Morning came with the sound of bells.
Dong—
Dong—
Dong—
Ye Xuan opened his eyes.
The first thing he noticed was the spiritual energy.
It was denser than yesterday.
His breathing naturally pulled spiritual Qi into his body.
He sat up.
A faint golden glow circulated beneath his skin.
[Cultivation Progress: Body Tempering Fifth Layer — 86%]
Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"Already eighty-six percent?"
[The host cultivated for seven hours and possessed an exceptional physique.]
"How long until I break through?"
[Approximately one hour and thirty-seven minutes.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Then I'll do it now."
He sat cross-legged.
The
Nine Heavens Body Tempering Art
began circulating.
Spiritual energy rushed toward him.
The room slowly filled with faint golden particles.
His muscles tightened.
His bones became stronger.
His meridians expanded.
One cycle.
Five cycles.
Ten cycles.
Thirty cycles.
Then—
BOOM!
A powerful wave of spiritual energy erupted.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host!]
[Cultivation breakthrough.]
[Body Tempering Sixth Layer.]
Ye Xuan opened his eyes.
A smile appeared.
"Sixth Layer."
He clenched his fist.
His physical strength had increased again.
But he didn't stop.
He continued cultivating for another hour.
When he finally stood—
[Cultivation: Body Tempering Sixth Layer — 12%]
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Good."
Then the system spoke.
[Daily Check-In available.]
Ye Xuan's eyes immediately lit up.
"Check in."
[Daily Check-In Successful.]
[Reward: 3,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Nice."
The spirit stones disappeared into his storage ring.
But then—
[Special Check-In Opportunity Detected.]
Ye Xuan's eyebrows rose.
"Another one?"
[Yes.]
"Where?"
A map appeared inside his mind.
One location flashed brightly.
[Alchemy Peak.]
Ye Xuan's eyes narrowed.
"Alchemy Peak?"
[Correct.]
"What kind of reward?"
[Unknown.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Then let's go."
When Ye Xuan stepped outside, Mu Qingxue was sitting at the stone table drinking tea.
She glanced at him.
"You broke through."
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Sixth Layer."
Mu Qingxue's hand paused.
She looked at him.
"You advanced from Fifth Layer to Sixth Layer overnight?"
"Yes."
"How long did you cultivate?"
"About eight hours."
Mu Qingxue remained silent.
She had expected him to possess extraordinary talent.
But this cultivation speed was still ridiculous.
"You should not rush your cultivation."
Ye Xuan nodded.
"I know."
"Your foundation must remain stable."
"I understand."
Mu Qingxue poured another cup of tea.
"Come."
Ye Xuan sat opposite her.
She pushed the cup toward him.
"Drink."
Ye Xuan took the cup.
He smelled it.
A faint fragrance entered his nose.
"This tea..."
"Spirit Gathering Tea."
Ye Xuan took a sip.
The moment it entered his body—
Warm spiritual energy spread through his meridians.
His eyes brightened.
"Good tea."
Mu Qingxue nodded.
"It can slightly improve cultivation."
Ye Xuan looked at the teapot.
"Master."
"Hm?"
"Can I take the whole pot?"
Mu Qingxue stared at him.
"...Why?"
"Because it's good."
She silently pushed the teapot toward him.
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Thank you, Master."
Mu Qingxue looked away.
"You're welcome."
After breakfast, Ye Xuan left the mountain.
His destination—
Alchemy Peak.
According to the Check-In Map, it was one of the important locations within the sect.
The mountain was filled with the smell of medicinal herbs.
Several disciples walked around carrying baskets.
Some were gathering herbs.
Others were entering alchemy rooms.
As Ye Xuan approached the main building—
A young woman suddenly walked into him.
Bang!
Several jade bottles fell from her hands.
Ye Xuan quickly caught two before they hit the ground.
The woman froze.
She had long dark-green hair.
A delicate face.
Bright emerald eyes.
She wore the robe of an inner disciple.
She looked at Ye Xuan.
Then at the bottles in his hands.
"Thank you."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"No problem."
He handed them back.
She looked at him curiously.
"You're new."
"Yes."
"Outer disciple?"
"Direct disciple."
Her eyes widened.
"Direct disciple?"
Ye Xuan nodded.
She looked at his white hair and golden eyes.
Then smiled.
"So you're Elder Mu's new disciple."
"You've heard of me?"
"Everyone has."
Ye Xuan sighed.
"Already famous?"
She laughed softly.
"Not famous."
She paused.
"More like... interesting."
Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"What's your name?"
"
Su Ruyan.
"
"Nice to meet you, Senior Sister Su."
She smiled.
"You're quite polite."
"Only toward beautiful senior sisters."
Su Ruyan froze.
Ye Xuan smiled innocently.
"...I'm joking."
She stared at him.
Then laughed.
"You're definitely not as serious as you look."
"I hear that often."
She shook her head.
"Take care, Junior Brother."
"You too."
She walked away.
Ye Xuan watched her disappear into the crowd.
The system suddenly spoke.
[Host.]
"What?"
[The system has detected another female cultivator.]
"..."
Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes.
"Why are you telling me?"
[Because the host's eyes followed her for eleven seconds.]
"You're keeping track again?"
[Yes.]
Ye Xuan sighed.
"I really need privacy."
[The system recommends looking less suspicious.]
Ye Xuan soon reached the center of Alchemy Peak.
A giant bronze furnace stood before a stone platform.
Ancient runes covered its surface.
[Special Location Detected.]
[Alchemy Peak.]
[Would the host like to check in?]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Check in."
DING!
[Special Check-In Successful.]
[Congratulations!]
[Reward: Grandmaster Alchemy Knowledge.]
Ye Xuan froze.
"...Grandmaster?"
[Correct.]
Information suddenly flooded his mind.
Hundreds.
Thousands.
Millions of pieces of knowledge.
Herbs.
Medicinal properties.
Pill formulas.
Alchemy techniques.
Fire control.
Furnace control.
Pill refinement.
Pill purification.
Even ancient pill recipes.
Ye Xuan's head hurt for several seconds.
Then everything settled.
He looked at the bronze furnace.
His eyes changed.
He could suddenly see every flaw in it.
Every rune.
Every heat channel.
Every material.
"Interesting."
A nearby elder suddenly looked over.
The elder had been observing Ye Xuan.
He noticed the strange expression in the boy's eyes.
"Young man."
Ye Xuan turned.
"Yes?"
"You understand alchemy?"
Ye Xuan thought for a moment.
"A little."
The elder smiled.
"Then identify this."
He pointed toward a small herb on the table.
"What is it?"
Ye Xuan looked at it.
"Purple Cloud Grass."
The elder nodded.
"And this?"
"Three-Leaf Spirit Flower."
"And that?"
"Black Moon Root."
The elder's expression slowly changed.
Ye Xuan continued.
"This one is incorrectly dried."
The elder froze.
"What?"
Ye Xuan pointed.
"The moisture hasn't been properly removed. If you use it to refine a Spirit Gathering Pill, the pill will have impurities."
The elder immediately picked it up.
He examined it.
Then his eyes widened.
"You're right."
Several nearby disciples looked over.
The elder stared at Ye Xuan.
"Who taught you?"
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Nobody."
The elder clearly didn't believe him.
"You learned all this without a master?"
Ye Xuan shrugged.
"Perhaps I'm talented."
The elder stared.
Then laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"Interesting!"
He turned toward the disciples.
"Do you know who this is?"
A disciple shook his head.
The elder pointed at Ye Xuan.
"Elder Mu's new direct disciple."
The surrounding disciples immediately began whispering.
"That's him?"
"The one who defeated Zhao Tian?"
"He's also an alchemist?"
"No way."
The elder smiled.
"Young man."
"Yes?"
"Would you like to try refining a pill?"
Ye Xuan's eyes brightened.
"Sure."
A furnace was brought over.
Ye Xuan stood before it.
The disciples gathered around.
He placed several herbs inside.
Activated his spiritual energy.
Then—
The Heavenly Frost Spirit Flame appeared.
The entire alchemy hall became silent.
The elder's expression changed dramatically.
"That flame..."
Ye Xuan ignored him.
His hands moved.
The flame changed shape.
Blue-white fire wrapped around the furnace.
The herbs began melting.
One after another.
Ye Xuan controlled the temperature with extraordinary precision.
The elder's expression became increasingly shocked.
His control...
How is a thirteen-year-old capable of this?
Then—
DING!
The furnace trembled.
A fragrance spread through the hall.
Ye Xuan opened the furnace.
Inside lay several perfectly round pills.
A disciple gasped.
"That's..."
The elder immediately stepped forward.
He picked one up.
His eyes widened.
"Perfect-grade Spirit Gathering Pills."
Silence.
The elder stared at Ye Xuan.
Then laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"Monster!"
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Thank you."
The elder looked at him strangely.
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I'll take it as one."
The elder laughed again.
Far away, on another mountain.
Mu Qingxue suddenly opened her eyes.
She sensed the powerful medicinal fragrance.
Her expression became strange.
"That boy..."
She sighed.
"I really have accepted a troublesome disciple."
But there was a faint smile in her eyes.
Meanwhile, Ye Xuan looked at the pills in his hand.
The system suddenly appeared.
[Hidden Achievement Unlocked.]
[Host has demonstrated extraordinary alchemy talent.]
[Supreme Talent has resonated with Grandmaster Alchemy Knowledge.]
[New Skill Unlocked.]
Heavenly Alchemy Eye
Effect:
Allows the host to analyze herbs, pills, flames, furnaces and alchemical materials.
Ye Xuan's eyes lit up.
"Another skill."
[The host is becoming increasingly troublesome.]
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Master said the same thing."
[Your master has excellent judgment.]
Ye Xuan laughed.
He looked at the vast sect beyond the alchemy hall.
Yesterday, he had arrived as an unknown village boy.
Today, he had defeated a stronger cultivator and revealed astonishing alchemy talent.
But Ye Xuan knew—
This was only the beginning.
He still hadn't entered the true cultivation world.
He hadn't explored ancient ruins.
He hadn't met the great clans.
He hadn't encountered the geniuses of the Lower Realm.
And he certainly hadn't seen the Upper Realm.
For now...
He simply wanted to grow stronger.
And perhaps—
Enjoy his new life.
He smiled.
"Tomorrow's check-in..."
His eyes gleamed.
"I wonder what I'll get."
[The system also wonders.]
Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"You don't know?"
[No.]
"Then we're both waiting."
[Correct.]
A brief silence.
Then the system added:
[The system hopes the host doesn't obtain another beautiful woman.]
Ye Xuan laughed.
"Why?"
[Because the host already has enough problems.]
Ye Xuan looked toward the sky.
A mischievous smile appeared on his handsome face.
"That's exactly why it would be fun."
[The system regrets everything.]
And somewhere deep within the Heavenly Frost Sect—
The ancient aura beneath the forbidden region stirred once again.
This time...
A faint voice whispered through the darkness.
"Chaos..."
Then silence returned.
No one heard it.
Not even Ye Xuan.
Not yet.