Filled with questions, Ling Feng quickly approached the alchemy furnace.
Sensing the terrifying aura of flames around Ling Feng, the spiders lurking on the ground immediately retreated into the shadows, not daring to act recklessly.
Ling Feng looked up, noticing a small opening above that allowed a single beam of light to shine directly onto the furnace. Kneeling, he studied the array below, finally gaining some understanding.
It turned out this furnace was powered by an array that connected to the heavens and earth. Drawing in the essence of the sun and moon from above and the earth's energy below, the array continuously gathered faint wisps of an "Ethereal Fire" to refine medicinal pills.
Until now, Ling Feng had only read about the "Ethereal Fire" in ancient texts; he never thought he'd witness it with his own eyes.
"To think such a flame has been used to refine something for tens of thousands of years..." Ling Feng murmured to himself. "What sort of pill could be worth the painstaking effort of an ancient sect, with a hidden chamber built beneath the Tiandan Pavilion just for it?"
It was clear this place had been intentionally constructed. After devouring countless spirit pills, the medicinal spider had developed spiritual intelligence.
Wandering aimlessly, it had stumbled upon this chamber and, instinctively aware of the furnace's significance, guarded it, awaiting the pill's completion.
But, in the end, it never saw that day come.
"Did you find something?" Li Bufan asked as he approached with his sword.
"Yes," Ling Feng nodded. "This is an ancient alchemical array, using an Ethereal Fire that absorbs the essence of the sun and moon as well as earth's spiritual energy to refine an extraordinary divine pill."
Though Li Bufan wasn't familiar with alchemy, just knowing that the pill in this furnace had been refining for tens of thousands of years made it clear that it was a treasure beyond value, a once-in-a-lifetime wonder.
Yue Yunlan and the others circled the furnace, brimming with curiosity, though they couldn't decipher anything significant. "How much longer will it take for the spirit pill inside to finish refining?" Yue Yunlan asked Ling Feng.
"I'm not sure," Ling Feng replied, shaking his head. "From what I know, the longest it's taken for a pill to refine using an Ethereal Fire was about sixty years. This pill must have been left incomplete due to the battle against the Devils from Beyond, preventing its completion.
"Later, when the ancient sect became ruins, there was no one left to tend to this pill." Ling Feng considered for a moment before saying, "With an alchemist's aid, we could open the furnace soon."
After a brief hesitation, he decided to speed up the refining process himself.
Otherwise, relying solely on the essence of the sun and moon would mean waiting another few hundred years, and they only had ten days to remain in the Battlefield of the Gods and Demons.
He might not be entirely confident, but it was worth a try. If he failed, there would be no harm done.
But if he succeeded, he'd obtain a batch of ancient divine pills!
"Xiaofan, guard the entrance and keep anyone from disturbing me. I'll handle the furnace myself and complete this ancient pill!" Ling Feng said firmly.
"Big Brother, I know you can do it!" Jiang Xiaofan grinned, positioning himself by the cave's entrance and saying in a low voice, "Anyone who tries to enter will have to step over my dead body first!"
"I'll take the left side to prevent any spider interference," Yue Yunlan said, pursing her lips.
"I'll guard the right," Mu Qianxue added, holding the little black cat as she moved to Ling Feng's right side.
Soon, everyone surrounded Ling Feng to protect him, and Ling Feng began focusing on the ancient array, carefully attempting to control the Ethereal Fire.
Although Ling Feng had refined countless pills, it was his first time working with an Ethereal Fire, and the pill inside was a half-finished product. One small mistake would destroy tens of thousands of years of accumulated spiritual energy in an instant.
Ling Feng took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from his palms as he calmed his nerves.
Refining an ancient divine pill was a task that would make any alchemist feel tense and uncertain.
Even Hong Haotian, the president of the Alchemist Guild, or other renowned alchemists like Yun Danqing and Su Dongling, though older than Ling Feng by decades, would likely be far less calm in this situation.
They might not even have the courage to attempt this.
"Heavenly Dao Divine Inscription, condense!"
Clenching his fists, Ling Feng summoned the divine inscriptions of the Heavenly Dao. Though the ancient array differed from martial techniques, with the inscriptions condensing, his insight and concentration would greatly improve, making it easier to understand the ancient array.
One quarter-hour passed.
Ling Feng sat cross-legged, unmoving, as time continued to flow.
Ling Feng seemed like he had turned into a stone. His companions could only wait patiently, unable to help him in any way with the refining process.
Finally, after an indeterminate amount of time, Ling Feng suddenly opened his eyes, summoning a small flame that flickered in his hand before he sent it into the six-pointed star array[1].
Golden flames blazed upward, illuminating the entire furnace. The fierce light cast eerie, shifting shadows that stretched and twisted, making everyone's silhouettes look like spectral apparitions.
The pitch-black cave erupted with intense light, driving the spiders hidden in the shadows even further back. These creatures of darkness feared light and heat with an instinctive terror from deep within their souls.
Li Bufan's eyelids twitched as he watched. Although he wasn't particularly interested in alchemy, he understood some basics from his exams. The Ethereal Fire had been faint and weak, but Ling Feng had summoned this intense flame all at once. Could the materials inside the furnace withstand such a sudden temperature change?
Tuoba Yan and Mu Qianxue also furrowed their brows; this was a basic mistake. Given Ling Feng's courage in refining an ancient divine pill, he shouldn't have made such a misstep, right?
Only Yue Yunlan and Jiang Xiaofan remained steadfast in their faith in Ling Feng.
After all, Yue Yunlan had witnessed Ling Feng's extraordinary alchemical skills, seemingly miraculous and capable of creating wonders through unconventional means.
As for Jiang Xiaofan, he knew nothing about alchemy but had always held an almost blind admiration for Ling Feng.