The next day, the Heaven-Reaching Tower flying boat left Celestial Cyan City. The transformation of Xia Yan, the only son of Xia Jie Pill Venerable, aroused the curiosity of many. Among them, Venerable Ling Quan from Cyan Nether Trade Association was the most knowledgeable about the truth.

"This Xia Yan seems to have undergone transformation through the 'Gluttonous Pill'. Jiegeng Alchemist should have also contacted this Wandering Alchemist... Do you know about the Gluttonous Pill sold by him?"

He looked at the bald old man who was sweating profusely and half-kneeling before him.

"Venerable, I know, I know. However, I am not an Alchemist and didn't know the Gluttonous Pill had such miraculous effects, otherwise I would have reported it to the trade association…"

"I'm not blaming you." Venerable Ling Quan said slowly, "You just said that he claimed his master was a fifth-tier Alchemist, known as Fire Dragon Pill Venerable?"

"If this is the case, then the pill was probably not created by him, but by his master. A third-tier Alchemist at the Foundation Establishment Stage is decent, but still unable to create such a pill."

"Interesting. Who exactly is this Fire Dragon Pill Venerable? I've never heard of him; could he possibly not be a human Alchemist but one of the Demon Beast clan?" Venerable Ling Quan pondered.

Although most Demon Beasts are not skilled in alchemy, artifact refining, and other such crafts, this refers only to the majority. There are always a few anomalies.

Some Demon Beasts even surpass humans in certain cultivation techniques, such as the spirit brewing skills of some Monkey Demons…

In short, the title Fire Dragon Venerable doesn't sound human.

He indeed does not know much about Alchemists from the Demon Beast clan.

"Go and take a look."

......

"A master!"

On Lin Jing's side, after Jiegeng Alchemist, Nameless Pill Pavilion welcomed another distinguished guest.

Although this person didn't exhibit any cultivation prowess, Lin Jing could tell through his special perception of the soul—or Primordial Spirit—that this was no ordinary old man, but at least a Divinity Transformation Powerhouse!

The elderly man dressed in a luxurious blue robe entered the pill pavilion, and Lin Jing immediately stood up, guessing the identity of the other party.

"Senior, could you be Senior Ling Quan from Cyan Nether Trade Association?" He greeted simply.

"The young fellow recognized me. No need to be nervous. I'm merely interested in the Gluttonous Pill you're selling here. Is this pill your creation?" Venerable Ling Quan approached the Gluttonous Pill, looked at it and was amazed.

Lin Jing shook his head and said, "To reply to Senior, the pills here are indeed made by me, but the pill recipe and method for the Gluttonous Pill were created and passed down to me by my master, Fire Dragon Pill Venerable…"

"This is the fire seed of the exotic fire 'Crystal Flame'. I wonder how many of your Gluttonous Pills it could be exchanged for?" As Venerable Ling Quan extended his hand, a transparent container with floating blue flames inside appeared.

"Crystal Flame!?" Lin Jing licked his lips, a high-grade exotic fire indeed!

The quality of flames can be roughly divided from low to high: 'mundane fire', 'ordinary spiritual fire', 'high-grade exotic fire', and 'top-tier exotic fire'.

Mundane fire is just ordinary flames without involving Spiritual Power, while ordinary spiritual fire is the simplest form converted by Cultivators using True Qi and True Essence!

Basic and common fire magic, like the Fireball Technique, are all composed of ordinary spiritual fire.

High-grade exotic fires are relatively rare and require special cultivation techniques or secret techniques to cultivate, or originate in specific sacred lands.

Some alchemy sects or sects focusing mainly on fire techniques usually have cultivation techniques and secret techniques for high-grade exotic fires, like the purple alchemy fire of Zi Ling'Er from Dragon Palace Alchemists, which is a type of high-grade flame from the Pill Furnace Sect.

This quality of flame can be used up to the Nascent Soul level, and is mainstream in the Cultivation Realm with various effects.

The Life Healing Lotus Heart Flame obtained by the Dragon Koi through the Holy Fire Lotus also belongs to this category.

As for more top-tier exotic fires, they are even harder to come by. The Dragon Scale Fire of Fire Luan Dragon, as a top-tier beast fire, is actually a type of top-tier exotic fire originated from its bloodline heritage.

However, this top-tier beast fire differs from the top-tier exotic fires that are inherently powerful and born from the heavens and earth. It does not start with full power, but its strength can reach top-tier quality, growing stronger with the enhancement of the Demon Beast's bloodline level.

When the Fire Luan Dragon is at the Dragon King level bloodline, it can wield beast fire that, even if consuming equivalent power, exhibits far superior might compared to when its bloodline was at Dragon Sovereign level.

The same applies to Netherworld Ghost Fire, which is actually a top-tier exotic fire as well. However, similar to beast fire, it is special because it doesn't start with maximum power; it relies on growth.

The upgrade of Netherworld Ghost Fire requires burning and absorbing souls, increasing its grade—the more souls it burns, the stronger its power. Therefore… Nether Hall Demon Cultivators damaged many Cultivators' souls to enhance their Netherworld Ghost Fire techniques.

Since Lin Jing and Dragon Koi are good individuals, their Netherworld Ghost Fire techniques have not yet reached top-tier exotic fire quality.

They usually just roast mosquito souls for fun.

Compared to human souls of the highest quality, the souls of these foolish mosquitoes really can't enhance the Ghost Fire.

As for Crystal Flame, being a type of high-grade exotic fire, it's enough to tempt Lin Jing. If he remembers correctly, Crystal Flame's effect is to resist the 'Water Element'!

In the case where cultivation levels don't greatly differ, Cultivators focusing on water techniques often have an overwhelming advantage in battles against those focusing on fire techniques.

Yet, Crystal Flame is very special, as it fears no water techniques and can even wrap oneself in Crystal Flame for underwater movement akin to water beast techniques, like the Water Escape technique.

"This is nice." The little koi has hardly swum in water since childhood, and Lin Jing wonders whether it could enter the sea after transforming into a dragon one day…

If the Crystal Flame is refined, it shouldn't be a problem.

However…

"Senior, I might not have enough Gluttonous Pills to exchange for this Crystal Flame right now. If you don't mind, could you allow me a few days to prepare more?"

Lin Jing wanted to make the exchange right away, but due to the visits from Xia Yan and Jiegeng, their stock of Gluttonous Pills had run out.

"No matter." Venerable Ling Quan tossed the Crystal Flame to Lin Jing and turned to leave.

"Once you've made them, send the pills to Cyan Nether Pavilion; I'll be waiting for you there."

......

After Venerable Ling Quan left, Lin Jing exhaled deeply, his tense nerves slightly easing. Thankfully, Venerable Ling Quan didn't recognize he was a transformed figure…

Casually, Lin Jing tossed the Crystal Flame fire seed into the Zen staff, and it was immediately refined by the Fire Luan Dragon, who then let out a belch. Lin Jing realized that maybe refining another high-grade exotic fire would mark the limits of Foundation Establishment.

"Come out, continuous refinement of two exotic fires cannot stabilize your powers by mere alchemy, which affects your next Core Formation."

"I'll let you out to hone your strength now; we need to refine 'False Pills' and are lacking 'Demon Pill', an auxiliary material. Demon Pills are expensive, so let's hunt them ourselves."

"I'll assign you this task. Outside Celestial Cyan City, in the Sunset Mountain Range, the hunting ground of many Loose Cultivators, remember to prioritize fire-type demon beasts. If you face danger, activate this 'Fire Dragon Pearl'. It contains my imprinted Divinity Transformation peak-level Dragon illusion…" Lin Jing began to arrange adventures for the little koi. Compared to alchemy, it indeed seemed more interested in hunting demon pills.

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