"Po Huo Dan," three slightly blurred, pale black characters drawn upon an ancient, textured parchment, subtly radiating a sense of antiquity. With a warm smile, Xiao Yan's gaze slowly swept across the parchment. As his eyes settled upon the recorded effects of the elixir, the warmth in his expression deepened. "This is a sixth-rank elixir, exceptionally effective at breaking most seals. After consumption, it fosters within the body a specific resistance to such seals. Should the same type of seal be encountered again in the future, there is a chance of complete exemption." "Indeed, quite remarkable," Xiao Yan murmured, gazing back and forth over the ancient parchment. He had not expected such a refinement—this elixir not only breaks seals but also enhances the body's resistance to the very seals it has previously endured. Simply this feature ensures it earns its well-deserved status as a sixth-rank elixir. "Of course, the cost we paid back then to obtain this prescription—well, even now, whenever I think of it, I can still feel my heart aching," said Haibo Dong, looking earnestly at Xiao Yan. "Haha, no matter what the cost, compared to restoring your Dao Emperor-level strength, it truly pales in significance," Xiao Yan reassured him, then, right in front of Haibo Dong, promptly and without hesitation, stored the ancient prescription into his storage relic. In the realm of pharmaceutical crafting, preparing a prescription is far from merely the simple act of casually jotting down notes with a pen. When formulating a prescription, the pharmacist must channel their spiritual essence as ink, using the pen as a guide to successfully create a qualified prescription. When utilizing the prescription, the pharmacist needs to infuse their spiritual energy into it in order to access the hidden essential data embedded within—such as the precise quantities of ingredients required and the degree of heat or temperature needed. These details are crucial considerations during the preparation of medicinal pills. Without such data, no matter how skilled a pharmacist may be in their craft, they will inevitably need to conduct numerous trials before finally succeeding in producing the specific pill as prescribed. However, during this process, many rare and precious herbs will likely be damaged—representing a substantial loss. Thus, although Hai Bodo had possessed this prescription for some time, he still couldn't manage to replicate it. Seeing Xiao Yan's actions now, a subtle twitch crossed his lips, and after a while, he could only sigh in frustration, shaking his head helplessly as the man freely took away what he had worked so hard to obtain. With a cheerful smile, Xiao Yan carefully placed the prescription for "Po Huo Dan" and then turned his gaze to the large pile of herbs on the table. These herbs were all rare treasures—some could even fetch over fifty thousand gold coins at an auction. Yet, despite their value, they remained largely unsold, since even those with a keen eye for quality rarely brought them to auction, knowing that a skilled alchemist might one day need them, making such a transaction far more rewarding. Perhaps due to fear of failure, Hai Bode had gathered most of his herbs in sets of two or three, neatly arranged and fully displayed on the table. After carefully inspecting each herb and finding no omissions, Xiao Yan nodded slightly and looked up at Hai Bode, who was intently gazing at him, smiling, "Master, I believe you already understand that preparing pills always carries a certain failure rate. Before we begin, let me be blunt—though I have some confidence in crafting this sixth-rank pill, I cannot guarantee success. Should unforeseen circumstances lead to failure, then the responsibility would fall upon me..." "I know—no responsibility on my part, right? That's how it usually goes among pill-makers, isn't it? Would you really expect me to force you to stay here if you fail?" Hearing this, Hai Bode waved his hand and chuckled lightly. "Hehe, if the elder gentleman understands, that would be perfect. I'd like to request a quiet room—no one should disturb me, not even the elder gentleman himself, while I'm still here." Xiao Yan gathered the various herbs on the table into his storage bracelet and smiled. "Follow me," said Haibo Dong, nodding, and walked toward a side door. Xiao Yan followed closely. "Haibo Dong smiled and inquired, watching as Xiao Yan nodded before continuing, "Then, please proceed with preparing the pills here. I'll stay outside the corridor, ensuring you have a quiet atmosphere throughout this period—no one will disturb you." "Alright," Xiao Yan replied with a smile, watching as Haibo Dong stepped out. Gently, he closed the door behind him, then turned to survey the room. He didn't immediately begin work, instead slowly walking through every corner, meticulously inspecting every nook and cranny. After a while, only then did he make his way to the table at the center of the room. With a light tap of his ring, he softly asked in his mind, "Master, is everything all right here?" "Yes, I've checked it over. It seems that man hasn't been playing any tricks here," came the voice of the herbal master, echoing warmly in his thoughts. Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded and smiled, saying, "Then, Master, it's your turn to take the lead..." As he spoke, his fingers gently traced the nari ring, and at once, the pile of materials previously scattered on the table was once again replenished. "Ah... I knew you'd make me do all the heavy lifting," the ring trembled slightly, and the Yao Elder slowly drifted out, gazing at the numerous materials on the table, shaking his head in resignation. "Heh, I'd really like to handle it myself, but even now, with my unique fire, I simply can't manage to refine this sixth-rank pill," Xiao Yan spread his hands, offering an innocent smile. At this, the Yao Elder only rolled his eyes, sighed, and settled beside the table, casually arranging the herbs before him. Then, he raised his hand toward Xiao Yan, and the ancient, black ring resting on Xiao Yan's fingers promptly slipped into his hands. With gentle care, he placed the black ring into his hands. The elderly pharmacist gently snapped his fingers, and suddenly, a pure black cauldron—large enough to match a dining table—appeared. The cauldron was robust in build, exuding a steady, grounded presence throughout its body. Vivid flame emblems were intricately drawn upon its surface. As the cauldron slowly rotated, these emblems seemed to take on the form of tangible reality, and Xiang Yan could even sense a faint flame energy gradually coalescing around the cauldron. "Excellent cauldron!" Xiang Yan exclaimed, his eyes shining with admiration. Compared to the one he had been using, this cauldron was truly impressive. Moreover, it wasn't merely ornamental—evident from the flame energy naturally gathering around it—this black cauldron clearly enhanced the process of pharmaceutical preparation significantly. "The medicine cauldron is the most important thing in a pharmacist's hands. A fine cauldron can significantly improve the success rate of alchemical preparations... My cauldron, though, has a rather imposing name—others call it the 'Black Demon.' Heh, back then, to obtain it, I truly invested a great deal." Gazing at the black cauldron floating in midair, the elderly pharmacist smiled warmly, somewhat moved by the memory. "The Black Demon? Indeed, quite imposing!" He nodded, clapping his lips in admiration. As someone with limited exposure to the alchemical world, he naturally wasn't familiar with the name, nor did he fully grasp the passionate appeal it held for a pharmacist. Similar to the Fiery Peak Ranking, within the realm of pharmaceutical crafting, there exists a Heavenly Cauldron Ranking. By name, the Cauldron Ranking records the most exquisite and outstanding pharmaceutical cauldrons. In total, there are thirteen such cauldrons, each possessing a magnetic allure that draws countless pharmacists and alchemists. Among them, the eighth-ranked Cauldron—known as the Black Mage Cauldron—is particularly renowned. Observing Xiao Yan's awed expression, the Elder of Medicine smiled gently, yet he did not elaborate on the origins of this black cauldron. Instead, his hands slightly trembled, and a dense, pale flame swiftly spiraled around his palms. He then gently pressed his palms against a rhombus-shaped flame opening on the cauldron, and with a light flick of his fingers, the pale flame rose and circled within the cauldron. "Heh, it seems your teacher has placed great importance on this pharmaceutical session," Xiao Yan remarked, smiling as he watched the flames rise within the cauldron. "Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought out his own cauldron. Previously, when the Elder crafted pills, he used his palms directly." "The failure rate for sixth-rank pills isn't low, and now that I'm merely in a spiritual state with my strength diminished compared to before, crafting these pills naturally requires the aid of a medicinal cauldron." The elderly pharmacist spoke calmly, swiftly moving his hands over the table, plucking one herb after another and tossing them all into the cauldron at once. As his hands withdrew from the cauldron, his dry palms suddenly moved with the grace of plucking flowers or leaves, swiftly darting back and forth. With each flick of his fingers, the intense, silvery-white flame within the black cauldron gently transformed into dozens of slender flame clusters, carefully enveloping the herbs that had been poured in. Watching the Master of Medicine move with the smooth, effortless grace of flowing clouds, Xiao Yan was filled with admiration. How long would it take before he himself could achieve such ease and mastery? After a moment of quiet reflection, Xiao Yan sat quietly in his chair beside the Master, carefully observing the process of medicine preparation. At this level of expertise, even the slightest detail in the Master's movements brought Xiao Yan a sudden sense of clarity and insight.