Watching Su Feier flick her sleeve and storm out of the small courtyard, Mo Yang wore a rather stunned expression. He knew Su Feier had a fierce temper, but he never expected it to be quite this extreme. Recalling the look in her eyes as she left, he involuntarily felt a chill run down his spine.
"Tsk tsk, I'd better provoke this little girl less often in the future!"
Muttering a few more words, he turned and walked straight back into the room. He intended to study that medicinal cauldron. As for Su Feier's matters, he didn't give them another thought; after all, whatever engagement talk there might be had nothing whatsoever to do with him.
Two hours later, Su Feier returned. She tossed a Storage Ring directly at Mo Yang and then let out a cold snort. "Everything you wanted is in there!"
Mo Yang caught the Storage Ring, and after probing it with his mind, his face lit up with joy. The quantity inside far exceeded what he had listed. Su Feier probably hadn't even checked the details and had simply dumped herbs into it wholesale.
Chapter 9: Creation Furnace
After silently finishing his inspection of the Storage Ring, Mo Yang looked at Su Feier with a beaming smile and spoke. "A deal's a deal. From now on, we'll mind our own business, provided you don't come looking for trouble with me!"
Su Feier let out a cold snort. "Hmph, who wants to look for you? This young lady was only curious before!"
Mo Yang hurriedly waved his hands. "My good lady, please don't harbor any curiosity toward your big brother, or you'll inevitably fall for him sooner or later!"
Su Feier let out another cold snort, turned, and left the small courtyard.
Seeing her leave, Mo Yang couldn't wait to turn and head back inside, shutting the door tightly behind him before stepping directly into the Stone Pagoda.
He went straight to the second floor, where the dark medicinal cauldron stood shoulder-high to him. Only now did he notice three dark characters inscribed upon it: Creation Furnace.
The area around the cauldron had already been cleaned up by him previously. Aside from the manual *Divine Dan Dao*, there were also two ancient manuscript scrolls recording various insights into alchemy.
To Mo Yang, those two scrolls on alchemy were like having a master with extraordinary proficiency in the Dao of Pills.
Over the past few days, he had thoroughly memorized them by heart.
Inside the cauldron, a cluster of crimson flames burned steadily, neither too fast nor too slow, for heaven knows how many years.
"Could this be some sort of rare heavenly flame? Otherwise, it could never burn eternally... This cauldron is called the Creation Furnace, and this fire... I'll call you the Fire of Creation!" Mo Yang circled the cauldron, examining it for a long time, muttering to himself before finally beginning to prepare the herbs.
The *Divine Dan Dao* scroll provided a general classification of medicinal pills, ranging from simple to complex, with each requiring different herbs.
The more ordinary the pill, the fewer types of herbs it required, and the smaller the quantities. Moreover, such herbs were quite common and easy to find. On the other hand, the herbs needed for refined spiritual pills were not only diverse, but some were rare, world-defending Spiritual Medicines.
The first kind of pill Mo Yang intended to refine was the very first recipe recorded in the ancient scroll: the Marrow Cleansing Pill!
As the name suggested, the Marrow Cleansing Pill was meant to wash the marrow and cleanse the bones, purging impurities and turbidity from the body, enhancing a cultivator's innate foundation, and even reaching a state of flawlessness. It also had an effect on true qi, helping to condense and refine it.
Mo Yang chose to refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill because it was best suited for cultivators with low realms. Improving one's foundation right from the start offered immense benefits for future cultivation. Secondly, this pill required the fewest herbs—only two.
"Hundred-Spirit Vine, Long Ginseng Tendril. Only two ingredients! I've already memorized the alchemy techniques and essentials; it should be quite easy to refine!"
Mo Yang took out the two herbs, drew a deep breath, and began the refining process using the corresponding proportions.
He had assumed everything would go smoothly, but the moment the Hundred-Spirit Vine was dropped into the cauldron, it was instantly burned into a pile of fine powder by the crimson flame, before Mo Yang could even react.
"I already used true qi to wrap around the herbs, why..."
Mo Yang frowned in contemplation for a moment, then began his second attempt, only for the result to be identical to the first.
Then came the third, fourth, fifth...
He lost track of how much time passed. Well over half of the Hundred-Spirit Vine in the Storage Ring had been consumed, yet Mo Yang still hadn't succeeded. Although during the later attempts the herbs had begun to melt inside the cauldron, a momentary lapse in concentration always led to failure at the very end.
"Dammit, I refuse to believe a tiny little pill can stump me today!"
"I survived ten years of darkness; even if you torture me a thousand times over, I will still treat you like my ancestor..."
Hardening his heart, Mo Yang cautiously began a new round of attempts. Twice in a row, he had been on the verge of success, only to fail at the final hurdle.
Furthermore, Mo Yang discovered that while refining pills seemingly consumed very little true qi, as the number of attempts accumulated, the true qi in his body was unexpectedly drained to exhaustion. When he finally stopped, a wave of utter exhaustion washed over his entire body.
With no other choice, he had to sit cross-legged on the spot to regulate his breathing, continuing to refine herbs only after his true qi had recovered somewhat.
Time trickled away. After countless attempts—with the Hundred-Spirit Vine and Long Ginseng Tendril in the Storage Ring reduced to a bare handful—he managed to barely condense a single pill.
However, that pill looked completely different from the description in the ancient scroll; its color was dark and mottled, it appeared exceptionally rough, and its shape was completely irregular.
Mo Yang carefully cradled it in his palm, too busy to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and broke into a wide grin.
After silently inspecting it for a moment, he tossed it straight into his mouth and swallowed.
Immediately afterward, Mo Yang confirmed that he had succeeded. The pill melted the moment it touched his tongue, turning into a warm current that rushed into his stomach before spreading out toward the rest of his body.
Then, his entire body began to heat up rapidly. It felt as though a blazing fire was burning inside him, accompanied by waves of sharp pain. Sweat poured incessantly from every pore, soaking through his robes within mere breaths.
This was his first time taking a Marrow Cleansing Pill; he had no idea the process would be so agonizing.
Yet he gritted his teeth and persisted. Half an hour later, the burning sensation in his body began to subside, the pain slowly fading away, replaced by an indescribable wave of comfort and lightness that swept over his entire frame.
Without pausing to deal with the grime that had seeped out through his skin, Mo Yang immediately circulated his true qi. He found that his true qi had indeed become denser; driving it felt smoother than before, and even his cultivation realm seemed to have grown slightly.
"Tsk tsk, amazing..."
However, the ancient scroll also noted that the first ingestion yielded the most significant effects, which would gradually diminish with subsequent uses.
"As long as I can successfully refine one pill a day, in half a month at most, I'll be equivalent to undergoing a complete rebirth. It's just that the herbs are a bit troublesome..." Mo Yang muttered as he frowned. The consumption of herbs was simply too massive; he couldn't keep hoodwinking Su Feier, and more importantly, that girl probably wouldn't fall for it a second time.
After continuing to sit cross-legged in meditation for a long time, Mo Yang finally stood up and left the Stone Pagoda.
Over the next few days, Mo Yang spent almost all his time refining pills on the second floor of the Stone Pagoda. After barely managing to successfully refine two more Marrow Cleansing Pills, the ingredients for the Marrow Cleansing Pill were completely exhausted.
Though he hadn't engaged in formal cultivation over these past few days, having his true qi repeatedly exhausted to its limit was like mining his potential. The speed of his cultivation growth was far faster than before, and his spiritual power had also seen a significant boost.
By the time he left the Stone Pagoda, his cultivation had reached Level 3 Earth Profound Realm.
Wood Peak remained very peaceful. Mo Yang was currently hoping for Su Feier to show up—not for any other reason, but simply to trick her out of some more herbs, since he currently had no other options.
If he left the sect to buy them in an external city, leaving aside anything else, the silver alone would be a hefty sum, and he simply didn't have that much on him.
"Getting something for nothing by empty-handed swaggering definitely won't work anymore. Looks like I'll have to refine some kind of beauty-enhancing pill to trick her... No, not trick, exchange..." Mo Yang pondered for a long time, and a plan formed in his mind.
Chapter 10: Our Little Secret
Inside the Stone Pagoda, Mo Yang flipped through the *Divine Dan Dao* and finally settled on a type of pill called the Youth-Preserving Pill.
As it happened, he had all the ingredients required to refine the Youth-Preserving Pill, and this pill was relatively easy to make. Its effects held an immense attraction for women, and Su Feier would definitely be unable to resist.
With the experience gained from refining the Marrow Cleansing Pill earlier, making the Youth-Preserving Pill was much easier this time. Although he still failed a few times, he succeeded on the fourth attempt. Not only was the condensed pill regular in shape, but its color was also quite good.
"Experience really is needed for everything. After failing so many times before, it's getting smoother and smoother now!" Mo Yang sighed with emotion, then left the Stone Pagoda carrying the pills.
Since Su Feier wasn't coming to him, Mo Yang had no choice but to seek her out. He left Wood Peak with the pills and walked straight toward the main peak.
Along the way, he encountered quite a few sect disciples. Many of them gave Mo Yang a wide berth, retreating hurriedly upon seeing him; by now, no one dared to make sarcastic remarks behind his back anymore.
There were also some disciples who had never mocked Mo Yang in the past who plucked up the courage to greet him, and Mo Yang smiled and responded to each of them.
Seeing that the direction Mo Yang was walking led to the main peak, many people began to whisper among themselves in low voices.
"It looks like he's heading to the main peak. Could he be going to make trouble for Senior Brother Qi?"
"I bet eight tenths of it is that he's looking for Junior Sister Su. This guy has some real guts. Could it be that doing it in private wasn't enough, and he wants to go public..."
"Tsk tsk, if he really is going after Junior Sister Su, we're probably in for a good show... Daring to climb the main peak directly to chase girls, I admire him. A role model for our generation..."
...
Hearing the discussions drifting from behind him, Mo Yang felt somewhat speechless, but he could only pretend not to hear and silently continued toward the main peak.
"Mo Yang, what are you doing on the main peak?"
Midway, he happened to bump into the Second Elder, who frowned and questioned him immediately upon seeing him. The Second Elder had never held any goodwill toward Mo Yang.
"Am I not allowed to come to the main peak?" Mo Yang asked calmly in return.
The Second Elder's expression turned very ugly. Hearing Mo Yang put it that way, he froze for a moment, desperately wanting to scold him, but remembering the Supreme Elder's special instruction not to make things difficult for Mo Yang, he could only let out a cold snort, flick his sleeve, and stride away.
However, some disciples had already spread the news that Mo Yang had arrived at the main peak, unsure of what he intended to do.
The moment Mo Yang stepped onto the main peak, quite a few main peak disciples were already waiting. Hearing the news, Qi Heng also rushed over. He glared coldly at Mo Yang and asked in a sharp voice, "I wonder what Junior Brother Mo is doing on the main peak?"
Looking at Qi Heng's gloomy face, Mo Yang felt a slight urge to laugh, but he suppressed it and spoke calmly, "I'm here to find Su Feier!"
Upon hearing this, Qi Heng's face grew even gloomier. He said coldly, "You've got some nerve! What else do you want to do?"
Mo Yang was speechless for a moment, frowning as he replied, "Since when does it become Qi Heng's business what I do? Do I need your permission?"
"You..."
Qi Heng's face turned icy with rage, yet Mo Yang's words left him completely at a loss for how to retort.
With an impatient wave of his hand, Mo Yang said, "You, what you? Step aside, don't waste my time!"
Qi Heng was infuriated, his face turning alternating shades of blue and white. However, he was unwilling to trade blows with Mo Yang; his previous injuries had not yet fully healed, and if he fought Mo Yang now, he was bound to suffer a heavy loss. Not only would the gains not make up for the losses, but more importantly, he would lose face.
The surrounding disciples didn't dare to speak up either. Even when facing Qi Heng, Mo Yang dared to maintain such an attitude; if they dared to step forward, they would likely receive a thorough beating.
"Who dares cause trouble on the main peak? Do they take this young lady for a ghost?" Before Mo Yang could say anything more, Su Feier's voice rang out first.
The moment they heard Su Feier's voice, the surrounding disciples hastily stepped back.
Su Feier strutted forward with her hands on her hips, though the moment she saw it was Mo Yang, her brows immediately furrowed.
"Haha, Little Sister Feier, it's been several days. I happened to be looking for you, and here you are. We really do have a telepathic connection!" Mo Yang said directly with a chuckle.
Especially those words "Little Sister Feier"—he rolled them off his tongue with utter fluency, showing not a trace of estrangement.
Qi Heng was filled with fury, staring daggers at Mo Yang as if he longed to march over and slap him a few times.
Nearby, quite a few of Su Feier's admirers felt their teeth itch with hatred upon hearing this, but they could only swallow their anger and stay silent.
Su Feier's expression instantly turned frosty. She spoke coldly, "You go back on your word?"
Mo Yang adopted a completely earnest expression. "What kind of talk is that? I came to find you about something else. How about we change locations and discuss it slowly?"
As he spoke, he glanced at the surrounding disciples.
"Hmph, whatever you have to say, say it right here!" Su Feier was presently unwilling to provoke Mo Yang either; she couldn't beat him in a fight, and crucially, both the Supreme Elder and her father treated Mo Yang with all-encompassing protection.
"Er... alright!" Mo Yang blinked, then looked around at the disciples and frowned. "What are you looking at? Get back to your cultivation!"
The crowd froze, feeling utterly speechless. In the past, if Mo Yang had dared to speak like that, he would have been met with endless ridicule and sarcasm, but things were different now.
The disciples turned and left one after another, not daring to linger. Qi Heng let out a heavy snort, glared fiercely at Mo Yang, and stalked away as well.
Mo Yang swiftly stepped a few paces closer to Su Feier and lowered his voice. "Little Sister Feier, could you help me get some more herbs?"
"What do you want with so many herbs?" Su Feier stepped back a few steps defensively, staring at Mo Yang with a furrowed brow.
Last time, she had wanted to ask the same thing, but she never expected that just a few days later, Mo Yang would come looking for her for herbs again.
"This is a Youth-Preserving Pill. It has the effect of preserving youth and enhancing beauty. For a woman to take it is comparable to undergoing a complete rebirth; not only can it maintain eternal youth, but it has other wonderful uses!" Casually, Mo Yang took out the Youth-Preserving Pill he had prepared earlier and spoke in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, the look in Su Feier's eyes changed instantly. She stared intently at the pill in Mo Yang's palm, then looked at Mo Yang with suspicion, asking in stunned disbelief, "You know how to refine pills?"
She could hardly believe it. As a cultivator, she had naturally heard of such things as medicinal pills, but alchemy was its own independent branch. Throughout the entire Lingxu Sect, no one knew how to refine them, and the only option was to spend a huge amount of silver taels to purchase them.
Furthermore, at this moment, she harbored no doubts in her heart, because Mo Yang's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds during this period, something no one else could explain. Pills were the only reasonable explanation.
And that also provided a logical destination for all those herbs.
"Ahem, I learned a tiny bit by a fortuitous coincidence. If Little Sister Feier is interested in cooperating, you must keep it absolutely confidential!"
Su Feier looked at Mo Yang with a mixture of doubt and belief, then reached out as if to snatch the pill. However, Mo Yang was quick-eyed and swift-handed, instantly pulling his hand back.
"Mo Yang, you..."
Mo Yang chuckled. "If possible, we can have a long-term cooperation. You provide the herbs, and once I refine the pills, naturally I can share some with you. But this matter must be our little secret between us; no third person can know!"
Chapter 11: A Young Girl's Heart
Su Feier's cheeks gradually flushed. For such an astonishing matter, Mo Yang was only telling her in secret. One had to know that alchemists were exceptionally prestigious throughout the entire Xuantian Continent, treated as honored guests wherever they went.
Although Mo Yang usually remained impervious to persuasion, hearing him speak like this now caused an inexplicable emotion to silently rise within her heart.
Moreover, her heart was filled with curiosity toward him. In the past, everyone said Mo Yang was trash, but looking at him now, he was anything but trash—he was a sheer genius, seemingly hiding countless secrets within him, shrouded in mist from head to toe.
She truly couldn't figure it out. They both lived in the Lingxu Sect, and even the Fourth Elder didn't know alchemy; just how on earth had Mo Yang managed to learn it?
"You... first show me that pill. If it's real, I... can help you!" Amidst her fluctuating emotions, she spoke with a stutter, her voice no longer as sharp as it usually was.
Although Mo Yang felt something was amiss, he didn't dwell on it at the moment. Hearing Su Feier say this, he handed the Youth-Preserving Pill over and lowered his voice, "You'll know its efficacy naturally after taking it. I guarantee you'll grow more and more radiant and pretty!"
Su Feier's cheeks turned even redder. Earlier, Mo Yang had claimed he had no interest in her, and she had remained extremely displeased about it because no one had ever treated her that way. Now, hearing Mo Yang praise her as radiant and pretty, it felt as though some craving in her heart had been satisfied, throwing her emotions into even greater disarray.
Mo Yang frowned, sensing that Su Feier was acting a bit strange. But with his mind solely focused on the herbs, he reminded her once more, "Then I'll wait for your good news at Wood Peak!"
Su Feier accepted the Youth-Preserving Pill and tucked it away without even looking at it. She didn't even dare meet Mo Yang's gaze, blushing as she nodded instinctively.
Seeing her nod, Mo Yang finally felt at ease. Without saying anything more, he turned and walked down the main peak.
The main peak disciples who had retreated into the distance didn't dare to approach, but from afar, it looked as though Mo Yang and Su Feier were whispering secrets to each other. The crucial part was that Su Feier actually looked utterly shy, and in the end, whatever she had agreed to, she had nodded with a deeply bashful expression.
Many disciples felt as though they were dreaming, hardly believing their eyes. Never before had they seen Su Feier acting like this.
It wasn't until Mo Yang's figure vanished from sight that Qi Heng walked up with a gloomy expression.
At this moment, the flush on Su Feier's head had not yet fully faded. Qi Heng stared in the direction of the mountain path and snorted coldly, "Junior Sister Su, no matter what Mo Yang says, you mustn't believe him. He is devoid of respect for superiors, acts rashly, and speaks frivolously. You shouldn't get too close to him!"
Su Feier hurriedly reined in her emotions and nodded with a feigned calmness, "Senior Brother Qi, I know!"
...
After returning to Wood Peak, Mo Yang went straight into the Stone Pagoda to sit cross-legged and regulate his breath before beginning to experiment with refining other ordinary pills.
"My alchemy is only at the introductory stage right now. I must quickly refine ordinary pills to get familiar with the process; otherwise, even if I find those extraordinary spiritual medicines, I'll just be wasting ingredients."
He refined pills inside the Stone Pagoda, losing all track of time. By the time he left the pagoda, it was already pitch black outside.
He pushed open the door and stepped into the small courtyard. Stars twinkled in the clear sky as a silvery moonlight blanketed the earth. Only then did he notice a figure sitting on a stone stool, the silver threads embroidered on her white skirt gleaming in the moonlight, and the jade hairpin slanted in her dark hair reflecting faint strands of luster.
Mo Yang frowned as he looked closer and realized it was actually Su Feier.
He instinctively glanced back at his room door, finding it completely intact, with no signs of damage in the courtyard either. Mo Yang was slightly suspicious; given Su Feier's personality, shouldn't she have either torn the courtyard apart, kicked the door in, or at least vented her anger somewhere in the yard?
Pondering for a moment, Mo Yang walked over and discovered that Su Feier had fallen asleep leaning against the stone stool. In the quiet courtyard, the sound of her steady, even breathing was clearly audible.
Under the moonlight, her serene, sleeping face didn't look quite as annoying as usual.