Such Talent

Scorching heat roared within the Alchemy Cauldron, warping even the air, yet it could not shake this dull grayish-yellow, utterly unremarkable cauldron in the slightest.

One after another...

Stalks of medicinal herbs were tossed into the Alchemy Cauldron, swallowed by the flames. Their branches and leaves withered and yellowed before finally turning into the purest medicinal essence.

Throughout the entire process, Gu Fang wore a relaxed expression, his movements smooth and methodical.

As clumps of medicinal essence condensed one after another, the void was torn open, and figures clad in splendid robes, ancient attire, or ragged clothes swept through the air.

Their gazes all converged on Gu Fang!

"Old Demon Han, you've certainly treated your disciple well. You even gave him the Heart of the Earth."

Gu Nanhai continued teasingly, "The Heart of the Earth, ninth on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking. Look at those Medicine Maniacs—their eyes are practically popping out."

Refining pills required pill formulas, flames, Alchemy Cauldrons, and other things. Heavenly flames had the Heavenly Flame Ranking, and Alchemy Cauldrons naturally had a ranking of their own...

The Heavenly Cauldron Ranking!

The Heavenly Cauldron Ranking contained thirteen Alchemy Cauldrons. Every one of them was a sacred relic in the hearts of all alchemists on the continent. Though the ancient Alchemy Cauldron in Gu Fang's hands looked utterly ordinary, it was indeed the ninth-ranked Heart of the Earth!

It was also the unique aura emanating from Gu Fang's use of the Heart of the Earth that had drawn out those old fellows obsessed with alchemy.

"Don't speak. Watch quietly."

Elder Han shook his head, his eyes fixed on Gu Fang's movements as he spoke seriously to Gu Nanhai.

Gu Nanhai was about to say something else when an illusory figure suddenly solidified before him. There had been no warning, no sensation whatsoever—he had simply appeared right in front of him.

Gu Nanhai froze, his expression changing, but after sensing the familiar aura of the man, he finally let out a long breath.

Gu Yuan, Clan Leader Gu Yuan!

"Was the pill formula Fang'er is refining given to him by you?"

There was actually a trace of agitation in Gu Yuan's voice as he spoke.

This was something that would ordinarily have been impossible. After all, there were far too few things capable of moving Gu Yuan. Yet because of Gu Fang, because of his own child, Gu Yuan's placid state of mind had still changed.

Hearing Gu Yuan's words and sensing the terrifying power emanating from him, Elder Han finally withdrew his gaze from Gu Fang.

He turned back to look at Gu Yuan and slowly shook his head. "It was not!"

"Fang'er truly created this pill formula himself?"

Gu Yuan's voice grew even more agitated, mixed with a hint of pride.

Given Gu Yuan's status, he had naturally seen quite a few people create their own pill formulas, and he naturally understood the requirements for doing so...

One had to possess a certain degree of knowledge about medicinal herbs, then undergo hundreds or thousands of adjustments on that foundation to find the most suitable fusion temperature and timing.

Those capable of this were without exception people who had devoted fifty or sixty years to the path of alchemy. Yet Gu Fang had reached the level of creating his own pill formula at barely over ten years old. How could Gu Yuan, as his father, not feel proud?

Elder Han's gaze flickered as he listened to Gu Yuan, as though considering his wording.

"It can be called a self-created pill formula, but in truth, it is merely an improvement upon an existing formula. Gu Fang has the ability to do this now, but...

There is simply no guarantee that he can succeed in one attempt, even with an improvement to a simple third-grade Wind-Traveling Pill!"

"No guarantee of succeeding in one attempt? I know Fang'er's skill in alchemy. It is only a third-grade pill..."

"Gu Fang can naturally refine a third-grade pill with ease!"

Elder Han spoke with a touch of emotion. "But this time, it is not merely refinement—there is also improvement. You must know, this is Gu Fang's first attempt at improving a pill formula."

"His first time?"

Gu Yuan's tone carried a trace of surprise. "You mean Fang'er made a mistake when selecting the herbs this time? After making that mistake, he had no choice but to improve the pill formula?"

"That's right!"

Elder Han sighed and looked back at Gu Fang. "No matter how you put it, the odds of succeeding on the first try are still far too low.

Most importantly...

How to fuse those two herbs into the Wind-Traveling Pill is an enormous problem!"

"This little fellow is interesting. Is he improving a pill formula on the spot?" These old demons who had arrived later were all old monsters who had immersed themselves in alchemy for decades. With a single glance, they understood Gu Fang's situation!

"Improve it, improve it, and it only gets worse. Look at those two herbs.

Wood Origin Grass and Withered Sun Branch are both wood-attributed and naturally gentle, while the Wind-Traveling Pill serves to stimulate the body's potential and increase speed..."

"With just those two herbs and no other medicinal herbs to assist them, it would be a miracle if they could fuse with the Wind-Traveling Pill."

"And there is only one chance. Even we...

Would not dare claim we could successfully improve a third-grade pill in one attempt, even with sufficient herbs, let alone him, when he lacks herbs!"

"Old Demon Han is going to lose a great deal of face this time."

Yet just as everyone was speaking, Gu Fang's final herb slowly melted into the Wind-Traveling Pill. As the pill bounced within the flames, Wisps of pill fragrance had already begun to spread.

The pill fragrance emerged; the nascent pill was formed!

The final pill-nurturing step merely elevated the pill's efficacy and quality to their peak. With Gu Fang's current strength, failure was simply impossible.

"Success!!!"

Elder Han and Gu Yuan said with smiles at the same time.

However, the Ancient Clan alchemists who had initially been watching all narrowed their eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Success?!"

"How did that kid do it? How could those two medicinal ingredients possibly be integrated into the Wind-Traveling Pill?"

"This goes against nearly a century of my alchemy experience. Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"But this is reality. Old Demon Han really did take in a fine disciple!"

"We can also improve Third-grade Pills, but don't forget Gu Fang's age. Given time, he may even reach the pinnacle of alchemy in this world."

"What Yao Clan? From now on, our Ancient Clan will be the continent's strongest alchemist race!"

Amid the astonished cries, the pill before Gu Fang gradually became rounder and smoother. Its fragrance grew increasingly rich, until the final dents were smoothed away. Wrapped in flames, the pill shot straight out of the pill furnace, and Gu Fang supported it in his palm with Dou Qi.

The flames slowly receded, revealing the pill's form. The ethereal pill fragrance gathered into a cloud and lingered without dispersing.

Everyone stared at the pill in Gu Fang's hand and the mist formed from its fragrance. Even if they were not alchemists, as members of the Ancient Clan, they had seen alchemy countless times, and naturally understood what it meant for pill fragrance to condense into mist.

This mist condensed from pill fragrance was called Pill Cloud, a sign that the medicinal power of every ingredient within the pill had been perfectly stimulated and that it had reached flawless quality!

Dou Qi surged from Gu Fang's palm, gathering the pill fragrance back into the pill. The azure pill, the size of a dragon's eye, spun in his hand. The improved Third-grade Pill was complete!

Gu Fang looked at the pill in his palm, a satisfied smile appearing at the corner of his lips. His gaze shifted toward Gu Dao, who was staring blankly at him, and he said softly, "I merely got lucky. I did not fail my mission!"

As his words fell, he raised his hand slightly. The pill leaped into the air, tracing an arc. At its highest point, a golden pillar of light descended, completely enveloping the pill.

For a moment, the entire testing ground was silent enough to hear a needle drop.

Although everyone knew there was nothing wrong with Gu Fang's pill and that it was of flawless quality, this was a test. The final result still had to be judged by the testing platform.

An instant seemed like a thousand years. The golden pillar slowly flickered, and at last, an even, cold voice rang across the testing ground.

"Improved Wind-Traveling Pill, Pseudo Fourth-grade."

As the voice fell, everyone's gazes abruptly shifted, staring at Gu Fang with wide eyes!

Sharp inhales rang out, eventually merging into a tidal wave.

"What kind of monster is this? He's already a Third-grade alchemist at that age?"

"If he can refine a flawless Pseudo Fourth-grade Pill, then he's already a Fourth-grade alchemist, all right!"

"If this improved pill formula was also created by him, then that would be even more terrifying!"

The Ancient Clan's Bloodline Power could indeed increase cultivation speed and rapidly raise one's strength, but alchemy was not something where greater strength allowed one to refine higher-grade pills.

What it required was constant practice and insight into pills, which meant...

An eighteen-year-old Dou Wang or Dou Emperor in the Ancient Clan was not worth being surprised over, but an eighteen-year-old Third-grade alchemist was enough to draw everyone's attention.

Not to mention Gu Fang at this moment...

was not even eighteen years old, but merely fourteen. At the same time...

Gu Fang's alchemist rank was not limited to Third-grade either. He was a Fourth-grade alchemist, or perhaps even higher!

How could the people present not cry out in shock?

Gu Dao looked at Gu Fang and listened to the waves of shocked exclamations around him. An odd sense of helplessness rose within him.

This was naturally not helplessness in terms of strength, nor was it helplessness in terms of knowledge. After all, with Gu Dao's Late Seven-star Battle Saint strength, aside from a mere handful of people, who could make him feel inadequate in either regard?

Gu Dao's helplessness... was helplessness before Gu Fang's terrifying talent!

Gu Dao found it difficult to imagine...

who could possibly suppress Gu Fang's pride and bring even the slightest setback to his path of growth!

Gu Dao understood that a smooth journey was not necessarily a good thing. Only by advancing through setbacks could one constantly correct one's mistakes and truly comprehend the joy of cultivation!

But Gu Fang was like this...

already invincible among those of the same rank. What other setbacks could he possibly encounter??

Would someone demean his parents or relatives?

His father was a Peak Nine-star Battle Saint!!!

His elder sister possessed a Ninth-grade Bloodline and was likewise one of the most central figures in the entire Ancient Clan!

Who dared to belittle them?

Not even Gu Dao—let alone Hun Tiandi, the Soul Clan's patriarch—could do so!

In alchemy?

A fourth-grade alchemist at such a young age was already capable of improving pill formulas. Even in the Yao Clan, he would be unquestionably unmatched among his peers!

His current strength was somewhat lacking, but with the boost of a Divine Grade bloodline, raising his cultivation would be simplicity itself!

No matter which aspect it was, all others could only look up to him. Put them all together, and there was only one thing to say...

Terrifying indeed.

"Fortunately, Gu Fang doesn't seem to possess such arrogance. It seems he has long understood... the importance of strength. What a blessing!"

Just as Gu Dao finished speaking softly, a disheveled elderly figure suddenly darted out. After sensing the man's aura, Gu Dao...

shifted his feet slightly and yielded the passage.

"Medicine Maniac, Gu Yao! A Half-Saint."

Upon seeing that figure, Gu Fang immediately recalled the man's name from the depths of his heart. Of course, he was not the only one—everyone present knew him as well.

Medicine Maniac reached out and seized the pill Gu Fang had refined, holding it before his eyes for a careful examination. Seeing this, Gu Fang took half a step back and allowed him to inspect it.

Medicine Maniac Gu Yao was a Half-Saint.

A Ninth-grade Alchemist, he had once refined a Ninth-grade Treasure Pill. Yet in order to refine that Ninth-grade Treasure Pill, all of his Dou Saint cultivation had vanished, and his foundation had been damaged. He could never again step into the Dou Saint realm!

It could be said that he had devoted his entire life to medicine. Other than alchemy, he desired nothing else.

Because of an alchemist's special status, even with only Half-Saint strength, his position was still somewhat higher than that of an ordinary Dou Saint of the Ancient Clan.

The reason Gu Dao had stepped aside earlier was none other than Medicine Maniac's childlike temperament!

After studying the pill for a moment, Medicine Maniac Gu Yao looked at Gu Fang and cupped his hands in salute. "Little brother, aside from the Wind-Traveling Pill, Wood Origin Grass, and Withered Sun Branch, this pill also contains the aura of a special attribute.

Please enlighten this old man!"