Chapter 137: I Told You to Refine Pills, Not Detonate Them!
"He's about to blow the cauldron!"
On the viewing platform, Xiao Yuan and the others noticed it immediately, their expressions changing subtly.
Fa Ma and the rest of the Alchemist Guild's higher-ups felt a chill run down their spines. No one had expected that Xiao Yan, who had been steadily leading the competition, would suffer such a setback over a seemingly minor detail.
Heavenly Flames were extremely destructive, and an ordinary cauldron simply couldn't withstand their temperature. Xiao Yan's cauldron was only a second-tier one. Until now, he had always used it with Heavenly Flame to refine relatively low-tier pills, which didn't require such high temperatures—so it never posed a problem.
But now, refining a fourth-tier pill meant the temperature required just for extracting medicinal essence was several times higher than for a second-tier pill—far beyond the cauldron's limit. Cracking was inevitable. On a normal day, he could've stopped and switched cauldrons.
But this was the final round of the tournament. Per the rules, the Alchemist Guild would not assist any contestant.
Xiao Yuan was a bit surprised too. He had suspected the cheap cauldron might explode—but assumed it would happen after the second or third inscription, not right after the first.
What would Xiao Yan do about the remaining two inscriptions?
After a brief thought, Xiao Yuan turned to Fa Ma and asked seriously:
"President Fa Ma, I know the Alchemist Guild can't assist contestants. But is outside help allowed from someone not affiliated with the Guild?"
Fa Ma hesitated for a moment, then replied reluctantly, "The rules don't say it's prohibited, but it could raise issues. Ideally, it's best avoided. Even if you want to provide a new cauldron, it must be inspected by the judging committee. And right now, time is critical…"
Noticing Xiao Yuan frown deeper, Fa Ma quickly added meaningfully, "Unless… Xiao Yan has a second cauldron of his own."
Xiao Yuan's eyes lit up.
That was a clear green light. Secretly passing him a cauldron wouldn't break the rules.
"Teacher, what should we do?"
Xiao Yuan asked mentally.
"Hehe, no rush. Xiao Yan's talent is remarkable—let's see how he handles it first."
Yao Lao's calm voice showed no hint of worry.
"Teacher… are you thinking of letting him try refining without a cauldron? Isn't that too risky?"
Xiao Yuan frowned.
"That realm, 'forming a cauldron in the palm,' is far beyond him. But he's already completed the extraction process. What's left is imprinting the pill's inscriptions. If he manages his flame transformations carefully, it's entirely possible to complete the pill without a cauldron."
Yao Lao's gentle chuckle eased Xiao Yuan's concern.
If that was the case, he could lend a subtle hand.
Meanwhile, down below, the gray-robed man sneered as he watched the cracked cauldron. "Your cauldron's broken. What are you still trying to refine?"
"Shut up."
Xiao Yan glared at him, then slapped the cauldron's base. It shattered instantly, and a green flame wrapped around the pill shot into the air.
Instead of collecting the pill, Xiao Yan caught the flame in his palm and continued refining.
Yao Lao had once told him about this method—refining directly with the flame in his hand.
His soul strength wasn't high enough for the true technique, but the final step of this pill didn't require a full cauldron. As Yao Lao said, if he could manage the flame transformations, he could pull this off in a dramatic, unforgettable way.
He didn't know if it would work—but he had to try!
Just then, Xiao Yuan's voice whispered in his ear.
"Xiao Yan, go ahead. You're unfamiliar with my Heavenly Flame, but use it. I'll back you up."
As he spoke, warmth bloomed from Xiao Yan's left index finger.
Feeling it, Xiao Yan's eyes sparkled, and he raised his left hand.
The black-and-white ring on his finger shattered with a crack. A highly compressed black-and-white flame burst forth, dancing in his palm. The intense heat distorted the surrounding air.
The plaza erupted in gasps.
"A-Another Heavenly Flame?!"
"How can one person have two Heavenly Flames?!"
Elders from the Alchemist Guild murmured in astonishment.
Jia Xingtian's eye twitched as he stared at the familiar flame—then turned his head toward Xiao Yuan, who sat quietly with lowered gaze.
He recognized that flame.
So did the Nalan family. They all looked toward Xiao Yuan as well—knowing full well the flame was his.
Hai Bodong, noticing Xiao Yuan's hand move, casually stepped in front of him to block the view.
"Thanks, Elder Hai."
Xiao Yuan chuckled softly without looking up.
He'd already asked Ya Fei to handle the angle on the other side. He'd intended to ask his father, Xiao Zhan, but Hai Bodong had reacted first.
Now protected, Xiao Yuan fully focused. His fingers moved precisely, and the black-white flame in Xiao Yan's hand began to cool.
Xiao Yan sensed the change. The yin-yang flame in his palm now matched the temperature of the Green Lotus Core Flame—perfect for pill imprinting.
"The pill can't touch open air. You'll need to partially fuse the two flames to transfer it. My flame is special—I can control it remotely. But the precision is limited. The fusion depends on you. With your Flame Mantra, you should be able to suppress their volatility. From here on, it's all on you."
After transmitting this final message, Xiao Yuan felt drained.
Controlling a flame remotely—especially one already refined by Yao Lao—without using soul force was mentally exhausting.
But this was already beyond what any alchemist could do—not even Yao Lao could control an external flame without using soul force.
Xiao Yuan had managed it only by exploiting a loophole.
His Yin-Yang Flame was formed from the essence of the laws of yin and yang. With his body resonating with those dual energies, he could maintain connection with the flame.
Still, keeping that resonance active was exhausting.
Xiao Zhan, though anxious, said nothing. He knew better than to disturb his sons at such a critical moment.
"Brother… I'm counting on you."
Xiao Yan muttered, then—under the stunned eyes of thousands—pressed the two flames together.
A destructive shockwave erupted. The little princess and Liu Ling, closest to the impact, were still refining. If they got distracted now, they'd lose everything.
Fa Ma, having kept his eyes on Xiao Yan the whole time, moved instantly. Knowing the danger of fusing Heavenly Flames, he activated his Dou Qi wings and flashed above Xiao Yan's platform.
His soul force surged out, forming a half-dome to contain the blast.
The next moment, the shockwave slammed into Fa Ma's barrier.
He trembled violently, face turning pale.
"Help me—this brat's insane!"
He shouted to Jia Xingtian and Hai Bodong.
Jia Xingtian reacted at once, summoning earthy yellow wings and Dou Qi. He covered the entire platform with a protective barrier.
Only then did Fa Ma withdraw his soul force, still trembling.
Hai Bodong hesitated, not wanting to leave his post. But seeing Fa Ma's condition, he knew Xiao Yan must have done something truly terrifying.
"I'll go."
Xiao Zhan stepped forward.
Hai Bodong, having read Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yan's files from the Mittel archives, nodded. He released his ice wings and soared over, casting his own Dou Qi shield.
Now feeling the chaotic energy, Jia Xingtian frowned.
"Old Fa, what the hell is this kid doing?!"
Fa Ma swallowed hard. "He's… merging two Heavenly Flames."
"What?!"
Jia Xingtian's jaw dropped.
"Flames of that caliber are violently incompatible. Merging them is madness. But he's doing it to refine a pill—and not just any method, but something even six-tier alchemists like Gu He wouldn't dare attempt. If he succeeds, he wins the tournament, hands down.
But if he fails... the resulting explosion will kill everyone here below Dou Wang. Even Dou Wangs might be seriously injured if they can't escape in time!"
"…He's trying to kill us all?!"
Hai Bodong turned pale. Jia Xingtian twitched furiously.
They were promised a pill competition—not a fireworks display!
The enormous commotion naturally drew everyone's attention. Most knew how dangerous flame fusion could be, but seeing three top experts working together to contain the energy reassured them—for now.
"This lunatic!"
Even the gray-robed impostor was shaken. Watching Xiao Yan carry out this suicide-level pill refinement had him breaking out in cold sweat.
If those two flames really exploded, he'd be dragged into the afterlife too.
Now, he actually hoped Xiao Yan would succeed—just so he wouldn't be collateral damage.
Inside the barrier, Xiao Yan noticed the outer turmoil, but couldn't afford distraction.
He split his focus: one part for stabilizing the pill, the other for balancing the two flames with Flame Mantra, preventing a catastrophic explosion.
Thanks to Xiao Yuan's help, the Yin-Yang Flame was surprisingly stable. All he needed to do was suppress the Green Lotus Core Flame and smoothly transfer the pill.
Above, Xiao Yuan did his part to maintain the resonance and calm the flame.
In his ring, Yao Lao watched with admiration.
He had expected his two disciples to make bold moves—but not to this extent.
He could've hidden his presence and intervened—but he chose not to.
He wanted to see what his disciples could accomplish without his help.
Xiao Yuan was already used to solo training, so he wasn't worried.
But Xiao Yan had trained with him for three years, relying on him often in difficult situations. This was the first true trial.
Could his student push past his limits and complete the refinement?
This was also a test of Flame Mantra.
While it claimed it could devour Heavenly Flames, that didn't guarantee it could fuse them.
This was the perfect opportunity to find out.
If successful, Xiao Yan's future would become infinitely more secure when it came to absorbing more Heavenly Flames.
(END CHAPTER)
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