373: This is the first time I've ever seen a strange fire.

The Alchemists looked solemn and focused, beginning to warm their Medicine Cauldrons and refine medicinal ingredients.

For a time, the humming of Medicine Cauldrons, the crackling of flames, and the subtle popping sounds of medicinal ingredients being refined intertwined to form a unique symphony of alchemy.

And in this sea of flames, there were a few spots where the erupting flame light and power instantly overshadowed the entire venue, attracting countless shocked and envious gazes!

Jiang Donghua's gaze was also drawn to one such spot.

It was a stone platform not far in front of him.

Behind the stone platform stood an old man in a dark red robe, with a withered face but eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

At this moment, a cluster of dark red flames was rising from his shriveled palm!

These flames were not the usual fiery red, but rather like cooled magma, or like rocks that had burned for ten thousand years deep underground, their color deep and restrained.

As the flames danced, they did not emit scorching heat; instead, a strange, heavy, viscous fluctuation, as if capable of incinerating souls, permeated the air!

The air around the flames showed an unnatural distortion and sense of collapse.

"Strange Fire!"

A sharp glint flashed in Jiang Donghua's eyes, and he immediately recognized the origin of these flames.

This was clearly the seventeenth-ranked Volcanic Rock Flame on the strange fire ranking list!

This fire was not born in ordinary volcanoes but was nurtured deep within the earth's core, fused with the essence of the earth and ten-thousand-year-old stone marrow. Its power was extremely overbearing, especially suitable for refining pills with violent medicinal properties that required extreme flame temperatures. It also demanded extremely high control over fire from the Alchemist.

"To be able to subdue a Strange Fire ranked seventeenth, this fellow certainly has good luck and skill."

Jiang Donghua secretly praised him, and at the same time, his Soul Power subtly sensed the aura of the red-robed old man. His Dou Qi cultivation was roughly at the level of a Four-Star or Five-Star Dou Zun, which was also considered a formidable powerhouse.

The appearance of this Volcanic Rock Flame was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a boiling oil pot, instantly causing a huge commotion inside and outside the square!

"Strange Fire! It's a Strange Fire!"

"My heavens! It's actually the seventeenth-ranked Volcanic Rock Flame!"

"Who is this person? To possess a Strange Fire!"

On the viewing stands, there were many knowledgeable individuals, and someone immediately cried out, revealing the origin of this Strange Fire.

Immediately afterward, more information about the identity of the red-robed old man was recognized by some older powerhouses, sparking an even greater wave of discussion.

"It's him! The Grand Elder of the Myriad Medicine Sect, Venerable Shi Yu!"

"What? It's actually that old monster! He's an Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster who made a name for himself a hundred years ago! It's said that he's been in seclusion for many years; I didn't expect this Pill Gathering to draw him out!"

"The Myriad Medicine Sect, that's one of the top Alchemy Grandmaster sects in the Central Plains! Its foundation is incredibly profound!"

"Venerable Shi Yu plus the Volcanic Rock Flame, the competition for the championship now probably has no suspense, right?"

On the surrounding stone platforms, some Alchemy Grandmasters who had been quite confident in themselves, after feeling the unique pressure of the Volcanic Rock Flame and learning Venerable Shi Yu's identity, all had extremely grave, even somewhat grim, expressions.

An Eighth-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster with a Strange Fire buff had too great an advantage!

Venerable Shi Yu seemed oblivious to the surrounding commotion and discussions; his entire mind was already immersed in alchemy.

Under his exquisite control, the Volcanic Rock Flame, like a docile pet yet exuding a terrifying destructive aura, began to methodically calcine the rare medicinal ingredients in front of him, each emanating astonishing energy fluctuations.

Jiang Donghua withdrew his gaze, showing no fear on his face; instead, a hint of an intrigued smile appeared.

"Interesting, even an old monster like this has come out, and he even possesses a Strange Fire. It seems this Pill Gathering won't be too boring."

He did not rush to act, but rather leisurely scanned the entire venue again.

Aside from Venerable Shi Yu's Volcanic Rock Flame, in several other directions across the square, several other equally powerful and distinctive flame auras erupted. Although not Strange Fires, they were all extremely rare Beast Fires or special flames, clearly indicating that their owners were not to be trifled with.

"Hidden dragons and crouching tigers! But that just makes it more challenging, doesn't it?"

Jiang Donghua chuckled softly, finally no longer observing.

With a flick of his palm, the ancient and grand green wood king cauldron boomed as it landed on the stone platform.

Immediately, his fingertips danced, and a wisp of deep and pure blue flame rose, beginning to burn the medicinal ingredients.

Although his flame was not a Strange Fire, with his Peak Sixth-Turn Dou Zun cultivation and Spirit Realm Soul control, its power and purity were equally not to be underestimated, instantly attracting a lot of attention.

Time, under countless expectant gazes, continued to quietly flow by.

When the finals reached the eighth day, the calm that had lasted for many days was finally broken!

The sky, which had been somewhat distorted by the scorching of countless flames, gathered a thick dark cloud from an unknown source.

Within the dark cloud, dull thunder began to roll, like the roar of an ancient beast, and a heart-palpitating heavenly pressure slowly descended!

"Pill Lightning! Someone is about to form a pill!"

"It's Pill Lightning! It's finally here!"

This sudden turn of events instantly woke up the audience on the viewing stands around the square, who had been somewhat drowsy from the long wait, as if splashed with a basin of cold water, erupting into thunderous shouts!

Everyone's gaze uniformly turned towards a stone platform beneath the dark cloud.

On the stone platform, a beautiful woman in a plain white dress with a cold temperament was solemnly controlling the pill that was about to take shape inside her cauldron, preparing to welcome the baptism of Pill Lightning.

"It's Elder Bingyun Fairy from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion! She's a Seventh-Grade Alchemist Grandmaster!"

"Good heavens! As expected of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, she's the first to trigger Pill Lightning!"

Under the gaze of countless eyes, a thick silver lightning bolt crashed down!

The Bingyun Fairy let out a delicate cry, conjured a cold ice treasure mirror, successfully resisted this Pill Lightning, and smoothly collected the pill into a jade bottle.

Although it was only Pill Lightning for a low-grade seventh-grade pill, as the first person in the entire venue to successfully refine one, Bingyun Fairy still earned a full house of applause and reverent gazes.

And her success ignited a signal!

Within the next day, the sky above the square seemed to become a gathering place for thunderclouds!

"Boom!"

"Crack!"

In the east, a thundercloud gathered!

In the south and north, one after another, Alchemy Grandmasters successfully entered the final step, triggering the descent of Pill Lightning!

From the ninth day onwards, almost every day, Pill Lightning would descend several times!

Above the square, thunderclouds rose and fell, and lightning roared and struck like angry dragons, illuminating the sky with dazzling brilliance!

The Alchemists displayed their unique abilities, using various methods to resist the Pill Lightning and protect the pills they had painstakingly refined.

The cheers of the successful, the regrets of the failures, and the exclamations of the onlookers intertwined, making the scene incredibly lively!

On the viewing stands, leaders and elders of countless factions looked at the streaks of Pill Lightning and the Alchemy Grandmasters with profound and imposing auras beneath them, their eyes becoming incredibly fervent!

"Do you see? That's the rogue cultivator Ming Wang Yao! If we can invite him to be our clan's worship..."

"And that Bingyun Fairy, although she's not young, if we could arrange a marriage..."

"At all costs! We must find a way to establish a connection with one of these Grandmasters! Go back and prepare generous gifts immediately!"

The focus of the discussion had shifted from the simple outcome of the competition to how to recruit and befriend these Alchemy Grandmasters capable of refining seventh-grade pills!

The value of every Grandmaster who could trigger Pill Lightning, in the eyes of these major powers, was comparable to a mobile treasure trove!

The entire Holy Pill City was completely boiling over due to this uninterrupted Pill Lightning phenomenon!

The grand event held once every thirty years finally revealed its most exciting side!

Yet, in this roaring, bustling sea of thunder, the stone platform where Jiang Donghua was located remained eerily calm.

Inside the green wood king cauldron, the medicinal power was undergoing its final fusion and nurturing at a slow but steady pace.

The pill, clearly, still needed more time.

But everyone knew that the longer a pill needed to be nurtured, the more terrifying its quality tended to be once it formed.