Chapter 25: A Reunion with an Old Acquaintance, Becoming an Alchemist

Stepping onto the platform, Yun Yi gazed at the first light gate. He took a deep breath, pressed his palm against the surface, and slowly unleashed the power of his Foundation Establishment stage.

"Ding!"

With a soft chime, the light gate gradually vanished before his eyes. A surge of joy filled Yun Yi’s heart as he stepped inside. Once he had crossed the threshold, a spectral figure suddenly materialized before him. As Yun Yi looked toward the phantom, it slowly turned, opened its eyes, and regarded him with a benevolent expression.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My surname is Li, my given name is Er, and my courtesy name is Boyang! Young friend, I have been waiting for you for a very long time."

Upon hearing this introduction, Yun Yi, despite having mentally prepared himself, was startled. "Senior, are you... the founder of the Taoist school, Laozi?"

"Haha, mere empty titles. You may simply call me Fellow Daoist Li! I assume Fellow Daoist Ji has already informed you about our affairs."

"I am aware!" Yun Yi quickly recovered from his shock and answered courteously.

Laozi smiled, nodded, and continued, "This Yanhuang Gate is the place where I have left my legacy for you. I shall bequeath three things to you. My talent for cultivation throughout my life was rather mediocre, but I achieved some distinction in the art of alchemy."

"Alchemy?" Yun Yi was stunned. He knew that on the Lingwu Continent, a cultivator was far less precious than an alchemist. To become a qualified alchemist, one needed not only vast wealth to squander but also innate talent and guidance from a renowned master—all three were indispensable. Naturally, a qualified alchemist was respected everywhere, and it was an immensely lucrative profession.

Without waiting for Yun Yi to speak, Laozi reached out and pointed at his forehead. A golden light instantly darted into Yun Yi’s mind.

"Senior, what is this?"

"This is the alchemy mental cultivation method and technique I created myself. Relying on this technique and the 'Soaring Dragon, Plucking Leaf' method, I successfully attained the rank of a Ninth-Grade Alchemist!" As he spoke, Laozi’s eyes were filled with pride. "Once you have fully refined and mastered these, I believe you will be a qualified alchemist."

Laozi looked at Yun Yi with satisfaction, his eyes brimming with appreciation for a successor. Realizing the gravity of this legacy, Yun Yi hurriedly cupped his hands and spoke earnestly, "This junior will certainly not disgrace Senior's painstaking efforts!"

"Hahaha, excellent!" Laozi laughed heartily. He flicked his finger, and a cauldron appeared in his palm. "This Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron is the second item of my legacy! A good cauldron can improve the efficiency and quality of alchemy; therefore, a true alchemist must never be without one. This cauldron was the companion that traversed the Spirit Realm with me! It is ranked third on the Cauldron Rankings."

Laozi slowly handed the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron to Yun Yi, his expression softening as he looked at his old partner. Yun Yi, understanding the significance of this item to Laozi, bowed deeply in gratitude. "This junior will ensure the Dragon-Phoenix Cauldron becomes renowned in this world once again!"

"Remember, until your strength reaches the pinnacle of the continent, do not reveal it to the world! Even those at the Tribulation Transcendence stage would covet this cauldron!"

"This junior understands!"

"Lastly, the final item is—Spirit Fire!"

Yun Yi was stunned once more. He had only ever read about Spirit Fire in ancient texts. On the Lingwu Continent, there were three types of flames: Mortal Fire, Beast Fire, and the Spirit Fire born between heaven and earth. Mortal Fire was created by human spiritual power, while Beast Fire was nurtured by spirit beasts born with fire attributes. As for Spirit Fire, it was born from the essence of the world, having absorbed spiritual energy and been tempered through time.

Before Yun Yi could process his shock, Laozi gestured, and a tiny flame appeared in his palm. The temperature in the room instantly soared. "This fire is called the 'Burning Heaven Karma Fire.' It not only increases the success rate and quality of alchemy but also serves as a potent weapon to incinerate enemies! Furthermore, the burning sensation is intensified for those who have committed heinous deeds. The greatest power of Spirit Fire lies in its ability to consume other flames to enhance its own spirituality and attack power!"

Yun Yi looked at the small flame in Laozi’s hand, his scalp tingling. "If I were to touch this, wouldn't I..."

Laozi, seeing his concern, laughed. "Hahaha! Do not worry, young friend. Once I help you refine this fire, you shall be its master!"

Laozi then imparted more knowledge regarding alchemy. Time passed quickly.

"Young friend, my time is running out. Let me help you refine this fire!" Laozi looked at Yun Yi with a smile and placed the Burning Heaven Karma Fire into his hand. The flame, previously docile, suddenly turned violent, clearly possessing significant intelligence.

"Do not lose focus! Recite the incantation I taught you!" Laozi transformed into a stream of energy, covering the surface of the Karma Fire, calming it down, and then began to assist Yun Yi in the slow process of refinement.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

"Young friend, strive hard! We await you in the future!"

Yun Yi opened his eyes. Laozi’s final words echoed in the space for a long time before dissipating. As the voice faded, Yun Yi felt a wave of profound emotion for the kind old man. He was fortunate only because those who came before had endured all the hardships.

After a moment, once his cultivation base had stabilized, Yun Yi extended his left hand. With a thought, a small flame appeared in his palm. The temperature in the room rose again, and the flame danced according to his will.

"It truly is a treasure of heaven and earth to possess such intelligence!"

Looking at the rest of the room, Yun Yi felt a headache coming on, for it was filled with books. Although he had an excellent memory, the mere thought of reading gave him a headache. Taking a deep breath, he set aside his distractions and immersed himself in the books.

...

Meanwhile, at the female disciples' living quarters.

"Lei Ling'er, I like you! Will you be my cultivation partner?"

Lei Ling'er looked at the handsome man before her with a sense of disgust. "He Zimo, I already have a cultivation partner! Please, stop bothering me!"

Hearing her words, Wang Yunhe looked at her with disdain, his eyes filled with possessiveness. "That 'Yun' something? A piece of trash—how can he compare to me?"

"That’s right! Senior Brother He is handsome and a First-Grade Alchemist; he’s hundreds of times better than that Yun Yi! Junior Sister Ling'er, don't be foolish!"

"Exactly! If he were chasing me, I would never let Senior Brother He down!"

Hearing the girls praising him, a look of pride appeared on He Zimo’s face.

"I have things to attend to, I'm leaving!" Lei Ling'er ignored them and turned to head back to her room.

He Zimo reached out to grab her.

"Dare to touch my sister-in-law, and Grandpa will break your hands!"

A highly arrogant voice rang out as a green-haired man appeared before the crowd.