The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron

Chapter 406: Trust Your Own Eyes

The old man in white looked at Fang Lin strangely, “Are you really going to the second floor?”

Fang Lin was puzzled, “I thought each floor was open to everyone? Can’t I go to the second floor?”

The old man in white shook his head, “Every floor of the Pill Pole Tower is indeed open, but not everyone can go to the higher floors. You need to pass a test, the Pill Pole Tower must recognize your qualifications to enter the second floor. If you fail, you will be sent directly out of the Pill Pole Tower and will not be able to come back in.”

On hearing these words, Fang Lin scoffed, “Is this what you call ‘open’? If one needs to pass a test to go to the higher floors, what’s the difference between that and not being open in the first place?”

The white-robed elder frowned, “There is a difference. If it weren’t open at all, you wouldn’t even have the opportunity to take the test, and now at least you can pass the test and enter the higher floors.”

Ignoring the old man in white, Fang Lin directly asked, “So what kind of test do I need to take?”

The old man in white looked at him, “When you’re ready, I’ll organize your test.”

Fang Lin grabbed the millennium-old Corpse Ginseng and stuffed it into his Nine Palace Bag without further ado. Then he said to the old man in white, “I’m ready, let’s get started.”

Zhao Shenkong also overheard their conversation. Knowing that Fang Lin was going to the second floor to take the test, he was outwardly unperturbed. However, inside, he was hoping Fang Lin would fail the test and leave the Pill Pole Tower.

However, thinking that Fang Lin was going to take the test for the second floor while he was still here, Zhao Shenkong suddenly felt very weak.

The white-robed elder waved his hand, and Fang Lin disappeared from the Stone Tablet Ancient Hall.

Fang Lin only felt a blur before his eyes, and then he found himself in a spacious, silent hall. Apart from himself, there was no one else, not even the white-robed old man.

“Hey, old man, come out. Where is this place? What kind of test is it?” Fang Lin asked loudly.

However, the white-robed elder did not appear. After a while, a very ordinary Pill Furnace appeared in front of Fang Lin.

Fang Lin reached out to touch it, only to find that it was an illusion.

“What is this about?” Fang Lin muttered. He didn’t make any hasty moves and took a few steps backward.

After the Pill Furnace appeared, a Pill Refiner whose face couldn’t be seen clearly appeared as well, just as illusory as the furnace.

At this moment, the Pill Refiner started a flame and threw various medicinal herbs into the Pill Furnace, starting the pill refining process.

Fang Lin watched this scene with furrowed brows, feeling more and more strange.

Each step of the Pill Refiner was standard without any mistakes, but Fang Lin felt that something was amiss.

Without realizing it, the pill refining process was nearing its end. Just then, there was a muffled noise from inside the Pill Furnace, followed by a puff of black smoke.

The pill refinement failed.

The scene disappeared at this point, and Fang Lin was still recalling everything he had just seen.

“Did you notice anything?” A virtual voice appeared at this moment. It was a kindly old man dressed in a green robe, smiling as he looked at Fang Lin.

The impression given by this green-robed elder was completely different from the white-robed elder. While the white-robed elder seemed somewhat cunning and vulgar, the green-robed elder seemed above worldly matters, like a devoted Pill Refiner with a pure heart for Alchemy Tao.

Fang Lin politely nodded to the green-robed elder.

“You are the most talented Pill Refiner I have ever seen. Did you see any problem with the procedure just now?” The green-robed elder continued, his deep eyes looking at Fang Lin, awaiting his answer.

Fang Lin thought for a moment before answering, “No problem at all.”

Upon hearing this, the green-robed elder looked astonished, “Why not? The pill refinement clearly failed.”

Fang Lin shook his head, “Pill refinement failure is just a result, but there were indeed no problems within the process.”

“If you say there is no problem, why did the pill refinement fail then? If there were no problems, it should not have failed,” the green-robed elder asked again, his eyes lit up.

Fang Lin smiled, “The process of pill refining in the scene just now indeed had no issues whatsoever. The reason for the failure is a question for you, elder.”

The green-robed elder laughed heartily and patted Fang Lin’s shoulder, but he was not a physical entity either but an illusion, his hand sailed straight through Fang Lin’s shoulder.

“You truly are extraordinary. You trust your own eyes and did not allow me to mislead you,” said the green-robed elder with a look of approval.

Fang Lin remained humble and in control. In fact, he was not misled either. As a Pill Sovereign, he trusts his judgment and especially his eyes.

“But the test is not over yet, do you want to continue?” the green-robed elder teased.

Fang Lin nodded, “Naturally, I want to continue.”

“Good!” The green-robed elder said, and with a wave of his hand, another illusion appeared in front of Fang Lin.

This time, Fang Lin saw a scene that shocked him.

A giant Pill Furnace, with fierce flames burning inside, and many unique treasures had already been thrown into it.

But at this point, the Pill Refiner jumped straight into the Pill Furnace and turned into ashes with the flames.

Then, as golden light surged within the Pill Furnace, a pill slowly flew out.

The pill was successfully refined!

The scene disappeared, and Fang Lin looked serious and somber.

The green-robed elder began to speak, “Do you think it’s right or wrong to refine a pill this way?”

Fang Lin raised his head without hesitation, and said straightforwardly, “Naturally, it is correct.”

The green-robed elder furrowed his brows, a hint of disappointment crossing his eyes.

Fang Lin definitely noticed this, but he didn’t care, and continued, “Refining a pill with one’s own body, although it’s a taboo, it does not mean it doesn’t exist. Some very strange pills require the Pill Refiner to refine the pill with their own body. The Tao of Medicine allows everything under the heavens to be used as medicine. Although humans are considered the most sentient among all living things, they’re also a part of everything under heaven. It may seem cruel, but this approach abides by the rules of heaven and earth.”

The green-robed elder looked at Fang Lin in astonishment, he didn’t expect Fang Lin to have such a profound understanding that he couldn’t even refute.

As a Pill Sovereign, Fang Lin’s understanding of the Tao of Pill surpassed any Pill Refiner, unmatched by anyone.

Refining a pill with one’s own body may seem cruel, but it has its own principles and significance, only that most people find it hard to accept.

In his previous life, when Fang Lin was refining the Life and Death Reincarnation Pill, he bet his own life. If successful, he could transcend life and death and not enter the cycle of reincarnation.

Moreover, throughout ancient times, there were not a few who refined pills with their own bodies. Those who could accomplish this step were truly admirable Pill Refiners who put everything they had into the Tao of Pill.

“You’re special! You’re more special than any genius I’ve ever seen!” the green-robed elder said.