Word Count: 2,919 Words
******
Even the First Elder’s pupils contracted sharply. That smile could only an one thing!
He had succeeded!
"No way!"
"We’re actually witnessing the birth of a tier 9 pill?!"
"This has to be fake. Refining a tier 9 pill can’t possibly be that fast. It hasn’t even been a full month!"
Xiao Yan was the Pill Gathering champion. By rights, no one should have questioned anything he did. They all knew he wasn’t the type to act without reason or put on empty theatrics. Yet even those who trusted his character couldn’t help doubting what they saw.
It was simply too fast!
His pace had very nearly outstripped even Old Demon Hou’s refinent of a pill that drew nine-colored Pill Lightning! That alone made many suspect that what Xiao Yan had refined might not actually be tier 9.
After all, tier 9 pills required several to dozens of tis more ingredients than tier 8 pills. That terrifying quantity demanded not just greater concentration, but far more ti.
A special ripple of Spiritual Strength flashed through Dan Chen’s eyes as she spoke. "There’s an incredibly powerful energy inside Big Brother Xiao Yan’s cauldron. It’s more than ten tis stronger than Elder Hou’s pill!"
Cao Ying lacked Dan Chen’s special constitution, but she too had sensed sothing. She nodded in agreent. "Xiao Yan hasn’t failed once, so he saved a lot of ti. And this may not be his first successful tier 9 refinent."
Fast. For no other reason than pure mastery.
Under the collective gaze of the crowd, Xiao Yan slowly rose to his feet. Cao Ying and everyone else who had witnessed him refine at the Pill Gathering felt a rush of déjà vu, as if they had been swept back to that day.
He remained as confident as ever. That absolute confidence in alchemy had never wavered!
He was Xiao Yan, the champion! Even within the Small Pill Tower, he was still the champion!
"Bodhisattva Pill Condensation."
Buzz!!
Xiao Yan’s hand pressed gently onto the Black Demon Cauldron, and a burst of erald light surged from within. From a distance, it resembled the shadow of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree spreading its branches across the sky.
Whoosh—
The deep-white Heavenly Fla shot skyward. Around him, the fla twisted and coalesced into a vast vortex, revolving like a cycle of reincarnation.
Venerable Yao’s alchemy techniques no longer suited Xiao Yan’s current level. He hadn’t co to the Small Pill Tower solely to obtain pill recipes; he also intended to properly study and refine his own thods.
Boom!
A yellow pill burst from the Black Demon Cauldron. As if drawn by so invisible force, it swept into the Heavenly Fla vortex and began revolving along its edge. Waves of astonishing energy rippled outward as it spun.
"What kind of alchemy thod is this?!"
"What an extraordinary pill condensing thod!"
The fluctuations washed over the plaza like a tide. Many alchemists stared in shock; throughout the past several days, they hadn’t sensed even the faintest hint of such power building inside that cauldron.
"Is that... the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree?" The First Elder’s eyes narrowed. He had seen that towering erald tree shadow in ancient records. It matched the descriptions of the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree exactly.
"Xiao Yan obtained the Bodhisattva Heart!"
"This is the Hundred Revolutions Pill Condensation beneath the Bodhisattva Tree?!"
Sure enough, Xiao Yan’s hands flashed through one seal after another. The Nine Yin Yellow Spring Pill revolved with the Heavenly Fla vortex, and under the Bone Chilling Fla’s relentless polishing, the pill, whose surface had still been sowhat rough, pitted and uneven, gradually beca perfectly round and smooth.
"This... this... the quality of this pill is unbelievably high!" Old Demon Hou’s eyes widened in shock. He couldn’t even begin to comprehend the surface workings of this condensing thod!
Xuan Kong Zi and the other Elders opened their mouths but could only offer wry smiles as they shook their heads. The Hundred Revolutions Pill Condensing thod demanded fire control and Spiritual Strength pushed to unimaginably exacting standards. Even they, Elders of the Small Pill Tower, could only vaguely grasp a sliver of its outer workings. As for the core... why it worked, how it achieved such effects... they remained completely at a loss.
The other spectators understood even less. All they saw was an enormous erald tree phantom shrouding Xiao Yan, a deep-white Heavenly Fla vortex revolving around him, and a single pill tracing circles through its current. They had no idea why any of it had to be done this way.
Far from the plaza, elsewhere within the Small Pill Tower, a white-haired old woman quietly watched Xiao Yan refine. A hint of warmth surfaced in her eyes as she smiled gently.
"Yao Chen... your disciple has already far surpassed you."
BOOM!!
As the number of revolutions increased, the pill’s energy fluctuations grew ever more violent. Then a deafening boom split the sky, and everyone felt the world suddenly darken. Overhead, clouds rushed in from all directions, converging with terrifying speed.
This ti, the clouds that gathered were not many-colored but an extre, abyssal black.
Black clouds smothered the sky. No thunder ca from within, yet when one gazed into that depthless darkness, so deep it seed to swallow sight itself, it felt as if even the soul trembled.
As the black clouds spread, many pupils contracted. A horrified realization crawled up from the depths of their hearts.
"Damn, Xiao Yan really was refining a tier 9 pill, and he actually succeeded!"
"My heavens... less than a month, and he refined a tier 9 pill?!!"
"Even the First Elder must be frightened..."
Even these alchemist grandmasters, with all their vast experience, struggled to maintain their composure. A few even felt a tremor of genuine dread.
The speed and quality of Xiao Yan’s refinent already seed to surpass even the First Elder!
When confronted with the unknown, people’s first reaction was always fear.
By now, the way everyone looked at Xiao Yan had shifted from confusion to reverence and finally to dread. They no longer understood him. He was like so unknown entity, shattering every piece of common sense they knew!
"Black Demon Lightning... and incredibly powerful Black Demon Lightning at that!"
The linen-clad First Elder lifted his head and stared at the eerie black clouds with open astonishnt.
Black Demon Lightning ca in grades as well. The stronger the lightning that descended, the higher the quality of the pill it would strike. From the weakest Half-Saint level Black Demon Lightning up to Black Demon Lightning on par with a late-stage 3-star Dou Saint, each represented a different tier of power.
Far above, the pitch-black cloud layer writhed like a living thing. The entire world had fallen dead silent; not a single peal of thunder rang out. Yet it was precisely this deathly silence that made everything more terrifying.
The black clouds continued to roil and twist. After roughly ten minutes, a circular opening slowly split apart at their center. Within that gaping maw lay only more blackness, like the deepest, most voracious black hole imaginable. Its radius was absurdly vast.
The Small Pill Tower Elders’ pupils all contracted sharply when that enormous hole appeared. This was larger than any Black Demon Lightning they had ever witnessed!
Yet as that circular opening ford, Xiao Yan actually shook his head with a trace of dissatisfaction and muttered to himself, "Barely reaches the intensity of a 3-star Dou Saint. I thought it might hit the peak."
The words had barely left his lips when his fierce, boundless aura finally erupted without the slightest restraint.
The Nine Yin Yellow Spring Pill completed its ninety-ninth revolution, and a queer rumble at last sounded from within the hole. A heartbeat later, a black dragon of lightning plunged toward Xiao Yan like a waterfall.
The surrounding alchemist grandmasters paled at the sight of Black Demon Lightning so massive it resembled an actual dragon. They hastily retreated.
Xiao Yan rely smiled faintly. Facing the black bolt that even the First Elder found dangerous, he drew forth the Heavy Xuan Ruler with a sharp whoosh.
Buzz.
The Xiao Clan’s Clan Mark manifested, and seven-colored divine light burst forth, shattering the oppressive darkness of the Black Demon Lightning.
"The Xiao Clan’s Divine Grade Clan Mark?!" The First Elder was genuinely stunned. With his age and breadth of experience, he naturally knew of the Xiao Clan’s Clan Mark. Xiao Xuan’s era was only a thousand years past. It was hardly ancient history.
Xiao Yan leapt high into the air. Heavenly Flas blazed across his entire body and poured down onto the Heavy Xuan Ruler, fusing into the Fla Splitting Tsunami. He charged straight at the Black Demon Lightning.
"Break!"
BOOM!!
Heavenly Fla t Black Demon Lightning head-on. The Dou Technique Xiao Yan used was only Low Di Class, yet under the Divine Grade Clan Mark’s empowernt, his cultivation climbed straight to the peak of 3-star Dou Saint, considerably stronger than this Black Demon Lightning.
Their collision birthed a terrifying storm of annihilation. Centered on Xiao Yan and the bolt of lightning, destructive waves rolled out in all directions. The surrounding space fractured like shattered glass, bursting apart with crackling pops.
High above, the violent energy storm raged madly. Within a radius of ten thousand feet, space turned completely black. Under that cataclysmic clash, the very fabric of this region collapsed entirely.
Most onlookers stared at that pitch-black expanse of sky, faces pale with horror. Even after so many years alive, few had ever witnessed a clash at this level. Everyone understood that if they were swept into that storm, their strength would see them last no more than two breaths before even their souls shattered within it.
The energy tempest raged for over ten minutes before slowly dying down. As the last wisps dissipated, the fractured space gradually repaired itself. Warm sunlight once again spilled from the horizon, shining down upon the mountaintop.
The mont the storm cleared, every gaze snapped skyward. A young figure stood there, balanced effortlessly on empty air. That overwhelming Black Demon Lightning had failed to harm him in the slightest.
"Big Brother Xiao Yan is amazing! He actually refined a tier 9 pill!" Dan Chen clasped her hands to her chest, her clear eyes brimming with pure adoration as she stared at the lone figure in the sky.
"Indeed. He truly is incredible..." Beside her, Cao Ying’s beautiful eyes remained fixed on that lean silhouette, her cheeks faintly flushed a soft rose.
After carefully storing the Nine Yin Yellow Spring Pill, Xiao Yan descended from the air. Old Demon Hou watched him land, exhaled heavily, and shook his head. "You’re even more of a freak than your master."
Xiao Yan cupped his fists respectfully. "Elder Hou flatters ."
Old Demon Hou was a man who could accept defeat with grace. Losing to Xiao Yan brought him no sha either; across the entire Small Pill Tower, and indeed the whole Dou Qi Continent, those whose alchemy could surpass Xiao Yan’s likely numbered no more than five.
"I concede. The Elder seat in the Small Pill Tower’s Elder Council is yours." Old Demon Hou waved a hand dismissively. Though defeated, he remained forthright and unashad.
Cao Ying drifted forward at his words, her steps unhurried and graceful beneath her black gauze veil. Her beautiful eyes curved into delicate crescents, and she covered her lips as a soft, bell-like laugh spilled forth. "Hehe. From now on, I’ll be relying on Elder Xiao for careful guidance... in alchemy."
Her voice was low and velvety, carrying a water-like gentleness. Those alluring eyes t Xiao Yan’s, glimring with a soul-stirring charm. Beneath the polite phrasing, both her tone and her gaze seed to hint at sothing more.
Xiao Yan had naturally heard the outco of the contest between Cao Ying and Dan Chen.
He caught the barely concealed eagerness in Cao Ying’s eyes, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint, mischievous smile. Turning toward the First Elder, he cupped his fists. "First Elder, the Small Pill Tower’s apprentices follow their chosen Elder to assist with refining pills, gathering dicinal ingredients, and similar tasks. Is that correct?"
The First Elder blanked for a mont before nodding. To put it plainly, an apprentice was scarcely different from a servant. Whenever an Elder refined pills, the apprentice prepared the ingredients—trimming herbs, drying them, picking out worm-eaten spots, and even scrubbing the dicinal cauldrons clean afterward. All such nial labors fell squarely on the apprentice’s shoulders.
They weren’t even considered true disciples. The Small Pill Tower’s Elders spent their days imrsed in the study of alchemy; where would they find the ti to formally teach anyone? An apprentice could only stand off to the side, watch, and absorb whatever they might.
Yet, despite resembling a servant’s work, this was a position countless people yearned for. An apprentice could observe Xiao Yan refine pills up close. Never mind receiving his personal guidance, a thing most could only dream of, simply witnessing another refinent like the one he had just perford would yield benefits beyond asure.
"Then I’ll choose Little Sister Dan Chen." Xiao Yan turned toward Dan Chen, who stood off to the side with a forlorn, aggrieved expression, and gave her a warm smile.
"?" Dan Chen jolted in surprise. Her large, watery eyes widened at him in disbelief. She had clearly lost the alchemy contest!
"Mm. You also refined a pill that drew seven-colored Pill Lightning. I think yours was actually quite good. What do you say? Are you unwilling?"
In truth, Xiao Yan had already decided to take both girls on as apprentices. They were exceptionally talented, and having two capable assistants would make his ti in the Small Pill Tower far more productive. But the self-assured glint in those alluring eyes had been a temptation impossible to resist. He had only ant to tease Cao Ying a little, to deflate that confident scheming of hers before extending the sa offer.
’Let her stew for a mont.’
"I’m willing!" Dan Chen nodded so eagerly her head bobbed like a small bird pecking at grain. The gloom on her face lted away in an instant, her cheeks flushing pink as she pressed her lips together, barely able to keep from beaming outright.
The expressions of the surrounding Elders turned colorful at Xiao Yan’s choice. As a rule, when selecting an apprentice, one naturally picked the candidate with the greatest alchemy talent.
More than a few of those present had also caught the subtle ga Cao Ying had been playing... only for Xiao Yan to bring the hamr down on her head!
Naturally, where so were delighted, others felt only dismay.
Cao Ying’s smile froze on her lips. For a mont, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her clean through. She stood stiff and motionless where she was, petrified into silence, her thoughts cleaved in half.
Drip...
A tear ford at the corner of her eye and trembled on her lashes like morning dew. Then another joined it. The crystal drops clung there for a breath before spilling free and rolling down her porcelain cheeks like broken pearls.
"Uu... clearly, I was the one who won... uu..."
She bit her lower lip until it turned pale, then lifted those tear-filled eyes to et Xiao Yan’s. "Please, please take as your apprentice too... I’ll work hard. I’ll listen to every one of your instructions. I won’t cause you any trouble..."
The raw earnestness in that quiet plea startled even Xiao Yan. He had only ant to tease her! Never had he imagined her emotions would surge forth like this...
From a distance, more than a few alchemists felt their hearts tighten at the sight. Who would have guessed? This girl, usually so confident and bewitching, harbored such a fragile side.
"Ahem."
The First Elder cleared his throat, casting Xiao Yan a faintly amused glance before turning his words to the gathered crowd. "With Elder Xiao’s level of attainnt in alchemy, it would be a blessing for the entire Dou Qi Continent if more aspirants could follow him and learn."
He paused, then added with a faint smile, "Rules are dead, but people are alive. For an ordinary Elder, one apprentice is the limit. But for you, Elder Xiao, the Small Pill Tower can naturally make an exception."
Cao Ying caught the First Elder’s hint and slowly lifted her head, her tear-bright eyes turning toward Xiao Yan with a flicker of hope. The usually seductive and self-assured woman now wore an entirely different kind of charm in her vulnerable, tear-streaked state, one striking enough to leave even Xiao Yan with an unaccustod flicker of awkwardness.
"Since the First Elder has spoken..." Xiao Yan let out a quiet, helpless laugh and nodded. "Then I’ll take both of them as apprentices."
The instant the words left his mouth, Cao Ying’s eyes brightened as though soone had lit a lamp behind them. Joy blood across her face, and a radiant smile curved her lips before she could stop it.
Only then did she realize how openly she had laid her feelings bare. Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, and she hastily turned her head aside, suddenly unable to et Xiao Yan’s gaze.
It was painfully clear that, in front of Xiao Yan, her usual coy stratagems had crumbled into dust. In trying to ensnare him, she had only managed to ensnare herself.
User Comments
0 comments from readers