I've long seen through your tricks, kid.

The Alchemy Room...

In truth, it was just an empty room, housing a simple alchemy furnace that Chu Xingchen had purchased at a steep price.

A few meditation cushions were placed before the furnace, alongside alchemy manuals carelessly strewn across the floor.

Chu Xingchen was genuinely serious about alchemy—those manuals were practically memorized backward.

Yet, the results had always been less than ideal. Lately, he’d even considered switching to artifact forging instead.

At least with forging, no one would be deranged enough to lick the products, right?

Seated cross-legged on a cushion directly facing the furnace, Chu Xingchen gazed calmly at the unassuming bronze cauldron before him. Its design was rudimentary, as if functionality was its sole purpose.

This plain-looking furnace had churned out countless pills that Yuan Kong had come to loathe with a passion.

Bai Xuanling swept her eyes over the furnace and quickly concluded—it was a dirt-cheap piece of junk.

But most alchemy issues stemmed from technique rather than equipment. The furnace was merely a tool, after all.

As for Chu Xingchen’s problem, the answer remained the same:

First, observe his method.

With a slight nod, Bai Xuanling spoke, "Refine a basic Qi-Nourishing Pill. Let me see your process."

Chu Xingchen nodded solemnly.

From his spatial ring, several compatible spirit herbs floated into the air.

With a flick of his wrist, the herbs were meticulously prepared.

Bai Xuanling watched intently, scrutinizing every step.

Herb preparation—nimble and precise.

Ignition timing—flawlessly executed.

Herb introduction—split-second accuracy.

Heat control—textbook perfection.

Even Bai Xuanling couldn’t fault these steps.

Once the herbs entered the furnace, his spiritual energy control was delicate, and his extraction technique was polished.

This was, at the very least, the skill of a seasoned alchemy master—clearly the fruit of relentless practice.

So what could possibly be wrong with the pills he produced?

Bai Xuanling began to suspect the boy was simply showing off his skills to impress her.

Was this his way of salvaging wounded pride?

Well, this childish stubbornness did remind her of Little Lingyu.

Resigned, Bai Xuanling decided she’d humor him with some praise later.

Meanwhile, Chu Xingchen remained wholly focused on refining the pill. In the past, he’d always practiced behind closed doors.

After all... his pills were anything but ordinary.

Most alchemists wouldn’t be able to diagnose the issue—his pills’ efficacy was never in question.

It was just a minor... let’s call it a flavor problem.

But this time was different. The person before him was a living Tribulation Passage expert. Even if she couldn’t solve his pill issue, her insights would undoubtedly be invaluable.

If even a Tribulation Passage expert couldn’t help...

Chu Xingchen considered repackaging his pills.

But what if the taster couldn’t stomach a second one?

Even Li Xingtian hadn’t been able to endure them...

Maybe switching to artifact forging really was the way to go.

As these thoughts flickered through his mind, the final step—sealing the furnace—was completed.

Ding~

The crisp sound of pills dropping echoed.

Chu Xingchen guided three pills out of the furnace with his spiritual energy.

Bai Xuanling calmly observed the pills in his hand, her divine sense sweeping over them.

For a basic pill like this, a mere scan was enough for her to assess its quality.

As expected, the medicinal efficacy was remarkably well-preserved and pure—undeniable masterwork.

This boy had genuine talent.

Nodding in approval, Bai Xuanling remarked, "Your technique is impeccable. Even under scrutiny, I can’t find any major flaws."

Chu Xingchen’s expression darkened slightly. Could even an expert like her not detect the issue?

Noticing his odd reaction, Bai Xuanling frowned.

What was this about?

Had her praise been too lukewarm?

She’d expected him to be thick-skinned, but this was excessive.

Clearing her throat, she amended, "The pills are well-formed, the medicinal essence is concentrated, and your extraction method is refined. Your alchemy skills are truly exceptional."

Chu Xingchen also coughed lightly before cautiously saying, "The efficacy is indeed decent, but these pills are somewhat... difficult to..."

Bai Xuanling caught his drift.

So he wanted her to taste one personally.

Sigh. Fine, for Little Lingyu’s sake.

She summoned a Qi-Nourishing Pill with a flick of her fingers, scrutinizing it twice before—under Chu Xingchen’s watchful gaze—placing it delicately on her tongue.

A light chew.

The taste was normal, with a strong herbal aroma. His extraction technique was even better than she’d thought.

Nothing particularly unpalatable.

Qi-Nourishing Pills were basic, made from inexpensive herbs.

At Bai Xuanling’s cultivation level, such pills were little more than candy—their effects negligible.

But...

This pill... packed an unusual punch?

Against all expectations, she could actually feel its potency.

No wonder he’d insisted she try one.

This was impressive. Perhaps he was worth mentoring.

No wonder Little Lingyu couldn’t stop talking about him. A little extra praise wouldn’t hurt.

Just as she prepared to compliment him further—

A violent rejection surged through her meridians, spreading to every limb.

The sensation instantly choked off her words.

Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at Chu Xingchen.

What in the heavens did this kid just feed me?

Her body could swallow Molten Jade—a natural ore that melted steel—without flinching.

Yet this measly Qi-Nourishing Pill...

A pill she’d watched him refine with her own eyes... was this potent?

You little—was this a power play?

Bai Xuanling smirked coldly. A mere Nascent Soul cultivator like him knew nothing of soul power.

Did he assume her peak was only at the Divine Transformation stage?

Not entirely his fault—she did look young.

This rejection could be easily suppressed with a wisp of her true soul power—

Huh?!

The rejection ignored her soul power?!

And the backlash was intensifying! How could a pill this effective have such vicious side effects?!

What kind of cursed alchemy is this?!

Without hesitation, she purged the pill’s energy. The moment its power dissipated, the rejection vanished completely.

"Haaah..." Bai Xuanling exhaled deeply, studying Chu Xingchen with newfound intensity. "You... have quite the trick up your sleeve."

Chu Xingchen knew she’d experienced the same violent rejection his disciples had described. He hurriedly defended himself:

"Elder Sister! This isn’t a trick! I genuinely don’t know why every pill I refine has these bizarre side effects. Can you help me figure it out?"

"You—!"

"I swear on heaven and earth!"

Bai Xuanling narrowed her eyes, then summoned another pill.

This time, she scrutinized it thoroughly, her divine sense dissecting every molecule.

No foreign ingredients—just a standard Qi-Nourishing Pill.

His technique was orthodox. She refused to believe a Nascent Soul could slip something past her.

So… this unremarkable-looking alchemy furnace?

Bai Xuanling glanced at the furnace, then retrieved his personal alchemy cauldron from his spatial jade ring.

Chu Xingchen’s eyes lit up the moment he saw the cauldron Bai Xuanling had brought out.

What an imposing alchemy furnace.

Pale golden arrays encircled the cauldron, with golden dragons coiling around its body. The four legs were supported by dragon-tortoises.

At the center of the furnace was an intricate aperture, through which one could glimpse the pill-forming platform inside.

Most alchemy furnaces were sealed to prevent the dissipation of medicinal efficacy.

Whether a pill had successfully formed could only be discerned through spiritual sense—but if one could see inside, they could rely on experience to judge.

A furnace designed to reveal its interior like this either had an exquisitely precise structure or relied on array shields to preserve the medicinal energy.

A closer look revealed that the interior was even more intricate than the exterior, filled with additional arrays and meticulous craftsmanship.

This thing was clearly worth a fortune.

After just a few glances, Chu Xingchen felt like he had found his dream furnace.

If he had something like this, the pills he could refine…

Well, they might still be inedible.

But faced with such a cauldron, Chu Xingchen couldn’t help but stammer in disbelief:

"You… this is yours?!"

"This is my personal alchemy furnace. No one else has ever used it besides me." Bai Xuanling seemed to see right through Chu Xingchen. "Consider it a favor, since you’ve caught my eye. I’ll lend it to you."

"Use my cauldron and refine another batch for me to taste!"

This kid thought he could fool me with some strange furnace?!

I’ve already seen through your tricks.