After making sure everything in the chamber looked spotless, Wan Long dusted off his robes and slipped out quietly. His steps were light — almost floating — from excitement. The elders' chambers were cleaned, his rewards were astronomical, and now it was time to make his next move.
The Alchemy Hall bustled with activity when he arrived. Disciples in clean robes moved in and out carrying cauldrons, herbs, and scrolls, while a faint herbal fragrance lingered in the air. Wan Long made his way toward the registration counter, where an elegant female disciple sat behind a jade desk.
"I'd like to register for tomorrow's alchemy examination," he said calmly, presenting his identity token.
She raised a brow, scanning the token. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes when she saw his contribution balance.
"Four hundred contribution points," she repeated, half in disbelief. "Servant disciple?"
Wan Long nodded, maintaining a respectful smile.
The disciple hesitated for a heartbeat before shrugging slightly. It wasn't her place to pry into how someone gained their points — perhaps an elder had indeed taken a liking to him. Such things weren't unheard of. She quickly entered the details into a formation tablet and handed him a glowing registration slip.
"Very well. You're registered for the Tier One Alchemy Examination, scheduled for tomorrow morning at the third testing platform. Be on time. Latecomers forfeit automatically."
"Thank you, Senior Sister," Wan Long replied, bowing slightly.
As he turned to leave, a thought struck him. "Senior Sister, may I access the Outer Court Alchemy Library before the examination?"
She looked up again, curious but still composed. "You may. Registered candidates are granted access for a day. Present your registration slip to the librarian, and you'll be allowed entry."
Wan Long's lips curved slightly. "Much appreciated."
With that, he headed toward the library, his mind already spinning with questions.
Even though he had obtained the Azure Flame Control Manual, something still didn't feel right. When he simulated refining earlier, his flame had been unstable — too cold one moment, too violent the next. His Chaos Mortal Roots contained every elemental attribute, making it extremely difficult to control a single element precisely.
If he didn't solve this before tomorrow, his alchemy test might end in failure.
As he walked through the quiet marble corridor leading to the library, he murmured softly, "It's not just about controlling fire. There's something deeper with these roots… I need to understand why they interfere with elemental stability."
He stepped into the towering Alchemy Library, where shelves rose like mountains of jade and gold. Scrolls glowed faintly under the array's illumination.
Wan Long exhaled slowly. "Let's see what secrets you're hiding…"
And with that, he began his quiet search for the answer that might determine his future as an alchemist.
As Wan Long browsed through the countless scrolls, jade slips, and tomes, his eyes caught a section labeled "Fundamentals of Flame and Pill Refining." Curious, he took one of the ancient books and began to read, standing under the soft glow of spirit lamps.
The first few lines made him freeze.
Then—he almost laughed aloud.
"So that's it…" he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "I've been a fool this whole time."
The text explained that there were two primary methods for performing alchemy.
The first method, known as Internal Fire Alchemy, required the cultivator to possess a fire spiritual root or an alchemy flame. Using one's own spiritual energy to generate and control fire directly was extremely taxing and dangerous. Only Tier 5 Alchemists and above—those with profound control and soul strength—could safely refine pills this way.
The second method, which 99% of alchemists used, was Formation-Assisted Alchemy.
It was written that beneath the Alchemy Hall flowed powerful earth veins rich in fire spiritual energy and underground magma rivers. The sect had long ago constructed vast formations to harness that natural fire essence. Alchemists only needed to inject their spiritual energy into the formation—activating a stable, controlled alchemical flame.
The book clearly stated:
"Possession of a fire root is not a requirement for pill refinement. The sect formations draw upon the fire of the earth veins, allowing even those of non-fire constitutions to perform alchemy effectively."
Wan Long felt a rush of realization flood through him. He had been trying to generate fire from within, converting his chaotic spiritual energy directly into flame—a feat impossible for someone with Chaos Mortal Roots, and even difficult for cultivators far beyond him.
He chuckled, shaking his head. "No wonder the fire kept fluctuating. I was forcing it… when I could've just borrowed the flame."
The scroll continued, discussing Alchemy Flames—rare sentient fires that alchemists could awaken or absorb to enhance their pill refinement ability. They were divided into four main grades:
Normal Alchemy Fire – The most common, born from spiritual condensation.
Earth Fire – Drawn from the veins and magma beneath the earth.
Spirit Fire – Possessing consciousness, capable of merging with the alchemist's soul.
Heaven Fire – Divine and destructive, capable of refining spirit treasures and heavenly pills.
He couldn't help but grin. "So that's the path… use the formations, not my own fire. I was trying to act like a Tier 5 alchemist when I haven't even taken the Tier 1 test."
Wan Long placed the book back on the shelf carefully, his eyes gleaming with newfound understanding.
Now, everything was clear. Tomorrow's exam wouldn't be about overpowering flame—it would be about finesse and control. With the Azure Fire Control Technique, and the fire formation of the Alchemy Hall, he could refine like any proper alchemist.
And with that thought, Wan Long left the library back to his hut....
.....
Back in his small hut, Wan Long closed the door and sat cross-legged on his bamboo mat. The night air was cool and quiet, yet his heart burned with anticipation.
He summoned the Azure Fire Control Technique from his inventory, the low-grade Earth Tier manual glowing faintly in his hands.
"Learn."
The moment he activated it, a stream of azure light entered his forehead, flooding his consciousness with intricate diagrams, breathing cycles, and flame control patterns. It was like a river of insight flowing directly into his soul.
Almost instantly, he could feel it—the delicate rhythm of fire essence. His spiritual energy responded, forming a faint, unstable blue flame above his palm. It flickered weakly, wavering like a candle in the wind, but it was his.
A grin crept across his face.
"So this is Azure Fire Control... it's far more profound than I expected."
The flame sputtered out, and he sighed. He could control the flame, yes, but not nearly well enough for tomorrow's alchemy exam. His Chaos Mortal Roots—while unique—made it difficult to focus on a single element. He needed stronger affinity, finer precision… and a better technique.
He opened his System Panel.
[Technique: Azure Fire Control Technique — Low-Grade Earth Tier]
[Recycle Points: 441,000]
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"If I want to have no problem tomorrow, a low-grade Earth tier technique won't be enough with my low grade chaos root…"
He hesitated for a moment, then clenched his fists. "System, upgrade the Azure Fire Control Technique."
The familiar chime echoed in his mind.
[Upgrade option available.]
[Low-Grade Earth → Mid-Grade Earth — 20,000 RP]
[Mid-Grade Earth → High-Grade Earth — 40,000 RP]
[High-Grade Earth → Low-Grade Heaven — 120,000 RP]
Wan Long's lips curled into a confident smile.
"Heaven-Tier Fire Control…" he muttered.
"Confirm full upgrade."
[Confirming… 120,000 RP deducted.]
[Upgrading Azure Fire Control Technique → Low-Grade Heaven Tier…]
(Note: Techniques were ranked from Yellow, Purple, Earth, Heaven, and Imperial, each divided further into Low, Middle, and High tier)
A deep hum resonated in his mind. The world around him seemed to blur. In his consciousness, vast patterns of flame formations unfolded like blooming lotus petals. Every breath he took now carried warmth, and the concept of "fire" seemed to shift from something external to something intrinsic—alive within his meridians.
He felt his blood boil, his meridians pulse, and his dantian resonate with the faint roar of an unseen flame.
Moments later, he opened his eyes.
[Technique: Azure Fire Control Technique — Low-Grade Heaven Tier]
[Recycle Points Remaining: 321,000]
He raised his right hand once more. A strand of brilliant azure-gold fire bloomed in his palm. Unlike before, it no longer flickered—it flowed, like molten liquid, alive and obedient to his will.
Wan Long stared at the flickering azure-gold flame dancing in his palm, its light reflecting against his eyes. A realization struck him suddenly—a memory from the sect alchemy hall archives.
"There's only one Heaven-tier Fire Control Technique in the entire Holy Sect…" he muttered softly, his gaze deepening. "The Phoenix Flame Control—a Mid-Grade Heaven-tier technique reserved for the top of the top."
And yet, here he was, holding his own Heaven-Tier flame in his hand.
A faint chuckle escaped his lips.
"The Azure Fire Control Technique in the sect library is only a Mid-Grade Purple Tier… and I've already surpassed it."
He looked down at his System panel again. It wasn't the first time the system had done something strange. When it recycled, it never returned low-quality items. Pills were always high-grade or perfect-grade; techniques, once recycled, often seemed to merge into stronger versions of themselves.
"So, it fused multiple versions together… no wonder the rank jumped so high," Wan Long murmured, his heart filled with a mix of awe and curiosity. "It's like the system rejects mediocrity itself."
His eyes gleamed faintly.
The Holy Sect's Imperial-tier techniques were the stuff of legend—untouchable treasures sealed in the deepest chambers of the sect. Even Holy Sons, chosen among tens of thousands, could only access one if recognized by fate itself. It was said an Imperial technique alone was enough to found a Holy Land.
He couldn't help but wonder.
"System, can the Azure Fire Control Technique be upgraded further?"
The familiar chime rang out in his mind.
[Upgrade available: Low-Grade Heaven → Imperial Tier]
[Cost: 850,000 RP]
Wan Long's heart skipped a beat.
"Eight hundred fifty thousand…" he sighed, shaking his head helplessly. "That's out of reach for now."
He exhaled slowly, the azure-gold flame dimming slightly in his palm.
"Still… Heaven-Tier is already enough."
As his thoughts settled, a new line appeared on the system panel.
[Azure Fire Control Technique]
[Proficiency: Beginner (0%)]
[Proficiency can be improved using Recycle Points.]
His eyes lit up again.
"So I can refine my mastery too?"
(Note: Technique proficiency: Beginner → Minor Completion → Mastery → Great Completion → Perfection)
Without hesitation, he willed it.
"System, raise proficiency to the maximum."
[Beginner → Minor Completion: 20,000 RP]
[Minor Completion → Mastery: 50,000 RP]
[Mastery → Great Completion: 80,000 RP]
[Great Completion → Perfection: 150,000 RP]
[Total: 150,000 RP deducted.]
[Azure Fire Control Technique — Perfection Proficiency achieved!]
Wan Long's body trembled as a surge of heat and power erupted from his dantian. His meridians burned—not with pain, but with energy too vast and alive to contain.
The flame in his hand roared to life, its azure hue deepening until it shimmered with faint emerald undertones. A low, ancient growl echoed faintly in his mind—like the distant call of a dragon awakening.
Before his eyes, the azure-gold flame twisted and coiled, forming the shape of a small dragon made of pure fire. Its body was elegant and sinuous, scales rippling with waves of blue-green light. Though it lacked consciousness, it exuded an ancient, awe-inspiring aura, as if it carried the memory of something divine.
Wan Long's breath hitched.
"This…"
The dragon opened its jaws silently, releasing a slow breath of green-blue flame that curled through the air, dissolving into countless motes of light. The temperature in the room spiked sharply, yet the fire no longer felt wild—it obeyed him completely, its power bound to his will.
The air shimmered with residual energy.
Wan Long raised his hand, and the flame-dragon obediently dispersed, condensing once more into a calm wisp that floated above his palm.
He smiled faintly.
"At perfection… it's not just fire—it's a manifestation of my will. A dragon flame…"
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, allowing the flame to fade. The hut fell silent once more, but faint scorch marks shimmered on the air itself—proof that something extraordinary had just occurred.
[Recycle Points Remaining: 171,000]...