Grandmaster (Part 1)

The red light shattered the clouds above Skyfire Peak, dyeing them a blood-red hue. Streaks of bloody clouds scattered in all directions, turning the sky into a crimson expanse. Within these rolling blood clouds, a colossal alchemical furnace, one hundred and eight zhang tall, supported by three dragon claws, appeared. Its body was round and heavy, and its lid was cast with the four divine beasts—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—at the four cardinal points. The eyes of these divine beasts were inlaid with rare gemstones that shot beams of light for hundreds of zhang. The furnace slowly floated towards Daoist Master Yi Xing.

Lin Xiao had only provided the list of materials required for the furnace, its internal structural diagram, and the array formations to be inscribed on each part. He hadn't set any strict requirements for its external appearance.

However, Daoist Master Yizhen was a perfectionist when it came to artifact forging. The three legs of this alchemical furnace were entirely cast in the shape of dragon claws. Each sharp, five-clawed foot could firmly grip the ground. Moreover, if the furnace were to be used as an offensive magical artifact, these three sharp dragon claws would become formidable weapons. Tendrils of cloud wrapped around the claws, and dragon scales were clearly depicted. Each scale was inlaid with a tiny lightning bead, totaling ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine scales, each bearing a lightning bead the size of a soybean. So many lightning beads formed an immensely powerful 'Three Illusions Thunder Array', capable of unleashing forty-nine consecutive heavenly lightning strikes on enemies in an instant.

The Three Illusions Thunder Array was not merely an offensive technique but also a defensive formation integrated into the furnace itself, sufficient to prevent enemy attacks or the intrusion of external demons during alchemy.

The outer shell of the furnace was carved with countless medicinal herb patterns. Above each herb, a faint, ethereal red mist, like fine gauze, floated. As the mist swayed, the herbs seemed alive, gently moving on the furnace. The outlines of these herbs were formed by thin red lines cast from molten fire-elemental essence crystals. These lines formed a 'Skyfire Burning God Array' on the furnace, which could also release high-temperature flames to attack enemies or establish defensive formations.

The four divine beasts on the furnace lid also constituted the 'Four Spirits Demon Slaying Array'. Its external offensive power was immense, while its self-defense was incredibly robust, making it another spirit array that was both offensive and defensive.

Under Yi Xing's instruction, Daoist Master Yizhen had deliberately indulged Lin Xiao. When Yi Xing heard Lin Xiao mention that the furnace could not only be used for alchemy but also refined into a portable magical artifact, he ordered Daoist Master Yizhen to put significant effort into its creation. The 'Three Illusions Thunder Array', 'Skyfire Burning God Array', and 'Four Spirits Demon Slaying Array' not only consumed countless precious materials from the Origin Sect but also greatly taxed Daoist Master Yizhen's mind. However, with these three spirit arrays, the furnace's offensive and defensive capabilities were elevated to an astonishing level.

Daoist Master Yizhen, his face noticeably thinner, along with eighty-one fellow disciples, stepped onto clouds and slowly guided the massive alchemical furnace to float over. With a smile, he bowed to Yi Xing and heartily exclaimed to Lin Xiao, "Young friend Lin Xiao, this furnace has cost this old Daoist considerable effort! Heh, heh, such a large furnace, yet its body was formed in one go. Even melting the materials exhausted over two hundred disciples from our Artifact Hall! Heh, when you refine pills in the future—"

Lin Xiao nodded and said softly, "If I refine superior pills in the future, Senior Yizhen will naturally have the first pick of a portion." He cupped his fists and bowed to Daoist Master Yizhen, tapping his chest forcefully to signify that he had taken Daoist Master Yizhen's favor to heart.

Daoist Master Yizhen grinned widely with joy. He eagerly grabbed Lin Xiao's hand and led him around the furnace, constantly explaining its benefits. Lin Xiao was aware of the furnace's internal structure and functions, but only Daoist Master Yizhen, as its creator, understood its external arrangements and some of its ingenious uses. Many subtle auxiliary functions, seemingly insignificant, were the result of Daoist Master Yizhen's immense effort and discussions with his fellow disciples. These auxiliary functions would greatly facilitate the alchemist's work.

Daoist Master Yizhen particularly emphasized a Mustard Seed Array located beneath the furnace. This formation concealed a Fire Crystal Pillar, eighteen li long. Once the Mustard Seed Array was activated, the Fire Crystal Pillar would emerge from the furnace, carrying raging heavenly fires, piercing through the rock layers to reach the underground. Upon connecting with the spiritual veins, the crystal pillar could draw spiritual energy from them, transforming it into a torrent of fire that surged into the furnace, providing inexhaustible power. Daoist Master Yizhen and his eighty-one disciples had also jointly inscribed a fragment of an ancient formation they had comprehended within the crystal pillar. In a life-or-death situation, the pillar could draw all the accumulated spiritual energy from the furnace, compress it into a powerful beam of red light to strike at enemies, serving as the furnace's trump card.

Lin Xiao looked at the furnace with satisfaction, a rare smile appearing on his face. He said softly, "Excellent. Today, I can begin refining pills and see if this Pill Frying Furnace is truly as wondrous as Patriarch Luo Yu described!" He paused, then suddenly asked, "Senior Yizhen, what is the grade of this furnace?"

Daoist Master Yizhen stroked his long beard with a smile, his eyes gazing at the sky with pride as he laughed, "My artifact forging skills are among the best in the current cultivation world, but honestly, they don't compare to even a pinky finger's skill of ancient artifact refiners! Normally, the most powerful magical artifacts I forge are only mid-grade Precious Artifacts! However, because this furnace consumed such excellent and abundant materials, and with the combined efforts of my fellow disciples, its grade should exceed high-grade Precious Artifacts, though it's still a 'negligible' distance from being an Immortal Artifact!"

Shaking his head proudly, Daoist Master Yizhen chuckled, "But that's only in terms of its grade. If we consider its inherent quality, even ordinary Immortal Artifacts might not be its match."

He patted one of the furnace's dragon claws forcefully and grumbled through clenched teeth, "A magical artifact weighing tens of millions of pounds, who has ever seen such a thing in the cultivation world? The furnace walls are thirty-six zhang thick! And it's all made from top-tier materials. I fear even legendary Immortal Artifacts would expend tremendous effort to break through this furnace!"

Panting slightly, Daoist Master Yizhen patted Lin Xiao's shoulder and said in a peculiar tone, "Young friend Lin Xiao! In the future, when you travel, if you encounter an opponent you can't defeat, just open the furnace lid and hide inside. There won't be many people in the entire cultivation world who can do anything to you." Daoist Master Yizhen's words sounded strange, but they were the absolute truth. This furnace was simply too enormous, too heavy, and too sturdy. Its offensive power was yet unknown, but for defense and survival, it was likely superior to most top-grade Immortal Artifacts!

Just as Lin Xiao was about to say something, Daoist Master Yi Xing, standing nearby, spoke gently, "Since this alchemical furnace is a magical artifact, then, junior brother Yizhen, help young friend Lin Xiao to formally accept it. I believe that if an alchemist and their furnace are in harmony, the pills they refine will have much greater efficacy."

Before Lin Xiao could react, Daoist Master Yizhen forcibly grabbed Lin Xiao's wrist and, dragging him along, they stepped onto a cloud and flew above the furnace. Daoist Master Yizhen's fingernail cut open a vein on Lin Xiao's wrist, and a stream of blood sprayed out. Drops of warm blood landed on a human-head-sized red gemstone on the furnace lid, and the blood was completely absorbed by the gem.

"Hold your breath, concentrate your mind, and use the artifact-controlling method I taught you to subdue this furnace," Daoist Master Yizhen's clear shout awakened Lin Xiao, who was momentarily stunned. He then quickly recited a mantra for refining magical artifacts. The mantra was very concise, only a little over two hundred characters, but each word was a gem, perfectly placed and incredibly precise and subtle. It was truly a supreme method for subduing magical artifacts. Compared to the half-baked methods for refining magical artifacts and flying swords in the Great Luo Pill Dao, this mantra was at least ten times more profound and powerful!

Lin Xiao had no time to think of anything else. A surge of intensely hot energy from the furnace flowed into his body through the invisible connection of his blood, heading straight for his Sea of Consciousness. Lin Xiao held his breath, concentrated his mind, circulated his profound techniques, and, following the spiritual mantra taught by Daoist Master Yizhen, formed a hand seal for subduing magical artifacts. Following the vague information transmitted through that surge of energy, he carefully projected his divine sense into the furnace, slowly inscribing his spiritual imprint on the hundreds of core points of the formations within.

Unbeknownst to the observing old Daoists and Lin Xiao himself, a wisp of seven-colored spiritual energy, transformed from Lotus Seeds, hidden within his body followed the pathways opened by his divine sense in the furnace and simultaneously flowed into it. This subtle spiritual energy merged with Lin Xiao's divine sense, forming shimmering, gem-like imprints at the core points of the formations. Between each imprint, extremely fine threads of seven-colored spiritual energy communicated, forming a dense network that firmly enveloped the entire furnace. Lin Xiao would later discover that the furnace's spiritual nature was far more powerful than Patriarch Luo Yu had estimated, and when he controlled it, it felt as natural and agile as his own limbs.

After performing several hand seals, the entire furnace vibrated slightly. The massive furnace body, one hundred and eight zhang tall, shrank slightly, reducing its height to about one hundred and seven zhang and eight chi.

Lin Xiao stared blankly at the enormous furnace. Qingchu also stared at the furnace, her eyes wide, and asked in confusion, "Big Brother Lin, why doesn't he make the furnace small enough to fit in his palm?" Although she was only a low-level menial disciple of the Origin Sect, Qingchu knew that flying swords and magical artifacts could be shrunk to extremely small sizes or even integrated into the body.

Daoist Master Yi Xing rolled his eyes. Yi Yi and Yi Xin simultaneously looked up at the constantly rolling blood clouds in the sky.

Daoist Master Yizhen smiled awkwardly at Lin Xiao and shook his head helplessly, "The furnace is too large, consumed too many materials, and its grade is slightly too high for young friend Lin Xiao's cultivation level. Hmm, to refine it to the point where it can be carried around, it would probably—maybe—perhaps—most likely—require the cultivation of a Loose Immortal?"

Lin Xiao, who was applying wound ointment to his wrist, almost spat out a mouthful of blood onto Daoist Master Yizhen's face! Loose Immortal cultivation? It required Loose Immortal cultivation to refine this furnace to the point of freely controlling it? Loose Immortal? In the current cultivation world, finding a single strand of a Loose Immortal's hair would be a monumental event, let alone the appearance of an actual Loose Immortal!

However, Lin Xiao didn't feel disappointed. His original intention in forging this furnace was for alchemy; he had never considered using it as an offensive or defensive artifact. Although Luo Yu's concept included this function, Lin Xiao understood his current limitations. His cultivation was too low; even with a top-grade Precious Artifact furnace, what could he do against a demonic behemoth like the Blood God Ancestor? It was better to honestly stay in the Origin Sect and refine pills, waiting for the right opportunity!

Lin Xiao had become very pragmatic. He no longer cared about seeking personal revenge for his fellow disciples or Yao'er. He only wanted to re-establish the Great Luo Pill Dao and have Yao'er return to his side. In fact, ever since he learned that his mother had been poisoned by Hua Wuniang, and even Lin Shan was powerless to help, Lin Xiao had become extremely pragmatic. He never considered daunting tasks that he was incapable of completing. Of course, if he ever possessed sufficient strength, what would he do? He himself didn't know!

Yi Xin gently patted Qingchu's small head and said softly, "Cultivation progresses gradually. Young friend Lin Xiao doesn't need to rush."

Lin Xiao nodded gratefully at Yi Xin and said calmly, "This junior is not in a hurry. The path of cultivation is boundless, so why be anxious? In any case, by moving forward step by step, there will surely be a result."

This simple statement caused Yi Xing, Yi Xin, Yi Yi, and Yi Zhen, along with the others, to sigh simultaneously. They looked up at the rolling blood clouds in the sky, lost in thought. The path of cultivation is boundless, but life is finite. By moving forward step by step, will there truly be a result? Yi Xing sighed softly, "The path of Dao is difficult! Difficult! Difficult! Difficult! We can only strive to ascend as much as possible."

Yi Xin was lost in thought for a moment, her pair of flowing, watery eyes then turned to Yi Xing's profile. She let out a very slight sigh and murmured to herself in a voice barely audible, "Will there truly be a result? Yi Xin doesn't ask for much. Yi Xin only wishes that if he could look at me one more time each day, Yi Xin would be content."

Qingchu, standing close to Yi Xin, felt that Yi Xin had suddenly become very pitiful, as pitiful as a rabbit with a broken hind leg she had once found in the mountain herb garden. Qingchu carefully reached out and gently stroked Yi Xin's hand. Qingchu looked at Yi Xin quietly, her gaze filled with a pure, unadulterated innocence and pity!

A mere menial disciple of the Origin Sect, who hadn't even begun the most basic Qi Refining, was looking at a sect elder seven or eight generations her senior with such pity! If it were any other elder, Qingchu might have gotten into serious trouble. But Yi Xin merely glanced at Qingchu, gently pinched Qingchu's earlobe with her fingers, and slowly lowered her head.

Meanwhile, Daoist Master Yi Xing and the others had already gotten busy.

Given Lin Xiao's cultivation level, it was impossible for him to drive this immense and incredibly heavy alchemical furnace. He could only ask Daoist Master Yi Xing and the other Origin Sect elders to slowly move the furnace to an open space by the lake where he lived. The enormous furnace, surrounded by nearly a hundred Origin Sect elders, with a colorful cloud supporting the furnace and the elders, followed by nearly a thousand senior disciples holding positions and responsibilities within the Origin Sect, formed a magnificent procession from Skyfire Peak towards Lin Xiao's lakeside residence, disturbing countless Origin Sect disciples along the way.

Those with low cultivation stood on the ground and mountains, gazing upwards wistfully; those with high cultivation flew up on their flying swords or magical artifacts, following the procession from a distance, their faces filled with awe as they looked at the colossal alchemical furnace. Even dozens of disciples controlling flying boats couldn't suppress their curiosity and, amidst the shouts of their fellow disciples on the flying boats, piloted them to follow Lin Xiao and his group, pointing and chattering all the way.

Not long after, nearly a thousand sword lights from behind caught up, further increasing the scale of the procession. It was the supervising disciples from Medicine Mountain, carrying the various medicinal herbs Lin Xiao needed in their storage bags, who had been summoned by Daoist Yi Yi via a signal sent midway.

The procession arrived at the lake where Lin Xiao resided. A clearing several li in radius had already been opened up by magical force by the lake. The ground was covered with white jade slabs, making it perfectly flat. Large warehouses had been built along the edges of the clearing, surrounded by formations that maintained constant temperature and humidity, prepared for the large quantity of medicinal herbs Lin Xiao had requested. In the center of the clearing, two hundred young Daoists in blue robes stood respectfully, their heads turned towards the direction from which the furnace was flying. These were disciples assigned by Daoist Yi Yi, with over twenty years of experience in Medicine Mountain, specifically responsible for preparing medicinal herbs according to Lin Xiao's requirements and assisting Lin Xiao with various chores during the alchemy process.

The treatment Lin Xiao received was much better than when he first arrived at the Origin Sect over a hundred days ago. Ever since they learned that Lin Xiao had memorized the Great Luo Pill Scripture in his mind, he had been promoted to the highest level of Origin Sect guest officials, 'Heavenly Mechanism Guest Official', a far cry from the 'Starlight Guest Official' he was upon arrival. Heaven, Earth, Sun, Moon, Stars—these were the five levels of guest officials in the Origin Sect. Lin Xiao, possessing the complete inheritance of the Great Luo Pill Scripture, naturally deserved to be a Heavenly Mechanism Guest Official. Even the Spirit Gathering Array he had presented was enough for the Origin Sect to grant him such treatment. (To be continued)