C556 His Skills Were Almost like the Way!

On the mid-lake island, the crescent-shaped pool gathered the moon's silver radiance, causing ripples to dance across its surface like liquid light.

A figure, garbed in silver, glided through the water with the grace of a fish, its form slender and frail, blurred by its weakened state, unable to solidify into something tangible.

The island bloomed with vibrant flowers and dense medicinal herbs, while spiritual energy transformed into a drifting mist.

Strands of silver moonlight, drawn irresistibly to the crescent pond, fought through the colorful miasma clouds to pierce the water's surface.

Stars sprinkled across the night sky like grains of rice, accompanied by the incessant low hum of flies.

Where the colorful miasma clouds met the starlight and moonlight, the mid-lake island was bathed in a fantastical play of light and shadow, a vision of ethereal beauty akin to a celestial realm.

Within the pond, the gently undulating figure in silver seemed like a goddess who had inadvertently descended from her lunar throne.

"Silvermoon Queen."

Yu Yuan emerged from the cauldron, his brow furrowed in concern, his heart pounding with the realization. Despite the blurriness, he recognized the figure in the pond at a glance.

Qin Yun's lips were parched as he forced a wry smile, "How can she still be here?"

The once regal empress had become a mere wraith, her consciousness lost within the crescent pool.

Yet, due to her practice of the Moon Demon Clan's secret arts, she instinctively performed the spiritual spell within the pool, drawing in the moon's essence.

Around the pool's edge, hundreds of fine, colorful streams of light raced by, forming a prison of their own.

These streams echoed the colorful miasma clouds, intricately linked with the entirety of the Absence Relic, signifying the Silvermoon Queen's state of captivity.

Yu Zhu's enchantment had created this peculiar pond, which not only suppressed Lee Yupan but also stripped her of her lucid mind.

She could do nothing but instinctively amass the moonlight within the waters.

"It's not her physical form," Qin Yun murmured.

Yu Yuan nodded in agreement. "Her physical form was taken by Zhou Cangmin, likely handed over to the Devil Palace or Demon Palace for disposal. Her Yin God, initially formed within the Asura's miniature realm in the Dark Domain using Wei Feng's blood, was later destroyed. The Yin God, thus severely damaged, was confined to the Eye of Asura."

"Subsequently, the Eye of Asura from the Dark Domain was refined by Yu Zhu into her third eye."

"Our empire's queen, that Yin God, remains trapped within the realm of the Asura's Eye, unable to escape. I had assumed Yu Zhu would either disperse her Yin God or, after capturing her, hand her over to Zhou Cangmin."

"I didn't expect this..."

The scene before them made it clear that Yu Zhu had her own plans. She had confined the Yin God of the Silvermoon Queen in Moon Lake using alternative methods, harnessing her innate power to draw the moon's light into the waters.

The moonlight's essence, with its myriad of uses, would surely serve Yu Zhu well.

"I just wonder if the Demon Palace and the Demon Palace are aware of Miss Yu Zhu's actions," Qin Yun expressed his concern. "The Silvermoon Queen's deeds are inexcusable. Keeping her Yin God here, even in a state unable to awaken, still poses a risk. My fear is that someone might rescue her."

Yu Yuan replied confidently, "She must be sure of herself."

Just then, the cauldron soul buzzed with excitement!

The dark cauldron floated toward the crescent-shaped pool.

Inside, the Queen's Shadow, moving like a fish, suddenly plunged to the bottom, overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, instinctively trying to flee.

"Return!" Yu Yuan commanded, reaching out to grasp.

The Evil Cauldron, just shy of reaching the crescent pool, reluctantly but obediently drifted back to hover before his chest at his call.

"Young Master, what about it?" Qin Yun asked, startled.

"It sees our Empress as its prey," Yu Yuan explained. "The Empress has been practicing the Moon Demon Secret Technique. An ancient Moon Demon named Yuefei was consumed by her Yin God in Asura's tiny world within the Dark Domain. The cauldron sensed she was perfectly suited for refinement, seeking to enhance its strength through her."

Yu Yuan sighed before continuing, "The cauldron has suffered severe damage. All the Evil Demons it once refined perished in that battle. A Divine Level artifact, it has greatly diminished, now barely reaching the Heaven Level in power. The cauldron soul is desperate for more Evil Demons, craving additional power sources."

At its zenith, the Evil Cauldron was a Fifth Grade Divine Level artifact.

Now, it's barely clinging to a First Grade Heaven Level status.

Yu Yuan understood the cauldron soul's urgency to elevate its grade and restore its and the cauldron's power.

Still, the Empress, now bound within the crescent pond, was under Yu Zhu's spell, and she might have other intentions for her.

"The empress, devoid of her spiritual intelligence, is still so filled with fear and unease," Qin Yun marveled with a click of his tongue.

"The Evil Cauldron is her bane; it's only natural she'd be terrified," Yu Yuan remarked, giving it a few more glances before withdrawing his gaze with a smile. "I had a hunch there'd be medicinal herbs on the island to treat your wounds. It shouldn't be too challenging."

Qin Yun's face lit up with joy.

Summoned by Yu Yuan from the Mustard Seed Bracelet, the three-legged Flowing Flames pill furnace stood proudly on the island.

With a whoosh, the moment the furnace settled, dense Spiritual Qi from all around rushed toward it.

The Flowing Flames' yellow gourd-shaped walls, etched with images of the Vermillion Bird, Fiery Dragon, Qilin, Phoenix, and other ancient alien beasts, sprang to life, seemingly eager to devour the abundant Spiritual Qi.

Qin Yun was taken aback. "Are we refining pills?"

"I have no reason to keep secrets from you. As a child, the reason my Heavenly Soul and Earth Soul remained dormant was that I was immersed in understanding the grand path of pill refining," Yu Yuan confessed with a slight smile. "This is my deepest secret, and I trust you to guard it well."

Qin Yun nodded vigorously, as if pecking at grains. "You can count on me, Young Master!"

"Elder Ning must have shared some of this with you," Yu Yuan continued, as he extracted Flame Crystals from the Mustard Seed Bracelet, deftly manipulating them with his Spiritual Qi to position them beneath the furnace.

With a sizzle, a spark of Sun Essence Fire, escaping from the Yellow Court Little World, transformed into a fiery dart that struck the Flame Crystals.

Boom! The Flame Crystals were instantly ignited, unleashing a torrent of flames.

The flames roared to life, and the fire beasts engraved on the furnace walls seemed to bellow, inhaling the flames below and the Spiritual Qi from the environment. Through a network of fiery conduits, they channeled the energy into the heart of the furnace.

The pill furnace was aptly named "Flowing Flames" because, in his past life, he couldn't use his own cultivated flames for refining medicine. Instead, he had to resort to natural Earth Flame, various flame crystals, or the stray Flowing Flames that descended from the heavens.

Hence, the pill furnace was dubbed "Flowing Flames."

Lacking an Artifact Soul and devoid of any offensive capabilities, the "Flowing Flames" bore engraved flame arrays solely dedicated to pill refinement. As such, the furnace's rank teetered on the brink of the Heaven Level, yet without an Artifact Soul, it could not be definitively classified as such.

Without embarking on the path of cultivation, one cannot condense Spiritual Sense, amass Soul Intent, or engage with an Artifact Soul. Should "Flowing Flames" inadvertently develop an Artifact Soul, it would paradoxically act as a constraint.

There was even a risk that the Artifact Soul might one day erode his consciousness.

Herbs procured from the gloomy halls of the Darkness Palace and Babel Island, brimming with the vitality of flora, obediently soared into the "Flowing Flames" furnace at his command.

Within the crimson walls of the furnace, herbs swirled like rainbows, their sap as viscous as blood, exuding a fragrance that could refresh the soul.

Yu Yuan was radiant with enthusiasm, darting around the tripod furnace, his eyes occasionally flashing with a brilliant light.

In this moment, Yu Yuan exuded an allure and grace in Qin Yun's eyes that was utterly unprecedented.

His effortless handling of the herbs, as they were cast into the furnace, seemed to align with the profound principles of pill-making. Watching the herbs being consumed by the flames, Qin Yun sensed their apparent contentment.

Higher-tier herbs naturally resist being used for pill refinement, as it signifies their dissolution, their end.

Yet, there are extraordinary herbs that, after enduring centuries of trials, may awaken to a heightened spirituality, potentially evolving into unique beings.

All things possess a spirit, and herbs are no exception; they do not wish for an untimely demise.

But as Yu Yuan refined the herbs, guiding them into the furnace, Qin Yun perceived a subtle acceptance from them, an absence of resistance.

"They say only an alchemist whose skill borders on the Dao can wield such enchantment!"

Qin Yun was struck with awe, his gaze upon Yu Yuan filled with amazement and incredulity.

He had been told that the most esteemed alchemists, in their practice, harmonize their techniques with the Dao, imbuing the herbs with a sense of participation, making them feel as though they are part of a grand endeavor alongside the alchemist, contributing to the creation of an extraordinary, legendary elixir.

Divine pills possess a spirit, some even significantly enhancing intelligence with their myriad wonders.

For many herbs, becoming a divine pill, or even just a part of one, is a life well-lived, a moment of brilliance and splendor.

As Yu Yuan refined medicine, each herb entering the pill furnace seemed to do so with joy and anticipation.

Qin Yun had once heard of this profound sensation while visiting the Medicine Sect in the Jade Peak Mountain Range.

Previously, he thought the alchemists of the Medicine Sect were just feigning mystery, spouting fanciful nonsense to appear deep.

But now, observing Yu Yuan's alchemy, he had an epiphany and realized the Medicine Sect's alchemists were indeed genuine.

In this world, there are alchemists whose methods are as effortless as an antelope's horns, their craftsmanship bordering on the divine.

"How is this possible?"

Qin Yun struggled to believe that such a young master could master the art of medicine refinement!

"My soul injury might truly be cured!"

The next moment, he was overcome with excitement and hope.

Yu Yuan had called forth the Evil Cauldron and brought him to the mid-lake island, claiming he would heal his wounds. Despite being moved, Qin Yun had his doubts.

His injuries were inflicted by Weixian of the Cold Yin Sect, who had severely damaged his Yin God with chilling soul power.

Now, his Yin God struggled to even leave his body, plagued by tiny shards of ice causing ceaseless torment.

Yu Yuan's level was too low, and the Evil Cauldron, not being a fire-attribute treasure, seemed ill-suited for the task.

And with Miss Yu Zhu absent from the relic...

No matter how much he pondered, he couldn't have imagined Yu Yuan conjuring a towering three-legged pill furnace on the mid-lake island, engaging in conversation while expertly crafting pills.

Half an hour later, as Qin Yun's mind wandered, Yu Yuan let out a cheerful whistle and declared, "The pill is complete!"

Radiance burst forth from the furnace like lightning, and a pellet, glowing like a flame, emerged amidst the swirling light, swiftly making its way toward him.

"Swallow it, let the pill fuse with your soul!" Yu Yuan commanded.

...