"It's been a long time since I last refined this Earth Rank Middle Level 'Flame Burst Pill.' I hope I can succeed on the first try!"

As Yun Xiao recalled the elixir that could extremely stimulate fire attribute bloodlines, he secretly prayed in his heart. After all, this was his first attempt at refining an Earth Rank Middle Level elixir after his rebirth, and he wasn't one hundred percent confident.

Moreover, Yun Xiao had just broken through to the Earth Rank Middle Level. Even with his alchemy experience and techniques from his past life, this was a significant test of his current soul control.

The most important thing was that he only managed to acquire one of each of the main ingredients for this Flame Burst Pill at the auction in Bianlei City. If he accidentally ruined them, who knows when he'd be able to attempt this again.

But this was an excellent opportunity for Chi Yan, and Yun Xiao wouldn't give it up easily. Besides, the chances of success were greater than failure, so why not give it a try?

The so-called Flame Burst Pill was an elixir made by forcibly blending various fire attribute heavenly materials and earthly treasures using a certain alchemy technique, thus stimulating the fire attribute physique of the consumer or the Vein Demon.

It could even be said that the Flame Burst Pill was no ordinary elixir. It possessed an extremely strong fire attribute, which could turn ordinary cultivators to ashes in an instant if consumed.

According to Yun Xiao's guess, only a mutant like the Fiery Holy Rat could safely consume an Eighth Rank Middle Stage Flame Burst Pill without harm. Even someone like Mo Qing with a Pure Yang Immortal Body might not withstand such explosive fire attribute power.

From this perspective, the Flame Burst Pill seemed tailor-made for Chi Yan. If successfully refined, it would undoubtedly help Chi Yan break through to the Eighth Rank Low Level, and the bloodline of the Fiery Holy Rat would be further stimulated.

"Fiery Fire Ganoderma, Red Spirit Sand, Flame Green Wood,..."

As Yun Xiao extracted the main ingredients for the Flame Burst Pill from his Waist Storage, the Lake Heart Reef was filled with a powerful fire attribute aura.

"Squeak, squeak!"

On the lake shore, Chi Yan seemed to sense the fire attribute aura and turned its little head to squeak twice in this direction, prompting Yun Xiao to look up.

"What's the rush? Just wait a little longer!"

After scolding Chi Yan with a smile, Yun Xiao turned his gaze back, and with a swipe of his hand, a medicine tripod appeared before him with a loud sound.

"Ancestral Vein Fire, manifest!"

As Yun Xiao placed his right palm near the fire inlet of the tripod, a wisp of blood-red flame appeared out of nowhere, then surged inside the medicine tripod, filling its interior.

"Begin!"

With a gentle word, Yun Xiao waved his sleeves, and the Fiery Fire Ganoderma was swept into the medicine tripod, enveloped by the Ancestral Vein Fire. In no time, the surface began to crack, and shortly after, it was refined into a pile of essence medicine powder.

Yun Xiao's Ancestral Vein Fire was transformed from the Blood Moon Jade, many times stronger than that of regular Meridian Refining Masters, thus saving a great deal of time in this initial refining step.

However, the path of alchemy tests not just the strength of the flames but also the potency of the Power of Soul and the ability to control the fire within the medicine tripod.

The most crucial step, of course, is combining the essences of different attribute ingredients together. Failures often occur during this stage, costing days of time and countless precious ingredients.

Fortunately, the Flame Burst Pill Yun Xiao was refining this time used purely fire attribute materials, thus avoiding the risk of attribute rejection. However, when the fire attribute within the tripod reached an extreme level, another change occurred.

A day and a night passed swiftly, and fortunately, during this time, Yun Xiao utilized his formidable Power of Soul to forcibly merge the fire attribute ingredients refined to essence, slowly forming a crimson pill.

Boom!

Just then, a powerful energy wave erupted from within the medicine tripod, striking the walls like a mighty iron hammer, causing Yun Xiao's expression to change.

Crack!

Yun Xiao's ears caught a peculiar sound, and his gaze sharpened as he discovered a tiny crack on the bottom of the medicine tripod.

"Not good, the medicine tripod might not hold!"

Seeing the fine crack, Yun Xiao's face turned extremely grim. He knew well what such a change implied, and indeed, it was a lapse on his part.

"If it really leads to the destruction of the cauldron, it would be a colossal joke!"

With a self-deprecating mutter, Yun Xiao, with no other choice, controlled his Power of Soul to prevent the pill energy within from breaching the edges of the tripod.

Yet, under the impact of extreme fire attribute pill energy, such control was nearly ineffective unless Yun Xiao decided to retrieve the pill prematurely. Otherwise, the energy would continue its rampant onslaught.

"I should have known better and bought a better medicine tripod at the Lushan City Meridian Refining Master Guild!"

Some things are always regretted only after they happen. For example, Yun Xiao felt a kind of regret at this moment.

Obviously, after he broke through to the Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Refining Master and started to refine this Earth Rank Middle Level Elixir, the medicine tripod he brought from the Hidden Dragon Continent was already not sufficient.

This was actually a Spiritual Rank Advanced medicine tripod given to him by the Jade Pot Sect Master Yu Shu after Yun Xiao turned the tide in the Xuanyue Empire.

Sometimes, these medicine tripods don't seem that important. For example, this Spiritual Rank Advanced medicine tripod can withstand the refinement of some ordinary Earth Rank Middle Level Elixirs several times.

Yun Xiao had very few opportunities to refine elixirs. In fact, this was only the second time he used this Spiritual Rank Advanced medicine tripod for alchemy, yet he didn't expect danger of destruction already at the second use.

Actually, at this moment, Yun Xiao already realized why the medicine tripod couldn't hold up. If it were an ordinary elixir, at least this time it could withstand it. However, the Flame Burst Pill is a unique fire attribute elixir, and such violent power was beyond the tolerance of a Spiritual Rank Advanced medicine tripod.

Even if it were the second time, under such violent fire attribute power, a brand-new Spiritual Rank Advanced medicine tripod might also explode.

Fortunately, Yun Xiao was not an ordinary Meridian Refining Master. His handling of unexpected occurrences during the alchemy process far surpassed that of a typical Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Refining Master.

If it were an ordinary Earth Rank Middle Level Meridian Refining Master, upon seeing a few cracks appearing on the medicine tripod, they might feel hopeless, even injuring themselves severely if it exploded afterward.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

As time passed, even though Yun Xiao tried his best to control it, the cracks on the medicine tripod increased and eventually almost covered every part of the tripod, threatening to explode at any moment.

"Faster, faster!"

If anyone else were on the reef, they would hear Yun Xiao's anxious murmurs. Yet, this prayer seemed to lose control at the last moment.

Boom!

At a certain moment, Yun Xiao's eyes sharpened, and the medicine tripod shrank slightly, then suddenly expanded outward, giving him no time to react. He quickly manifested thunder wings behind him, retreating to the lake surface dozens of feet away from the reef.

"Chi Yan!"

At this moment, a gleam appeared in Yun Xiao's eyes. After retreating dozens of feet, he shouted towards the Fire Cloud Rat Chi Yan at the other side.

Swoosh!

The prepared Chi Yan instantly enlarged, leaped tens of feet in the air, and engulfed a certain fiery red glow within the exploding medicine tripod.

"Chi Yan, I hope you can withstand it, otherwise..."

Watching from afar as Chi Yan swallowed the Flame Burst Pill, Yun Xiao's eyes suddenly showed hesitation. As the creator of the Flame Burst Pill, he knew that due to the final explosion of the tripod, some violent fire attribute energies within the pill were not fully suppressed.

Although the Flame Burst Pill was originally composed of various fire attribute herbs, their essence influenced each other, resulting in enormous energy.

At the last moment, due to the explosion of the medicine tripod, Yun Xiao couldn't perfectly suppress the violent fire attribute energies within the Flame Burst Pill, making the pill flawed.

Such a pill, if consumed by human cultivators training in fire attributes or ordinary fire attribute vein demons, would undoubtedly lead to their demise.

Even though Chi Yan of the ancient species consumed the Flame Burst Pill, Yun Xiao wasn't entirely sure. But now that Chi Yan had swallowed it, Yun Xiao could only leave it to Chi Yan's destiny.

Boom!

Under Yun Xiao's distant observation, Chi Yan suddenly emitted a powerful energy wave after swallowing the Flame Burst Pill. The fire attribute aura swept across the entire lake.

"Squeak…"

At the same time, a painful squeak came from Chi Yan's mouth, and its fiery red fur stood on end as if about to shed, appearing ferocious.

"Chi Yan, you must hold on!"

Seeing this from afar, Yun Xiao couldn't help but feel regret. It was his own negligence with the medicine tripod that the Flame Burst Pill didn't become perfect. If Chi Yan suffered any damage, he would truly be inconsolable.