A few more days passed, and Lian remained completely enthralled in refinement.
Under normal circumstances, even a talented disciple would need over two years to successfully refine complete pills and earn recognition as an alchemist.
Yet here he was, refining Gang Essence Pills again and again.
Whether it was natural talent or some unseen external force, Lian had reached this stage far too quickly.
Perhaps it was the lotus.
Whatever the reason, his progress was frighteningly fast. Now, he stood one step away from refining a flawless Gang Essence Pill.
"Again!" he shouted as the furnace cooled.
The latest batch had produced nothing more than common-grade pills.
"Getting a flawless pill really is difficult," Lian muttered, rubbing his temples.
"No matter how careful I am… there's always waste. The pill never forms the way I want it to."
He paused, staring at the furnace instead of reigniting it.
"This can't continue like this."
The room around him was filled with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of pills. Medicinal scents overlapped and clashed violently, forming a chaotic mixture that made his head throb.
"This won't do."
Lian stood and raised his hand.
His Wind Qi, now far more refined than before, flowed outward. A gentle breeze swept through the room, lifting dust, residue, and lingering medicinal vapours from every corner.
As Lian guided it, the breeze strengthened, gathering all the conflicting scents and then expelled them in a single, powerful gust.
The room cleared instantly.
Fresh air returned.
"Mm?"
Lian's eyes narrowed.
"…What's that?"
He turned slowly and reached toward the cauldron.
Something felt different.
The furnace was silent—but beneath its surface, a faint, unfamiliar rhythm pulsed.
"What's this… palm movements?"
The moment Lian's hand made contact with the cauldron, his mind was violently pulled away.
The world twisted.
When his vision steadied, he found himself inside a hazy, boundless space. At its centre stood a faceless master, calmly refining a pill. Though the figure lacked features, its presence alone carried immeasurable pressure.
Just before the pill took shape, the master struck the cauldron with his palm.
Boom!
Wind Qi erupted.
Another palm followed—this time carrying earth Qi.
Then ice.
Then poison.
Each strike caused the cauldron to ring like a great bell; its resonance spread endlessly through the void.
"Twenty-Four Palms of Buddha Refinement," the master spoke.
The voice echoed from all directions.
"Now watch closely, young one."
Lian's heart skipped violently. He wanted to speak—to ask questions—but his mouth would not move. No sound came out.
"Your talent is rare," the voice continued, neither harsh nor gentle—simply absolute.
"So, comprehend as much as you can."
The master's aura suddenly surged.
His palms turned golden, and ancient characters manifested around him like invisible talismans, revolving slowly through the air.
"First Palm—
金身初铸
Jīn Shēn Chū Zhù
Forging the Golden Body!"
He roared and struck the cauldron.
The cauldron trembled violently.
"Second Palm—
罗汉碎骨掌
Luóhàn Suì Gǔ Zhǎng
Arhat Bone-Shattering Palm!"
Another strike—stronger, heavier.
"Third Palm—
佛血焚脉
Fó Xuè Fén Mài
Buddha Blood Burning the Meridians!"
The cauldron screamed.
"Fourth—"
The strikes came faster and faster.
Each palm layered Qi upon Qi, harmonising yet violently distinct. Lian's eyes tracked every movement, every fluctuation of energy, and suddenly, understanding washed over him.
Not in words.
But in instinct.
"Twenty-third Palm—
寂灭涅槃劫
Jì Miè Nièpán Jié
Extinction Nirvana Tribulation!"
The master brought his hands together in a closed palm.
As he moved them through the air, his arms multiplied, dozens of afterimages overlapping like layers of reality itself. The space trembled as he roared,
"Refinement Complete — Twenty-Four Palms!
佛道归虚 · 圆满
Fó Dào Guī Xū · Yuánmǎn
Buddha and Dao Return to Void — Perfection!"
His palm struck the cauldron one final time.
This time, there was no explosion.
No chaos.
The violent energies that had raged moments before instantly stilled, returning to absolute harmony. The cauldron rang once—soft, deep, eternal.
Then,
From its mouth rose a golden pill, hovering silently in the air.
Vein-like patterns pulsed across its surface, alive with Dao intent.
The moment Lian gazed upon it—
A lotus bloomed within his mind.
Golden radiance flooded his meridians, flowing through his body like a celestial river. His breath slowed, his heart calmed, and enlightenment surged.
"I understand now…" Lian murmured.
"No matter whether human or pill, we are all unfinished products… things meant to be refined."
His voice trembled as heavenly energy poured into him.
"Refine the bones.
Refine the Qi.
Refine the mind.
Refine the body."
Behind him, barely visible, the master watched.
"Kukuku… what a frightening child," the Pill Saint chuckled softly."Had you been born a few centuries earlier, you would have made a truly terrifying disciple."
His formless face seemed to smile.
"Such talent… we have not seen its like in even a thousand years."
The master's form began to fade.
"Oh well," he said lightly."Even without my direct guidance, you will reach far greater heights."
His gaze lingered on Lian.
"Especially since you already possess that heavenly treasure of yours."
A final smile echoed through the void.
"I suppose you may now be called Heaven's Chosen."
And with that—
The Pill Saint vanished.
Crack!
Crack!
Lian's mind space fractured as torrents of Qi surged within him.
Invisible barriers shattered one after another, spreading like spiderwebs across his consciousness. His Feng Chi fully opened, erupting with brilliant spiritual light. Energy poured through the newly awakened passage, roaring like a freed river.
Only one final node remained—the point at his chest.
Once that opened, he would step into the next realm.
As the rampant energies gradually settled, Lian exhaled deeply.
His eyes opened.
He was back in the room.
"Ha… hahahaha…"
Soft laughter escaped his lips.
"The world truly is vast," he said quietly.
"To think I once believed the Patriarch realm was the peak of existence…"
He shook his head, smiling bitterly.
"How foolish I was."
Lian rose, then knelt before the cauldron. Placing both palms to the ground, he bowed deeply.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master," he said solemnly.
"Even without knowing your name, this favour is something I will never forget."
The air around him felt different now.
Though he had not yet broken into the next realm, his disposition had transformed. His presence was steadier, sharper—carrying quiet confidence rather than reckless ambition.
With his Feng Chi open, Lian could now cultivate techniques directly within his mind space, allowing for insight, refinement, and mastery at a pace far beyond that of ordinary cultivators.
He rose slowly.
"Now…"
"It's time to refine the flawless pill."
A calm smile appeared on his face as he sat before the cauldron once more.
This time,
There was no hesitation.
Only certainty.