Heaven Grade Alchemist 'Zhang Tianhuo'

After refining the Life-Ending Essence-Boosting Pill, Zhang Tianhuo's heart no longer felt tense. He quickly retrieved the Heaven Grade treasures needed to refine the Three Flowers Dew Pill and began preparations.

When you saw the look in Zhang Tianhuo's eyes, you knew he had entered that calm, composed state unique to alchemy. You understood this might be a sign of his extraordinary talent—because every time he finished one pill and started a second batch, his mental fortitude improved greatly.

Soon, you watched Zhang Tianhuo quench and refine each herb, extracting their essence and removing impurities. Every step was meticulous. Though you knew nothing of alchemy, to an outsider like you, his movements were pure artistry—watching him work was a pleasure.

After he finished the quenching with practiced ease, he began tossing the treasures into the Four Symbols Furnace one by one. His skilled technique left no hesitation in his motions, as if everything was under his control.

Three days later, Zhang Tianhuo opened the furnace. Inside were three pills, but one looked dull—clearly undercooked. The other two exuded a rich medicinal fragrance and made soft murmurs like children, a hallmark of Heaven Grade pills: they possessed a measure of spirit.

Seeing this, Zhang Tianhuo quickly took out two exquisite Jade Bottles and placed the pills inside. Once sealed, he couldn't hide his smile any longer and rushed toward you. "Father, your son has not failed your trust. I have refined two Three Flowers Dew Pills."

You looked at Zhang Tianhuo with a warm, fatherly smile, then quickly composed yourself and cleared your throat. "Good. I was not wrong about you. But I hope you remain humble and diligent, continuing to advance on the path of alchemy. My expectations for you do not end here. One day, you will surely refine Saint Grade pills—of that, I have no doubt."

Hearing your words full of trust, Zhang Tianhuo nodded in agreement, but the excitement in his heart still refused to settle.

"Alright, you're a Void God Realm Martial Artist now, yet you still act like a child. Jing'er is waiting outside for good news too. When we return, I'll hold a proper celebration for you."

After saying this, you seemed to recall something and added, "That Four Symbols Furnace—consider it a gift from me for your promotion to Heaven Grade Alchemist."

"Thank you, Father!"

In the five hundred and eightieth year, after you finished deducing a Mysterious Grade Sabre Technique and integrated its essence into Thousand Mountains Twilight Snow, you finally elevated its power to Earth Grade Low-Rank, greatly enhancing your strength.

In the five hundred and ninety-sixth year...

In the six hundred and forty-seventh year...

In the six hundred and eighty-fifth year...

In the seven hundred and forty-third year, your cultivation level advanced to Late Infant God Realm.

At the same time, as your power grew step by step, the Ye Family became the strongest force in all of Yang Prefecture, controlling the most resource points. Even the Jiang State government had to show you some respect in this region.

That same year, the Blazing Sun Holy Land once again sent someone to invite you to join them as an elder. You refused their offer once more.

Until you confirmed whether the Blazing Sun Holy Land had been fully corrupted by evil, you had no intention of interacting with them. If the Holy Land took offense, you could simply move to another country to develop. With your current strength and the Ye Family's influence, other nations would surely welcome you.

Perhaps to avoid driving you away, the Blazing Sun Holy Land remained gentle in their invitations. When they learned you had no intention of joining, they didn't press the matter. After all, every Infant God Realm expert was a pillar of a nation's strength and a deep reserve of power.

Every five thousand years, the Demonic Beast Tide would come, and they needed experts like you to assist. Otherwise, even a force as mighty as the Blazing Sun Holy Land couldn't withstand the tide alone.

The Demonic Beast Tide was a pact between the Sky Flame Empire and the eastern Demonic Beasts of the Demon Race. This agreement prevented eastern experts from freely entering the East Luo Great Forest to hunt beasts and harvest materials, while the beasts could not invade human territory to plunder.

With both sides' high-end combat power staying out of the conflict, the war between the two races wouldn't escalate, leaving no opening for the third party—the Devil Race—to exploit. It also ensured that neither race would lose its top experts to war, leaving them unable to resist the Outer Realm Sky Demon.

Against the Devil Race and the Outer Realm Sky Demon, the Human Race and Demon Race often fought side by side, making them half-allies.

For humans, the five-thousand-year Demonic Beast Tide kept lower-level Martial Artists from forgetting the cruelty of war, preventing them from becoming too complacent and turning to infighting. It also allowed true martial geniuses to emerge through the chaos.

For the Demon Race's High-level, it was simply because the beasts bred too quickly and in too great numbers. The tide served as a sieve, allowing a small number of beasts to undergo a Bloodline Ancestral Return through the conflict. So the five-thousand-year cycle suited them perfectly.

In the seven hundred and sixty-fifth year, a major event occurred within Jiang State. It happened in Jingzhou, near Yang Prefecture, involving the top force there—Ganyang Palace—which had obtained a strand of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

This Spiritual Qi was acquired by Ganyang Palace's Grand Elder in a special large Secret Realm. It was a relatively common type called Minor Pure Spiritual Qi, which could increase a Late Infant God Realm expert's breakthrough chance by thirty percent.

Four Ganyang Palace elders had accompanied the Grand Elder into the Secret Realm. After obtaining the Minor Pure Spiritual Qi, one of them leaked the information.

Now, all of Jingzhou had become the target of the entire Jiang State. Worse, after the news spread, many Martial Artists from neighboring countries frequently crossed into Jiang State, hoping to uncover the truth.

Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was not only highly beneficial for Late Infant God Realm experts—its sheer value was astonishing. Often, several Saint Grade treasures couldn't trade for a single strand.

You were skeptical of this matter. Since it was relatively close, you sent several Ye Family disciples to investigate and verify the truth, as well as to find out which forces were interested in this Spiritual Qi.

If any Half-Saint or above attempted to seize it, you would not get involved and would withdraw immediately. But if only Infant God Realm or lower Martial Artists competed, you might consider testing your own strength.

You weren't one to enjoy plundering, but this Spiritual Qi was truly beyond Ganyang Palace's ability to keep. Such a treasure in a force with only Spirit Condensation Realm Martial Artists was impossible to protect. For them, this Minor Pure Spiritual Qi would bring nothing but harm.

Even if you entered the fray, the Spiritual Qi would likely end up being fought over by other Martial Artists anyway.