Han Yi didn't answer immediately. After a moment of careful consideration, he spoke slowly, "This disciple was merely fortunate. In terms of true strength, I still lag far behind Han Xuxiao."
Han Yi wasn't claiming to be weak, but rather acknowledging the significant gap between his capabilities and Han Xuxiao's. He was only at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, while Han Xuxiao, one of the Blood God Sons of the Blood God Sect, was a Legendary Qi Refining cultivator.
Yuan Shun glanced at Han Yi in surprise, noticing a newfound confidence in his disciple compared to three years prior. This was precisely the confidence he had hoped to see develop.
"Good, good, very good," Yuan Shun repeated, his three "goods" fully expressing his satisfaction.
Just as Han Yi expected Yuan Shun to inquire about the events in the Myriad Demon Mountain Range or ask why Han Xuxiao had been pursuing him, Yuan Shun simply turned and said, "Cultivate diligently." With a casual step, he effortlessly crossed the sea of clouds and vanished into the mystical fog surrounding Profound Pill Peak, leaving no trace behind.
Han Yi stood there for a long moment, utterly puzzled. What was Yuan Shun's true purpose in visiting him? Could it really have been merely to praise him with three "goods"?
To Yuan Shun, a Golden Core Stage cultivator, this seemed far too frivolous.
After pondering for a while without success, Han Yi decided to give up. After all, Yuan Shun was the Sect Leader of the Profound Pill Sect. If Han Yi could easily decipher his intentions, there would be something amiss.
Never mind, Han Yi thought.
He cast one last glance at Profound Pill Peak, now shrouded in celestial mist, before turning and heading toward his courtyard.
After a day of recuperation, he solemnly retrieved the purple jade box containing the Pure Yang Spirit Liquid and carefully placed the octagonal golden pill furnace at the center of his meditation chamber.
Taking a deep breath, he opened the furnace and began refining the medicine.
Medicinal refinement was the fundamental skill of alchemy. Most alchemists started their careers with this basic practice.
Medicinal refinement and integration form the foundation of pill refinement.
Though this was merely medicinal refinement, Han Yi approached it with far greater solemnity than any previous pill refinement.
"Three drops of Pure Yang Spirit Liquid should be sufficient to refine this three-petaled Blood Bone Spirit Flower, according to my calculations," he muttered to himself.
"To err on the side of caution, I'll refine two petals first. Then, based on the medicinal reaction, I can adjust the amount of Pure Yang Spirit Liquid accordingly."
"This way, I can ensure absolute success."
True to his word, Han Yi immediately began.
He ignited the Pill Fire, adjusted the Spirit Sand, placed the Spirit Stones, channeled his Mana, and prepared the Spirit Medicine.
When he reached the step of adding the Spirit Medicine, he retrieved a jade dagger, carefully sliced off two petals from the Blood Bone Spirit Flower, and placed them into the pill furnace.
Next, Han Yi focused his mana, swiftly covering the two petals of the Blood Bone Spirit Flower. Beneath the spirit charcoal, the pill fire radiated gentle warmth, while mid-grade spirit stones placed at each of the eight corners of the octagonal pill furnace ensured an abundant supply of spirit qi.
Inside the furnace, the Blood Bone Spirit Flower rapidly dissolved into a viscous, crimson mass. The instant it completely melted, though Han Yi's heart pounded with anxiety, his hands remained steady. He swiftly retrieved the jade bottle of Pure Yang Spirit Liquid, poured out a single drop, and guided it into the furnace with his mana.
The next moment, the molten Blood Bone Spirit Flower erupted with an intensely concentrated surge of fiend qi. As the fiend qi burst forth, the drop of Pure Yang Spirit Liquid landed on the molten flower, enveloping the malevolent energy.
However, the single drop proved insufficient to completely neutralize the fiend qi, leaving a significant portion still raging uncontrollably.
Prepared for this outcome, Han Yi had been monitoring the furnace closely with his divine sense. Noticing the lingering fiend qi, he guided a second pre-poured drop of Pure Yang Spirit Liquid into the viscous mixture.
Simultaneously, during the first drop's integration with the flower, Han Yi's formidable mental calculations had already determined the optimal ratio between the two substances: approximately 0.9 drops of Pure Yang Spirit Liquid per flower petal.
As the second drop landed, Han Yi swiftly introduced the third petal of the Spirit Flower into the furnace, merging it with the mixture in tandem with the spirit liquid.
Next, Han Yi separated seventy percent of the third drop of Spirit Liquid and, along with the third petal of the Spirit Flower, let it fall into the semi-viscous pool of melted Spirit Flower essence.
The remaining thirty percent of the Spirit Liquid was returned to the Jade Bottle.
Meanwhile, Han Yi focused his divine sense on the transformations occurring within the Pill Furnace.
As the second and third drops of Spirit Liquid, along with the third petal of the Spirit Flower, merged into the initial viscous mixture, the Fiend Qi abruptly halted, then vanished without a trace. Simultaneously, the crimson goo emitted a mysterious fragrance that sent a tremor through Han Yi's entire being.
Without hesitation, he overturned the Pill Furnace, used his mana to scoop up the crimson goo, opened his mouth, and swallowed it whole.
Indeed, consuming the Blood Bone Spirit Flower was remarkably simple. As a rare treasure of heaven and earth, all it required was neutralizing its Fiend Qi with an Extreme Yang Spiritual Object, leaving behind the purest form of Spirit Medicine, ready for direct consumption.
Inside the Meditation Chamber, as the Spirit Medicine entered his stomach, Han Yi felt a mysterious energy erupt within him. Having anticipated this, he guided the energy along the cultivation pathways of the Fire Astral Profound Art.
Simultaneously, he gripped Mid-Grade Spirit Stones in both palms, infusing their Spirit Qi into the mysterious energy coursing through his body.
As the energy gradually diminished, Han Yi felt something within him begin to loosen, crack, and transform.
Clang!
Within the Meditation Chamber, Han Yi's transformation progressed slowly but steadily.
Meanwhile, outside, the world was in turmoil.
Three days later, the second batch of Inner Sect Disciples departed for the Myriad Demon Mountain Range aboard Immortal Ships.
A month later, it was the third batch's turn.
Two months later, the Demon Beast hunting mission in the Myriad Demon Mountain Range came to a complete end.
Three months later, the Heaven, Earth, and Human Rankings were officially launched.
The Earth Ranking, specifically for Inner Sect Disciples, garnered immense attention.
On its inaugural day, a Ninth Layer Qi Refining Disciple named You Wu, who had returned from the Myriad Demon Mountain Range radiating killing intent, took his place in the Combat Arena. He swiftly defeated three Eighth Layer cultivators, seven Ninth Layer cultivators, and even a Peak Ninth Layer cultivator.
Overnight, You Wu's reputation soared among the Inner Sect.
The following day, it became clear that You Wu had not left the Combat Arena. He intended to continuously defend his position, accepting challenges from all Qi Refining cultivators.
That day, he crushed twelve more Ninth Layer opponents, including three at the Peak Qi Refining Stage.
Instantly, the name "Legendary Qi Refining You Wu" reverberated throughout the Inner and Outer Peaks, even drawing the attention of the sect's high-ranking elders. Rumor had it that the Sect Leader himself had inquired about the matter.
Six months later.
Azure Dragon Peak, Immortal Chess Pavilion.
Spirit wine warmed gently as four figures sat facing each other: Chu Jinmo, Yan Ru, Luo Yunzhou, and Qi Hong.
"The Earth Ranking... it changes so quickly," Luo Yunzhou remarked with a sigh.
The Luo Yunzhou before them was a far cry from the man of six months ago. Were it not for his familiar features, even Han Yi might struggle to recognize him. A jagged scar now marred his face, tracing a diagonal path from beneath his eyelid across his cheek to his neck below his ear, lending him a more ferocious appearance.
This scar was a souvenir from his near-death experience in the Myriad Demon Mountain Range half a year prior. After narrowly escaping with his life, he had deliberately left it untreated with spirit medicine as a constant reminder of the dangers he had faced.
"By the way, Junior Sister Chu, when will you be challenging the Combat Arena?" Qi Hong asked softly, turning her gaze from the distant sea of clouds to Chu Jinmo.