Inside the secret chamber, after refining Xie Biyan's corpse into a Heavenly Demon Puppet, Lin Feng continued in one go, using the Dou Zong corpse he had obtained from an elder of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion to refine another human-demon puppet.
As for the Dou Zong soul, it came from Protector Lu's gift. Although Lin Feng didn't know where he had obtained this Dou Zong soul in this barren Northwest Continent, he didn't care. For
the third refinement, Lin Feng's speed increased again. In just seven days, a fresh human puppet was produced again. Unfortunately, perhaps because the soul and body did not originate from the same source, and because the Dou Zong corpse was only a one-star Dou Zong, this puppet, even with the addition of top-grade demonic beast essence blood, only barely reached the level of a two-star Dou Zong.
"It's better than nothing, I suppose!"
Lin Feng chuckled softly. If others in the Northwest Continent heard this, they would risk offending a sixth-grade alchemist and a Dou Zong expert just to curse him in secret.
After amusing himself for a while, Lin Feng placed the three puppets in a corner of the secret chamber. Instead of immediately leaving seclusion, he took out the medicinal herbs he had been collecting for two or three years from his storage ring.
That's right, Lin Feng's true purpose in this seclusion was to try refining seventh-grade pills! As for the Heavenly Demon Puppet, it was merely for absorbing and resisting pill lightning. After all, how could the puppet's upgrade and evolution speed compare to his absorption of the Dragon Emperor's essence blood!
However, even the most ordinary seventh-grade pill lightning was comparable in power to a strike from a five-star Dou Zong. Although Lin Feng could resist it, he didn't want to be distracted while refining pills.
"Returning Spirit Mushroom," "Hundred-Year Ice Spirit Grass," "Hundred-Year Wood Vine Heart"
—Lin Feng took out numerous rare spiritual herbs from his storage ring. This time, as a stepping stone to entering the seventh rank, he was refining a low-grade seventh-rank pill called the Instant Qi Pill.
Instant Qi Pill: A low-grade seventh-rank pill that can restore battle qi in a very short time; even for a Dou Zong expert, its effect is considerable!
After taking out the herbs, Lin Feng didn't immediately begin refining, but instead started warming the cauldron again. At the same time, he recalled the many details on the Instant Qi Pill scroll passed down by Yao Chen.
After all, this was his first time refining, and in the Northwest Continent, the herbs needed to refine seventh-rank pills were extremely difficult to collect. If he missed this opportunity, Lin Feng might have to go to the Central Continent to collect the herbs again.
However, this conflicted somewhat with Lin Feng's plans. He had already planned that the first thing he would do upon arriving in the Central Continent was to join the Pill Tower, to become his most secure backer at present.
Afterwards, it was only through his status as an apprentice or guest elder of the Pill Tower that he was able to showcase his skills in the Central Continent. The difference between a peak sixth-grade alchemist and a seventh-grade alchemist determined their status after entering the Pill Tower.
The former was merely talented and, while receiving attention, found it difficult to gain power or learn more advanced alchemy techniques. The latter, a seventh-grade alchemist, was already considered quite accomplished within the Pill Tower. If they could advance further to the middle or even advanced seventh grade, becoming a guest elder was a possibility.
Before long, Lin Feng had adjusted his state to an extremely optimal level. Without hesitation, he waved his hand, sending all the floating medicinal herbs into the cauldron.
"Boom!"
Under Lin Feng's control, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame suddenly increased in temperature. However, if someone could see through the cauldron's barrier and into its interior, they would surely find it strange. Normally, even the most potent medicinal herbs would be reduced to ashes under the intense heat of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame.
However, under Lin Feng's exceptional control, these herbs were only charred on the outside and tender on the inside. Before long, the "Returning Spirit Mushroom," a medicinal herb that was extremely easy to refine yet had a very high failure rate, was successfully refined first.
It's said to be easy to refine because Ganoderma lucidum, being of this type, doesn't possess much resilience, seemingly destined to be used by all things. Of course, if a Ganoderma lucidum were to take human form and cultivate to the level of a Dou Di, that would be a different story.
Its extremely high failure rate is precisely due to its ease of refinement, leading many impatient alchemists or those lacking sufficient control over their flames to burn their painstakingly obtained Ganoderma lucidum to ashes if they fail to properly control the temperature.
Of course, such accidents don't occur with Lin Feng. Aside from his soul being so powerful it almost possesses spiritual energy, his fire control techniques were already remarkable, and he gradually integrated Yao Chen's alchemy techniques and the Five-Round Fire Technique of the Heavenly Fire Venerable.
It can be said that within the Northwest Continent, apart from Yao Chen, Lin Feng believes no one can surpass him, not even Han Feng. Even Xiao Yan, cultivating the seemingly unreasonable Burning Flame Technique, would find it difficult to match him.
After completing the "Returning Spirit Mushroom," Lin Feng didn't linger and continued refining the "Hundred-Year-Old Wooden Vine Heart" and the "Hundred-Year-Old Ice Grass."
Once the refining of pills reached the seventh grade, the time inevitably increased. This wasn't just because seventh-grade pills were far more difficult to refine than those below the sixth grade, requiring more medicinal materials.
More importantly, seventh-grade pills began to develop a certain level of spirituality, and the day they were formed could even trigger terrifying celestial phenomena.
If the alchemist wasn't prepared, it wouldn't just be a simple furnace explosion; if the powerful energy contained within a seventh-grade pill exploded, it could result in the destruction of the pill and death.
Therefore, before refining seventh-grade pills, alchemists not only needed to consider whether their alchemy skills were up to par, but more importantly, they had to ensure their personal safety.
Of course, with the connections of a seventh-grade alchemist, hiring some high-level Dou Zong as their protectors wasn't difficult.
"Crack."
Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and Lin Feng had successfully refined all the medicinal herbs. Just as he exhaled a breath of turbid air, preparing to fuse them into a pill in one go, a strange sound appeared in his ears.
"That sound... could it be...?"
Lin Feng's expression changed, as if he were recalling the scene of his first time exploding his cauldron many years ago. Then, cracks slowly appeared on the bodies of the six cauldrons that had accompanied him for so long, and in the blink of an eye, they quickly covered the entire cauldron.
At this moment, Lin Feng sensed the gradually fusing spiritual herb light within the cauldron, his face hardening, and he slammed his large hand hard against the cauldron that was about to break.
"Five Elements Sealing Technique—Hold on!"
(End of Chapter)