CHAPTER 86 — A Pill Worthy of a Sect Master
The fires of war still smoldered in the forests below Cloudsky Sect when Lin Xuan and his group arrived at the mountain gates. The scent of smoke, blood, and destruction lingered in the air—but so did something new:
Hope.
The moment Cloudsky disciples saw Lin returning with a dragon coiled at his side, two elders supporting Shengyuan, and his companions unscathed, they fell into stunned silence.
Then came the whispers.
"He… he really came back."
"That's the dragon from the legends…"
"The demonic army retreated when he arrived."
"Lin Xuan—he's become… something else."
The Cloudsky Sect Master, pale and visibly weakened, watched from the entrance of the grand hall with trembling eyes.
"Lin Xuan… you returned."
Lin immediately bowed.
"Sect Master. We have returned with all ingredients needed for your recovery."
The Sect Master nearly collapsed from relief.
But another voice broke through the tension, warm and clear:
"Let me assist as well."
Descending lightly like a feather, the Flower Pavilion Sect Master stepped down from her lotus-shaped flying artifact. Her expression was soft but solemn.
"Cloudsky Sect Master… you should have told me sooner about your condition."
The Cloudsky Sect Master gave a bitter smile.
"You had your own sect to care for…"
She raised a hand—
and suddenly the room filled with the fragrance of blooming spirit flowers.
"And you, Lin Xuan… you certainly know how to cause commotion. Even my sect felt the dragon's birth tremor."
Lin gave a modest bow.
"It was an accident."
She eyed him knowingly.
"Nothing about you is accidental."
---
1. Entering the Alchemy Hall
The grand alchemy hall was cleared and fortified. Elders surrounded the perimeter, their expressions tense.
On the central table lay the ultra-rare ingredients necessary for the Sect Master's recovery pill:
Thousand-Year Purple Lotus
Starmarrow Flower
Void Serpent Gall
Titan Vine Heart Fragment
Aether Pearlbloom Sap
Phoenix Tail Fern
And the final piece… Dragon Essence Dew
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master inhaled deeply.
"These materials… even I have not seen their like in centuries."
Lin nodded.
"That's why we must succeed."
They set up the cauldron: Lin's divine cauldron in its ascended form, shimmering with star-like inscriptions.
Mu and several elite alchemists from both sects stood beside them as assistants.
Even the sect elders held their breath.
---
2. The Struggle Begins — A Pill That Fights Back
The first hours were smooth.
Lin refined the foundational liquids.
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master handled the volatile components.
Their synchronization was flawless—like two master alchemists who had practiced together for decades.
But once the Titan Vine Heart Fragment entered the cauldron…
KRRRRRRSH—!!
The cauldron trembled violently.
A crack of lightning burst from within.
Mu shouted:
"Senior Brother, the pill is resisting refinement!"
Lin gritted his teeth.
"I expected this. Keep stabilizing the formation!"
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master's eyes narrowed.
"Lin—take care! It's absorbing the surrounding qi!"
Indeed, the cauldron was draining qi from the entire hall, pulling from the spirit veins beneath the mountain.
Lin raised his hand.
"STAR-FIRE CONTROL!"
Solar flames merged with pure lightning as he guided the mixture.
The Sect Master added her own technique:
"FLOWER DOMAIN—EMERALD HEART!"
Gentle green light enfolded Lin's flames, harmonizing them.
Even Shengyuan watched from outside the circle, muttering:
"Their synergy… is something I have not seen since the Golden Era of alchemy."
---
3. Failure — A Half-Formed Pill
After six hours of exhausting refinement, the cauldron steamed heavily.
Lin wiped sweat from his brow.
"It should be forming now."
The cauldron opened—
And inside, floating weakly, was a pill shaped like a cracked pearl. Its core flickered irregularly.
Mu's face fell.
"It's… not complete."
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master grimaced.
"This pill is too complex… even the two of us cannot refine it properly."
Lin stared at the half-pilled formation.
It was imperfect.
Incomplete.
And deadly.
If consumed, it would kill the sect master almost instantly.
Elder Wu trembled.
"W-We… we have failed him…"
The Cloudsky Sect Master closed his eyes, accepting fate.
But Lin raised a hand.
"We're not done."
---
4. A Heavenly Vow
Lin looked at everyone.
"Before I proceed… I need all of you to swear a vow to the heavens."
Every alchemist, elder, and sect master stiffened.
A heavenly vow was no trivial matter.
Lin continued:
"What I am about to do cannot be revealed to anyone. Not even the Sect Elders outside this room.
If word spreads… I become the target of every sect in the realm. And Cloudsky Sect may be destroyed."
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master's eyes widened slightly.
"You plan to use… that power again, don't you?"
Lin didn't answer—
but the silence was enough.
One by one, every elder placed their hand over their heart.
"We swear before the heavens.
May lightning strike us down should we betray this secret."
Heaven responded.
RUMBLE—!!
Clouds gathered above the hall.
A golden streak flickered across the sky.
The vow was sealed.
---
5. Lin Upgrades the Pill
Lin approached the cracked pill and lifted it with a thread of qi.
He took a slow breath.
"Everyone… step back."
The others retreated, their hearts pounding.
Lin placed the pill in his palm.
Lightning crackled from his fingertips.
Solar fire intertwined with it.
He whispered:
"UPGRADE—CELESTIAL PEAK."
The pill screamed.
A pulse of divine light burst outward—
KRAAAAAK—!!!
The alchemy hall itself trembled from the force as Lin forced the pill to evolve.
Its cracks sealed.
Its color turned perfect crystalline gold.
Runes formed along its surface—ancient, holy, and alive.
The entire sect felt the change.
Mu fell to her knees.
"It's… it's perfect…"
The Flower Pavilion Sect Master trembled.
"Lin… what are you?"
Lin didn't answer.
Instead—
He looked up sharply.
"Brace yourselves.
It's not done."
---
6. Pill Tribulation — The Birth of a Miracle
The sky above Cloudsky Sect split open.
KA-BOOOOOOM—!!!
Thunderbolts descended—pure heavenly lightning meant to destroy any imperfect pill.
A Pill Tribulation.
Disciples across the sect looked upward in shock.
"A pill tribulation?!"
"What level pill did they make?"
"Who is refining that pill—?!"
Inside the hall, Lin raised his hands as the first bolt pierced the roof—
The dragon leapt from beside him, shifting into his true form mid-air.
"This one is mine."
ROOOOAAAAAR—!!
The dragon devoured the first bolt of heavenly lightning.
The second thunderbolt tore down—
Lin caught it with his bare hand and absorbed it.
Everyone screamed in disbelief.
The third bolt was the strongest—
but Shengyuan stepped forward, sword raised.
"Allow me."
SHIIIINNG—!!!
He sliced the bolt clean in half.
The tribulation faded.
The pill floated down, glowing with the brilliance of a miniature sun.
Peak Celestial Grade.
A pill worthy of a sect master.
---
7. The Sect Master Takes the Pill
Everyone watched as Lin approached the Cloudsky Sect Master.
"Please, Sect Master.
Consume this. Your life depends on it."
The Sect Master took it with trembling fingers—
and without hesitation swallowed it.
Silence.
Then—
WHOOOOOOOM—!!!
A blinding glow burst from his body.
Cracks healed.
Spine straightened.
Eyes regained youthful clarity.
Dantian expanded violently.
Qi flooded the hall.
Mu was knocked back several steps.
Wen gasped.
"His cultivation—!"
Shengyuan whispered:
"He's returning to his peak…"
The healing continued until—
BOOOOOOM—!!
A shockwave erupted.
The Sect Master rose slowly to his feet.
No longer frail.
No longer dying.
He stood tall, his aura blazing with renewed Nascent Soul strength—possibly even greater than before.
He bowed deeply to Lin.
"Lin Xuan… you have saved my life.
From this day forward, you are no longer merely a disciple of Cloudsky Sect."
His eyes shone with solemn resolve.
"You are its pillar."
---