Ten days passed, and under the reflection of the firelight, Ji Yuan frowned as he gazed at the alchemical furnace before him.
Despite his best efforts, this batch of pills was ruined during the condensation stage due to a subtle fluctuation.
No matter how he pondered, he could not identify the source of that fluctuation, nor understand why the alchemy had failed.
After recovering his depleted spirit and magic power, Ji Yuan did not hesitate to restart the furnace. While maintaining sufficient focus, he continuously analyzed his previous experience.
"It's... the flame!"
Suddenly, he looked at the flames burning beneath the furnace, and a flicker of realization dawned in his heart.
As if grasping something crucial, numerous conjectures surfaced in his mind, and he rapidly verified them with his alchemical mastery.
"That's right, the key to the 'Three Revolutions Divine Dew Pill' lies in the two words 'Divine Dew'!"
He finally understood, and his eyes blazed with renewed vigor.
However, understanding the problem was one thing; solving it was immensely difficult.
If Ji Yuan's guess was correct, the crucial condensation stage of this pill should be accomplished using the Water Condensation method. Only then could the medicinal properties of dozens of spiritual herbs perfectly fuse together in an instant.
Yet, he had no knowledge of the Water Condensation method. He had only heard of its name, never even seen it.
In an instant, his mind was in turmoil. He never expected the most critical part of this pill to require the Water Condensation method!
If he possessed such a precious secret technique, he would not have come with Huang Tianci and others, forced to be a challenger here.
But if he didn't use the Water Condensation method, how could he refine the 'Three Revolutions Divine Dew Pill'?
For the next ten days, Ji Yuan pondered this problem incessantly, yet found no solution.
Meanwhile, the 'Three Revolutions Divine Dew Pill' was nearing its final stage. The refinement and fusion of dozens of spiritual herb essences within the furnace were about to be completed.
Unknowingly, his forehead was covered in sweat, and even the clothes on his back were damp.
If he couldn't find a solution soon, even another condensation process would yield no different result.
Ji Yuan understood that this 'Three Revolutions Divine Dew Pill' required the Water Condensation method. During condensation, sufficient water vapor must be infused to achieve perfect fusion of the medicinal properties.
Otherwise, if condensed with conventional flames, the intrinsically water-aligned pill would acquire an indelible trace of fire energy, causing its medicinal properties to conflict with each other.
This was a true conundrum. Without the Water Condensation method, it would be impossible to remove the trace of fire energy from the furnace flames during condensation. Even attempting it dozens or hundreds of times would yield no change.
Unless an alchemy master appeared, this situation could not be broken!
"No! There's another possibility!"
Ji Yuan paused for a moment, then a bold idea struck him.
Without even considering its feasibility, he immediately put this spontaneous idea into practice. He changed his hand seals, causing six acupoints on his body to light up. Following this, six dimly glowing heavy water pearls flew out from his acupoints.
Taking a deep breath, Ji Yuan partially opened the furnace lid. With a slight movement of his mind, the six heavy water pearls were thrown in. After a moment, a mist of water dispersed, and the lid returned to its position, isolating the water vapor.
Immediately after, he suddenly increased the flow of magic power, causing the flames at the furnace's base to surge significantly, reaching a level capable of easily melting metal.
Under such high temperatures, even spiritual ores would not last long, quickly melting into molten metal.
However, the spiritual herb essences within the furnace were not only unaffected but, enveloped by a watery glow, their medicinal properties even became more gentle.
Compared to the previous two attempts, the fusion of medicinal properties this time was clearly much easier. After absorbing sufficient water vapor, the properties of the dozens of spiritual herbs became significantly richer.
Sensing the changes within the furnace, Ji Yuan was truly surprised. He had initially intended to compensate for the lack of the Water Condensation method by providing enough water vapor to the pills before condensation, thereby expelling the fire energy.
Unexpectedly, by chance, the medicinal properties within the pills became even richer, removing the last trace of "wildness" and, through the harmonious blend of water vapor, achieving a more thorough fusion.
After several more days, a golden light suddenly flashed in Ji Yuan's eyes. The magic power within his body surged, continuously flowing into the alchemical furnace before him.
The six internal restrictions were fully activated. With an endless supply of magic power, the entire furnace was engulfed in flames. Before long, a mist of water also began to shine through the gaps in the furnace lid.
As the temperature inside the furnace reached its peak, he began to form hand seals. It took him a full half-hour to finally complete one hundred and thirty-two seals.
In the previous condensation attempts, only twenty-odd seals were completed before the pills within the furnace were ruined due to accumulated fire energy.
However, even after completing all the seals, no joy appeared in Ji Yuan's eyes. Instead, a deep seriousness surfaced. The truly critical step was just beginning.
Just as he was about to increase the heat to completely melt and unify all the medicinal properties, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and his hands suddenly paused.
At this moment, Ji Yuan had a premonition that if he continued, this batch of pills would surely fail!
He instinctively changed his hand seals, causing the six heavy water pearls to rotate rapidly within the furnace, releasing the spiritual energy that had been painstakingly recovered. All of it transformed into layers of watery mist.
In an instant, all the water vapor within the furnace formed swirling vortexes, drawing along a large amount of spiritual energy and creating a powerful force.
And at the center of this force, a perfectly round pill was rapidly spinning, its medicinal properties completely and perfectly fused together!
*Bang!!!*
After dozens of breaths, the furnace lid flew open with a bang. A pill emitting a faint blue light shot out. Ji Yuan, who was prepared, enveloped it with his magic power and slowly placed it into the jade box in his hand.
Before long, all anomalies dissipated. The six heavy water pearls flew back from the furnace and sank into his six acupoints.
"Seventh grade, middle tier!"
He gazed at the pill in the jade box, his eyes filled with immense joy.
He never expected that, lacking the Water Condensation method and through sheer chance, he had not only successfully refined this pill but had also managed to elevate its original quality from seventh grade, lower tier, by a notch!
With this quality, the pill was sufficient to pass this challenge.
Gazing at the 'Three Revolutions Divine Dew Pill' in the jade box, Ji Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion. With the refinement of this pill, many insights also welled up in his heart.
He did not immediately place the pill on the jade platform. Instead, he placed it on his lap and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing. Before proceeding to the next challenge, it was best to adjust his condition to its optimal state.
While regulating himself, Ji Yuan was also organizing his insights from this alchemy, especially from the final condensation process and the move he made in a flash of inspiration.
Dimly, he seemed to have unexpectedly discovered an alchemical method that suited him quite well.
He wondered if this method could be applied to other pills. If it proved feasible, he would undoubtedly take a further step towards becoming an alchemy master.
To be called a master in a discipline was not merely about having sufficient understanding and profound experience; one also needed to forge their own path.
After a full day and night, Ji Yuan, who had largely recovered, slowly opened his eyes. After a moment's thought, he placed the jade box containing the 'Three Revolutions Divine Dew Pill' onto the jade platform beneath him.
Instantly, a halo spread out. In just a few breaths, a formation pattern rapidly unfolded, enveloping him.
A familiar sensation of weightlessness emerged. It felt as if a long time had passed, yet it seemed to have only been a moment. Then, his vision slowly returned, and the unusual sensations gradually disappeared.
Ji Yuan looked around and found himself transported to a small path, flanked by dense white mist. At the end of the path was a colossal stone tablet.
He put away the jade box containing the pill, then slowly rose and walked along the path before him. Before long, he arrived at the massive stone tablet.
His gaze fell upon the rough stone surface, and countless runes immediately materialized. Each one was incredibly profound, beyond the comprehension of cultivators in the Enlightenment realm.
Even for cultivators in the Spirit Guiding realm, if their cultivation was insufficient, they would find it difficult to comprehend much. Attempting to do so forcefully could even harm their spirit.
With Ji Yuan's current cultivation, although he could attempt to comprehend them, it would not be easy. Even with full concentration, it would take a considerable amount of time to grasp even a portion of them.
Whenever a section of runes was understood, new runes would emerge, seemingly without end.
But he paid it no mind. After a brief attempt at comprehension, he became immersed in it. He even unconsciously took out the Great Dao Compendium, using the rules of the Great Dao contained within to analyze the runes appearing on the stone tablet.
This was not only because the runes before him contained profound Dao principles, but also because as he continued to comprehend, Ji Yuan discovered that what the stone tablet recorded was precisely the legendary Water Condensation method!
The reason he was trapped here, forced to be a challenger, with the constant risk of being annihilated by the formation, was all for this Water Condensation method, wasn't it?
He never expected such a secret technique to be presented to him so openly at this moment. As long as he could comprehend all the runes on the stone tablet, he could obtain it!