"You don't need to know about the Dragon's Hidden Tomb, but you must remember that this matter is related to the future destiny of my Zuo family. It must never be leaked out." Zuo Youren's question was met with no answer from Zuo Qiuming.
Zuo Youren was clearly displeased with his grandfather's secrecy, and he said with annoyance, "But Tai Long knows everything. I've been kept in the dark all along. Who exactly is your biological grandson?"
"Slap!" Zuo Qiuming slapped Zuo Youren across the face. Zuo Youren's already bruised face immediately swelled up again.
"You unfilial wretch, if you spout any more nonsense, I'll cripple you myself!" Zuo Youren's immaturity greatly angered Zuo Qiuming.
"Grandfather..." Zuo Youren's eyes welled up with tears, and he looked very wronged. Seeing his grandfather's genuine anger, he quickly apologized, "Grandfather, I know I was wrong!"
Seeing Zuo Youren's pitiful state, Zuo Qiuming's heart ached. He sighed and said, "Alas, you must always remember that everything grandfather does is for your own good."
...
Chen Xiao was naturally unaware of the Zuo family's scheme. At this moment, he was struggling with the medicinal cauldron. He didn't know how many batches of medicinal ingredients he had ruined, but judging from his sweat-soaked outer garment, it was evident that he had put in considerable effort.
The east was faintly showing the white of dawn; the sky was about to break.
"There's enough medicinal material left for one more batch. If it doesn't succeed, I'll die trying. I'll go all out!" Chen Xiao gritted his teeth and muttered to himself. He felt as if he was on the verge of collapse from exhaustion.
Even though Chen Xiao's body could store several times the amount of Yuan Qi as martial artists of the same level, after a night of toiling, there was very little left. It was no wonder he was tired.
However, Chen Xiao's efforts that night were not in vain. Not only had his cultivation slightly improved, but the medicinal cauldron no longer emitted black smoke and burnt smells. Instead, it emitted wisps of ethereal green smoke accompanied by a faint, subtle fragrance. Although when he opened the cauldron, it was still a pile of medicinal dregs.
With only the last batch of medicinal ingredients remaining, Chen Xiao was exceptionally careful. If he failed again this time, losing face would be a minor issue; his hand would be in trouble. If the Zuo family didn't send the antidote, this hand would be useless.
However, what Chen Xiao didn't know was that it was already incredibly astonishing for him to refine a medicinal fragrance in just one night. For ordinary alchemists, without a thousand or eight hundred failures, they couldn't even refine a medicinal fragrance, let alone a finished pill, which required even more failures.
And Chen Xiao's attempt to refine a finished pill in one night was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
But man proposes, and fate disposes. If you don't try, you'll never know how great your potential truly is. Chen Xiao channeled the remaining Yuan Qi in his body, controlling the heat. He could now sense the medicinal ingredients melting in the cauldron, turning into a medicinal liquid that emitted a subtle fragrance.
And the next step, which was the most crucial, was pill condensation. Whether the pill could be successfully formed depended on this step.
Chen Xiao gathered his focus and concentration. Large drops of sweat dripped from the tip of his nose. At this moment, he was fully immersed in controlling his Yuan Qi, as if his soul had left his body. His soul and Yuan Qi became one, and they shuttled and roamed freely within the flames at the bottom of the cauldron.
Sensing that the time was ripe, Chen Xiao suddenly roared, "Condense for me!"
After a muffled sound, the lid of the cauldron was actually blown upwards by a surge of energy. An incredibly fresh and distant aroma instantly filled the entire room.
"It's done!" A look of surprise and joy appeared on Chen Xiao's pale face. At this moment, all the Yuan Qi in his body had been depleted, leaving him extremely weak.
Chen Xiao looked into the medicinal cauldron. He saw a whole furnace of round, lustrous pills lying quietly inside, like a nest of plump babies.
"Yes! I succeeded!" Chen Xiao smiled like a child, a sense of accomplishment surging within him. The sense of accomplishment from successfully refining a pill far exceeded his expectations.
"I'm starting to understand why those old men were so passionate about alchemy!" In the Sacred Domain, Chen Xiao knew many alchemists, most of whom were old monsters with white hair and beards who had lived for hundreds of years. Their alchemy skills had reached the pinnacle, but every time they made a slight breakthrough, they would dance with joy like children.
At that time, Chen Xiao was solely focused on the martial path and had dismissed the excitement of those old men. Now that it was his turn, he found himself no different from them.
Chen Xiao took out a pill, and its medicinal fragrance was inviting.
"Huh? Why does this Detoxification Pill have pill patterns?" Chen Xiao noticed that this smooth, round pill actually had faint, almost imperceptible lines. Although they were not very clear, Chen Xiao was certain they were pill patterns.
Pill patterns were traces left on the pill by the alchemist's Yuan Qi. After the pill was formed, patterns would appear on its surface, and the clearer the pattern, the more precious the pill.
However, for a pill to have patterns, it not only required the alchemist to have extremely strong control over Yuan Qi but also demanded a certain grade of pill. At least a third-grade pill would exhibit pill patterns.
But the Detoxification Pill Chen Xiao was refining was clearly only a second-grade pill.
"Could it be that I've somehow refined a third-grade pill from a second-grade pill recipe?!" Chen Xiao's mood became somewhat excited. After all, even for the same type of pill, the higher the grade, the better the effect.
What's more, it was a pill with pill patterns. Not only did it possess its original medicinal effects, but it could also strengthen meridians and consolidate spiritual gateways, making its effects superior to pills of the same grade.
"Whatever, I'll eat it first!" Chen Xiao calmed his somewhat agitated mood and swallowed the Detoxification Pill he had personally refined.
The pill melted in his mouth, turning into a stream of coolness that flowed into Chen Xiao's stomach. Chen Xiao felt a surge of comfort throughout his body, almost letting out a hum of pleasure.
The medicinal effect was also significant. In just an instant, Chen Xiao felt a tingling sensation in his injured arm. His festering arm began to scab and peel at a visible rate, revealing skin that had regenerated like that of a newborn.
"This medicine is incredible. It's no exaggeration to say it can revive the dead and mend bones!" Chen Xiao murmured to himself.
At the same time, Chen Xiao noticed that the God-Slaying Book had reacted again. Upon checking, he found that the record of the Detoxification Powder had disappeared.
Chen Xiao frowned, not knowing why. "Forget it, if it's gone, it's gone. I've already mastered the refining method anyway."
Then Chen Xiao withdrew his divine sense, but the God-Slaying Book's reaction did not stop. It was flashing red light with increasing frequency.
"Damn it, are you messing with me?" Helplessly, Chen Xiao sent his divine sense back and kept touching the God-Slaying Book.
Suddenly, a powerful suction force was generated from within the God-Slaying Book. Under the effect of this suction, Chen Xiao felt his vision darken, and a buzzing sound filled his ears, as if his soul was being pulled from his body. After a while, all of this finally stopped.
At this moment, Chen Xiao found himself in a misty, ethereal space. This space was dark and desolate, and an endless sense of loneliness washed over him. Chen Xiao was inwardly alarmed, not understanding what was happening.