Lu Xuan casually informed the Sect Master about Ye Chen’s annulment with Nangong Baixue.

The Sect Master froze. "What?! Is that true? Well, in that case, you and Ye Chen had better stay put on Azure Mystery Peak. Don't you dare come out!"

Lu Xuan: "..."

The Sect Master quickly relayed the news to Elder Mu and Cangxuan Old Ancestor. The two elders exchanged surprised glances.

"Isn't that just a little too convenient?" Cangxuan Old Ancestor chuckled after a moment of silence. "It seems Qin Xiao is still in the dark about Ye Chen's recovery and his supreme talent. I daresay a confrontation between those two is inevitable."

The Sect Master nodded. "The Grand Dao Sect's Saint Son position has been vacant for ages! And from what I hear, Qin Xiao is a Divine Son candidate, with the Supreme Profound Sect's Divine Son Challenge kicking off in a year!"

Cangxuan Old Ancestor advised, "Let's table the discussion about our sect's Saint Son until after the Pill Refining Exchange Conference."

Both the Sect Master and Elder Mu readily agreed.

Five days later.

Ye Chen, practically vibrating with excitement, arrived at Lu Xuan’s cave dwelling. "Master, I've already committed the first volume of the 'Herbal Scripture' to memory!"

Yao Yan's ethereal form emerged from Ye Chen's jade pendant. "Peak Master Lu, Chen'er's talent is truly exceptional. In just five days, his progress rivals even the prodigies of my Yao family!"

Ye Chen offered a modest smile and a nod.

Lu Xuan didn’t need Ye Chen to report; the System’s constant notifications about his increasing spirit herb mastery kept him well-informed.

Yao Yan, practically beaming, looked at Lu Xuan. "Peak Master Lu, next, I'll begin teaching Ye Chen alchemy."

Lu Xuan nodded. "Elder Yao, he's all yours."

Yao Yan readily agreed.

Ye Chen pumped his fist, a confident gleam in his eyes. "Master, trust me, I won't let you down! I will definitely become a Xuan-tier Alchemist!"

Not long after, Ye Chen and Yao Yan returned to their cave dwelling. Yao Yan began explaining the alchemy process.

"First, you need to warm the alchemy furnace. Your Perfected Mastery of the Path of Spirit Fire makes this step effortless."

"Second, extract the essence of the spirit herbs and place them into the furnace."

"Third, refine the essence, condensing it into pills."

Ye Chen listened intently. "Understood, Elder Yao."

Yao Yan smiled. "A nascent alchemist's first pill is always a Gathering Qi Pill. Don't underestimate it just because it's a Yellow-tier pill; even some Human-tier Alchemists struggle to achieve perfection with it."

"Though low-tier, a Gathering Qi Pill contains the fundamental principles of alchemy. Master its refinement, and all other methods will naturally follow!"

Hearing this, Ye Chen retrieved the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron. With a thought, the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame materialized within the cave dwelling.

Yao Yan offered a faint smile. "Chen'er, I'll demonstrate once. Watch carefully."

Ye Chen assented.

Yao Yan's divine sense surged, and the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron floated effortlessly. He controlled the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame with his soul power, continuously warming the furnace. As the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame permeated its body, the cauldron shimmered with brilliant divine light. A profound, ethereal aura emanated outwards, and the mountains, rivers, mythical beasts, and ancient powerhouses carved into its surface gradually became vivid.

Yao Yan couldn't help but exclaim, "Truly worthy of an Emperor-tier alchemy furnace! The Dao and Essence it contains are incredibly profound!"

After roughly half an hour, Yao Yan extracted the essence from the spirit herbs required for the Gathering Qi Pill—Silverleaf Grass, Crimsonpetal Flower, Earthroot Herb, and more—and tossed them into the furnace. His hands danced with spirit incantations, and the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame constantly shifted shape, its temperature meticulously adjusted.

Before long, an intoxicating pill fragrance wafted from the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron, invigorating the senses. Yao Yan let out a soft cry, and the furnace lid floated upwards, revealing nine pills within the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron. Each pill boasted a pill halo, and the highest quality one even had nine pill halos!

Ye Chen was genuinely stunned. "A Gathering Qi Pill with nine pill halos! Truly worthy of a Heaven-tier Alchemist!"

Yao Yan stroked his beard, shaking his head slightly, a subtle smile playing on his lips. "A bit rusty, a bit rusty indeed!"

Ye Chen chuckled.

Yao Yan handed the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron to Ye Chen. "Now it's your turn."

Ye Chen nodded, mimicking the process perfectly. Though his movements were a bit unrefined and lacked fluidity, the entire process was meticulous, without a single error.

Half an hour later, the pill fragrance once again emanated from the Heaven-Devouring Cauldron. With a thought, Ye Chen opened the alchemy furnace. Nine pills lay quietly at the bottom of the cauldron, just as before.

Yao Yan's expression shifted drastically. "Nine pills on his first attempt! Wait... are those pill halos?!" Every single pill had a pill halo! And one of them even boasted six pill halos! Seeing this, Yao Yan stared at Ye Chen in utter astonishment.

"Could this kid be a natural-born alchemist? This was his very first time refining pills! And he refined nine pills directly? Most alchemists are lucky to even produce one successful pill on their first try! Let alone one with six pill halos! That's considered top-tier even among experienced Yellow-tier Alchemists!"

Ye Chen, however, shook his head dismissively, clearly unsatisfied. "Elder Yao, my technique is still a bit rusty, quite rusty indeed!"

Yao Yan's face twitched. "This kid's alchemy talent is utterly heaven-defying!"

Undeterred, Ye Chen continued his efforts. And just a few days later, he successfully refined a pill with nine pill halos!

Ye Chen, thrilled, asked, "Elder Yao, can I start attempting Human-tier pills now?"

Elder Yao chuckled, shaking his head. "No need. We're skipping Human-tier entirely and going straight for Jade-tier pills!"

Ye Chen was taken aback. "Why?"

Elder Yao explained, "You produced nine Gathering Qi Pills, each with pill halos, and one with nine halos. Do you have any idea how outrageous that is? And you've only been refining for a few days! Your current skill already surpasses that of most Human-tier Alchemists!"

Ye Chen touched his nose. "But I still feel I have many shortcomings."

Elder Yao cleared his throat, exasperated. "Kid, enough with the modesty! Next, we're refining a fifth-grade Jade-tier pill: the Spirit Condensing Pill!"

Meanwhile, Lu Xuan was leisurely lounging in his cave dwelling. The System's voice echoed in his mind.

"Ding! Host's second disciple, Ye Chen, has achieved a breakthrough to Jade-tier in alchemy! Initiating synchronization of insights!"

Lu Xuan raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Only a few days, and Ye Chen's already a Jade-tier Alchemist? That kid's alchemy talent is truly absurd!" Moments later, a flood of alchemy techniques and profound insights spontaneously appeared in Lu Xuan's mind. Thanks to the System's double harvest, Lu Xuan directly ascended to Xuan-tier Alchemist!

At this point, if an alchemy furnace materialized before him, he could refine pills purely by instinct! Lu Xuan couldn't help but marvel at the System's power! "This double harvest is absolutely terrifying! I literally just lay here doing nothing, and now I'm a Xuan-tier Alchemist! This is truly mind-boggling!"

"Ding! Host's first disciple, Ji Fuyao, is experiencing a cultivation increase! Initiating synchronization!"

With a mighty surge, vast cultivation reserves poured into Lu Xuan's body, like mighty rivers crashing through his limbs and bones. His dantian instantly pulsed with explosive power! Lu Xuan directly ascended to Fifth-stage Profound Venerate!

He then checked Ji Fuyao's System panel. Ji Fuyao had reached Second-stage Profound Venerate!

Lu Xuan smiled faintly. "Excellent! Excellent! Both disciples are really putting in the work!"

Soon, it was dinnertime. Today, it was Ye Chen's turn to cook. He was in high spirits, a wide smile gracing his face as he happily prepared the meal. After a short while, Ye Chen approached, carrying a steaming pot of braised spirit chicken. "Spirit chicken stew, coming right up! And some chicken soup too!"

At the stone table, Lu Xuan and his two disciples gathered around.

Ji Fuyao smiled sweetly. "Junior Brother, you seem particularly joyful today?"

Ye Chen grinned. "Senior Sister, I'm already a Jade-tier Alchemist! After dinner, I'm going to start trying to refine the fifth-grade Jade-tier Spirit Condensing Pill!"

Ji Fuyao's starry eyes flickered with a hint of shock. "You reached Jade-tier Alchemist in just a few days?"

Ye Chen chuckled. "It's all thanks to Master's excellent guidance."

Lu Xuan: "..." I absolutely did not. Don't go spouting nonsense. This time, I genuinely taught him nothing. It was all Elder Yao's guidance! (Lu Xuan thought, speechless).

Ye Chen retrieved a nine-pill halo Gathering Qi Pill from his storage ring and offered it to Ji Fuyao. "Senior Sister, this is the first nine-pill halo pill I refined. Would you like to try it?"

Ji Fuyao took it, scrutinizing the Gathering Qi Pill carefully. A ripple of awe spread through her heart. "Nine pill halos! Even if it's just a Yellow-tier pill, many Jade-tier Alchemists probably couldn't refine something like this!" Pill halos represent the near-complete condensation of a spirit herb's essence, signifying profound mastery in alchemy.

Ye Chen chuckled. "Senior Sister, don't you worry! When I become a Heaven-tier Alchemist, I'll refine Heaven-tier pills just for you!"

Ji Fuyao tilted her elegant neck slightly and nodded. She could already envision Ye Chen, through his alchemy, gaining immense renown throughout the Southern Wilds. With this thought, her delicate fingers brought the Gathering Qi Pill to her lips. Her soft lips parted, and she swallowed it in a single gulp. Instantly, an incredibly pure stream of spiritual energy surged into her dantian. Though not massive, it was concentrated spiritual essence.

Ji Fuyao smiled, nodding. "Junior Brother, well done."

Lu Xuan also nodded, patting Ye Chen on the shoulder. "Keep up the good work."

Ye Chen replied, "Of course! Oh, right, Master, I haven't forgotten my cultivation either! Look, I'm almost at late-stage Profound Emperor now!"

Lu Xuan smiled faintly. "Alright, let's set a small goal for you. In one month, I expect your cultivation to reach Profound Sovereign!"

Ye Chen's face froze. That's... a bit challenging! I shouldn't have brought up cultivation just now. (Ye Chen thought, regretting his words).

Lu Xuan pointed at Ji Fuyao, calmly stating, "Ye Chen, Fuyao went from Profound King to mid-stage Profound Sovereign in just one month back then!" Time to put some pressure on Ye Chen! Lu Xuan had noticed Ye Chen subtly competing with Ji Fuyao. He doesn't want to fall too far behind his Senior Sister! Sure enough, the moment Lu Xuan finished speaking, Ye Chen puffed out his chest. "Master, don't worry. I will reach Profound Sovereign!"

Lu Xuan nodded, satisfied.

After dinner, Ji Fuyao looked at Lu Xuan, a sweet smile on her face. "Master, I'm heading back to cultivate."

Lu Xuan nodded, unable to help but sigh with emotion. These two disciples work themselves far too hard. Ji Fuyao was already incredibly diligent, but ever since Ye Chen joined Azure Mystery Peak, he'd subtly pushed her even further. They're both secretly vying for progress! Just then, the System's voice chimed in.

"Ding! Limited-Time Disciple Cultivation Quest Issued!"

"Within half a month, ensure your first disciple, Ji Fuyao, achieves Half-step Great Perfection in the Path of Spirit Fire!"