The Jia Ma Sacred City was in complete upheaval. Ever since the heavenly phenomenon had appeared in the sky, everyone knew something extraordinary was happening—and sure enough, the emergence of a 6th Tier Alchemist had the entire city abuzz with excitement.
Before that excitement could even fade, another piece of news spread like wildfire: the Imperial Family would personally host a grand welcoming banquet for Master Liu Xi, and the young alchemist himself had already accepted the invitation.
The capital erupted once more.
For ordinary citizens, it was merely the talk of the day—though they longed to catch a glimpse of this legendary prodigy, they knew such a banquet was far beyond their reach.
But the nobles and elites—the imperial generals, court ministers, guild leaders, and mercenary chiefs—immediately began pulling strings, calling in favors, and bribing officials just to secure an invitation. A single meeting with a 6th Tier Alchemist could change one's destiny.
Meanwhile, the banquet's central figure, Liu Xi, wasn't thinking about fame at all. He was quietly preparing to consume the Dou Ling Pill and break through once again.
He had considered saving the pill for a future bottleneck, but his cultivation progress had slowed to a crawl lately. "Better to rely on the pill and advance quickly," he murmured to himself.
'Once I've taken every opportunity the Jia Ma Empire has to offer, I'll return to Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy. I'll graduate, take an Elder position for convenience, and keep drawing benefits from the Fallen Heart Flame… That's still faster than cultivating the normal way.'
With that thought flashing through his mind, he swallowed the Dou Ling Pill.
The instant the pill melted down his throat, powerful medicinal energy surged through his body. His Dou Qi circulated according to the Nine Nether Ghost Flame Technique, refining and absorbing the torrent of power.
After one full cycle, the medicinal energy condensed into pure Dou Qi and flooded his dantian. Strength from the two Earth Fire Lotus Seeds he had previously absorbed blended seamlessly with the new energy, and his cultivation leapt smoothly to 3-Star Dou Wang.
But the pill's power wasn't even close to being exhausted.
The Dou Ling Pill continued to release waves of medicinal force, expanding his Dou Qi channels further and further. Before long, Liu Xi's cultivation had reached the very peak of 3-Star Dou Wang.
'Now!'
With a deep breath, Liu Xi activated his technique to its absolute limit.
"Break!"
A thunderous roar echoed within his body as his Dou Qi surged like a dam bursting open. The flood of power rose higher, higher—until it broke through to a brand-new realm.
4-Star Dou Wang.
A faint smile touched Liu Xi's lips. That exhilarating feeling of rising strength made his blood sing. Still, he didn't rush to stand up. He sat cross-legged, continuing to absorb the remaining medicinal energy and the energy gathered by his Green Lotus Platform, stabilizing his new realm.
By the time he finally emerged from seclusion, the sky outside had already turned dim.
In the courtyard, Xuan Hao, Hai Bodong, and Lu Man had been waiting patiently. When Liu Xi stepped out, they were all visibly startled.
Even Xuan Hao, his teacher, felt a faint sense of pressure emanating from his disciple. "My child… your aura—?"
Liu Xi gave a helpless smile. "I just took the Dou Ling Pill and broke through two levels in one go. The energy's still settling—I'll have to adapt to it for a while."
Hai Bodong and Lu Man exchanged glances, both inwardly shocked. 'Two full levels in a single night?!'
To cultivators like them—who had spent decades sweating blood for every advance—this was pure heresy. Hai Bodong looked quietly mournful, while Lu Man, in contrast, tilted her head and let a teasing glint shine in her eyes.
"Sir," she said sweetly, her tone dripping with charm, "since you can already refine the Dou Ling Pill… could you perhaps try the Mighty Huang Pill next? Maybe help this poor girl refine one, hmm? I don't even want to work hard anymore~"
Her voice was playful, sultry, and utterly shameless.
Both Xuan Hao and Hai Bodong froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. The old master even coughed twice, trying to suppress a grin.
Liu Xi simply raised an eyebrow. "Testing an alchemist with that sort of trick? A true one wouldn't be swayed by it. But fine—if you want a Mighty Huang Pill, bring your own ingredients. As for the refining fee…" He tapped his chin. "Two million gold coins. Flat price."
Lu Man's flirtatious expression froze. She huffed softly, turned away, and crossed her arms in mock anger.
The truth was, Liu Xi's price was entirely fair. A High 6th Tier Pill like the Mighty Huang Pill required materials worth well over a million gold coins to begin with—and his skill guaranteed success. But even with her rank as a Dou Huang, Lu Man didn't have that kind of money on hand.
Still, she had the Sky Serpent Mansion behind her. With their resources, she could definitely afford it—eventually. That was the advantage of belonging to a great faction: steady cultivation, endless support, and fewer worries about resources.
But Liu Xi wasn't the type to hand out favors for free, no matter how beautiful the woman asking. His tone stayed perfectly calm and businesslike.
Even so, Xuan Hao nearly choked on his tea, coughing hard. 'This foolish disciple! How am I ever supposed to hold my grandchild if you keep turning away women like that?'
Liu Xi hurried over, patting his teacher's back with a smile. "Teacher, please, don't get too excited. You're not young anymore—you need to stay calm. By the way, when does Elder Jia's banquet start?"
Hai Bodong chuckled. "It's tonight. You've been cultivating for a whole day and night. We didn't want to interrupt your breakthrough, so we waited until you emerged."
"In that case," Liu Xi said, glancing at the darkening sky, "let's not keep them waiting."
He helped Xuan Hao onto the carriage, and together with Hai Bodong, Lu Man, and Qing Lin, they made their way toward the royal city.
Indeed, Jia Xingtian had arranged for the banquet to be held inside the Imperial Palace itself.
In the Dou Qi Continent, even royal authority bowed before true strength. To honor a 6th Tier Alchemist, Jia Xingtian had directly commandeered the royal grounds—a display of utmost respect.
As the carriage rolled closer to the palace, the streets grew grander and more ornate. The nobles who lived here were the wealthiest and most powerful in the Empire. Yet every carriage they passed moved aside instantly, giving way to Xuan Hao's coach. Everyone recognized it—Master Xuan Hao's carriage, carrying the disciple who had shaken the entire Empire.
When they arrived at the palace gates, the guards immediately stood at attention. One stepped forward respectfully.
"May I ask," he said, bowing deeply, "is Master Liu inside this carriage?"
"I am," Liu Xi's calm voice replied from within.
The guard straightened and saluted smartly. "We were ordered to personally escort you to the Supreme Harmony Hall, where the banquet awaits."
"Lead the way," Liu Xi said simply.
The palace roads wound like a maze, and even Liu Xi lost track of how many times they turned before the carriage finally stopped.
A deep, familiar voice called from outside.
"Haha! Little friend, you've finally arrived. We've been waiting quite some time!"
Liu Xi stepped out of the carriage, smiling. "My apologies, Elder Jia. I lost track of time during cultivation."
"No harm done," Jia Xingtian said warmly. "No wonder you've achieved so much at such a young age. But tell me, little friend—your aura feels much stronger than yesterday…"
Liu Xi chuckled lightly. "After taking the Dou Ling Pill, I made a small breakthrough, that's all."
Jia Xingtian's sharp gaze immediately saw through the humble deflection. "A small breakthrough? From your aura alone, I can tell you've advanced at least two whole levels since yesterday!"
"What!?"
Behind him, Miteer Tangshan, Nalan Jie, and Mu Chen all exclaimed in disbelief, their eyes wide and faces flushed with astonishment.
The 6th Tier Alchemist who had already shocked the Empire had now broken through two Dou Wang levels overnight. It was a feat beyond imagination—one that would soon spread through Jia Ma like wildfire once more.
(End of Chapter)
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