C8 Master, You Are Definitely an Extraordinary Person!

The Vast Dragon Clan.

"The dust has not yet settled..."

Xuan Tugu gripped her staff, eyes fixed on the Heaven Ranking high above. With a sudden, forceful strike of her rosewood scepter, the earth cracked, and her formidable, hooked nose quivered slightly.

The Heaven Ranking, obscured in the heavens, was visible to anyone who simply willed it, their minds stirring with the desire to see the standings.

"Utterly useless!"

Xuan Tugu lamented with a tone of frustration.

Qu Jiangxuan stood in silence, his shame palpable. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, his eyes narrowed, turning icy and resolute. "Grandmother, we still have a chance! If my bloodline grows even slightly stronger, my rank will surely rise!"

Xuan Tugu inwardly nodded in agreement. "You mean the forbidden land? Indeed, it's the reserve energy intended for your post-tribulation recovery. Given our urgency, it's time to utilize it.

"Combining the bone of the Ancestral Dragon with the fortune of a hundred-thousand-year-old forbidden land will fortify my grandson's lineage. Excellent!

"However, I intend to visit the Azure Phoenix Clan. The Azure Dragon King will accompany you there."

Qu Jiangxuan bowed deeply. "I am ready to follow your command, Grandmother!"

Heavenly Sword Holy Land.

As the Heaven Ranking faded from view, Mu Shuangling's stoic face masked the bitterness within.

Once a proud Sword Master, he had aspired to claim the top rank. Yet, one by one, others had eclipsed him, dampening the spirits of someone who once considered himself unrivaled.

Moreover, being at the bottom of the Heaven Ranking meant countless eyes were watching. Still, should any dare to challenge, the Heavenly Sword Holy Land would stand unafraid.

Nearby swordsmen longed to offer words of comfort but feared inciting Mu Shuangling's wrath. They stood at a distance, silent.

Something crossed his mind, prompting Mu Shuangling to dismiss the crowd and begin pacing alone, awaiting someone's arrival.

"Lord Sword Master!"

Soon, a voice approached from afar, and a figure glided swiftly toward him, arriving before Mu Shuangling in an instant.

Clad in fine garments, with a commanding presence, high cheekbones, and piercing hawk-like eyes, this man exuded an air of extraordinary pride and power.

He was Liu Zhen, the second Venerable of the Heavenly Sword Holy Land. Among the eight esteemed Venerables, each was a formidable force, their ranking a testament to their prowess.

As his title suggested, this Venerable was second only to the Great Venerable himself.

Upon seeing Liu Zhen, Mu Shuangling's attention sharpened, his posture rigid, his eyes now bearing an intense, challenging look.

"Have you found the person?" Mu Shuangling inquired urgently.

"Dead, turned to dust and bone!"

"And the Sword Source?"

"It shattered, and with it, she perished!"

"A pity... No, there's more to this. Where did she die? I must see it with my own eyes!"

"The forbidden area, the Land of Sanguinity!"

...

Stretching for hundreds of miles behind the Armillary Sphere Sect was a verdant mountain range. Midway up the slope lay a vast medicinal garden, brimming with vitality and the scent of healing herbs.

Beside the garden, a sizable lake mirrored the sky. Xie Feng and Sushang approached the water's edge. Sushang, clutching an apple, peered into the lake's enigmatic depths, a flicker of trepidation in her eyes.

"Master, who are these fruits for?"

"Into the lake with them."

"Okay."

With a nod, Sushang scattered the fruit across the water's surface. The apples bobbed gently, and she watched with sparkling eyes, her small hands cupping her cheeks in anticipation.

"Green Bean," Xie Feng called out.

The still waters stirred, a gust of wind spiraling the apples down to the lakebed, leaving only a turtle-shaped ripple behind.

Sushang, squatting by the water, gasped in wonder. Xie Feng explained, "There's an old turtle in the lake, once my Master's mount. Now, it's mine."

The little girl's eyes widened. "So Green Bean is the turtle's name!"

Xie Feng chuckled. "Green Bean has a taste for fruit. From now on, you'll feed him. He's quite lazy, always sleeping at the bottom of the lake."

Standing tall, the little girl's voice rang out with determination, "Alright! Mission accepted!"

Xie Feng smiled and made his way into the garden to begin selecting herbs. Crafting the Nine Lights Forbidden Pill required over a hundred varieties, including several rare species. Fortunately, the garden provided all he needed.

With the ingredients in hand, it was time to refine the pill!

Xie Feng chose a clean room and directed the little girl to bring the stove, poker, and fan from his quarters.

The stove, typically used for warmth, was in truth a Pill Furnace!

"Master, it's so heavy!" Sushang grunted, her arms wrapped around the hefty stove and accessories. The weight turned her plump, apple-like cheeks a deep shade of red, beads of sweat dotting her forehead, while smudges of soot stained her clothes and chin.

Upon witnessing the scene, Xie Feng was inwardly astonished. The young girl's physical strength was remarkable! The furnace, standing three to four feet tall, was no ordinary object; it was once used by his master for pill refinement and weighed over ten thousand catties!

Even a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage would struggle to lift it with ease!

Truly a testament to the White Tiger Physique!

If her power was this formidable while still under restraint, one could only imagine the terror unleashed once the seal was broken!

With a resounding bang, the furnace was set down, shaking the earth.

"Master, huff... huff... you must be... huff... huff... a reclusive expert, possessing so many extraordinary items..."

Exhausted, Sushang collapsed beside the furnace. She sat cross-legged, wiping sweat from her brow while picking up the broken fan from the ground and fanning herself vigorously, causing her bangs to flutter wildly and her cheeks to flush even more.

Xie Feng flicked Sushang's forehead and instructed, "These are treasures left by your master's mentor, certainly not ordinary. Go fan the flames and take the opportunity to observe my pill refining process."

Xie Feng had full control over the pill fire, but seeing the girl's keen interest, he invited her to join in. Should she pursue pill refining in the future, this experience would enhance her understanding of fire control.

"Oh, I'm ready!" Sushang exclaimed joyfully, smoothing her hair before rising to her feet, clutching the tattered fan, her eager eyes fixed on Xie Feng, awaiting his command.

With a raise of his palm, Xie Feng summoned a ball of flame.

The fire, a vivid green, danced unpredictably, emitting auras both icy and scorching. It was the North Nether Illusory Fire, a rare heavenly-grade flame, shrouded in mystery, like something out of a dream.

Flames are categorized into Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow grades, with Yellow being the most common and Heaven the most powerful, some even tracing back to ancient times.

The flame in Xie Feng's hand was born alongside the Chaos Holy Body, an innate fire. Such heavenly flames, upon reaching a certain level, could evolve into even mightier flames, with divine fire reigning supreme.

With a gentle touch to the Pill Furnace, the once unsightly, pitch-black furnace expanded rapidly, growing to a height that even the 1.9-meter-tall Xie Feng had to look up to before finally stabilizing.

Xie Feng meticulously prepared the medicinal ingredients. As he manipulated the fire, he closed his eyes, recalling the pill formula etched in his memory. Under his master's tutelage, he had once attempted to refine an eighth-grade Medicine Pill, achieving early eighth-grade success, but reaching Great Perfection was a formidable challenge.

Yet, after harnessing the Sun Illumination, the released power of creation not only elevated his cultivation but also subtly enhanced his soul power. Now, Xie Feng stood as a high-level eighth-grade pill master.

"Master, I'm all set!" Sushang chimed in, tilting her head and clenching her fists, her voice soft as a kitten's.

"Fan the flames!"

"Yes!"

"Keep the force steady. We need a strong fire now."

"Yes!"

"Slow the fire down, maintain a gentle heat."

"Yes!"

Sushang gripped the fan with both hands, gazing up at the towering Pill Furnace. She fanned with all her might, unleashing a torrent of energy that made the flames roar to life. Beads of sweat formed on her fair skin, only to hiss away in the intense heat.

The North Nether Illusory Fire, a heavenly-grade flame, would scorch any ordinary person who drew near, but this girl showed no fear, her innate constitution proving its strength.

A smile crept across Xie Feng's face.

The Pill Furnace was primed and ready.

"Spirit Concentrating Grass, Fortifying Fruit, Heavenly Secret Dust..."

Within the jade-colored flames, Xie Feng centered himself, retrieving the foundational herbs as he embarked on the pill refinement.

Time was inconsequential in the art of pill crafting.