After agreeing to the Nalan Clan and the Imperial Family's requests, Lin Chen did not delay.
The next day, under Nalan Su's almost tearfully grateful guidance, he headed to the Nalan Clan's residence.
The news had already spread, and the eyes of the entire imperial capital were fixed on the matter.
Scouts from countless factions lay hidden in the alleys surrounding the Nalan Mansion. Even the air was thick with anxious anticipation.
Everyone wanted to see with their own eyes whether this young, sixth-grade alchemy grandmaster truly possessed the legendary, godlike methods to cure the Brand Poison that had left even Pill King Gu He helpless.
The Nalan Clan's residence was heavily guarded that day, yet its gates stood wide open to welcome their honored guest.
The family's core members, all dressed in formal attire, stood respectfully on either side of the entrance.
When they saw Nalan Su leading a black-clad youth toward them, with the chilly-aura Hai Bodong, the graceful Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin following behind—
The emotions in everyone's eyes burst forth all at once.
Curiosity swept over Lin Chen like a searchlight, while awe lay hidden in their wariness of Hai Bodong.
And the faint traces of doubt drifted away like specks of dust amid whispers of "so young."
Lin Chen's fingers absently tugged at his sleeve. He paid no heed to those complicated looks.
At that moment, he was using his Spirit Realm soul power to sweep the surroundings, taking in every ward and hidden sentry in the Nalan Mansion.
He walked straight inside, with Nalan Su following close behind at his side.
Nalan Su led him to a bedroom in the rear courtyard, guarded with extreme vigilance.
On the bed, an old man with white hair and beard, thin as a skeleton, lay unconscious.
His face was a bizarre grayish black, and his breath was so faint it seemed a gust of wind might snuff it out.
Black veins of poison spread like a spiderweb across his exposed arms and neck, giving off a cold, foul stench.
The smell sent chills down the spine of anyone who came near. The old man on the bed was Nalan Jie, who had suffered from Brand Poison for years.
Nalan Jie had once been a Dou Wang expert who shook an entire region, but now the poison had tormented him until he was barely recognizable.
"Father..."
When Nalan Su saw his elderly father in such a state, his eyes immediately reddened.
He bowed deeply to Lin Chen, his forehead almost touching the floor.
"Everything is in your hands, Grandmaster! As long as you can save my father, the Nalan Clan is willing to pay any price!"
Lin Chen gave a slight nod and walked to the bedside.
His gaze withdrew as his Spirit Realm soul power spread like a fine net, gently covering Nalan Jie's body.
In an instant, he saw clearly what was happening inside him: the Brand Poison had penetrated deep into his bones.
It had even become entangled with his Dou Qi, like a parasite embedded in his bones. Ordinary pills could not possibly separate it.
But to the Red Lotus Karma Fire, all the world's poisons were merely "karmic stains" waiting to be purified.
"Everyone, step back."
Lin Chen's voice remained calm, yet carried an unquestionable force.
He glanced at Hai Bodong, who immediately understood.
With a lift of his hand, Hai Bodong laid down a transparent barrier of ice, isolating the bedroom from the outside. It would prevent the poison from escaping and help deal with any sudden turn of events.
Nalan Su quickly waved for all the attendants to leave the room.
Only Hai Bodong, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin remained, watching from a short distance away.
Lin Chen extended his right hand. A tiny wisp of blood-red flame appeared at his fingertip, so pure that the air around it grew faintly warm.
Bending over, he moved with the utmost care. His fingertip gently touched Nalan Jie's brow, slowly guiding the karma fire into his body.
"Hiss!"
Like cold water dropped into boiling oil, Nalan Jie's body jerked violently.
A groan of unconscious pain came from his throat. His bony fingers clenched the bedsheet so tightly they twisted the cloth into creases.
The black veins of poison on his skin suddenly came alive, writhing wildly as if roaring in defiance, only to be slowly burned and purified by the karma fire.
An even thicker, foul black vapor was forced out through his pores.
Lin Chen swept his left hand, and his Dou Qi formed an invisible barrier that bound the black vapor tightly, compressing it into a small black ball to keep it from contaminating the air.
The room did not grow warmer. Instead, it filled with a solemn, sacred aura of purification.
Even the creases in Xiao Yi Xian's clothes seemed to smooth out beneath that aura.
Xiao Yi Xian watched without blinking, her jade-green eyes filled with shock.
Her Woe Poison Body was extraordinarily sensitive to poison. She could clearly feel the Brand Poison that made even her heart tremble vanishing beneath the blood-red flames like melting snow!
Even more astonishing, the karma fire's purification was not a crude destruction. It precisely stripped away the poison, barely harming Nalan Jie's vitality or Dou Qi.
Qing Lin nervously clenched her little fists until her knuckles turned white.
She looked at Lin Chen's profile, steady as a mountain, and quietly relaxed. The trust in her eyes deepened.
She knew that as long as Lin Chen took action, there was nothing he couldn't solve.
Nalan Su watched from the side, his heart pounding with fear as cold sweat trickled down his temples.
Yet he did not even dare breathe too loudly. He could only stare at his father's face and pray for a miracle.
The time it took an incense stick to burn seemed especially long at that moment.
When the last wisp of blood-red flame withdrew from Lin Chen's fingertip, Nalan Jie's body stopped trembling.
The gray-black color on his face faded at a visible speed, gradually returning to a deathly pallor.
He was still frail, but the aura of death that had clung to him had completely vanished. The black veins of poison on his skin had disappeared without a trace.
"Ugh..."
A long, weary groan escaped Nalan Jie's lips.
He slowly opened his cloudy eyes. At first, they were bewildered, but gradually they cleared.
He moved his fingers, feeling a long-lost lightness in his body.
The agony and chill that had clung to his bones like a parasite had truly disappeared!
"Father! You're awake!" Nalan Su rushed to the bedside in wild joy, his voice choked with emotion.
"It was Grandmaster Lin Chen! The Grandmaster saved you! The Brand Poison in your body has been completely removed!"
"Grandmaster Lin Chen?" Nalan Jie turned toward the black-clad youth beside the bed, his eyes filled with disbelief.
The youth before him looked no more than twelve or thirteen. How could he possess such heaven-defying abilities?
But his body's transformation could not lie. The feeling of being reborn was more convincing than any proof.
He struggled to sit up and pay his respects, but Lin Chen raised a hand to stop him.
"The poison has been cleared." Lin Chen's voice softened slightly. He even pulled up the quilt that Nalan Jie had pushed aside and tucked it over his shoulders.
"Now, rest and recuperate for a month. Drink plenty of nourishing herbal soup, and your Dou Qi will gradually recover as well."
"For this gift of a second life, Nalan Jie will never forget your kindness!" The old man was so moved that tears streamed down his face. He clasped his hands from the bed.
"If Grandmaster ever has need of anything, the Nalan Clan will climb mountains of blades and plunge into seas of fire for you, even at the cost of our lives!"
The news sprouted wings and flew out of the Nalan Mansion.
"It worked! The Brand Poison really was cleared from Old Master Nalan!"
"In only the time it takes an incense stick to burn! We didn't even see any great commotion from the Heavenly Flames, and the poison was gone?"
"Truly miraculous! Grandmaster Lin Chen is practically a living immortal!"
The imperial capital was shaken once again. The earlier doubts vanished in the face of the facts.
In their place came overwhelming shock and awe.
That evening, the Nalan Clan held a grand banquet.
It was both a celebration of Nalan Jie's successful detoxification and a lavish expression of gratitude to Lin Chen.
The banquet was held in the family's most luxurious hall, where crystal lamps cast brilliant reflections.
The tables were laden with delicacies, and nearly every prominent faction in the imperial capital had received an invitation.
Jia Xingtian of the Imperial Family, Chemir, vice president of the Alchemist Guild, Mu Chen, clan leader of the Mu Clan, and Teng Shan of the Mittel Family were all in attendance.
Even the Misty Cloud Sect had sent an elder, whose manner was far more respectful than before.
At the banquet, Lin Chen was unquestionably the center of attention.
The seat of honor where he sat was even more distinguished than those of Nalan Jie and Jia Xingtian.
The influential figures from every faction took turns raising a toast to him, their words brimming with flattery and a desire to build connections.
Some presented rare medicinal ingredients, while others promised to provide resources. Lin Chen merely took a small sip.
He accepted each gift without being overly warm or cold, striking precisely the right balance.
Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin sat slightly behind him at his side.
Watching the empire's top experts treat Lin Chen with such deference, Qing Lin quietly tugged at Xiao Yi Xian's sleeve and whispered:
"Big Sister Xiao Yi Xian, look at them. They're all so afraid of Big Brother Lin Chen."
Xiao Yi Xian smiled and nodded, unable to hide the pride in her eyes.
The Lin Chen she knew had always shone just as brilliantly.
After several rounds of drinks, as the atmosphere reached its height, Jia Xingtian suddenly stood.
He raised his wine cup and looked at Lin Chen with blazing eyes, his voice full of barely concealed anticipation.
"Grandmaster Lin, you promised me a Break Sect Pill earlier... When would it be convenient for you to refine it?"
The moment he spoke, the entire banquet hall fell silent!
Every gaze snapped toward Lin Chen, and even the sound of breathing became clear.
The Break Sect Pill!
It was a peak sixth-grade pill that could help a Dou Emperor break through to Dou Zong!
Everyone present tightened their grip on their wine cups.
Lin Chen set his cup down.
His calm gaze swept across the room, and he said evenly:
"Since the ingredients have all been gathered, I'll refine it now."
Boom!
His words rang out like a thunderclap, instantly setting the banquet hall ablaze!
"Now? At the banquet?"
"Is he crazy? High-grade pill refinement requires absolute quiet. How can he do it in a place like this?"
"Could it be that Grandmaster Lin has... absolute confidence in his alchemy?"
Doubt and astonishment mingled together as everyone struggled to believe it.
Pill refinement, especially that of a peak sixth-grade pill, had always been a matter where "the slightest error could lead a thousand miles astray."
Who treated pill refinement like child's play, announcing they would do it and then simply getting started?
Even Jia Xingtian stammered, his face showing both surprise and delight.
"G-Grandmaster... You mean, you'll refine it here?"
"What's stopping me?" Lin Chen rose, casually smoothing the creases in his black clothes. His tone was as nonchalant as drifting clouds and flowing water.
"That way, I won't have to make another trip later. It's a hassle."
His composure and domineering confidence left the entire room speechless!
In the eyes of countless Dou Emperors, the Break Sect Pill could change the course of their lives. Yet to him, it was something he would refine on the spot simply because he didn't want to be bothered later?
Nalan Su was the first to react, and he shouted excitedly:
"Quick! Clear a space for the Grandmaster! To witness the Grandmaster refine a pill is a blessing we could only hope to receive in three lifetimes!"
The servants swiftly carried away the tables and chairs in the center of the hall.
The guests gathered around, the people in front holding their breath and those behind standing on tiptoe. No one dared even breathe too loudly, afraid of missing a single detail.
Chemir, the Alchemist Guild's vice president, was so excited that even his beard trembled.
He immediately ordered the disciples accompanying him to take notes, his voice quivering:
"Quick! Record every detail of the Grandmaster's pill refinement!"
The third-grade and higher alchemists pushed forward frantically, their eyes wide as copper bells.
They wanted nothing more than to crowd right up beside Lin Chen and watch.
They had never seen a peak sixth-grade pill being refined in their lives, let alone one being made on the spot at a banquet!
Hai Bodong stood at the very front, protecting Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin.
His face was filled with undisguised pride.
He had known how capable Lin Chen was for a long time, but every time he saw Lin Chen amaze the crowd, he still couldn't help admiring him.
Lin Chen walked to the center of the hall. Jia Xingtian personally brought over a Storage Ring studded with gemstones.
He presented it with both hands. "Grandmaster, all the ingredients are inside. Please see if they're enough."
Lin Chen took the Storage Ring. With the slightest movement of his fingers, he finished checking the ingredients inside.
With a casual wave, the Dark Red Wood Cauldron appeared out of thin air and landed steadily on the floor. The patterns on its body shimmered faintly beneath the lights.
He did not adjust his state or close his eyes to focus. He did not even change his breathing.
At a thought from Lin Chen, the eerie, gorgeous Red Lotus Karma Fire instantly surged to life. It wrapped around the cauldron as if alive, enveloping it.
He controlled the flame's heat with pinpoint precision, keeping it burning only inside the cauldron.
It barely warmed the air around them.
The pill refinement began!
With a sweep of his hand, the medicinal ingredients flew out of the Storage Ring like raindrops, landing precisely inside the cauldron.
The order in which each ingredient was added, and the angle at which it fell, were flawless down to the smallest detail.
The purifying power of the Red Lotus Karma Fire erupted inside the cauldron.
The impurities in the ingredients were stripped away in an instant, leaving behind only the purest medicinal essence. The speed of refinement was so astonishing it defied belief.
During the fusion stage, Lin Chen's fingers formed seals rapidly in the air.
His Dou Qi became invisible threads, guiding the medicinal essence as it swirled and fused inside the cauldron. The process was flawless, without the slightest imperfection.
The entire banquet hall was as silent as the grave, with only the faint crackling of the karma fire.
And the heavy breathing of countless people, barely held in check.
Those Alchemists who usually held themselves high and mighty now looked like the most devout apprentices.
Some pulled out paper and brush to take rapid notes, while others stared fixedly at the cauldron. One moment they were slapping their thighs in sudden realization; the next, scratching their heads in frustration after missing a detail, or trembling all over with excitement.
A fourth-tier Alchemist murmured:
"So that's how it is! You can control the flame like that while the medicinal energies are merging... I've truly wasted all these years refining pills!"
Vice President Chemir watched the Memory Crystal while explaining things to the disciples beside him.
"Do you see how precise the Master's soul power is? Every wisp of flame is controlled to perfection. This is the pinnacle of alchemy!"
"What we used to do could only be called 'boiling medicine'!"
Though powerful figures like Jia Xingtian, Nalan Jie, and Mu Chen couldn't understand the intricacies of alchemy,
they could feel the energy fluctuations growing ever more immense within the cauldron. As time passed, the waves grew heavier and heavier, as if a giant dragon were awakening inside.
They stared intently at the cauldron, their hearts surging.
Even their palms were sweating.
Xiao Yi Xian gazed at Lin Chen's focused profile, her eyes filled with tenderness.
She knew that Lin Chen seemed relaxed, but in truth, he was controlling his soul power, Dou Qi, and flames with utmost precision.
Qing Lin watched with shining eyes, her little hands clenched tight.
She silently memorized every one of Lin Chen's movements, thinking that she, too, would become this powerful one day.
Time flew by as Lin Chen worked with effortless fluidity.
Suddenly, the cauldron shook violently, letting out a deafening roar!
A purple pillar of light, even more dazzling than the one in Black Rock City, shot into the sky.
It nearly pierced through the banquet hall's dome!
Within the pillar of light, the phantom shape of a green dragon coiled and roared.
Its voice rang through the clouds, loud enough to be heard even in the distant streets!
"The pill is complete!!!"
Someone let out an excited roar, instantly setting the whole hall ablaze with emotion!
The cauldron lid was flung off with a bang.
A pill shimmering with purple light slowly floated in midair:
Golden dragon patterns coiled around its surface, and its pill fragrance was concentrated to the utmost. Even the faintest wisp of its scent made everyone present feel their Dou Qi flow more smoothly!
This was a Break Sect Pill of perfect quality!
And its refinement was even better than the one Lin Chen had made in Black Rock City!
The banquet hall fell deathly silent at first. You could have heard a pin drop.
Then—
"Hooray!!!"
Like a dam bursting, cheers, gasps of amazement, and ecstatic roars instantly drowned out the entire hall!
Some people leaped into the air, while others slapped the tables with all their might.
Even Jia Xingtian couldn't help clenching his fists, his eyes full of wild joy and longing.
"It worked! It really worked! He refined a Break Sect Pill right here at the banquet!"
"Perfect quality! How is that possible?!"
"A miracle! Master Lin is a living miracle!"
Lin Chen raised a hand, beckoning the Break Sect Pill over to him.
Then he placed it in a jade bottle and tossed it to Jia Xingtian.
"I'm glad I didn't disappoint."
His tone remained calm, as if he had merely finished a minor task.
Jia Xingtian fumbled to catch the jade bottle, his fingers trembling.
He bowed deeply to Lin Chen, bending so far that his back was almost at a right angle.
His voice trembled as he said, "Many thanks, Master! The Jia Ma Imperial Family will never forget your kindness! Should you have any need in the future, the Imperial Family will do everything in its power to help!"
At that moment,
everyone looked at Lin Chen with nothing but boundless awe and adoration:
To casually refine a perfect Break Sect Pill at a banquet—such skill was enough to reign supreme across the Jia Ma Empire!
Vice President Chemir hurried forward, holding a golden badge.
It bore not only six stars but also a lifelike pattern of an alchemy cauldron.
Tiny gemstones were set around its edge, making it clear at a glance that it symbolized the highest honor.
"Master Lin!" Chemir's voice rose with excitement until he was practically shouting.
"By unanimous decision of President Fa Ma and all the elders of the Alchemist Guild's headquarters, in recognition of your miraculous alchemy skills,"
"we hereby appoint you Honorary President of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Guild! Please, do not refuse!"
Honorary President!
The crowd erupted into another uproar, but not a single person thought the appointment was inappropriate.
With Lin Chen's skill, he was more than worthy of the honor!
Some even felt that this honor was still an insult to Lin Chen!
Lin Chen accepted the badge, ran his fingertips over its patterns, and gave a slight nod:
"Very well."
His reaction was as calm as ever, but no one thought it discourteous.
In their eyes, a true master was naturally this composed, never burdened by honors.
The banquet reached its climax at that moment!
Fine wine was brought out without end. Cheers rose and fell, and everyone celebrated Lin Chen, rejoicing in this moment that had shaken the imperial capital.
That night, Lin Chen's name rose to the very summit of the Jia Ma Empire with unstoppable force!
He had become a living legend!
And Lin Chen, the man who had forged that legend, simply returned to his seat in calm silence.
He casually served Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin each a piece of pastry, then spoke softly:
"Don't just watch. Have something to eat."
Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin gazed at his profile, their eyes shining like stars.
The corners of their mouths lifted without them even noticing:
Beyond the adoring eyes of the crowd, he was still their Lin Chen, the one who cared about them.
The banquet hall's clamor continued, crystal-lamp light spilling over Lin Chen.
Yet it seemed unable to disturb his composure.
He raised his wine cup, took a small sip, and gazed out the window into the night!
The ambition in his heart continued to swell...
Before you continue