"That Old Disciple clearly knew my talent was poor, yet he deliberately tested me. He obviously wanted to suppress me!"
Xiao Hao frowned, then relaxed.
In his previous life, he had been helpless about this.
But in this life, everything was completely different!
He would just wait for Yao Tianhai to get slapped in the face!
You unhurriedly took out a Pill Furnace and began Alchemy in front of Yao Tianhai.
Yao Tianhai initially looked disdainful.
But when he saw that you were refining a first-tier high-grade Medicinal Pill, his expression subtly changed.
It wasn't until you effortlessly refined a first-tier high-grade Medicinal Pill in one go that Yao Tianhai was greatly alarmed!
"You've only been in the Hall of Alchemy for less than a year, yet you've already become a first-tier high-grade Alchemist. How, how is this possible?!"
"Spirit Pill are naturally formed, and obtained by skillful hands. Uncle, you flatter me," you said with a light smile.
Yao Tianhai scrutinized you up and down, as if re-evaluating you.
After a long moment, he said, "Xiao Hao, have you obtained some Opportunity?"
"For example, the remnant soul of a powerful being residing in a Magic Treasure?"
"You must not believe these evil spirits…"
You confidently opened your Sea of Consciousness, allowing Yao Tianhai to probe it.
And told Yao Tianhai that you had reached this point entirely through hard work and sweat, never relying on external objects.
Yao Tianhai thoroughly examined you and confirmed that you had not been taken by Possession by a powerful being before believing your words.
He sighed, acknowledging that the younger generation surpasses the older, and accepted you as his son-in-law.
"Tell me honestly, how much true affection do you have for my daughter?" Yao Tianhai stared directly into your eyes.
Your gaze was clear, and your expression sincere, "I am full of true affection for Senior Sister!"
Yao Tianhai nodded, though it was unclear if he believed your words.
Yao Tianhai's attitude towards you changed greatly, and he seriously explained the Sect's situation to you.
It turned out that the Initial Saint Demonic Sect, though seemingly powerful, was actually riddled with internal problems and beyond repair.
Within the Sect, families were entrenched, led by the Sun, Liu, Li, and Zhao Four Great Families.
The Four Great Families not only controlled the four outer Peaks, but their family Old Ancestor also held important positions in the inner Sect.
Furthermore, the Sect's various industries in the outside world were also controlled by numerous smaller families.
And these smaller families had intricate connections with the Four Great Families.
Numerous families were like malignant tumors, parasitizing the Sect and constantly draining its resources.
The Zhao Family, one of the Four Great Families, controlled Hundred Refinements Peak.
Yao Tianhai was the Zhao Family's son-in-law.
It was just that Yao Ling's mother had died early, and he worried that marrying a new Zhao Family woman would cause his daughter to be bullied, so he had delayed remarrying.
His position in the Zhao Family was also repeatedly marginalized because of this, and he was now an outcast.
"A few years ago, an Elder from Hundred Refinements Peak was promoted to the inner Sect, leaving an Elder position vacant."
"Now that the Zhao Family is weak and unable to take over this position, the Sun and Liu families are eyeing it greedily."
"The person sent by the Sun Family to compete, you have already met, it is Sun Yuanxuan."
"As for the person sent by the Liu Family, it is an Old Disciple named Liu Lu."
"This person acts discreetly, but his Alchemy attainment is extremely profound. Half a month ago, he just became a high-grade Alchemist."
You were somewhat puzzled and asked why the Sect needed to control the number of Elders.
According to common sense, if the Sect wanted to develop and grow, it should open up positions and let the capable occupy them.
Yao Tianhai told you that this was a method the Sect used to restrict the families.
In this way, the Sect could both retain the final right of interpretation and avoid direct conflict with the families.
It could also use this to engage in power struggles, preventing the Sect's authority from being completely eroded by the families.
You suddenly understood and deduced much information from this.
The Sect was currently under the control of conservatives, whose strength was weaker than that of the families.
You asked Yao Tianhai why he was telling you all this.
Yao Tianhai stated bluntly, "Only if you become a Sect Elder will I feel at ease entrusting my daughter to you!"
"To become an Elder, you must Breakthrough to a second-tier Alchemist before Liu Lu!"
"If you can become a second-tier Alchemist before the age of thirty, you will not only be promoted to Elder."
"You can also become a Core Disciple of the inner Sect, with a bright future!"
You readily agreed.
In the eleventh month, Yao Tianhai kept you in his Immortal Cave.
Yao Tianhai personally guided you in Alchemy and provided many precious Materials for you to attempt refining second-tier Medicinal Pills.
Xiao Hao's mood became excited.
Only this last step remained before escaping the Initial Saint Demonic Sect!
Immortal Venerable, come on!
You were not polite and began Alchemy.
You failed…
Your Alchemy attainment improved.
You failed over thirty times, still unable to refine a second-tier Medicinal Pill.
In the twelfth month, Yao Tianhai continued to meticulously guide you.
Your Alchemy attainment improved.
You still failed…
Each time, you failed at the step of Fusion of medicinal power.
This step requires the Alchemist to condense Divine Sense and regulate the medicinal power.
You were only at the Qi Refining Realm, and your spiritual sense had not yet transformed into Divine Sense, so you were unable to regulate the medicinal power, which led to failure.
Yao Tianhai was also helpless in this regard.
In January of the second year, you continued to Cultivate in Yao Tianhai's Immortal Cave.
Whenever you were mentally exhausted, Yao Ling would bring wine and fruit to comfort you.
Yao Tianhai, beside her, couldn't help but shake his head, exclaiming that a daughter grown up couldn't be kept, and had already learned to protect her young man.
Yao Ling's pretty face immediately flushed with shyness, and she chased after Yao Tianhai, who laughed heartily.
You also laughed along.
But your heart remained unmoved.
In February of the second year, you used up all of Yao Tianhai's Spirit Medicine, so you chose to leave.
Before leaving, you didn't forget to ask for Yao Tianhai's Jade Slip, so you could send your location at any time and have him protect you.
You arrived at the Sect's market, claiming to be a second-tier Alchemist, seeking orders for refining second-tier Medicinal Pills, hoping to find a method for Breakthrough through practice.
At the same time, you didn't forget to Cultivate diligently and improve your Realm, preparing for both eventualities.
You gradually became famous, and people seeking you for Alchemy were endless.
But most people only sought you to refine first-tier Medicinal Pills, and even high-grade ones were few, with not a single second-tier one.
You had long anticipated this.
Second-tier Medicinal Pills corresponded to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Foundation Establishment Realm powerhouses were either inner Sect Core Disciple or outer Sect Elders, and they all had their own Alchemy channels, so it was difficult for an outsider like you to get an order.
But you were not discouraged; as long as there was a glimmer of hope, you would not give up.
After a year, your Alchemy attainment didn't improve much, but your Realm had increased to the Peak of Qi Refining sixth-layer.
Although you had money to buy Breakthrough Pills, you still asked Yao Ling for a Breakthrough Pill and successfully Broke through to Qi Refining seventh-layer.
Relying on the immense wealth accumulated from Alchemy, you refined many Medicinal Pills to improve your Realm.
By the end of the second year, you Broke through to Qi Refining eighth-layer.
In the third year, after more than half a year, your Alchemy Realm still had not Broke through.
However, your Realm Broke through to Qi Refining ninth-layer.
You couldn't help but feel a little anxious, worried that the Elder position would be taken by that Liu Family Prodigy.
At the end of the third year, a mysterious person found you.
The mysterious person told you that he was willing to cooperate with you long-term, but had to know your true identity, otherwise he would not feel at ease.
You suspected this person had malicious intentions and originally wanted to refuse.
However, this person offered too much, not only a large number of first-tier high-grade Medicinal Pill orders, but also three second-tier Medicinal Pill orders.
You hesitated for several days, and finally chose to take the risk and cooperate with the mysterious person.
The mysterious person did not lie to you and indeed gave a large number of orders.
Your success rate in refining first-tier high-grade Medicinal Pills was extremely high, but when refining second-tier Medicinal Pills, you repeatedly failed.
You decisively ran away.
At the end of the third year, your Realm reached the Peak of Qi Refining ninth-layer, and you asked your father-in-law for a Breakthrough Pill to attempt Qi Refining tenth-layer.
The first attempt to Breakthrough failed.
You asked for another Breakthrough Pill and tried again.
It still failed.
The reason was still due to your poor D-grade Five Spiritual Root talent, making it difficult to Breakthrough the Bottleneck.
You spent a fortune, purchasing three Breakthrough Pills in a row, and finally successfully Broke through to Qi Refining tenth-layer.
Seeing this, Xiao Hao's face showed no joy; instead, his brows were tightly furrowed.
"According to the timeline of my previous life, Sun Yuanxuan should have come to find me a year ago!"
"Why hasn't he come yet? Did I cause a butterfly effect in this life? That shouldn't be the case, I haven't done anything major…"
Something abnormal must hide a demon!
Xiao Hao didn't think the Sun Family would let him go!
Beneath this eerie calm, there must be another hidden agenda!
There are twelve layers in the Qi Refining Realm. You only need to Breakthrough two more layers to attempt Foundation Establishment.
In the fourth year, you still had no clue how to Breakthrough to a second-tier Alchemist.
You recalled the cultivation novels from your previous life, where supporting characters often struggled their entire lives to Breakthrough even one Realm.
You couldn't help but wonder if you, in this life, would also be like those supporting characters?
Unwilling to give up, you sold your family assets and took out a loan to purchase Spirit Medicine for refining second-tier Medicinal Pills, then began to try.
First failure.
Second failure.
Third failure…
"Will I stop here in this life?" Xiao Hao's eyelids twitched violently.
It felt much like the heart-stopping sensation he had in his previous life when watching his own stocks plunge.
Through repeated failures, you finally gained a glimmer of insight.
You used all your accumulated knowledge to modify the second-tier Medicinal Pill—the Pure Heart Pill, replacing the main ingredient, Ice Spirit Flower, with Ice Dream Silkworm, which had similar properties.
You bought twenty Ice Dream Silkworms and refined a Gu King.
Then, using the Gu King as the main ingredient, you allowed it to autonomously regulate the medicinal power, directly bypassing the step of regulating medicinal power with Divine Sense.
Just as the second-tier Medicinal Pill was about to be successfully refined, it failed at the very last step. The Gu King couldn't withstand the medicinal power and self-destructed.
You were not discouraged; instead, you were incredibly excited.
Because you had already found the correct Dao, and now only needed time to succeed.
"Tsk tsk, as expected of someone who will become an Immortal Venerable through the Dao of Alchemy in the future. He can even forge a path like this!"