It exploded

"Utter nonsense!"

Walking ahead of them, Uncle-Master Yuxuan turned to glance at Hao Yun. "Never mind our Bamboo Peak. Throughout the entire history of the Great Void Sect, among all the elders and disciples on every peak, has a single one ever been able to refine a high-grade Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"I would count myself fortunate just to produce a batch of low-grade pills!"

"Of course, if one or two mid-grade pills came out, that would be a blessing begged from heaven!"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Hao Yun quickly corrected himself. "Then let me wish you success in advance, Senior Master. May this entire batch turn out mid-grade!"

"Heh..." Uncle-Master Yuxuan chuckled and raised his snow-white horsetail whisk again. "You certainly have a silver tongue, lad!"

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to He Pingsheng. "You look unfamiliar. What is your name?"

Seeing that Yuxuan had addressed him, He Pingsheng showed no fear. He cupped his hands, neither servile nor arrogant. "This disciple... ah, no... this boy is named He Pingsheng. I am a Servant Disciple!"

The Great Void Sect had a strict hierarchy, with different forms of address and etiquette for each rank.

He was a Servant Disciple, whereas Hao Yun was an Outer Disciple.

Thus, Hao Yun could call himself "this disciple," while he could only call himself "this boy."

"A servant?" Yuxuan looked He Pingsheng over and asked, "Do you have a Spirit Root?"

"Yes!" He Pingsheng cupped his hands again. "This boy has a five-element spiritual root, encompassing metal, wood, water, fire, and earth!"

"Ah?" True Person Yuxuan suddenly started, exclaiming in surprise, "A five-element spiritual root, no less?"

"Alas... what a pity... what a pity!"

He shook his head.

Then he asked, "Do you know someone named He Sanjie?"

He Pingsheng nodded. "He Sanjie was my father, but he passed away several years ago!"

True Person Yuxuan fixed his eyes on He Pingsheng like a pair of nails, then asked quietly, "Do you know how your father died?"

"Yes!" He Pingsheng said. "Uncle Jiang told me he encountered a Demon Beast and was killed by it. Later, my mother went to avenge him and died in the beast's lair as well!"

As he spoke, He Pingsheng's eyes reddened.

His parents had died only a few years earlier. It had not been all that long.

"Alas..." True Person Yuxuan sighed deeply. "Those who cultivate the Dao are bound to meet with misfortune. Since they chose this path, they could have no complaints or regrets."

"When you meet others in the future, do not tell them He Sanjie was your father. Remember that. Remember!"

"Come along. Follow me inside and assist with the pill refinement!"

"Yes!"

The two set off again, following Yuxuan into the alchemy chamber.

The alchemy chamber was spotless.

The floor, the walls, and even the beams overhead were all perfectly clean.

"Very clean. Good!" Yuxuan nodded approvingly, then said, "Hao Yun, start the fire!"

"You understand the heat required for Foundation Establishment Pills, don't you?"

Hao Yun smiled. "I do. The main ingredient for Foundation Establishment Pills is Heavenly Spirit Fruit, and the supplementary ingredients are cassia seeds and pure yang chrysanthemum."

"First, the Heavenly Spirit Fruit must be simmered over a gentle flame, then the cassia seeds and pure yang chrysanthemum must be cooked quickly over high heat!"

"Finally, all three must be fused over a fierce flame. After an hour, a gentle flame is needed again to drive the excess moisture out of the Alchemy Furnace!"

"But I must follow your instructions on exactly when to make each adjustment, Senior Master!"

Hao Yun seemed quite well versed in the art of pill refinement.

"Good, good, good. Excellent... heh..." Yuxuan smiled. "Then let us begin!"

Hao Yun crouched down himself and began building a fire beneath the enormous Alchemy Furnace.

A large ladleful of water was added to the Alchemy Furnace.

Why?

Because wood fed fire!

Medicinal ingredients belonged to wood among the five elements, while fire naturally belonged to fire.

Without anything to mediate between them, medicinal ingredients placed directly in the Alchemy Furnace would instantly burn to ash.

Thus, something was needed to mediate between wood and fire.

Various Spirit Liquids were best for this purpose.

If no Spirit Liquid was available, water could also be used.

Using water, however, greatly reduced the success rate of pill refinement.

But spiritual liquids were themselves treasures of heaven and earth. How could ordinary people obtain them? Even a Foundation Establishment Realm disciple like Yuxuan could not get his hands on any, so he could only use water.

Of course, there was no need to add too much water.

One ladleful was enough.

Once the water boiled, the main ingredient, Heavenly Spirit Fruit, was added.

Then came the supplementary ingredients!

He Pingsheng could not make sense of the process. He merely carried firewood at the side, helping Hao Yun adjust the flames.

Still, watching Yuxuan take medicinal ingredients out of his Storage Bag one after another, his face filled with envy and curiosity.

Before long, wisps of steam rose through the alchemy chamber.

A fragrance unlike anything he had ever smelled drifted from the Alchemy Furnace. A single breath of it refreshed the mind and lifted the spirit.

"It's almost ready!"

Uncle-Master Yuxuan stared at the Alchemy Furnace, extending his spiritual sense inside it as well. "Lad, reduce the flames at once!"

"Yes, yes... lower still!"

"That's enough!"

"Hahaha... here I go!"

The most crucial step in pill refinement was fusing the ingredients into pills.

Hearing True Person Yuxuan's hearty laughter, He Pingsheng thought the batch was about to be ready!

But the next instant, a tremendous bang rang out...

A powerful wave of energy burst from the Alchemy Furnace.

True Person Yuxuan remained utterly motionless, and Hao Yun was unharmed because he was lying low to tend the fire. But the energy wave struck He Pingsheng squarely, sending him flying three feet into the air before he landed with a thud, sprawling face-first like a dog gnawing the dirt.

I'm done for!

He Pingsheng forgot the pain in his body. All he could think about was whether Uncle-Master Yuxuan would punish them now that the furnace had exploded.

If a mighty Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator flies into a rage, won't my little life be over?

He was not the only one. Hao Yun was trembling with fear beside him too.

The air was thick with medicinal fragrance and the smell of scorching.

There was also a deathly silence.

After roughly three to five breaths, Uncle-Master Yuxuan waved his horsetail whisk. "Neither of you is to blame. Something went wrong when I fused the ingredients. Ultimately, the Heavenly Spirit Fruit was probably of somewhat inferior quality!"

"If I had managed to buy a high-grade Heavenly Spirit Fruit, this batch of Foundation Establishment Pills would have been assured!"

"Clean this up. I am leaving!"

Yuxuan looked deeply displeased.

Although he was already a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, this batch of Foundation Establishment Pills had still consumed more than half his wealth.

Now that the Alchemy Furnace had exploded, all that wealth had vanished into nothing.

"Phew..." After Uncle-Master Yuxuan left, Hao Yun let out a long breath. "I told you, didn't I? Of the dozens of immortals on Bamboo Peak, Uncle-Master Yuxuan has the best temper. He never blames others!"

"If someone short-tempered had come today, neither of us would have escaped a savage beating!"

"Learn from me from now on, and learn to read the situation!"

"Yes!" He Pingsheng nodded hurriedly.

Hao Yun said, "Go on... clean out the Alchemy Furnace, sweep the floor clean, then wipe it down with water!"