Chapter 17: The Alchemy Prodigy and the Eccentric Dreamer

Cao Xuan hurriedly looked around, finally realizing that it was Senior Brother Yang Fan from the inner sect communicating with him through a voice transmission.

Yang Fan’s gaze didn’t linger on this spot; instead, he continued, “Alright, follow me inside. Too many people out here, too many eyes.”

Without a task certificate or an alchemist’s badge, ordinary people couldn’t enter the Alchemy Hall. Though the plaza was crowded with disciples, most were there for tasks within the Earthfire Peak; few could actually access the hall.

Once inside, the number of people dwindled instantly. Those with tasks merely nodded to Senior Brothers Yang Fan and Ding Qing before returning to their work.

As for Cao Xuan, an outer sect disciple in a single-striped azure robe, few paid him any attention.

“Alright, hand me your task certificate. I’m preparing to refine a batch of Qi Gathering Pills today and I’m short one alchemy disciple—you’ll do!”

“To be able to enter the Alchemy Hall as soon as you become an outer sect disciple… Seems you’ve spent your three years as a prospective outer sect member diligently, eyeing the alchemist’s path ahead of time.”

Senior Brother Yang Fan, aloof outside the hall, revealed his talkative nature once inside. He strode forward, clapping Cao Xuan’s shoulder, “Reminds me of myself back in the day.”

“When I first joined as a prospective outer sect disciple, I was determined to become an alchemist.”

“Others just took random tasks, muddling through the offerings, hoping to pass the assessment into the outer sect.”

“But some geniuses aim straight for the inner sect, striving to become alchemists from the start!”

Cao Xuan nodded. It seemed this Yang Fan came from a family of cultivators, likely a small cultivator clan, far superior to his own Cao family of mundane laborers.

He didn’t believe in some grand plan—most likely, his family had arranged everything in advance.

Chen Qianru, for instance, only decided on alchemy as her main path in the past year or so, and she was still only at the stage of gathering medicinal herbs.

From Yang Fan’s words, it sounded like, upon entering the outer sect, he’d immediately begun working in the Alchemy Hall, pursuing the alchemist’s path from his very first task.

Thinking this, Cao Xuan handed over his task certificate and asked, “Isn’t this a task issued by Protector Ye? Shouldn’t I report to him?”

Yang Fan took the certificate, dismissively waving his hand, “Old Ye’s tasks are for recruiting alchemy disciples for the hall.”

“Don’t be fooled by the reward—only twenty spirit stones, same as the outer sect offering. The key is the chance to enter the Earthfire Pill Room and observe an alchemist at work. Do you know what that means?”

Cao Xuan nodded. In the memories gleaned from his mastery of the ‘True Explanation of Alchemy,’ he knew that besides knowledge, the most crucial element in learning alchemy was practice.

But beginners couldn't afford the luxury of hands-on experience; mostly, they observed.

They watched the order in which ingredients were placed, the quantities, the heat, the timing, and so on.

Practice makes perfect—not only through doing, but also through watching. The more one observes, the more confidence one has when it’s time to act.

“You’re in luck. Today, I’m refining Qi Gathering Pills—among the most challenging pills for the Qi Refinement stage, on par with Condensing Qi Powder. Most alchemists can’t handle them!”

“Have you heard of Senior Sister Ye Caixuan? She’s a direct disciple at the mid Foundation Establishment stage, and she only began refining Qi Gathering Pills after reaching Foundation Establishment.”

Cao Xuan realized that, in truth, the most commonly encountered pills were Qi Gathering Pills and Condensing Qi Powder—but from Yang Fan’s tone, even most alchemists couldn’t necessarily refine these two.

Senior Brother Ding Qing, standing nearby, interjected, “Enough, Yang Fan. We know you’re a genius, but don’t belittle Senior Sister Ye.”

“She may have started refining Qi Gathering Pills at Foundation Establishment, but she could already make Condensing Qi Powder at Qi Refinement stage seven. Could you?”

Yang Fan waved his hand dismissively, “Go on, don’t you see me instructing a future disciple of the Alchemy Peak? You’re an alchemist who can’t even refine Qi Gathering Pills or Condensing Qi Powder—don’t talk to this genius.”

Ding Qing shook his head. He’d caught the protector’s eye and was about to be accepted as a direct disciple, so he had his own talents.

He possessed a nine-forged spiritual root, with exceptional cultivation talent and some aptitude for alchemy, though not as pronounced as Yang Fan’s. But once he broke through to Foundation Establishment, these two Qi Refinement pills would be easy for him.

Yang Fan had some talent in alchemy, but his spiritual root was only seven-forged. Didn’t he realize that, in the world of cultivation, strength was the ultimate measure?

Ding Qing had no interest in showing off. He beckoned for an alchemy disciple.

The outer sect disciple’s face lit up with joy as he followed Ding Qing into an Earthfire Pill Room.

Today, Ding Qing would refine Serenity Pills and Meridian Opening Pills—both aimed at increasing the chance of Foundation Establishment.

Ding Qing and Yang Fan had entered the sect at the same time. Now, Ding Qing was at the ninth level of Qi Refinement, on the verge of breaking through, while Yang Fan was only at the early eighth level—a widening gap.

Yang Fan took Cao Xuan’s task certificate, preparing to register him as an alchemy disciple for the hall.

A humming sound resonated.

“Hm?” Yang Fan looked at the certificate in confusion. It hadn’t integrated with the Alchemy Hall. After a brief inspection, his expression darkened.

“You have no relevant task experience?”

Cao Xuan nodded naturally. Though he lacked task experience, he knew his own level—the ‘Thousand Spirit Herbal Compendium’ had much to say.

Seeing Cao Xuan’s calm face, Yang Fan was almost amused. It seemed he’d been boasting to a fool.

His tone lost its previous enthusiasm, turning cold. “Junior brother, do you know how precious a single batch of ingredients is?”

“You don’t understand even basic pharmacology, and you want to be an alchemy disciple?”

“Do you realize how many disciples in the sect worry about cultivation resources? Are you planning to squander all these medicines?”

Yang Fan handed the certificate back to Cao Xuan, eyeing the single-striped cloud robe as if he’d figured something out.

He sneered, “Prospective outer sect disciples might not dare to offend you, but this is the Alchemy Peak. Not just anyone can waltz in!”

Some outer sect disciples nearby were drawn over by the commotion.

“Ha, can’t believe someone lacks such self-awareness.”

“Exactly. Back when I was a prospective outer sect disciple, I spent two years tending spiritual herbs, then another two years in the Herb Valley. Only then did I become an alchemy disciple.”

“Same here—I worked outside for eight years. There are always those who dream of leaping to the top in one step.”

“…”

The crowd began to mutter among themselves. In this world, upon learning that Cao Xuan was an outer sect disciple who hadn’t completed even the most basic tasks, they felt disdain.

They’d all climbed up step by step, while this one wanted to ascend in a single leap—what a joke.

Listening to the murmurs, Cao Xuan calmly replied, “Isn’t it said that as long as you pass the assessment, you can take on tasks?”

As soon as Cao Xuan finished speaking, the Alchemy Hall fell silent—then erupted in laughter!