"I said, you can't use sulfur in the Separation Fire Glazed Glass Pill."
Under Lin Xulun's gaze, Xia Yu inexplicably felt a little guilty.
"You know alchemy?" Lin Xulun asked.
"A little," Xia Yu said modestly.
After all, this was his martial uncle. A little modesty was always a good thing.
But at Xia Yu's words, Lin Xulun's face darkened. He said coldly, "Either you know it or you don't. What do you mean, 'a little'?"
"The Separation Fire Glazed Glass Pill is still a King Tier pill, but it's the finest of its kind. Calling it the lowest-grade Emperor Pill wouldn't be an exaggeration, and you're telling me you know 'a little'?"
"How old are you? Who taught you alchemy? How many years have you studied?"
As he spoke, Lin Xulun walked up to Xia Yu.
His bright, piercing eyes fixed on Xia Yu.
To him, everything concerning alchemy was a matter of the utmost seriousness.
Xia Yu froze!
Martial Uncle Lin's temperament was bizarre beyond belief!
His moods changed on a whim!
He could feel the scrutiny and distrust in Martial Uncle Lin's gaze.
That look made Xia Yu deeply uncomfortable.
He was young and hot-blooded!
He blurted out, "I don't need to tell you how I learned. I'll just refine it for you to see."
Lin Xulun gave Xia Yu a long look. After a moment's thought, he uttered a single word: "Fine."
When they heard Xia Yu intended to refine pills, Su Deyu and Shen Yuxuan were dumbfounded.
Your talent for cultivation is already so extraordinary, and you know alchemy too?
"Are you certain? That's practically the same as refining an Emperor Pill!"
Su Deyu couldn't help asking again. This disciple he had just accepted had quite a few secrets.
That was perfectly normal, but if he really could refine a Separation Fire Glazed Glass Pill, his monstrous talent would be a little too much.
"Yes, Master. Sorry for the trouble, but please look after my sister."
Neither servile nor arrogant, Xia Yu spoke calmly.
"All right. Leave your sister to me."
"Let's go," Lin Xulun urged.
Xia Yu nodded and followed Lin Xulun without dragging his feet.
Su Deyu watched Xia Yu's retreating figure, his eyes flickering with unreadable thoughts.
"Master, are you worried about my brother?"
Suddenly, Xia Yao spoke slowly from the bed.
"A little, yes."
Su Deyu didn't deny it.
He hadn't even had time to assess his new disciple's character, and the boy was already off to refine pills.
And not just any pills, but top-grade King Tier pills.
He knew very well how stubborn Lin Xulun was. If Xia Yu caused trouble, even he might not be able to smooth things over.
Besides, Xia Yu had already caused an uproar at the Martial Saint Academy. His audacity, meticulous planning, and decisiveness in killing marked him as someone who was never afraid of making trouble bigger.
How could anyone not worry about someone like that?
"If you're worried, Master, why don't we go take a look together?"
Xia Yao struggled to prop herself up and sit.
"Take a look? Yes, we ought to, but your health..."
"Master, I can manage. I want to see too."
"You're worried about him?"
"I'm not!" Xia Yao lifted her chin and said each word distinctly. "Whatever he sets out to do, he never fails!"
Uh!
For a moment, both Su Deyu and Shen Yuxuan froze.
Just how much confidence did she have?
You trust your brother that much?
Seeing Xia Yao's proud gaze and expression, Su Deyu fell silent for a moment before saying, "You shouldn't be moving in your condition. Yuxuan, go take a look in my place. Whatever happens, you must protect your junior brother."
"Yes, Master," Shen Yuxuan replied, turning to leave.
Suddenly, someone arrived with a report.
"Headmaster, Her Highness the Seventh Princess is here."
"Why has she come?" Su Deyu was puzzled.
The Dao-Seeking Academy was a far cry from what it had once been. Although the imperial family now offered considerable support, their main aim was to build up the academy as a counterweight to the Martial Saint Academy.
Yet apart from His Majesty's personal visit three years ago, no one had come since.
It was said that after returning to the palace that day, His Majesty had worn a grim expression for several days.
The truth was, the Dao-Seeking Academy in its current state was rather an embarrassment.
The princes and princesses were even less willing to come study there.
For the Seventh Princess, His Majesty's most beloved daughter, to suddenly visit was simply too strange.
"Did Her Highness say anything?" he asked.
"Her Highness said she came to see Xia Yu."
Su Deyu's eyes immediately lit up, and he looked at Xia Yao.
"I don't know how my brother met Her Highness the Seventh Princess, but before we came to the Capital City, they had a match. Apparently, she told him to bring me to the Capital City to find Shangguan Ming Yue. I think she also gave him a jade pendant."
Xia Yao held nothing back.
Although she had spoken with great confidence, she wasn't entirely free of worry.
If mentioning the Seventh Princess could help her brother at all, so much the better.
Su Deyu smiled. "Yuxuan, go welcome the princess and take her straight to the Pill Academy."
"Yes, Master. I understand."
Shen Yuxuan answered and turned to leave.
Meanwhile, the moment Lin Xulun returned to the Pill Academy, he shouted sternly, "Prepare the furnace! We're refining pills!"
Lin Xulun led Xia Yu down a passage, descending all the way into the heart of the mountain.
Looking at the spacious cavern and the steaming magma on the ground, Xia Yu silently marveled.
Even the declining Wendao Academy had a place this good.
Soon, Lin Xulun had everything ready. Two gray-haired old men and four young people arrived from the Pill Academy.
Lin Xulun wasn't in the mood for introductions. After having Xia Yu carefully inspect the ingredients and confirm that everything was correct, he formed a hand seal and activated the formation.
Streaks of light lit up across the ground.
A wisp of blue-green flame slowly rose from the magma.
When it reached the underside of the Pill Furnace, the blue-green flame gradually turned purple.
That was the color the flame took on after reaching a certain temperature.
"Martial Uncle Lin, I'm not familiar with the fire controls here. You handle those, and I'll focus on refining the pill."
Without standing on ceremony, Xia Yu went straight to the medicinal ingredients and began extracting their liquid essence.
After a moment's silence, Lin Xulun began heating the furnace.
The two old men and their four disciples remained silent.
By the time Shen Yuxuan and An Qing entered the Alchemy Chamber, Xia Yu had already begun refining. Neither spoke as they took their places at the back.
An Qing watched Xia Yu with intense curiosity.
This fellow knew alchemy too? What sort of pill could he refine at such a young age?
"A fierce flame! Higher!"
"Higher still!"
"Maximum output!"
Xia Yu's voice grew louder with each command.
With his left hand, he fed the extracted medicinal liquid into the Pill Furnace, while his right hand struck it ceaselessly.
Thump, thump, thump!
The blows carried a peculiar rhythm!
As time ticked by, Xia Yu finished adding the medicinal liquid and began striking the Pill Furnace with both hands.
It sounded as though Xia Yu were performing a piece of percussion music.
Under Xia Yu's repeated strikes, the entire Pill Furnace began spinning rapidly.
"A gentle flame!"
An hour later, Xia Yu suddenly spoke.
His strikes were slowing as well.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Xia Yu suddenly said, "Extinguish the flame!"
The next instant, he slammed his palm against the Pill Furnace.
Hum!
The Pill Furnace hummed and shook violently.
The sound left everyone a little dizzy.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Six pills shot skyward from inside the Pill Furnace.
In an instant, fragrance filled the Alchemy Chamber.
Before you continue