The flickering candlelight in Elder Lan Yue's secluded alchemy room cast long shadows against the walls.
In the center of the chamber sat an ancient pill furnace, its surface covered in faint inscriptions—remnants of old engravings that had long since lost their luster.
Qin Chen's golden eyes gleamed, his hands resting lightly against the furnace's cold metal.
For any other first-time alchemist, this would be a moment of hesitation, doubt, or even anxiety.
But for him?
His Fire Sovereign Dao Body pulsed, his very soul resonating with the flames within.
He had no hesitation.
Alchemy was already his to command.
Qin Chen took a slow breath, then snapped his fingers.
Fwoosh!
A golden flame burst to life in his palm, flickering with unrestrained intensity.
It wasn't just fire—it was divine flame essence, channeled through his Fire Sovereign Dao Body.
He flicked his wrist, and the fire flowed like liquid, coiling around the furnace before settling beneath it.
Instantly, the pill furnace trembled.
The inscriptions glowed faintly, absorbing the heat.
The air became thick with energy, the temperature soaring in an instant.
A soft hum filled the chamber, as if the furnace itself recognized its new master.
Ding!
Alchemy Refinement Activated!
Host is refining: [Low-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill]
Fire intensity: Perfectly Balanced.
Qin Chen's lips curled into a smirk.
Of course it was.
One by one, Qin Chen retrieved the necessary ingredients, each radiating a unique medicinal Qi.
He carefully dropped them into the furnace, guiding them with his spiritual sense.
Blazing Orchid Grass – Its leaves were infused with mild fire Qi, a stabilizer for the pill's energy flow.
Fire Spirit Lotus – A rare herb that nourished the dantian, making the transition to Foundation Establishment smoother.
Refined Infernal Sand – An ore-like medicinal powder, providing the necessary hardening effect for the pill's shape.
The moment the ingredients entered—
BOOM!
A violent reaction erupted, fire essence clashing with the wild medicinal Qi.
Flames surged wildly, threatening to spiral out of control.
For a weaker alchemist, this would be the moment of failure.
The moment their pill would burn into ash.
But Qin Chen…
He merely closed his eyes.
His spiritual sense extended into the furnace, weaving through the chaotic storm of energies.
Then, with perfect control—
He pulled.
The flames tightened, wrapping around the herbs in a controlled dance.
The medicinal Qi swirled within the furnace, no longer in turmoil, but in harmony.
The conflicting energies merged, their essence refining at an unprecedented pace.
Ding!
Step 1: Ingredient Extraction – SUCCESS.
Purification Rate: 100%
Perfect.
Qin Chen lifted his hand, his fire Qi rotating through the furnace like a vortex.
The medicinal essence gathered together, slowly forming into three small, glowing spheres.
The room filled with the rich, potent aroma of alchemy, the scent of pure cultivation energy.
A pale golden light shimmered from within the furnace, illuminating Qin Chen's face.
This was the most crucial moment—
The final shaping.
If the fire intensity was even slightly off, the pill would crack or lose effectiveness.
But Qin Chen's control was flawless.
He exhaled slowly, his fingers forming a seal.
Fwoosh!
A final burst of golden flames surged into the furnace, wrapping around the pills, sealing them with perfection.
Ding!
Step 2: Pill Condensation – SUCCESS.
Pill Purity: 98%
Qin Chen smiled faintly.
This… was mastery.
The furnace shuddered, the process complete.
With a wave of his hand, the lid slid open, revealing—
Three perfectly round, golden pills.
Each one radiated a strong medicinal aroma, their surface smooth and flawless, shimmering under the dim light.
Ding!
Congratulations! You have refined [Low-Grade Foundation Establishment Pills] (x3)!
Quality: High-Tier
Qin Chen picked one up, feeling the immense, concentrated power within.
This single pill…
Could allow a cultivator to break through to Foundation Establishment instantly.
And he had just made three.
All for 300 SP.
Ridiculous.
The rich, potent medicinal aroma filled the room, lingering in the air like an invisible force of power.
Elder Lan Yue, who had been watching from the side with mild curiosity, was frozen.
Her eyes widened.
She took a step forward, her gaze locked onto the pill in Qin Chen's palm.
Then, without a word, she snatched it.
"...High-tier quality?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she inspected the pill, rolling it between her fingertips.
This… this was a perfectly refined Foundation Establishment Pill.
The surface was flawless, the purity radiating far beyond what a first-time alchemist should be capable of.
She had expected a disaster.
At best, she thought he would fail completely.
At worst… she thought he might blow up the entire pill furnace.
But instead…
He had casually refined high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills.
She turned sharply to Qin Chen, her usually calm expression shattered with disbelief.
"How…?!"
Her voice was sharp, demanding an answer.
"You— You've never even practiced alchemy before! How in the heavens did you do this?!"
Qin Chen smirked, casually tossing one of the pills into the air before catching it.
"I told you, Elder Lan Yue."
His golden eyes gleamed with undeniable confidence.
"I just learned."
Elder Lan Yue stared at him, completely speechless.
For the first time in decades, she had no words.
This…
This wasn't just talent.
This was monstrous.
Qin Chen's mind raced with possibilities.
This wasn't just a simple pill refinement.
This was power.
The system hadn't simply given him the abilities of the average Grade 2 Alchemist.
It had given him mastery of Grade 2 Alchemy.
If he could refine pills of this level…
He could fund his cultivation indefinitely, control supply and demand within the sect and manipulate cultivation resources at will.
No longer would he ever need to rely on the sect's limited resources.
Because with the System, he was the source.
A slow grin spread across his face.
Alchemy wasn't just a side skill.
It would be one of the key factors to his dominance.
He glanced at the pills, his eyes blazing with ambition.
Tomorrow, at the Outer Sect Trial…
He would be stepping onto the stage with power beyond reason.