The atmosphere around the library pavilion had become incomparably solemn.
A week had passed since Xiao Feng's seventeenth birthday and his engagement ceremony with Xiao Yi Xian.
By now, the letter sent to the Xiao Family should have already arrived.
His father, Xiao Zhan...
His younger brother Xiao Yan...
The elders of the Xiao Family...
All of them should already know about his engagement.
Just thinking about their reactions brought a faint smile to Xiao Feng's face.
However, today, he had no time to indulge in such thoughts.
Today was another important milestone.
He would challenge the realm of a Seventh-Tier Alchemist once again.
Over the past few days, the Han Family, Lin Family, and Liu Family had exhausted countless connections throughout the Black-Corner Region to gather the medicinal ingredients.
In the end...
They had only managed to collect two complete sets for the Chaos Purple Breaking Pill.
Likewise...
Only two complete sets of ingredients had been gathered for the Seventh-Tier Healing Pill.
There was no room for failure.
Every herb before him was priceless.
Every mistake meant months, perhaps years, before another opportunity arose.
...
Therefore...
Instead of refining within Fire City, Xiao Feng chose the secluded library pavilion deep inside Canaan Academy.
Only a handful of people knew of today's refinement.
Guardian Elder Bai...
Guardian Elder Qian...
Fire Elder Huo...
Dean Su Qian...
No one else was informed.
If news spread that a Sixth-Rank Alchemist was attempting to refine a Seventh-Rank Medicinal Pill...
The entire Black-Corner Region would undoubtedly descend into madness.
The two Guardian Elders slowly stepped forward.
Their expressions became serious.
At the same time...
Majestic Dou Qi surged out from both of their bodies.
Buzz—
The surrounding space began to distort.
Layer after layer of invisible seals enveloped the pavilion.
Sound...
Energy...
Spiritual fluctuations...
Everything was completely isolated from the outside world.
Even if Pill Lightning appeared later...
Its aura would be suppressed for as long as possible.
Only after confirming every defensive measure did Su Qian slowly nod.
"Everything is ready."
"You may begin."
Xiao Feng slowly exhaled.
He did not rush to ignite the flames.
Instead...
He took out a jade bottle.
Inside rested a crystal-clear medicinal pill that emitted gentle ripples capable of calming one's soul.
Sixth-Tier Medicinal Pill—Mind Calming Pill.
It was a medicinal pill specially refined for Alchemists attempting breakthroughs or learning new techniques.
It eliminated distracting thoughts...
Stabilized one's Spiritual Strength...
And allowed one's Soul Power to reach its absolute peak.
Without hesitation...
Xiao Feng swallowed it.
The medicinal power spread through his body.
His rapidly beating heart gradually became calm.
His breathing became steady.
Even his Peak Mortal Realm Soul seemed much clearer than before.
His eyes slowly closed.
Every refining step...
Every temperature change...
Every fusion process...
Repeated countless times inside his mind.
Only after confirming every detail did he slowly open his eyes again.
Those deep black pupils had become completely tranquil.
Like an ancient lake without the slightest ripple.
With a wave of his hand...
The Heavenly Flame Cauldron appeared before everyone.
Its surface emitted an ancient and majestic aura.
Immediately afterward...
A cluster of dark crimson flames slowly rose within Xiao Feng's palm.
Within the dark-red flames, countless tiny beast phantoms could vaguely be seen roaring and galloping, releasing an ancient and savage aura.
It was the Ten Thousand Beast Flame.
The moment the Heavenly Flame entered the Heavenly Flame Cauldron, the entire pavilion's temperature rose sharply.
The oppressive aura of the Heavenly Flame caused even the surrounding space to ripple slightly.
Even Su Qian's expression became solemn.
"The control..."
"It has improved again."
Fire Elder Huo silently nodded.
"The aura of the Ten Thousand Beast Flame has become even more stable."
"His control over the Heavenly Flame has already surpassed many veteran Sixth-Rank Alchemists."
"With this level of mastery, only his Soul Power is preventing him from stepping into the Seventh Tier."
The moment the Heavenly Flame entered the cauldron...
The surrounding temperature instantly climbed.
Even Su Qian could not help narrowing his eyes.
"The control..."
"It has improved again."
Fire Elder Huo silently nodded.
"His flame control has already surpassed many veteran Sixth-Rank Alchemists."
Without wasting another second...
Xiao Feng began refining the Seventh-Tier Healing Pill first.
One medicinal herb after another entered the cauldron.
Every impurity was removed flawlessly.
Every essence merged perfectly.
Hours quietly passed.
His forehead gradually became covered with sweat.
His Soul Power consumption became increasingly terrifying.
Yet...
No one dared interrupt him.
Everyone silently watched.
Even breathing became extremely light.
Six hours later...
The medicinal liquid finally began its last fusion.
A smile slowly appeared on Xiao Feng's face.
"It worked..."
Just as those words reached his lips—
BOOM!!
An unstable fluctuation suddenly erupted inside the cauldron.
The perfectly balanced medicinal energy instantly became chaotic.
Xiao Feng's expression changed.
"Not good!"
He immediately poured even more Soul Power into the cauldron, desperately attempting to stabilize the fusion.
Unfortunately...
It was already too late.
The medicinal energy completely lost balance.
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion erupted from within the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron.
Violent medicinal energy slammed against the inner walls of the cauldron repeatedly, causing the massive cauldron to tremble slightly.
The engraved Dragon and Phoenix on its surface emitted a faint golden glow, instantly suppressing the terrifying shockwaves within.
The explosion was completely contained inside the cauldron.
Not even a single crack appeared on its ancient body.
The Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron remained as majestic and flawless as ever.
Seeing this, Fire Elder Huo could not help but sigh in admiration.
"As expected of an ancient supreme cauldron..."
"Even the backlash from a failed Seventh-Rank refinement cannot leave the slightest mark on it."
Guardian Elder Bai also nodded.
"If it were an ordinary Sixth-Rank cauldron..."
"It would have shattered into pieces long ago."
Only after the violent energy completely subsided did Xiao Feng slowly open the cauldron.
A cloud of black smoke drifted into the air.
Inside...
Every medicinal herb had been completely reduced to black medicinal ash.
The refinement had failed.
The ingredients were destroyed...
But the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron stood completely unharmed, its ancient runes still shining faintly, as though mocking the insignificant explosion that had just occurred.
Xiao Feng gently stroked the cauldron's surface and smiled bitterly.
"Looks like even you believe I can do better."
The ancient cauldron emitted a soft metallic hum, almost as if responding to its master.
The first attempt...
Had completely failed.
Silence.
No one spoke.
Even Fire Elder Huo merely sighed softly.
"Your control was almost perfect."
"The failure wasn't because of technique..."
"It's because your Spiritual Strength still lacks that final step required to completely suppress Seventh-Tier medicinal energy."
Su Qian also nodded.
"Don't force yourself."
"There will always be another opportunity."
Xiao Feng quietly looked at the black ashes.
Instead of frustration...
He carefully replayed every refining step inside his mind.
After several breaths...
He finally discovered the problem.
"My Soul Power wasn't exhausted..."
"It simply couldn't completely suppress the violent medicinal nature during the final fusion."
"If my Spiritual Strength were just another ten percent stronger..."
"It would have succeeded."
Realizing this...
His eyes became determined once again.
Failure had merely revealed the final obstacle.
Which meant...
The path forward had become even clearer.
Without saying another word...
He immediately swallowed a Sixth-Tier Qi Recovery Pill.
Pure medicinal power rapidly restored the Dou Qi he had consumed.
Then he sat down cross-legged.
Rather than beginning immediately...
He quietly meditated for nearly an hour.
His breathing gradually stabilized once more.
His Soul Power returned to its peak condition.
When he finally opened his eyes again...
There was no trace of impatience.
Only unwavering confidence.
Slowly...
He looked toward the last remaining set of medicinal herbs for the Chaos Purple Breaking Pill.
This...
Was his final opportunity.
If he failed...
Months of preparation would vanish into nothing.
Xiao Feng slowly raised his right hand.
The jade-green Heavenly Flame bloomed once more.
His calm voice echoed softly throughout the sealed pavilion.
"One last attempt."
"This time..."
"I will definitely succeed."
Just as The last portion of medicinal herbs...
was about to reduced into ashes.
For a brief moment...
Silence descended upon the entire pavilion.
Xiao Feng simply stood before the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron without saying a single word.
His eyes remained fixed upon the black medicinal ash inside the cauldron.
He replayed every step of the refinement countless times inside his mind.
The flame temperature...
The medicinal fusion...
The Soul Power control...
Every tiny detail repeated over and over again.
Just as everyone believed he had accepted another failure...
A strange fluctuation quietly spread from Xiao Feng's body.
His pupils gradually lost their focus.
Yet at the same time...
They became incomparably profound.
It was as though he was no longer looking at the cauldron...
But at the very essence of Alchemy itself.
Fire Elder Huo's expression suddenly changed.
His breathing became hurried.
"T-This..."
Dean Su Qian also widened his eyes.
"He entered an Epiphany?"
Guardian Elder Bai looked completely stunned.
"The legendary Enlightenment State?"
Even the two Guardian Elders unconsciously held their breath.
Among cultivators...
Such a state was incredibly rare.
Many people would never encounter it even once throughout their entire lives.
Only when one's understanding accumulated to an extreme limit...
Combined with relentless effort and a trace of heaven-defying fortune...
Could such a miraculous state appear for a few short moments.
Its value...
Far surpassed even the Eighth-Rank Six-Colored Enlightenment Pill.
After all...
The medicinal pill could only bring one into a pseudo-enlightenment.
But what Xiao Feng had entered...
Was a genuine Enlightenment State.
Within this state...
His comprehension increased by dozens of times.
Countless mysteries that had once puzzled him became crystal clear.
...
"So that's how it is..."
Xiao Feng murmured softly.
"The problem was never my Soul Power."
"It was my method."
The countless refining scenes inside his mind suddenly merged into one.
Immediately...
He discovered two fatal flaws.
The first flaw...
During the final fusion of a Seventh-Rank Medicinal Pill...
The temperature of the Heavenly Flame could not fluctuate in the slightest.
Even a tiny increase or decrease would destroy the perfect balance of the medicinal essence.
Normally...
A Dou Huang or Dou Zong possessed vast Dou Qi reserves, allowing them to maintain an absolutely constant flame throughout the refinement.
However...
He was only a Peak Dou King.
As his Dou Qi gradually depleted...
The Heavenly Flame weakened ever so slightly.
That nearly imperceptible fluctuation...
Had caused the entire refinement to collapse.
The second flaw...
The Strengthening Spirit Grass.
He had always refined it little by little before adding it into the medicinal liquid.
That method wasn't wrong.
But...
It wasn't suitable for this pill.
The entire herb had to be refined into its purest medicinal essence in a single attempt.
Only then could its medicinal properties remain perfectly intact.
Otherwise...
Its medicinal strength would continuously dissipate during the repeated refinement process.
"No wonder..."
"I failed."
Xiao Feng slowly closed his eyes.
At that instant...
Everything finally became clear.
Fire Elder Huo looked at him with astonishment.
"He figured it out..."
"He actually discovered the mistakes by himself."
None of them dared utter another word.
They all understood.
If someone in an Enlightenment State was interrupted...
The opportunity might never come again.
...
Without hesitation...
Xiao Feng immediately began the refinement once more.
This time...
He didn't even bother taking another Qi Recovery Pill.
Every second inside the Enlightenment State was priceless.
Compared to that...
Recovering Dou Qi was insignificant.
He would rather exhaust every last strand of Dou Qi than waste this heaven-sent opportunity.
The Ten Thousand Beast Flame burned even more steadily than before.
His Soul Power flowed like a calm river.
His movements became incomparably smooth.
Every medicinal herb entered the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron at the perfect moment.
Every flame adjustment was flawless.
Time quietly slipped away.
Three hours...
Five hours...
Eight hours...
No one moved.
Everyone simply watched Xiao Feng silently.
Finally...
More than three hours after the final fusion began—
The sky above Canaan Academy suddenly darkened.
Rumble!
Deep thunder echoed across the heavens.
Dark clouds rapidly gathered above the isolated pavilion.
Silver lightning coiled within the clouds like countless heavenly dragons.
A terrifying heavenly pressure slowly descended.
Fire Elder Huo slowly stood up.
His body trembled slightly.
"Pill Lightning..."
"The Seventh-Rank Pill has been born!"
Dean Su Qian's eyes shone with excitement.
"He actually succeeded..."
"The Northern Continent has finally produced another Seventh-Rank Alchemist."
However...
Their expressions immediately became serious.
The Pill Lightning was not merely a heavenly phenomenon.
It was also the final trial of every Seventh-Rank Medicinal Pill.
Only after surviving the heavenly lightning could the pill truly ascend into the ranks of a Seventh-Rank Medicinal Pill.
Otherwise...
Everything would still end in failure.
Guardian Elder Bai immediately stepped forward.
"I'll block it."
Guardian Elder Qian also prepared to attack.
Before either of them could move—
"Wait."
Xiao Feng's weak voice suddenly stopped them.
His face was pale.
His Dou Qi was almost completely exhausted.
Yet...
His eyes were brighter than ever.
Slowly...
He waved his hand.
Two objects flew out from his Storage Ring.
The first...
Was the mysterious puppet he had obtained from the Demon Flame Valley.
The second...
Was a complex lightning-storage formation plate engraved with countless intricate runes.
The elders looked at him in confusion.
Xiao Feng smiled faintly.
"I've wanted to verify whether this puppet is truly the legendary Heavenly Demon Puppet."
"And there is no better test than Pill Lightning."
"If it survives..."
"I'll have my answer."
He then looked toward the formation plate.
"As for the remaining heavenly lightning..."
"It would be a waste to simply disperse it."
"I'll store it."
"Its lightning energy will be useful for future experiments."
The idea had come to him weeks ago while designing the formation used to store Heavenly Flame energy for future breakthroughs.
Since heavenly lightning possessed an incomparably pure destructive force...
Why not preserve it as another resource?
The four elders exchanged glances.
Even they had never thought of using Pill Lightning in such a manner.
After a brief silence...
They all nodded.
Without another word...
Guardian Elder Bai...
Guardian Elder Qian...
Fire Elder Huo...
And Dean Su Qian...
Released their majestic Dou Qi simultaneously.
The four Dou Zong experts joined forces.
Instead of destroying the Pill Lightning...
They completely concealed the heavenly phenomenon.
From the outside world...
The dark clouds merely appeared to be an ordinary thunderstorm forming above the mountain range.
No one would ever imagine...
That hidden beneath those clouds...
A Seventh-Rank Medicinal Pill had just been born.
Nor would anyone discover...
That Canaan Academy had quietly nurtured a monster capable of shaking the entire continent.
Without another word...
Xiao Feng exhausted the last trace of his Soul Power.
With a gentle wave of his trembling hand, two objects flew out from his Storage Ring.
One was the mysterious puppet he had obtained from the Demon Flame Valley.
The other was the Lightning Storage Formation Plate that he had personally created over the past few weeks.
The formation plate shot toward the sky first.
Buzz!
Countless silver runes lit up one after another.
A massive formation instantly unfolded beneath the thunderclouds, forming a powerful barrier that completely sealed the surrounding space.
The next instant—
BOOM!
The first strand of Pill Lightning descended.
Instead of striking the ground, it was immediately attracted into the formation.
Crackling arcs of silver lightning continuously surged into the array.
The formation trembled violently.
However...
The runes remained stable.
Every strand of heavenly lightning was firmly imprisoned within the formation instead of dispersing into the surroundings.
Seeing this, Xiao Feng secretly sighed in relief.
"It worked..."
"The Lightning Storage Formation succeeded."
It had perfectly fulfilled the purpose for which he had created it.
The lightning could now be preserved for future experiments instead of being wasted.
Now...
Only one final test remained.
The true test.
Xiao Feng slowly shifted his gaze toward the puppet floating beneath the dark clouds.
If it truly was the legendary Heavenly Demon Puppet...
Today would become a day of double celebration.
Not only would he successfully refine his first Seventh-Rank Medicinal Pill...
He would also obtain one of the most precious ancient inheritances.
If it failed...
Guardian Elders Bai and Qian could still intervene before the puppet was completely destroyed.
At this moment...
Xiao Feng had completely exhausted himself.
His Dou Qi had been drained dry.
His Soul Power was almost depleted.
Even moving a single finger felt impossible.
He could only watch...
His eyes filled with anticipation.
Rumble!
The second bolt of Pill Lightning descended.
It struck the puppet directly.
Bang!
The puppet was blasted backward dozens of meters.
Its metallic body trembled violently.
Yet...
Nothing happened.
It did not absorb the heavenly lightning.
Instead, violent silver currents danced wildly across its body.
Boom!
The third bolt descended.
Crack!
Tiny cracks immediately appeared across the puppet's body.
Guardian Elder Bai's expression changed drastically.
"This is bad!"
"If this continues, the puppet will shatter!"
Guardian Elder Qian also stepped forward.
"We have to stop the lightning now!"
Just as the two elders were about to intervene—
"Wait."
Fire Elder Huo suddenly raised his hand.
His sharp eyes remained fixed upon the puppet.
"Look carefully..."
Everyone immediately looked again.
To their astonishment...
The silver lightning flowing across the puppet's body gradually slowed.
Instead of scattering...
It slowly began sinking into the puppet itself.
The cracks no longer spread.
Instead...
They gradually started repairing themselves.
The puppet's dark metallic body slowly transformed into a bronze-like color.
Ancient runes hidden beneath its surface gradually emerged one after another.
An ancient and domineering aura slowly spread through the entire pavilion.
Dean Su Qian widened his eyes.
"It's absorbing the Pill Lightning!"
"The ancient records were true!"
Another bolt of heavenly lightning descended.
This time...
The puppet did not resist.
Instead...
It completely opened itself to the heavenly lightning.
The terrifying silver lightning surged into its body like countless rivers flowing into the sea.
Its metallic body continuously emitted deep rumbling sounds.
The ancient runes engraved upon its surface glowed brighter and brighter.
Its aura began rising rapidly.
Four-Star Dou King...
Five-Star Dou King...
Six-Star Dou King...
Everyone watched in stunned silence.
No one dared utter a single word.
Each heavenly lightning strike tempered the puppet's body.
Each bolt made it stronger.
The terrifying aura continued climbing.
Seven-Star Dou King...
Eight-Star Dou King...
Nine-Star Dou King...
The puppet's body had become incomparably solid.
Bronze lightning flickered across its surface.
Its pressure was now comparable to a Peak Dou King powerhouse.
Guardian Elder Bai swallowed hard.
"It... it's really advancing..."
Guardian Elder Qian nodded slowly.
"The Pill Lightning is tempering its body exactly as described in the ancient records."
Fire Elder Huo laughed excitedly.
"No wonder the Heavenly Demon Puppet was feared throughout the continent."
"It actually uses heavenly lightning as nourishment."
The puppet continued absorbing every strand of lightning without wasting even the slightest amount.
Its aura became increasingly terrifying.
Soon...
It reached the absolute peak of the Dou King Realm.
Peak Nine-Star Dou King!
Only a single step remained before breaking into the Dou Huang Realm.
At that very moment—
BOOM!!
The final heavenly lightning descended.
Unlike the previous strikes...
This bolt was several times more powerful.
It transformed into an enormous silver lightning dragon that tore through the heavens before crashing down upon the puppet.
The entire isolated space turned into a sea of silver.
The violent pressure caused the ground beneath everyone to crack.
Fire Elder Huo unconsciously clenched his fists.
"This is the final trial."
"If it survives..."
"It will truly transform."
The lightning continuously poured into the puppet.
For several breaths...
Nothing happened.
The puppet simply remained suspended within the sea of lightning.
Then...
A crisp sound suddenly echoed throughout the pavilion.
Crack!
It wasn't the sound of the puppet breaking.
It was the sound...
Of a cultivation bottleneck shattering.
BOOM!!
An incomparably majestic aura erupted from the puppet's body.
The terrifying pressure instantly surpassed the limits of the Dou King Realm.
The surrounding Heaven and Earth Energy rushed toward it like a tidal wave.
Dark bronze Dou Qi Wings slowly unfolded behind the puppet.
Its aura stabilized.
One-Star Dou Huang!
A genuine Dou Huang aura spread throughout the sealed space.
The terrifying heavenly pressure slowly faded.
The thunderclouds dispersed.
Golden sunlight once again illuminated the pavilion.
Everything returned to peace.
The puppet slowly descended before Xiao Feng.
Its entire body had become much more refined than before.
Ancient bronze patterns covered every inch of its body.
Tiny silver arcs of lightning still danced across its surface from time to time, remnants of the heavenly tempering it had just undergone.
The Lightning Storage Formation also completed its task.
The remaining scattered Pill Lightning had all been sealed inside the formation without allowing even a trace to escape into the outside world.
Seeing this scene...
Xiao Feng finally released the breath he had been holding.
Although he was completely exhausted...
Unable to move even a single finger...
A satisfied smile slowly appeared on his pale face.
"It really is..."
"The Heavenly Demon Puppet."
Today's harvest...
Had completely exceeded his expectations.
He had successfully refined his very first Seventh-Rank Medicinal Pill.
He had successfully created a Lightning Storage Formation capable of preserving heavenly lightning for future use.
And most importantly...
Using the power of the Seventh-Rank Pill Lightning...
It had advanced directly from a Four-Star Dou King all the way to a One-Star Dou Huang.
Even Fire Elder Huo, Dean Su Qian, Guardian Elder Bai, and Guardian Elder Qian stood speechless.
One day...
Three miracles.
If news of today's events spread across the Dou Qi Continent...
Countless factions would lose their minds.
Fortunately...
The combined strength of four top experts had completely concealed every heavenly phenomenon.
To everyone outside Canaan Academy...
It had merely been an ordinary thunderstorm.
No one knew...
That hidden within this isolated pavilion...
A new Seventh-Rank Alchemist had been born.
Nor did anyone know...
That an ancient Heavenly Demon Puppet had once again appeared in the world.
======================================================
Author's Note
Thank you all for reading and supporting my novel!
If you're enjoying Xiao Feng's journey, his alchemy, cultivation, and the kingdom-building story, please consider supporting the novel. Every bit of support motivates me to write even better chapters.
⭐ Please don't forget to:
Vote with your Power Stones every day.Leave a Review and let me know what you like—or what you think can be improved.Add the novel to your Library so you never miss an update.Share it with friends who enjoy Battle Through the Heavens fanfictions and kingdom-building stories.
Your comments help me understand which characters and story arcs you enjoy the most. Whether it's Xiao Yi Xian, Zi Yan, Medusa, Qing Lin, Liu Fei, or Xiao Feng's alchemy and cultivation journey, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
There are many exciting arcs ahead:
New Heavenly Flame research.Artificial Heavenly Flames.Heavenly Demon Puppets.Cloud Mist Sect.Queen Medusa.Central Plains.Ancient Clans.Even greater battles and breakthroughs.
Every review, Power Stone, and comment encourages me to keep updating consistently.
Thank you once again for accompanying Xiao Feng on his journey.
See you in the next chapter!
======================================================