Duan Rong stepped into the cave, standing not far from Pan Yong and Chen Hu.
In the center of the cave, there was the same double-layered great elixir furnace from last time, but there was a small pit indented in one section of the second layer.
The ground near the furnace was already filled with a myriad of herbs and various bottles and jars, clearly arranged in advance by Pan Yong.
At this moment, Duan Rong’s eyelids suddenly twitched.
He suddenly noticed a corner behind where Shang Xiangyu was sitting cross-legged, with two great cauldrons, in one of which seemed to be lying a person, whose hands, feet, and half a head were exposed.
Although Duan Rong couldn’t see the face of the person inside, he had already guessed who it was.
It was the fool!
But Duan Rong couldn’t understand why the fool was lying in that great cauldron and remained motionless as if asleep.
Some time ago, Duan Rong had heard from Yin Cong that the fool was actually Shang Xiangyu’s son.
Yet Duan Rong always felt it didn’t seem right, as the age difference between them didn’t appear that significant.
While Duan Rong pondered with his gaze flickering, Yin Cong also entered the cave and stood beside Duan Rong.
After the four arrived, they stood together in silence, none of them speaking.
For Shang Xiangyu was sitting cross-legged not far away.
After about half an incense stick’s time, Shang Xiangyu suddenly opened his eyes, tilted his head back slightly, and exhaled a breath of impure air.
His gaze swept over the four standing at the cave entrance, and he stood up, saying, "Let’s begin the alchemy."
The four moved to their respective positions.
Duan Rong and Yin Cong still stood on a pair of wooden ladders, guarding the two add-medicine ports on the second layer of the furnace.
With Tang Zhu gone, they temporarily lacked one person, so Pan Yong was responsible for the two add-medicine ports on the first layer, and Chen Hu managed another add-medicine port.
Seeing everyone in place, Shang Xiangyu slowly walked to a corner of the cave, where a large black stone lay on the ground like a giant black coffin.
Standing beside the large black stone, Shang Xiangyu raised his arms horizontally, lifting from his Dantian, and at the same time, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi within him began surging through his meridians.
Shang Xiangyu grasped one side of the large black stone, suddenly exerting force to lift it. The veins on his forehead bulging, only to finally set the black stone upright, revealing its weight.
With the large black stone upright, gushing magma flowed from beneath it, along the channels, and into the pit beneath the furnace.
As the lava, hot like molten iron, poured out, the cave’s air instantly began churning with scorching currents.
Moments later, the temperature soared to a terrifying degree.
Standing by the furnace, Shang Xiangyu monitored the heat. After the furnace glowed red for a few moments, he suddenly instructed, "Add-medicine Port One, Earth Yellow Essence."
Pan Yong, already holding a white porcelain bottle by Add-medicine Port One, immediately poured the liquid inside into the furnace upon Shang Xiangyu’s command.
As the potion entered, a mass of white mist began to fill the furnace...
Shang Xiangyu stood by the circle of transparent Water Jade, eyes fixed on the subtle changes inside the furnace. His gaze was both calm and mad, like a stockbroker intensely watching market trends after leveraging crazily, or like a bizarre scientist engrossed in some humanity-ending experiment.
Under Shang Xiangyu’s command, the group continuously added various medicines into the furnace.
Duan Rong felt like he was adding the same medicines as last time, only this time, the quantity of each herb seemed significantly increased.
As time passed, the bottles, jars, and herbs by the furnace dwindled.
Through the circle of transparent Water Jade, Shang Xiangyu watched the furnace, the glow on his face continuously shifting in hue. Suddenly, he straightened, knowing the crucial moment had arrived.
He intended to use the Blood Pill Technique to refine the Blood Spring Pill!
Shang Xiangyu murmured, turning his head toward the corner with the great cauldron.
As Shang Xiangyu turned, Duan Rong distinctly noticed Shang Xiangyu’s body tremble slightly.
At this moment, Shang Xiangyu was already walking slowly toward the great cauldron in the corner...