Chapter 33: Learning Alchemy, a Visit from Quan Dao
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Xiao Wusheng was refining a fourth-rank pill—the Blood Lotus Spirit Pill. He couldn’t be distracted by anything, so he couldn’t speak.
But Yu Xian was watching everything intently, memorizing as many details as he could.
Yet the hand techniques Xiao Wusheng used would require intense future practice to master.
Over a hundred spiritual herbs were quickly activated by Xiao Wusheng’s techniques and thrown into the pill furnace.
Then came the flesh and core of an unnamed demonic beast.
Using beast cores in alchemy—Yu Xian had never seen this in the Myriad Pills Record or the Great Alchemy Compendium, which only covered up to third-rank pills and didn’t mention beast cores at all.
As the beast meat and core floated midair, Xiao Wusheng’s hands began to blur, leaving afterimages.
Yu Xian’s pupils shrank—he could barely keep up!
Such techniques were beyond imagination.
Sweat poured from Yu Xian’s forehead. He tried desperately to keep watching and memorize everything.
But Xiao Wusheng’s hands moved too fast—within a breath, the beast materials had been infused into the furnace.
Clang!
The furnace lid closed. Xiao Wusheng shut his eyes and began controlling the flame with spiritual energy to begin pill refining.
Yu Xian, drenched in sweat, had already exhausted himself just trying to watch that short segment.
But the gain was immense.
Suppressing his excitement, he kept his bloodshot eyes on Xiao Wusheng’s every movement.
Controlling heat was a vital step in alchemy—often the deciding factor between a high- and low-quality pill.
Fourth-rank pills required over a dozen variations in flame intensity!
Luckily, Xiao Wusheng was at the peak of Foundation Establishment. He didn’t need to shovel in or pull out coals like Yu Xian. He used only precise spiritual control to adjust heat.
In alchemy, mastery lies in the finest details.
Though Yu Xian couldn’t see the spiritual energy directly, he relied on intuition to make guesses.
Fortunately, this was the stage where Xiao Wusheng could speak.
“Disciple,” Xiao Wusheng began, “for this Blood Lotus Pill, the fire changes sixteen times. Especially during the merging of ingredients, you start at seventy percent intensity for thirteen breaths, then reduce to sixty percent for fifty breaths…”
Yu Xian listened earnestly, memorizing every detail.
Once Xiao Wusheng finished explaining all sixteen heat transitions, his eyes snapped open and he shouted:
“The pill is formed!”
Yu Xian’s eyes gleamed.
After a full hour, the pill was finally ready!
Would his master create a top-tier pill?
Clang!
The furnace lid flew open. A stream of pill essence surged out with a hiss, filling the air with a fragrant medicinal aroma.
Two pills shot out and landed in two jade bottles, one pill in each.
“Ah, what a pity,” Xiao Wusheng sighed. “Only middle-grade.”
Yu Xian was shocked.
His master’s refining was so meticulous—it seemed flawless. How could it result in only a middle-grade fourth-rank pill?
Had he missed something?
But of course… how could someone at his level see everything clearly?
Seeing Yu Xian’s confusion, Xiao Wusheng chuckled:
“A few herbs had their potency drawn out too much, some not enough. Even the fourth-rank Blood Fox Core wasn’t fully activated. That’s why—just middle-grade.”
“I see,” Yu Xian nodded and bowed, “Your disciple has learned much.”
“I couldn’t speak while refining earlier, but you must have memorized quite a bit,” Xiao Wusheng said with a grin. “Now come, I’ll walk you through it.”
“Yes!” Yu Xian said with joy, hurrying over to sit beside his master.
“The first herb, Three-Heat Fruit, requires activation like this…”
As Xiao Wusheng explained, Yu Xian listened intently, occasionally asking questions.
The scene was peaceful—a true teacher instructing his student.
Hours passed unnoticed until a disciple called out from outside:
“Master! Inner Sect Elder Liu has arrived!”
“Oh?” Xiao Wusheng paused and nodded. “Let him in.”
He and Yu Xian stood up and walked to the gate.
An Inner Sect Elder—at minimum—a Golden Core cultivator.
Though Xiao Wusheng’s status as an alchemist was comparable to elders, in terms of cultivation, there was a vast gap.
Unless he became the first Golden Core Alchemy Master in Baiyun Sect in over a thousand years, he would always be slightly lower in status than a true Golden Core expert.
They stepped outside and saw a man in yellow robes approaching through the garden.
“Disciple,” Xiao Wusheng whispered, “That’s Liu Huangqu, master of Huangqu Peak, mid-Golden Core stage, with thirty-three Foundation Establishment disciples.”
“Here for the Blood Lotus Pill?” Xiao Wusheng greeted with a smile.
“I was too anxious,” Liu Huangqu admitted, “You said five days to prepare, and today’s the fifth—I couldn’t wait until tomorrow.”
“No worries, no worries,” Xiao Wusheng said, pulling out a jade bottle. “I just finished it.”
Liu Huangqu eagerly opened the bottle, smelled the pill, and his joy was palpable.
“Thank you, thank you! If you ever need anything, I, Liu Huangqu, will repay this favor!”
“You’re welcome,” Xiao Wusheng replied. “If you bring materials, I’ll gladly refine again.”
After some brief pleasantries, Liu Huangqu left in a hurry—this pill was key to advancing a special technique he cultivated.
As they watched him go, Xiao Wusheng turned to Yu Xian:
“Wondering why I only gave him one pill, when I made two?”
“Master must have his reasons. Your disciple doesn’t question it.”
Yu Xian shook his head, but he more or less understood.
“Disciple,” Xiao Wusheng said seriously, “Alchemy is hard work. We spend so much time practicing that it hampers our cultivation.”
“So, when we serve others through alchemy, it’s only right that we take a reward to make up for lost cultivation time. Understand?”
“Yes, Master!” Yu Xian nodded. He knew his master was right.
Xiao Wusheng grinned and patted his shoulder.
“A gentleman loves wealth, but gains it righteously. Come—let’s continue our lesson.”
Yu Xian smiled and followed him back into the courtyard.
From the first day, he understood that an alchemist is always owed something.
Days passed, full and meaningful.
With his master teaching him daily, Yu Xian’s alchemy skills improved rapidly.
Though due to his poor spiritual roots, progressing in cultivation was slow. He continued expanding his qi sea, using the Ten-Thousand-Year Wood Spring Art to purify his body.
After seven days, his body was finally free of impurities.
He began breaking through to the second layer: Wood Qi Becomes Sea.
During this time, the Outer Sect Grand Selection concluded.
From over twenty thousand applicants, only six were chosen—five at the peak of Qi Condensation, and one at late-stage.
That one was Liu Qinghe, a former manager of the Fiery Sun Mine, someone Yu Xian knew.
These six were now stars of the sect—destined for Foundation Establishment.
Yu Xian, however, was unmoved.
They walked their path; he walked his.
If they ever crossed paths again—whether as enemies or friends—he’d decide then.
“Wood Qi becomes sea…”
In the Alchemy Hall’s side chamber, Yu Xian sat cross-legged.
“Let’s see how my qi sea evolves after retracing my cultivation path.”
He gathered the rich wood qi around him and pressed it into his dantian.
It flowed like liquid into his spiritual sea, rippling the deep green pond.
But unlike his previous breakthroughs, this time it felt… soothing.
His dantian expanded smoothly:
One zhang… two zhang…
A six-meter-wide and six-meter-deep qi sea!
This clear, vibrant pool radiated life essence.
The second layer—completed in just half an hour.
Next: Wood Qi Becomes Spirit—the third layer.
As he exhaled, Yu Xian didn’t notice the elm tree mark on his chest becoming more vivid.
He got up calmly—his master’s next pill refinement awaited.
Xiao Wusheng always let him observe the process.
Today would be no exception.
As summer faded and winter arrived, four months had passed since Yu Xian joined the alchemy hall.
Though the sect’s formation kept snow out, the cold was real.
Plants had withered, except for a few hardy evergreens.
Yu Xian was now seventeen.
He wasn’t cold, though—smiling, he jogged toward his master’s courtyard.
Today, his master would refine another Blood Lotus Pill!
He was determined to observe and fully master it this time.
But just as he stepped into the courtyard, his smile faded.
Inside, Master Xiao Wusheng was smiling… and Quan Dao stood beside him, face calm.
It had been a year since Yu Xian last saw him—the man who’d brought him to Baiyun Sect and thrown him into the mines, never checking on him again.
Yu Xian knew—aside from one’s mother, no one was obliged to care for you.
But because of Quan Dao’s casual command, he had nearly died several times.
Of course he held resentment.
Was Quan Dao here to request this Blood Lotus Pill?
“So, he’s Yu Xian?” Quan Dao looked at him and smiled faintly. “I heard he became your disciple. I was surprised it turned out true.”
Back then, he’d simply told Chu Jiang not to favor Yu Xian.
The rest was Chu Jiang overthinking it.
Even when told Yu Xian had become Xiao Wusheng’s disciple, Quan Dao was mildly surprised.
He never targeted him—it was laughable to think he would waste effort on an ant.
Only that he was disappointed by Yu Xian’s low-grade wood spirit root and wasted Ascension Light—so he dumped him in the mines.
Now, he came to ask Xiao Wusheng for alchemy and saw Yu Xian again.
“Haha,” Xiao Wusheng laughed proudly. “I must thank Elder Quan for bringing him to me. His cultivation may be poor, but his talent in alchemy is exceptional—my only true heir.”
“Then I did contribute a genius alchemist to the sect,” Quan Dao chuckled. “Now, when can you refine the pill I asked for?”
“Whenever you like,” Xiao Wusheng smiled. “But tell me, since my disciple once awakened an Ascension Light, when will Elder Quan take him to ascend?”
