"What's the status of the pills you promised to refine for me?" Less than half a month after Lu Xiaotian finished refining the two Tenth Tier beast souls, Ancestor Chi Jie came to see him again.
"I've made nearly all the preparations, but I can't refine them inside the cave. It has to be outside, somewhere with an open view," Lu Xiaotian said.
"Refine them outside? Why?" Ancestor Chi Jie's expression darkened.
"Alchemical refinement depends on one's state of mind. The higher the grade of the pill, the more that's true. Otherwise, you wouldn't have come to me."
Lu Xiaotian spoke calmly. Naturally, he wanted to work outside because if he stayed cooped up in the cave and the Crane-Singing Hermit showed up, a clash with Ancestor Chi Jie would leave him nowhere to hide. In an open area, there would be far more room to maneuver. Whether Ancestor Chi Jie agreed was not something Lu Xiaotian needed to consider.
Ancestor Chi Jie's expression shifted back and forth. He did harbor some suspicions about Lu Xiaotian's motives, but there was nothing he could do about it. When it came to alchemy, even with boundless magical power, there was nowhere to apply it. Besides, Lu Xiaotian's explanation wasn't entirely made up. Hadn't the top-grade Nascent Soul Formation Pill been refined on a deserted island? Alchemy did share certain similarities with cultivation. A good pill depended not only on the alchemist's foundation, but also on a measure of luck and inspiration.
"Very well, we'll do as you say. But I'll decide when you begin," Ancestor Chi Jie said, nodding in agreement despite having no way to make Lu Xiaotian comply otherwise.
Several days later, after receiving Ancestor Chi Jie's summons, Lu Xiaotian brought Luo Ping'er out of the cave with him. Ancestor