Chapter 524: Celestial-Grade Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill
Chapter 524: Celestial-Grade Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill
...
As soon as the alchemy furnace cracked open slightly, an intense medicinal aroma wafted out.
The various celestial phenomena above still hadn't dissipated.
Soon after, a small thundercloud gathered above the furnace.
"This... the pill is undergoing tribulation?"
The qilin was dumbfounded.
It vaguely remembered something about pills facing tribulations, but couldn't recall details - those memories had faded through countless reincarnations. But one thing was clear - any pill that could trigger heavenly tribulation must be extraordinary.
"A pill undergoing tribulation upon completion?!" Dan Bai covered her mouth in shock. "The ancestor is refining a Celestial-grade pill!"
"What's a Celestial-grade pill? Tell me quickly!" The qilin shoved its large head next to Dan Bai, eyes fixed unblinkingly on the furnace."For a pill to reach Celestial-grade, it must survive the pill tribulation. Success makes it Celestial-grade; failure reduces it to Supreme-grade. Celestial-grade pills develop their own spiritual nature, becoming several times more potent than the formula describes, with additional unpredictable effects."
Dan Bai was visibly excited - this was her first time witnessing a Celestial-grade pill's birth, a rare opportunity to broaden her knowledge.
"That powerful?!" The qilin's eyes widened.
Damn.
This Dragon Soul inheritor was this capable?
Then why did he need outside help?
Just to humiliate it as the weakest link?
"Of course~" Dan Bai gloated at the qilin's country bumpkin expression. "Take the Primordial Heaven-Mending Pill for example. A Supreme-grade one can perfectly repair a dantian, even regrowing it for those who've lost theirs."
"But a Celestial-grade Primordial Heaven-Mending Pill not only does that, it evolves the dantian! Depending on the user's talent, it creates at least a third-grade top-tier dantian!"
"Primordial Heaven-Mending Pill?"
The qilin blinked.
Another pill it had never heard of.
This was utterly bizarre.
By rights, its alchemy knowledge should be the world's most advanced - surpassing even top Ascender factions like Kunlun Immortal Palace and Great Thunder Temple.
Yet now, this Dragon Soul inheritor's assistant - a mere slip of a girl - knew superior alchemy.
Let alone the inheritor himself.
That alchemy was beyond its comprehension.
Where did these suddenly appearing formulas and techniques come from?
Was this a setup?
Why did it know nothing?!
The qilin fell silent watching the coalescing thundercloud.
Today it hadn't intended to truly challenge the inheritor, just deliver a minor warning.
Throughout generations, some inheritors inevitably grew arrogant - like Gonggong.
As Flame Emperor's descendant, Gonggong could have steadily grown stronger to unite tribes against the Celestial God Clan. But unable to endure temporary humiliation, he fought for the Heavenly Emperor position, ultimately crashing into Mount Buzhou, causing catastrophic floods, collapsed faith, and ruining all tribal plans.
Neither the Ancestral Dragon nor it had any chances left.
It feared this inheritor might also be prideful.
Hence the attempted intimidation.
Making him recognize his weakness would foster vigilance against future calamities.
Then it could properly teach him alchemy and these painstakingly acquired formulas.
Now... apparently, he needed none of it.
BOOM!
While pondering, lightning struck the furnace.
Compared to cultivator tribulation lightning, pill tribulation was far weaker.
Merely as thick as a baby's arm, yet still formidable.
Fortunately, Chen Huaian's pill quality was exceptional.
After three lightning strikes, the thundercloud dissipated and the furnace fully opened.
Pale golden medicinal qi shot skyward, piercing through the Demon Sealing Pagoda into the heavens.
Within the qi, dragons and phoenixes cried while celestial music played, drawing violet energy from the eastern skies to form thousand-mile purple clouds.
Outside the pagoda, Hua Jin the True One - meditating to heal injuries - gaped in astonishment.
A deep breath carried the intense aroma into her, instantly refreshing her spirit and healing thirty percent of her wounds.
This shocked her profoundly.
"What... what pill is this? Just its aroma healed me this much?!"
But most baffling was the location.
This was the Demon Sealing Pagoda.
Not some treasure hunting ground - how could a divine pill appear here?
That sky-piercing medicinal qi was too conspicuous - she anticipated major repercussions.
Indeed, as this thought formed, she sensed another Void Shattering realm presence approaching rapidly.
Hua Jin's expression changed - undoubtedly that old monk Faming was coming.
...
Inside the pagoda.
The fully opened furnace revealed a single thumb-sized pill.
Crystal clear like flawless agate, adorned with three golden cloud patterns.
These differed from the marks on Dan Bai's pills - hers indicated incomplete impurity removal.
Chen Huaian's resulted from supreme quality and surviving the tribulation's lightning marks.
Three lightning strikes meant three cloud patterns.
Chen Huaian was satisfied with this Celestial-grade pill.
The Taihua Alchemy Sutra mentioned nine-pattern Celestial-grade pills, but those required cultivation far beyond Golden Core realm - he didn't meet the basic threshold.
Yet even this three-pattern Celestial-grade pill shouldn't be possible at Golden Core stage.
Only his exceptional foundation and comprehension made it feasible.
"This... this is a Celestial-grade pill..."
The qilin stared dumbly at the pill, pupils trembling.
"Indeed." Chen Huaian smiled gently. "A poor display - I know my alchemy still pales before yours."
The qilin turned complex eyes on Chen Huaian.
Beyond shame and embarrassment swirled numerous other emotions.
"If back then... I could've made such Celestial-grade pills... they wouldn't have died."
"They?" Chen Huaian blinked.
The qilin's chubby paw rummaged through its belly pouch.
Finally producing four differently colored orbs - azure, white, vermilion, and black.
"The soul orbs of the Four Divine Beasts. They were slain before my birth. When I revived, I couldn't even make Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pills. Now they've been turned into puppets, imprisoned in four Demon Sealing Pagodas centered on the Central Plains."
The qilin lowered its head mournfully.
In ancient times, it fought alongside the Four Divine Beasts - powers merged, trust absolute, bonds like siblings.
Never imagining it alone would survive, barely clinging to life in this pagoda.
But soon its gaze burned intensely at Chen Huaian.
"Dragon Soul inheritor, I deceived you. Ordinary Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pills aren't that potent... they only pull dying beings back from death's edge. But a Celestial-grade one... might truly resurrect the Four Divine Beasts."
It pushed the four soul orbs toward Chen Huaian.
Prostrating reverently - whether to the orbs, Chen Huaian, or the Ancestral Dragon's soul was unclear.
"Now I've seen a Dragon Soul inheritor exceeding my expectations. My wish is fulfilled."
"It's time... to complete my mission."
...