The Alchemist Association was utterly silent.
From the lowest-ranked apprentices to the venerable President Fa Ma himself, every single person stood gathered around the southern hall, eyes fixed upon the blazing crimson cauldron at its center—and upon the young man standing calmly before it.
Liu Xi's expression remained composed, his deep, clear eyes reflecting the azure flames roaring within the furnace. His hands danced like flowing clouds and water, each movement elegant yet precise. Though his gestures seemed unhurried, the afterimages left behind formed a blur of light, like a thousand phantom hands moving in perfect harmony.
To many of the younger alchemists—those who prided themselves on their own "talent"—the scene was almost deceptive.
Their eyes said: "It doesn't look that hard to refine the Dou Ling Pill…"
Their minds said: "Yeah, I could probably do that too."
Their trembling hands, however, screamed: "You can't! Don't even think about it!"
Only the more experienced alchemists—those of 4th Tier and above—could truly grasp how extraordinary this young man was.
Fa Ma, a peak 5th Tier Alchemist himself, stared with rapt attention, his expression unusually solemn. Not long ago, he had assumed Liu Xi's success stemmed solely from possessing a Heavenly Flame. But now, witnessing his composure and flawless control firsthand, he realized how wrong he had been.
'This young man,' Fa Ma thought, 'must have already reached the peak of the 5th Tier before he obtained the Heavenly Flame. His foundation is terrifyingly solid. The Heavenly Flame merely acted as a key—it didn't give him power, it simply unlocked a door he was already capable of pushing open.'
Time trickled by. The sky outside deepened into twilight, but no one dared leave. Every alchemist present, from apprentice to elder, was utterly entranced.
At last, the first stage of refinement neared completion. Inside the cauldron, the herbs had long since dissolved under the azure blaze. What remained were pools of shimmering liquid—some thick and viscous, others translucent and fluid. Not a single mistake. Every essence had been extracted to perfection.
Liu Xi inhaled deeply, steadying his breath. 'Now comes the most critical step.'
His hands came together. "Condense!"
The fire within the cauldron surged violently, all the scattered flames converging into one concentrated mass. The liquefied essences began to merge, their differing properties colliding in a volatile dance.
Boom!
The entire cauldron trembled as the essences clashed. The colors—blue, green, gold, and violet—remained distinct for only a moment before a tremendous surge of energy exploded outward. The flames quivered madly, struggling to contain the erupting power.
Ripples of energy spread in all directions, crashing against the cauldron walls before gradually fading. The sturdy cauldron shuddered under the strain, its inscriptions glowing faintly as it absorbed the shock.
Had the cauldron been of lesser quality, it would have already shattered, destroying the nascent pill and reducing all that effort to ash.
Everyone watching knew exactly how dangerous this moment was. A single misstep could mean total failure. Many found themselves holding their breath, afraid that even the sound of inhalation might disturb the process. Their knuckles turned white from gripping their robes, as if they themselves were the ones refining the pill.
But Liu Xi remained composed. His eyes were half-lidded, his breathing steady. Slowly, he poured more Spiritual Power into the cauldron, stabilizing the raging Green Lotus Core Flame. This was the most delicate phase—he couldn't rush it. The merging of essences had to progress naturally; if he forced it, the entire mixture would explode.
Minutes stretched into hours. Then, finally—
The violent fluctuations within the cauldron subsided. A small, uneven, blue-green pellet floated quietly within the flame.
Liu Xi exhaled softly, fatigue flickering in his gaze. A faint smile curved his lips. The most dangerous stage was over—the pill embryo had taken shape. All that remained now was tempering and nurturing it to completion.
Around him, the watching alchemists broke into hushed exclamations. After so many hours of tension, seeing even the embryo filled them with elation. To them, this wasn't just Liu Xi's success—it felt like their own.
Fa Ma closed his eyes, a trembling smile spreading across his weathered face. Of everyone present, he had gained the most insight from watching Liu Xi work. In that instant, he sensed something elusive—something that might one day allow him to take that final step into the 6th Tier.
Inside the cauldron, the once-rough pill embryo gradually smoothed under the gentle nourishment of the Heavenly Flame. Its surface gleamed like jade, radiating a faint, refreshing fragrance.
Whiffs of pill aroma drifted across the hall. Those who inhaled it felt their fatigue vanish, their spirits invigorated—as if their very souls were cleansed.
Of course, this was merely illusion. A single wisp of fragrance couldn't restore vitality. True miraculous effects came only from 8th or 9th Tier pills, the kind rumored to possess life and consciousness of their own.
Dawn crept over the horizon. The long night had passed, but not one alchemist had left. Their eyes were fixed on the cauldron, on the pill that was nearing completion. The blue-green hue of the Dou Ling Pill pulsed faintly through the gaps of the cauldron, signaling its imminent birth.
When their gazes shifted from the cauldron to Liu Xi himself, they no longer looked at him as a peer. There was reverence—pure and unshakable.
For them, the difference between a 3rd Tier and a 6th Tier Alchemist was a chasm wider than heaven and earth. Liu Xi now stood in a realm beyond their reach.
Suddenly—
A tremor rippled through the air. A wave of energy erupted from the cauldron, so powerful it seemed to resonate with the heavens themselves.
The sky above the Alchemist Association darkened, then burst into radiant color. Wisps of blue and green energy surged upward, twisting into the shapes of twin dragons that coiled and roared above the hall. Their massive forms spiraled in the air, the glow reflecting off every awestruck face below.
The dragons bowed their heads, jaws open wide, as if paying homage to the pill that hovered within the furnace—the freshly birthed Dou Ling Pill.
The phenomenon spread for miles. Half of Jia Ma Sacred City could see the swirling dragons of light that crowned the Alchemist Association that day.
And so, under heaven's witness, Liu Xi's name was destined to resound across the continent.
(End of Chapter)
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