“Now open the lid and add the Nine Yang Ginger Root in the cauldron.”
Pill King Yao’s voice reverberated through the hall.
Yao Qing, Jiu Xian and Bing Mei’ren each stood in before a pill cauldron. The Foundation Realm Simulation Stones beneath their feet glowed faintly, temporarily elevating their cultivation to the Foundation Realm.
Yao Qing nimbly opened the lid smoothly and placed the root inside the cauldron.
Beads of sweat formed on her temples as she focused, her movements clean and precise. Like a fish in water.
The flame at the base of the cauldron flickered, rising and falling as she constantly adjusted the temperature of the flame according to the pill recipe.
Soon—
A pleasant aroma wafted from the cauldron, filling the whole hall in hot warmth, indication the completion of the pills.
“Ha!”
Yao Qing slammed her palm towards the cauldron, forcing the pills in the cauldron to jump out and gently drift into the jade bottles placed at the ground.
“Nine Pills,” Pill King Yao’s voice echoed, filled with delight. “You have exceeded the success rate of 90%, You are blessed by the heavens in the Dao of Pill Making.”
“Thanks Senior.” Yao Qing bowed in respect.
“Now it’s your turn, Disciple Bing.”
Bing Mei’ren’s movements were less fluid than Yao Qing, but she also passed the test, with a success rate of more than 70%. According to the Pill King, she had a talent that exceeded 90% of the Cultivators, while Yao Qing could be called once in a generation talent.
Jiu Xian’s turn came next. He stepped forward to his cauldron and started ignited the pill cauldron.
Adding the ingredients one by one, refining each one with surgical precision, he closed the lid.
Focusing on the cauldron he moved to the next process—combing the medicinal effects of the plants together to form the pill.
A strange scent leaked from the cauldron accompanied with a black smoke curling out of it.
The scent was—
Acrid
Bitter
“Xu Jia—”
“Xian’e—”
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“Discipl—”
BOOM
The cauldron exploded. The defensive array activated instantly, sealing the blast and protecting everyone inside the hall.
Jiu Xian stared at the smoking remains.
He tried again.
BOOM
Again.
BOOM
The one time he did succeed, he only had a success rate of one out of nine. Even that single pill was of the lowest quality.
“hm... I think Pill Making is not for me. Maybe it’s favours female cultivators.” Jiu Xian scratched his head, laughing lightly.
“Nonsense,” King Yao replied flatly. “Junior, it’s definitely your talent. If counted from the bottom... your talent could be called once in a millennium.”
Yao Qing bust into laughter.
Bing Mei’ren followed, barely holding it in.
The days that followed blurred together.
Yao Qing’s success rate climbed to frightening heights, each batch of pills emerging cleaner and purer than the last. Even Pill King Yao’s remnant will occasionally paused when watching her work.
Jiu Xian’s progress was… far more explosive.
Cauldrons detonated with alarming frequency, black smoke rolling across the hall as defensive formations activated again and again. At some point, even the Pill King stopped scolding him and merely sighed in resignation.
And Bing Mei’ren—
She grew increasingly haughty.
Her movements were flawless, her expressions composed, her confidence bordering on arrogance. Success seemed natural to her, as though it were expected rather than earned.
Jiu Xian had finally accepted the truth.
This Mei’ren was not the girl he had grown up with.
Yet despite himself, he still found his gaze drifting toward her.
As the days passed, the trio slowly grew accustomed to one another.
Shared failures.
Shared exhaustion.
Shared silence.
Comfort settled in quietly.
It happened without warning.
The Trio was following the Pill King’s instructions, refining a batch of Nascent Soul Ream pills, when the heat in the hall suddenly stilled. The cauldrons dimmed. The scent of herbs faded.
Then—
A faint ripple appeared in the air.
Light gathered, slowly weaving itself into the shape of a man.
He was slender and middle-aged, with long, flowing moustaches and thick brows that framed sharp, confident eyes. Though his body was translucent, his presence felt complete—dignified, unshakable.
The Pill King.
“Our journey together ends here,” he said, his voice carrying a gentle finality.
“May you young ones soar through the heavens.”
He smiled faintly.
“Always remember—
the Dao is endless.”
The illusion took a step forward, his gaze sweeping over them.
“You are the future of our sect,” he said proudly.
His eyes lingered on Yao Qing first.
“Yao Qing. Continue walking your path as you are now, and the heavens themselves will open for you.”
Her chest tightened. She bowed deeply.
The Pill King’s form flickered, his outline blurring slightly as he turned to Jiu Xian.
“Jiu Xian,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “You little rascal. Stay away from cauldrons. Your fate lies with another art… maybe.”
Jiu Xian laughed awkwardly, scratching his head.
Finally, the Pill King faced Bing Mei’ren.
No—
Cai Xi.
The warmth in his eyes deepened, shedding all formality.
“Cai Xi,” he said softly, like an old friend.
“You are as talented as you were the last time I saw you.”
Her breath caught.
“Forget the enemies. Forget the past.”
“Live freely. That is what we all wished for you.”
His voice trembled—not with weakness, but with regret.
The light surrounding him thinned, scattering like drifting dust.
As the illusion faded completely, the world lurched.
Darkness swallowed their vision.
Their heads spun, the ground seeming to fall away beneath their feet—
Then—
Clarity returned.
They stood in a new hall.
Massive pillars carved with dragons and phoenixes supported the towering ceiling. Above them, intricate star charts stretched across the vault like a frozen night sky, glowing faintly with celestial light.
A different place.
A different stage.
