The miniature world glowed with tranquil brilliance, its rivers shimmering like silver veins and the sky dyed with spiritual mist. Lin Xueya sat in front of the Divine Cauldron, her hands weaving seals as flames of Dao surged within the vessel.
The herbs she had gathered from the boundless fields of her inner realm melted under the celestial fire. Each leaf and root transformed into liquid essence, merging into a golden pill embryo.
"Pill refinement is not just about fire and herbs," she whispered to herself, sweat glistening against her brow. "It is about harmony of intent. My will must blend with the Dao of life itself."
The Cauldron roared. Light poured out, illuminating the cavern. Three glowing spheres floated above the flames, pulsing with vitality. She had succeeded—three Foundation Nourishing Pills, capable of stabilizing cultivation at the core foundation level.
Xueya exhaled slowly, her chest rising and falling with relief. But then her attention shifted inward. Deep within her womb, her unborn children stirred, resonating faintly with the medicinal aura.
"They absorb everything I refine," she realized with a tremor of awe. "Not only do I cultivate for myself, but every pill strengthens them too. This… this is the greatest blessing."
She pressed a hand to her belly, smiling with tender warmth. Yet her eyes quickly hardened. "I cannot let the outside world take this away."
---
Meanwhile, outside in the mortal market near the Heaven's Veil Sect, her third clone had begun to cause a sensation. Dressed in alchemist robes embroidered with faint silver threads, he stood behind a simple wooden stall. On the counter lay jade bottles, each filled with golden pills that radiated faint spiritual light.
"P-Pill Master, is this truly a Foundation Nourishing Pill?" A young cultivator trembled as he held a bottle.
The clone smiled faintly. "Not only genuine, but refined under heavenly-grade fire."
The crowd buzzed.
"Heavenly fire? Impossible!"
"Yet the fragrance… it surpasses anything our sect alchemists have produced."
"To think such treasures are being sold here, in the open market!"
Soon, the stall was surrounded by disciples and rogue cultivators alike. The name of the "Mysterious Alchemist" spread like wildfire across the town.
Of course, chaos followed. A group of Heaven's Veil Sect outer disciples pushed through the crowd, their expressions dark.
"You there," one barked. "Our sect controls alchemy trade in this region. Who gave you permission to sell pills here?"
The clone tilted his head, his smile calm but sharp. "Permission? I require none. My pills are not branded by your sect, nor crafted with your resources. Why should I bow to your petty rules?"
Murmurs rippled. Some laughed quietly, others gasped. To defy the Heaven's Veil Sect so openly was near suicidal.
The disciples gritted their teeth but hesitated. The crowd watched closely, many already memorizing the clone's face. If they attacked recklessly, their sect's reputation would suffer.
At that moment, an elder's disciple stepped forward. His robes bore the insignia of the inner sect, and his eyes glittered with authority.
"Interesting," he said slowly, examining the clone. "Your pills… they reek of divine flame. No ordinary alchemist could produce this. Tell me, who is your master? Which sect backs you?"
The clone only smiled. "Why should I answer? I stand alone."
Gasps echoed. Alone? An independent alchemist of this caliber was unheard of. The implications were terrifying.
---
Through the telepathic link, Xueya watched everything unfold from her miniature world. Her lips pressed into a line. "They will not let this rest. They will dig deeper. I must prepare a false identity."
But for now, she continued to cultivate. The spiritual rivers of her realm flowed into her body, strengthening her meridians. She guided the energy with precision, pushing against the barrier of her current stage.
Boom—her dantian trembled, expanding, refining. Her entire being resonated with a higher frequency. She was no longer merely polishing her meridians; she was stepping toward the Core Foundation.
Lightning arcs danced faintly across her skin, a sign that her body was adapting to the denser influx of qi. Her hair fluttered, and her beauty intensified to an almost dangerous degree.
"This path is steep, but every step I take now is one my children will inherit. If the Heaven's Veil Sect covets me, let them come. By the time they find me, I will be far beyond their reach."
Her determination burned brighter than the flames of her cauldron.
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