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The next morning, Su Yang stood before the towering white pagoda of the Seven Valley Sect's Alchemy Archive Pavilion. Unlike the outer alchemy hall, this place was guarded by a formation and two outer core disciples—both of whom looked at Su Yang curiously.
"You want access to alchemy manuals above Yellow grade?" one of them asked.
"Yes," Su Yang replied calmly. "Specifically, I'm looking for a new pill type. Something to broaden my refining experience."
They exchanged a glance, then one of them pointed to the right. "Enter and speak with Elder Yao. But be warned—he doesn't entertain casual requests."
Su Yang nodded and entered the archive.
Inside, shelves of jade slips floated in suspension—each glowing with faint runes. The temperature within was cool and sharp, as if laced with medicinal essence.
A hunched elder sat cross-legged at the center, surrounded by hovering pills. His long silver eyebrows almost reached his chest, and his hands moved with slow, precise gestures as he guided flames around a pill floating mid-air.
Su Yang waited patiently.
After five minutes, the pill completed its rotation and Elder Yao waved a hand, dispersing the fire.
"You're the one who caused the stir in the outer hall?" Elder Yao's voice was calm, but held the weight of decades.
"Yes, Elder."
"You want a new recipe?" He raised an eyebrow. "And yet you're barely past the mid-Yellow tier."
Su Yang didn't flinch. "I want to prepare early. I don't plan to remain in the Yellow rank for long."
Elder Yao's eyes sharpened, then he smiled faintly. "Confidence is good. Arrogance is not. Very well."
With a wave, he summoned a jade slip and tossed it toward Su Yang. "This is a recipe for the Qi Flow Stabilizing Pill—a low Profound-level pill. It's used to calm chaotic qi during a breakthrough or after backlash from a failed refinement."
Su Yang caught it and read it with his spiritual sense.
The pill required seven ingredients—some common, but two were volatile: Thunderleaf Vine and Molten Amber Root. The refining process required precise control of fire temperature, and at one point, simultaneous heating and cooling!
He frowned slightly. "I've never worked with these herbs before."
Elder Yao chuckled. "That's the point."
"Do I have time to prepare?"
"No. You want access to higher-level manuals? Then prove you're capable. Now."
Su Yang sighed inwardly. "Very well."
---
Within moments, the furnace was prepared and the herbs placed beside it.
A few other disciples from the Inner Alchemy Hall arrived, having heard a newcomer was attempting Elder Yao's challenge. They stood at the edges, curious.
"Even some of our senior disciples fail this test," one whispered. "That kid is crazy."
But Su Yang wasn't distracted.
> "Let's begin."
He summoned his Karma Fire, and a soft golden flame ignited in the air.
As soon as the Thunderleaf Vine touched the fire, a sharp crackling sound echoed—the vine tried to escape the flame's intensity. Su Yang focused, shifting the flame's temperature just slightly—just enough to soften it without igniting it too quickly.
Next came the Molten Amber Root, which oozed like thick honey and threatened to burn unevenly. Su Yang split the flame with his willpower, wrapping one half of it in cool qi to stabilize the extraction.
The inner disciples were stunned.
"He's splitting the flame in two layers? At Yellow-level?"
"Is that even possible?!"
But Elder Yao remained silent, eyes watching like a hawk.
> "Slowly... guide the essence…"
Thirty minutes passed. Then forty.
Sweat appeared on Su Yang's brow, but his hands never shook.
When he finally shaped the qi into the pill form, the furnace flashed and then released a clean crimson-yellow pill that glowed gently.
Elder Yao walked over.
He picked up the pill and examined it.
"Purity: 87%."
Even Su Yang looked a little surprised. "I thought it would be lower. My control slipped near the final step."
"No," Elder Yao said, eyes glinting. "That's what made it better. You adjusted it with instinct, not textbook steps. That's the sign of a real alchemist."
Then he turned and shouted, "Open the Profound-level shelf to him. From now on, Su Yang can borrow one manual every seven days."
The disciples around gasped again.
> "Only one other person received that kind of permission under 20 years old—and she's an inner disciple now!"
---
After the crowd dispersed, Elder Yao handed Su Yang a slip of paper.
"These are three possible pills you can try next. I've marked the one that I think suits your flame type best—Fire-Soul Nourishment Pill. It supports both body and spirit cultivation. Very rare."
Su Yang took the paper and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Elder Yao."
The old man simply smirked. "Come back only when you've refined it successfully. And if you fail… at least don't blow up my courtyard."
---
Later that evening, Su Yang sat near a tranquil pond at the edge of his assigned valley.
He placed the new recipe slip down and took a deep breath.
> "This is good. With a pill like this, I can support my Karma Fire Body's evolution—and maybe even help Lu Ying if she ever needs soul support…"
As he stared at the reflection of the moon in the water, Max curled up beside him, and the green snake spirit beast flicked her tail gently in sleep.
Su Yang smiled.
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