After Xiao Yi Xian left and the auras downstairs quickly distanced themselves—
Xiao Bai released his suppression on the energy within the medicinal cauldron. His hands formed seals as a low shout escaped his lips.
In an instant, arcs of lightning flickered across the surface of the cauldron, while within, crimson flames surged, occasionally sending wisps of fire leaping out of the cauldron.
At the heart of the flames, a dazzling speck of light the size of a thumb floated up and down, its radiance growing increasingly intense.
As the glow expanded, waves of energy rippled outward at an accelerating and more violent pace.
"Boom!"
Just as Xun Er, Xiao Yi Xian, and the others had moved about a thousand meters away from the pavilion, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted behind them.
Their expressions changed drastically, and they hastily turned to look back.
However, the pavilion was no longer visible at its original location. Instead, a massive red-and-blue glow enveloped the entire area.
Faintly, the shadow of a pavilion stood within the radiance, but it appeared shorter—almost as if the third floor had been erased from existence.
"Xiao Bai...!" Xiao Yi Xian gasped in alarm. She tapped her foot against the ground, about to rush back.
Beside her, Xun Er immediately grabbed her arm. Seeing Xiao Yi Xian's anxious gaze, she shook her head and calmly said, "Xian'er, don't panic! Brother Xiao Bai is fine. If you go back now, you'll only distract him!"
"But..." Xiao Yi Xian's beautiful eyes flickered toward the red-and-blue radiance before turning to look at Xun Er.
Although worry still lingered in Xun Er's expression, her demeanor remained composed. At this, Xiao Yi Xian felt a twinge of shame. Biting her lip, she reluctantly nodded. "Alright..."
"What's going on?" Behind the two women, Tu Shan turned toward Xu Su, his expression puzzled. Mu Chuan and Lin Yan perked up their ears, equally bewildered by the situation.
"The boss is refining a sixth-tier pill," Xu Su softly explained, meeting the expectant gazes of the three men.
"A pill?"
"Sixth-tier?"
"That guy is an Alchemist?! A sixth-tier Alchemist?!"
Three shocked exclamations rang out simultaneously—especially from Lin Yan. He had followed Xiao Bai purely out of intimidation, never expecting to stumble upon such an earth-shattering revelation.
Realizing this, Lin Yan suddenly felt relieved. Thankfully, those guys hadn't lent him Fire Energy earlier. Otherwise, if he had given it back, he'd probably regret it for the rest of his life!
Just then, the red-and-blue glow surrounding the pavilion surged wildly. In the next moment, under the group's stunned gazes, a massive pillar of light—at least two meters thick—shot straight into the sky.
---
Deep within the Inner Academy, inside a secluded pavilion, two figures stood by the top-floor window.
One of them, an elderly man clad in loose black robes, had white hair and beard. With his hands clasped behind his back, he gazed out at the lush greenery beyond the window.
His aged face bore the calmness of a meditative monk, devoid of any emotion. In a serene voice, he asked, "Liu Cheng, has there been any unusual activity within the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower lately?"
"Grand Elder, everything remains the same," the yellow-robed old man respectfully replied with a bow. "Every month, the Fallen Heart Flame surges once."
"However, lately, it seems to be accelerating. But with the combined efforts of numerous elders maintaining the barrier, it remains under control—for now."
"It's accelerating?" The Grand Elder sighed softly, murmuring, "Back when the Headmaster discovered the Fallen Heart Flame, he founded Jia Nan Academy."
"At the time, he warned that sealing it could only be a temporary solution. The harsher the seal, the more terrifying the eventual eruption."
"Furthermore, this barrier has been scorched by the Heavenly Flame for years. Without the Headmaster's reinforcement, our efforts alone will only weaken it further. If that creature truly breaks free, the entire Inner Academy may be reduced to ashes!"
"But with you, Grand Elder, as well as Elder Qian and Elder Bai, even if it escapes, shouldn't we still be able to handle it?" Liu Elder cautiously asked.
"The problem isn't just the Fallen Heart Flame itself," the Grand Elder said, his gaze darkening. "If it breaks through the barrier, the powerful forces in Black-Corner Region will surely sense the immense energy fluctuation. If they come to investigate, things will become troublesome."
Liu Elder fell silent for a moment before speaking thoughtfully, "Grand Elder, are you worried about that 'Pill Emperor' Han Feng?"
A gleam flickered in the Grand Elder's eyes as he nodded slightly. "Han Feng is an Alchemist. The allure of a Heavenly Flame to someone like him is unparalleled."
"Over the years, he has tested the waters multiple times, but without solid proof of the flame's existence, he has refrained from taking major action. After all, Jia Nan Academy is not so easily trifled with!"
"However, once the Fallen Heart Flame is exposed, he will have no more scruples. If he were merely a peak Dou Huang, our Jia Nan Academy would naturally not fear him. But besides that, this guy is also a Tier Six Alchemist!"
"His alchemy skills surpass even Elder Huo of the Alchemy Department. Over the years in the Black-Corner Region, he has built an extremely vast network of connections solely through his alchemy."
"A Tier Six Alchemist has an incredible level of influence, which you should be aware of. If he sets his sights on seizing the Heavenly Flame, many factions entangled in his network will gladly do him a favor."
"If he allies with the forces in the Black-Corner Region, then… with the Fallen Heart Flame erupting internally and Han Feng eyeing us from the outside, even our Jia Nan Academy would find it a huge headache!"
"What should we do then?" The yellow-robed elder showed a trace of worry on his face and asked in a low voice, "Should we… notify the Headmaster to return?"
"The Headmaster roams the world year-round, appearing and disappearing like a dragon. How do we even contact him?"
The Grand Elder shook his head. A black-clothed, white-haired figure flashed in his mind before he suddenly asked, "I heard… you sought out Xiao Bai to refine a Dou Ling Pill?"
"Hmm?" Elder Liu's face showed surprise and confusion. He asked in shock, "You didn't know?"
Seeing the Grand Elder shake his head, Elder Liu's expression changed drastically, nearly jumping in frustration. "Damn that old Su! He said you had vouched for it, so Elder Duan and I believed him. But it turns out…"
Thinking about how they had already handed over the medicinal ingredients, Elder Liu felt like crying. What should he do now? Demand the ingredients back?
He couldn't afford to lose face like that!
No matter what, Xiao Bai was still a Tier Five Alchemist—and an eighteen-year-old Tier Five Alchemist at that! Doing such a thing would be making an enemy of a prodigy-level alchemist. Who knew if they would need his help in the future?
Damn it, that old Su tricked them!
Seeing Elder Liu's expression, the Grand Elder immediately understood the situation and secretly shook his head. "No need to worry. That little fellow's alchemy skills are indeed superior to Elder Huo's. Right now, in the Black-Corner Region, aside from Han Feng, he is likely the strongest in alchemy."
Hearing this, Elder Liu felt somewhat reassured. He nodded slightly—at least Su had not lied to him about that.
"If he truly succeeds in refining the pill," the Grand Elder's eyes gleamed with anticipation, "then Jia Nan Academy will have its own Tier Six Alchemist. Han Feng's influence in the Black-Corner Region will undoubtedly weaken, which would be a great advantage for us!"
"Alright! You may re—" The Grand Elder had not finished speaking when, for the first time, a trace of shock appeared on his usually calm face. His gaze penetrated the window, locking onto a particular direction within the Inner Academy.
Noticing the Grand Elder's reaction, Elder Liu was puzzled. He followed the direction of the gaze but saw nothing unusual.
"What a powerful energy fluctuation! Such a phenomenon could only be caused by the formation of at least a Tier Six Pill!" The Grand Elder's eyes shone brightly as his gaze seemed to pierce through space toward a specific pavilion.
"Tier Six Pill!" Elder Liu was first stunned, then as if realizing something, he muttered with a trembling voice, "Could it be him? No… It must be him! Otherwise, no one in the Inner Academy could refine a Tier Six Pill. Even Elder Huo can't!"
Saying this, Elder Liu suppressed the excitement in his heart and looked toward the Grand Elder.
But before the Grand Elder could respond, a massive pillar of light suddenly erupted from a certain spot in the Inner Academy, shooting straight into the sky.
At this moment, Elder Liu had no doubts left. Sensing the intense energy fluctuations within the pillar of light, he was overjoyed. He knew that the location was precisely where Xiao Bai had been.
At the passage connecting the Inner and Outer Academy, Elder Su was currently on duty.
Seeing the massive light pillar suddenly appear, he was initially confused. But after carefully sensing it, his expression turned to disbelief as he murmured, "This is… This is the phenomenon of a Tier Six Pill being born!"
Then, an ecstatic expression spread across his aged face. "That location… seems to be in the freshman area!"
"Haha! He did it! Master Xiao truly keeps his word! This time, I wasn't tricked! Hahaha!"
Laughing heartily, a streak of light swiftly shot toward the pillar.
At the same time, several elders in the Mission Hall also noticed the sky-piercing light pillar. Their faces showed excitement as they abandoned all hesitation. Summoning their energy wings, they soared straight toward it.
That day, the students of the Inner Academy felt utterly dazzled.
After that strange red-and-blue pillar of light erupted, streaks of multicolored light continuously flashed across the sky.
Occasionally, bursts of elderly laughter could be heard, though many remained clueless about what was happening!
Some well-informed students from the Central Plains knew exactly what the pillar of light represented, and they too rushed toward it.
An alchemist capable of refining a Tier Six Pill would not be an unknown figure, even in some parts of the Central Plains!
-------
Outer Academy.
Elder Huo was in the process of refining a Tier Four Pill.
A dozen students around him held their breath, watching in complete silence, not daring to make a sound.
"Even though you can only refine Tier One or Tier Two Pills right now, observing the process of high-tier pill refinement is immensely beneficial to improving your alchemy skills!"
Seeing how cautiously the students were breathing, Elder Huo shook his head and said, "If you have any questions, speak up. Don't be afraid of disturbing me. A mere Tier Four Pill is nothing—I can refine it with ease!"
The students glanced at one another, unsure of what to ask. They simply couldn't understand what was happening!
Sigh… Elder Huo sighed when he saw their confused expressions. Feeling frustrated by their lack of progress, he muttered, "Look at yourselves, and then look at Xiao Bai. You are by far the worst group I've ever taught!"
"But you've never taught Xiao Bai, have you?" someone muttered from the corner.
"Lù Mù! What are you mumbling about over there?"
Elder Huo's sharp gaze landed on the speaker, surprised that his prized disciple would dare to undermine him like that.
"I'm just saying! You're a Tier Five Alchemist, and so is he. By the way, Teacher, who is better between the two of you?" Lu Mu pursed his lips and curiously asked.
Hearing this, the other students discreetly perked up their ears, full of curiosity.
"Although he is a genius, I have years of experience on him!" Elder Huo stroked his beard and answered calmly.
"Got it! So, you're stronger than him, right?" Lu Mu grinned.
"Ahem... We are evenly matched, evenly matched!" Elder Huo coughed awkwardly.
Suddenly, he whipped his head around toward a specific direction. Sensing the surge of energy, his eyes filled with disbelief, and he nearly yanked out a few strands of his beard.
"Look! What is that?" A student pointed out the window, exclaiming at the massive red-and-blue pillar of light shooting into the sky.
"A Tier Six Pill!!" Elder Huo murmured, staring at the pillar in shock.
"Tier Six?" The students looked at one another in astonishment.
As alchemists, they had some knowledge about the phenomena accompanying a pill's birth. They hadn't considered it before, but now, after hearing Elder Huo's words, they were instantly convinced. And that direction… it seemed to be coming from the Inner Academy!
"Teacher, didn't you say you were evenly matched?" Lu Mu exclaimed as he stared at the light pillar.
Hearing no response, he turned around—only to find that Elder Huo had vanished.
Inside the cauldron…
The forming pill, having lost its supportive flames, collapsed like a pile of sludge, scattering into ashes within the cauldron—almost as if it were silently lamenting something.
-------
On the Other Side of the Inner Academy's Back Mountains.
In a pavilion within the chaotic region, a man dressed in a blue robe embroidered with a maple leaf slightly raised his head.
His gaze was fixed precisely on the source of the energy eruption.
The man had a handsome face, with black hair draping over his shoulders. A faint, long-lasting medicinal fragrance lingered around him, making him seem warm and approachable.
"This kind of fluctuation... only occurs when a Tier Six Pill is formed!"
A low murmur echoed from the pavilion. "Judging by the direction, it should be the Jia Nan Academy on the other side of that mountain range!"
"Was it refined by that old man Huo? But with his level of alchemy skills, it should still be quite difficult for him, shouldn't it?"
"Could it be that his skills have drastically improved over the years?"
The man in the blue robe furrowed his brows. In the Black-Corner Region, he had always been in a league of his own when it came to alchemy.
Ordinary Tier Six Pills did not concern him, as he possessed a Heavenly Flame.
But the Jia Nan Academy was different.
There had always been rumors that an academy held a Heavenly Flame, though no one had ever been able to confirm it!
If another Tier Six Alchemist with a Heavenly Flame were to appear, it would undoubtedly challenge his dominance in the Black-Corner Region.
"This fluctuation is coming from the Jia Nan Academy's direction... It won't be easy to investigate. Those old fogies are stubborn and impossible to deal with—what a hassle!"
Shaking his head, the blue-robed man slowly retracted his gaze.
As he turned slightly, a dazzling glow flickered across his chest.
It was an ancient-looking badge, engraved with a pill cauldron. Six golden ripples shimmered upon it.
A Tier Six Alchemist Badge!
And in the Black-Corner Region, only one person had the qualifications to wear such a badge.
The Medicine Emperor, Han Feng!
--------
Inner Academy.
Beneath the vast blue sky, the massive red-and-blue light pillar, about two meters thick, lingered for a long time.
Standing within the pillar, Xiao Bai slowly rose to his feet, sensing the dense energy surrounding him.
Looking around, he seemed to be standing on a wooden platform.
The roof above had already been blown away by the energy, and the surrounding walls had vanished.
Only jagged wooden stakes remained, resembling the aftermath of a typhoon.
Fortunately, the floor beneath him had remained intact under his protection.
He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked toward a certain spot within the pillar. Raising his hand, he made a summoning gesture.
A streak of red-and-blue light, trailing a glowing tail, floated down and hovered above his palm.
As the radiance gradually faded, the true form was revealed.
A red pill the size of a dragon's eye—perfectly round.
Tiny blue specks, like stars in the night sky, dotted its surface, flickering rhythmically as if breathing—profound and mysterious.
As soon as the pill was extracted, the towering pillar of light seemed to lose its foundation. It twisted slightly, grew faint, and eventually dissipated into the wind.
"So this is the Dou Ling Pill?"
Xiao Bai cradled the pill in his palm, quietly observing it. Feeling the immense energy contained within the tiny sphere, he murmured softly.
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