Must Be Taken Seriously!

Yang Chen nodded thoughtfully. He didn't harbor any particular animosity towards the Yang Family; after all, his previous status as a "waste" was largely his own doing, and he couldn't blame the Yang Family for it. However, he genuinely admired Second Master Yang's noble character.

Second Master Yang spoke, "Therefore, the reward I'm giving you isn't something I'm bestowing unilaterally. It's resources I'm granting you on behalf of the Yang Family. And you must not let my expectations of you go unfulfilled."

"Second Master, Yang Chen will not," Yang Chen replied.

"Good, young people should have this kind of vibrant spirit. Now, try to refine the Clear Fire Pill. Don't rush; if you don't succeed this time, there will be other opportunities," Second Master Yang said kindly, holding great expectations for Yang Chen.

Yang Chen wasted no more time. He sat down in front of the alchemy furnace and began to imitate Second Master Yang's refining techniques for the Clear Fire Pill.

Considering his experience and comprehension, imitating Second Master Yang's alchemy techniques was incredibly easy. It was as simple as an adult imitating a child.

Indeed, in terms of age, Yang Chen, whether in this life or his previous one, couldn't compare to Second Master Yang. But when it came to alchemy skills and standards, the gap between them was immense.

The moment he displayed his refining techniques, Second Master Yang was utterly dumbfounded.

Yang Chen had perfectly replicated his alchemy methods.

He had even mirrored the subtle finger movements with uncanny accuracy.

This...

What kind of comprehension was this?

"Unbelievable, utterly unbelievable," Second Master Yang's mind was in turmoil.

However, this was just the beginning.

As things progressed, his eyes widened further, completely unable to believe what he was seeing.

The more the alchemy process advanced, the more intricate the techniques and steps became. Refining a pill required a considerable amount of mental focus.

Mental focus was the combination of energy and spirit.

While people needed energy for any task, alchemy demanded a significant expenditure of mental focus.

This also indirectly highlighted how complex the refining process was, and how difficult it was to learn, certainly not something achievable in a single day.

Second Master Yang had high hopes for Yang Chen's comprehension, but he still believed Yang Chen would need at least seven or eight attempts to refine a Clear Fire Pill.

If that happened, he would be overjoyed.

But he never would have imagined...

Yang Chen had actually replicated his techniques flawlessly. If Yang Chen continued at this pace, he might succeed in refining the Clear Fire Pill on his very first try.

"This..."

Second Master Yang was speechless; it was truly hard to believe it was real.

They had now reached the most difficult stage, yet Yang Chen was still refining smoothly. The delicate steps, the dazzling details – Yang Chen handled them all perfectly, without a single mistake. It was as if his alchemy techniques had been etched into Yang Chen's mind.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, the alchemy furnace opened, and a solidified pill, propelled by the furnace's impact, leaped out.

Yang Chen reacted swiftly, catching the pill.

He wiped the sweat from his brow. For him, imitating Second Master Yang's refining techniques while making slight adjustments to ensure only one Clear Fire Pill was produced was a difficult balancing act. Anyone else would have crumbled under the complexity of the process.

There was no other way; after all, he couldn't possibly use his original refining methods. If he had, Second Master Yang would have been utterly stunned, and he wouldn't have had any explanation. Would he claim he invented it himself?

As he pondered this, Second Master Yang had already sprung from his chair.

He could barely believe his eyes as he looked at the Clear Fire Pill, his shock so profound it could only be described as earth-shattering.

One time!

On his very first attempt, Yang Chen had refined a Clear Fire Pill.

This...

Second Master Yang grabbed Yang Chen's arm, tears streaming down his face. "Hahaha, wonderful, Yang Chen, Yang Chen! I've waited so long for you. Do you know how long I've struggled to maintain the Yang Family's foundation in alchemy? Yet, we've lacked a truly promising talent. You are the talent we've been waiting for!"

For a family to rise, the key lay in the next generation.

In terms of alchemy, the Yang Family was indeed being propped up by him alone. His greatest hope was to see someone who could succeed him, someone who could support the Yang Family's alchemy lineage after he grew old.

"Study alchemy diligently, with a focused mind. In time, you will undoubtedly become an Alchemy Grandmaster, your achievements surpassing even my own."

Yang Chen said with a wry smile, "Second Master, you flatter me."

"No, not at all. To refine a Clear Fire Pill on your first try – such an achievement is something even the alchemy prodigies of major families could never accomplish. Yang Chen, you are absolutely the number one alchemy genius I have ever seen!" Second Master Yang said without exaggeration, his emotions running high.

He had traveled to the prosperous lands beyond the Great Wilderness.

The geniuses from outside the Great Wilderness were indeed far superior to those within.

However, a prodigy like Yang Chen, who could perfectly articulate his alchemy techniques after only two viewings and then refine a Clear Fire Pill on his first attempt – this was the first time he had encountered such a talent. Even the top geniuses from the outside world needed at least four or five attempts to fully grasp someone else's alchemy techniques.

Those were already considered geniuses among geniuses, and if they joined major alchemy sects, they would surely be highly sought after. Yet Yang Chen only needed two viewings!

He didn't know that in his previous life, Yang Chen could always replicate someone's alchemy after watching them just once.

He had successfully "stolen" techniques from countless Alchemy Grandmasters, which was also the reason for his fame back then. No one else could achieve what he did – learning someone's alchemy techniques in one go, even refining pills, despite all the measures taken to prevent technique theft.

However, in this life, Yang Chen dared not be too ostentatious. But he had still underestimated his own alchemy talent from his past life; even two viewings were enough to render Second Master Yang speechless with shock.

Second Master Yang said with a trembling voice, "Yang Chen, I will take you to see the Clan Head immediately. If such a genius is not given due importance by the family, if this is not publicized, would that not be an injustice! You are only thirteen years old, and you've already reached the level of a First-Rank High-Level Alchemist. With your astonishing comprehension, the Yang Family's rise is within reach!"

With those words, Second Master Yang directly pulled Yang Chen along to report the matter to the Clan Head.

For him, informing the Yang Family that Yang Chen was an alchemy genius rarely seen in a century was the most crucial matter at hand.

Yang Chen was indeed a rare alchemy prodigy, even the future hope of the family's alchemy lineage.

All the talk about Yang Chen being a waste or being unmotivated was utter nonsense.