A top-grade elixir has been created! Qi Refining Perfection Completed.

One day later.

The black wood shuttle tore through the grey miasma above the Yin Corpse Sect and landed silently in the small courtyard of Hundred Herbs Peak.

Lin Yuan put away the Magical Artifact, and a familiar scent, mixed with the smell of corpse Qi and the fishy odor of soil, rushed toward him.

In the courtyard, Han Shuang held a thick-backed broadsword, practicing a set of sword techniques that were grand and imposing.

The sword light flickered, and with every strike, it carried an indomitable and fierce Aura.

Her Aura was much stronger than when Lin Yuan had left; her solid footsteps and steady breathing showed that she had already stepped into the Third Layer of Copper Skin Realm.

The moment Lin Yuan stepped into the courtyard gate, the sharp sword wind stopped abruptly.

Han Shuang froze, and her focused, cold face was instantly melted by immense surprise.

"Clang!"

The broadsword in her hand slipped from her grip and plunged straight into the ground.

The next instant, she leaped forward, throwing herself into Lin Yuan's arms without a care.

"Brother Yuan... you've finally returned..."

Her voice trembled with uncontrollable emotion, and warm tears quickly soaked the black robe on Lin Yuan's chest.

According to the original plan, half a month was more than enough time. Who would have expected to run into that woman surnamed Zhou from the Misty Immortal Sect? In order to drain her... no, in order to maximize her utility, he had been delayed for seven or eight days.

"I had some things to take care of, so I was delayed." Lin Yuan patted her back gently, his voice as calm as ever.

Han Shuang lifted her head from his embrace and nodded vigorously, tears still hanging from the corners of her eyes.

"I've reached the Third Layer of Copper Skin, soon I'll be able to challenge the Iron Bone Realm!"

Lin Yuan patted her head approvingly.

Han Shuang's bright, beautiful eyes carefully scrutinized Lin Yuan, only to discover that his aged face carried an unhideable fatigue.

His lips were slightly pale, there were faint dark circles under his eyes, and he looked even older than when he had left.

Lin Yuan inwardly gave a bitter smile.

This was naturally the aftereffect of seven days of continuous, bitter Cultivate face-to-face with that woman surnamed Zhou, frantically grinding over three hundred attribute points.

"Brother Yuan, you've worked hard. Shuanger has recently studied some massage techniques for the muscles and bones that can help you relax properly." Han Shuang helped Lin Yuan into the room.

...

Han Shuang's massage techniques were indeed excellent, with just the right amount of pressure.

After deep relaxation, Lin Yuan slept soundly. When he woke up, the hollow, exhausted feeling had completely dissipated.

His spirit was fuller than ever before.

He did not linger, going straight to the Pill Treasure Pavilion.

After submitting the Sect mission and exchanging it for some contribution points, he directly used Spirit Stones to purchase thirty sets of Materials for the condensing yuan pill.

Returning to his bedroom, Lin Yuan closed the door and set up a Restriction.

He sat cross-legged and placed the Low Grade Magical Artifact Pill Furnace in front of him.

The next moment, he opened his mouth.

"Hoo..."

A mass of ghost-blue flame, like a waking phantom, drifted slowly from his mouth.

It was the Earth Core Nether Fire!

The core of this flame was a dark color akin to an abyss, while the outer flame presented an eerie, ghostly blue.

The Earth Core Nether Fire circled Lin Yuan affectionately.

Lin Yuan extended a withered finger and tapped the flame gently.

The mass of ghost-blue flame obediently fell into the pill cauldron, burning quietly, dyeing the entire Pill Furnace in an eerie blue.

Everything was ready.

Lin Yuan's expression became focused, his ten fingers moving rapidly with precision, and Spiritual Plants were ordered into the Pill Furnace.

With the support of his Level 3 Fire Control Technique, the temperature of the Earth Core Nether Fire was controlled to Perfection.

The medicinal properties that were originally violent and conflicting were now forcefully blended and tamed under the guidance of his fingertips.

Countless Alchemy techniques and pharmacological changes of the Sixth-Grade Alchemist had long been imprinted deep within his Divine Soul.

About an hour later.

Lin Yuan's eyes suddenly opened, a flash of brilliance in his pupils, and he spat out a single word.

"Open!"

"Buzz—"

The lid of the Pill Furnace popped up in response, and a thick, tangible medicinal fragrance exploded, instantly breaking through the Restriction in the room and spreading throughout the entire Hundred Herbs Peak!

Nine brilliant streams of light shot out from the Pill Furnace, like nine small stars!

Lin Yuan grabbed at the air, and an invisible force guided the nine Medicinal Pills to his front, forming a string and floating quietly in mid-air.

According to his previous experience, this batch would have been at most a few High Grade pills.

But now...

He stared fixedly at the Medicinal Pill in front of him, his breath hitching.

Among the nine pills, two were significantly larger than the other seven, completely round, with Spiritual Qi swirling around them, and even a few profound pill patterns looming!

That was a symbol that the quality of the Medicinal Pill had reached its peak!

A supreme grade pill!

"Four Medium Grade, three High Grade... two supreme grade!"

In Lin Yuan's eyes, an irrepressible ecstasy finally erupted.

This was the result he wanted!

The Realm of a Sixth-Grade Alchemist, the exquisite control of the Level 3 Fire Control Technique, plus a heaven and earth spiritual fire like the Earth Core Nether Fire!

The combination of the three actually forced the quality of the pills he refined up by a whole major Rank!

"Not only that, the Alchemy efficiency has also greatly improved. At this rate, I can refine at least eight or nine batches a day!"

His gaze fell on the Pill Furnace in front of him; the surface of this Low Grade Magical Artifact Pill Furnace already had fine cracks, clearly unable to withstand the power of the Earth Core Nether Fire.

"It seems I need to get a better Pill Furnace as soon as possible, so the chance of supreme grade pills appearing should be higher."

Lin Yuan temporarily suppressed this thought, reached out to take a supreme grade condensing yuan pill, and swallowed it without hesitation.

The Medicinal Pill melted upon contact with his mouth.

There was no trace of fire or Impurities; instead, it turned into an incomparably pure and gentle torrent of Spiritual Qi, instantly rushing into his limbs and bones.

Lin Yuan quickly circulated his Cultivation Technique, refining all of this immense medicinal power.

A moment later, he opened his eyes and checked his own Cultivation progress.

It had increased by fifty points.

He frowned slightly.

Previously, one Medium Grade condensing yuan pill could increase his Cultivation value by forty points.

He had thought that this supreme grade condensing yuan pill could increase it by at least one hundred points per pill.

But then, he understood the crux of the matter, and a cold smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"So that's how it is; the total amount of Spiritual Qi contained in the condensing yuan pill itself has a limit."

"The improvement in quality didn't increase the Spiritual Qi, but rather removed all the Impurities and pill toxins completely!"

"No pill toxins and no Impurities..."

This meant he could treat this Medicinal Pill as food!

He no longer had to worry about the accumulation of pill toxins in his body affecting his future Cultivation Foundation!

Having figured this out, Lin Yuan had no more doubts in his heart.

He swallowed the other supreme grade condensing yuan pill without hesitation and began refining it again.

In the following days, Lin Yuan completely entered a state of semi-seclusion.

Refining pills, popping pills.

Popping pills, refining pills.

Seven days later.

When Lin Yuan completely refined a condensing yuan pill, an unprecedented feeling of fullness came from the depths of his Dantian and instantly spread throughout his body.

The magic power in his body had reached an extreme, as if it would overflow at any moment.

The small golden characters at the bottom of his eyes refreshed at this moment.

【 Cultivation: Ninth Layer of Qi Refining: 900 / 900 (Perfection) 】

【 Sixth-Grade Alchemist: 0 / 400 (addable points) 】

【 Level 3 Fire Control Technique: 0 / 300 (addable points); Illusion Transformation Art (Perfection) 】

【 Available attribute points: 42 】

Ninth Layer of Qi Refining, Perfection.

A flash of understanding crossed Lin Yuan's eyes. He tried to click on the word "Perfection" after Cultivation with his mind, and sure enough, there was no reaction.

It seems that this point-adding could not overcome the Bottleneck of a major Realm within the Laws of heaven and earth.