After ensuring that each of them had obtained their own suitable beast fire—something that would not only greatly enhance their alchemy but also provide them with an additional advantage in combat—Xiao Feng finally felt a sense of satisfaction settle within him.
This was no longer the weak and struggling Xiao family of the past.
Step by step, under his guidance, they were beginning to take shape into something far more capable and promising.
At present, he had successfully nurtured two 2nd-grade alchemists—Xiao Chen and Xiao Mai—both of whom had stabilized their realms and, with the support of beast fire, now possessed the ability to refine pills more efficiently and with greater success rates.
Apart from them, among the remaining five members he had personally guided, two had already reached the peak of 1st-grade alchemist level, showing strong signs of breaking through at any moment, their foundations steady and their control improving with each passing day and two of them just become 1st-grade alchemist level recently.
The remaining three were not far behind either, steadily progressing and building their experience, slowly but surely moving toward that same threshold.
And beyond them—
Four more individuals within the Xiao family, who had recently shown aptitude for alchemy, had stepped forward and begun their journey as apprentices.
Though they were still at the very beginning, lacking both experience and control, their enthusiasm was evident, and under proper guidance, they held the potential to become valuable assets in the future.
Seeing this growing structure—
From apprentices to 1st-grade alchemists, and now to 2nd-grade—
Xiao Feng felt a rare sense of accomplishment.
This was no longer just about individual strength.
He was building a system—
A foundation for the entire Xiao family.
A future where they would no longer have to rely on others for survival.
A future where they could stand on their own.
As he looked at them training, refining, and improving—
A faint smile appeared on his face.
This… was only the beginning.
Then Xiao Feng turned slightly, his expression calm and composed, and spoke in an unhurried tone that still carried authority.
"Go and call Alchemist Ge He. Tell him that Xiao Feng is asking for him."
The attendant immediately bowed deeply, not daring to delay even a second, and rushed out of the courtyard with hurried steps, knowing full well that when Xiao Feng called for someone, it was never something trivial.
A brief silence settled over the courtyard once again, but this silence was not empty—it was filled with anticipation, tension, and a quiet excitement that spread among the gathered alchemists like an unseen current.
Because all of them could feel it clearly.
Something important… something unforgettable… was about to happen.
The afternoon sun burned brightly overhead, casting long, sharp shadows across the Xiao family's training courtyard, yet despite the heat of the sun, the temperature within the courtyard itself began to rise for an entirely different reason.
Xiao Feng stood at the center, his figure steady and unshaken, holding in his hands a dark jade tray filled with medicinal ingredients so rich and varied that the moment he placed it down, a powerful fragrance burst outward and filled the entire space.
It was not just a pleasant scent.
It was dense.
Heavy.
Almost suffocating for those unaccustomed to such concentrated medicinal energy.
Deep crimson roots that looked as if they had been soaked in blood for centuries.
Silver petals that shimmered faintly, as though reflecting moonlight even under the sun.
Ancient bark that had hardened into a crystalline texture, containing layers of compressed energy within.
And several rare herbs that still pulsed faintly, as if alive, their spiritual energy refusing to dissipate even after being harvested.
The moment these materials appeared—
The atmosphere changed.
Xiao Chen unconsciously leaned forward, his breathing slowing as his focus sharpened to its limit.
Xiao Mai's eyes narrowed slightly, her mind already racing as she began identifying each ingredient, calculating their properties, their compatibility, their dangers.
The remaining juniors felt their hearts tighten, their senses overwhelmed by the sheer quality and density of what they were witnessing.
"Before I break you this afternoon," Xiao Feng said calmly, his tone almost gentle as he set the tray down with precise control, "I will show you something first."
He turned fully toward them.
His gaze swept across every single face.
"I am going to refine a 5th Grade Pill. Live. In front of all of you."
The words landed like a silent explosion.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Even breathing became something they had to consciously remember.
"You will watch everything," Xiao Feng continued, his voice steady and unwavering, "every movement, every fluctuation in flame, every decision I make."
"And you will carve it into your memory."
"Because what you are about to witness is not a performance."
"It is a standard."
"The standard that every single one of you will one day be forced to reach."
Xiao Feng stepped toward the cauldron slowly, as if entering a familiar domain where every movement had long been perfected.
He exhaled once.
Then—
His Strange Flame rose.
It did not burst violently.
It did not roar like ordinary flames.
Instead, it emerged quietly from his palm, dense and layered, shifting subtly between shades of red as though multiple flames existed within a single body.
The moment it appeared—
The temperature of the courtyard surged.
The air itself distorted.
Even those standing far away felt a heavy pressure pressing down on them, forcing them to unconsciously take a step back.
"Watch carefully," Xiao Feng said calmly.
"A 5th Grade Pill is not about power."
"It is about control."
His fingers moved slightly.
And in the next moment—
The flame inside the cauldron split.
Not into two.
But into three completely distinct layers.
Each layer burned with a different intensity.
Each layer pulsed with its own rhythm.
And yet—
All three coexisted perfectly.
Xiao Mai's breath caught audibly.
Xiao Chen's pupils shrank.
The others were completely stunned, their minds struggling to comprehend what they were seeing.
The first batch of ingredients entered the cauldron.
Heavy roots.
Dense bark.
Materials that required extremely high temperatures to break down.
The flame adjusted instantly, wrapping around them with precise heat control, neither too strong nor too weak.
Slowly—
The materials began to soften.
Then melt.
Then release their essence.
Golden threads of liquid energy began to form, separating cleanly without impurity.
"Extraction is not force," Xiao Feng said calmly as he guided the process with his soul force.
"You are not breaking them."
"You are creating the perfect conditions… so they willingly release what they contain."
More ingredients were added at precise and perfectly calculated intervals, each one introduced not a moment too early nor a second too late, as if Xiao Feng could see the exact state of every essence within the cauldron with absolute clarity.
The silver petals entered only when the root essence had fully stabilized, their soft glow dissolving instantly into the dense golden liquid, merging seamlessly without causing disruption.
Immediately after, cooling herbs were added in a controlled sequence, their purpose not to weaken the heat, but to regulate and refine it—preventing the volatile energy from spiraling out of control while maintaining the intensity required for high-grade refinement.
The moment these ingredients combined—
The cauldron trembled violently.
A deep, resonating hum echoed through the courtyard as the internal energy surged, rising sharply like a storm trapped within a confined space.
Conflicting properties clashed head-on, each essence resisting the other, refusing to merge peacefully.
The pressure inside the cauldron spiked dangerously, reaching a level that would have caused any ordinary alchemist to lose control instantly.
But Xiao Feng—
Did not even blink.
His expression remained calm, his breathing steady, as though the violent storm before him was nothing more than a predictable reaction.
With just a slight movement of his fingers—so subtle that it was almost imperceptible—
The flames responded instantly.
They shifted, adjusted, and adapted with flawless precision.
The unstable energy was absorbed and redistributed.
The violent clashes were suppressed and guided.
The chaotic mixture was forced into harmony.
What should have been destruction—
Was turned into order.
"Control the conflict," Xiao Feng said evenly, his voice calm yet carrying undeniable authority.
"Do not avoid it."
"Master it."
Inside the cauldron—
The swirling mass of energy grew denser, brighter, and increasingly refined with every passing moment, the once chaotic storm now transforming into a controlled and powerful convergence of pure medicinal essence.
Then—
The compression phase began.
Xiao Feng's soul force descended like an invisible force from all directions, pressing inward slowly, steadily, and with absolute control, leaving no room for error or escape.
The energy resisted at first, trembling violently as if unwilling to be constrained.
But gradually—
It began to yield.
Under constant pressure, it condensed further and further, its form becoming tighter, more stable, more complete.
Shaping.
Forming.
Transforming into something entirely new.
After nearly two hours of flawless control and relentless refinement—
The energy stabilized completely.
Then—
A pill emerged.
It rose slowly from the cauldron, carried upward by a thin stream of flame energy, as if being presented to the world after its birth.
Deep green in color.
Perfectly round in shape.
With faint golden veins running across its surface, pulsing softly like a living heartbeat.
A rich and overwhelming medicinal fragrance spread outward in waves, filling the entire courtyard and pressing against everyone's senses with undeniable force.
Two of the junior alchemists nearly staggered backward, their minds unable to fully withstand the sheer density of the energy contained within that single pill.
A flawless—
5th Grade Pill.
Xiao Feng caught it effortlessly between his fingers, his movements smooth and natural, as if this level of achievement required no effort at all.
He examined it briefly, his gaze calm and indifferent.
Then—
He placed it aside casually on the tray.
As if it were nothing more than an ordinary object.
He turned toward them.
"Questions?"
No one spoke.
No one could.
Their minds were completely overwhelmed, still trying to process what they had just witnessed.
"Good," Xiao Feng said calmly, though his tone had now shifted—becoming sharper, colder, and far more demanding.
"Then we begin."
With a simple wave of his hand—
A second tray appeared.
This one—
Far larger than the first.
Filled with dozens upon dozens of medicinal plants, each one raw, unprocessed, and radiating wild, untamed energy.
The sheer volume alone was enough to make their expressions stiffen.
"Each of you will extract the essence from your assigned materials," Xiao Feng said, his gaze piercing through them like a blade.
"No mistakes."
"No waste."
"If you fail—"
"You start again."
His gaze swept across every one of them, leaving no room for doubt or hesitation.
"The five of you will handle 3rd Grade materials."
"Xiao Chen. Xiao Mai—4th Grade materials. Mixed and conflicting."
"You will manage them simultaneously."
A brief pause followed.
"You have until sundown."
Xiao Mai stared at the overwhelming number of materials before her, her usually composed expression showing a rare hint of disbelief.
"All of it…?" she asked quietly.
"All of it."
No hesitation.
No mercy.
"After extraction—refinement begins."
"You will use whatever strength remains within you."
"You stop only when the sun sets."
Just then, Ge He arrived hurriedly at the courtyard, his steps quick and slightly unsteady, clearly showing how urgently he had rushed after receiving Xiao Feng's summons.
However, the moment he stepped inside—
He froze.
Because what he saw before him was not an ordinary scene.
Xiao Feng was in the middle of refining a 5th Grade Pill.
The flames were already at their peak control stage, the cauldron humming with dense energy, and the surrounding air distorted under the intense heat and pressure.
Seeing this—
Ge He did not dare to make even the slightest sound.
He immediately restrained his aura, lowered his breathing, and stood silently at the side, not daring to disturb the process in the slightest.
His eyes, however, were locked onto the cauldron without blinking, absorbing every detail like a starving man finding food.
Only after the pill was successfully refined and the process came to a complete end—
Did Ge He step forward.
He cupped his hands respectfully and bowed deeply toward Xiao Feng.
"Master Xiao Feng… thank you for granting me the opportunity to witness such a refinement," he said sincerely, his voice filled with gratitude and awe.
"To be able to observe a 5th Grade Pill being refined so flawlessly… this is something I would not have even dared to dream of."
Xiao Feng glanced at him briefly.
He did not waste time with unnecessary words.
"I will not beat around the bush," Xiao Feng said directly, his tone calm yet firm.
"I can personally train you."
Ge He's heart trembled slightly upon hearing this.
"I can make you a 3rd Grade Alchemist," Xiao Feng continued.
"And with enough time…"
"Reaching 4th Grade is also possible."
The words were simple.
But to Ge He—
They struck like thunder.
His breathing became slightly heavier.
However, before he could even respond—
Xiao Feng continued.
"There is a condition."
Ge He straightened immediately, his expression turning serious.
"From now on, you will assist the Xiao family."
"You will teach the new students."
"And you will work together with Xiao Chen and Xiao Mai."
His tone left no room for negotiation.
This was not a request.
It was an offer—with clear expectations.
Ge He did not hesitate even for a moment.
He immediately cupped his hands again and bowed deeply.
"I agree!"
His voice was firm and decisive.
"To receive guidance from Master Xiao Feng is already a blessing. To contribute to the Xiao family is something I am willing to do wholeheartedly."
Only after agreeing did he turn his gaze toward Xiao Chen and Xiao Mai.
His expression softened slightly, but there was also respect within it.
He cupped his hands toward them.
"Alchemist Xiao Chen."
"Alchemist Xiao Mai."
He greeted them properly.
Because he understood clearly—
Although they were younger than him—
They were both 2nd Grade Alchemists, just like him.
And under Xiao Feng's guidance—
Their future would far surpass his own.
Xiao Chen nodded calmly in return.
Xiao Mai also returned the greeting politely.