Pill Completed, Tier Two Fist Gauntlet, Twelve Strands of Qi and Blood, Grand Celebration

In the blink of an eye, the day Wang Yue had agreed to refine pills with Fu Shuangyun arrived.

The Wang Clan's streets still carried a trace of morning chill. Wang Yue had barely stepped out of his residence when he heard several people talking nearby, their conversation unexpectedly centered on the "Three-Headed Buddha Grand Celebration."

"Have you heard? The Three-Headed Buddha's grand celebration is being held early. My old man has already started preparing incense and candles, saying he wants to pray for a safety talisman!"

"Isn't that so? We thought we would have to wait more than a month, but who knew a young abbot would arrive at the temple? As soon as he took office, he changed the date, saying it was in accordance with Heaven's will."

Wang Yue paused, frowning. He had previously heard Wanyan Shun mention that the Three-Headed Buddha Grand Celebration was an important festival in the areas surrounding Changyun County. It had always been held at the end of the month in previous years. Why had it suddenly been moved forward?

He stepped closer and asked the Wang Clan disciples who were talking, "Wasn't the grand celebration still more than a month away? Why was it suddenly moved forward?"

When those people saw Wang Yue, they immediately stopped talking and bowed. "Senior Brother! We only heard it from the elders in our families. We do not know the exact reason."

"We only know that the temple's new abbot is much younger than the previous one. He was the one who ordered the celebration to be held early, and he also said that this grand celebration would bring special blessings. It has attracted many people from other counties who want to join in the excitement."

A young abbot? An earlier celebration? A sharp glint flashed in Wang Yue's eyes as his fingers unconsciously rubbed his sleeve. There was something unusual about this. Wanyan Shun had mentioned before that divine blessings could enlighten disciples, and now the grand celebration had suddenly been moved forward.

After pondering for a moment, he made up his mind. So many people would be going; one more person would make no difference. It would not hurt to take a look then. He had never seen ancient people worship gods and Buddha before. Perhaps he could even uncover the truth behind those blessings.

Suppressing his doubts, Wang Yue quickened his pace and soon arrived at the alchemy courtyard.

The Cloud Sea Cauldron in the courtyard had long since been polished clean and stood quietly in the center. The cloud patterns carved into its body glimmered faintly under the morning light. Fu Shuangyun stood nearby arranging medicinal ingredients. When he saw Wang Yue arrive, a smile appeared in his eyes. "You are quite punctual. What, nervous about refining pills for the first time?"

Wang Yue nodded honestly, his tone solemn. "Master, I am indeed a little nervous. It is my first time doing this myself, and I am afraid something might go wrong."

Although he had the support of his alchemy skills and Hundred Pills Mastery talent, he did not want to appear overly unusual.

Fu Shuangyun nodded slightly and placed a wooden medicine box on the stone table beside Wang Yue. Inside were neatly arranged ingredients for refining Blood Replenishing Pills.

There were more than a dozen stalks of astragalus and angelica for replenishing Qi, several pieces of licorice to balance the medicinal properties, and the most crucial main ingredient: a small piece of Scarlet Blood Ginseng no larger than a fingernail. It was dark red in color and gave off a rich medicinal fragrance.

"The ingredients are all here, and the portions have already been weighed. Just follow the steps."

Fu Shuangyun stepped back several paces and stood beneath the distant corridor, assuming the posture of someone who would only watch and not interfere. Wang Yue knew that Fu Shuangyun would not give him any hints. Alchemy required unity of heart and hand; only experience gained through one's own exploration was true skill.

Wang Yue took a deep breath and walked up to the Cloud Sea Cauldron. He first inspected the charcoal beneath it. After confirming that it was dry and free of moisture, he lit the fire. He did not rush to add more fuel. Instead, he first let a small flame slowly warm the cauldron's body. This was "warming the furnace and nurturing the cauldron," emphasized by his alchemy talent. It ensured an even temperature within the cauldron and prevented uneven heating of the ingredients later.

Once the cauldron body became slightly hot, Wang Yue gradually added charcoal, controlling the size of the fire. At the same time, he opened the lid to allow air to circulate inside. When the temperature reached the point where it felt warm to the hand but not scalding, he picked up the supplementary ingredients from the medicine box and placed the astragalus and angelica into the cauldron according to the order of "light first, heavy later."

The moment the ingredients entered the cauldron, a faint fragrance of vegetation drifted out. Wang Yue did not pause. His right hand gripped the valve for the vent on the side of the cauldron, turning it every so often.

At times, he opened a narrow crack, allowing the moisture evaporating from the ingredients to carry impurities out.

At other times, he closed it completely, concentrating the heat within the cauldron and accelerating the release of the ingredients' medicinal properties.

As the supplementary ingredients gradually melted, the medicinal fragrance inside the cauldron grew increasingly rich. Wang Yue keenly noticed that the scent in the air had shifted from bitter vegetation to mellow sweetness. Knowing the time had come, he quickly picked up the piece of Scarlet Blood Ginseng and carefully placed it into the cauldron. At the same time, he shut every vent completely, causing the temperature within to soar instantly and firmly locking the essence-blood power of the Scarlet Blood Ginseng inside.

In no more than a moment, a medicinal fragrance that shook one's very soul erupted fiercely. It was several times richer than before, causing even Fu Shuangyun in the distance to unconsciously straighten up, anticipation flashing through his eyes.

Wang Yue did not dare delay. He immediately lifted the bucket of cold water beside him and splashed it over the charcoal beneath the cauldron. With a loud splash, cold water met the scorching charcoal, instantly raising a vast cloud of white steam. The flames inside the cauldron were extinguished at once. This was sudden cooling to lock in the properties, allowing the pills to condense and take shape in the high heat while preserving their most essential medicinal effects.

After the white steam gradually dispersed, Wang Yue took a deep breath, grasped the lid handles with both hands, and slowly lifted it. A rich medicinal fragrance that stirred one's Blood Qi rushed into his face. At the bottom of the cauldron lay more than a dozen smooth, round pills, crimson all over and glimmering faintly. Not a single one was a charred waste pill.

"It worked!" Fu Shuangyun's eyes lit up. He strode forward, even more excited than Wang Yue. Picking up a prepared jade spoon, he carefully scooped out the pills and placed them on a white porcelain plate for counting. "Twelve Blood Replenishing Pills, four waste pills, and... two premium pills!"

He spoke the final sentence with particular gravity. The success rate for premium Blood Replenishing Pills was extremely low. Even he could not guarantee that a batch would contain premium pills. Wang Yue had produced two on his first attempt at alchemy. This could no longer be described merely as having decent talent!

Fu Shuangyun took a porcelain bottle from his robes, placed the twelve successful pills and the two premium Blood Replenishing Pills inside, sealed it with a stopper, and handed it to Wang Yue. "These are the results of your first pill refinement. Keep them well."

Wang Yue accepted the porcelain bottle with both hands. It felt heavy in his palm, and his heart brimmed with delight. With Blood Replenishing Pills refined by his own hand, cultivating the Blood Dragon Secret Method and nourishing his Blood Qi would be thirty percent faster in the future.

He had refined the pills himself, and he had an entire Scarlet Blood Ginseng root on hand. The rest were merely supporting ingredients. Wang Yue would be able to produce and sell them himself from now on.

Fu Shuangyun looked at the porcelain bottle in his hand with a complicated expression. He had learned to recognize three hundred medicinal ingredients in seven days, independently refined Blood Replenishing Pills in three days, and even produced two premium pills. Such talent was something he had never seen even at the Dragon Transformation Sect's Furnace Fire Peak. He could not understand it at all. How could a disciple from a small county clan possess such terrifying learning ability?

"Master Fu, I have put away the pills, so this junior will take his leave. If there is anything I do not understand in the future, I will come seek your guidance again." Wang Yue bowed deeply to Fu Shuangyun. His tone remained respectful, without the slightest arrogance due to his successful refinement.

Fu Shuangyun came back to his senses and waved a hand. "Go. Study today's refinement process carefully. It will benefit your future improvement in alchemy." As he watched Wang Yue leave, he secretly made up his mind. This child's talent was too astonishing. He had to report this matter to Elder Zhu as soon as possible. Perhaps Wang Yue could be exceptionally admitted into Furnace Fire Peak for focused cultivation.

Holding the porcelain bottle, Wang Yue headed toward the Essence Chamber in the clan chief's residence.

The days that followed were extraordinarily fulfilling for Wang Yue.

Before dawn each day, he went to the alchemy courtyard. Seeing his exceptional talent in alchemy, Fu Shuangyun no longer held anything back. Not only did he teach Wang Yue to identify rare medicinal ingredients, but he also brought out several Tier One mid-grade pill formulas, explaining the principles of ingredient combination and fire control one by one, from Qi Condensation Pills to Body Tempering Pills.

Wang Yue already had the foundation of Hundred Pills Mastery, and with Fu Shuangyun's guidance, his alchemy skill advanced by leaps and bounds. In just a few days, he had mastered the refinement of three types of Tier One pills. His success rate stabilized above eighty percent, while his premium rate reached twenty percent. Fu Shuangyun could only repeatedly sigh that the younger generation was to be feared.

In the afternoons, Wang Yue appeared at the Forge Workshop on time.

Perhaps the extreme exertion of weapon forging complemented the nourishment of the Essence Chamber. Over these days, Wang Yue's physical strength visibly increased. Arms that had once grown sore after swinging a hammer for half an hour could now forge continuously for an entire hour without rest.

Even his cultivation of the Blood Dragon Secret Method accelerated considerably. He had mastered most of the variations of the sixth form, leaving only the final step before full completion.

The days passed one after another amid pill refinement, medicine tempering, and iron-forged flames. In the blink of an eye, it was the day before the Buddha Grand Celebration.

Inside a compartment of the Essence Chamber, Wang Yue stood amid mist-like essence energy. Eleven strands of Blood Qi surged through his body like a raging tide. He drew a deep breath, pushing the Blood Dragon Secret Method to its limit while taking a premium Blood Replenishing Pill. Today, he would charge toward the twelfth strand of Blood Qi!

"Hah!"

A deep roar erupted from Wang Yue's mouth. The Blood Qi within him suddenly gathered, crashing like a rushing river against an invisible Blood Qi barrier. This was the unique shackle encountered when breaking the Blood Qi limit in the Blood Condensation Realm. Every additional strand of Blood Qi made the barrier stronger.

The instant his Blood Qi collided with the barrier, Wang Yue felt a stifling pain in his chest, as though his meridians were about to be torn apart. Yet he did not stop. Instead, he urged the medicinal power of the Blood Replenishing Pill, sending the eleven strands of Blood Qi crashing against the barrier over and over like waves.

In but a moment, the barrier that had once left him helpless shattered with a thunderous crash beneath the double assault of Blood Qi and medicinal power!

The twelfth strand of Blood Qi emerged!

A brilliant light shot from Wang Yue's eyes. A new strand of Blood Qi rose slowly within his dantian like a newborn crimson sun, radiating a dense aura that made one's heart tremble.

The next moment, all twelve strands of Blood Qi erupted with warm energy at once, washing through his limbs and bones like molten lava. This cleansing was even more intense than the tenth and eleventh strands combined. The agony of his muscles tearing apart made Wang Yue grunt, cold sweat instantly soaking through his clothes. Yet he gritted his teeth and endured, allowing the Blood Qi to temper his bones and meridians.

After an unknown amount of time, the cleansing gradually ended. The excruciating pain receded, replaced by an unprecedented sense of power. His body seemed to have been reforged. His strength, speed, and toughness had all undergone a qualitative leap, and even his senses had become much sharper. He could clearly hear the faintest sounds of wind stirring grass beyond the chamber.

Wang Yue inhaled lightly, feeling the twelve surging strands of Blood Qi within him, and could not help imagining, If I can gather sixteen strands of Blood Qi and cultivate the first level of the Blood Dragon Secret Method, how strong will I be then?

But he quickly gathered his thoughts and sighed softly. "The road ahead is long and far; I shall search high and low. The Blood Condensation Realm is merely the beginning of martial cultivation. I cannot rush for success."

According to his original plan, he would have waited until his Blood Qi naturally filled to the point where water overflowed a full vessel before breaking through. That would have made his foundation more solid.

But tomorrow was the Buddha Grand Celebration, and he did not know what circumstances he might encounter. Gathering the twelfth strand of Blood Qi ahead of time was also for an extra measure of security.

"Now that I have broken through, I should forge myself a weapon that fits my hand!" Anticipation flashed in Wang Yue's eyes as he turned toward the Forge Workshop. He had previously saved up three pieces of eighty-forged refined iron, perfect for creating a pair of fist gauntlets. They would enhance his close-combat defense and allow him to unleash greater power with the Dragon Transformation Fist.

That was right—the Dragon Transformation Fist Martial Soul on the iron hammer had already been extracted by Wang Yue.

The moment he entered the Forge Workshop, a familiar figure walked out from behind the tool rack. It was Liu Haibing.

"Master Liu!" Wang Yue hurriedly cupped his fists and bowed.

Liu Haibing laughed heartily and walked over to pat his shoulder, his tone filled with undisguised praise. "You brat, your progress has truly been lightning-fast. A few days ago, you could barely forge sixty-forged iron, and now, in only a few days, you have reached the threshold of eighty forgings. Truly astonishing!"

He had been secretly observing Wang Yue these past days. Though he had already grown accustomed to the speed of Wang Yue's progress, he still could not help but marvel.

Wang Yue smiled slightly and did not explain. He walked straight to the forging table, picked up iron tongs, clamped a piece of eighty-forged refined iron, and prepared to place it into the furnace.

At that moment, Liu Haibing suddenly untied the golden-glinting Weapon Forging Hammer from his waist and held it out to Wang Yue. His tone was casual. "Use this. The force of that black iron hammer of yours is too scattered. It is easy for something to go wrong when forging eighty-forged iron."

Wang Yue's eyes lit up at once. He accepted the Weapon Forging Hammer with both hands. Even though he had already extracted the Hundred Forgings Hundred Weapons talent from the hammer, the moment he held it, he still felt a familiar connection as though their hearts and intentions were linked.

It was as if the hammer had long since fused with his arm. The forging insights lingering in its body flowed into his mind like a trickling stream, deepening his understanding of hammer techniques by another layer.

"Thank you, Master Liu!" Wang Yue suppressed the excitement in his heart, placed the refined iron into the furnace, lit the charcoal, and began forging the fist gauntlets.

Hammering echoed through the workshop. The heavy hammer crashed down, gradually outlining the fist gauntlets' shape.

Quenching, tempering, polishing—every step was incomparably precise. With the support of the Hundred Forgings talent and the Weapon Forging Hammer, the rough form of the fist gauntlets quickly emerged.

He worked until dusk. Only when the setting sun's afterglow streamed through the workshop window did Wang Yue complete the final polishing process. A pair of pitch-black fist gauntlets lay quietly atop the anvil. Their fist surfaces were covered with dense hammer patterns, while raised ridged spikes protruded from the knuckles. They looked sharp without sacrificing flexibility, and their edges were inlaid with a thin layer of copper, enhancing both their defense and appearance.

The instant the fist gauntlets took shape, a faint golden light flashed across their surfaces, and Wang Yue's panel immediately displayed a notification:

Tier Two Item: Black Patterned Fist Gauntlet

Tier Two Combat Talent: Far-Sighted Insight—during battle, you can faintly predict your opponent's next action.

Tier Two Talent: Hundred Battles—every hard-fought victory against an evenly matched opponent will make you stronger!

"Two talents, and one is even a combat talent!" Wang Yue's expression changed in shock, his heart overflowing with wild joy. Far-Sighted Insight could improve his battle predictions, while Hundred Battles could make him stronger through combat. These two talents were practically tailor-made for real combat!

He carefully put the fist gauntlets on and flexed his fingers. There was not the slightest sense of stiffness. Instead, he could clearly feel how perfectly the gauntlets fit his arms, as though they had grown on his body from birth.

"Master Liu, this junior shall take his leave!" Wang Yue bowed to Liu Haibing, impatient to return and familiarize himself with the fist gauntlets and his new talents.

Liu Haibing waved a hand. Watching Wang Yue walk while rubbing the fist gauntlets, he could not help smiling faintly.

A scene from his youth suddenly surfaced in his mind. Back then, he had just forged his first Tier One longsword. He had taken it to a cliff behind the sect and swung it around, pretending to be a majestic sword master, drawing laughter from all his fellow disciples.

"How nostalgic..." Liu Haibing murmured softly, a trace of remembrance flashing in his eyes. "Master was still young then. He always said, 'You are too impatient; you cannot settle your heart.' Looking back now, Master was absolutely right."