Translator: AnubisTL
The awkward atmosphere flowed silently like water, as if time had frozen. Everyone, in tacit agreement, remained silent, and even the sound of breathing grew faint.
The disciples who had been blown aside by the spiritual power whirlwind dared not groan or move, staying in their toppled positions. Their eyes darted around, and the familiar faces made them feel as if they were in a dream.
Almost all the Alchemy Hall Elders had arrived, and such a complete lineup was indeed a rare sight.
The elders who had revealed their true forms sat upright like meditating monks, their eyes fixed straight ahead, inwardly cursing the previously irate elder.
If it weren't for his thoughtless outburst, such an awkward situation wouldn't have arisen.
Elder Shen, sitting in the corner, looked pale and furious, his nose almost twisted in anger. He had expected some elders to come and observe Gu Feng's pill refining, but he hadn't anticipated that the entire Alchemy Hall's elder group, except for those who were incapacitated, would all show up.
Shameful! The reputation the Outer Sect Alchemy Hall had built over the years was instantly tarnished.
If word of today's events spread and reached the Inner Sect Alchemy Hall, they would surely be ridiculed for a lifetime.
Enemy doesn't move, I don't move. Gu Feng stood on the stage like an ancient tree, showing no awareness that, as the host, he should step forward to defuse the awkwardness.
This bizarre state continued until a sudden exclamation broke the silence.
"Sister, what's wrong with you?"
Swish—
At these words, everyone's gaze turned to Yan Xixi, who was hiding behind Gu Feng on the stage.
The latter, like a frightened rabbit, dashed to the middle of the seating area, and everyone's eyes followed her agile figure.
Only then did everyone realize that Yan Yexue had collapsed into her seat, apparently unconscious.
In an instant, the entire venue came alive.
"Let this elder take her pulse!"
Almost simultaneously, the Alchemy Hall elders flashed to Yan Yexue's side. Elder Shen, with the highest cultivation and fastest speed, arrived first.
Elder Shen extended two fingers to feel Yan Yexue's pulse, while Yan Xixi, standing beside her, looked worried. The other elders waited quietly.
"There's no major issue, it's just… just—"
The elders surrounding Yan Yexue were all from the Outer Sect Alchemy Hall, and they could roughly tell the situation without needing to take her pulse.
Yan Yexue had overexerted herself, causing internal damage and excessive blood loss, leading to a brief fainting spell. It wasn't serious.
As for why this happened, it was obvious—it was all because of Gu Feng's Modified Bone Cleansing Pills!
To push an Innate Realm cultivator like Yan Yexue to the point of collapse, how many Modified Bone Cleansing Pills must she have taken? Probably no less than 300!
Sss—
This girl really went all out!
Looking at Yan Yexue's pale face, the elders felt a pang of fear. Fortunately, they had exercised restraint, or else they would have been the ones making a scene in public.
After Elder Shen channeled a wisp of spiritual power into her, Yan Yexue slowly woke up. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw a large group of elders surrounding her.
Swish—
Her flawless face instantly turned crimson, all the way down to her neck. She wished she could find a hole to crawl into and never come out.
"Hehe, Yan girl, cultivation requires balance. You can't force it. As the saying goes, 'haste makes waste'…"
To ease others' embarrassment is to ease one's own. Elder Shen concealed the true reason for Yan Yexue's fainting, and the Alchemy Hall disciples, unaware of the truth, assumed it was due to overtraining in preparation for the Sunset Glow Sect's annual competition. Yan Yexue, ranked tenth on the Inner Sect's Heavenly Leaderboard, must have pushed herself too hard to maintain or improve her ranking, leading to her collapse.
"Thank you, Elder Shen." Yan Yexue bowed respectfully to Elder Shen, filled with gratitude. If people found out she had fainted due to diarrhea caused by researching the Modified Bone Cleansing Pills, she would become the laughingstock of the Sunset Glow Sect and would no longer have the face to stay here.
"Sister, are you okay now?" Seeing her sister's complexion had improved, Yan Xixi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm fine, I just overdid it with my training!" Yan Yexue's eyelids twitched a few times. If you hadn't been so sharp-eyed, this wouldn't have happened. With my Innate Realm cultivation, I would have woken up in just a few breaths. Thankfully, Elder Shen was wise, or else this would have turned into a massive public embarrassment.
This unexpected incident miraculously dissolved the awkward atmosphere.
Elder Shen scanned the room with a benevolent smile, his lips twitching slightly when his gaze passed over Gu Feng, but he said nothing.
"As the saying goes, 'learning knows no bounds, and among three people, there is always a teacher.' Gu Feng's Modified Bone Cleansing Pills are well-refined and have significantly improved the overall level of our Outer Sect disciples…
However, their drawbacks are still quite evident…"
Perhaps due to his long-standing high position or sheer habit, Elder Shen spoke as he walked, unconsciously making his way to the stage.
As the big shot took over, Gu Feng wisely stepped aside and yielded the stage to him.
Elder Shen truly lived up to his title as the chief elder of the Outer Sect Alchemy Hall. His vast knowledge, profound alchemy skills, and eloquent speech were mesmerizing.
From a simple Modified Bone Cleansing Pill, he expanded into the world of alchemy; from the initial warming of the furnace, to the construction of arrays, to the control of soul power, and even the storage of pills…
He spoke for two full hours.
The audience, composed of Alchemy Hall elders and disciples, listened with rapt attention, completely immersed.
However, Gu Feng, standing at the edge of the stage, suffered. His level of understanding barely scratched the surface, and many technical terms sounded like gibberish to him.
The only pill he had managed to create, the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill, was a utilitarian, profit-driven defective pill, hardly worthy of any refined discussion!
He grew drowsy but dared not interrupt or leave.
The more skilled the teacher, the more they enjoy lecturing, and if they encounter attentive students, it's simply delightful.
In his excitement, Elder Shen even sat cross-legged, activated an array, and communicated with the spirit, fully embodying the role of an on-the-spot instructor.
Watching the flickering flames, Gu Feng's eyelids twitched. What on earth is he doing? Taking over someone else's stage to refine pills? Is he planning to keep this up until tomorrow?
Gu Feng felt a slight bitterness in his heart but could only patiently wait.
"We've discussed the technique of warming the furnace many times, but many disciples, and even some elders, still make mistakes…"
Elder Shen's skill was indeed high. Just the furnace-warming segment showcased his masterful expertise, making Gu Feng's eyes light up with admiration. Even more so for the Alchemy Hall disciples.
Awe filled everyone's hearts. The disciples' eyes burned with passion. To receive personal instruction from the chief elder of the Alchemy Hall was undoubtedly a rare blessing, a reward for doing a hundred good deeds in a past life.
"To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools. After warming the furnace, stabilize the flames, and then proceed to refine the pill!" Elder Shen stood with his back to the audience, his figure towering, radiating confidence.
Just as he was considering which pill to refine, three sudden words caused him to stagger, almost falling to the ground!
Modified Bone Cleansing Pill!
The moment these words were uttered, they ignited the emotions of the entire room.
Both the Alchemy Hall elders and disciples chanted "Modified Bone Cleansing Pill" in unison.
"Modified Bone Cleansing Pill!"
"Modified Bone Cleansing Pill!"
Elder Shen's vast knowledge made them believe that no pill could challenge the chief elder of the Alchemy Hall, not even the 'Modified Bone Cleansing Pill'!
Elder Shen's back remained upright, but beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead, streaming down his cheeks.
Seeing Gu Feng had thoughtfully placed a set of Modified Bone Cleansing Pill refining materials beside him, he knew he had to refine it today.
But—
He had no confidence in doing so!
At this moment, he felt a pang of regret for his earlier impulsiveness, forgetting where he was.
"Hehe, it seems everyone has a soft spot for the 'Modified Bone Cleansing Pill.' Today, I'll refine it once!"
Elder Shen turned to face the crowd, forcing a relaxed smile, though inwardly he was panicking.
"The Modified Bone Cleansing Pill is renowned in the Outer Sect, but this is my first time refining it. If the furnace explodes, don't laugh!"
At these words, the entire room burst into laughter.
"Elder Shen is too modest. If you can't refine the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill, no one in the Outer Sect can."
"Once Elder Shen takes action, success is guaranteed. Perhaps he'll even manage to eliminate the pill's side effects!"
"…"
Listening to the praises, Elder Zhao, sitting in the corner, felt a pang of unease. Only he and a few close elders knew that Elder Shen wasn't being modest—he truly might not be able to refine the 'Modified Bone Cleansing Pill'!
Unfortunately, he had wanted to find an excuse to step down, but with so many people praising him, he had no choice but to proceed.
This was bad. If the furnace exploded, it would be a heavy blow to the entire Outer Sect Alchemy Hall.
He wanted to give a meaningful look to Yan Xixi beside Gu Feng on the stage, but her eyes were filled with stars, her face full of admiration.
Clearly, this genius disciple of the Outer Sect Alchemy Hall was also convinced that Elder Shen could refine the 'Modified Bone Cleansing Pill'!
Hehe—
Seeing Elder Shen had already begun refining, Elder Zhao smiled bitterly, closed his eyes, and covered his ears, not daring to watch or listen.
Elder Shen sat before the furnace, fully focused, his spirit highly concentrated. The Modified Bone Cleansing Pill he was refining was an unprecedented challenge for him.
He had to succeed. Failure was not an option.
Sweat covered his forehead, and cold sweat trickled down his back.
In this state of extreme tension, he lost all sense of time. It felt like a century had passed, yet also like a fleeting moment.
As a faint 'hum' came from the furnace, two beams of light shot from Elder Shen's eyes.
"Rise—"
He shouted the loudest 'rise' of his life, then flicked his finger, and the small lid atop the furnace flew off.
Several rays of mysterious light shot out, and before anyone could see clearly, he caught them firmly in his palm.
With a trembling heart and excited hands, Elder Shen held his breath and slowly opened his palm to reveal three round pills resting there.
"Success!" he roared in his heart. The tightly wound string in his mind suddenly loosened, and a wave of dizziness washed over him.
Standing nearby, Gu Feng clenched his fist tightly when he saw the pills clearly.
Elder Shen's successful refinement of the 'Modified Bone Cleansing Pill' was a great boon for him. At least until the pill's side effects were completely eliminated, the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill wouldn't be banned, and Gu Feng could continue earning Spirit Stones for a while longer.
"Well done!" Elder Zhao, sitting below, couldn't help but loudly cheer.
His action triggered a chain reaction, and a thunderous applause, almost lifting the roof, surged like a tidal wave.
The Alchemy Hall elders were visibly excited, waving their fists, while the disciples had already clapped their hands red. Even Gu Feng joined in the cheering and clapping.
"Hahaha, mission accomplished!
I must say, the Modified Bone Cleansing Pill does have its unique aspects. Even I can't refine nine pills in one go.
Compared to Gu Feng's nonchalance, I've fallen short!"
In high spirits, Elder Shen, while easing his own embarrassment, used his praise of Gu Feng to showcase his magnanimity to the crowd.
This move once again earned him cheers and admiration.
"Let's test the pill's efficacy!" Having refined the 'Modified Bone Cleansing Pill,' Elder Shen had no more reservations. He firmly believed that his pill's efficacy would surpass Gu Feng's 'Modified Bone Cleansing Pill'!
After all, Gu Feng was just an amateur, with many of his refining actions and techniques being irregular. Managing to refine a pill was already a stroke of luck—how could its quality compare to that of the chief elder of the Alchemy Hall?
Soon, an Outer Sect elder brought a small white mouse specifically used for testing pill effects.
Elder Shen tossed the pill in front of the mouse, which sniffed it, showed a fascinated expression, and then swallowed it whole.
(End of the Chapter)
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