C2 Heaven Fire

Upon reflection, he pressed the knot in the wood. To his surprise, a fissure abruptly split the grain of the timber wide open.

"This is indeed a box. Such Inferno Crates are a rarity, even within the palace walls. Let's see what secrets it holds," Lloyd mused, effortlessly parting the crate.

Encased within the Blood Timber was a small red jade box, no larger than a palm. Its jade was translucent, resembling water, and bore an ancient hue.

Lloyd gave a slight nod, recognizing its top-grade quality. He also observed an enigmatic pattern etched into the center of the lid.

As he opened the jade box, a gleam sparked in Lloyd's eyes.

Inside was not the expected gold or silver, but a sphere of white flame!

The flame, merely the size of a fist, shimmered with an otherworldly starlight. It danced without any breeze, as if alive, sustaining itself autonomously.

"This is Heaven Fire!"

Lloyd scrutinized it, his astonishment palpable, his voice tinged with excitement.

Treasures capable of stirring his emotions were scarce, but Heaven Fire was certainly among them.

Alchemy hinged on the mastery of fire.

The fires of the world were categorized into four tiers: Mortal Fire, Dark Fire, Earthfire, and Heaven Fire.

Mortal Fire, a common flame born of kindling, was ubiquitous. Dark Fire, Earthfire, and Heaven Fire, collectively known as Exotic Fire, were spiritual treasures with the unique ability to exist independently.

Lloyd's past achievements were not only due to his mastery of the Celestial Flame Embodiment Spell but also his possession of the Purple Earthfire.

This fire was of the supreme grade among Earthfires. He had endured countless trials to acquire it, refining it to its ninth layer through immense effort. Yet, with his demise, the Purple Earthfire vanished.

In his new life, Lloyd often lamented its loss. Little did he expect that the box he had fortuitously recovered would contain Heaven Fire.

Possessing Heaven Fire laid the groundwork for ascending to the status of a heaven-level Alchemist.

Lloyd had been confined to the earth level of alchemy because he lacked the Heaven Fire. But this time, his luck had turned.

His initial euphoria subsided, and Lloyd focused intently on the Heaven Fire before him, reaching out. Surprisingly, he felt not warmth but a chill mere inches from the flame. Observing closely, he noticed a thin veil of frost forming above the dancing flames.

"Exotic Fires are myriad," Lloyd mused. "This one must be a variant of fire and ice, where extreme heat gives rise to icy cold."

With a decision made, he cautiously extended his fingertip a mere half-inch closer. As if drawn to him, the fire and ice danced toward his finger, and upon contact, the flame surged into his finger in a flash.

Bracing himself for the onslaught of pain, Lloyd knew what was at stake. To use Exotic Fire in pill refinement, one must first internalize it, and the degree of harmony between the fire and the flesh would greatly influence the outcome.

He recalled the agony of embracing the Purple Earthfire back when he was at the fourth level of martial arts. Now, with the Heaven Fire at his current level of cultivation, the risk of death loomed large.

Yet, if he could integrate the Heaven Fire into his being sooner rather than later, he could synchronize with it more quickly, paving the way for achievements far surpassing those of his past.

As the fire and ice melded into his body, Lloyd was hit with a searing cold that spread through his arm. His body felt trapped in an ancient ice vault and simultaneously cast into a fiery chasm.

The fusion of ice and fire tore through him with excruciating pain, as if countless hands were ripping his body apart. His consciousness teetered on the brink of collapse from the unbearable agony.

Through gritted teeth, Lloyd persevered, keeping his mind lucid. He invoked the Fire Manipulation Spell, guiding the Heaven Fire toward his abdomen.

Pain washed over him like a tidal wave, each of the countless nerves in his body screaming in torment, as if subjected to innumerable tortures.

Compared to the torment Lloyd endured from the Abyss Pill, it was practically negligible.

"I must succeed, no matter the difficulty in taming the Heaven Fire."

With a fierce clench of his teeth, Lloyd's fighting spirit soared. He forcefully drew the Heaven Fire into his abdomen and sealed it away.

Once he could withstand the presence of the Heaven Fire, he would harness it to ascend to new heights.

However, the moment the Heaven Fire entered his body, it began to grow, feeding off his power to strengthen itself.

When the Heaven Fire reached a certain size, it would develop an aggressive consciousness. Lloyd knew he had to rapidly enhance his own strength; failure to control the Heaven Fire meant certain death.

Days later, bolstered by three Abyss Pills, he managed to elevate his bone root to a standard level.

At dawn, he erected a wooden post in the yard, sword in hand, and covertly channeled the Celestial Flame Embodiment Spell.

His Genuine Qi bubbled up fiercely, as though he had been cultivating for months on end.

The Haynes family's basic sword technique, the Spirit Snake Spell, flashed through Lloyd's mind. With a swift step, he executed a slash.

Despite this being his initial attempt at the Spirit Snake Spell, Lloyd wielded the sword with the ease of hundreds of practices.

Drawing on the martial expertise of Barachias, a level eight warrior, mastering such a rudimentary martial spell was effortless.

Lloyd performed the twelve forms of the Spirit Snake Spell in one breath, then shook his head in disapproval. "This martial art is too crude!"

Previously, many had traded their ancestral martial arts manuals for his elixirs, but he had stowed them away, untouched and gathering dust. Had he foreseen this situation, he would have committed a few to memory.

That way, he wouldn't be in the current predicament of having to learn a lower-tier martial spell just to conceal his use of the Celestial Flame Embodiment Spell from prying eyes.

After some contemplation, Lloyd executed the blade technique once more, and this time, the Spirit Snake Spell morphed in his grasp.

What was once a nimble technique now surged with a tyrannical force, whipping up a gust of wind with each movement, the power within each strike as formidable as a blade or a hammer.

Lloyd had achieved a Grandmaster-level enhancement to the Spirit Snake Spell in just a brief moment.

As he withdrew his sword, it cleaved through the wooden stake.

With the sword's descent, a muffled explosion echoed. The stake, scarred with sword marks, shattered into pieces as if struck by a sledgehammer, and the area where the stake met the blade was pulverized into dust.

His sword strike was immensely powerful, easily dismissing the efforts of ordinary men.

Yet, no trace of satisfaction crossed Lloyd's face. He murmured to himself, "Despite my improvements to the blade formula, its power is just adequate. My cultivation pace is far too slow. It seems I must resort to creating Cultivation Pills."

Without delay, he headed to Josh's residence. Upon requesting new medicinal ingredients, Josh promptly escorted him to Haynes Apothecary.

Dawn had just broken, and the shop was opening its doors. The clerk went inside to alert the proprietor. Emerging were not only Levi but also a man in his forties—Josh's father, Lysander.

With an impassive face, Lysander inquired, "Did you come this early solely for herbs?"

Detecting his father's displeasure, Josh scratched his head and offered a sheepish grin, "Ah, so you've heard. Lloyd's looking to delve into Alchemy. I truly believe it's a wonderful opportunity."

Before he could continue, Lysander shot him a stern look and cut him off, "Wonderful? His abilities had better impress me!"

His gaze fixed on Lloyd with a frosty edge, he stated, "Lloyd, I'm aware you and my son are close. But exploiting that friendship to access our family's herbs—this will not happen again."

The shop assistants observed the exchange with detached amusement, snickering among themselves.

They mocked Lloyd for his inflated self-assessment, lacking any real skill yet aspiring to pursue Alchemy. Using valuable herbs on him, they thought, was sheer wastefulness.

"Dad," Josh interjected urgently.

Lysander dismissed him with a brusque wave, raising his voice, "Our family may be wealthy, and a few dozen taels of silver trivial, but money should be spent wisely. I'd rather give to beggars than squander it on you!"

Lysander didn't mince words. Leveraging his seniority, he berated Lloyd in front of a crowd of shop assistants, while outside, a throng of onlookers who had come for medical attention whispered among themselves.

Everyone assumed Lloyd was in an utterly embarrassing predicament. His ruse was out in the open, and he had been publicly chastised by Lysander. It seemed his only option was to slink home in disgrace.

Yet, to the discerning eye, it was clear that Lloyd remained composed throughout the ordeal. His expression was unchanging, as if Lysander's harsh words were directed at someone else entirely.

After all, wasn't he the preeminent alchemist of the Vruthurenth Empire? What hadn't he seen?

Once Lysander's tirade ended, Lloyd spoke up unhurriedly, "What if your money wasn't wasted?"

"What if my money wasn't wasted?" Lysander scoffed with a snort, "Are you suggesting you actually managed to concoct the Abyss Pill?"

The alchemists in the shop couldn't contain their laughter, looking down on Lloyd with scorn. They had all been briefed by Levi about Lloyd's audacious attempt to craft the Abyss Pill. Its effects were renowned, but so was its notorious difficulty—it was among the most challenging yellow level pills to refine.

Among these alchemists were seasoned members of the Haynes family, including one who was a yellow level, second grade alchemist. Yet, even for them, a successful refinement of the Abyss Pill was a rare feat after numerous attempts, let alone for Lloyd, a novice in the art of alchemy.

Without a word, Lloyd reached into his garment and produced a pill, casually handing it to Lysander.

Lysander glanced at the pill indifferently, but as he scrutinized it, his pupils dilated in astonishment.

The pill was as smooth as a pearl, its patterns reminiscent of intertwining vines. It was like a piece of jade, freshly drawn from the water, exuding an ineffable natural allure. Such a form was the hallmark of a supreme grade pill.

"This is a supreme grade Abyss Pill!" Lysander blurted out, astounded. The alchemists' faces turned as they hurried closer to inspect the pill. Upon closer examination, they were utterly taken aback.

This is a fourth-grade pill. Even encountering a medium-grade Abyss Pill is a rarity, to say nothing of one that's top grade.

As a result, top-grade pills fetch a steep price on the market, and supreme-grade pills are even more scarce.

The chance of a Profound Level first-grade Alchemist crafting a supreme-grade pill is less than one percent, so it was unimaginable for them to encounter one here.

"Where did you acquire this?" Lysander asked, his expression turning grave.

Clearly, nobody would entertain the thought that Lloyd, known for his lack of knowledge and skill, could have produced a supreme-grade Abyss Pill.

"Uncle Lysander, there are things I need to discuss with you, matters not meant for others' ears. Let's retreat to the inner courtyard to speak," Lloyd said in a measured tone, making his way inside.

He carried himself with the air of the proprietor rather than a visitor, exuding an aura of authority with every word.

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