Sun Lie gazed at Meng Chong, his tone laced with impatience, “Your grandfather gave the order, instructing me to help you dissipate your cultivation as quickly as possible.”

“Using my method, your cultivation will vanish overnight. What, you dare not?”

Meng Chong instantly raised his eyebrows, puffing out his chest. “What’s there to fear?!”

Sun Lie burst into laughter. “Good, I haven’t misjudged you.”

His tone shifted, “Actually, cultivating with a pill furnace has been practiced since ancient times.”

“You must have heard of the divine ability, Fiery Eyes of Truth (火眼金睛).”

“To forge this ability, one must first possess the innate gift for either fiery eyes or golden pupils, then enter an ancient pill furnace.”

“After the furnace is opened, the cultivator must endure forty-nine days of bitter torment, unable to close their eyes for more than a blink. They must fully bear the smoke and scorching heat, enduring immense pain.”

“You must prepare yourself mentally for this ordeal inside the furnace.”

Meng Chong nodded solemnly.

Sun Lie opened his storage pouch, retrieving a large bowl and a small glass bottle.

Inside the bowl was an amber-like viscous substance, orange-yellow and crystalline. The small bottle contained red and yellow powdered granules.

Sun Lie instructed, “Come, take off all your clothes.”

“First, spread the contents of this bowl all over your body, then sprinkle the herbal powder from the bottle all over you.”

Meng Chong acknowledged with an “Oh,” stripping himself bare, and took the bowl and bottle.

He first smeared the contents of the bowl, then evenly sprinkled the powder from the bottle.

He gradually felt something was amiss, sniffing as he said, “Elder Sun, why does this smell like honey and cumin?”

Sun Lie tilted his head back, taking a large gulp from his gourd, then laughed, “Haha, you only realize it now? Your grandfather said you were terrible at all the myriad arts of cultivation, he wasn’t wrong!”

Meng Chong’s face darkened. “I may not be skilled in pill refining, but I’ve eaten plenty of them. I’ve eaten even more spiritual food.”

Sun Lie nodded. “Since ancient times, medicine and food have been inseparable.”

“The best medicinal supplements come from food.”

“What difference is there between spiritual food, spiritual chefs, and spiritual pills and alchemists?”

Saying this, he winked at Meng Chong, “You wouldn’t be worried that I want to harm you, and roast you until you’re fragrant and crispy, would you?”

Although he hadn’t met Meng Chong many times, he had accurately grasped the latter’s personality.

Meng Chong was younger than Ning Zhuo, only fourteen years old, though he looked like he was eighteen or nineteen. He was a young man full of ambition, eager to prove himself, and took pride in his Meng surname, and his family.

“Don’t underestimate me.” Meng Chong glared at Sun Lie, and directly climbed into the Purple Sun Furnace.

Sun Lie hiccuped from the alcohol, followed him closely, and slammed the door of the pill furnace shut.

The sound of the furnace door closing made Meng Chong’s heart skip a beat.

The pill furnace was sealed, but there was dim light inside.

Meng Chong stood before the furnace door, scanning the surroundings, and immediately noticed that the bottom of the furnace was already covered with various herbs.

Seeing this, Meng Chong felt slightly reassured. This indicated that Sun Lie had prepared in advance.

Just looking at the honey and cumin he had been smeared with seemed unreliable. But considering Sun Lie’s identity as a grand alchemist, this arrangement must have some purpose.

Immediately, Meng Chong walked to the center of the pill furnace and sat down in a cross-legged position.

Outside the Purple Sun Pill Furnace, Sun Lie tilted his head back, took a large gulp of alcohol, then opened his mouth and spat.

*Boom.*

Alcoholic flames surged out, igniting the Purple Sun Pill Furnace.

Within a few breaths, the air temperature rapidly increased. The crimson flames reflected on Sun Lie’s face, turning it completely red.

“It’s starting.” Meng Chong’s heart stirred, sensing the soaring temperature.

The interior of the pill furnace, which had been dim, instantly became bright, filled with crimson light.

Meng Chong’s body temperature rapidly increased, the honey on his surface began to melt, the cumin particles scattered their fragrance wildly, and a large amount of mana poured out of his pores like wisps of smoke.

At this moment, outside the Purple Sun Manor, Sun Lingtong’s eyes flashed with a strange light.

His spirit eyes pierced through multiple walls, seeing a blurry image.

“Excellent. Sun Lie is refining pills, this is an excellent opportunity to make our move.” He rejoiced inwardly.

Once pill refining begins, the alchemist must not leave even for a moment.

This meant that Sun Lie, a Foundation Establishment pinnacle warrior, was temporarily out of action!

“Formation Breaking Talisman, go!”

Sun Lingtong was very decisive, directly using his strongest means.

Sensing the attack, the Purple Sun Manor’s protective array activated instantly, forming a hemispherical shield of light.

The Formation Breaking Talisman seemed small and insignificant, but upon landing on the light shield, it immediately disintegrated, the dissolved specks of light directly melting away the hemispherical shield.

The Purple Sun Manor’s protective array had failed!

“Go.” Ning Zhuo had been waiting for a long time, he waved the cloak on his body.

A large number of Mechanized Lightning Restraining Birds shot out.

They drew streaks of lightning in the air, covering the front courtyard.

*Clang clang clang!*

Harsh alarm bells rang out within the Purple Sun Manor.

Ning Zhuo’s heartbeat accelerated slightly, he untied the two storage pouches on his waist, directly grabbed the bottom of the pouches, opened the mouths wide, and dumped out everything inside.

The mechanical creations grew from small to large, and when they landed on the ground, they all returned to their true size.

Twenty brass automatons and forty copper automatons, arranged in an orderly fashion, charged towards the Purple Sun Manor.

The Purple Sun Manor was naturally equipped with guards.

Four Foundation Establishment early stage cultivators and eighteen Qi Refining late stage cultivators were alarmed.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators cast spells, clearing out the Mechanized Lightning Restraining Birds.

The eighteen Qi Refining late stage cultivators formed a battle formation, unleashing power exceeding the Foundation Establishment middle stage, firmly defending their position.

The mechanical creations crashed over like a tide, while the battle formation was like a reef on the beach, unyielding no matter how the tide crashed and beat against it.

“Brother, that Sun Lie is in the pill refining room, refining pills!” Sun Lingtong’s voice was transmitted secretly.

Ning Zhuo’s heart twitched, he immediately diverted a portion of the machines, sending them rushing towards the pill refining room.

Attack what the enemy must defend!

“Damn it!” The four Foundation Establishment early stage cultivators cursed, but did not move.

A Foundation Establishment middle stage cultivator suddenly appeared from the shadows, holding a mirror artifact, releasing mirror light, covering all the oncoming mechanical creations.

The mirror shook again, and the mirror surface immediately revealed the hidden youngster in mourning dress.

“He’s over there!” The Foundation Establishment middle stage cultivator holding the mirror shouted, indicating Ning Zhuo’s exact location to his companions.

Thus, a figure shot away.

“Another hidden Foundation Establishment middle stage!” Ning Zhuo’s pupils narrowed, the Lightning Restraining Birds swirled and danced around him, the Mourning Dress Hanging Death Whip raised its head like a black python, standing ready for battle.

Soon, a fierce battle erupted in the dark alley where he was hiding.

“Humph! I hope this person is as skilled as Sun Lingtong said.” Han Ming glanced in Ning Zhuo’s direction, then took action.

She was surrounded by Yin winds, and moved swiftly, making no sound as she moved, like a ghost.

The ghostly figure flew, first rushing towards the pill refining room, and seeing another Foundation Establishment cultivator emerge at the door of the pill room, she decisively turned and rushed towards the medicine storage room.

But halfway there, sword light flashed, and a flying sword shot out, stopping the ghostly figure Han Ming.

A Foundation Establishment pinnacle cultivator slowly appeared.

“Tonight I only seek pills, I do not wish to harm anyone.” Han Ming narrowed her eyes and said.

Responding to her was only a sharp sword light.