The following morning, Ye Xuan woke to something unusual.
Not a bell.
Not a roar.
Not even Little Snow demanding carrots.
It was shouting.
A lot of shouting.
"Move!"
"Make way!"
"Don't block the road!"
"Alchemy Peak is holding a competition today!"
Ye Xuan opened his eyes.
He looked toward the window.
A group of disciples were rushing toward the eastern mountain.
Ye Xuan rubbed his eyes.
"Competition?"
[Correct.]
"What's happening?"
[The Heavenly Frost Sect's monthly Alchemy Competition.]
Ye Xuan's eyes brightened.
"Interesting."
He stood.
Little Snow immediately woke up.
"Carrot?"
"Not yet."
"Cruel."
Ye Xuan laughed.
"You've become more shameless than me."
Little Snow turned away proudly.
"Hungry."
"Fine."
Ye Xuan tossed a carrot toward it.
The rabbit caught it.
"Good human."
Ye Xuan stared.
"...I regret giving you food."
Alchemy Peak
By the time Ye Xuan arrived, the entire mountain was crowded.
Hundreds of disciples had gathered around a huge circular platform.
At the center were ten alchemy furnaces.
Several elders sat above the platform.
Among them was the elder Ye Xuan had met yesterday.
The moment he saw Ye Xuan, his eyes lit up.
"Little fellow!"
Ye Xuan looked over.
"Elder."
The elder immediately waved.
"Come here."
Ye Xuan walked over.
The elder looked at him excitedly.
"I was hoping you'd come."
"Why?"
The elder laughed.
"Because I want to see what you can really do."
Ye Xuan glanced at the competition platform.
"What's the competition?"
"Three rounds."
The elder pointed toward the furnaces.
"First, herb identification."
"Second, pill refinement."
"And third?"
The elder's smile became mysterious.
"Improvisation."
Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"Improvisation?"
"You'll be given random ingredients and must create a usable pill."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"That sounds fun."
The elder stared at him.
"You're not nervous?"
"Should I be?"
The elder laughed.
"Hahaha! Good!"
Then his expression became serious.
"But be careful."
"Why?"
The elder looked toward the opposite side of the platform.
"Because this year's competition has someone extraordinary."
Ye Xuan followed his gaze.
A group of young disciples approached.
At their center was a woman.
She wore a crimson alchemist robe.
Her long black hair reached her waist.
Her skin was fair.
Her eyes were deep purple.
She walked with an elegant confidence.
Several disciples immediately whispered.
"It's Senior Sister
Gu Yuexin
."
"She's here."
"She's the youngest Earth Grade Alchemist in the sect."
"She's already capable of refining high-grade Spirit Sea Pills."
"Apparently, she's only seventeen."
Ye Xuan looked at her.
The system remained silent.
He smiled.
"She looks troublesome."
The elder nodded.
"She is."
Gu Yuexin suddenly looked toward Ye Xuan.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then she walked over.
"You are Ye Xuan?"
Her voice was elegant and calm.
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Yes."
"I heard you refined Perfect-grade Spirit Gathering Pills yesterday."
"A little luck."
Gu Yuexin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Luck?"
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Mostly."
She looked at him for several seconds.
Then—
"I hope you don't disappoint me."
Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"Senior Sister is challenging me?"
"I'm curious."
She paused.
"And I dislike unanswered questions."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Then you'll have to watch carefully."
Gu Yuexin nodded.
"I will."
She turned and walked away.
Ye Xuan watched her back.
Bai Yue suddenly appeared beside him.
"Junior Brother."
"Hm?"
"Don't get fooled."
"By what?"
"That woman."
Bai Yue whispered,
"She's terrifying when it comes to alchemy."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Are you worried about me?"
Bai Yue folded her arms.
"Of course."
Then she added quickly,
"Because if you lose, it'll be embarrassing for our mountain."
Ye Xuan laughed.
"That's not what your face said."
Bai Yue's cheeks turned slightly red.
"Shut up."
First Round — Herb Identification
The competition began.
An elder stepped onto the platform.
"First round!"
"One hundred herbs will appear before you."
"Identify their names, medicinal properties, cultivation requirements and possible combinations."
"Highest score wins."
Ten contestants stood before the tables.
Gu Yuexin stood at the center.
Ye Xuan stood near the end.
The elder raised his hand.
"Begin!"
The cloth covering the herbs was removed.
One hundred herbs appeared.
The contestants immediately began examining them.
Gu Yuexin picked up the first herb.
"Purple Cloud Grass."
She moved to the next.
"Three-Leaf Spirit Flower."
Next.
"Black Moon Root."
Her speed was impressive.
But Ye Xuan...
Was faster.
His Heavenly Alchemy Eye activated.
Every herb's information appeared instantly.
Purple Cloud Grass — Yang attribute.
Three-Leaf Spirit Flower — neutral.
Black Moon Root — Yin attribute.
...
Ye Xuan didn't even need to touch them.
He simply walked along the table.
"Done."
The surrounding disciples stared.
"He's finished?"
"Impossible."
"He didn't even examine half of them!"
The elder looked stunned.
"Already?"
Ye Xuan nodded.
"Yes."
The judges quickly checked his answers.
One by one.
Correct.
Correct.
Correct.
Correct.
The final herb—
Ye Xuan paused.
It was an extremely small green flower.
He frowned.
"This isn't a normal Spirit Flower."
The elder's eyes narrowed.
"Continue."
Ye Xuan carefully examined it.
"It's a disguised
Soul-Burning Flower
."
The entire judging panel went silent.
The elder immediately stood.
"What did you say?"
Ye Xuan pointed.
"The outer appearance has been altered by a transformation technique."
He smiled.
"If someone accidentally consumes it, it'll damage their soul."
Gu Yuexin's expression changed.
She walked over.
She examined the flower.
Then her eyes widened.
"He's right."
The surrounding disciples erupted.
"What?!"
"How could he recognize that?"
"Even Senior Sister Gu didn't notice!"
Gu Yuexin looked at Ye Xuan.
For the first time—
Her calm expression disappeared.
She was genuinely surprised.
The results were announced.
First Place — Ye Xuan
Second Place — Gu Yuexin
Third Place — Chen Yu
Ye Xuan looked at the scoreboard.
"Not bad."
[The host has once again said it.]
"You're still counting?"
[The system never forgets.]
Ye Xuan sighed.
Second Round — Pill Refinement
The elder stepped forward.
"For the second round, each contestant will refine a
Spirit Gathering Pill
."
"Three hours."
"The contestant who produces the highest-quality pill wins."
The disciples became excited.
This was the real competition.
Gu Yuexin entered the platform.
She raised her hand.
A crimson flame appeared.
The temperature around the platform suddenly increased.
Several disciples gasped.
"Earth Flame!"
"Senior Sister Gu possesses an Earth Flame!"
The elder nodded proudly.
Gu Yuexin began refining.
Her movements were precise.
Elegant.
Controlled.
She didn't waste a single movement.
One herb after another entered the furnace.
The crimson flame danced beneath it.
Meanwhile—
Ye Xuan summoned the Heavenly Frost Spirit Flame.
WHOOSH!
A blue-white flame appeared.
The temperature of the entire platform suddenly dropped.
Everyone froze.
"That flame..."
"It's freezing!"
"How can a flame be cold?"
Gu Yuexin looked toward Ye Xuan.
Her pupils contracted.
"He has a spiritual flame?"
Ye Xuan calmly began refining.
His movements were completely different from Gu Yuexin's.
He didn't rush.
He didn't hesitate.
Every movement was perfectly calculated.
The Heavenly Alchemy Eye continuously monitored the furnace.
The flame adjusted automatically.
Temperature.
Pressure.
Spiritual energy.
Everything was under control.
An hour passed.
Two hours.
Then—
DING!
Ye Xuan opened his furnace.
Seven pills floated into the air.
Each one was perfectly round.
A faint golden pattern appeared across their surfaces.
The elder immediately stood.
"Seven pills..."
He grabbed one.
His hands trembled slightly.
"Perfect-grade."
The entire crowd exploded.
"Seven Perfect-grade pills?!"
"That's impossible!"
"He's only thirteen!"
Gu Yuexin's furnace opened shortly afterward.
Six pills emerged.
Five were high-grade.
One was perfect-grade.
She stared at Ye Xuan's pills.
Then slowly smiled.
"So that's how it is."
Ye Xuan looked at her.
She wasn't angry.
Instead—
She looked excited.
"I finally understand."
Ye Xuan blinked.
"Understand what?"
"The difference."
She looked at his flame.
"You aren't controlling the flame."
"You're communicating with it."
Ye Xuan was slightly surprised.
Her observation was sharp.
He smiled.
"Maybe."
Gu Yuexin's eyes narrowed.
"Then I'll beat you in the third round."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"I'll be waiting."
Third Round — Improvisation
The final round began.
The elder brought out a wooden box.
Inside were dozens of random ingredients.
"Each contestant will choose five ingredients."
"You will have one hour."
"Create any pill you wish."
The crowd became silent.
This was the hardest round.
Without a fixed recipe, an alchemist had to rely entirely on knowledge and creativity.
Gu Yuexin stepped forward.
She selected:
Purple Cloud Grass.
Moon Lotus.
Blood Spirit Vine.
Soul Nourishing Fruit.
White Jade Root.
The elder nodded.
"A balanced selection."
Then it was Ye Xuan's turn.
He scanned the box.
His Heavenly Alchemy Eye activated.
Hundreds of possibilities appeared.
Then—
His gaze stopped.
He picked five ordinary-looking ingredients.
A dead-looking black flower.
A piece of red bark.
A small silver fruit.
A thin blue vine.
And one tiny golden seed.
The elder's eyebrows rose.
"What are you making?"
Ye Xuan smiled.
"You'll see."
He began.
The Heavenly Frost Spirit Flame appeared.
The five ingredients floated above the furnace.
One by one, they melted.
The black flower turned into dark liquid.
The red bark became golden powder.
The silver fruit released a strange spiritual mist.
The blue vine dissolved.
Finally—
The golden seed cracked open.
A terrifying surge of spiritual energy erupted.
The elders suddenly stood.
"What is that?!"
Ye Xuan's expression changed.
The system suddenly appeared.
[Warning.]
[The selected ingredients possess an extremely unstable combination.]
Ye Xuan frowned.
"Can I control it?"
[Yes.]
[But failure may cause an explosion.]
Ye Xuan grinned.
"Then let's not fail."
His eyes became sharp.
The Primordial Chaos Physique began circulating.
His spiritual energy entered the furnace.
The Heavenly Frost Spirit Flame changed.
Blue-white flame transformed into a strange golden-blue color.
The five ingredients began merging.
The furnace shook violently.
BOOM!
The entire platform trembled.
Several disciples stepped backward.
Ye Xuan gritted his teeth.
"Come on..."
His forehead became covered in sweat.
The pill slowly began taking shape.
Then—
DING!
A thunderous sound echoed through the sky.
Everyone looked upward.
Clouds began gathering above Alchemy Peak.
The elder's face changed.
"Why is there a pill tribulation?!"
Ye Xuan looked up.
Lightning flashed within the clouds.
Gu Yuexin stared in disbelief.
"He refined a pill capable of attracting heavenly lightning..."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Well..."
He looked at the enormous storm.
"That's probably not normal."
[The system agrees.]
Ye Xuan sighed.
"Could you say something useful?"
[Run.]
"Not helpful."
The first lightning bolt descended.
BOOM!!!
Ye Xuan raised his hand.
The Heavenly Frost Spirit Flame erupted.
The lightning struck the pill.
The entire mountain shook.
Yet—
The pill remained intact.
A second bolt descended.
Then a third.
Ye Xuan stood beneath the lightning, white hair flying wildly, golden eyes shining.
Finally—
The clouds dispersed.
A single pill floated above the furnace.
It was black and gold.
Ancient patterns covered its surface.
The elder stared at it.
His lips trembled.
"That's..."
He slowly whispered.
"An
Ancient Tempering Pill
."
Ye Xuan looked confused.
"What does it do?"
The elder stared at him as though he were looking at a monster.
"It can temper the body..."
"Strengthen the bloodline..."
"And even improve one's foundation."
He swallowed.
"And this quality..."
His voice became almost inaudible.
"Perfect-grade."
Silence.
Then the entire Alchemy Peak erupted.
"PERFECT-GRADE?!"
"HE CREATED A PERFECT-GRADE ANCIENT PILL?!"
"WHAT KIND OF MONSTER IS HE?!"
Gu Yuexin looked at Ye Xuan.
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then she walked toward him.
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Senior Sister."
She stopped in front of him.
"You won."
"Seems like it."
She smiled.
It was the first genuine smile Ye Xuan had seen from her.
"I admit defeat."
Then she extended her hand.
"From today onward, I recognize you as my opponent."
Ye Xuan shook her hand.
"Opponent?"
"Yes."
She leaned slightly closer.
"But..."
Her purple eyes sparkled.
"I don't dislike losing to you."
Ye Xuan raised an eyebrow.
"That's a dangerous thing to say."
Gu Yuexin's cheeks became slightly red.
She immediately released his hand.
"You think too much."
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Maybe."
From the crowd—
Bai Yue was watching them.
Her cheeks puffed slightly.
"Why are they holding hands for so long?"
Su Lian stood beside her.
"You seem unhappy."
Bai Yue immediately denied it.
"Me? No."
Su Lian smiled faintly.
"You were squeezing your fists."
Bai Yue looked down.
Indeed.
Her hands were clenched.
She quickly released them.
"I was just excited."
Su Lian didn't say anything.
But the faint smile on her face remained.
As the competition ended, Ye Xuan received his reward.
[Alchemy Competition — First Place.]
[Reward: 3,000 System Points.]
[Reward: Heaven Grade Pill Recipe — Nine Transformation Golden Pill.]
Ye Xuan's eyes widened.
"Heaven Grade?"
[Correct.]
"Nice."
His current System Points increased to
3,000
.
He looked toward the sky.
The storm had completely disappeared.
Yet deep beneath the Heavenly Frost Sect...
That sleeping presence stirred.
This time—
It didn't whisper.
It simply opened its eyes.
And for the first time in countless years...
It smiled.
"Interesting."
Meanwhile, Ye Xuan knew nothing of it.
He was too busy looking at the beautiful pill recipe in his mind.
His new life in the cultivation world had officially begun.
And already—
He had gained a master.
A spirit beast.
Several senior sisters.
A rival.
An alchemy reputation.
And a system that was becoming increasingly dangerous.
Ye Xuan smiled.
"Life here..."
He looked toward the endless mountains.
"...might actually be fun."