A disciple from West Mountain watched Wen Qingye’s departing figure and said to Luo Tang beside him, "Brother Luo, why did you concede just now? Wasn’t there still a third move?"
"Yeah, from what I saw, you were only at a slight disadvantage on the second move. I think if you’d used a third move, Brother Luo, you might have had a chance to win."
Luo Tang stared at Wen Qingye’s back with a profound gaze, shook his head, and sighed deeply. "That Wen Qingye is truly sothing else. During that second move, he was waiting for an opportunity the whole ti. He only struck after finding a flaw in my Saber Technique, and his attack was ruthless, fast, and clean—no wasted motion. You don’t understand because you weren’t in the fight. Facing him, I felt this imnse, oppressive force. His superb Swordsmanship and calm Heart Spirit were so completely overwhelming I could barely breathe. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever encountered. I don’t think I had the courage left to face his third move."
"If Wen Qingye is so formidable, why doesn’t he go to the Purple Sun Prefecture? I think even in a place like that, teeming with monstrous talents, his Sword Technique Cultivation would allow him to stand out. Why is he wasting his ti here at Qig Mountain Academy?"
"I’m not sure about that either," Luo Tang said, his expression suddenly turning solemn. "But from now on, warn everyone from our West Mountain: befriend Wen Qingye if you can. If you can’t, do not offend him. That man is no simple character. My father once told that a person’s future depends not just on their aptitude, but also on their character. And just look at Wen Qingye’s character."
"From Qi Cultivation to Refining Essence, and then to Divine Techniques, the path culminates in the Yin Yang Destruction Life and Death Dao. It is said that the Yin-Yang Realm, which cos after Refining Spirit, requires one to temper their very heart. Countless peerless geniuses have been stumped by this trial, but from what I’ve seen, Wen Qingye’s character gives him a real chance of breaking through it."
A West Mountain student beside him asked in shock, "Brother Luo, are you saying... that Wen Qingye will one day beco a master of the Yin-Yang Realm?"
Luo Tang smiled and shook his head. "Not necessarily. I’m just saying he has a better chance than most. After all, his current cultivation is even lower than mine. The Yin-Yang Realm is still a distant goal for him."
........
"Master, I never expected you to be so incredible! Not only are you an expert in the Alchemy Dao, but your Sword Technique Cultivation is amazing too. When are you going to teach ?" Xiaxia asked as she walked to Wen Qingye’s side.
Wen Qingye looked at Xiaxia and said, "Am I not only supposed to be teaching you Pill Technique for three months? You want to learn my Swordsmanship as well?"
Xiaxia pouted. "But don’t people say, ’A teacher for a day is a father for life’? I’m already calling you Master, and you’re only going to teach for three months? Besides, if you teach a little Swordsmanship, I won’t go around tarnishing your good na."
"When there’s ti," Wen Qingye said with a smile.
"So, Master, where are we going now?" Xiaxia asked, her face lighting up.
Wen Qingye replied slowly, "To the Alchemy Pavilion’s Alchemy Room. For Alchemy."
"Aweso! Master, I’ve never seen you perform Alchemy before!"
The two quickly arrived at Qig Mountain Academy’s Alchemy Pavilion. Xiaxia worked there as an attendant, so she was familiar with the people and quickly found an available Alchemy Room.
Wen Qingye frowned. "I didn’t realize there were not only limits on how many tis you can use these rooms, but also ti limits."
Xiaxia nodded. "Of course. Qig Mountain Academy provides the Pill Furnaces and the natural Pill Fire, so naturally, they have to impose limits."
As they were talking, they reached the Alchemy Room. Wen Qingye looked at the Pill Furnace before them and then said to Xiaxia, "In a bit, when I ask you for an ingredient, just hand it to imdiately. Understand?"
"I know," Xiaxia replied in a low voice.
Wen Qingye gave Xiaxia a strange look, then said, "Now, for the first step of Alchemy: warming the furnace."
Wen Qingye pushed his palm forward, and a thick stream of Primordial Qi shot from it directly into the Pill Fire. The fire instantly flared, and the roaring flas illuminated the entire Alchemy Room.
"Master, it’s too hot! Can I go outside?"
"No. If you want to learn Alchemy, you’ll have to face this sooner or later. Just watch from the side for now."
Wen Qingye watched the Pill Fire, shaking his head inwardly. ’This Pill Fire is worse than even the weakest Yang Fire cultivated by a person. It’s a sha I haven’t cultivated my own Yang Fire yet. If I could use it for Alchemy, the process would be twice as effective with half the effort.’
"There’s an art to warming the furnace, and many different thods. I’ll explain them to you over ti," Wen Qingye said slowly. "The temperature is also crucial. Different pills require different furnace temperatures."
"Oh," Xiaxia said, nodding earnestly.
This was a Third-Grade Pill Furnace. Bathed in the Pill Fire, which was enhanced by Wen Qingye’s Primordial Qi, it gradually began to glow red-hot.
Suddenly, Wen Qingye said, "Give the White Phoenix Leaf."
Xiaxia quickly handed the White Phoenix Leaf to Wen Qingye. Taking it, he explained, "We are now refining the Crescent Pill, a Fourth-Grade Pill. The furnace temperature is just about right. The stalk of the White Phoenix Leaf is harder to refine, while the tip lts easily. So, to ensure they lt simultaneously, you must place it inside with the stalk facing down."
As he spoke, Wen Qingye placed the White Phoenix Leaf inside. The mont it entered the Pill Furnace, it began to lt, slowly transforming into a silvery-white essence that shimred with a captivating light.
Wen Qingye said, "Quick, give the stalk of the Great Blood Vine."
"Oh, right... Great Blood Vine... Great Blood Vine..." Xiaxia murmured, looking a bit dazed.
Wen Qingye frowned and pointed. "That one, with the smooth, brown, striped stem. That’s the Great Blood Vine."
Xiaxia glanced over, quickly grabbed the Great Blood Vine, and handed it to him. Wen Qingye looked at it and said with exasperation, "I need the stalk of the Great Blood Vine. Quick, pull off the leaves and branches."
"Oh, okay, okay." Xiaxia hurriedly stripped the Great Blood Vine clean and handed it to Wen Qingye.
Wen Qingye took the Great Blood Vine and tossed it directly into the Pill Furnace. He then channeled even more Primordial Qi from his hands, and the Pill Fire instantly roared with greater intensity.
SIZZLE!
The Great Blood Vine lted quickly, transforming into red droplets of liquid.
Wen Qingye let out a breath of relief. "Good, I refined the Great Blood Vine just in ti. Otherwise, that White Phoenix Leaf would have been wasted."
"Oh." Xiaxia nodded, then stood cautiously to the side, not daring to say another word.
Wen Qingye looked at her and said, "Don’t let your attention drift. If you get distracted, this pill will turn into a Wasted Pill."
"I know, Master," Xiaxia said in a small voice.
"Seven Yang Flower!"
With lightning-fast reflexes, Xiaxia handed the Seven Yang Flower to him. Wen Qingye said with a sigh, "Don’t be so clumsy. There’s no need to be that fast."
Xiaxia nodded and stood silently to the side, looking subdued.
Wen Qingye began to explain in detail, "You see? This is the essence of the ingredients. You must be extrely careful with the heat. The temperature can’t be too high or too low. If it’s too high, so of the essence will dissipate. If it’s too low, the essence will lose so of its inherent potency."
Xiaxia listened with a serious expression, silently committing his words to mory.
Wen Qingye spoke earnestly, "Rember, when performing Alchemy, you must not be impatient. Be calm and collected, and do not let external factors distract you. Do you understand?"
Xiaxia replied obediently, "Yes, Master."
Wen Qingye said, feeling sowhat gratified, "Right. There’s one last main ingredient. Hand the Crescent Fruit."
Xiaxia quickly said, "Master, let put it in for you!"
"No, I’ll do it. You don’t know the proper way to add it. Besides, the technique and timing for adding Heavenly and Earthly Treasures require great precision."
Hearing this, Xiaxia reluctantly handed the Crescent Fruit over. Wen Qingye snatched it from her. "What are you doing, being so slow?"
Xiaxia lowered her head, not daring to speak, looking quite pitiful.
The mont Wen Qingye caught the Crescent Fruit, he felt sothing was off. He glanced down at it and saw two neat rows of small teeth marks.
Wen Qingye’s brow furrowed. He glared at Xiaxia and snapped, "Xiaxia, what is the aning of this?!"
Xiaxia quickly pointed at the Pill Furnace, waving her hands frantically. "Master, rember what you said! When performing Alchemy, you must not be impatient! Be calm and collected! Don’t let external factors distract you! Look, the furnace is about to explode!"
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