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**
Although he wanted to take this chance to bring up the matter of Xiao Yan betraying Jia Nan Academy and stealing the Heavenly Flame, he figured that speaking ill of others behind their back wasn't exactly admirable. It'd be better to wait until he met Xiao Yan in person and confront him openly.
"Since that's the case, let's begin the assessment. Lin Feng, all you need to do is refine a mid-grade seventh-tier pill before us, and you will have passed."
At that moment, one of the two elders from the Small Pill Tower — a small, thin old man — spoke up.
"In that case, this junior shall display his humble skills."
Lin Feng didn't want to waste time. With a faint smile, he brushed his fingers across his storage ring.
As a faint light flickered, a massive and heavy grayish metal cauldron abruptly appeared in midair before slamming heavily onto the ground.
The ancient cauldron was covered with eight evenly spaced fire vents, its surface shimmering with a faint metallic luster. It was something Lin Feng had taken from the Lue Feng Zun Zhe's storage ring.
Although this cauldron couldn't quite compare to the Ten Thousand Beast Cauldron, it was still a fine eight-mouth cauldron — more than sufficient even for refining Tier 8 pills. However, the five elders present were not ordinary figures. Seeing this, none of them showed any particular reaction.
Lin Feng slowly raised his hand, flicking his finger lightly. A surge of Green Lotus Core Flame burst forth in an elegant swirl. In an instant, the temperature in the hall skyrocketed.
After all, his current strength within the Pill Region wasn't at the peak yet, so it was best not to expose his newly fused multiple Heavenly Flames too easily.
"That's... a Heavenly Flame?!"
Sensing the disturbance in their own internal flames, the five people's expressions changed as they looked toward the cyan flame in Lin Feng's hand in astonishment.
"Its color leans toward green, and when it flares, it briefly takes on the shape of a lotus... It seems Lin Feng's Heavenly Flame is the Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking."
After their initial surprise, the five exchanged knowing glances, their gazes sharpening. As top-level eighth-tier alchemists, they had all memorized the appearances of the twenty-three ranked Heavenly Flames by heart.
"What a pity... Lin Feng has already subdued the Green Lotus Core Flame. Otherwise, we could have tried to trade for it."
Xuan Yi, the cheongsam-clad beauty, watched the green flame with faint disappointment in her eyes.
Back when Xiao Yan had joined the Pill Tower, he had already told her about the method to resurrect Yao Chen. Most of the materials required, with her current status, could easily be obtained — except for the three Heavenly Flames.
That was where the real difficulty lay.
To make matters worse, Xiao Yan now urgently needed more flames to increase his strength. Having nearly married Yao Chen in her younger days, Xuan Yi naturally treated Xiao Yan as her own junior.
Thus, when she saw the Green Lotus Core Flame already refined by Lin Feng, a wave of disappointment washed through her. Had the flame not been absorbed, she would have been confident in trading for it — even if the price were a Heaven Grade cultivation technique or Dou Technique, she would not have hesitated.
After the Hall of Souls's attack on Xiao Yan, she had grown increasingly concerned about his safety. But now that Lin Feng had fully refined the Heavenly Flame, to forcibly extract it would inflict irreparable damage on him.
The chances of a successful trade were practically zero.
Lin Feng, however, paid no attention to their unspoken thoughts. As soon as he summoned the Green Lotus Core Flame, he flicked his wrist, sending it arcing through the air before it landed gracefully inside the cauldron.
Then, with another motion, he retrieved a large number of high-grade medicinal ingredients from his storage ring, each emitting an intense herbal fragrance.
His powerful soul power controlled them effortlessly, guiding the ingredients to float into the cauldron almost simultaneously, beginning the purification process.
"He's preparing to refine a peak seventh-tier pill... the Mysterious Bodhisattva Foundation Building Pill, huh."
The Elders seated above exchanged brief glances — they had refined pills for hundreds of years; it took them only a glance at the ingredients to discern exactly what Lin Feng was refining.
As Lin Feng continued refining in silence, several days passed in the blink of an eye. Before long, within that heavy gray metal cauldron before him, the pill inside began to take form.
"Rumble—!"
No one knew how long had passed when suddenly, dark, churning clouds gathered over Lin Feng's head. Within them, thick silver bolts of lightning—each as wide as a man's waist—snaked wildly across the sky.
Moments later, those thunderbolts descended from the clouds, crashing straight toward the massive, dark-gray cauldron hovering before him. But at that very instant, one of the Elders seated nearby raised his hand and gave a casual wave.
In a heartbeat, an immense wave of Dou Qi—so vast that it crushed all thoughts of resistance—surged forth, blasting directly into the clouds above.
A deafening boom echoed across the heavens.
In an instant, the rolling thunderclouds and rampaging lightning vanished completely, as though they had never existed.
"Many thanks for your assistance, senior."
Lin Feng was momentarily stunned by how easily the elder had dispersed the Pill Lightning, but quickly cupped his hands in gratitude. Then, with a flick of his wrist, a glowing pill slowly floated up and drifted toward the five examiners.
"This is the pill I've refined," he said respectfully. "Please, seniors, have a look."
As his voice fell, five strands of invisible soul power silently extended, probing the pill's composition.
A moment later, faint astonishment flickered across their eyes. For someone of Lin Feng's age to successfully refine a peak seventh-tier pill—it was far beyond ordinary. The Elders exchanged glances and nodded in silent agreement.
"Lin Feng," said Xuan Kongzi with a faint smile, "Congratulations. You have officially passed the assessment. From now on, you may accompany these two elders into the Small Pill Tower and study the higher technique of alchemy."
With a wave of his hand, the Mysterious Bodhisattva Foundation Building Pill floated gently back toward Lin Feng.
The young man retrieved a jade bottle, carefully stored the pill within, and returned his cauldron to his ring.
"Lin Feng, do you have any other matters to attend to?" one of the two Small Pill Tower Elders—the slender old man—asked, his tone now noticeably warmer than before. "If not, you may come with us to the Small Pill Tower immediately."
"I only need to inform Elder Ye Zhong first," Lin Feng replied with a polite bow, a hint of excitement in his eyes.
He had long been curious about the Small Pill Tower. Now that he had earned the chance to enter and learn its profound alchemical techniques, his heart surged with anticipation.
"Very well," the old man nodded thoughtfully. "We'll wait for a while. Return here once you've finished."
"Understood."
Lin Feng bowed once more before turning and stepping out of the hall.
"Lin Feng! How did the assessment go?"
Outside the grand hall, Ye Zhong quickly approached when he saw Lin Feng emerge.
"I passed," Lin Feng said with a slight smile. "But I'll be heading to the Small Pill Tower now, so I won't be returning with you."
"I see. Very well," Ye Zhong nodded approvingly, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes.
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