Must Be Taken Seriously!

Yang Chen nodded thoughtfully. He did not harbor any particular hatred toward the Yang Lineage. After all, the former Yang Chen had been such trash entirely through his own doing; the Yang Lineage could not be blamed. Still, Second Master Yang's lofty integrity truly earned his admiration.

Second Master Yang said, "Therefore, the reward I am giving you is not something I am providing alone, but resources granted to you on behalf of the Yang Lineage. And you must not disappoint the expectations I have placed upon you."

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

"Good. Young people should have such vigorous spirit. Now, try refining a Clear Fire Pill. There is no need to rush. Even if you fail this time, there will be other chances," Second Master Yang said kindly, holding great expectations for Yang Chen.

Yang Chen wasted no more time. He plopped down before the alchemy furnace and began imitating Second Master Yang's method to refine a Clear Fire Pill.

With his experience and comprehension, clearly imitating Second Master Yang's Alchemy techniques was as easy as pie. It was like an adult imitating a child—nothing could be simpler.

Indeed, in terms of age, Yang Chen might not surpass Second Master Yang even across both his lives. But in terms of Alchemy techniques and standards, the gap between Second Master Yang and him was truly as vast as heaven and earth.

The moment Yang Chen displayed those Alchemy techniques, Second Master Yang was left staring dumbstruck.

Yang Chen had learned his Alchemy techniques exactly.

Even the minute details of certain finger movements were executed identically.

This...

Just what kind of comprehension was this?

"Unbelievable, unbelievable." A tempestuous sea rose in Second Master Yang's heart.

Yet this was only the beginning.

As things continued, his eyes widened further, and he simply could not believe what he was seeing was real.

The further one progressed in alchemy, the more complicated the techniques and procedures became. Refining a pill from start to finish placed enormous demands on one's mental focus and energy.

Mental focus was the union of stamina and willpower.

A person needed energy to do anything, and alchemy consumed an even greater amount of mental focus.

This also showed from the side just how complicated the alchemical procedures were. Learning them was exceedingly, exceedingly difficult; it was by no means the work of a single day.

Second Master Yang thought highly of Yang Chen's comprehension, but he had only believed that Yang Chen would need at least seven or eight attempts before he could possibly refine a Clear Fire Pill.

If that happened, he would be happy enough to leap onto the roof beam.

Yet he never could have imagined...

Yang Chen had actually learned his techniques exactly, without the slightest difference. If Yang Chen continued at this pace, he might very well successfully refine a Clear Fire Pill on his very first try.

"This..."

Second Master Yang was dumbfounded. It was truly hard to imagine that this was real.

They had now reached the most difficult stage, yet Yang Chen still proceeded with the wind at his back and the water beneath his boat. Those delicate steps and dazzling details were handled with perfect precision. Not a single mistake was made; it was as though Second Master Yang's Alchemy techniques had already been engraved in Yang Chen's mind.

Bang!

The alchemy furnace suddenly opened. Immediately afterward, a formed pill sprang out from within, propelled by the force of the furnace.

Yang Chen reacted with lightning speed and swiftly caught the pill.

He wiped away his sweat. For him, imitating Second Master Yang's refining method while making slight deviations in the details, then ensuring that only a single Clear Fire Pill emerged at the end, was extremely difficult to control. Anyone else would have long since collapsed within such a complicated system.

There was nothing he could do about it. He could hardly reveal his own original Alchemy techniques; Second Master Yang would probably be stunned silly, and Yang Chen would not even have an explanation. Could he say that he had created them himself?

As these thoughts ran through his mind, Second Master Yang had already shot up from his chair.

He stared at the Clear Fire Pill, scarcely daring to trust his own eyes. The shock in his heart could only be described as rivers and seas turning upside down.

One time!

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

This...

Second Master Yang grabbed Yang Chen's arm, tears streaming down his aged face as he said, "Hahaha, wonderful! Yang Chen, Yang Chen. I have waited for you for far too long. Do you know how long I have struggled to support the Yang Lineage's alchemists? Yet I alone lacked a fine sapling. And you—you are precisely the fine sapling I have been waiting for!"

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

In alchemy, the Yang Lineage truly had been supported by him alone. What he most hoped to see was someone who could succeed him and, after he grew old, take his place in supporting the Yang Lineage's alchemical branch.

"You need only study alchemy carefully and devote yourself to it without distraction. Given time, you will surely become an Alchemy Grandmaster of your generation. Your achievements will be no less than this old man's."

Yang Chen did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Second Master, you flatter me."

"No, not at all. Refining a Clear Fire Pill in just one attempt—such an achievement is impossible even for the Alchemy Geniuses of those great Lineages. Yang Chen, you are absolutely the Number One Genius in alchemy that this old man has ever seen!" Second Master Yang said without the slightest exaggeration. He was simply too excited.

He had also visited the prosperous lands beyond the Great Wilderness.

The geniuses beyond the Great Wilderness were indeed far more outstanding than those within it.

But a monstrous talent like Yang Chen's, who could recount every detail of his Alchemy techniques after watching only twice and refine a Clear Fire Pill upon trying once, was someone he had encountered for the first time. One had to know that even those top geniuses from the outside world needed at least four or five viewings to discern every detail when learning another's alchemy.

Those were already geniuses among geniuses. If they entered those great alchemy sects, they would surely become objects of fierce competition. Yet Yang Chen needed only two times!

What he did not know was that in his previous life, Yang Chen had always learned another person's alchemy after watching just once.

He had successfully stolen the teachings of countless Alchemy Grandmasters. This was also why his name had risen to prominence back then, for no one could do as he did—learn another's Alchemy techniques in a single viewing and even refine pills under all kinds of measures meant to prevent stolen teachings.

But in this life, Yang Chen did not dare be overly high-profile. Even so, he had underestimated his own alchemical talent from back then. Even two viewings were enough to leave Second Master Yang so stunned that he could not speak.

Second Master Yang said in a trembling voice, "Yang Chen, this old man will take you to see the Patriarch at once. For such a genius not to receive the Lineage's attention, not to be proclaimed to all—where would justice be found? You are only thirteen, yet you have already become a First-Rank High-Level Alchemist. With such astonishing comprehension, there is hope for the rise of my Yang Lineage!"

After saying this, Second Master Yang directly dragged Yang Chen away to report the matter to the Patriarch.

To him, the most crucial matter now was to tell the Yang Lineage that Yang Chen was an alchemical genius seen only once in a hundred years.

Yang Chen truly was a rare alchemical prodigy, even the hope of the Lineage's future alchemy.

All that talk about Yang Chen being trash and lacking ambition was utter nonsense.