A Solitary and Long Night

At this moment.

Xu Luochen's face was no longer smiling.

He couldn't force a smile.

It was even a bit stiff.

"Brother Luochen?"

Seeing Xu Luochen remain silent for a long time, Ye Ping couldn't help but speak, sounding a bit curious.

Holy crap!

Holy crap!

Holy crap!

Xu Luochen snapped back to reality.

He had absolutely no idea what to say.

Could this thing actually be refined?

At this moment, Xu Luochen felt like his eyes were deceiving him.

But everything seemed so real.

This was unbelievably absurd.

Xu Luochen truly didn't know what to say.

This method could also refine pills?

Are you kidding me?

At first, Xu Luochen truly believed Ye Ping was tricking him, but seeing this scene now, Xu Luochen couldn't keep up the act.

This junior brother is an unparalleled alchemy genius.

No, this is no longer just an unparalleled alchemy genius; this is an invincible alchemy genius.

Gathering Qi to Form Pills.

Such a technique is practically divine.

Let me calm down.

Let me think about how to continue the lie.

How can I lie?

How can I lie?

What lie?

After much thought, Xu Luochen genuinely didn't know what to say.

He could actually learn such an outrageous alchemy technique?

If other alchemists saw this, they would probably fight to snatch Ye Ping, right?

Just as Xu Luochen was deep in thought.

Ye Ping's voice rang out again.

"Brother Luochen, junior brother understands that I haven't refined a complete pill, so it's not considered a success. But please rest assured, senior brother. I will definitely work hard. As the ancients say, 'The clumsy bird must start flying early,' and diligence can make up for lack of skill. Junior brother will not be negligent in any way."

Ye Ping spoke.

Refining an incomplete pill would certainly not be considered a success.

However, Ye Ping was quite confident in himself. At least he succeeded in his first attempt at alchemy, which was much easier than Insight Sword Intent.

It seems I do have some talent for alchemy.

However, these words sounded strangely jarring to Xu Luochen's ears.

The clumsy bird must start flying early?

Diligence can make up for lack of skill?

Are you talking to me?

Are you looking down on me?

Xu Luochen felt depressed.

He was so depressed.

He really wanted to be alone.

"Junior brother, you were able to successfully refine a pill on your first try. Although it's a failed product, it can still be considered good potential. Work hard, and senior brother is optimistic about you."

Xu Luochen tried to force a smile.

But for some reason, he couldn't smile.

He felt as if he had lost the ability to smile.

It looked a bit strange.

"Really? Senior Brother, you're not tricking me, are you?"

Upon hearing Xu Luochen's words, Ye Ping became incredibly excited.

After all, his cultivation talent was poor, and his swordsmanship talent was also poor. Finally, he had a good advantage, so Ye Ping couldn't help but get excited.

Tricked?

I really wish I could trick you.

But Senior Brother truly can't bring himself to do it.

Xu Luochen felt so miserable he wanted to cry.

He really didn't know how to cover up this lie.

Gathering Qi to Form Pills.

The Immaculate Pill.

He could actually learn such absurd abilities?

"I'm not tricking you, Junior Brother Ye. You should study hard for a while longer. Strive to refine a complete pill. Once that happens, Senior Brother will have your other senior brothers or sisters teach you other methods."

Xu Luochen didn't want to stay here any longer. All he wanted was to leave quickly. He felt so miserable in his heart; he wanted to be alone and cry his heart out.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Luochen. Junior Brother will definitely work hard."

Ye Ping bowed gratefully.

Finally having some advantage, how could Ye Ping not feel joy?

And so, Xu Luochen left.

Alone, he walked through the Qingyun Dao Sect like a wandering ghost.

Along the way, he took out the 'Basic Alchemy Technique' from his embrace.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Ten years! Ten years! I've studied the art of alchemy diligently for ten years, and I can't even refine the most basic pill. Yet, Junior Brother, after less than a month of study, he can achieve Gathering Qi to Form Pills."

"Xu Luochen, oh Xu Luochen, what face do you have to live in this world? If I were you, I'd just die right now."

Xu Luochen muttered to himself. The blow he received today was too great.

The main reason was that he hadn't expected the Qingyun Dao Sect to have such a genius.

Oh, no, a monstrous talent.

He could learn an alchemy technique that was made up on the spot?

What kind of person is this?

Xu Luochen wanted to cry, but in the end, he held back his tears. Then, he casually tossed the Basic Alchemy Technique in his hand aside. It was fine if he didn't refine pills anymore.

With a heavy heart.

Xu Luochen tried his best not to shed tears.

But he stumbled into the main hall of the sect. In an instant, a pill furnace appeared before his eyes.

At this moment, Xu Luochen could no longer hold back.

Soon, the sound of wailing echoed through the hall, and Xu Luochen burst into tears.

It wasn't that he wasn't strong; on the contrary, he was already very strong.

From the time he was sensible, he began to study the art of alchemy.

He devoured books on pills and even tasted herbs from time to time, all to improve his alchemy. For this, he had even risked his life.

Decades of hard work were met with repeated failures in alchemist assessments.

Even that was acceptable.

But he never expected that a junior disciple casually accepted by the sect would surpass him.

Anyone would find it hard to bear such a blow.

Your ten years of effort are not as good as his one month of effort.

It's one thing to be inferior, but the main point is that he not only has better comprehension but also refines pills that are countless times better than yours.

And so.

It continued until late into the night.

The sky was as dark as ink.

On the Qingyun mountain cliff, a figure appeared.

It was Xu Luochen.

He wore a white robe, which fluttered in the cold wind.

The wind on the cliff was strong and cold, but his heart was even colder.

At this very moment, Xu Luochen suddenly thought of Su Changyu. He wanted to smile calmly, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't.

He wanted to cry.

But there were no more tears.

On the cliff.

After a long while, Xu Luochen sat down cross-legged. He took out a scroll, a painting that Ye Ping had made for him.

After taking out the scroll.

Xu Luochen spread it on the ground, held it down with a stone, then took out a brush, ground some ink, and began to write.

April.

Autumn had not yet arrived, but for Xu Luochen, it felt like the biting winter was coming.

His heart full of sorrow, his mind filled with worry, all of it transformed into a surge of poetic sentiment.

"Snowflakes flutter, the north wind whistles."

Xu Luochen wrote eight characters on the scroll.

This was the first line.

It had a bit of literary flair.

But soon, Xu Luochen fell silent.

After a while, he felt even worse.

Because he couldn't think of a second line.

However, soon, perhaps due to the sorrow in his heart, Xu Luochen became more casual.

"The third day of April, the wind is warm, my heart is cold."

"Alone I ascend the cliff, gazing at the bright moon."

"Who can understand this heartache?"

No, no.

Xu Luochen looked carefully and felt that the last line didn't rhyme well.

He then picked up his brush and directly crossed out the last line, continuing to write beside it.

"This heartache, only Brother Luochen understands."

Ah, this line is quite good.

It not only expressed his own desolation but also brought in his senior brother, fitting the mood and the painting.

If his senior brother saw this, he would surely be deeply moved.

Thinking of this, Xu Luochen's mood improved slightly.

He wiped away the tears that were about to fall and continued to write.

"Xu Luochen - Third day of April, writing this."

After finishing everything, Xu Luochen hid the scroll in his embrace.

When his senior brother returned, he would let him admire it.

However, as midnight struck.

For some reason, a sense of inexplicable melancholy and sorrow surged into his heart.

This melancholy and sorrow were even more unbearable than before.

"This heartache, only Brother Luochen understands."

Xu Luochen murmured to himself.

Then he gazed alone at the sky.

He wanted quiet.

Below the cliff.

Within the Qingyun Dao Sect.

Wang Zhuoyu, Ye Ping's third senior brother, and Chen Lingrou were quietly watching Xu Luochen.

"Third Senior Brother, why is Second Senior Brother, like Senior Brother, also likes to stand alone on the cliff?"

Chen Lingrou chewed on a cucumber, her bright, watery eyes full of confusion.

"I don't know. Your second senior brother usually imitates your senior brother's actions. Does he think he looks cool?"

Wang Zhuoyu stood aside, shaking his head.

"Probably not. When I saw Brother Luochen today, he seemed to have been crying. Maybe it has something to do with the junior disciple."

Chen Lingrou found it unlikely.

"Has something to do with the junior disciple? That's strange. Could it be that the junior disciple's aptitude is really that poor? Brother Luochen has an extremely gentle personality. Even he can't stand the junior disciple?"

Wang Zhuoyu became even more curious.

"I'm not sure, but probably a little bit. Third Senior Brother, why don't you teach Junior Brother formations in a while?"

Chen Lingrou said.

"No, I have my formation master assessment coming up soon, so I can't right now. How about Fourth Brother or Fifth Brother?"

Wang Zhuoyu shook his head. He was very busy lately and didn't have time to guide Ye Ping.

"Fourth Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Brother have been down the mountain for a long time. They probably won't be back for a while. If you're not going, should I go find Eldest Senior Sister?"

Chen Lingrou asked curiously.

"Eldest Senior Sister? That might not be a good idea. Although Eldest Senior Brother has the highest cultivation among us, Eldest Senior Sister always likes to come up with some inexplicable things. How about we ask Brother Luochen to fill in for now?"

Wang Zhuoyu said.

Crunch.

Chen Lingrou took another bite of her cucumber and then said, "It's not that I mean anything else, but just looking at Brother Luochen, I don't think he can handle it."

"Whatever you want. Anyway, if anything goes wrong, you'll be the one to take the blame. It has nothing to do with me. Alright, you should go back and rest early."

Wang Zhuoyu stretched his waist and then left.

Chen Lingrou was left alone, looking thoughtfully at Xu Luochen.

An hour later, Xu Luochen walked down from the cliff.

Chen Lingrou hadn't left.

Upon seeing Xu Luochen, Chen Lingrou couldn't help but speak.

"Brother Luochen, please don't be upset. Master often says that people who smile often have good luck. Don't look so glum, or you might have bad luck."

Chen Lingrou said, comforting Xu Luochen.

Xu Luochen, with a face full of exhaustion, merely glanced at Chen Lingrou. He didn't speak, just nodded, and returned to his room.

People who smile often have good luck?

Looking glum leads to bad luck?

He had already suffered such a blow.

He didn't believe anything worse could happen to him.

Could he possibly get beaten up for no reason?

Thinking this, Xu Luochen blew out the oil lamp and fell asleep.

And so it was.

As a ray of golden sun pierced the darkness.

At the foot of Qingyun Dao Sect's mountain.

Two figures appeared.

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