To master the flame required not only formidable soul power but also meticulous control and precision.
Yet the very Gu Qingli whom Gu Qiqi had always looked down upon had succeeded in her first attempt—an outcome Gu Qiqi found utterly inconceivable.
"The Sixth Miss is truly extraordinary," someone exclaimed in admiration.
Still unwilling to concede, Gu Qiqi muttered darkly,
"Hmph, I bet it's the Linglong Cauldron that made the difference. Without it, she'd be nothing."
Gu Qingli remained wholly focused on the flame, her mind untouched by their idle chatter.
Calming herself, she followed the prescribed steps: placing a medicinal herb into the cauldron, sealing the lid, then closing her eyes to sense the internal alchemical transformation with her soul power.
But, as with all beginnings, missteps were inevitable. Soon enough, a muffled bang resounded from within, followed by a plume of black smoke curling into the air.
Predictably, Gu Qiqi seized the moment to mock her, practically gloating.
"Haha! I told you! There's no way a useless wretch like her could become an alchemist. What a laughable fantasy."
"She's only just started, after all—it's her first live attempt. A few mistakes are normal. She'll get better," someone retorted, clearly irritated by Gu Qiqi's venom.
After all, even Gu Qiqi herself had failed countless times before reaching her current level—though she seemed conveniently forgetful of that fact.
Her bitterness drew sharp looks, but Gu Qingli was undeterred. With quiet resolve, she placed another herb into the cauldron and repeated the process, drawing lessons from each attempt. This time, it took much longer before the black smoke once again emerged—signaling progress.
Confidence began to take root. She persisted tirelessly, and by the tenth repetition, her soul power had successfully reduced the medicinal herb into liquid form. However, the resulting essence was a swirl of colors—an indication of excessive impurities.
Now came the next crucial phase: using her soul power to isolate the herb's pure essence and evaporate the unwanted residue.
This step demanded immense soul control and unwavering concentration, for even the smallest trace of impurity could compromise the pill's potency and palatability.
The refining process was grueling and monotonous. Its repetitive nature, coupled with frequent failure, often broke the spirit of even the most determined students.
But Gu Qingli was not one to be easily shaken. Calm and composed, she worked through the morning in steady perseverance, and at last, extracted the first complete essence of the herb. Beads of sweat clung to her brow as she smiled faintly, lifting the fine white powder from the cauldron—a reward for her toil.
"A true waste of space—took her an entire morning for one step," Gu Qiqi sneered, eager as ever to belittle.
The others merely rolled their eyes, unwilling to dignify her spite with a response.
Yet Gu Qiqi's smugness was short-lived. After her initial breakthrough, Gu Qingli began succeeding in each repetition—sometimes on the first try, at most the second.
A wave of astonishment rippled through the crowd.
"This is incredible... could she truly be a genius?"
Even Gu Qiqi found herself inwardly wishing she were the one performing with such flawless consistency.
As time passed, Gu Qingli had successfully refined all five foundational herbs required for the Restoration Pill. Gazing at the delicate powders laid before her, she allowed herself a rare smile of quiet satisfaction.
Yet she knew better than to celebrate prematurely. The final, most critical step still remained: the fusion.
Only by flawlessly merging the five essences could she rightfully claim the title of alchemist.
Unbeknownst to the others, two more figures had entered the hall—Elder Mu and Master Yin, who had just completed his own session and now stood silently at the rear. Unseen, they watched with solemn interest as Gu Qingli approached the most decisive moment of her trial: the fusion.