Pa!
Closing the final scroll, Liu Xi exhaled a long breath of turbid air. When he opened his eyes again, they carried faint exhaustion—but even more so, irrepressible excitement.
He reached for the teacup on the desk and brought it to his lips, only to drink a mouthful of nothing. Blinking in surprise, he realized the cup was long empty. Setting it down, he chuckled softly and shook his head. 'As expected of one of the Three Giants of the Pill Tower—Xuan Kongzi's understanding of alchemy is truly profound.'
Over the past few days, Liu Xi had lost himself completely in the scrolls Xuan Kongzi had gifted him, plunging deep into the ocean of alchemical knowledge, unable to pull himself free. He hadn't slept for several days and nights, though such a thing meant little to a Dou Zun; only his mind felt a bit fatigued.
Xuan Kongzi's insights were astonishing—just a few words from him could vividly reveal the properties of medicinal essence, flame timing, and the art of imbuing spirit into a pill, painting the entire process directly into Liu Xi's mind.
Comparing them against all his previous studies and comprehension, Liu Xi found endless opportunities to refine and expand his understanding. His grasp of 8th Tier pills had grown far deeper.
Why are 8th Tier Pills completely different from those below? Because they possess spirit—the spirit of life itself.
Pills of that level were alive. They could no longer be treated merely as refined objects; experience alone was not enough.
Liu Xi stood up, pushing the chair backward, stretching his arms wide as his joints cracked one after another. His body relaxed as he let out a long stretch.
Then he called out, "Xian'er, what time is it now?"
Creaaak—
In the blink of an eye, the study door opened, and Xiao Yixian stepped in gracefully, her gentle voice carrying a faint hint of complaint.
"It's the sixth day, Young Master. If you still hadn't come to your senses, I was about to storm in and drag you out myself. You've done nothing but stare at scrolls—are they prettier than me?"
'Ah, she's sulking because I ignored her these days…' Liu Xi thought with amusement. He gathered up the scattered scrolls, his gaze soft as he smiled. "How could that be? Scrolls might be interesting for a while, but you, Xian'er—I could look at you for a lifetime and never grow tired."
Hearing his tender words, Xiao Yixian's heart melted completely. Her earlier disappointment vanished into nothingness. Lowering her head shyly before looking up again, her eyes shimmered like rippling spring water, filled with emotion.
"Six days already," Liu Xi mused. "That means the Pill Gathering starts tomorrow. By the way, Xian'er, has anyone come looking for me during these days?"
Caught off guard by his sudden question, Xiao Yixian turned her face aside with a faint huff. "You mean Cao Ying, don't you? Oh, she came—more than once, in fact! But I turned her away every time. You're not mad that I didn't tell you, are you?"
Liu Xi chuckled helplessly. Walking over, he gently turned her face back toward him, meeting her soft violet eyes. "Cao Ying has nothing to do with me. Besides, she's far too calculating—unlike you. I was asking about Ye Zhong. He's helping me gather the materials for the Pill Gathering; by now, he should've brought them."
Realizing she had misunderstood, a faint blush crept up Xiao Yixian's fair cheeks, like a ripe fruit begging to be bitten. Her voice grew as soft as a whisper. "Not yet."
"I see. Then come take a walk with me. After reading scrolls for days, my mind needs a little rest."
Liu Xi smiled, releasing her head and clasping his hands behind his back as he strode out of the study.
"Mm… alright."
Stunned for a moment, Xiao Yixian soon smiled brightly and followed him with light, graceful steps.
Although Liu Xi hadn't formally joined the Pill Tower, his fame alone had opened nearly every door within it. Wherever he walked, he was warmly received. Enthusiastic alchemists often approached him, eyes filled with admiration and excitement.
His popularity within the Pill Tower was soaring—and that was a good thing. If he ever intended to gain influence over the Tower, supporters were essential.
By evening, Liu Xi and Xiao Yixian returned to their residence—only to find Ye Zhong already waiting at the gate.
"Master Liu, Venerable Xian—you're back. I didn't want to disturb your leisure earlier, so I waited here for your return."
Seeing them arrive, Ye Zhong greeted them with a broad smile.
Liu Xi smiled in return. "I was wondering why Elder Ye hadn't come yet. I waited and waited—finally decided to stretch my legs instead."
Ye Zhong gave an embarrassed laugh, fully understanding the hint. Tomorrow was the start of the Pill Gathering, and his delay was indeed awkward.
"Master Liu, please allow me to explain. The materials were mostly gathered days ago, but one ingredient—the Earth Core Origin Pulp—was impossible to find. As you know, this material can cleanse and temper the body's meridians, so most factions refuse to part with it.
"In the end, I had to ask for help from an Elder I know within the Pill Tower. Once he heard it was for you, he personally emptied the Tower's reserves of Earth Core Origin Pulp. Including that, all ingredients are sufficient for you to refine the pill three times."
Liu Xi nodded slightly. It was clear that Xuan Kongzi had given instructions for the Pill Gathering to grant him full support; otherwise, obtaining Earth Core Origin Pulp so easily would have been impossible.
The rest of the ingredients were complete as well—except for the Human Origin Fruit, one of the main materials, of which he only had a single piece. He would need to be extremely careful when refining; such rare items were irreplaceable.
Ye Zhong took off a storage ring and offered it respectfully. "Here are all the materials, Master Liu. But you must also be careful. The Pill Gathering has three rounds of testing.
"The first is an Illusory Realm test—given your Spiritual Power, it should pose no issue. The second, however, takes place inside a fragment of the Ancient Pill Realm—an independent world once created by a Dou Saint. It's now ruined and used as a trial ground."
"Each year, there are those who never return from it… and I suspect the Hall of Souls may plant people there. You've become a serious threat to them."
"The third round returns to standard procedure—within a set time, participants must refine a finished pill from the provided ingredients. Rankings will be based on the pill's quality."
"Understood. Thank the Pill Tower on my behalf. The Hall of Souls' schemes for this Pill Gathering will not succeed."
Liu Xi accepted the ring, storing it away. He understood Ye Zhong's thoughts well. The Ye Clan's rise now rested largely on him. If something happened to him, the clan's fate would once again spiral downward.
He smiled faintly. "Elder Ye, don't worry. Even if the Hall of Souls sends that same Dou Zun into the Pill Realm, he won't be able to do anything to me."
Hearing Liu Xi's confident tone, Ye Zhong finally relaxed and smiled. "Then I'll take my leave. Rest early, Master Liu."
"Mm."
(End of Chapter)
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This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on P4 treon, For those who want to read 2 chapters ahead for free, you can find me on P4 treon by searching for my username: Fallen_Archangel_.
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