290: Advance to Rank 5 Alchemist

With the intimidation of the Baili Clan before her, the Grand Elder watching like a hawk behind her, and her father's whereabouts unknown, every matter felt like a heavy shackle binding her.

She slowly pulled a green Jade Slip from her robes, her slender fingers trembling as they brushed over it.

Gazing at the name that had long been carved into her Soul, she put the Jade Slip away after a long silence.

"If it weren't for you, you would probably be living quite comfortably, right? After all, with so many Dao Companions by your side, you must have forgotten me long ago."

Then, with a thought, an exquisite jade box appeared before her. Inside was a Fourth-Grade Medicinal Pill emitting a strange fragrance... Night fell.

Xiao Chen left Youyun City and spread his Divine Thought to cover a radius of ten thousand miles, searching for an extremely secluded cave.

Before long, he appeared inside this deserted cave.

He then took out a gray Jade Slip and, using his Soul strength at Golden Core Stage Perfection, sent a Transmit a message to the over one hundred names on the slip:

"No matter where you are, gather here in three days!"

After sending the message, he also attached the specific coordinates of the cave.

Having done all this, Xiao Chen immediately ducked into the System Space and began to take stock of the gains from this Secret Realm Treasure Trove hunt.

Bai Su lay on the grass nearby, propping up her fragrant cheeks with her hands, her beautiful eyes shimmering as she watched him. Those two peaks of jade, already pressed out of shape, were incredibly enticing.

Her two smooth and lustrous calves swung back and forth in the air, reflecting a charming glow under the sunlight.

The Baili Clan had earned a massive amount of Spirit Stones by charging entry fees, but Xiao Chen was undoubtedly the biggest winner behind the scenes.

Aside from the entire Purple Cloud Palace Treasure Trove he obtained from Shadow Moon, the gains Xiao Chen made from defeating True Lord Yuntian and various Sect Disciples were incalculable.

"System, summon the system smelting furnace."

As soon as he spoke, a massive furnace shimmering with a gilded luster landed on the ground. The lid slowly opened, and Xiao Chen gave a large wave of his hand.

He threw the Magical Artifacts obtained from killing those Golden Core Cultivators into the furnace all at once, and the zhu tian sword followed suit, flying inside.

Five minutes later.

The furnace lid slowly opened, and the zhu tian sword, flickering with a dark, eerie light, flew out of the furnace and hovered before Xiao Chen's eyes.

"Hmm? Why is there no reaction?"

Afterward, Xiao Chen threw three Nascent Soul-level Magical Artifacts into the furnace again to continue refining the zhu tian sword.

Another five minutes passed before the System's notification sounded:

【Ding! System Prompt: The growth value of the zhu tian sword has reached the limit controllable by the Host. Until your cultivation level increases, it cannot devour any more Magical Artifacts.】

Xiao Chen gripped the zhu tian sword. Though the cold-glinting blade had only increased in length by a single centimeter, its power had reached a whole new level.

Putting the zhu tian sword away, Xiao Chen began to take inventory of the spiritual plants he had acquired.

Just of the Fifth-Grade spiritual plants that were extremely rare or even extinct in the outside world, Xiao Chen had a total of nineteen!

Seventy-eight Fourth-Grade spiritual plants, five hundred and sixty-two Third-Grade spiritual plants, and one thousand three hundred and forty-two Second-Grade spiritual plants.

Fifth-Grade spiritual plants were too rare, and he couldn't yet put together a full set of Materials for a pill, so Xiao Chen put them away for the time being.

However, he had a complete set of Materials for a Fourth-Grade pill, the [soul solidifying azure pill].

He hadn't refined any Medicinal Pills in a long time, so he decided to take this opportunity to refine a top-tier Fourth-Grade Medicinal Pill, the soul solidifying azure pill.

With that thought, Xiao Chen sat cross-legged. He did not summon the system pill furnace, but instead took out the black obsidian cauldron gifted to him by his Revered Master, Nangong Yue.

Red Dragon Snow Ginseng, Mystic Yellow True Stem, Ice Jade Orchid, Fire Snake Spirit Fruit... fifteen Fourth-Grade spiritual plants hovered in the air.

The lid slowly opened, and according to the characteristics of the herbs, the first batch of five spiritual plants flew inside, suspended within the Pill Furnace.

Xiao Chen slowly closed his eyes, and thick spiritual power surged from his palms, transforming into two blazing fire dragons that wrapped around the black obsidian cauldron.

Calcination, tempering, and purification—under the Soul control of the Soul Transformation Stage, every step was incredibly precise, and every step was handled with calm ease.

Time trickled by, minute by minute.

Immediately after, the second batch of five spiritual plants flew into the Pill Furnace once more.

Under the guidance of his Divine Thought, everything went without a hitch. At this moment, Xiao Chen entered a state of selflessness, completely immersed in the Alchemy.

Just then, wisps of golden light began to radiate from Xiao Chen's body, slowly enveloping him entirely.

Huh?

Bai Su's beautiful eyes were filled with curiosity as she watched this incredible scene. Initially, she thought it was the Pure Yang Astral Domain that Xiao Chen had unintentionally released.

But then she realized there was no Domain pressure; instead, it was like being bathed in a divine radiance.

If his Revered Master, Nangong Yue, were here, her jaw would surely drop, because she had witnessed this scene with her own eyes once before.

It was precisely the Epiphany Realm that Xiao Chen had unintentionally entered when he advanced to a Fourth-Grade Alchemist, also known as the "Light of Alchemy"!

And now, he was making his way toward becoming a Fifth-Grade Alchemist.

Following the guidance of Xiao Chen's Divine Thought, the third batch of five spiritual plants flew into the Pill Furnace, entering the calcination sequence.

The process lasted for an entire day.

Finally, after continuous purification, fifteen drops of thick and incredibly pure medicinal liquid appeared in the Pill Furnace. Under the guidance of Xiao Chen's Divine Thought, they slowly began the Fusion.

During the slow process of condensing the pill, the spiritual fire in his palms gradually became gentle, and the last traces of moisture within the Medicinal Pill were evaporated.

Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes. His eyes, reflecting a myriad of stars, appeared exceptionally clear, causing Bai Su to freeze in a daze across from him.

The lid slowly opened, and two perfectly round green Medicinal Pills shot out, hovering before him and releasing a thick medicinal fragrance.

【Ding! Congratulations to the Host for triggering the Light of Alchemy and independently comprehending the Fifth-Grade Alchemy Skill. Now imparting all Fifth-Grade Pill Formulas and refining methods!】

In an instant, countless pieces of knowledge flooded into his Sea of Consciousness like a surging tide, forming permanent memories.

Xiao Chen nodded with satisfaction. It seemed he really was a natural at Alchemy; he hadn't used any immortal fate value to advance to both Fourth-Grade and Fifth-Grade Alchemist.

Among the stored knowledge, Xiao Chen found the Pill Formula for the marrow nurturing soul fusing pill.

Although he had anticipated it, Xiao Chen couldn't help but frown deeply upon seeing the refining Materials for the marrow nurturing soul fusing pill.

A total of eleven Fifth-Grade spiritual plants!

The only consolation was that he already possessed four of the Materials: Kunlun Jade Void Ginseng, Dragon Soul Blood Essence Fruit, Phantom Sea Poluo Flower, and Azure Moon Dragon Heart Grass.

In other words, he still had to search for the remaining seven.

"Can I taste if this pill is delicious?"

Bai Su's soft voice interrupted Xiao Chen's thoughts. With a wave of her delicate hand, one soul solidifying azure pill flew toward her.

"Hey... that's not..."

Before Xiao Chen could finish, the soul solidifying azure pill vanished into those beautiful, rosy lips with a 'whoosh'.

"Is it good?" Xiao Chen gave her a helpless look.

Bai Su shook her head and pouted her moist red lips, muttering, "It smells quite fragrant, but it doesn't taste good at all."

"Hahaha... This pill is used to stabilize the Soul's Foundation. You don't have any injuries in that area, so naturally, you'll think it doesn't taste good."

"How annoying, Revered Master didn't say so earlier."

Xiao Chen gave a wicked smile and, in a flash, pinned her beneath him. "Revered Master has something delicious here, come and taste it."

"Mmm, mmm, mmm..."