Within the Ten Thousand Medicinal Mountain Range, inside Xiong Zhan's cavern abode.
Outside, Xiong Zhan stood guard.
He was in the middle of a discussion with Cao Ying, negotiating the exchange of medicinal herbs for pills. As a highly ranked Alchemist, Cao Ying's skill earned Xiong Zhan's genuine respect. Since she was also acknowledged by Liu Xi as a friend, Xiong Zhan didn't mind parting with a few rare herbs in return for high-tier pills.
Facing a Dou Zun-level powerhouse and seeing how amicably he spoke with Liu Xi, Cao Ying had no thought of taking advantage. She offered pills of equal value for the herbs she needed, making the trade a fair and pleasant one for both sides.
Inside, Zi Yan guarded the inner chamber.
Entrusted with this important task by Liu Xi himself, she stood with her arms folded, wearing a cold, untouchable expression.
But from within the room, Liu Xi sensed her presence with his Spiritual Power and could only smile slightly and click his tongue.
'So cute… I really want to pinch her cheeks.'
Once everything was prepared, Liu Xi steadied his mind, withdrew his spiritual perception, and waved his hand. A jade box, a jade bottle, and a piece of green stone appeared before him.
These contained the Core Soul Marrow, Pill Spirit Pulp, and Heavenly Jade Essence. The first two could be used directly, while the last required refining to extract its essence.
This was hardly difficult for Liu Xi. He tossed the green stone into the air, suspended it, and sent a wisp of azure flame to envelop it. Moments later, cracks spread across the stone with sharp crackling sounds.
Liu Xi's expression remained calm as he flicked out a burst of wind. The green stone shattered, revealing the true substance hidden within — its liquid core essence.
The azure flame abandoned the broken fragments and wrapped around the milky-white liquid, refining it further.
The stone's essence was delicate; Liu Xi deliberately lowered the flame's temperature. Under the patient heat, faint bubbles rose and burst, releasing traces of acrid vapor — the impurities within.
Only after these impurities were completely expelled would the pure stone essence remain, suitable for neutralizing the Core Soul Marrow.
After several minutes, the impurities were gone, leaving a lustrous white paste with a translucent sheen.
Liu Xi smiled faintly, extinguished the azure flame, and guided the refined essence into a jade bowl. Then, he opened the jade box and bottle, drawing the Core Soul Marrow and Pill Spirit Pulp into two separate bowls.
Three jade bowls now floated before him in a neat row. Lowering his head, Liu Xi observed them carefully and began his first attempt at blending.
Neutralizing the Core Soul Marrow wasn't as simple as mixing them together. Each ingredient carried a different property — some conflicting, some complementary. Only through precise ratios could they merge harmoniously.
This optimal ratio had been discovered through countless experiments and generations of research.
Channeling his Spiritual Power, Liu Xi drew a thin stream from each bowl — the Core Soul Marrow, Pill Spirit Pulp, and Heavenly Jade Essence — and slowly combined them in a fourth bowl according to the best-known proportions.
Even so, errors were easy to make. The smallest imbalance could lead to failure; such fine control depended solely on his own mastery.
As the three liquids intertwined, they resisted one another, swirling into separate layers and releasing faint bubbles.
Liu Xi frowned. The medicinal energy was dissipating too quickly — a sign of failure.
He extended his Spiritual Power into the mixture to slow the loss, carefully studying the reactions and comparing them with what he knew from alchemical theory.
It might take countless failed attempts before success. Only through patient observation and precise adjustments could he deduce the perfect ratio.
By the time the Pill Spirit Pulp and Heavenly Jade Essence were exhausted, only uneven traces of Core Soul Marrow remained. Closing his eyes, Liu Xi reviewed the entire process in his mind.
He didn't rush to start again. Instead, he calmly reflected and analyzed every change until a confident smile touched his lips.
"The Core Soul Marrow was too much… and the Pill Spirit Pulp as well. The Heavenly Jade Essence was insufficient. Let's adjust and try again."
He repeated the process with new proportions.
Failure.
Yet there was no discouragement on Liu Xi's face. His eyes only shone brighter — he was closing in on the truth.
After the sixth failure, he compared all previous ratios, his smile widening slightly.
"Next time… it will succeed. This will be the perfect balance."
He tried once more. The three liquids met, still distinct, still clashing — but gradually they stabilized.
The mixture turned clearer, the green glow deepening, releasing a refreshing fragrance that made the soul tremble with delight.
Soon, the boundaries vanished, leaving behind a single bowl of vivid, life-filled emerald liquid.
"As expected. The loss is barely one-tenth — acceptable. Next, I'll neutralize the rest of the Core Soul Marrow."
Pouring the refined liquid into a jade bottle, Liu Xi looked at the remaining ingredients, eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
With the formula perfected, the rest was easy.
Two hours later, all the Core Soul Marrow was successfully refined, filling the jade bottle almost to overflowing.
"The growth of Spiritual Power is far harder than Dou Qi… yet Heavenly Flames already have their masters. Hopefully, this Core Soul Marrow will yield the results I expect."
Gazing at the bottle in his hand, Liu Xi spoke softly.
He tilted his head back and drank. The emerald liquid flowed down his throat, the bottle emptying in seconds.
Heat surged between his brows as if his soul were immersed in a sacred spring. That warmth carried mysterious energy that seeped into his very essence, causing his Spiritual Power to surge explosively.
'Advancing the Spirit Realm Soul requires more than pure Spiritual Power… the Soul Tempering Technique must accelerate the refinement.'
Liu Xi formed seals, beginning his Soul Tempering Technique.
Instantly, endless streams of Heaven and Earth energy were drawn toward him, converging wildly.
"Ah—!"
A deep hiss escaped his lips as pain erupted from within his soul, forcing his body to tense, his expression twitching uncontrollably.
Even with the Core Soul Marrow's aid, the surge of power was overwhelming — the agony equally so.
But for the soul to ascend, pain was the price.
(End of Chapter)
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