Chapter 1177: Advancing to the Eighth Tier!

Xiao Yan also felt surprised in his heart when he sensed this unexpected change. However, he did not dare to be overly reckless at this moment. He could only forcefully stabilize his mind as he focused on the changes within his body...

That tamed Core Soul Marrow had transformed into a hot flow that scattered apart after entering Xiao Yan's body. It was swiftly vaporized and wave after wave of a deep-green smoke began to swiftly surged upwards. The smoke slipped through his body and reached the point between his eyebrows. Finally, it mixed with the Spiritual Strength lingering there.

Following the mixture of the smoke and his Spiritual Strength, Xiao Yan swiftly sensed a powerful and terrifying energy swiftly merge with his soul. At the same time, the strength of his soul began to appear as though it had consumed a great tonic as it suddenly strengthened at a rate that caused Xiao Yan to feel shocked!

With the swift strengthening of his Spiritual Strength, the swelling pain between Xiao Yan's eyebrows became even more intense. He did not expect this Core Soul Marrow to possess such a powerful strengthening effect on one's Spiritual Strength!

Xiao Yan was helpless in the face of the swelling pain between his eyebrows. He could only watch as he sensed his soul grow stronger...

An increasing amount of green-colored smoke surged up. Xiao Yan's soul continued to strengthen with it. At this moment, Xiao Yan truly sensed what a migraine was. The temples on the two sides of his head had begun to throb at this moment. They were just like small drums that continued to beat.

"It is about to explode!"

His soul had become so strong that it gradually surpassed the threshold Xiao Yan could endure. Hence, Xiao Yan was finally unable to endure any longer. An intense, painful eardrum explosion was suddenly emitted from deep within his mind.

"Bang!"

Xiao Yan's mind was blasted until he was dizzy during this explosion. Gold light covered his vision, and his mind was in complete chaos...

This kind of strange situation continued for quite a long period of time before it gradually took a turn for the better. By the time Xiao Yan's mind had recovered his consciousness, the intense pain within his mind had already weakened. He vaguely sensed that his soul seemed to be a couple of times stronger than earlier. However, he was still able to sense that his soul had yet to advance to that so-called Soul State...

"The Core Soul Marrow no longer has any effect?"

Xiao Yan was involuntarily startled when he sensed this. It was impossible to completely advance to the soul state regardless of how strong one's Spiritual Strength was alone. As long as one's soul had yet to reach the Soul State, one would never be able to refine a genuine tier 8 medicinal pill!

Just when Xiao Yan was stunned because of this, he suddenly sensed the surrounding natural energy be dragged by some strange thing. While it fluctuated, threads of extremely faint flows, that Xiao Yan had a deep impression of, quietly seeped out from the space. After which, they shot explosively to the area between Xiao Yan's eyebrows from all directions...

At this moment, Xiao Yan finally discovered that the strange attraction force was being emitted from between his eyebrows!

"It is indeed useful!"

XiaoYan finally heaved a sigh of relief when he saw these flows. He had placed all of his hopes on this soul transformation. Just strengthening some Spiritual Strength was far from able to satisfy him.

The spiritual aura continued to surge into the spot between Xiao Yan's eyebrows. Finally, it merged together with the soul that was lingering there. During this merger, Xiao Yan's soul appeared to be soaking in a warm spiritual bath. Warm Spiritual Strength quietly merged into his soul from every direction. This kind of comfortable feeling caused him to involuntarily let out a moan.

The pouring in of this degree of spiritual aura was clearly not enough to cause Xiao Yan's soul to advance to the Soul State. Hence, after this kind of absorption lasted for nearly an hour, the strange force from between Xiao Yan's eyebrows suddenly became more intense. In the end, a ripple that was invisible to the naked eye quietly spread out. Finally it flowed out of the stone chamber and launched through the stone hall before scattering in the sky above this mountain...

"Bang!"

Following the scattering of this ripple, this mountain immediately appeared like a pot of boiling oil as it suddenly became violent...

This sudden violent movement of the sky and land stirred the attention of all the Magical Beasts on the mountain. However, the mysterious flow of spiritual aura appeared a little to illusionary to them. Other than a small number of powerful high rank Magical Beasts vaguely sensing it, the remaining Magical Beasts were at a loss as they stared at the oscillating surroundings. They were unable to sense anything unusual...

Xiong Zhan in front of the stone hall had become slightly startled because of this sudden, unexpected change. His eyes swept over the place before pausing on a stone chamber deep within the stone hall, where Xiao Yan was undertaking a retreat. A shocked expression immediately flashed across his eyes.

"This... is the so-called spiritual aura huh... it is rumored that this kind of thing can only be absorbed by some alchemists who have advanced to the eighth tier..."

Xiong Zhan's eyes slightly flickered. Although he might appear rough, he was very perceptive. After all, this Pill Realm could be considered the base camp of the Pill Tower back then. The Pill Tower had only gradually left due to its current decline.

"It is unexpected that Xiao Yan really did not lie. He really is going to advance to the eighth tier soon..." Xiong Zhan spoke to himself in a soft voice. He immediately nodded. If Xiao Yan really advanced to a tier 8 alchemist, Xiong Zhan might need to seek his help. Even across the Dou Qi continent, there were not many tier 8 alchemist guru.

"All bastards listen up. Chase anyone who appears within a fifty kilometer radius of this place!"

Xiong Zhan suddenly stood up while some thoughts flashed through his heart. A roar resounded unceasingly over this mountain forest.

The countless number of Magical Beasts within the Ten Thousand Medicinal Mountain Range turned into an uproar upon hearing his orders. Low, deep roars continuously sounded as they began to expel the competitors that were randomly charging into the mountain range.

Xiao Yan was naturally unaware of the activity occurring in the outside world. At this moment, he was completely immersed within this dense spiritual aura. This comfortable, soul-deep feeling was like being drunk. It caused one not want to wake up.

Due to the entrance of an enormous amount of spiritual aura, a drastic change gradually occurred between his eyebrows.

The soul was usually a kind of misty thing that was difficult to describe. It was the foundation of life, and it was extremely mysterious. Ordinarily speaking, the soul between the eyebrows of even an alchemist of Xiao Yan's tier was similar to an illusionary substance. However, their Spiritual Strength could be used to do a variety of things after having left their bodies.

However, after the changes from earlier, the Spiritual Strength between Xiao Yan's eyebrows no longer appeared like an empty form like in the past. Instead, it had started to adhere together. Occasionally, a slight pulse like one's heart would be visible. Perhaps it was due to the spiritual aura, but the soul between his brows possessed an even greater amount of lifeforce when compared to the past.

Due to the enormous spiritual aura pouring in, the soul continuously wiggled, like something was being bred. However, for some unknown reason, Xiao Yan felt that this breeding seemed to lack something...

Xiao Yan thought for a moment, but he did not make any headway and only ended up giving up...

Following the ripple of this place, a large amount of spiritual aura surged down from the sky. Finally, it surged into a small stone chamber. This empty and secluded stone chamber was filled with an abundant amount of lifeforce once the spiritual aura entered.

Xiao Yan's expression within the stone chamber gradually turned ugly due to the increasing amount of spiritual aura pouring in. He had discovered that regardless of the amount of spiritual aura gathering, the soul between his eyebrows ultimately remained in a state where it continued to wiggle around. It appeared as though it was unable to take the final step forward...

Xiao Yan tightly knit his eyebrows. He knew that if he was unable to take this final step forward, he would never be able to reach the eighth tier!

"Just what is missing?"

Thoughts flew within Xiao Yan's heart as he pondered the problem. At this moment, his soul appeared like a cocoon that needed direction in order to take the final step forward, breaking through the cocoon and transforming into a butterfly (to be successful).

"Direction?"

A light suddenly flashed in Xiao Yan's mind as thoughts flowed. "That's right, there is no spiritual training method to give it direction!"

Xiao Yan sighed in relief within his heart after comprehending this point. However, he began to frown again soon after. This spiritual training method... he seemed to only possess the most basic word formula...

"This word formula... I wonder if it is alright..."

Xiao Yan's mind was a little uncertain. However, he did not have any other methods at the moment. He swiftly focused his mind. After which, a word formula was gently emitted from his mouth.

"The limit of Soul... shut the Heavenly Spirit... absorb the spirit forge, the soul..."

While this short word formula gradually sounded within Xiao Yan's heart, the wiggling soul between his eyebrows appeared to have accelerated. There was something gradually forming in the process...

Time was just like water as it quietly flowed by. Within the blink of an eye, it was already the eighth day since Xiao Yan had entered the stone chamber. The unusual phenomenon had gradually disappeared and the stone chamber once again became completely quiet...

Zi Yan squatted on the stone stairs outside of the stone chamber. Her small hands were supporting her cheeks as her gaze roamed around in an extremely bored manner. The wait during these few days had really caused her to feel extremely terrible...

"Why is he still not done? It is rumored that this Pill Realm is about to shut..."

Zi Yan softly muttered as her small hand rubbed the ground.

"Bang!"

While Zi Yan was muttering to herself, a soul-stirringly loud noise suddenly resounded from the stone chamber. Immediately, the incomparably tough ceiling was cracked apart. An invisible light suddenly erupted from within. It immediately remained in the air. A mighty Spiritual Strength swept out in a lightning-like manner like a monstrous wave...

The expression of Xiong Zhan outside of the stone hall suddenly changed when he sensed this vast, mighty Spiritual Strength. Shock flashed across his eyes.

"Success?"