"Although the Lihuo Liuli Dan is still a Monarch Realm pill, it is truly the pinnacle among Monarch Realm pills—calling it the lowest-grade Emperor Pill would be no exaggeration. And you told me you only know a little bit about alchemy?"
"How old are you this year? Who taught you alchemy, and how many years have you been studying it?"
As Lin Xulun spoke, he walked straight up to Xiayu.
His piercing, energetic gaze locked firmly onto Xiayu.
To him, anything related to alchemy was of the utmost, unyielding seriousness.
Xiayu was stunned!
This Senior Brother Lin had the most bizarre personality imaginable!
Utterly erratic!
He could feel the intense, scrutinizing, and deeply distrustful weight of Senior Brother Lin's gaze.
It made Xiayu extremely uncomfortable.
Youthful and hot-blooded!
He blurted out, "How I learned it is none of your business. I'll just brew one for you to see."
Lin Xulun gave Xiayu a long, deep look. After a moment of thought, a single word slipped past his lips: "Fine."
Hearing that Xiayu was going to brew pills, both Sudeyu and Shen Yuxuan were completely dumbfounded.
Your cultivation talent is already this monstrous, and you know alchemy too?
"Are you sure? We're talking about something equivalent to brewing an Emperor Pill here!"
Sudeyu couldn't help asking one more time. This disciple he had just taken in possessed far too many secrets.
While that was normal enough, if he actually managed to brew the Lihuo Liuli Dan, it would be pushing the definition of a monstrous genius a bit too far.
"Yes, Master. Please take care of my sister for me."
Xiayu stood unyielding and straight, his tone calm and steady.
"Very well, your sister is in my hands."
"Hurry up and move." Lin Xulun urged.
Xiayu nodded. Without a trace of hesitation, he followed Lin Xulun away.
Sudeyu watched Xiayu's retreating back, his gaze flickering as he wondered what on earth the boy was thinking.
"Master, are you worried about my younger brother?"
Suddenly, Xiaoya lying on the bed softly spoke up.
"I am a little worried."
Sudeyu didn't deny it.
This newly accepted disciple hadn't even had his character properly tested yet before rushing off to brew pills.
Worse still, he was attempting to brew a top-tier Monarch Realm pill.
He knew all too well how stubborn Lin Xulun's temper was. If Xiayu caused any trouble, there was no guarantee he could smooth things over.
Not to mention, Xiayu had recently kicked up a massive storm at Shengwu Academy. His audacity, meticulous scheming, and ruthless decisiveness marked him as the type of person who loved making things big.
How could anyone not worry about such a person?
"Since Master is worried, why don't we go take a look together?"
Xiaoya managed to prop herself up with great effort and sat erect.
"Go take a look? We probably should, but your health..."
"Master, I can manage. I want to go see too."
"You're worried about him?"
"I am not worried!" Xiaoya raised her chin, speaking every word with absolute clarity. "Whatever he sets out to do, he has never once failed!"
Whoa!
In an instant, both Sudeyu and Shen Yuxuan were struck dumb.
Where did she get this kind of confidence?
How could she trust her younger brother this much?
Looking at Xiaoya's proud expression and fierce conviction, Sudeyu fell silent for a moment before saying, "Your body is in no condition to move around. Yuxuan, go in my place to check on them. No matter what happens, you must protect your junior brother."
"Understood, Master." Shen Yuxuan acknowledged the order and turned to leave.
Suddenly, a messenger rushed over.
"Dean, Her Royal Highness the Seventh Princess has arrived."
"Why is she here?" Sudeyu asked, bewildered.
Wen Dao Academy was a shadow of its former self. Although the imperial family had recently provided some support primarily to bolster the academy against Shengwu Academy, aside from a single visit by His Majesty three years ago, no royals had ever set foot here.
Rumor had it that after returning to the palace back then, His Majesty's expression had remained dark and furious for several days straight.
The truth was, the current Wen Dao Academy was simply too embarrassing to show in public.
The imperial princes and princesses loathed the very idea of studying here.
For the Seventh Princess, who was His Majesty's absolute favorite, to suddenly show up—it was completely abnormal.
"Did Her Highness say anything?" he asked.
"Her Highness said she is here to find Xiayu."
Sudeyu's eyes instantly lit up, and he looked over at Xiaoya.
"I don't know how Her Royal Highness the Seventh Princess and my brother crossed paths. But before we came to the capital, my brother had a sparring match with the Seventh Princess. Rumor has it that she was the one who told my brother to bring me to the capital to find Shangguan Mingyue, and she even gave my brother a jade pendant."
Xiaoya didn't hide anything.
Though she had spoken with absolute confidence earlier, she wasn't entirely without worry.
If bringing up the Seventh Princess could offer her brother even the slightest bit of help, it would be for the best.
At that, Sudeyu broke into a smile and said, "Yuxuan, go welcome the Princess and bring her directly to the Alchemy Hall."
"Yes, Master, I understand."
Shen Yuxuan acknowledged the command and hurried off.
Meanwhile, back at the Alchemy Hall, Lin Xulun had just stepped inside when he bellowed angrily, "Light the furnaces! We are brewing pills!"
Leading Xiayu down a winding corridor, Lin Xulun descended all the way into the belly of the mountain.
Looking at the vast, cavernous cave and the bubbling pools of magma on the ground, Xiayu couldn't help clicking his tongue in secret.
A fallen institution like Wen Dao Academy actually possessed a hidden gem like this.
Soon, Lin Xulun had everything prepared. Two white-haired old men and four youths arrived at the Alchemy Hall.
Lin Xulun was in no mood for introductions. After having Xiayu thoroughly inspect the materials and confirm everything was correct, he formed hand seals to activate the array.
A web of glowing lights illuminated the stone floor.
A wisp of azure flame slowly rose from the molten magma.
Once it reached the base of the alchemy furnace, the azure flame gradually shifted into a deep purple.
This was the color produced when a flame reached a specific, extreme temperature.
"Senior Brother Lin, I'm not familiar with the flame control here. You handle the fire, and I'll focus entirely on brewing the pill."
Without a shred of politeness, Xiayu walked straight up to the medicinal herbs and began extracting their essences.
Lin Xulun fell silent for a moment before beginning to pre-heat the furnace.
The two old men and four disciples stood by in absolute silence.
When Shen Yuxuan and An Qing walked into the alchemy chamber, Xiayu had already started brewing. The two of them remained quiet and took their places at the very back.
An Qing stared at Xiayu with intense curiosity.
This guy could actually do alchemy? What kind of pills could someone this young possibly make?
"Fierce fire, make it bigger!"
"Even bigger!"
"Maximum output!"
Xiayu's voice grew louder with every command.
With his left hand, he guided the extracted medicinal liquid into the furnace, while his right hand continuously struck the body of the cauldron.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
It carried a strange, rhythmic melody!
As time slowly ticked by, Xiayu finished pouring in all the medicinal liquid and began striking the furnace with both hands simultaneously.
To the ear, it sounded as though Xiayu were playing a percussion instrument.
With each successive strike from Xiayu, the entire alchemy furnace began to spin at a dizzying speed.
"Gentle fire!"
An hour later, Xiayu suddenly shouted.
The pace of his strikes began to slow down.
A few minutes later, Xiayu abruptly called out, "Extinguish the fire!"
The next moment, he slammed a heavy palm against the furnace.
*Hum!*
The cauldron let out a resonant hum, vibrating violently.
The sound alone was enough to make one feel dizzy and lightheaded.
*Whoosh!*
*Whoosh!*
*Whoosh!*
Six pills shot out from within the alchemy furnace straight into the air.
In an instant, a rich, fragrant aroma flooded the entire alchemy chamber.
Chapter 34: What on Earth is Going On?
"It's done... it actually succeeded."
Lin Xulun muttered, his eyes blazing with a brilliant light as he stared at the jade vial in Xiayu's hand.
Xiayu looked down at the vial in his hand and reached out to massage his aching lower back.
For more than three full hours, he had pushed himself hard, and sweat beaded heavily on his forehead.
During the actual brewing process, no sweat had appeared on his body because the intense heat vaporized it the instant it formed.
At that moment, a wave of profound relief washed over Xiayu.
It had been close—so terribly close to failing.
The Yuan Power from all three Micro-worlds had been completely drained dry.
Fortunately, he had reached the final step, and the pill-collection process had relied entirely on pure physical strength.
If not for his current body being relatively robust, he doubted he could have held out.
Sensing Lin Xulun's burning gaze, Xiayu casually tossed the jade vial over to him.
Instead, he walked toward the Seventh Princess, An Qing, and smiled. "Greetings, Your Highness."
An Qing looked at him with a deeply complex expression.
After a moment, she slowly said, "You really manage to make me more curious by the day."
Xiayu smiled and said nothing.
"You've checked your background. Apart from your missing parents and growing up in Hua City without ever leaving, you somehow managed to defeat me across two major realms, and now you can even brew top-tier Monarch Realm pills. You have a lot of secrets, don't you?"
An Qing's face was painted with unconcealed curiosity.
Xiayu just smiled and shrugged. He had no intention of answering that question.
Everyone had their own secrets; a secret was only a secret if kept to oneself.
The moment you spoke it to a second person, it ceased to be one.
Seeing Xiayu's expression, An Qing seemed somewhat disappointed. "Fine, I was just curious."
"Everyone has their own secrets. I was being a bit too presumptuous, my apologies!"
With that, An Qing actually gave Xiayu a slight bow.
This caught Xiayu slightly off guard, and he smiled. "Your Highness is too polite. As for my elder sister's condition, I must ask Your Highness to continue keeping it in mind!"
An Qing raised an eyebrow. "Very well."
She extended her hand.
Xiayu's smile instantly froze on his face.
After racking his brain for a moment, he said, "Your Highness, you are the First Princess of Daxia. I'm just a nobody from Hua City—surely I don't have anything on me that could catch Your Highness's eye?"
"So what you're saying is you want me to help for free?"
"Well... how about this? Once my sister recovers, whatever Your Highness wants at that time, or whatever you need me to do, I, Xiayu, will go through fire and water without hesitation!" Xiayu's expression darkened as he turned dead serious.
The corners of An Qing's lips curled upward, her eyes brimming with amusement.
"That's more like it. Let's go."
An Qing turned and walked away.
Had anyone else witnessed An Qing acting this way, they surely would have dropped their jaws in sheer disbelief.
Was this really that cold and aloof Seventh Princess?
Shen Yuxuan stood frozen in place, suddenly hit by the nagging sensation that something felt fundamentally wrong.
Earlier, when the Princess had spoken to him, though she was polite, there had been an unmistakable, keep-you-at-a-distance chill in her demeanor.
Yet when facing Xiayu, the vibe she gave off was completely different.
Especially that final smile—it was breathtakingly, otherworldly beautiful.
More importantly, he had never once seen the Seventh Princess act like this toward anyone.
"Senior Brother, let's go."
Xiayu glanced back at the dazed Shen Yuxuan, offered a reminder, and began to walk away.
"Stop right there!"
Suddenly, a harsh, stern shout echoed from behind Xiayu.
Xiayu turned his head, blinking in confusion at Lin Xulun.
It was Lin Xulun who had just bellowed. Xiayu couldn't help wondering what on earth had gotten into Senior Brother Lin.
Realizing several pairs of astonished eyes were fixed on him, Lin Xulun finally snapped back to reality, realizing his previous outburst had been far too loud and emotional.
How embarrassing!
No matter, I must maintain my composure!
If I'm not embarrassed, then everyone else is.
Lin Xulun gave a dry cough, walked right up to Xiayu, and abruptly executed a deep, profound bow.
"I implore Teacher to instruct me in alchemy!"
The moment those words dropped, the entire room fell into stunned silence.
Xiayu wore a look of utter bewilderment. He seriously suspected he had misheard, and asked in a low voice, "Senior Brother Lin, what did you just say?"
Lin Xulun froze as well. Wasn't I clear enough?
He coughed dryly, cleared his throat, and bowed deeply once more.
"I beg Teacher Xiayu to instruct me in alchemy!"
Xiayu confirmed it now—he hadn't misheard. Senior Brother Lin was calling him *Teacher*?
Asking him to teach alchemy?
But if he became Senior Brother Lin's teacher, the generational hierarchy of their sect would be completely ruined!
The Seventh Princess, An Qing, and Shen Yuxuan watched the scene with undisguised shock.
Who was Lin Xulun?
In the capital, who didn't know Lin Xulun? He was the single greatest master infinitely close to becoming an Emperor Grade Alchemist.
A massive portion of the pills used within the imperial palace were crafted by Master Lin.
The vast majority of top-tier pills in the entire Daxia Dynasty came directly from Master Lin's own hands.
Countless people begged on their knees for just a single top-tier Monarch Grade pill from Master Lin.
After all, a top-tier pill often meant holding an extra life in reserve.
The fact that Wen Dao Academy was still functioning today was thanks in no small part to Master Lin's immense contributions.
For a master of such renown throughout Daxia to bow and seek instruction from a sixteen-year-old youth—if word of this got out, people would surely lose their minds.
Xiayu thought for a moment and said, "Senior Brother Lin, you're my senior brother. If you call me teacher, my master is going to beat me to death."
"Your master?" Lin Xulun frowned.
The next moment, as if having made up his mind, he turned on his heel.
"I'm going to find your master. If he dares refuse, I'll hound him to the ends of the earth!"
Watching Lin Xulun's departing back, Xiayu wore an innocent, helpless expression.
This...
Shen Yuxuan was the first to snap out of his trance. A bizarre smile crept across his face as he said, "Let's hurry up. A good show is about to start."
"Sudeyu, get your ass out here!"
Before Lin Xulun had even landed from mid-air, his voice boomed across the sky.
Instantly, it reverberated throughout the entire Wen Dao Academy.
Lin Xulun had made his decision: no matter the cost, he had to take Xiayu as his teacher.
He knew all too well that he was only half a step away from becoming an Emperor Grade Alchemist.
Yet it was precisely this half-step that had trapped him for fifty full years.
Xiayu's pill-brewing session today had given him an earth-shattering epiphany.
He had recognized the alchemy technique Xiayu used—it was a legendary ancient technique lost to the sands of time: the Tremor Mantra.
Wasn't this technique completely lost?
As someone utterly obsessed with the craft of alchemy, how could he not be tempted when faced with such a technique?
Besides, even if he couldn't master this specific technique, simply gaining the breakthrough to become an Emperor Grade Alchemist would completely transform the remainder of his life.
Hearing Lin Xulun's roar, Sudeyu felt his heart skip a beat inside his room.
Trouble!
He just had no idea what kind of catastrophe Xiayu had managed to stir up.
Keep in mind, there were very few things in this world capable of making Lin Xulun this furious.
The Alchemy Hall was the financial pillar of Wen Dao Academy; absolutely nothing could be allowed to happen to it.
He cast a parting look at Xiaoya and strode out the door.
The moment he stepped outside, his face blossomed with a desperate, ingratiating smile.
"Ah, Junior Brother Lin, you are a man of vast magnanimity! Xiayu is still just a child, so calm your anger! Calm your anger!"
"Whatever losses the Alchemy Hall suffered, my Confucian Hall will cover it! Like I said, he's just a child; missteps in words and actions are inevitable. Junior Brother Lin, please don't let anger ruin your health!"
"Come, come, your senior brother still has some fine tea left. Let's have a cup together and cool your temper! Later, I'll have Xiayu come over and beg for your forgiveness with a rod across his back!"
"Beat him, scold him, do whatever you please! But Junior Brother Lin, you must take care of your health!"
Before Lin Xulun could get a single word in, Sudeyu rattled off a frantic, non-stop stream of apologies.
Lin Xulun was left completely dumbfounded!
What on earth was any of this about?
Chapter 35: The Financial Might of the Alchemy Hall
With a bizarre expression, Lin Xulun stood directly in front of Sudeyu, not saying a single word.
He genuinely didn't know how to respond.
However, in Sudeyu's eyes, this silence made his heart drop down to his stomach.
Just how massive of a disaster had Xiayu caused? Even after saying all that, Junior Brother Lin still refused to nod.
If he had spoken like this in the past, Junior Brother Lin would have softened up immediately.
It looked like Xiayu's sins were truly grave this time.
Sudeyu suddenly felt a pang of regret. Why on earth had he seen talent and ruthlessness in this kid and agreed to take him as a disciple in the first place?
Seriously...
Being a master was so hard!
He adjusted his scholar's robes and bowed respectfully to Lin Xulun.
"Junior Brother Lin, Xiayu really is still young, but he is a piece of raw jade waiting to be carved. Your senior brother is begging you, please spare him!"
"If push comes to shove, this old frame of mine is at your disposal, alright? Whatever you want from the academy, just take it! Deal?"
"Senior Brother, what could you possibly have that would be of any use to me? You don't even know how to brew pills."
Lin Xulun rolled his eyes and retorted, "In this academy of ours, do you think there's anything left worth taking? If it weren't for our Alchemy Hall, the entire academy would probably struggle just to afford meals."
Sudeyu's expression instantly turned weird.
How deeply embarrassing!
This Junior Brother Lin was not easy to coax. He might look like a man who only knew alchemy, but in reality, he was razor-sharp and clear-headed about everything.
What was he supposed to do now?
In truth, at that very moment, Lin Xulun was secretly shocked as well.
He never imagined that Sudeyu would value Xiayu to this extent.
Because his mind was entirely consumed by alchemy, he had no idea of Xiayu's recent battle exploits.
A sixteen-year-old in the Spirit Origin Realm who had slaughtered multiple Monarch Realm experts, practically single-handedly breaking through both the outer and inner sects of Shengwu Academy.
As for his character, he was willing to humble himself and beg others for the sake of his sister.
His talent was peerless, yet he remained fiercely loyal and affectionate—what kind of man wouldn't love a youth like that?
To cultivators like them, the passing down of a legacy was paramount above all else.
Finding a successor with flawless character and peerless talent was a blessing of epic proportions.
Besides, he knew Xiayu's potential in alchemy: a top-tier Monarch Grade alchemist at sixteen, a youth who could step into the realm of an Emperor Grade Alchemist at any moment—it was unimaginable!
What kind of background could cultivate such an outstanding young man?
He knew full well that Xiayu's current strength was merely lagging behind; once his cultivation caught up, becoming an Emperor Grade Alchemist would only be his starting point, not his ultimate destination.
As someone whose lifelong ambition was to become a grandmaster of alchemy, he would never let such an opportunity slip through his fingers.
What was mere pride compared to the path of alchemy?
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his expression turned solemn. "Senior Brother Sudeyu, I don't want anything else. There's just one person I want you to give me."
Sudeyu blinked. Give him a person? Who in Wen Dao Academy could possibly be of use to Lin Xulun?
On second thought, however, this was a good thing. Just a person—he wasn't asking to execute someone, so borrowing someone to run errands should be simple!
"Fine. Whoever you want in the entire Wen Dao Academy, just name them, and I'll send them over to you."
Sudeyu agreed without a moment's hesitation.
"I want Xiayu!" Lin Xulun stated calmly.
At that, Sudeyu froze.
He wanted Xiayu?
Xiayu had just caused a massive disaster, so why on earth did he still want him?
"Junior Brother Lin, do you want to take Xiayu as your disciple? Is his alchemy talent really that good?"
Sudeyu tested the waters with a cautious question, figuring Lin Xulun must have been struck by a sudden urge to nurture talent.
If that was the case, everything would be easy to resolve.
At that, Lin Xulun shook his head. "No, I want to take *him* as my teacher."
"Making him take you as his teacher... well, I suppose that could work too?" Sudeyu replied instinctively.
Then, he abruptly stiffened.
Staring at Lin Xulun with wide, incredulous eyes, he blurted out, "What did you just say? I must have misheard. Did you say you want to take *him* as your teacher?"