The Drug Hall elder's eyes widened. He stared at Xiao Chen's hands, as though trying to etch every movement into his mind.
He had spent decades refining pills and considered himself skilled at controlling fire. But after seeing Xiao Chen's technique, he felt as though those decades had been wasted!
About half an hour later.
Xiao Chen called out, "The pills are ready!"
With a sweep of his sleeve, the furnace lid flew open. Three smooth, plump pills rose from within and landed neatly in his palm.
A soft luster flowed across them, and their rich fragrance filled the room. Their quality was plain to see!
"Superior... second-grade pills!"
The Drug Hall elder looked stunned, his voice trembling. "Superior second-grade pills refined with ordinary fire! Elder Xiao Chen, that technique of yours... it deserves to be called divine!"
"I've refined pills for decades, yet I've never seen anyone produce pills of this quality with ordinary fire! Elder Xiao Chen, who was your master?"
At those words, every gaze in the hall fell on Xiao Chen, each face full of disbelief.
Superior second-grade pills!
Even the Drug Hall elder would have to exhaust himself to refine a batch, yet this elder before them had made them with ordinary fire—and made it look easy!
Xiao Chen merely smiled. "A little trick, hardly worth mentioning."
The hall fell silent again.
Had anyone else called it a little trick, they would have been mocked for their arrogance. But coming from Xiao Chen, it only made everyone feel...
He was telling the truth.
To him, refining superior pills with ordinary fire really did seem effortless.
"Knowing when to hide your skill takes judgment. So does knowing when to show it."
Xiao Chen swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke calmly.
"If the Xiao Clan is to establish itself in Wutan City, we need something to show for ourselves. I demonstrated this today so you would all know that the Xiao Clan's pill-refining skills are second to none."
"Well said!"
The Drug Hall elder clapped in admiration.
"Elder Xiao Chen, what spirit!"
Xiao Chen put away the pills and turned to leave, but the Drug Hall elder caught his arm.
"Elder Xiao Chen, wait! I have a request... Would you be willing to join the Drug Hall and study pill refining with us? I'll pay you handsomely!"
"I appreciate the offer."
Xiao Chen smiled and shook his head.
"But I have two requests. If you agree to them, I'll gladly share everything I know about pill refining with the Xiao Clan."
"Please, tell me!"
"First, I must be free to refine whatever I choose. The Drug Hall cannot interfere with my work."
Xiao Chen continued slowly, "Second..."
He paused and looked around the hall.
"Young Master Xiao Yan must have priority when it comes to medicine."
The hall erupted in surprise.
Everyone exchanged looks. None had expected Elder Xiao Chen to pass up a fine position in the Drug Hall and ask only for these two seemingly simple things.
"Elder Xiao Chen... is that truly all you want?"
The Drug Hall elder looked baffled.
"With your abilities, I'd even give you the position of deputy hall master if you asked!"
"I appreciate your generosity."
Xiao Chen smiled and shook his head.
"But I've never sought an empty title. What I want is freedom. Pill refining should follow one's own will. Bound by rules, it loses its very essence."
The Drug Hall elder froze for a moment, then burst out laughing and clapped his hands.
"Well said! Follow one's own will!"
"Elder Xiao Chen, with a mindset like yours, it's no wonder you can refine such fine pills!"
"Very well, I agree to both requests! You may refine pills freely, and Young Master Xiao Yan will have priority for medicine. Starting today, the Drug Hall will set aside a refining room for your exclusive use!"
"Thank you for granting my requests."
Xiao Chen cupped his hands and left.
The freedom to refine pills meant he could supply Xiao Yan without restraint.
And giving Xiao Yan priority meant he could send him whatever he wanted!
The Xiao Clan's rear mountain.
Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on a blue stone, his energy circulating steadily around him.
Since taking the Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid and breaking through to Dou Zhe, his cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds. With the Warm Nourishing Pills Xiao Chen sent every few days, he was already showing signs of reaching the middle stage of Dou Zhe after barely a month.
But tonight, he could not settle his mind.
A question that had long troubled him finally rose to the surface.
Why is Master Xiao going so far out of his way to help me?
He remembered the day his engagement was broken. How many in the clan had whispered behind his back? How many pairs of eyes had gleamed with spiteful delight?
Only the gray-robed elder had handed him a bottle of Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid and told him, "I'm betting you can win it all back in three years."
Would anyone in this world really treat a good-for-nothing so well for no reason?
The next morning.
Xiao Yan went straight to Xiao Chen's courtyard. The moment he stepped inside, he cupped his fists and bowed deeply.
"Master Xiao, Yan'er has something to ask you. Please give me an honest answer!"
Xiao Chen was sitting in the courtyard, drinking tea. Seeing Xiao Yan look so solemn, he couldn't help smiling.
"Oh? What could make our Little Yan so serious?"
"Master Xiao, why are you helping me?"
Xiao Yan raised his head and looked Xiao Chen straight in the eye, speaking one word at a time.
"I'm just a good-for-nothing everyone despises. After my engagement was broken, my reputation sank even lower."
"But you gave me Foundation-Building Spiritual Liquid, then cultivation methods and pills. You even handed me the Xuan Tier Gale Step without hesitation... I can't understand it, Master Xiao. What do you hope to gain?"
He had kept that question bottled up for a long time. At last, he had asked it.
He stared at Xiao Chen, waiting for the answer he had sought for so long but could never work out.
Xiao Chen set down his teacup and studied Xiao Yan for a long moment.
Then he suddenly smiled.
"What do I hope to gain? I want to see you stand proudly before the gates of the Misty Cloud Sect in three years and win back everything you lost."
Xiao Yan went rigid.
"Listen carefully, Little Yan."
Xiao Chen slowly rose to his feet.
"The strong are called strong because they have a refusal to lose in their bones!"
"That drive is the source of their strength."
"I'm helping you because I saw that drive in you!"
"Because I believe you can grow strong enough to restore the Xiao Clan's honor!"
"I'm betting that in three years, you, Xiao Yan, will soar!"
Xiao Yan stood rooted to the spot, his chest tight with emotion.
He had seen too many people turn cold eyes on him, too many kick him while he was down. But no one had ever been like Xiao Chen, betting that he would grow stronger!
Betting that he would restore the Xiao Clan's honor!
"Master Xiao..."
Xiao Yan's eyes burned as he cupped his fists in a deep salute.
"I, Xiao Yan, will remember what you've done for me! If I achieve anything in the future, I will never forget this day!"
"Good!"
Xiao Chen clapped his hands and laughed heartily.
With his question answered, Xiao Yan turned to leave.
"Wait."
Xiao Chen called him back. "If anything about cultivation puzzles you, come to me anytime. My cultivation may not be high, but I do know a thing or two about how it works."
"Yes, Master Xiao!"
Xiao Yan grinned and headed out.
As he passed through the courtyard gate, Xiao Yan couldn't help looking back. The gray-robed elder stood inside with his hands behind his back and gave him a slight nod.
Xiao Yan nodded firmly, then strode toward the training ground on the rear mountain, his steps lighter than ever.
Not long after he left.
A Xiao Clan servant happened to pass by Xiao Chen's courtyard and heard a quiet chuckle from within.
Curious, the servant peered inside. For some reason, a shiver ran through him. He felt as though something lurked behind the elder's smile that he couldn't fathom.
"Strange... Elder Xiao Chen looks like he's found a treasure."
The servant muttered to himself, shook his head, and walked away.
Of course, he had no idea how Xiao Chen felt at that moment.
That afternoon.
Xiao Yan darted through the forest like the wind, drawing amazed murmurs from several passing Xiao Clan guards.
"Young Master Xiao Yan's progress is downright frightening!"
"I hear Elder Xiao Chen taught him everything... Hah, that elder is truly unfathomable!"