Feng Yun observed quietly from behind as Feng Xueyi completed the final hand seal and withdrew the fla. A soft "ding" echoed inside the cauldron, followed by a thin wisp of fragrant steam rising from the lid.
Her eyes lit up.
"The pill fragrance...! I did it!"
Carefully, she opened the cauldron. Three small, round pills rolled gently to one side, their surface smooth and bright. It wasn’t perfect—but for a first-rank alchemist with barely a month of training, it was impressive.
Feng Xueyi carefully lifted the jade bottle from the cauldron and breathed a small sigh of relief. The pill fragrance lingered in the air—light, dicinal, promising.
She straightened to her feet, pleased with herself, and turned around.
"F-Feng Yun?" She blurted out, almost dropping the bottle. "What... what are you doing here?"
Her voice carried genuine surprise.
After all, despite being cousins, she and he rarely talk to each other. Not very friendly.
Feng Yun stepped away from the doorfra, his expression calm and neutral.
"I ca to check on the alchemy progress," he said. "Li Shixin ntioned you were training here."
Xueyi showed a proud look on her face and said. "I just learnt it started a month ago; I can refine pills already. I will beco a second-rank alchemist soon. Aren’t I amazing?" She finally had the chance to flaunt in front of him.
"Well, you have a talent," Feng Yun replied with a small grin.
Feng Xueyi instantly straightened her back, chest puffing just a little. "Right? I knew you’d be surprised. You probably didn’t expect to be this good, did you?"
Feng Yun raised an eyebrow. "Surprised? A little. Impressed? ...hm."
Her proud smile froze. "...What does ’hm’ an?"
"It ans..." he tapped the jade bottle lightly, "one of these pills is perfectly round."
He pointed at another, "One is oval."
Then to the last one, which had a tiny dent.
"And this one—well—it’s trying its best."
Xueyi’s face flushed pink. "T-Trying its best?!"
"It has character," Feng Yun added, expression serious but tone unmistakably teasing. "Not every pill dares to be different."
"That’s not sothing to praise!" she snapped, clutching the bottle to her chest like he had insulted a family heirloom.
Feng Yun shrugged lightly. "You said you’re amazing. I’m simply evaluating the evidence."
Xueyi narrowed her eyes. "You’re making fun of ."
"Only a little," he admitted, completely unbothered. "If you brag openly, soone has to keep your feet on the ground."
"I wasn’t bragging!" she protested—far too quickly. "I was simply stating facts. Facts related to my skill. My rapidly growing skill."
"Mm." Feng Yun nodded thoughtfully. "At this rate, your pills will soon all be round instead of... interpretive shapes."
She gave a cold look and snorted. "You’re impossible."
Feng Yun chuckled softly. "Relax. You’re doing well. For soone with one month of experience, your progress is fast."
Feng Yun continued mildly, "You’ll reach second rank eventually. Here, take this; I will help you." He said as a jade slip appeared in his hand, he purchased it from the system store just now, containing the alchemy experience of a grandmaster alchemist.
"Hm." She accepted the jade slip carefully, holding it with the sa caution one might use for a fragile treasure. Then she pressed it to her forehead, divine sense flowing inside.
A heartbeat passed.
Then another.
Her expression froze.
"This... this is—"Her voice cracked before she could finish.
A mont later, her eyes widened to their limit, breath catching as she hastily pulled the jade slip away from her forehead, staring at it like it might explode.
"This is alchemy inheritance," she whispered, almost disbelieving.
But as the information settled in her mind—layers upon layers of profound techniques, centuries of insights, fla control secrets, pill formation thods that only a handful of people in the entire region possessed—her shock deepened into speechless astonishnt.
She checked again, as if hoping she had misread it.
No.She hadn’t.
"This... this is a grandmaster alchemist’s inheritance," she uttered, her hands trembling. "A grandmaster..."
Her throat tightened.
A grandmaster alchemist wasn’t just powerful—they were revered. An existence capable of refining seventh-rank pills, soone who could change the fate of entire clans with a single batch. Even Saint Realm experts bowed respectfully in front of them, and Great Saint Realm cultivators wouldn’t dare offend them casually.
To acquire even one technique from a grandmaster was considered a fortune.
But this...This was a full inheritance.
"Is... is this real?" Xueyi breathed out, almost as if afraid speaking too loudly would make the jade slip vanish. "Where did you even find sothing like this?"
She looked up at Feng Yun, her expression a mixture of awe, confusion, and disbelief.
"How can sothing like this appear in the hands of our clan? This is the kind of treasure sects wage wars over."
Feng Yun remained calm, as if handing out a grandmaster’s legacy was no more troubleso than giving out a manual.
"It’s real," he confird simply. "And it’s yours—if you can handle it."
"Mine...?" Xueyi repeated, dazed.
He nodded. "You’re already showing talent. With proper guidance, you won’t just beco a second-rank alchemist. You will surpass that level easily."
Her heartbeat hamred in her chest.
She—Feng Xueyi—soone who always felt overshadowed by stronger cousins, stricter elders, and more talented disciples...Soone who never imagined rising beyond the background...She was being given a path that could elevate her beyond what she ever dread of.
"Thank you." Feng Xueyi muttered softly, showing her gratitude.
"By the way," Feng Yun added, glancing around the room, "I saw your cauldron. It’s not good."
Feng Xueyi blinked. "Eh? What’s wrong with it? I... I thought it was decent."
"It is decent," he said with a polite nod. "Decent enough for a beginner. But not for soone studying a grandmaster’s inheritance."
Before she could respond, he tapped his storage ring. A faint ripple of light appeared, and a silver cauldron appeared beside him with a soft tallic thud.
She stepped closer, eyes widening as she examined the elegant engravings along its surface. The craftsmanship was leagues above her old bronze cauldron—this one radiated faint energy even without being activated.
"This is a high-grade cauldron; I couldn’t even discern its rank," she exclaid, unable to hide her excitent. "Where did you even get this?"
"It was lying in my storage ring unused," Feng Yun said calmly. "Better to give it to soone who needs it."
She placed a hand on the cauldron’s cool surface, her expression turning complicated.
"You’re giving this to ...?" she asked quietly.
"Isn’t that obvious?" he replied.
"But... this is a high-grade spirit cauldron! Even so alchemy elders don’t have sothing like this!"
Feng Yun’s tone remained casual. "Then consider it an advantage. A better cauldron ans a stronger foundation."
Xueyi swallowed, overwheld."Cousin Yun... this is too much... First the inheritance, now this... I don’t think I’m worthy of—"
"Shhh... Just take it. I am investing in your talent." Feng Yun shushed her and said, not giving her a chance to refuse.
Feng Xueyi took a deep breath and finally accepted the cauldron.
"Thank you, I won’t let you down." She spoke with a determined expression.
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