Chapter 93: Refining Humans into Medicine
"What kind of pill are you trying to refine?" Ye Fan wanted to stall for time as much as possible, unwilling to give up even at this moment.
"Naturally, it's an immortal pill capable of crossing the Sea of Suffering, spanning the Divine Bridge, and reaching the Other Shore." Elder Han seemed to see through his thoughts, sneering coldly, "Don't waste your efforts trying to delay. No one will come to save you. Just resign yourself to being boiled down as the main ingredient."
"Aren't you afraid that knight will show up again?" Ye Fan showed no panic or fear, remaining very calm instead. "Perhaps you don't even know who he really is."
Elder Han's expression didn't change as he asked, "What identity does he have?"
"He comes from an ancient aristocratic clan—the Jiang Family." Saying this, Ye Fan let out a light sigh. "You've brought great disaster upon the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven. Maybe you don't even know my true identity. I have some connections with the Jiang Family. That knight came looking for me..."
Ye Fan spoke with convincing seriousness, continuing on his own.
Elder Han remained expressionless, listening quietly, before finally saying coldly, "How could someone like you possibly have connections with the Jiang Family?"
"I once saved a young girl from the Jiang Family who was stranded outside, forming a great bond of goodwill with them. If you don't believe me, you can go inquire at the Misty Grotto Heaven to see if I'm lying. Not long ago, I ventured into the Misty Grotto Heaven together with members of the Jiang Family."
"This..." Elder Han's face immediately changed. As one of the six major sects of the Yan region, the Spirit Ruins Cave Heaven naturally knew about the Jiang Family's incursion into the Misty Grotto Heaven.
Elder Han gritted his teeth. "No matter what you say, you won't escape with your life."
Ye Fan put on a serious expression, speaking solemnly. "Elder Han, you need to think carefully about what happens when you offend an ancient aristocratic clan. Don't think you can do this without anyone knowing. Remember, you've already fought with that Jiang Family knight today. They'll definitely be able to track down clues."
"You little brat, young as you are, you're quite cunning. You think you can fool me with this? You underestimate me too much." Elder Han suddenly let out a sinister laugh. "A man of many words is often wrong. Now I finally understand what's happening. That knight is indeed from the Jiang Family. He recently stormed the Purple Sun Grotto Heaven—he must be hunting you down!"
Having lived to such an age, Elder Han was sharp as a tack. Connecting the recent events, he almost immediately deduced the general situation.
Ye Fan's heart sank completely. "You old bastard, you're too arrogant. Just wait for disaster to strike!"
"You little brat, you're quite composed, still trying to fool me even now. Just wait for me to properly refine you." Elder Han's laugh was sinister as he grabbed Ye Fan. "Don't worry, no outsider will disturb us. I've carved countless 'Dao patterns' here. Since I entered this cave dwelling, it's been completely isolated from the outside world. No one can find it."
The Jiang Family knight was hunting Ye Fan, which puzzled Elder Han and also gave him some hidden concern, since he had snatched the "meat" from someone else's mouth. He searched Ye Fan from head to toe.
"Nothing but useless things on him." He first picked up the broken jade with a missing corner, examined it repeatedly, and finally threw it on the ground.
Ye Fan cursed the unscrupulous Taoist in his heart. That damn fatty had sworn this jade pendant would save his life at a critical moment, but it turned out to be completely useless.
"Duan De, Duan De, you bastard, truly lacking in virtue!"
"What's this?" Elder Han picked up the Bodhi seed, carefully observing the Buddha image on it. "A pattern formed by natural grain... This bald man looks somewhat familiar. There seem to be bald men like this outside the Eastern Wasteland."
"Bald man..." Ye Fan was speechless.
Elder Han put away the Bodhi seed, then turned to face Ye Fan. "Alright, time to send you into the medicine cauldron."
"Elder Han, since I'm about to die, could I at least have one last full meal?"
"Don't waste your schemes. Even if you delay for a moment, what good will it do? Just get in now." Elder Han carried Ye Fan over to the medicine cauldrons. "Choose one yourself—that's your only right."
Knowing there was no chance left, Ye Fan began cursing loudly: "You old bastard, I curse your ancestors, I curse every generation of your family, I defile your female relatives for eighteen generations..."
Elder Han remained as calm as an ancient well, ignoring him completely. He tossed Ye Fan directly into the cauldron, then walked to a corner of the stone chamber, moved over several large ceramic jars, and poured some unknown liquid into the cauldron with a "gurgle, gurgle."
"What's this?" Ye Fan felt a fragrant aroma rush into his nose and mouth.
"This is the pulp extracted from various medicinal herbs, an essential ingredient for refining pills. If further purified, it yields Hundred Herbs Liquid." As he spoke, Elder Han poured all the pulp from several large ceramic jars into the cauldron.
Then, Elder Han moved the rare spiritual medicines from the medicine cabinet closer. "Finally, I've gathered all the ingredients. I hope I can successfully refine the divine pill I need."
With that, he first took out the lotus seed from the Black Jade Divine Lotus. The pigeon-egg-sized seed was jet-black and translucent, crystal clear, emitting streaks of black light. Its fragrance directly penetrated one's internal organs—just the scent alone made one feel refreshed and clear-headed.
"You little brat, do you want to swallow it in one gulp?" Elder Han stared at Ye Fan with a cold smile. "Don't harbor any unrealistic fantasies." As he spoke, he placed the lotus seed into the cauldron, then pulled out a dagger. With a "puff," he stabbed it into Ye Fan's left arm. The moment he withdrew it, blood gushed out.
"You—"
"Refining pills, refining pills—you are the main ingredient. The essence is all in your flesh and blood, so naturally, I need to let your blood flow out first to consecrate the cauldron." At this moment, Elder Han showed his extremely cruel side. Stroking his own severed arm, he said, "To find you, I lost an arm today. Naturally, I must properly refine you. It must succeed, not fail!"
"Puff"
Blood splattered as Elder Han stabbed the dagger through Ye Fan's right arm. Blood surged, and the cauldron was soon stained red. Elder Han revealed his ferocious nature, no longer lifeless and gloomy. His eyes shot out two chilling beams of light as he also pierced through Ye Fan's legs.
Ye Fan felt excruciating pain in his limbs, his face turning pale.
"Don't hope for any miracles!" After saying this, Elder Han stabbed the dagger directly into Ye Fan's chest, saying grimly, "I won't damage your heart, so you won't die immediately. Soaked in this Hundred Herbs pulp, you should live for quite a while. I want you to stay conscious and slowly be refined into the divine medicine I need."
Like a vengeful ghost, Elder Han extended his withered tongue and licked the blood off the dagger, looking utterly ferocious. "A very sweet taste. I eagerly await the moment the pill is formed."
"You undying old thing..." Ye Fan glared through gritted teeth, feeling intense pain throughout his body as his life slowly drained away.
At this moment, Elder Han opened an ancient-looking jade box, took out the emerald-green, crystal-clear fruit from the Green Jade Snow Lotus, and placed it into the cauldron. The green divine radiance made the pulp inside shine brilliantly.
"You little brat, be content. Being refined in the same furnace with so many spiritual medicines is a blessing earned over ten lifetimes."
"Blessing your grandfather! I curse every woman in your family..." Ye Fan cursed loudly, wishing he could flay Elder Han alive. Blood continued to flow as he felt his life force slowly ebbing away.
Then, Elder Han picked up a nine-leaf divine grass as red as ruby. Crimson glow flickered in his hand, shining brilliantly. Legend had it that only pure lands stained by the blood of a divine phoenix could grow such a rare spiritual medicine.
After placing the Nine-Leaf Phoenix Divine Grass into the cauldron, he suddenly frowned and muttered to himself, "No, putting all these spiritual medicines in at once is too risky. If it fails, I'll end up with nothing..." He hesitated, then said, "Perhaps I should first refine the main ingredient. If successful, I can add the other medicines later."
He only put in three rare spiritual medicines before stopping.
The medicine cabinet was radiant with light and fragrant. All kinds of strange spiritual medicines, each in different colors, were surrounded by glowing haze. None were inferior to the three herbs he had just placed in the cauldron.
"I'll first refine these three spiritual medicines together with the main ingredient and see how it goes." Having made up his mind, Elder Han put away all the other divine-radiance-shimmering spiritual medicines.
"You little brat, any last words?" Elder Han said with a mocking tone, lifting the cauldron lid from the side, ready to close it.
Ye Fan, extremely weak, spoke up, "Old bastard, can you just smash your head against this cauldron and die?"
"Bang"
Elder Han pressed the bronze lid firmly onto the cauldron, then began to ignite the fire for refining. Ordinary mortal fire could never refine a divine pill. He drew "Fire Fiend" from underground—a silvery-white glow flickered as it danced and leaped beneath the great cauldron.
The reason he had excavated this secret cave dwelling here was precisely because of the underground "Fire Fiend"—the strongest flame someone of his cultivation level could control.
"You little brat, I lost my left arm searching for you. I'm going to refine you for seven days and seven nights, make you suffer to the utmost, and then turn you into a pill!" Elder Han stroked his severed arm, his words chillingly cold.