Silver flames flickered, continuously rising from beneath the earth, radiating a soft glow and pulsing with spiritual energy. Holy light streamed into the alchemical cauldron in a steady flow.
The entire stone chamber shimmered with a gentle white radiance, like faint mist swirling in the air. It looked like an immortal's cave dwelling, suffused with dense spiritual energy.
This kind of Hellfire was extraordinary, not only did it provide the precise temperature, it also supplied a unique spiritual power that broke down herbs, condensed life essence, and allowed for the refining of elixirs.
The silver flames danced, and the bronze cauldron became cloaked in milky white light. The runes engraved on its surface seemed to come to life.
Elder Han sat silently nearby, eyes closed, guarding the cauldron. His withered body was completely still, with no signs of life.
Inside the sealed cauldron, Ye Fan felt only pain. His limbs had been pierced, and even his chest had been stabbed. Blood had flowed freely from five deep wounds, and he felt utterly weak. But just as Elder Han had said, his life wasn't immediately in danger. His body was soaked in a green medicinal solution, and under its nourishment, the bleeding had gradually stopped.
At that moment, the heat inside the cauldron increased. Bubbles began forming in the herbal solution, and the temperature steadily climbed. The liquid reached Ye Fan's jawline. He wanted to move, but his body was sealed, he couldn't so much as twitch.
"What a humiliating way to die... I really can't accept this…"
Gurgle, gurgle...
Ye Fan began gulping down the medicinal solution. His mouth was the only part of him that could still move. If his hands had been free, he would've grabbed the nearby Nine-Leaf Phoenix Grass, shimmering with red light, and swallowed it.
Due to his massive blood loss, Ye Fan's consciousness began to blur. He bit his lip and muttered, "I can't die!"
Even though the wounds had stopped bleeding thanks to the herbal liquid, he was still nearing collapse, caught in a half-conscious, semi-delirious state.
"I can't lose consciousness… If I do, I'll die…" Ye Fan drifted in and out, fighting to stay awake.
In this dazed state, the faces of people he knew appeared in his mind: his gray-haired parents calling him home, a cousin reminding him to attend his wedding, an eighteen-year-old cousin smiling as she asked him for a gift after getting into her dream university, friends chastising him for being gone so long…
Everyone from home, his family, his friends, filled his mind. They all shouted to him, reaching out, trying to pull him back. He kept running toward them, but no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't reach them.
Then, scenes from this world appeared one after another. Pang Bo, bursting with demonic energy, struggling for his life; little Tingting weeping in the Jiang Clan household; Elder Han's cruel grin…
Even Li Xiaoman's figure flashed by, from gazing across a sea, to forgetting each other, to ultimately meeting again with cold, indifferent stares, reminding him that mortals and immortals were from different worlds and that he should give up his unrealistic hopes and live as an ordinary person.
"I can't die… I have to go home… So many people are waiting for me…" Ye Fan murmured, half-unconscious.
Beside the cauldron, Elder Han opened his eyes and said, "Slowly savor the taste of death."
At that moment, the Hellfire released more spiritual energy. The sacred silver flames danced vigorously, gradually enveloping the bronze cauldron.
Inside the cauldron, the green liquid began to boil with countless bubbles. Silver light flowed through it, pure spiritual power from the Hellfire.
Just as Ye Fan was about to lose consciousness completely, a gentle stream of energy surfaced in his mind. Hundreds of primordial words flowed through his consciousness, steadying his spirit and gradually reviving him.
Ye Fan became increasingly alert, shocked. The last time he was gravely injured by the Jiang Clan soldier, the ancient scripture had brought him back. Now, it was happening again.
By now, the temperature inside the cauldron was extremely high. The green solution was on the verge of boiling. Ye Fan had no other option, he silently chanted the ancient scripture, gritting his teeth and enduring the pain.
Then he felt something strange: strands of silver light were entering his body, swimming through his flesh, full of vitality.
This was the spiritual power of Hellfire, it broke down herbs, condensed essence, and refined elixirs. Now, mistaking Ye Fan for an ingredient, it flowed into his sealed body, causing his sealed life essence to stir. The power Elder Han had used to bind him began to unravel.
Finally, to Ye Fan's shock and delight, he found he could move again. The restraints were gone! Elder Han could never have imagined that the Hellfire's unique spiritual energy would undo his seal.
At this point, the medicinal solution was boiling, and Ye Fan's skin felt like it was being flayed. He quickly activated the mystical technique recorded in the Dao Scripture. Vital essence surged from his Bitter Sea, spreading throughout his body. His skin glowed faintly, shielding him from the boiling liquid.
Ye Fan remained still, sitting quietly, continuously operating the Dao Scripture to gather the massive amount of life essence in the cauldron and use it to heal his injuries.
Half an hour passed. Ye Fan opened his eyes, two cold flashes shot forth. He reached out and grabbed the lotus seed from the Black Jade God Lotus.
The lotus seed was large, shaped like a pigeon's egg, glossy and translucent like carved black jade. It gleamed with a dreamy luster, illuminating Ye Fan's hand.
Such a rare treasure couldn't possibly dissolve in a short time. That's why Elder Han had said it would take seven days and nights to refine.
Ye Fan put the seed in his mouth and began chewing it slowly. It felt like he was crushing divine gemstones in his mouth, vibrant life energy burst forth. His whole mouth lit up with dazzling brilliance.
By the cauldron, Elder Han seemed to hear something. Still seated, he cracked a cold smile. "Can't hold on anymore? Soaked in pure life essence, even as the heat rises and your skin splits, you won't die so easily."
He showed no pity, no compassion. He closed his eyes again, returning to silence.
Inside the bronze cauldron, Ye Fan's face remained expressionless. The lotus seed had been fully chewed and swallowed. He shut his eyes and continued chanting the Dao Scripture. His body began to glow with crystalline light.
An hour passed.
Suddenly, Ye Fan's Bitter Sea burst into golden brilliance. His drained energy and blood were fully restored, and his essence surged wildly. At the same time, his golden Bitter Sea churned violently, on the verge of a massive tsunami, a terrifying phenomenon!
Ye Fan suppressed it with immense willpower, preventing the breakthrough. At the same time, he deliberately made a faint sound, hoping Elder Han would notice and lift the lid, so he could unleash the golden book in a surprise attack.
"What's that sound? Like waves crashing?" Elder Han opened his eyes with a surprised look. "They say extraordinary pills give off strange signs just before completion. Could this be a supreme-grade elixir?"
Ye Fan clenched his jaw. He desperately wanted Elder Han to lift the lid, but hearing this kind of comment crushed that hope. He eased up the pressure on his aura, letting more wave-like sounds echo from the bronze cauldron.
"It really is wave-like…" Elder Han looked excited. "There's a legend that when a supreme pill is about to form, the sound of ocean waves fills the air. If the sound gets intense enough, it can be deafening, like you're truly standing before a surging sea. Am I really refining a peerless elixir?"
"Damn you!" Ye Fan cursed silently. His perfectly laid trap was useless if the old man didn't lift the lid.
Rumble…
Ye Fan intensified the noise. Ocean waves surged violently as his body glowed golden. His Bitter Sea had begun to open.
"The ancients didn't deceive me!" Elder Han danced around the cauldron in excitement. "In all my years of refining, I've never seen signs like this, it must be a supreme-grade elixir!"
Ye Fan could hardly keep holding back. His golden Bitter Sea erupted into furious waves, a full-on tsunami!
In an instant, brilliant godlight exploded. A thousand waves crashed. The roar of water was deafening!
It was as if a stampede of warhorses thundered past… or a barrage of meteorites shattered the land.
The roaring tide was accompanied by deafening thunder and lightning that tore through the air, streaking across the golden Bitter Sea, terrifying beyond belief.
Ye Fan tensed, ready to unleash the golden book at a moment's notice and strike down his enemy.
But Elder Han was beside himself with joy, shouting, "The ancients didn't lie… The legends are real!"
He was pacing in circles around the bronze cauldron, nearly dancing with glee.
"There's the roar of the sea… and thunder too, exactly as the ancient texts describe. This is the omen of a supreme pill!"
Ye Fan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He had planned everything for a deadly ambush… and yet Elder Han refused to open the lid, having thoroughly convinced himself it was all part of the alchemy process.
"Damn you…" Ye Fan cursed again and steadied his mind, focusing fully on expanding his golden Bitter Sea.
"The ancients didn't deceive me!" Elder Han shouted again, practically dancing with excitement.