Gone were Arthur's leisure days. He was once again in the Alchemy Pavilion. His routine returned to its former shape, but with one crucial difference. He no longer pretended to have consumed the elixir, at least not before his father. And though his hands itched to reach for higher-realm recipes, he did not press for them.
When Arthur formally requested that he would not be making or attempting beyond Amber Radiance–grade pill formulas, Elder Yan understood immediately why he had done so. His father himself had visited, instructing him not to force his son and not to climb realms recklessly.
With such development, Elder Yan found himself unsettled.
He was once not confident in Liang Zheng's chances at the upcoming Great Succession Ceremony, but lately, some doubt gnawed at him. If this had been a moon earlier, he might have spoken further, urging Arthur to study higher realm pills himself or reminding him of the stakes. But now, with the ceremony so near, he chose silence. Perhaps he was not speaking to just a disciple anymore, but to the future Sect Master's son.
He knew of the mock trial. He knew of the whispers, how Liang Zheng played mind games with Zi Xuan. Pressing Arthur now could only bring him trouble.
So Elder Yan listened, weighed the request, and at last gave a measured nod. "You may refine Amber Radiance–grade pills, but nothing higher. Research is permitted, so long as it does not overstep your current cultivation."
Arthur bowed. He was now in the Half-Step Amber Radiance Realm, and his foundation was still delicate.
Elder Yan also sent word of this request to the Pavilion Master, who, to Arthur's quiet relief, agreed without hesitation. Even the Pavilion Master seemed curious, as if watching for something to unfold.
For the Alchemy Pavilion, it was simple. Everything would be revealed after the Great Succession Ceremony. That event alone would determine Arthur's fate, whether he would be regarded as the son of the next Sect Master of the Duan Sect or merely another disciple contributing his skill to the Pavilion.
Everything went smoothly. Another moon passed without the slightest disturbance. Not even the news his father quietly broke to him stirred his life.
Zi Xuan broke through and was now a Whitflare Bloom Luminary.
Arthur looked up sharply, but his father's expression remained calm, faintly amused. There was not a trace of worry in him. And neither did Arthur feel any. With the Immortal Lotus Sutra in his father's possession, Arthur was certain that no one within the same realm could match him.
Still, unease flickered in Arthur's heart. What if his father had somehow learned of the pill? Perhaps a careless word had slipped, maybe a servant had spoken too much. But no. His father's tone held no accusation. Zi Xuan had kept their dealings tightly sealed.
The sect, however, was abuzz with other matters. A new Sect Master would soon rise. The current master was already preparing for seclusion. The Starfall Abyss Mirage was about to be opened. It was not a secret realm as the scibes and cultivators of Tianyu thought of. It was a spatial gate. They predicted it to open within one or two moons.
To most, it was a mystery — a fallen civilization's remnant, a realm of treasures and terrors. Arthur wanted to see it with his own eyes. But the truth remained bitter; he was far too weak. Even his father, eligible to enter, would face peril inside. Many who entered never returned.
That evening, father and son sat together.
"You broke through, Tian'er," his father said, studying him. "I told you not to rely on that elixir. You didn't, did you?"
Arthur bowed his head respectfully. "I did not, Father. I was already on the verge of a breakthrough from the elixir I had consumed earlier. I only pushed myself a little further, and the bottleneck gave way."
His father's eyes narrowed briefly, then softened. "Hmm. You know…"
Arthur lifted his gaze. "Yes, Father."
"Your uncle has broken through."
Arthur's heart lurched. Does he know it was me?
But his father only chuckled. "Don't worry, Xiao Tian. He would not be my match even if he were to advance another minor realm."
Relief washed over Arthur. Zi Xuan had indeed kept their dealings a secret.
Arthur clasped his fists. "Father must truly be strong."
"Only within the sect's walls, Tian'er," his father said quietly. "Outside, I must bow. Not out of reverence, but fear."
Arthur frowned. "But Father, you are a Fifth Luminary cultivator."
His father's lips curved into a wry smile. "And Tianyu is as vast as the ocean. I am but the king of a small reef."
Silence fell. Then his father continued, his voice low.
"You know of the Starfall Abyss Mirage, I am qualified to enter."
Arthur straightened. "Yes, Father. I was meaning to ask… why won't you go? You are not among those bound by the minimum requirement of the Solar Ascendance Realm. What dangers could there be for you with the Sect Master present?"
His father answered calmly. "It is true that if I were to enter, I would be less likely to face trouble. But the sect cannot afford to let me go."
Arthur frowned. He could not quite grasp it. What could be more important than seizing an ancient trove, bringing prosperity to the sect?
His father seemed to read the question in his eyes. "Our province, under the reign of His Majesty King Xuan Jian, stands in a balance so delicate that even a pebble could tilt it. Each sect restrains the other. The day you concocted your first pill, do you remember the unrest that spread? Not because of what you created, but because the sect feared — it lacked the means to protect you. A treasure without protection invites wolves."
Arthur lowered his gaze, recalling that day.
"But the heavens played a cruel joke," his father continued, his tone heavy. "Though you are gifted, with a class seven Spirit Root, you are bound. We thought that unless you rely on Origin Tempering Elixirs, you cannot hope to refine pills beyond the Amber Radiance grade."
His father's gaze sharpened. "Do you know of the Ming Sect?"
"Yes, Father," Arthur replied. "How could I not? They are the foremost alchemical sect in the province."
"They once sent a marriage proposal for you," his father said casually.
Arthur blinked, startled, staring at him as if he had misheard.
"Relax," his father said with a faint smile. "They withdrew on their own accord. When they learned you would not live longer than your old man, relying on the elixir, they turned away."
Arthur's lips pressed into a thin line.
His father leaned closer. "Look at the sect's situation, Tian'er. Then tell me: if I go into the secret realm for ten years, and do not return… how long before the balance shatters? Before outsiders tear this sect apart like vultures stripping flesh? That is why only our Sect Master will venture in. As for me, within these ten years, I must climb to his realm, stabilize the sect, and keep pace with the others. That is my duty."
Arthur felt his predicament.
"It is unfortunate," his father said softly, "that I cannot go. The burden of the sect falls to me. Yet… perhaps it is fortune after all. For I now have a way to turn your situation around."
Arthur's eyes widened. He realized his father was speaking of his weak Spirit Root. The Immortal Lotus Sutra, which he had written, also spoke of other energy centers, methods beyond the Spirit Root itself. His father was planning to guide him down that path.
Inwardly, Arthur acknowledged him as a caring father who bore the weight of the sect yet still sought to mend his son's shackles. But along with this realization came another reminder, sharp as a blade: how dangerous the immortal world truly was. Even this remote province in the Boundless Immortal Firmament was fraught with hidden dangers.
Arthur drew a long breath, steadying his heart. He still had a long road ahead. A road that he must tread carefully, step by step.