Yu Zhenyan crossed the threshold with a triumphant stride and glanced at everyone.
This person was far too easy to bribe. An illegitimate daughter is always an illegitimate daughter, lacking discernment. Five thousand spirit stones, and she would bend her back in submission.
A contemptuous smile curved at her lips.
Fairy Yao Ranran turned slightly, caught off guard. "Yu Daoyou, you were not scolding me just now, were you?"
Yu Zhenyan's smile froze abruptly. "N-no, I did not scold you…"
"Why did she react so quickly? Could she really see through my thoughts?"
Yu Zhenyan's eyes darted around, and suddenly they met the cloudy gaze of Elder Yang nearby. A chill ran through her body, her hair standing on end, hands cold and clammy.
"Why did this elder give me such a terrifying aura?"
"Yao Daoyou, Grandpa Yang, I will not disturb your alchemy. I also understand some alchemy, and know how difficult it is. I came here hoping to ask Grandpa Yang about his alchemy techniques. If Yao Daoyou has questions, I can discuss them with you as well," Pei Xianqiao lowered her gaze, her voice calm and humble as she addressed Fairy Yao Ranran and Elder Yang.
"You understand alchemy? What grade of pills can you make?" Elder Yang's eyes lit up with joy.
"I am unworthy. Currently I can refine six-grade pills," Pei Xianqiao said, bowing slightly to hide her emotions.
Elder Yang clapped happily. "Six-grade is excellent, six-grade is perfect!"
Pei Xianqiao was slightly surprised by his excitement. To be recognized by Elder Yang meant she could enter the courtyard and search for Elder Sheng!
A small smile appeared on her face.
…
In the end, only three people were allowed into Elder Yang's house. The rest of the loose cultivators were driven away.
He Huatao was no exception, being among the expelled loose cultivators.
Unable to speak or bribe Yao Ranran, he turned and led the others to the square after watching Pei Xianqiao enter.
Since Yao Ranran would participate in the sacrificial ceremony, they could simply wait for her there.
-
Inside Elder Yang's house.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After dozens of furnace explosions, Yao Ranran's jade-white face was covered in black ash, her clear eyes filled with bewilderment.
"Why did it explode again?"
She turned toward the equally soot-covered Pei Xianqiao.
Pei Xianqiao mechanically raised a hand to wipe the ash from her eyelids. Her eyes, drained of color, stared at her. "Yao Daoyou, did you follow exactly what I said?"
Fairy Yao Ranran nodded, her blackened hair bouncing. "Yes. I followed everything you instructed. First, I opened the acupoints to absorb heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, clearing all distractions, calming my mind, unifying my heart and mind, focusing only on this furnace. Then I guided the spiritual energy through my acupoints to my hands, refining the essence of the herbs, removing impurities, controlling the heat to be neither hot nor cold, just right. Then I gathered energy to condense the pill. Once formed, I opened the furnace immediately without delay. Why has it failed so many times?!
Pei Daoyou, why is this happening?!"
Yao Ranran held out the stinking failed pills, desperate, toward Pei Xianqiao.
"Yao Daoyou…yue—" Pei Xianqiao was caught off guard, the foul smell invading her nostrils.
She stumbled back several meters, almost leaving the courtyard, desperate to escape.
"Yao Daoyou, at least collect these failed pills first!"
Pei Xianqiao stared at her in fear.
Yao Ranran hesitated but threw the failed pills into the furnace.
Elder Yang, nearby, saw the pills enter the fire and nodded with a smile.
A six-grade alchemist, even encountering such a hopeless student, could still teach them.
Unlike himself, who was almost furious enough to blow the courtyard apart!
In his life, he had never seen such an alchemy failure. No matter how carefully instructed, she could not refine a single complete pill, each attempt exploding with horribly stinking failures. Thankfully, someone else was taking over this failed disciple, so he could rest comfortably.
"Guest Pei arrived at just the right time."
Elder Yang happily sipped his tea, content.
Across the table, Mu Jialing's brow twitched. After observing for some time, he roughly understood Yao Ranran's alchemy level.
There was none.
Simply impossible to instruct.
She was not suited to the path of alchemy. Others refined pills to earn spirit stones; she refined them to drain her own!
"Amitabha…" Mu Jialing sighed.
Fairy Yao Ranran was pitiable. On the alchemy path, fate had denied her success.
-
In the backyard.
"She has exploded so many furnaces in such a short time. Why is Fairy Yao Ranran persisting? Does she even know how… skilled her alchemy is?" Yu Zhenyan glanced fearfully around, afraid anyone might hear her.
"Luckily, I did not say those two words…" Yu Zhenyan looked around cautiously, heart still racing, before daring to continue searching the backyard.
Unlike the three of them, Pei Xianqiao's nerves were about to break. She had thought Elder Yang needed her help. While that was partially true, this task was impossible.
Yao Ranran simply could not refine pills.
Pei Xianqiao went numb.
She could never teach Fairy Yao Ranran. Not in this lifetime.
Refining pills was impossible. She could only delay, letting Yao Ranran continue exploding furnaces just to survive here…
"Pei Daoyou, do you think my next furnace will succeed?" Fairy Yao Ranran's voice carried fatigue.
After so many explosions, it was hard to keep loving alchemy…
She would refine this furnace and be done, regardless of the outcome. She was truly exhausted.
Let it be destroyed!
"Of course. Yao Daoyou, trust yourself. The Heavenly Dao rewards diligence. Your effort will be repaid. Your next furnace will surely succeed!" Pei Xianqiao urged anxiously.
Elder Sheng had not yet arrived. She could not let Yao Ranran stop!
Bang!
The furnace exploded again.
Elder Yang smiled calmly.
Another failure, as expected.
Mu Jialing could not help but lower his gaze with pity. The explosions grew faster.
He remembered the last furnace had lasted longer before failing…
Pei Xianqiao's face was blackened. For the first time in her life, teaching alchemy felt like torture. And she had to encourage her constantly…
"Yao Daoyou, trust yourself. The next furnace, the next furnace, you will succeed!"
"Elder Sheng, where are you? Please come back. I really cannot take this!
Impossible to succeed… impossible!"
"Next furnace, will it really succeed?" Fairy Yao Ranran hesitated.
She admitted the heroine's words were persuasive. With a genius alchemist guiding her, how could she not refine a complete pill?
Yao Ranran took a deep breath, her eyes steady. "Very well, one more furnace!"
Bang!
"…Yao Daoyou, the next furnace—"
"Fine. Failure is the mother of success. The next furnace will succeed!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Explosions rang out continuously.
Whenever Fairy Yao Ranran wanted to give up, Pei Xianqiao spared no effort to encourage her, lifting her spirits and confidence, then they would start another furnace.