I have an Apocalypse City

Chapter 1617: Chapter 1618: Escape Chapter 1617: Chapter 1618: Escape “`
“Thankfully, there are two!” Song Jian smiled, thinking to himself. Otherwise, the two might really have fallen out over the Ascension Pill.

The Alchemy Furnace roared as the Divine Pill continuously struck against it, trying to escape.

Although a Divine Pill harbors a trace of spiritual intelligence, it is not mature, much like a wild beast, using brute force to slam against the Alchemy Furnace. But how could a furnace capable of refining Divine Pills be ordinary, and how could it possibly allow the pill to escape?

Thus, the only chance for the Divine Pill to escape was at the instant of opening the furnace to collect the pill–if it could seize the opportunity, it would be able to flee in an instant.

Soon, a rich medicinal fragrance wafted from within the furnace, filling the Alchemy Palace with a layer of white mist, creating a scene akin to a fairyland.

In such an environment, Song Jian’s enhancement effect also increased. However, in a non-combat state, he couldn’t maximize this effect. Moreover, Song Jian discovered that some subtle injuries he hadn’t noticed before seemed to be healing slowly. Such injuries were too concealed and minor to detect ordinarily; if not for the stimulating effect of the medicinal fragrance, Song Jian might never have noticed them.

“Be ready, the Divine Pill is almost formed. We must collect it at the instant it takes shape completely, otherwise the potency will greatly diminish!” the Flame Giant reminded.

Song Jian’s attention was immediately fixed on the Alchemy Furnace. The originally sealed furnace lid was beginning to loosen, and the Divine Pill could break through the top at any moment.

Boom!

The Flame Giant transformed into a giant over ten meters tall and reached out toward the top of the furnace. Song Jian also rose into the air, keenly watching the furnace lid, waiting for the moment the Divine Pill would appear.

Sensing the loosening of the furnace top, the Divine Pill quieted down, seemingly gathering strength for a final effort.

A streak of golden light emerged from the top of the furnace, and the Flame Giant let out a low growl, “Plucking Stars with One Hand!”

In an instant, a huge fiery hand enveloped the entire furnace top. Just then, three pills shining with Dark Gold light rose from the furnace. One of them was immediately drawn toward the giant fiery hand by a suction force, while the other two attempted to escape into the void.

At that moment, the sky outside the Alchemy Palace was suddenly covered with dark clouds, and the thunderous sound covered a hundred miles around. Lightning, like divine swords, struck towards the Alchemy Palace.

Boom, boom, boom~
Serpentine lightning danced, and sparks flew from the roof of the Alchemy Palace, but it seemed as if a transparent barrier protected it. No matter how the lightning struck, it could not harm the Alchemy Palace in the slightest.

“Hahaha, the Ascension Pill, the Ascension Pill is mine!” the Flame Giant laughed uproariously. It needed only one Ascension Pill to break through its current realm and reach the Demi-God Level.

Clutching the Ascension Pill in its hand tightly, the Flame Giant looked toward the remaining two pills.

“Who would have thought that three Ascension Pills would be refined? It seems the quality of the flame truly can affect the quantity of the pills…” the Flame Giant thought to itself. Although it also desired the remaining two Divine Pills, the contract it had with Song Jian bound it from competing with him.

At this moment, Song Jian floated in mid-air, with the rumble of thunder resounding overhead. This thunder seemed to affect the two Divine Pills as well, slowing their escape slightly.

“Plucking Stars with One Hand!” Song Jian called out softly. He reached with his left hand toward the two Divine Pills. In an instant, Mental Strength and the chaos Sword Qi surged out from within him, rapidly condensing into a giant hand in the air.

“`
This palm was even more realistic than the flame palm condensed by the Flame Giant, with even the palm lines clearly visible, as if there truly was a giant, reaching out its hand to grasp at the Divine Pill.

At the moment the palm opened, a sudden binding force firmly trapped one Divine Pill, while another swiftly broke through the palm’s cage and hurtled toward the void, disappearing in and out of sight as if it would vanish entirely at any second.

The Flame Giant sighed. Whether it was the Flame Giant or Song Jian, their mastery of the “Plucking Stars with One Hand” Pill Collection Skill was rudimentary at best. If they could truly control it fully, no matter how many Divine Pills there were, they could grasp them all at once. But for now, with their current strength, being able to capture one Divine Pill was already quite impressive.

“Song Jian, being able to collect one Divine Pill is already lucky. This one pill can significantly increase your strength!” The Flame Giant said, looking at Song Jian’s eager demeanor and his unwillingness to give up, unable to help but speak out and advise.

The Divine Pill that Song Jian had collected with the “Plucking Stars with One Hand” was still contained within the giant ethereal hand. If he wanted to grab the remaining pill, he would lose control over the one he had already secured, and there was a good chance that he would even lose the one in hand.

Song Jian understood this well. The Divine Pill that was captured by the hand continued to struggle fiercely, and Song Jian had to concentrate fully to ensure he maintained his grip on it.

As he watched the third Divine Pill slipping away, Song Jian still felt a pang of distress.

“What should I do, just watch it escape?” Song Jian was somewhat anxious.

It was at this time that the Karmic Fire Red Lotus Ten Thousand Swords Art in the skill slot suddenly burst into light, as if reminding Song Jian.

Song Jian’s eyes lit up, and with a thought, the Sky-breaking Sword flew out from his body, whirling through the air. The Thousand Swords Art was unleashed, and the moment tens of thousands of Spirit Swords appeared, the Blazing Fire Furnace was formed, sucking the third Divine Pill into the furnace!

“Good!” Song Jian was overjoyed, bursting into hearty laughter.

The execution of the Thousand Swords Art was almost entirely performed by the Sword Spirit of the Sky-breaking Sword without draining Song Jian’s Mental Strength, and the Thousand Swords Art was executed smoothly in one go. Even the consolidation of the Blazing Fire Furnace was thrice faster than when executed by Song Jian himself, perfectly capturing the third Divine Pill that was about to flee into the void.

Boom~
The Divine Pill sucked into the Blazing Fire Furnace continued to collide against the furnace walls. Song Jian could see the outline of the pill pushing outward, fortunate that the furnace was tough; otherwise, even if the Blazing Fire Furnace had absorbed the Divine Pill, it might have been directly shattered by it!

Song Jian glanced at the Blazing Fire Furnace and, seeing that the Divine Pill would not break free anytime soon, focused all his attention on the “Plucking Stars with One Hand” Pill Collection Skill.

“Collect!”

Controlled the giant hand in mid-air, Song Jian grasped the Divine Pill firmly and with a light shout, the hand in the sky rapidly shrank and flew towards him.

When the hand holding the Divine Pill reached Song Jian, he grabbed it, and suddenly, he felt as if he was holding a molten lava coal, continuously scorching his palm.

Subconsciously, Song Jian wanted to let go, but in the next moment, with a thought, he stored the Divine Pill in his inventory.

Taking a deep breath, Song Jian didn’t bother to check the attributes of the Ascension Pill but immediately turned his attention to the Blazing Fire Furnace in mid-air. The commotion from the Divine Pill inside the furnace was growing more intense, with visible fractures appearing on its surface. It seemed that it wouldn’t be long before the Divine Pill would break free from the furnace’s restraint.

…