After a week of relentless training under the Sect Master's watchful eye, Long Tianyan returned to his residence nestled deep in the Inner Sect. The familiar stillness of his courtyard greeted him like an old friend—bamboo leaves rustling gently in the wind, the scent of dew lingering on stone tiles.
But someone waited for him.
Chen Yixuan stood beneath the pavilion's overhang, arms crossed and a soft smile on her lips.
"You finally came back," she said, her tone light.
Tianyan raised a brow. "Were you waiting for long?"
"Long enough." She stepped closer and handed him a small invitation scroll wrapped in red silk. "My grandfather's birthday banquet is tomorrow. You have to come."
Tianyan opened it briefly. The golden characters shimmered.
Chen Manor – Inner Court, Cloudrest City.
He looked up. "You're sure I won't be intruding?"
Chen Yixuan rolled her eyes. "You're my friend. Of course you're invited. Just… wear something formal." She gave him a playful glare before walking off. "Don't forget. Sunset."
As her figure disappeared beyond the stone path, Tianyan stood in thought for a moment before nodding to himself.
That evening, Tianyan made his way to Cloudrest City, a bustling cultivation hub nestled at the mountain's base. With spiritual formations reinforcing the city walls and hundreds of merchants, artisans, and cultivators flooding the streets, it pulsed with vibrant energy.
His destination: the renowned Jade Cauldron Pavilion—the oldest and most prestigious alchemy house in the region. Masters from across the Upper Eight Prefectures once apprenticed here.
He entered quietly, passing through rows of herbs suspended in preservation formations, the air thick with medicinal qi.
Just as he approached the counter to browse some spiritual herbs, a voice caught his attention.
"Candidate Qing Yue, your attempt has failed. Your control of flame is insufficient for stabilizing a 3rd-tier Spirit Grade pill. You may try again in one month."
The voice belonged to an elder examiner seated at a raised platform, behind which lay a furnace and several watching disciples.
A girl stood there, face pale with frustration. She had delicate features, long raven-black hair tied in a simple ribbon, and eyes filled with pride and unwillingness. Her cauldron released faint smoke, and the medicinal paste within had already been ruined.
"This isn't over," she muttered, collecting her things with trembling hands.
Tianyan watched silently.
The girl, Qing Yue, turned to leave, brushing past him with only a brief glance. She paused—then narrowed her eyes slightly, sensing a strange fluctuation in his aura—but said nothing and exited.
Tianyan turned to the examiner. "May I take the 3rd-tier Spirit Grade alchemist test?"
The elder, a thin man with a neatly groomed beard, blinked in surprise. "You? Are you a disciple of the Verdant Mist Sect?"
"Yes."
"…Are you aware of the test requirements? You must refine a complete 3rd-tier Spirit Grade pill with at least a 50% purity rate. That's the standard."
Tianyan gave a calm nod. "I understand."
The elder chuckled skeptically. "Very well. We don't discriminate against the bold."
He clapped his hands. "Bring out a neutral flame core and the ingredients for a Soul-Calming Lotus Pill."
An attendant quickly brought over the required materials: Moonshade Lotus, Spirit Bone Extract, Frosted Antler Resin, and several stabilizing agents.
As Tianyan stepped up to the cauldron, murmurs began among the onlookers.
"Who is he?"
"Isn't that the Sect Master's personal disciple?"
"He's not even from the Alchemy Hall..."
Tianyan ignored them. He placed the herbs neatly beside him and closed his eyes.
In the depths of his mind, a deep voice stirred.
"Tianyan… for dragons, alchemy is not about formulas—it is about rhythm. Feel the fire. Let it breathe with you. This is the way of the Nine Flame Rebirth Technique…"
It was the voice of the Azureflame Dragon, echoing from long ago.
Tianyan opened his eyes—and summoned a thread of blue flame. It danced calmly across his fingers before flowing gently beneath the cauldron. Unlike the blazing flames of others, his burned steady, controlled—like a heartbeat.
He began.
Moonshade Lotus was placed first. A subtle swirl of flame enveloped it as he gently heated the cauldron. The petals liquified without a single scorch mark. Spirit Bone Extract followed, mixed carefully with resin—each interaction guided not by formulas, but by instinct.
The onlookers went silent.
The elder leaned forward, brows furrowed. "That flame… it's not a standard fire spirit... what is it?"
Within the cauldron, the medicinal paste thickened, spiraling into a dense, rotating vortex. No instability. No waste.
A glimmer of golden mist emerged at the top—signaling the final condensing phase.
Tianyan didn't hesitate.
He raised his palm—and the Primordial Dragonflame Sword shimmered faintly within his soul. A ripple of Azureflame surged beneath the cauldron in a controlled burst.
Boom.
A soft pulse echoed as the pill formed. Perfectly round, glowing with light.
Tianyan calmly lifted the Soul-Calming Lotus Pill and handed it to the elder.
The man stared at it. Then at him. Then back at the pill.
"…Seventy-eight percent purity."
Gasps echoed.
"Seventy-eight?!"
"That's close to the Master-tier boundary!"
The elder was silent for a long time, before finally straightening up.
"You've passed."
And then, softly: "Who taught you alchemy?"
Tianyan gave a faint smile.