The moment Qin Chen sat before his alchemy furnace, the entire residence seemed to hum with energy.
Unlike his previous refining sessions, this time was different.
He wasn't just refining low-level pills.
He wasn't just practicing.
No—this was a grand undertaking.
His goal was to create the highest quality Core Formation pills possible—pills that would ensure his breakthrough was flawless.
He had spent 50,000 SP to reach Grade 5 Alchemy Mastery, and now it was time to see just how terrifying that mastery truly was.
Qin Chen exhaled lightly, raising a single hand.
BOOOOOOOM!
A torrent of golden-purple flames erupted from his palm, instantly igniting the Heavenly Gold Cauldron in front of him.
The cauldron trembled, resonating with his flames as if it were alive.
Inside it, a swirling vortex of fire Qi gathered, stabilizing at the perfect temperature.
Qin Chen's eyes flickered with a calculating light.
Each ingredient had to be refined to perfection.
Each flame adjustment had to be made with absolute precision.
Even the timing of each step had to be perfectly aligned.
This was the difference between a normal alchemist…
And him.
Step One: Purification of Core Ingredients
He waved his hand, and five legendary alchemical ingredients floated before him.
Void Star Lotus – A rare herb that stabilized Qi during breakthroughs.Molten Fire Essence Stone – A mineral that strengthened the golden core's formation.Draconic Blood Vine – A plant infused with ancient dragon blood, reinforcing physique.Nine-Heaven Flame Orchid – Absorbs tribulation lightning, reducing breakthrough risks.Scarlet Core Pill Root – A main component for perfecting Golden Core formation.
Most alchemists would refine these ingredients one by one.
Not Qin Chen.
BOOOOOOM!
With a flick of his wrist, all five ingredients entered the cauldron at once.
A normal alchemist would never dare to do this.
Too many ingredients at once meant uncontrollable flame interactions.
But Qin Chen?
His Fire Sovereign Dao Body meant that no fire in existence could ever resist him.
His flames twisted and turned, enveloping the ingredients with precise layered refinement.
Each material was burned just enough to strip away impurities but not damage its essence.
The Scarlet Core Pill Root turned into a fine red powder, its medicinal potency amplified to 110% purity.
The Molten Fire Essence Stone melted smoothly into a golden liquid, its flame affinity rising to 130% effectiveness.
One by one, the ingredients shed their mortal limitations and were refined to perfection.
Qin Chen flicked his fingers.
The refined ingredients merged together, forming the embryonic form of a Scarlet Core Pill.
This was the most dangerous step.
Any mistake in fusing high-grade ingredients could result in a pill explosion.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The cauldron trembled violently, resisting the fusion.
But Qin Chen remained unmoved.
His golden-purple flames surged.
He did not force the pill into fusion.
Instead, he guided it.
His control over fire was beyond the realm of mortals.
It was as if his flames possessed sentience, knowing exactly how much heat, how much pressure, and how much refinement was needed.
Minutes passed.
Then—
DING!
The first pill embryo was complete.
Qin Chen smirked.
It was time for the final step.
He stretched out his hand and pressed down on the cauldron's lid.
BOOOOOOM!
A terrifying surge of refining energy exploded outwards as his flames compressed the pill embryo, solidifying its final shape.
Most alchemists took days to refine a high-tier Core Formation pill.
Qin Chen?
He finished in moments.
DING!
[Scarlet Core Pill (Perfect-Grade)] has been refined!
The cauldron lid slowly opened, and a single pill floated into the air, shining like a divine relic.
It wasn't just a normal Core Formation pill.
It was Perfect-Grade.
The highest possible tier.
A tier that was nearly impossible to achieve.
And he had done it on his first try.
But—
Qin Chen didn't stop.
If he was going to refine pills for his own Core Formation breakthrough, he wouldn't settle for just one.
He needed perfection.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
One pill became two.
Two became four.
Four became eight.
Each one, Perfect-Grade.
Each one, a legendary medicine that could shake the cultivation world.
Deep within the Azure Sky Sect, the Sect Master's golden eyes snapped open.
For the second time in a single day, he had sensed a heaven-shaking fluctuation.
First—Sword Intent.
And now?
Alchemy fluctuations.
And not just any alchemy fluctuations.
Perfect-Grade pills.
His expression darkened as he instantly spread his divine sense, scanning the sect.
Then—
His breath hitched.
Qin Chen.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Alchemy…?"
A mere Core Disciple refining Perfect-Grade pills?
Impossible.
Unless…
He suddenly turned toward the sect's greatest alchemist, Elder Mu, the one and only Grade 4 Alchemist of the Azure Sky Sect.
"Elder Mu."
An old man with silver hair and deep, wise eyes stepped forward, his robe embroidered with the symbol of fire and medicine.
"Yes, Sect Master?"
The Sect Master's golden gaze flickered.
"Come with me."
Without another word, he vanished.
Elder Mu frowned before following immediately.
Outside Qin Chen's residence—
BOOM!
Two figures descended from the sky, their presences unstoppable.
The Sect Master and Elder Mu.
They concealed their presence, observing from a distance.
Elder Mu's old eyes widened as he watched the golden flames surging within the chamber.
"The energy… the refinement process… this is…"
Then—
The moment the eighth Perfect-Grade pill emerged from the cauldron—
Elder Mu's face went pale.
His knees buckled slightly.
His lips trembled.
"This… this is not something a Grade 4 Alchemist could do," he muttered.
Then, he turned to the Sect Master, his voice shaking.
"Who… who is inside that chamber?"
The Sect Master's gaze was unreadable.
"Qin Chen."
Elder Mu froze.
"…Impossible."
Then, without hesitation, he walked forward.
He didn't care about the formality of waiting.
He had to see this for himself.
Qin Chen, who had just finished refining the final pill, was about to stretch when—
BOOM!
His doors swung open.
Qin Chen blinked.
Two figures stood before him.
The Sect Master and Elder Mu.
There was a long silence.
Then—
Elder Mu's voice trembled.
"You…"
He took a deep breath, his entire demeanor shifting.
"Boy, what grade of alchemist are you?"
Qin Chen smirked.
"Grade 5."
Elder Mu's pupils shrunk.
His entire body shook.
Then—
Without hesitation—
He bowed.
A Grade 5 Alchemist at his age?
This wasn't just genius.
This was unprecedented.
The Sect Master's golden eyes flashed.
Qin Chen had comprehended Sovereign Flames.
He had comprehended Sword Dao.
And now?
He had mastered high-level Alchemy.
The conclusion was clear.
Qin Chen… was no longer just a Core Disciple.
He was a once-in-a-lifetime existence.
The Sect Master still hadn't gotten over the shock of Qin Chen being a genius in both the sword and having the ultra-rare Fire Sovereign Dao Body, but he almost became numb to it at this point.
How was this little brat who had been a regular outer disciple days ago, good at everything?
This kid…He might just be the key to our sect's rise.