I Tame Beasts by Feeding

A mist swirled within the Alchemy Furnace, and a wave of heat washed over them. Gongsun Yang, his expression calm, flicked his fingers, sending more medicinal materials pouring inside.

"Black Crystal, Tricolor Flower, Seven-Colored Rainbow Dew... These supplementary materials are relatively mild. Adding them too early causes their medicinal effects to evaporate and be wasted. Only when the main ingredients are nearly refined and fused—in other words, right now—can you add them to maximize every bit of their Medicinal Force. This also helps neutralize their properties, making the subsequent Solidifying Pill process a bit easier."

Gongsun Yang performed his Alchemy, explaining the key points to Yu Changsheng as he went. His movements were as fluid as flowing water, his expression at ease and completely unaffected, exuding the air of a true master.

"Yes, I understand," Yu Changsheng said, watching attentively from the side and committing everything to memory. Whenever he came across something he didn’t understand, he would ask. Gongsun Yang held nothing back, patiently and deliberately slowing his Alchemy so that Yu Changsheng could observe every detail.

Yu Changsheng had to admit, ’As a master, Gongsun Yang is truly dedicated and conscientious.’

"In Alchemy, the further you wish to go, the more you must pursue perfection in every detail. A truly perfect Elixir is one where every step is subject to the strictest standards, not just the precise control of the flame’s heat.

You also have the age of the medicinal materials, and the dosage must be exact—not too much, not too little. The order and timing of adding ingredients, the techniques used... you even have to consider environmental factors, like whether the ambient temperature is suitable."

"Whether or not you can refine an Elixir with Pill Patterns depends entirely on how you handle these details."

Gongsun Yang continued his gentle instruction as the medicinal aroma within the Pill Furnace grew increasingly rich. Seeing the time was right, his hand technique changed. His eyes narrowed, and he called out in a low voice,

"Watch closely—the use of Void Fire!"

The original Static Fire suddenly wavered. The timing was perfect. Gongsun Yang’s mind was as calm as still water. In an instant, the Flame vanished and reappeared, its pale yellow color now streaked with an enlightened, silvery-white hue, exuding an ethereal aura.

This was the Void Fire! As empty as it was spiritual, illusory and ephemeral.

The moment the Void Fire appeared, the Pill Furnace began to boil, its mists churning violently. In the void, the surrounding Spiritual Qi erupted, then, under the Void Fire’s Quenching, began to pour into the Pill Furnace in an orderly fashion, merging with the medicinal materials. The temperature around the furnace fluctuated wildly and the firelight flickered as waves of formless power rushed in from all directions.

A drop of sweat trickled down Gongsun Yang’s forehead, his expression growing solemn. He closed his eyes for a moment, his Divine Sense working frantically to control the blaze, yet he didn’t forget to explain to Yu Changsheng,

"This is Void Fire. It isn’t just used to refine medicinal materials; more importantly, it refines the favorable elements from the surrounding environment. It’s difficult to grasp, yet utterly crucial. The stronger your Divine Sense, the more clearly you can perceive and wield the Void Fire."

"The greatest application of Void Fire is at the moment a pill is formed. An Elixir that has been quenched by Void Fire will not only be more solid with more condensed medicinal efficacy, but there is even a chance to enhance its quality beyond its original potential and greatly increase the odds of Pill Patterns appearing!"

Yu Changsheng listened quietly, focusing his Divine Sense to perceive every minute detail of the process. In a flash, he felt a sense of epiphany. His understanding of Void Fire deepened, and he knew that he would be far more proficient when it was his turn to use it.

"Pills, form!"

Gongsun Yang’s eyes flew open. He slapped a hand hard against the Pill Furnace, and with a muffled THUD, the Flame began to subside. Streaks of light shot out as several Elixirs, guided by his Divine Sense, leaped from the furnace and flew into a cluster of Void Fire. Faint wisps of black smoke drifted away.

The Void Fire dispersed, revealing ten perfectly round, Dragon Eye-sized green Elixirs. They gleamed with a brilliant light, wisps of Pill Qi swirling around them, appearing both real and illusory. Not a trace of Pill Fragrance escaped them, for all of their medicinal efficacy was perfectly sealed within, without the slightest loss.

What left Yu Changsheng truly in awe was that on each of the ten Elixirs, two faint patterns had appeared. They coiled around the pills like swimming dragons, adding an air of mystery and wonder.

’Ten Elixirs from a single furnace, and every one of them is of Two Pill Patterns quality!’ This was more than enough to prove Gongsun Yang’s supreme skill in Alchemy.

Taking out a Jade Bottle, Gongsun Yang carefully placed the Elixirs inside. He then handed it to Yu Changsheng, wiping the cold sweat from his brow, a hint of fatigue in his expression.

Clearly, refining this furnace of Elixirs had been no easy task for him. The main reason was that he’d had to patiently and meticulously break down each key detail for Yu Changsheng’s benefit, which had drastically lengthened the Alchemy process and placed an immense strain on his mind.

Without a powerful Cultivation to support him, the process would have been torturous.

Furthermore, this was his first time refining the Beast-Storage Pill, so his technique was inevitably somewhat unpracticed.

Yu Changsheng accepted the Beast-Storage Pills, his heart filled with gratitude. He bowed deeply to Gongsun Yang.

Gongsun Yang suppressed his mental exhaustion, adopting a deliberately casual tone as he spoke.

"That was the Void Fire. I trust you have a much deeper feel for it now."

"The reason this batch of Elixirs could all reach the quality of Two Pill Patterns is that the final step—Quenching them in Void Fire—is paramount. That is the key to further enhancing an Elixir’s quality."

"Of course, it is also the most difficult step. The mental toll is enormous. Void Fire, after all, is still a type of fire, and it naturally possesses the violent nature of a Flame.

The moment an Elixir is formed, it is not yet stable and has no protection. Sending it directly into the Void Fire for Quenching is incredibly risky. If there’s the slightest fluctuation, the Elixirs could be destroyed, all your previous effort turning them into useless duds. At best, the quality will drop; at worst, they’ll be reduced to ash."

"So, you must be cautious, and then doubly so. Only through diligent practice can you master this."

Despite how easily Gongsun Yang had made it look, only he truly understood the difficulty involved. He felt utterly drained after completing the refinement.

Yu Changsheng nodded. He had certainly felt the tension. The final moment, when Gongsun Yang had sent the Elixirs directly into the Void Fire, had given even him a fright.

"What I just refined is only the Yun Shou Small Pill, a variant of the Beast-Storage Pill. It’s meant for the daily nurturing and improvement of one’s tamed beasts. As for the Beast Storage Great Pill, which is used for the Broken Mirror, you can try refining it once you’ve completely mastered Void Fire. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you."

Gongsun Yang slowly let out a breath and discreetly swallowed a Recovery Elixir as he spoke.

"Yes. Thank you, Master."

According to the Pill Formula for the Beast-Storage Pill, there are actually two types. One is the Yun Shou Small Pill, used for the daily nurturing and improvement of tamed beasts. The other is the Beast Storage Great Pill, used specifically for breakthroughs and promotions in stage. The medicinal materials for both are largely the same, with only minor differences, but their refinement difficulty varies.

The pill Gongsun Yang demonstrated refining this time was precisely the Yun Shou Small Pill. He was concerned that the Beast Storage Great Pill would still be too difficult for Yu Changsheng to refine, so he started with the easier one.

After all, the main purpose of this Alchemy session was instructional—to start with the simple and progress to the complex, step by step.

"If there’s nothing else, go back for now. Ponder what you’ve learned about the Void Fire, and come find me if there’s anything you still don’t understand."