Chapter 2301: Joining Forces

“Collaborative alchemy differs from solo alchemy; it must abide by the Eight Diagram positions, assisting each other. The Shennong Ding has eight positions: Eastern Thunder of Zhen, Southern Fire of Li, Western Lake of Dui, Northern Water of Kan, Southeastern Wind of Xun, Southwestern Earth of Kun, Northwestern Heaven of Qian, and Northeastern Mountain of Gen…”

“Each position induces a different Qi dynamic. Xiao Tian, you are at the Fire position to control the fire and are responsible for activating the Shennong Ding. I am at the Southeastern Wind position to assist you with the wind.”

“Le Hua is at the Northern Water position, using the gentleness of water to balance the fierceness of wind and fire. The three of us must work wholeheartedly and eliminate all barriers. If there is even the slightest distrust, it will lead to alchemy failure, rendering our efforts in vain.”

Elder Yan pointed out the positions, looking at Lin Tian and Le Hua with great solemnity.

Upon hearing Elder Yan mention these positions, Lin Tian’s mind naturally conjured an Eight Diagram positioning chart. This is the Acquired Eight Diagram, with positions entirely different from the Innate Eight Diagrams.

“Let’s begin,” Lin Tian composed himself and said.

Lin Tian extended his hand, and purple flames rose, pooling under the Shennong Ding, beginning to heat it. A typical elixir cauldron can’t withstand direct burning by purple flames, but the Shennong Ding was unscathed by the purple flames.

Moreover, Lin Tai also sensed Shennong Ding’s miraculous aspects—it actively absorbed the purple flame energy, with a faint flame appearing inside, like a tiny Fire Bird flitting within the Ding.

Seeing this through his powers, Lin Tian was immensely amazed. The flame inside the Ding was exceedingly pure and very tame. With just a thought, Lin Tian could control that flame to move.

“Master, this is incredible! The Shennong Ding seems capable of taming all the flames in the world, condensing into fire for alchemy. Even your raging firepower was subdued,” the Sword Spirit exclaimed in astonishment.

“The Shennong Ding is a Holy Artifact for alchemy, and Emperor Shennong was an ancient being of great ability. Such capabilities befit a Holy Artifact,” Lin Tian realized, quickly calming down.

Lin Tian further believed that the Shennong Ding had more abilities awaiting his discovery. At the very least, using it as a weapon to bash someone wouldn’t be a bad idea either.

“Let’s also start,” Yan Shan and Elder Le Hua exchanged glances and acted simultaneously.

Yan Shan unleashed a flame gathered at the Wind of Xun position, while Le Hua released a True Energy, clear as water, gathering at the Water of Kan position.

With the support of Yan Shan’s fiery energy, the Shennong Ding emitted a faint buzz, the flame inside expanding and beginning to revolve around the five Blood Pearls like a mini Fire Tornado.

The previous night’s change in the two Blood Pearls, the Bloodline of the Blood Clan and the Jiang Chen Bloodline, spun again, with threads of black gas peeling off, curling upwards, and gathering beneath the Ding’s lid, condensing without dispersing.

Soon, Lin Tian’s Blood Pearl could not withstand the Shennong Ding’s refining either and began to change, emitting even denser black gas. Lin Tian’s face was dark with frustration, wondering if his blood was really that black.

The three Blood Pearls kept emitting black gas, and in no time, a large mass had gathered under the Ding lid, rolling as if trying to break free of Shennong Ding’s constraints.

No matter how it struggled, it couldn’t escape, still confined beneath the Ding lid.

“What’s going on with this Shennong Ding? In principle, these ineffective components being extracted out should be expelled,” Lin Tian thought, still somewhat unclear about its capabilities as he used Shennong Ding for alchemy the first time. He couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

However, this thought swiftly faded as Lin Tian continued to focus, igniting the flames, while keeping an eye on the changes in the Blood Pearls.

After half an hour passed, the three Blood Pearls no longer emitted black gas, but the Blood Pearls of Houqing and Ying Gou remained motionless, unaffected by the revolving flames.

“Elder Yan, I need to strengthen the flame energy,” Lin Tian signaled Elder Yan with his eyes, who nodded slightly, understanding the need.

With a thought, Lin Tian intensified the purple flames, covering half the Ding bottom. Simultaneously, Elder Yan also enhanced his True Qi circulation, making his purple flames several times more intense.

Heat waves rolled through the elixir room, seemingly igniting even the air. Miss and Yan Lingling felt like the air they inhaled was scorching, making their breathing difficult. The two of them had to circulate their True Qi to resist.

Miss didn’t retreat. She knew that this was a superb moment for cultivation, braving the pressure, the pressure of three masters of the Ancient Hidden Stream level, made True Qi circulation extremely challenging.

Under this pressure, if she could smoothly circulate her True Qi, it would be a substantial improvement, a moment of peril without life-threatening danger, a situation not everyone has the opportunity to encounter.

With each circulation, she had to exert immense willpower, sweat dripping from her pale, pretty face, soaking the hair by her ears.

She also surprisingly discovered that her sister could stand there unharmed, seemingly impervious to the surrounding heat and pressure. After a brief contemplation, she realized it must be the Ice Soul protecting her.

As Lin Tian increased the firepower, two more flames appeared inside the Ding, bringing the total to three. Lin Tian controlled the three flames, revolving around the Blood Pearls.

At that moment, a clear energy appeared inside the Ding, enveloping the three flames, greatly raising the temperature at the fire’s center.

Yet the firepower did not become uncontrollably violent, thanks to this clear energy.

Another half an hour went by, the flames were undiminished, and Lin Tian highly admired the robust internal power of Yan Shan and Elder Le Hua, with no sign of weakening.

The elders were equally astonished at Lin Tian’s endurance. Among the three, Lin Tian occupied the primary position, not only outputting fire energy but also controlling it. After over an hour, neither his spirit nor his energy showed any signs of waning; in fact, they grew stronger.

This was truly endless, as though Lin Tian harbored a sun within, fire energy surging indefinitely.

Bang, bang…

The Ding suddenly emitted two faint sounds as the two Blood Pearls slightly swelled, with two bubbles emerging, entangled with black gas, as if harboring endless Hell within.

The bubbles separated from the Blood Pearls, slowly rising to the top, merging with the earlier black gas.

The bubbles, acting like a catalyst or more intense Yin Sha, caused the mass of mixed black gas to churn violently, burning like black flames.

With a snap, the Ding lid seemed to have a mechanism move, opening a tiny aperture where the black flames found an outlet, vanishing in an instant.

The black flames spurted from the aperture, a fist-sized mass suddenly expanding outside the Ding, like black fire clouds, seemingly about to explode.

Frowning, Lin Tian sharply inhaled, and the not-yet-fully-dispersed black flames fell entirely into his mouth.

Lin Tian initially thought this pitch-black stuff might put up a rebellion, but once inside, the black gas immediately quieted, slowly flowing into his stomach like water, then dispersing into his limbs, bringing a delightful sensation to every cell.

“Such pure Sha energy,” Lin Tian was overjoyed.