18: Either refine the elixir! Or... die?!

The silence in the main hall of the Pill Room was like frozen ice, heavy enough to suffocate one.

Elder Situ leaned against the cold stone pillar, his chest heaving violently. Every breath tugged at the tearing pain deep within his Sea of Consciousness!

His face was pale gold, blood still drying at the corners of his mouth. His hawk-like eyes stared fixedly at the direction of the hall door where Old Man Zhong and Luo Yan had disappeared. Deep within his pupils, waves of shock, fear, and... a lingering sense of bewilderment surged!

Domain!

That cold, supreme, terrifying Domain that seemed capable of freezing the Soul!

There was absolutely no mistake!

And... it was more refined than that time at the back mountain! Even more terrifying! It was filled with warnings and... Killing Intent!

Who was it?!

Who on earth was it?!

Old Man Zhong?! That old fellow who had been sweeping the Medicine Garden in the Qingyun Sect for hundreds of years, whose cultivation was so low it was almost negligible?! How could this be possible?! But... besides him, who else was in the hall at that time?!

Elder Situ felt his worldview collapsing and reshaping in an unprecedented way! His Zhaoshen Realm Peak cultivation, of which he was so proud, was as fragile as paper in front of that Domain pressure! He couldn't even muster a single thought of resistance! There was only fear and submission originating from the depths of his Soul!

"Cough, cough..." The violent coughing aggravated his injuries, and Elder Situ coughed up another mouthful of blood, his face turning even uglier. He struggled to stand straight, a flash of ruthlessness crossing his eyes! No matter who was protecting Luo Yan and that Menial Worker from behind! This Qingyun Sect... was still under his, Situ Wufeng's, command! At least... on the surface!

"Come here!" Elder Situ forced a breath, his voice hoarse but carrying unquestionable authority.

A trusted Disciple immediately flashed in. Seeing Elder Situ's disheveled state, a trace of shock flashed in his eyes, but he dared not ask more, bowing: "What are your orders, Elder?"

"Pass down the order!" Elder Situ's eyes were cold. "Effective immediately, Luo Yan of the Cold Plum Courtyard is unwell and needs to rest and recuperate! Without my personal written order, no one is allowed to visit! Offenders... will be treated as traitors to the sect!"

"Yes!" The Disciple felt a chill in his heart and quickly went to carry out the order.

Cold light flickered in Elder Situ's eyes. House arrest for Luo Yan! Cut off her contact with the outside world! Especially that Jiang Linfeng! He wanted to see how long that "expert" hiding in the shadows could protect them! And how long he could endure!

As for Jiang Linfeng... a cruel arc curled at the corner of Elder Situ's mouth. This brat... it was time to let him taste the real "flavor"!

Waste Slag Pit.

Jiang Linfeng was "diligently" cleaning up the pill ash, his movements still "clumsy." But his keen spiritual sense (Zhaoshen Realm) had long since captured the energy fluctuations in the direction of the Pill Room main hall and the Killing Intent that had erupted from Elder Situ! He had even sensed that fleeting, yet cold and supreme Domain aura!

Old Man Zhong had made a move!

Jiang Linfeng understood in his heart. This seemingly inconspicuous weird old man was indeed hiding his true strength! And... it seemed he was on his and Yaner's side?

【Ding! Partner Luo Yan's safety detected! Elder Situ's spiritual sense probe intercepted by an unknown Domain!】

【Hint: Elder Situ has ordered Luo Yan to be placed under house arrest at the Cold Plum Courtyard!】

House arrest?!

Jiang Linfeng's eyes suddenly turned cold! This old bastard! How dare he!

A biting Killing Intent rose in his heart! The power of the Zhaoshen Realm surged in his body! But he forcibly suppressed it! Now was not the time to flip the table! Since Old Man Zhong had stepped in to protect Yaner, she should be safe for now. He needed to wait for an opportunity!

Just then—

"Jiang Linfeng! Elder Situ summons you! Follow me immediately!" Deacon Liu's cold voice rang out at the Waste Slag Pit, carrying a trace of imperceptible schadenfreude.

Jiang Linfeng felt a chill in his heart. It was here! Elder Situ's revenge!

He "fearfully" put down the broom and followed Deacon Liu back to the depths of the Pill Room. This time, it was not the Pill Formula pavilion, but Elder Situ's Alchemy meditation room!

In the meditation room, heat waves rolled. A huge purple bronze pill furnace stood in the center, the furnace fire roaring, emitting astonishing heat. Elder Situ sat cross-legged on the cushion in front of the Pill Furnace, his face still pale, but his eyes were like poisonous knives, staring fixedly at Jiang Linfeng as he walked in.

"Disciple Jiang Linfeng, pays respects to the Elder." Jiang Linfeng bowed, his posture extremely low.

"Hmph!" Elder Situ snorted coldly, his voice hoarse. "Jiang Linfeng, I will give you a chance! A... chance to survive!"

He pointed to the huge purple bronze pill furnace in front of him, the furnace fire reflecting on his sinister face: "In this furnace, a batch of 'blazing sun bone forging pill' is being refined! Profound Rank Medium Grade! The main ingredient is the xuan yang fruit! This pill is extremely domineering, and the success rate is very low! Any carelessness will lead to a furnace explosion! The pill will be destroyed, and people will die!"

He paused, his gaze locking onto Jiang Linfeng like a venomous snake: "I see that you... have 'good luck'? You could even 'stumble' through the pill tribulation? Presumably... you have some means to 'resolve' the danger of a furnace explosion, right?"

Jiang Linfeng's heart sank! This old fox! Was he trying to use him as a human shield?! To fill the Pill Furnace?!

"El... Elder..." Jiang Linfeng stepped back in "terror," "This... this small one is just a cleaner... I don't know Alchemy! This... this furnace explosion... this... this small one is afraid of death..."

"Afraid of death?" A cruel smile curled at the corner of Elder Situ's mouth. "It's good to be afraid of death! Either you obediently stay by the furnace and use your 'good luck' to help me stabilize the Pill Furnace! Or..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a terrifying pressure descended! Like an invisible giant hand, it gripped Jiang Linfeng's throat tightly! Lifting him off the ground!

"Or... I will send you to see the King of Hell right now! And then send your little lady, who is pregnant with a wild child... to accompany you!" Elder Situ's voice was like the cold wind from the Nine Netherworlds, freezing to the bone!

Boom!

Jiang Linfeng's pupils contracted sharply! An unprecedented rage and Killing Intent erupted in his chest like a volcano! Yaner! This old bastard actually dared to threaten him with Yaner!

The Source Spirit Body operated crazily! The power of the Zhaoshen Realm was almost about to break out of his body! The Invincible Domain roared in his Sea of Consciousness! With just one thought! He could crush this old bastard along with this Pill Room!

But... he couldn't!

Elder Situ's cultivation was at the Peak of the Zhaoshen Realm! Even if severely injured, it was definitely not something he could kill instantly right now! Once he made a move, the commotion would be too big! Yaner was still in his hands! Although Old Man Zhong had made a move, his attitude was unclear! He couldn't gamble!

"I... I..." Jiang Linfeng struggled "painfully," his face full of "fear" and "despair," "This... this small one is willing... willing to help the Elder... stabilize the Pill Furnace..."

"Hmph! You know what's good for you!" Elder Situ snorted coldly, and the pressure eased slightly. Jiang Linfeng fell to the ground with a "thud," gasping for breath.

"Get over there! Guard the furnace!" Elder Situ pointed to a position next to the Pill Furnace, the closest to the furnace fire, where the heat waves were scorching. "Before the pill is formed, you are not allowed to leave for even half a step! Otherwise... you know the consequences!"

Jiang Linfeng "struggled" to get up and stumbled to the side of the furnace. The terrifying heat waves instantly enveloped him! His skin felt a burning pain! Sweat instantly soaked his clothes! But the Source Spirit Body within him operated, quietly neutralizing most of the heat, while on the surface, he pretended to be in agony, about to be roasted.

Elder Situ glanced at him coldly, ignoring him, his hands forming seals, starting to control the Pill Furnace with all his might! Under his control, the furnace fire was sometimes as fierce as a Dragon, sometimes as docile as a Snake! Muffled roars came from the furnace; that was the violent conflict of medicinal properties! The entire Pill Furnace was shaking violently! As if it could explode at any moment!

Jiang Linfeng "shivered" and huddled by the furnace, looking terrified, but in reality, his spiritual sense had long since quietly probed into the Pill Furnace!

Source Spirit Eye activated!

The scene inside the furnace was clearly presented!

A mass of medicinal liquid, red as magma, was spinning and clashing crazily! The violent xuan yang fire Qi was like a wild horse, constantly impacting the furnace walls! At the core, several pill embryos were struggling to condense, but they were covered in cracks and could collapse at any moment!

【Ding! Analyzing the medicinal properties inside the Pill Furnace!】

【blazing sun bone forging pill is being refined...】

【Main ingredient: xuan yang fruit (insufficient maturity, excessive fire Qi)!】

【Auxiliary ingredient: Earth Fire Essence Gold (excessive, aggravating the conflict)!】

【Medicinal conflict level: 95%! Furnace explosion probability: extremely high!】

【Suggestion: Needs ice-cold attribute medicinal power to harmonize and neutralize the xuan yang fire Qi!】

Ice-cold attribute medicinal power?!

Jiang Linfeng's heart stirred! Didn't he have the purified ice heart lotus dregs essence in his System space?!

A bold plan instantly formed in his mind!

While "fearfully" watching the violently shaking Pill Furnace, he quietly took out a pinch of the purified ice heart lotus essence powder from his System space! Colorless and odorless, with inner coldness!

"El... Elder! The... the furnace is going to explode!" Jiang Linfeng screamed in "terror," his body "scared" into shrinking backward violently! His hand "accidentally" hit the furnace wall!

Puff!

A pinch of ice-blue powder, under the high temperature of the furnace fire and the clever push of Origin Spirit Power, drifted into the furnace through the gap in the furnace lid like dust, silently!

Elder Situ was concentrating on suppressing the violent medicinal power and didn't notice this tiny action at all!

The ice heart lotus essence powder fell into the boiling medicinal liquid!

Hiss—!

It was like dropping ice water into hot oil! A pure ice-cold Origin instantly spread!

A miracle happened!

The xuan yang fire Qi that had been violently clashing like a volcanic eruption, the moment it touched the ice-cold Origin, was like being doused with a basin of cold water, instantly becoming much more "docile"! Although still scorching, the destructive conflict force was greatly reduced! At the core, those few cracked pill embryos, under the strange balance of ice and fire, saw their cracks rapidly seal! The surface began to emit a stable, crimson luster!

【Ding! ice heart lotus essence neutralized the xuan yang fire Qi! Medicinal conflict level dropped to 50%! Furnace explosion probability: low!】

【blazing sun bone forging pill success rate increased to 70%!】

It worked! Jiang Linfeng was secretly happy! But on the surface, he was still "shivering"!

Elder Situ also immediately noticed the changes inside the furnace! A flash of doubt crossed his eyes! What was going on?! The medicinal power that had been violent and about to explode just now, why did it suddenly become... stable?! Even... success was in sight?!

He glanced suspiciously at Jiang Linfeng, who was huddled into a ball by the furnace "in fear." Could it be... this brat's "luck" again?!

Impossible! This was too ridiculous!

Elder Situ suppressed the suspicion in his heart, seized this rare stable period, and used all his strength to form seals and condense the pill!

Hum—!

The vibration of the Pill Furnace gradually ceased! The crimson light inside the furnace flared brightly! A rich, domineering pill fragrance that carried the aura of tempering muscles and bones permeated the air!

It was done! blazing sun bone forging pill! It was done!

A flash of wild joy crossed Elder Situ's eyes! He slammed the furnace lid!

Boom!

The furnace lid shot into the sky! Three pills, the size of dragon eyes, crimson as blood, with lava-like patterns flowing on the surface, floated at the furnace mouth! Emitting astonishing heat and medicinal power!

Profound Rank Medium Grade! blazing sun bone forging pill! It was done!

"Hahaha! Heaven helps me!" Elder Situ couldn't help but laugh out loud! The problem that had plagued him for so long was actually solved! Although the process was strange, the result was gratifying!

He waved his large sleeve and collected the three pills into a jade bottle! Immediately, his gaze fell back on Jiang Linfeng, who was "still shaken" by the furnace, his eyes becoming extremely complicated.

"Jiang Linfeng..." Elder Situ's voice was low, "You... are very good!"

Jiang Linfeng "fearfully and respectfully" lowered his head: "This... this small one does not dare to take credit... it is all the Elder's Divine Might..."

"Hmph!" Elder Situ snorted coldly, sharp light flashing in his eyes, "I don't care what means you used! And I don't care who is standing behind you! Since you have this 'luck'... then I will give you a chance!"

He opened his palm, and in his palm was the xuan yang fruit core that had been "nourished" by Jiang Linfeng and had consumed 25% of its energy!

"This xuan yang fruit core still has 70% of its fire Qi left! I will give you another piece of 'ice heart lotus' rhizome (the medicinal effect is far inferior to the essence)!" Elder Situ took out another piece of ice-blue rhizome emitting faint cold air from his storage ring, "Within ten days! Use this broken earthen pot! Refine another batch of 'ice soul tempering divine pill' for me! The grade... must not be lower than Profound Rank Low Grade!"

He stared fixedly into Jiang Linfeng's eyes, saying word by word: "If you succeed! I will ensure you and your little lady are safe! Even... give you the status of an official Disciple! If you fail..."

Killing Intent exploded in Elder Situ's eyes!

"I will let you watch with your own eyes... how your unborn child... dies in the womb! And then send your little lady... to the cheapest brothel! Let you wish for death but be unable to die!"

The terrifying Killing Intent was like a tangible ice pick, piercing fiercely into Jiang Linfeng's heart!

Jiang Linfeng's body trembled violently! An unprecedented, ice-cold Killing Intent swept through his body like a tidal wave! Not because of fear! But because of... anger! Extreme anger!

The Dragon has a reverse scale! Touch it and die!

Yaner and the child! They were Jiang Linfeng's only reverse scale!

This old bastard! How dare he use them to threaten him?! How dare he say such vicious words?!

The Source Spirit Body roared crazily in his body! The power of the Zhaoshen Realm was almost about to break through the shackles of the Breath Concealment Art! The Invincible Domain expanded wildly in his Sea of Consciousness! A cold, tyrannical, terrifying aura that seemed to come from the Nine Nether Hell, uncontrollably permeated from his body!

The temperature in the meditation room suddenly dropped to freezing point! Thick frost instantly condensed on the walls! The huge purple bronze pill furnace let out an unbearable groan! The furnace fire instantly went out!

Elder Situ's face changed drastically! He felt an indescribable, terrifying pressure that seemed capable of freezing the Soul instantly envelop him! Making it difficult for him to even breathe! He looked at Jiang Linfeng in horror! Looking at the cold Killing Intent like an abyss that flashed in his lowered eyes!

"You...!" Elder Situ was terrified to the extreme! Subconsciously taking a step back! His internal Qi operated crazily, trying to resist that terrifying pressure!

But that aura came fast and went fast!

Jiang Linfeng suddenly lowered his head, his body "trembling" violently, as if he couldn't bear Elder Situ's Killing Intent, his voice filled with "crying" and "despair":

"El... Elder, spare me! This... this small one will... will refine it! This... this small one will definitely refine it! Please Elder... spare Yaner and the child..."

He clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms! Blood dripped from between his fingers! He used the intense pain to force himself to stay calm! Suppressing the Killing Intent that was almost about to burn his sanity!

Now... was not the time!

He must endure!

For Yaner! For the child!

Elder Situ looked at Jiang Linfeng's "fearful and desperate" appearance with uncertainty, and felt the lingering cold aura in the air that made his heart palpitate... Was it just now... an illusion? Or... was there really something strange about this brat?!

He suppressed the horror in his heart and said sternly: "Remember your words! Ten days! Profound Rank Low Grade ice soul tempering divine pill! Otherwise... bear the consequences! Get out!"

"Yes... yes!" Jiang Linfeng "scrambled" to escape the meditation room, leaving Elder Situ alone, standing on the spot with a gloomy and uncertain face, looking at the few drops of striking blood on the ground, speechless for a long time.

Room No. 3, C-block.

Jiang Linfeng closed the door tightly, leaning against the cold wall, slowly sliding to the floor. He opened his palm, his palm flesh was blurred, blood dripping. But he couldn't feel any pain, only the anger and Killing Intent that were almost about to burn his Soul to ashes!

"Situ Wufeng..." Jiang Linfeng's voice was low and hoarse, like the whisper of a demon from Hell, "Ten days... ten days later... I want you... to pay your blood debt with blood!"

Cold light exploded in his eyes! An unprecedented resolution and madness burned in his chest!

Alchemy?

Fine!

But what is refined... will be the life-claiming pill that sends you to Hell!