All of them stared at Meng Hao. The sight of someone spending 1,000,000 merit points to concoct a pill was a sight that could only be come across serendipitously. And yet, such a scene was playing out right in front of them. Whether or not Meng Hao succeeded, all of the onlookers were happy to be able to watch this rare scene.
Four hours later, Meng Hao opened his eyes, and they shone brightly.
“This medicinal pill… will not be easy to concoct,” he murmured. “I’ve never come across anything like it before…. It might not be as difficult as concocting something from nothing, but it’s still very challenging. Most importantly, if I fail, the cost will be immense!” He frowned.
“The concocting method actually changes depending on the weather and the time of day. Furthermore, it must absorb Yang qi from each of the twelve two-hour periods in the day without interruption. Divine Will then comes into being, and it can become a sun spirit!
“However, that’s not all. The first word in the name of the pill, Skypalace, is important. It’s actually referring to that mythical celestial palace which exists beyond the clouds in the sky….”
Meng Hao frowned deeply. After a while, he patted his bag of holding to produce a pill furnace. It was pitch black, and a face was just barely visible on its surface, which stared fiercely at Meng Hao.
This was the pill furnace Meng Hao had acquired years ago when he became a Violet Furnace Lord in the Violet Fate Sect. 1
He tapped the pill furnace, and a clear, crisp sound echoed out. The pill furnace shuddered, and the face’s vicious expression suddenly turned into one of fear and respect.
When the sound of the pill furnace spread out, the apprentice alchemists didn’t think much of it. However, the expressions on the faces of the tier 5 and higher alchemists all changed. No longer did they look at Meng Hao with scorn, but rather, with intense concentration.
Whenever masters go to work, the evidence of their foundation can be seen.
All of the tier 5 and higher alchemists could tell that the method with which Meng Hao tapped the pill furnace contained the Dao of alchemy!
“All pill furnaces need to be warmed up! Even a pill furnace that has been used millions of times needs to be warmed up before its full power can be unleashed. But Fang Hao simply tapped the furnace… and produced the same result! Ingenious!”
“It’s a different technique for warming up the furnace! How domineering! He dispersed the medicinal qi within the furnace, making it easier for the pill to take shape!”
“To accomplish something like that requires incredible skill in the Dao of alchemy!”
Meng Hao ignored all of the comments from the audience, and focused all of his attention on the medicinal pill he was going to concoct. No matter how he went about it, he had to attempt to the concoct the pill in order to solve his spirit stone quandary.
“I’m actually not sure I can do it,” he thought. After reflecting for a moment, he reached out to grab one of the medicinal plants. As he held it there in his hand, it seemed to come to life. All of its impurities dissipated, and it turned transparent, like crystal. Then Meng Hao crushed it and placed it into the pill furnace.
This action also caused the other alchemists to be visibly moved.
Meng Hao took a deep breath and looked up into the sky. Then, he placed his left hand onto the pill furnace, causing it to burn, although there was no flame. The medicinal plant instantly began to melt into a liquid.
Two hours later, Meng Hao’s eyes flickered, and he selected another medicinal plant. Soon, 24 hours had passed. Last, he put the Sun Blossom into the mix, and then, he placed both hands onto the pill furnace.
Everyone was panting as they watched. During the last day in which they had watched Meng Hao work, they had been able to catch glimpses of his pill concocting techniques. People began to grow more and more shocked at Meng Hao’s proficiency in the Dao of alchemy.
“Time to look at this pill!” Meng Hao growled above the rumbling sound that echoed out from within the pill furnace. Suddenly, the pill furnace’s lid popped off, and a medicinal pill flew out.
As soon as it appeared, it radiated incredible light for 300 meters in all directions, causing everyone’s minds to reel, and a collective gasp to ring out.
“He succeeded?”
“He… actually succeeded?”
Meng Hao closed his eyes. Cracking sounds could suddenly be heard from the medicinal pill, and it shattered, transforming into black sediment that appeared to be somewhat toxic. The sediment slowly transformed into wisps of black smoke.
Failure.
After a moment of silence, everyone burst out into conversation. Meng Hao sat there with his eyes closed, thinking. In truth, he had already known that he had failed about halfway through the concocting process.