Chapter Ninety-Six: Yan Qingye Refines the Elixir

After carefully putting away the Moonlight Sword, You Xiyue bid farewell to Lan Shi.

Before leaving, Lan Shi handed You Xiyue a bundle of beginner alchemist prescriptions. "These are for that little apprentice you took on for Senior Brother Wang Yu. If you need any help, feel free to come to me anytime. Don’t laugh, but Senior Brother Wang Yu was once the goal I pursued as an alchemist, though I’ve never quite caught up to him..."

Lan Shi’s gaze dimmed briefly, but the shadow passed quickly. "Since this is his last wish, I will support it to the very end."

"Mm." You Xiyue accepted the prescriptions and went straight to the special teleportation array on Bu Chen Mountain.

In truth, You Xiyue hadn’t revealed all of Wang Yu’s final wishes.

Wang Yu also hoped that this apprentice would change the current state of the Alchemists’ Association being controlled by external forces.

On the surface, alchemists in the association were free from jurisdiction or restrictions by any realm.

But in reality, the medicinal pills they submitted annually, as proof of their level, were all supplied to a certain power behind the association.

It was precisely because Wang Yu defied this power’s will that he was murdered.

Otherwise, he might have become the next president of the Alchemists’ Association.

After returning to the Sacred Realm, You Xiyue entered Xingruo Island.

Jun Yang was still meditating with eyes closed, while Yan Qingye was inside his small wooden cabin refining pills. Even the various explosions outside didn’t disturb Jun Yang.

Jun Yang seemed especially focused this time.

The beginner alchemist exam was still one and a half months away, and there was nowhere else pressing to go.

After giving the prescriptions to Yan Qingye, You Xiyue also began practicing cultivation on Xingruo Island.

Yan Qingye had never seen anyone absorb spiritual energy so ferociously.

The energy poured into You Xiyue’s dantian like a waterfall.

No wonder You Xiyue was never seen cultivating in the Upper Realm—there she spent her days only eating immortal fruits and sleeping. The spiritual energy there was no match for this kind of absorption.

Yan Qingye sighed, took the new prescriptions, and returned to his cabin to continue studying alchemy.

Alchemy required not only a master’s guidance but also much personal trial and research.

Only by grasping the mysteries oneself could one independently explore more advanced pills.

The new prescriptions seemed much more stable; You Xiyue rarely heard explosions from Yan Qingye’s place now.

Fortunately, the alchemy furnace in the cabin was durable, or many furnaces would have been destroyed by now.

The three of them practiced separately without disturbing each other for half a month.

Then, one day, thunderclouds suddenly gathered over Xingruo Island.

At first, You Xiyue thought Jun Yang was about to break through, but the thunderclouds were actually converging over Yan Qingye’s cabin.

Jun Yang was interrupted from his meditation and opened his eyes.

Looking at You Xiyue standing nearby, he said, "Little Ancestor? You’re awake?"

"..."

She had no idea how long ago she’d actually woken up, so deeply had she been immersed in cultivation.

Jun Yang stood up and looked at the thunderclouds. "What’s this?"

With a crackling sound, the thunderclouds unleashed thick bolts of lightning straight toward the cabin.

One strike.

Two strikes.

Even after three strikes, the thunderclouds showed no sign of dissipating.

"No way," Jun Yang said in disbelief, staring at Yan Qingye’s cabin. "Does his first pill imprint need three or more lines?"

You Xiyue frowned. Could it really be that simple?

The lightning struck over ten times without stopping.

"…"

Both Jun Yang and You Xiyue were dumbfounded.

Finally, Yan Qingye emerged from the cabin, his body charred black.

Muttering, "Mistake, mistake... ate too many failed pills, accidentally triggered another tribulation."

Jun Yang had no words. He was shocked for so long, thinking Yan Qingye was truly a prodigy alchemist.

Who knew the lightning was getting stranger and stranger?

Yan Qingye cast a purification spell on himself and saw the complex expressions on You Xiyue and Jun Yang’s faces.

"Little Master, Senior Brother Jun Yang, did I disturb your cultivation?" Yan Qingye scratched his head sheepishly. "I didn’t expect to trigger another tribulation. The spiritual energy on this island is just too dense; even standing still, it seeps into the dantian."

Jun Yang didn’t know whether to comment and just silently stared at Yan Qingye.

You Xiyue broke the silence. "The beginner alchemist exam is in a month. Before then, you must at least refine a pill with one imprint. And don’t forget, you still have to climb the Heavenly Tribulation Ladder."

"I know..." Yan Qingye suddenly became nervous. If he couldn’t refine a pill with an imprint by then, he might not even qualify to be chosen by Little Master.

"I’m going to refine pills."

Yan Qingye turned and went back into his cabin to focus on alchemy.

Jun Yang noticed Yan Qingye entering the cabin and checked his own dantian, sensing he was nearing a bottleneck as well.

"Little Ancestor, I’ll go cultivate too."

"Go ahead," You Xiyue nodded, then turned back to her own cabin.

Jun Yang and Yan Qingye cultivated for half a month, while You Xiyue rested.

She was awakened by the appearance of two Heavenly Tribulations.

Jun Yang’s ascension to Sacred Emperor was inevitable, but Yan Qingye triggering another tribulation was unexpected.

His alchemy talent hadn’t shown much, but his cultivation talent was truly astonishing.

Jun Yang faced a Wind Tribulation, while Yan Qingye faced a Fire Tribulation.

The two tribulations met, causing the furnace where Yan Qingye refined pills to glow fiery red from the blazing tribulation fire.

Yan Qingye barely paid attention to his own tribulation, fully focused on his alchemy furnace.

This was his proudest batch of pills.

Watching the tribulation fire around the furnace, he was anxious, trying every method to drive it away.

But it was tribulation fire, beyond his cultivation level, and he was powerless.

"Get away!!"

Though burning in intense pain, Yan Qingye stood firm.

He took out the Fyuyan Immortal Fan and vigorously fanned the furnace fire, hoping to push back the tribulation flames.

He tried everything he could.

Through his relentless efforts, the Wind and Fire Tribulations had yet to pass when the thunderclouds returned.

You Xiyue’s eyes brightened as she looked toward the gathering thunderclouds.

This time, there was no doubt.

Yan Qingye didn’t notice the thunderclouds above his cabin until a bolt of lightning suddenly struck, startling him.

Upon closer inspection, he was delighted to see the lightning hit the alchemy furnace.

"Did it work?! Hahaha!"

Yan Qingye laughed wildly amid the tribulation fire, unable to straighten up.

But one lightning strike was not enough; another followed immediately.

After the second strike, the thunderclouds dispersed.

The Fire and Wind Tribulations vanished as well.

Covered in burns, Yan Qingye hurriedly opened the furnace.

Four perfectly round pills, each bearing two imprints, lay quietly inside.

Jun Yang’s Wind Tribulation had been relatively easy; after changing clothes, he joined You Xiyue and Yan Qingye in the cabin.

Yan Qingye was so happy he was almost foolish.

"Not bad—two imprints," Jun Yang praised.

Yan Qingye felt like crying with joy, clutching the four pills. He had no idea how many failed pills he’d consumed.

The wasted immortal herbs truly stung, so he ate every failed pill he could.

"Little Master, have I passed?"

You Xiyue’s smile immediately faded. "Not yet."

"Ah??" Yan Qingye cried out in despair. "Why not?"