantly blaming himself. He had promised his master, Ning Fan, that he would help make it happen but he has yet to succeed. He really was too embarrassed to look Ning Fan in the eye.

Ning Fan found out that the reason why the members of Pill Island refused to make him a feudal ranking elder was because they did not understand his pill refinement techniques.

After knowing the reason, he was no longer worried about that matter. Today, he would display all of his pill refinement techniques in front of the great elder of Pill Island. If they still refuse to make Ning Fan their feudal ranking elder, they are really blind.

Everyone on the guest seats fell into silence for a while. All of their eyes were on the jade platform.

After the sudden appearance of a shocking Fifth Revolution Pill Master like Ning Fan just now, even when there were Fourth Revolution Pill Masters who came to take their tests, it failed to cause a sensation among the spectators.

Ning Fan was barely interested in those Third Revolution and Fourth Revolution Pill Masters. He did not see the young lord of the Ghost Eye Clan among the crowd. After being threatened by the Pill Sovereign, he was probably extremely scared that he did not even dare to participate in the Pill Ceremony and went back to his clan right away.

One day later, the first round of tests was over. The second round would be held three days later.

Ning Fan and his women returned to their guest house and he briefly told them about his journey in the past month.

All of them then went to rest but Ning Fan opened the door and went out. He stood under the windy and snowy night sky. He remained silent all throughout as if he had become one with the wind and snow.

The Pill Sovereign’s teachings, Old Devil’s concerns and the peaceful and violent memories mixed with the dark sky.

Sixth Revolution pill refinement mastery. Void Refinement Realm cultivation base. Golden Body Refinement Realm. Everything was already so close to his grasp.

He gained a lot but he lost too much in exchange. Living under a false name, continuing on his path in loneliness, meeting his enemies on a narrow path, drawing his sword and confronting them…

“I am a cultivator…”

As soon as Ning Fan said that, he left a jade slip in his room to inform his women where he was headed to.

As he spun, he entered the Yuan Yao World and then the Profound Yin World.

Mu Weiliang was deeply asleep inside the green coffin while Luo You was sleeping soundly in the thatched cottage.

Inwardly, Ning Fan felt relieved. He then repeatedly condensed his medicine soul into a palm in the Profound Yin World, practicing the Heavenly Dipper Imprint that the Pill Sovereign had taught him.

It was a type of Battle Soul Technique that used one’s medicine soul to fight. It was a suitable technique for pill refinement masters to protect themselves when they are refining pills. Of course, there were also ancient pill masters who directly practice Battle Soul Techniques to kill others.

Ning Fan was not interested in cultivating too many Battle Soul Techniques. He just needed one technique to protect himself and that would be enough.

The Heavenly Dipper Imprint was divided into thirty-six styles. When Ning Fan conjured a palm imprint using his Peak Fifth Revolution medicine soul, the destructive power of a single layer would be comparable to that of a Peak Divine Transformation Realm strike.

The result of three days of bitter cultivation in the Profound Yin World was equivalent to three hundred days of cultivation in the outside world.

In three days, Ning Fan successfully cultivated the second style and the third style of the Heavenly Dipper Imprint. After learning these two styles, Ning Fan could deliver three layers of Heavenly Dipper Imprints using his medicine soul and it would be equivalent to a Void Glimpse Stage attack.

Three days later, Ning Fan left the Profound Yin World. When he arrived at the jade platform in the province, his women had already been waiting there for quite some time.

After the first round of eliminations, 5000 pill refinement masters were reduced to 1500.

In the second round, a lot of Third Revolution Pill Masters would be eliminated. If there are outstanding Third Revolution Pill Masters, they would be recruited by some forces as feudal ranking elders. That’s why many Third Revolution Pill Masters would still give their best effort even though they knew they could not pass through this round.

The large group of pill masters who were gathered there was then escorted to a snow valley outside the province by the Eight Devil Divisions of the Giant Devil Clan in order to participate in the second test.

The spiritual qi of the snow valley was extremely dense. Besides that, a grand formation which gathers spiritual qi has been set up in the area. The speed of melting spiritual herbs and refining pills in the valley was a few times faster than in the outside world.

Within the vicinity of one hundred thousand zhang* (3.33m per zhang), one thousand five hundred mini jade platforms were built. The participants would melt spiritual herbs and refine pills on the jade platforms respectively assigned to them.

Ning Fan stood at his jade platform quietly. There was a table made out of jade in front of him. Two tufts of one thousand years old spiritual herbs had been placed on that table. They were called Purple Jade Banyan.

When he glanced at the surroundings of the snow valley, he was mildly surprised.

Yi Yunzi, Huang Tingzi and Mo Xiu had all joined the second test. With their identities, they should have skipped this round directly.

After noticing Ning Fan glancing at them, Yi Yunzi and Huang Tingzi made a friendly smile.

Only the palace lord of the Scarlet Heaven Palace, Mo Xiu, looked at Ning Fan with piercing eyes. With a cold smirk, he said.

“Revered Ming’s pill refinement mastery is extraordinary. Today, I deliberately came to learn from you.”

“I see…” Ning Fan nodded. So the reason these three individuals suddenly decided to join the second round was all because of him. Were they trying to find out who was better?

As a pill refinement master, it was unavoidable to have an exchange of techniques and advice with other pill masters. If they held kind intentions, Ning Fan would, of course, be more than willing to join them. However, if someone harbors a malicious intention…

Ning Fan’s eyes flashed with a hint of cold light. If Mo Xiu dares to cause him trouble, he would not mind giving him a lesson!

Countless tall platforms which were suspended in midair were built in the surroundings of the snow valley. The spectators could look at the progress of all participants from above.

Countless cultivators were having animated discussions among themselves. The most popular topics today were all actually related to Ning Fan.

He had a medicine soul that could startle everyone in the arena. Moreover, he was the Pill Sovereign half disciple. Everyone was guessing on what kind of results would Ning Fan obtain in the second round.

Great Elder Fu Bai made a dry cough and the entire arena turned silent.

“The second round will examine all the Fellow Daoist here in terms of your speed in melting spiritual herbs and your ability to refine spiritual medicine. Beside every one of you, there are two tufts of one thousand years old Purple Jade Banyan. You are only required to successfully melt and refine one of them. After that, you can register your result. If you fail once, you will still have another chance on the second tuft. If you fail to melt or refine both tufts of spiritual herbs, your result will naturally be recorded as ‘Failed’.”

“Apart from that, we’ve set a time limit for you to melt the spiritual herbs and another limit on the number of attempts in refining the medicine. If you take more than four hours to completely melt the spiritual herbs or refine the medicine less than 10 times, you will be disqualified!”

“The test begins!”

As soon as Elder Fu Bai’s voice fell, countless pill masters took out their pill cauldrons and summoned fire with their magic power. All of them began to melt the one thousand years old Purple Jade Banyan.

To Third Revolution Pill Masters, completely melting a Purple Jade Banyan within four hours and then refining the medicinal liquid 10 times was an extremely difficult mission to accomplish.

Moreover, it also wasn’t a simple task to Fourth Revolution Pill Masters.

To Fifth Revolution Pill Masters, however, it was as easy as raising their hands to melt the Purple Jade Banyan within the allotted time. What they needed to do was to give their best effort in refining the medicinal liquid as many times as possible.

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

Other than Ning Fan, Yi Yunzi, Huang Tingzi and Mo Xiu who were the pill refinement grandmasters there, there were 17 Fifth Revolution Pill Masters in total who condensed their cauldrons using the power of their intent realm and summoned massive pill cauldrons.

They then sent columns of bright and dazzling flames into their respective pill cauldrons. The might of the varying flames soared into the sky.

All of a sudden, countless cries of surprise resounded from the audience seats that were suspended in the air.

“Look! That is the Low Grade Fifth Revolution Pill Master, Daoist Wu Chen. The intent realm he is using to transform his cauldron is none other than the Divine Intent of Wood which is an Eighth Grade Divine Intent!”

“*Clicks tongue* Look! Isn’t that the protector of the Bright Feather Country?! He is a Mid Grade Fifth Revolution Pill Master. Look at the flame he’s using to concoct pills. It’s actually a combination of 9 types of Fourth Grade Spiritual Flames. Its destructive power is nearly on par with an Earth Vein Demonic Flame!”

“What?! That pill master who’s also a devil cultivator actually condensed his pill cauldron using an Eighth Grade Devil Intent!”

“It’s an Earth Vein Demonic Flame! Look! Isn’t that person using the White Bone Flame which ranks 11th among the twelve Earth Vein Demonic Flames? Aiya. It isn’t true. It seems to be just a lesser flame of the White Bone Flame… However, even though it’s a lesser flame, it’s still extremely difficult to obtain.”

Exclamations constantly filled the snow valley. Even Ning Fan’s brows began to slightly knit together.

The Pill Ceremony was truly an unprecedentedly grand occasion. It had gathered so many Fifth Revolution Pill Masters. Using Eighth Grade intent realms to form pill cauldrons was just a norm here. Even the lesser flame of the Earth Vein Demonic Flames was not rare in this place.

Now, only Ning Fan and the other three pill refinement grandmasters had yet to form their pill cauldrons using their intent realm.

Huang Tingzi made a gentle smile and then clawed at the air with five of his fingers. Boiling hot Divine Intent of Fire turned into a gigantic fire cauldron.

The Divine Intent of Fire was initially an Eighth Grade Divine Intent. However, after Huang Tingzi had gone through a lot of bitter cultivation, it advanced into the Seventh Grade.

As soon as his Seventh Grade Divine Intent appeared, it immediately stirred up a commotion among countless cultivators. As Huang Tingzi continued to summon flames with his magic power, he nodded with a smile.

“As the saying goes, ‘Throw away a brick to get a gem’. This old man has already taken the lead. My fellow Daoists, when are you going to summon your ‘gems’?”

“Hehe. It’s time for me to show my incompetence.” Yi Yunzi’s eyes which looked as dead as wilted leaves suddenly lit up with a flash of brightness.

He clawed at the air with his large hands. Pieces of broken branches and wilted leaves which was the power of his intent realm gradually formed into a huge dark yellow cauldron.

This large cauldron was also condensed using a Seventh Grade Divine Intent.

When this cauldron appeared, countless cultivators were filled with enthusiasm. They also gasped with astonishment. To them, being able to witness two types of Seventh Grade Divine Intent was really exciting.

Ning Fan nodded. Both Huang Tingzi and Yi Yunzi’s respective divine intents were not weak. The quality of the pill cauldrons they condensed was not a feat ordinary Fifth Revolution Pill Masters could accomplish.

Mo Xiu snorted. Disdainfully, he said.

“Those are just Seventh Grade Divine Intent. There is nothing worth being proud about them. Cauldron, condense!”

Mo Xiu clawed with his huge hands. An intent realm power that was a few times stronger than Huang Tingzi and Yi Yunzi’s condensed into a massive golden cauldron.

Just as this cauldron appeared, the expressions of innumerable cultivators changed greatly. Even Huang Tingzi and Yi Yunzi were also stunned by what they saw.

“A Sixth Grade Divine Intent! Mo Xiu, your intent realm has actually broken through to the Sixth Grade!”