Xiao Yuzhi had weathered great rises and falls. Even after appearing at the Heaven-Bearing Prefectural Office, he had no intention of returning to active duty immediately, instead claiming serious injuries and resting to recuperate.
Even when word reached the Imperial Palace, no special attention came his way. The emperor's thoughts were entirely occupied by the Immortal Elixir.
If the Magic Appraisal Assembly had once dazzled the emperor like a hundred flowers blooming at once, filling him with grand ambitions, he had now "returned to the ordinary." He pinned his hopes on the Immortal Elixir, seeking only the "modest" wish of eternal life, or at least a longer lifespan.
Of course, the search for Mages in the Capital City had not stopped either. The emperor's humiliation had indeed turned to fury.
Inside the Azure Spirit Estate, the enormous Alchemy Furnace still radiated waves of heat. Passed down through generations of their lineage, it had truly become a treasure rarely seen in the mortal world. Its most crucial feature was the spiritual fire nurtured within it, which had made the entire furnace increasingly extraordinary.
Although Zhuang Shengyi claimed to have learned all his master's skills, in all these years he had never truly operated the furnace alone-especially with his life under threat.
But he had no choice. Refusing meant losing his life, so Zhuang Shengyi could only steel himself and proceed.
Several junior disciples captured alongside him could only sit around the Alchemy Furnace and guard the process as before, while Zhuang Shengyi used a wooden ladder to keep adding ingredients.
"Gurrrrr..."
Using a copper hook, he carefully pushed the lid aside a little. Although the alchemical fire and ingredients remained separate inside, a red glow now shone out, roasting Zhuang Shengyi's face crimson.
His master had caused many "elixir explosions" before,