Only Xue Nu and Tong Wuqi remained on edge. Seeing Dou Bai's smiling face, while Mo Qi stared intently at the furnace fire with a solemn expression, as if a problem remained unresolved, they felt uneasy.
But if Mo Qi lacked confidence, why come for the experiment? Was he tired of living? Or was he sacrificing himself for the art of alchemy?
Mo Qi had already stopped the fire and switched to supplying spiritual energy to facilitate the final pill formation.
At this point, many grew impatient. "This is so tedious. Since we're all going to die anyway, can't you just get it over with? Must you be so drawn out?"
Yuwen Dong began to curse, his foul language irritating Xue Nu, causing her to instinctively move aside. The female cultivator followed him.
Some people couldn't bear to watch anymore. What was the point of watching the dying struggle? Thus, some students secretly returned to the lecture hall.
After a long, long while, which felt like an eternity to everyone, Mo Qi had seemingly bought himself more time to live. He finally finished the alchemy, opened the furnace lid, and carefully retrieved two pills.
Mo Qi stated, "Two pills have been refined. I will consume one, and the remaining one goes to Young Master Yuwen, as he paid for it."
Yuwen Dong shook his head. "I don't want it. It's all yours. Eat them both, quickly. We're all watching."
Everyone else also watched him eagerly. "Finish it quickly, we still have classes to attend."
"Alright, then I'll eat them," Mo Qi declared resolutely, tilting his head back and swallowing the pills, his eyes filled with a tragic expression.
Everyone watched Mo Qi intently, their eyes unblinking.
However, Mo Qi slowly sat down, feeling a surge within his soul sea, turbulent and restless, showing signs of losing control.
Knowing his cultivation was about to advance, he guided the spiritual energy of his soul sea to collide and exchange with his mental spiritual energy, circulating the Great Heavenly Cycle.
Dou Bai's expression finally darkened. He knew he had to face this moment eventually. Though difficult, he had to face it.
"All students, I must inform you," Dou Bai said slowly, "After experimental verification, Mo Qi's formula is indeed the best for the Transcending Divinity Pill."
"This class ends here. You are all dismissed."
What? The crowd felt as if they had misheard, staring at Dou Bai in shock, hoping he would tell them they were mistaken.
Yuwen Dong was the most astonished and shocked. It was as if he had been struck by a hammer, leaving him dazed and almost collapsing.
Ying Dansheng also looked ashen, muttering, "Impossible, impossible. No one in this world can do it."
Tong Wuqi's face bloomed with a knowing smile. "This is good news! Everyone should be happy. Not only did Mo Qi save his life, but he also provided us with a highly effective alchemy formula. Isn't this exactly what we hoped to learn?"
"Hmph, spoilsport," people scoffed indifferently and then left with a flick of their sleeves.
Yet, even so, Mo Qi had silently grown in stature in their hearts.
Dou Bai's alchemy skill had been an insurmountable barrier in their minds, a goal they aspired to chase their entire lives.
But this Mo Qi, as if descending from the heavens like a deity, suddenly shone with brilliance, eclipsing Dou Bai's own radiance.
Yuwen Dong remained rooted to the spot, gnashing his teeth in anger, his body trembling uncontrollably.
He had lost his wife and soldiers, how could he not be furious?
Xue Nu looked at the female cultivator beside her, her face alight with excitement. "Sister, didn't I tell you earlier?"
The female cultivator glanced at her. "Look at you, like a lovesick fool, completely smitten. I'm telling you, it's impossible for you to be with him. Father already knows about this. He might arrange your engagement with Young Master Yuwen soon, to crush your hopes."
"What?" Xue Nu felt struck by lightning, staring at the female cultivator, unable to speak for a long time.
After several explosions, Mo Qi's cultivation had advanced to the late stage of Soul Splitting. He continued to push, attempting to break through to the Tribulation Crossing stage, but ultimately failed.
The medicinal effects of the pills had been exhausted, and forcing it further was useless, so he had to give up.
However, at this point, through his inner consciousness, he could clearly sense a "Nascent Soul" within his body, as if it had been born from his own body yet could exist independently of it. It could perceive his thoughts, house his spiritual energy, and even, it seemed, his soul could be entrusted to it.
He could hardly imagine the experience if he were to entrust his soul to it one day and roam freely outside his body.
Just then, Dou Bai, seeing Yuwen Dong looking dejected and without will to live, felt a pang of sympathy. He returned the storage bag he had obtained from him earlier. "Young Master Yuwen, take back these two hundred million spirit stones. This matter has nothing to do with you, and you shouldn't suffer this unjust loss. This was originally a bet between myself and Mo Qi. The loss should be borne by me. Moreover, for me, this is not a loss at all, because I have made a breakthrough in my studies."
As Yuwen Dong reached out to take the storage bag, Mo Qi suddenly pinched a pill between his fingers and said casually, "When I tilted my head back earlier, I actually only ate one pill. I saved the other for the person who bought the Taotie's horn. But if you take back those two hundred million spirit stones, I'll have to give the pill to Teacher Dou."
Yuwen Dong's eyes darted. Such a rare pill was likely beyond monetary value. In other words, it was unobtainable even with money.
He was immediately tempted, looking at Mo Qi. "I've given the spirit stones to the teacher, so I naturally won't take them back."
Mo Qi flicked his finger, and the pill flew out, tracing an arc in the air. "Alright, this pill is yours."
Yuwen Dong quickly lunged forward, catching the pill and examining it from all sides, as if he had acquired a priceless treasure.
Mo Qi suddenly said, "I recall Miss Xi Xue is also in the Transcending Divinity stage, and you like her so much. This pill would be perfect to give to her. You are likely only in the Nascent Soul stage now, so you probably won't need it, right?"
As soon as he said this, Xue Nu and Chao Xiyu both stared intently at Yuwen Dong, watching how he would handle the situation.
Yuwen Dong looked at Xue Nu, then at the pill in his hand, his face turning a mottled purple, as if he were in labor.
After a long pause, he looked at Xue Nu and said, "Xixue, look, I can't use this pill now, but I can keep it. I will break through to the Soul Splitting stage soon, and then I will be able to use it. My cultivation is lower than yours, and I've always felt inferior. When I catch up to you then, we won't have any distance between us."
Xue Nu snorted coldly. "It's your own property, do as you please. Besides, the distance between us is not caused by cultivation."
"Then I'll be leaving." Yuwen Dong put away the pill and fled shamefacedly.
Xue Nu turned to Chao Xiyu. "Sister, look, is a person like this worth entrusting my life to?"
Chao Xiyu sighed. "I will report what I've seen to Father, but I can't say for sure if it will change his decision."
Meanwhile, Mo Qi still held a Soul Splitting Pill in his hand. He quietly placed it into his storage bag.
In reality, what he had given to Yuwen Dong earlier was merely a spiritual energy pill.
He decided to save the remaining Soul Splitting Pill for Xue Ying. She had voluntarily given up her chance to enter the Heaven Tier Academy, so he had to compensate her in some way.
Dou Bai suddenly glanced at Xue Nu and the others. "You all go out first. I have something to ask Mo Qi."
The word "ask" coming from his mouth did not strike anyone as odd.
Xue Nu, Tong Wuqi, and Chao Xiyu withdrew one after another.
Dou Bai opened another door on the side of the alchemy room and led Mo Qi through it. They walked through a long corridor and entered another room, where five or six old men were busy with their tasks.
Some were refining pills, while others sat at tables, contemplating something from the formulas before them.
Dou Bai led Mo Qi directly to a white-haired, black-bearded elder. On the table before him was a sheet of paper covered with dense characters. Mo Qi glanced at it and recognized it as a formula.
The elder was engrossed in the formula, his brow furrowed in deep thought.
Dou Bai said, "Supervisor Qin, this is Mo Xin, student Mo. He is an absolute alchemy genius. Just now, I personally witnessed him separate the toxin from the Du Chuan Black Stone and then use it for alchemy. It was truly miraculous and opened my eyes. I wish for him to join our Alchemy Association. What are your thoughts?"
Supervisor Qin was initially indifferent, maintaining an air of superiority. Only when Dou Bai mentioned Mo Qi's ability to separate the Du Chuan Black Stone toxin did he let out a slight "Oh." After Dou Bai finished speaking, he cast his gaze over Mo Qi a couple of times.
"Student Mo? So he's one of our students?" Supervisor Qin asked indifferently, sitting on his stool with his legs crossed.
"Yes, today is his first day of class," Dou Bai replied.
Mo Qi turned his head to look at Dou Bai. "Teacher Dou, didn't you say you had something to ask me? Why are you talking about joining an association? I'm not here to join an association."
Supervisor Qin snorted. "Joining the association is out of the question. As for asking questions, go ahead. Since you're already here, I'll answer for now. Normally, you should ask your teacher outside."
Mo Qi looked somewhat bewildered. "I don't have any questions to ask."
Dou Bai coughed awkwardly. "No, Supervisor Qin, what I meant was, the formula in front of you, which we've been looking at for a long time without understanding, I want Mo Qi to help us see what kind of formula it is."
"Are you crazy?" Supervisor Qin glared at him. "So many of us senior alchemists can't figure it out, and he, a student, can see what's going on? Get him out quickly." Da Feng Novel Network
Mo Qi was about to turn and leave when Dou Bai stopped him.
Dou Bai looked at Supervisor Qin and said earnestly, "Just let him try. What's the harm in letting him try? We can't figure it out anyway. Moreover, this cannot be delayed any longer. The other party is waiting for our reply. It might concern a human life."
Supervisor Qin irritably threw the paper over. "Take it and look. See what you can figure out."
Dou Bai caught it and handed it to Mo Qi. "Mo Qi, this is an alchemy formula that the Tang Sect delivered overnight last night. They couldn't refine it themselves and wanted us to help. Firstly, we might not be able to refine it either. Secondly, and more ridiculously, we can't even tell what kind of pill it is a formula for. Since the Tang Sect has always been fond of poisons, we suspect it might be a poison pill formula and dare not refine it lightly."
The Tang Sect? Why the Tang Sect again? He hadn't had a good impression of the Tang Sect lately.
Mo Qi took the formula, glanced at it, and calmly said, "This is the Blood Coagulation and Regeneration Pill!"
"Blood Coagulation and Regeneration Pill?" Dou Bai was bewildered, having never heard of it.
Supervisor Qin snorted. "A mere child, spouting nonsense."
Dou Bai, however, eagerly asked, "What is the Blood Coagulation and Regeneration Pill?"