His gaze slowly swept over the dozen or so snow-white jade boxes before him. Taking a steady breath, Xiao Yan suppressed the fluctuations within his mind. With a flick of his finger, the massive "Ten-Thousand-Beasts Cauldron" materialized mid-air and then descended with a heavy, resonant chime. The flames had just entered the cauldron when the slender body suddenly swelled, transforming within a brief moment into a roaring, intense fire that burned wildly inside. As the emerald flames rose, the once deep crimson surface of the "Ten-Thousand-Beasts Cauldron" grew increasingly vivid, appearing as if a graceful, dancing flame had come to life. "This cauldron left behind by Han Feng truly is no ordinary vessel. Despite being repeatedly exposed to the intense heat of the strange flames, it has remained undamaged—its quality must be on par with my teacher's 'Black Demon' cauldron," murmured Xiao Yan, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as he gazed upon the cauldron, which had endured so many uses yet showed not a single crack. Once the temperature within the medicinal cauldron stabilized, Xiao Yan extended his hand, and a snow-white jade box, emitting a subtle chill, was drawn into his grasp. Inside lay a branch resembling an ice sculpture, seemingly unremarkable in appearance. Yet the rich, fragrant aroma emanating from it revealed that this was no ordinary item. This was known as the "Cold Essence Branch"—not a mere branch, but a crystallization of highly refined cold energy formed in the most frigid regions. For ice-type cultivators, absorbing and refining this essence would enhance the cold quality of their aura, making it an invaluable treasure. Xiao Yan's acquisition of it was no small feat, achieved only through fortunate circumstances—he had stumbled upon a deep mountain cold spring. However, after his escape, he was relentlessly pursued for over a hundred miles by a formidable beast, nearing the seventh stage of evolution, which had hidden within the area. With two fingers gripping the "Cold-Soul Branch," a piercing coldness swiftly seeped through the fingertips, nearly numbing the entire arm. Glancing at the arm, now dusted with thin layers of ice, Xiao Yan stirred his inner jade flame, which immediately flowed throughout his body, expelling the infiltrating cold. He gently tossed the branch, and it landed with remarkable precision into the cauldron, where the jade flame surged violently, like a fierce mouth, engulfing it entirely. Despite the intense heat, the Cold-Soul Branch did not remain passive—it continuously released waves of icy mist, striving to resist the high temperature. The mist and jade flame eroded each other, producing a hissing sound, and at their point of contact, a faint layer of white vapor even formed. Thanks to the accumulated extreme cold energy spanning countless years, the branch managed to hold its own against the Lüli Lotus Heart Flame for a brief period. "Indeed, it's no wonder that such a magnificent beast would die to protect it..." Upon witnessing this scene within the cauldron, Xiao Yan murmured in admiration. Suddenly, his mind stirred, and he noticed the temperature within the cauldron rising sharply. As the increasingly intense flames burned, the cold marrow branch gradually could no longer withstand the heat, and the crystalline-like layer on its surface began to melt. Seeing this, Xiao Yan exhaled in relief. This was thanks to his unique hetero-fire. If ordinary flames had been used, it would have taken at least a day or two merely to fully transform the cold marrow branch—both in time and in the consumption of qi. Indeed, for a pharmacist, the hetero-fire was no less than a true divine weapon. The refining process lasted approximately one hour, after which the sturdy, cold-essence branch finally transformed completely into a snow-white, viscous liquid, flowing with an intensely pure and concentrated energy. Upon completion, Xiao Yan spent another half hour refining it further before taking a single breath and, without resting, moved his hand to transfer another equally tenacious herb into the cauldron... Time flowed slowly within the sealed chamber, while the herbs placed before Xiao Yan gradually diminished, their rich, blended aroma lingering like a mist throughout the space. As the herbs were progressively extracted, Xiao Yan's expression grew increasingly serious—he knew that the later stages would truly prove challenging. This Broken Sect Pill was, in fact, the highest-grade pill Xiao Yan had personally crafted to date, and thus, its success rate remained notably low. Even among the sixth-rank pills, the Pu Zong Dan ranks as a premium variety. While it may not directly benefit true Dou-Zong-level masters, it holds significant appeal for major factions eager to secure it—since possessing such a pill could potentially enable a faction to cultivate another Dou-Zong-level master, a prospect that proves irresistible to those who prioritize lineage and heritage. Simply considering the Black Huang Sect's sustained investment in cultivating Mo Yao, its young deputy sect master, over the years, reveals the extent of this appeal. Of course, the ingredients required to produce the Pu Zong Dan are all rare and precious. Without Xu Yan's journey of over half a year, supported by Zi Yan's exceptional talents and abilities, which accumulated considerable wealth, it would have been difficult to gather all the necessary materials. Yet even then, over this past half-year, Xiao Yan had managed to gather only three sets of materials. That meant he had three chances to successfully craft the Fragile Sect Pill. If all three failed, he would have no choice but to wait for years before attempting it again. Currently, Xiao Yan’s alchemical skills were quite adequate for producing ordinary sixth-rank pills, but the Fragile Sect Pill was no ordinary medicine. Even with the enhanced potency provided by the unique flames, his success rate in crafting it likely hovered around forty percent. For a typical sixth-rank alchemist without such assistance, the success rate would be even lower. Xiao Yan himself fully understood the difficulty involved, and thus remained utterly vigilant, his gaze fixed intently on the movements within the cauldron. At one moment, his mind suddenly snapped into focus, and he swiftly compressed the refined herbs already extracted from the cauldron. "Pfft!" "Many of the herbs had just been introduced when a sudden surge of energy erupted, and immediately, upon a soft sound, the carefully refined medicinal liquids—finally distilled—were shaken and dispersed by half. Feeling the changes within the cauldron, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows slightly, then sighed, 'Indeed... it always happens this way. The first time truly is the most difficult." Sitting upon the stone bed, Xiao Yan pondered for a while, repeatedly replaying the subtle anomalies that emerged during the fusion of the herbs. Only after a long time did he once again focus his attention, clearing the cauldron and beginning the process anew. The art of refining pills was both tedious and monotonous. After his first failure, it took nearly five or six hours before he successfully refined the second batch of herbs. This time, thanks to Xiao Yan's careful control during the fusion, no further issues arose. However, just as the pill was about to take its initial form, a minor deviation occurred, resulting in another loss of the precious herbs. Gazing at the now-wasted materials, Xiao Yan felt his heart bleed—these herbs were far from easily replaceable. "Damn it," he muttered, "I still underestimated just how difficult this truly was." With his heart nearly bleeding, Xiao Yan gradually stabilized his mind after a while, his hands slightly trembling as he pulled out the final set of herbs—this was his last chance. If he failed again, it would be nearly impossible to concoct the Broken Sect Pill in the near future. His gaze fixed firmly on the herbs, and after such a long moment, he finally bit down hard, moving his hand seal. The flames in the cauldron surged once more. The vibrant green flames illuminated Xiao Yan’s unusually serious face, casting an especially solemn atmosphere. One by one, the precious herbs fell into the cauldron with each movement of his hands, only to be instantly consumed by the flames. Time slipped away like sand between his fingers as the flames danced and swayed, and fine beads of sweat began to appear on the bridge of Xiao Yan’s forehead. Having continuously refined the medicine for nearly a full day, even he began to feel the strain. This time, Xiao Yan nearly poured his entire soul force into the cauldron, enabling him to detect any movement or change within it instantly. Under this intense level of focus, the numerous refined medicinal liquids gradually began to blend together. The blending process unfolded with Xiao Yan's heart pounding and breath held in suspense—yet fortunately, no errors occurred during this phase. As the blending was completed, a vibrant, half-palm-sized cluster of liquid formed within the cauldron. As the liquid mass gradually shrank and solidified, after approximately half an hour, its surface began to harden, and a rough, uneven pill shape slowly took form. Watching the pill雏形 finally successfully solidify, Xiao Yan finally lifted the heavy weight pressing on his heart. The most challenging steps had now been completed. From this point on, as long as he maintained the right temperature and carefully nurtured the forming pill, the Break-Clan Pill should surely be successfully crafted!