With Fa Ma's teachings etched in his mind, Lin Feng closed his eyes again to adjust. Then, in a sudden instant, he opened them wide, divine light shooting from them.
*Bang!*
The same medicinal herbs, the same refining method, but this time the steps were slightly different. Unless a master of pharmacology was present, they would be completely undetectable.
Fa Ma, who had been carefully observing, stroked his beard slightly, nodded almost imperceptibly, and sighed inwardly, "A promising young man!"
Lin Feng, focused on refining the pills, concentrated his perception entirely on the cauldron, manipulating the herbs to gradually transform into the energy clusters or powder needed for fusion.
In the second refinement, Lin Feng's technique was noticeably more skillful. While not quite fluid, it reached the average level of a fifth-grade alchemist.
Although he had failed once and suffered a setback, under Fa Ma's guidance, Lin Feng had adjusted his mindset and remained unaffected.
When all the medicinal herbs were finally refined, Lin Feng's mind focused. "Finally, we've reached this step again!"
He increased the supply of his soul power, tightly enveloping the ever-surging, burning azure flames, meticulously surrounding the three clusters of energy at the very center.
Learning from his previous experience, Lin Feng did not rush things this time, but continued to nurture the energy clusters.
The external flames seemed capable of burning a person to ashes, while the energy clusters inside were lush and vibrant, full of life. This was the magic of alchemy, and the fundamental requirement for alchemists to have strong soul power.
Those with weak soul power would easily fail to detect changes in the flames, and the nascent pill would turn into a cauldron about to explode. Many alchemists, from novice to seasoned veterans, had privately experienced such explosions, but they dared not reveal them to outsiders.
"Sizzle."
After the energy cluster inside the cauldron had been nurtured to a certain degree, Lin Feng suddenly changed his demeanor. His battle qi surged forth, and the flames rapidly heated up, even causing the cauldron to glow slightly red, seemingly unable to withstand the extreme heat.
His soul power also surged forth in large quantities, firmly controlling the seemingly uncontrollable flames and directing them towards the now-condensed energy cluster.
"Thump!"
A continuous rumbling sound echoed within the cauldron, followed by a strange light appearing before Lin Feng's eyes, accompanied by an extremely rich and exotic fragrance that invigorated both Lin Feng and Fa Ma.
"Hahaha, Lin Feng, if I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes, I would never have imagined that the Jia Ma Empire would have such a top-tier genius as you!" Fa Ma stroked his beard repeatedly, his face flushed with excitement, completely losing the composure of the Alchemist Guild's president.
An eighteen-year-old fifth-grade alchemist, and a peak Dou Ling expert, Lin Feng's future, barring unforeseen circumstances, was guaranteed at least Dou Zong, according to Fa Ma. He might even have a sliver of hope of reaching the legendary Dou Zun realm.
For the Jia Ma Empire, Dou Zun wasn't some elusive, mythical being; aside from Yun Potian from hundreds of years ago, no information about them had ever been circulated.
And he himself was fortunate enough to have nurtured a prodigy with the potential to become a Dou Zun—how incredibly lucky!
At this moment, as the pill took shape, a tangible energy ripple suddenly appeared above the Alchemist Guild, radiating outwards from the guild.
Accompanying this was a strange, luminous fragrance that spread with the ripples, invigorating those who inhaled it after a long day.
Of course, no strange phenomenon of the fragrance causing bones to sprout occurred; after all, it was only a fifth-grade pill.
However, according to a well-informed passerby, the legendary ninth-grade pills do indeed possess such powerful effects.
This drew scorn and laughter from those around him; how dare an old fellow who was merely a cultivator spout nonsense about ninth-grade pills? The old man kept uttering phrases like "physician," "alchemy apprentice," and "alchemist's notes," which only added to the laughter.
Ignoring the self-amusement of these low-level cultivators, the leaders of several major powers in the Jia Ma Imperial Capital reacted to the emanation of this strange fragrance. In
the Jia Ma Royal Palace, before a huge artificial lake, an old man was discussing the empire's situation with a young woman when the fragrance appeared, and they stopped.
"That old fellow Fa Ma is quite the attention-grabber. Every time he produces a fifth-grade pill, the entire capital takes notice,"
Jia Xingtian, reclining in a rocking chair, remarked, his eyes showing no change. He was already used to the fragrance of pills appearing eight or ten times a year.
However, seeing Yao Ye seemingly lost in thought, Jia Xingtian asked curiously,
"Ye'er, is there anything you want to say?"
"Grandpa, do you think Master Lin Feng has advanced to the fifth rank? It's said he's been studying alchemy lately, so it can't be him. There are no shortcuts to improving alchemy."
Yao Ye's tone carried a hint of uncertainty, but he chuckled at the end. A fourth-rank alchemist at such a young age was already unbelievable; if he had advanced to the fifth rank, it would truly be earth-shattering.
Such geniuses might exist, but for the Jia Ma Empire, it was a pipe dream.
"No!"
At this moment, an aged voice interrupted Yao Ye's thoughts.
"Grandpa?"
Jia Xingtian, dressed in hemp robes, slowly rose. Although his face was aged, his imposing presence instilled pressure.
"Perhaps, this is the genius alchemist Lin Feng." He said, ignoring Yao Ye's shocked expression.
"Ye'er, prepare a congratulatory gift, and call Yue'er to come with me to see if this is indeed a genius the Jia Ma Empire has only seen once in a thousand years!"
"Yes!"
In the mansions of the other powerful figures in the capital, Mittel Tengshan, Nalan Jie, and others, after a brief moment of hesitation, all made the same judgment as Jia Xingtian.
Although their strength was indeed far inferior to Jia Xingtian's, those who could become the leaders of these powerful forces were all seasoned veterans, able to discern the essence of things from the slightest clues.
Moreover, befriending an alchemist, a profession that didn't require risking one's life, was beneficial even if the guess was wrong, as it would still be good to maintain contact with Lin Feng.
His exceptional talent was already well-known throughout the Jia Ma Empire, and befriending such a genius would inevitably require a great deal of effort.
Meanwhile, inside the alchemy room, Lin Feng and Fa Ma were beaming with joy, their expressions brimming with pride.
"Young Lin Feng, now that you've advanced to the fifth-grade alchemist, shall we throw a grand banquet to make up for the regret of the fourth-grade banquet?"
The old man, Fa Ma, seemed even more delighted than Lin Feng himself, as if he desperately wanted everyone to know about the Alchemist Guild's genius.
Lin Feng, however, was admiring the Seven-Star Spirit Wood Pill. He'd seen fifth-grade pills before, but
this was his first time refining one, and he was quite taken with it. Hearing Fa Ma's words, he shook his head slightly, expressing his opposition.
"Elder, an eighteen-year-old fourth-grade alchemist is already astonishing enough. A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be felled by the wind."
Lin Feng's mind flashed with images of black-clad figures whose every appearance was accompanied by a cacophony of cackling sounds; he felt he needed to be more low-key. The soul of a fifth-grade alchemist was considered a delicacy in this barren Northwest Continent.
"Uh," Fama paused, stroking his beard. "Very well, I was being too attached to appearances. Since that's the case, let's announce to the world that this pill was refined by me!"
After exchanging some insights about pills with Fama, Lin Feng planned to leave the secret chamber to relax his tense mind.
"Hmm!"
The moment he took a step, Lin Feng's expression suddenly changed, and an opportunity suddenly appeared in his mind. His aura trembled and became somewhat unstable. Fama, standing beside him, was filled with disbelief. "This seems to be…?"
"Pharaoh, please help me tell Little Fairy Doctor."
As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Feng vanished from his spot, leaving only a lingering shadow.
Fama was left standing there dumbfounded. After a long while, a long laugh echoed from within the secret chamber.
(End of Chapter)