Perhaps due to this alchemy furnace, the efficiency of spiritual energy utilization was exceptionally high, resulting in a twice-for-half effect when outputting spiritual energy. Therefore, even when the demand for spiritual energy was at its highest, although there was some physical discomfort, it was entirely within a tolerable range!
Shi Xuan was overjoyed. Did this mean that from now on, he could refine third-tier pills at will?
Perhaps because she was distracted, no Dao Seal appeared this time when she produced pills, but she still produced ten top-grade flawless Rejuvenation Pills, setting a record for her highest success rate in producing third-tier pills!
The opposite stone wall shook in a very human-like way, as if it still wanted to see her refine the next grade of pills, but probably felt it was making things difficult for her, and finally reluctantly opened up.
Seeing that this hurdle had been overcome, Shi Xuan began to collect all the remaining spiritual herbs from the shelves. Two rooms, thousands of kinds of pills and spiritual plants—even the boxes containing these plants were worth a batch of spirit stones. This was truly a great harvest.
The stone gate opened wide, and the last room was exactly the same as the last room in the array gate. On the floating stone platform, a single, bright red flame burned. Apart from that, there was nothing else.
“It’s spiritual fire!” Shi Xuan said. “Judging from the appearance, it’s a cluster of fire from the earth’s core.”
The Earth Core Fire is a type of spiritual fire, known for its intense heat yet restrained nature. In the process of alchemy, the assistance of a good spiritual fire can greatly shorten the time required to form the pill, achieving twice the result with half the effort.
No alchemist can resist the allure of spiritual fire. Shi Xuan was just thinking that ordinary flames were no longer worthy of her Heavenly Origin Alchemy Furnace when the Earth Core Fire arrived. It was like a pillow delivered to someone who was dozing off, very thoughtful indeed.
Flames are generally intense, and the Earth Core Fire is considered the gentlest among spiritual flames. Even so, taming it is no easy task. Especially after the flames enter the body, before they are tamed, the wildly flickering flames can cause great discomfort.
Fortunately, Shi Xuan had experience in subduing spirit fire in her previous life. With the help of Wanwusheng, or perhaps because the fire had been there for too long and was cooperating, she only needed a quarter of an hour to bring the spirit fire into her dantian and place it in her spiritual palace.
As usual, she collected the stone platform without any hesitation and returned to the ground. With a thought, a cluster of crystal-red flames appeared between her fingers, which was convenient and quick, much better than using the fire she had stored away.
Having successfully cleared the Dan Gate, Shi Xuan reaped considerable rewards. Upon returning to the main hall, he turned and re-entered the array gate, collecting materials in accordance with the principle of not wasting anything.
Meanwhile, Fan Mingzhu had already led a group of demonic beasts to the foot of the mountain in the northeast corner.
The monster was extremely fast, and Fan Mingzhu, who was being chased, was also struggling. She ate a few spirit pills and used a speed talisman. She finally managed to lead the monster to the northeast corner, but she did not see Shi Xuan's shadow.
On her way to bring the demon beast, she had already devised several ways to escape by diverting the trouble, but unfortunately, she didn't see anyone.
This area is quite large, and it might be nearby.
Fan Mingzhu continued to lead the demon beast on a rampage, running around the mountain twice, but still couldn't find Shi Xuan.
But if she gave up now, all the suffering she had endured would have been for nothing, and she would have wasted several pills and speed-up talismans. She was extremely unwilling to accept this.
It must still be here. Fan Mingzhu expanded the search area, circling around the outside of the mountain.
Meanwhile, Shi Xuan had already finished collecting the materials for the Array Gate and was happily preparing to join the Sword Gate in the hall.
"I suddenly remembered that we're almost out of painkillers," Shi Xuan said to Lu Shenzhi. "Let's refine a batch of painkillers before we enter the Sword Sect."
Now that she's in the secret realm, the painkiller won't be able to decide her life or death, but it will make things a little easier for her if a real fight breaks out.
Lu Shenzhi scoffed: "You're probably thinking about the effects of using the newly acquired spiritual fire with the alchemy furnace, aren't you?"
"It's a virtue to see through things but not say them." If he had a physical form, Shi Xuan would definitely give him a disdainful look.
Having just obtained the Earth Core Flame, she wanted to see how much enhancement it would bring when paired with the Heavenly Origin Pill Furnace.
Since it wouldn't take long to finish a batch of pills, Shi Xuan sat on the floor of the hall, drawing out the earth's core fire to heat the furnace while selecting the ingredients for the pain-relieving pills. Once everything was ready, he threw it into the furnace to refine it.
With the Earth Core Fire, the process was indeed incredibly fast; within moments, a pile of materials was separated into medicinal liquid. If the Heavenly Origin Pill Furnace was extremely efficient in conserving spiritual energy and divine sense, then the Earth Core Fire more than doubled her pill-refining speed.
These are just the lowest-level spiritual plants. When it comes to refining high-level materials that are difficult to overcome, ordinary flames are difficult to melt, and the role that this Earth Core Fire can play is probably even greater.
Shi Xuan was so engrossed in it that if she weren't in the secret realm, she would have loved to sit there and refine a hundred or eighty batches of pills.
Fan Mingzhu, who was outside the mountain, had already run two more laps within the large circle, but she didn't see Shi Xuan. She was exhausted.
She took two more elixirs and began to wonder if Shi Xuan had already left this place. If Shi Xuan was no longer here, what was the point of her suffering like this?
Just as she was having second thoughts, a large patch of rosy light suddenly appeared in the sky again, even more dazzling and breathtaking than the previous two.
Shi Xuan is still alive! And he's still refining pills!
The glow of dawn covered the area from the foot of the mountain to its waist in the northeast corner, and the radiant light that fell upon it was dazzling and mesmerizing.
For Fan Mingzhu, it was like being injected with chicken blood, reigniting her fighting spirit. The bright sunshine clearly told her that Shi Xuan was right here!
Taking out two more pills, Fan Mingzhu led the horde of demonic beasts toward the place where the rosy light was setting. Unbeknownst to her, Shi Xuan was within the formation, a place she would never see.
Inside the main hall, Shi Xuan put away the pill, smacking his lips with a hint of lingering satisfaction. "That was satisfying! But I should still head to the Sword Sect first."
Unlike the other two gates, the first room of the Sword Gate contained only a puppet, exactly the same as the puppet she encountered in the maze outside.
When the puppet saw Shi Xuan enter, it raised its hand and quickly demonstrated a set of sword techniques before stopping.
So, this is to teach people swordsmanship?
When it came to learning swordsmanship, Shi Xuan was the best at it. She immediately repeated the swordsmanship demonstrated by the puppet, but because the puppet moved suddenly, she didn't remember a few parts completely, and Shi Xuan's learning was not quite up to par.
But teaching puppetry isn't just a matter of a demonstration. After Shi Xuan finished teaching him once, he drew his sword again and repeated the movements.
Shi Xuan then followed her and did it again. This time, Shi Xuan was prepared, and she learned it in a more concrete and meaningful way, even taking into account the subtle changes. However, she was still relying on her intuition to understand the flow of spiritual energy through the sword.
The puppet was a patient instructor. Seeing Shi Xuan's reaction, he demonstrated for her a third time. This time, he not only slowed down his movements but also marked the trajectory of his spiritual energy with a blue halo with each sword strike, making it clearer and easier for Shi Xuan to see.
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