The Annihilator: Killer Of Gods

Master Artemis was shocked once again when he set his eyes on the Heaven Grade Cauldron that Karsha had taken out. He was the leader of the Alchemy Guild in all of Sunlight City, yet even he didn't own a Heaven-Grade pill furnace.

Karsha, noticing the old alchemist's reaction, smiled; he could tell the old man truly was knowledgeable. The fact that he could identify the grade of the furnace meant a lot.

Unlike weapons, which can easily be identified, cauldrons are much more complex. They can't be appraised just by sight; they must be tested to determine their grade. Seeing Master Artemis recognize the furnace's grade so quickly made Karsha understand one thing: the Master was indeed knowledgeable.

'It was only a pity he wasn't able to tame the Heaven Grade pill flame,' Karsha sighed inwardly.

'If he had, he would have become a Pill Sage by now. Master did say I can help those I deem trustworthy. I suppose helping him in my own way wouldn't be a bad thing.' Karsha made up his mind.

He would use his abilities, along with the advantage of his legacy and the system, to assist the old alchemist. Master Artemis still had plenty of time left, so reaching the level of Pill Sage before his end wouldn't be impossible.

"Qilin Fruit?" Master Artemis exclaimed in shock upon seeing the ingredient Karsha took out.

"Don't be surprised, old man," Karsha replied casually.

"With me around, you'll see shocking things every day." Master Artemis, however, could hardly believe what he was seeing.

The Qilin Fruit was one of the most sought-after ingredients in alchemy. Earth Grade pills are divided into nine tiers, with each tier determining three things.

First is the quality of the pill, indicating its potency. Since Karsha's purity level was already at 100%, his pill quality would now be used to judge his work's true value. Quality is something alchemists take seriously; the difference between even a Tier 1 and a Tier 2 pill is like heaven and earth.

To achieve this, the second essential factor is high-quality ingredients. The better the ingredients, the greater the chance of concocting higher-tier pills. After extracting a herb's essence, the essence is condensed and refined to bring out the pill's quality.

For an alchemist, rare and high-quality ingredients are like Christmas gifts. In all of alchemy, Qilin Fruits stand as one of the rare ingredients that can significantly enhance a pill's quality and effectiveness.

While quality and ingredients are important, even the best ingredients can go to waste in the hands of a novice alchemist. This brings us to the third essential factor: the alchemist's experience.

With great refining techniques, impeccable fire control, and extensive field experience, an alchemist can transform any ingredient into a high-quality pill. So if an experienced alchemist were to obtain a Qilin Fruit, wouldn't they be able to concoct a pill of exceptional quality?

"When the pill condenses, the fragrance will weaken the barrier between levels. If you don't want to break through yet, I advise you to move at least five miles away," Karsha said.

He continued, "Mei Lin, I know you're not ready to break through, so this applies to you. The pill I'm about to refine is called the Heaven Absorption Pill. It helps by extracting condensed, unrefined energy from the body and refining it into any form of energy.

This energy is then absorbed by the Core, and if you're facing a bottleneck, it will weaken it to the point that you won't even need to force it to break through."
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Karsha's words were music to everyone's ears. Never in their lives did they think such a pill could exist. Master Artemis, in particular, looked both reverent and astonished. As an alchemist, he knew of the Heaven Absorption Pill, but his shock came from the fact that, even as the leader of the Alchemy Guild, he'd never had the opportunity to even glimpse it.

Now, Karsha—a 19-year-old—was saying he was about to concoct this pill, one that even the Alchemy Guild leader of the entire Drono Kingdom would struggle to create. It was both shocking and eye-opening.

"Lady Li Jing, you and Li Fei are at the peak of the Master stage. Take this pill; it will help build your foundation so that, when you break through, it will be flawless and beneficial," Karsha said as he handed them two pills he had concocted in the Divine Garden.

These were Foundation Building Pills, meant to strengthen one's foundation in the early stages of cultivation. Of course, Xian's family, except for Li Nan, were far beyond that stage, but a Pure Tier 4 Earth Grade Pill is not to be underestimated.

"Big Brother, what about me?" asked both Xian and her younger sister, Li Nan.

"Little sister, just enjoy the candy I gave you—you'll be fine." Li Nan was still young and in the first stage, so Karsha had time to build her foundation from scratch.

"As for you, Xian, this is a Spirit Attunement Pill. It will significantly enhance your spiritual strength as you break through. If your comprehension ability is strong enough, you may even grasp the essence behind the soul and gain enlightenment, which I hope you manage to do.

Don't disappoint me." Xian nodded, swallowed the pill, and began cultivating, as did the rest of her family, except for Li Nan, who was happily licking the large toffee in her hand.

"June, I know you can't break through yet because of your sacrifice, but don't worry. I've nearly gathered all the ingredients needed to concoct the Pill for you. Even though you can't break through now, you can still use this time to temper your foundation. Take the Foundation Building Pill and use its energy to strengthen your base."

"Big Bro, you can take the Foundation Building Pill as well as this Fire Attunement Pill. With luck, it may lead to a breakthrough in your fire elemental cultivation." Karsha had prepared provisions for everyone, including Master Artemis's apprentice. Since the apprentice was now associated with him, it was only natural to give him a few benefits and a chance to protect himself in the future.

"Don't look at me like that, Old Men," Karsha smiled, glancing at the Sect Elders and Master Artemis. "You're all at the peak of Sage level, so your only path forward is to break through to become Great Sages—and that will earn you some extra years of life."

"While you all might be able to break through, I think you should hold back for now. All five of you breaking through at once would raise suspicions," Karsha said, handing them the Bottleneck Restriction Pills.

"Take these. When the barrier weakens, use the pill—it will prevent you from breaking through immediately. You can proceed later, once you're prepared."

The elders looked at the pills in shock. They were holding 100% pure, high-quality Tier 4 pills. Just who was this kid? Well, these old men had it right: this kid wanted to raise powerful uncles and aunties to protect his future wives while he was away. It wasn't kindness for nothing.

"Karsha, I want to break through as well," Mei Lin spoke just as Karsha was about to begin the pill concoction.

He smiled, replying, "I would have been disappointed if you didn't take this chance. While the Heavenly Yin Essence Pool is great for breakthroughs and enhancing beauty, I can always help you absorb anything. Don't forget—I'm not just a handsome face; I'm also an Alchemist and a Rune Master." June rolled her eyes at his shameless remark, but Mei Lin blushed.

Karsha had already asked the system for information on the Heavenly Yin Essence Pool, and according to it, the pool held pure yin essence that allowed women to temper their bodies and enhance their beauty while advancing to the next stage. It also provided a smoother breakthrough thanks to the essence within.

Karsha didn't fully understand why the mysterious egg inside his soul sea reacted to the pool's presence, so he wanted to request permission to use it, even as a guy. He knew that demonstrating his skills as an alchemist and assisting everyone would ultimately serve his interests too.

"This is Pure Yin Nectar. You can consume it right after your breakthrough, then you can absorb the Lightning Fruit afterward. And don't worry—without the Essence Pool, you're still a fairy," Karsha said with a smile.

But his smile faded when he noticed an unknown glint in June's eyes. For some reason, he felt as if he had walked into a trap. Forcing a smile, he quickly turned back to the elders.

"Before I forget, the Bottleneck Restriction Pill contains body-tempering essence. The longer you hold your cultivation base, the higher your chances of regaining some of your youth when you finally break through.

So try to resist the thirst for power for a few months; your rewards will be heavenly, trust me." Seeing the shocked, amazed, and reverent expressions on the elders' faces, Karsha felt accomplished.

'Master will be proud knowing I'm putting his teachings to good use,' Karsha thought with a mischievous smile as he turned back to the cauldron. "I'll be starting now, so make your preparations," he announced.

"I wonder how many disciples can use this opportunity to break through," he mused aloud. Hearing this, the sect elders' eyes lit up. The mansion was close to the Core Area and not far from the inner sect, meaning all disciples within the five-mile radius could benefit from the effects of the Heaven Absorption Pill.

'Hehe, Master will truly be proud of his disciple,' Karsha thought, smiling as he ignited his newly improved pill flame, Aegon's Breath.