"Master, it's your disciple, Xiao Yun. May I come in?"
Outside Elder Huo's private alchemy chamber, Xiao Yun bowed respectfully, his voice carrying both reverence and anticipation.
At first, Xiao Yun had only apprenticed himself to Elder Huo for the sake of alchemical resources—he hadn't felt any particular attachment to the old man. But after spending six months together, his views had changed. Although the elder was strict when it came to cultivation, in every other respect, he was endlessly generous.
Xiao Yun knew he had nothing of real value for Elder Huo to covet. The elder's kindness was genuine, more like that of a doting elder toward his own grandchild. Over time, Xiao Yun had come to view him as the person he was closest to in this world.
Boom!
The sealed stone door rumbled open the moment Xiao Yun finished speaking, and a wave of blistering heat rolled out from within.
Looking up, Xiao Yun saw Elder Huo suspended in midair, a massive cauldron placed at the center of the chamber.
"Perfect timing, my good disciple. I'm about to refine a Tier Five pill. Watch carefully—you've just stepped into the path of alchemy, so take this opportunity to observe the difference between a novice and a true master." Elder Huo's tone was serious, his gaze sharp.
"Yes, Master!" Xiao Yun nodded eagerly. Witnessing a Tier Five alchemist in action was a rare and invaluable experience. If the other students from the alchemy division knew, they'd be green with envy.
"Alright then, go find a cool spot and sit tight. Pay attention to every step." Elder Huo gave a small smile before his expression turned solemn.
Though he was a seasoned Tier Five alchemist, even he only had a 30–40% success rate when it came to refining pills of this grade. He wasn't entirely confident about this batch.
He raised one withered, claw-like hand—and instantly, a violet flame ignited in midair.
The already-hot chamber grew even more unbearable. The air around the flame distorted from the sheer heat. With a flick of his hand, the flame shot into the cauldron, setting it ablaze.
After about a minute, the internal temperature had reached his desired level. Elder Huo waved a hand toward a pile of ingredients, sending a shimmering golden herb into the cauldron.
The violet flame devoured the herb instantly. Golden liquid oozed from the plant's surface, only to vaporize just as quickly. The herb withered at an alarming rate.
From his studies, Xiao Yun recognized it: Sacred Soul Grass, a rare Tier Five material worth a fortune in the outside world.
He kept his gaze fixed on the cauldron. Though the flame still blazed, he could tell that Elder Huo had carefully suppressed its temperature.
As a result, the Sacred Soul Grass didn't turn to ash. Instead, its golden surface gradually faded, transforming into fine particles that hovered within the flame.
Eventually, the grass withered completely, leaving only golden powder. Xiao Yun knew that this meant its medicinal essence had been fully extracted—the plant itself was now useless.
With another wave of his hand, Elder Huo expelled the husk from the cauldron. It crumbled to ash the moment it hit the floor.
"As expected of a master…" Xiao Yun thought, awestruck. "His control over flame and his ability to extract essence is leagues above mine."
Whenever he tried refining ingredients, he often incinerated them into ash. Clearly, he still had a long way to go in mastering flame control.
Elder Huo's precision was stunning—he extracted the full essence without destroying the material. That was true mastery.
A violet flame now encased the golden powder. Xiao Yun noticed something strange—the flame didn't touch the powder directly. Surprised, he looked closer, and suddenly it clicked.
"Most alchemists store extracted essence in jade bottles, then reintroduce it into the cauldron later. But that method causes the essence to lose some of its potency."
"Which is why I developed a technique of my own," Elder Huo explained, as if reading Xiao Yun's mind. "I encase the essence in a fireball, preserving the exact temperature it was extracted at. It prevents contamination and keeps the medicinal energy active."
"Of course, this requires flawless flame control and the ability to multitask. A single slip, and all the hard-earned essence is wasted."
Xiao Yun nodded solemnly and etched the method into his memory, resolving to try it once he was strong enough.
Elder Huo continued refining the other ingredients. His control was fluid and practiced, each movement a lesson in itself. Watching intently, Xiao Yun found himself unconsciously forming hand seals along with his master.
It took until nightfall to finish processing the ingredients. Refining a Tier Five pill was both tedious and exhausting.
Thankfully, Elder Huo was a Dou King realm cultivator. Despite spending the entire day refining ingredients without rest, he remained full of energy. Xiao Yun, on the other hand, looked utterly spent.
By the next day, Elder Huo finally began refining the last material—a Tier Five beast core imbued with water elemental energy.
This one was particularly challenging. Not only was the energy dense, but it directly opposed Elder Huo's flame. It took over ten hours just to break it down into azure powder, all while suppressing its resistance.
Xiao Yun watched in awe. If Elder Huo's flame had been even a bit weaker, it might've been extinguished by the beast core's raw water energy.
But no matter how grueling the process, Elder Huo succeeded. After a full day under the violet flame, the various essences began to merge. The repulsion between them gradually subsided.
Fusion—the most critical stage of pill refinement. One misstep, and everything would be ruined in an instant.
Elder Huo's expression turned grim as he focused all his soul power into the cauldron. He couldn't afford even a moment of distraction.
Fortunately, he lived up to his reputation. Though the process was fraught with risk, he guided it to success with masterful precision.
Within the cauldron, a faintly glowing pill began to take shape. As the fusion progressed, Elder Huo intensified the flames and used his soul power to draw in surrounding energy, strengthening the pill's outer form.
Slowly, the rough shape smoothed out, glowing like a violet gemstone.
Then, with a sudden burst of brilliance, it radiated waves of power. Rings of energy rippled from the cauldron like shockwaves, crashing into the chamber walls.
Xiao Yun, pinned against the wall by sheer force, swallowed hard. "This… this is only a Tier Five pill? Then what kind of phenomenon would a Tier Six or Seven pill cause?"
Bang!
The cauldron lid burst open. A surge of rich fragrance filled the chamber as a single violet pill slowly rose into the air.
"Open wide!" Elder Huo grinned, his hand flicking out. A wave of Dou Qi pulled Xiao Yun toward him. Before the boy could react, the pill flew straight into his mouth.
The moment it touched his tongue, Xiao Yun felt like he'd swallowed a ball of fire. Heat surged through his body, turning his skin bright red like a boiled prawn.
"Circulate your Dou Qi! Guide the medicine through your meridians!" Elder Huo barked, quickly pressing his palms against Xiao Yun's back to send a steady stream of energy into him.
The two sat cross-legged in the alchemy room, Elder Huo focusing his full strength on assisting his disciple.
Xiao Yun's face contorted in pain, steam rising from his head. He strained to circulate his Dou Qi and absorb the overwhelming medicinal force.
Even with Elder Huo's help, only half of the pill's power had been digested. The rest rampaged inside him like a wild beast.
Finally, after what felt like ages, Xiao Yun's condition stabilized. Elder Huo had sealed the remaining energy within him using Dou Qi, to be slowly absorbed in the days to come.
"Master… what did you feed me? That pill nearly blew me up!"
Xiao Yun forced a wry smile. Without Elder Huo's timely support, he might've burst from the inside out.
"Hahaha! Don't worry, you're fine now!" Elder Huo laughed, scratching his beard sheepishly. "That was a Violetcloud Spirit-Converging Pill, a high-grade Tier Five pill. I found the formula in an ancient ruin. It boosts both Dou Qi and soul power. Try sensing it—your cultivation should've risen, and your mind should feel sharper."
He chuckled again, though with a hint of guilt. "I'd never refined it before—I don't have any descendants, just you. I didn't expect the effects to be that intense... if I'd known, maybe I would've…"
He trailed off awkwardly, but Xiao Yun just sat there, gasping for breath, already feeling the changes surging through his body.