Morning light was still wrapped in dew.
Mist blanketed the Body Sect like a veil of pale radiance.
Outside the pill chamber, Chen Yi and the others had already been waiting quietly. The air was filled with a silence that mixed anticipation with tension.
It had been nearly two months since Sect Master Chu Shanhe, the Grand Elder, Ye Cien, Yang Wudi and his brother entered this heavily guarded chamber—retreating inside to refine the pill.
During that time, the chamber's heavy door had remained shut.
Yet from time to time, violent energy fluctuations burst out.
Sometimes it sounded like the low, suppressed hum of a giant beast holding its breath. Other times, it was a sharp explosive crack, as if thunder were detonating inside.
Several times, the entire pill chamber trembled slightly. Even the breath exhaled from within made the soul power of those nearby feel sluggish.
But yesterday, the Grand Elder's voice had echoed directly into several minds, telling them that the pill's completion was close.
The moment the news arrived, everyone became restless. At dawn, they rushed here to wait.
Now, they stood at a safe distance from the pill chamber, eyes locked tightly onto the door.
Ye Lingling wore a fitted black cloak today, making her skin look even paler. She stood quietly, slender fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of her clothes. Her eyes—usually clear as autumn water—were now filled with unmistakable unease and expectation.
These days, she had been cared for within the Body Sect. Mu Xi treated her like a daughter. Chen Yi often kept her company, giving her a warmth and security she hadn't felt in a long time.
But blood ties were hard to let go.
Since her grandfather Ye Cien entered the pill chamber, there had been no news at all. A hollow feeling stayed in her chest, as if the most important piece were missing.
Every time a violent energy shock came from the chamber, her heart clenched in fear that something had happened to her grandfather.
Chen Yi stood slightly ahead of her, tall and straight like a pine.
His own mood wasn't calm either. This time, the sect had pooled its strength and consumed countless precious immortal ingredients. If they failed in the end, the losses would be immeasurable.
At the same time, he quietly sensed his own changes.
On the tenth day after Chu Shanhe and the others began seclusion, Chen Yi had used his accumulated foundation and the sect's tilted resource support to break through his long-standing bottleneck naturally—stepping into Rank Forty.
Since then, he had continued to temper himself. Whenever Mu Xi returned from visiting family, she would sometimes call him over, and he would take Ye Lingling to stroll through the sect, or enjoy the scenery in the back mountains, trying to ease her anxiety during the wait.
Now, regardless of whether this spiritual medicine succeeded or failed, the acquisition of Chen Yi's fourth soul ring would finally become an official topic.
The waiting felt stretched and endless.
From early morning until the sun climbed high, sunlight gradually dispersed the mountain mist. The outline of the pill chamber became clear. Inside, the energy fluctuations completely calmed, sinking into a dead silence—like the stillness before a storm.
Suddenly, the Second Elder and Third Elder standing in front both trembled at the same time, letting out a low, suppressed cry.
"It's coming!"
That sound was like a stone thrown into a quiet lake—shattering the stagnant air in an instant. Chen Yi and the others immediately held their breath and focused.
In the next moment, an indescribably rich fragrance suddenly seeped out through the gaps of the pill chamber door.
It wasn't the scent of a single flower or herb. It was an exquisite blend—an essence of countless medicinal spirits mixed together—refreshing to the point that one's mind cleared. It made it feel as if the soul power throughout the body had come alive, vibrant and excited.
Then, visions erupted!
A soft yet brilliant light rose into the sky, ignoring the barrier of the pill chamber roof. It wove into a glowing curtain overhead.
Within that curtain of light, faint phantoms of strange flowers and plants appeared and swayed. Dragon roars and phoenix cries echoed as if something unparalleled had been born.
"A manifestation of heavenly radiance?!" The Third Elder's tone shook with excitement, his beard trembling slightly.
"It's done! It has to be!"
At the sight of this unprecedented phenomenon, ecstasy burst out in the eyes of Chen Yi and Ye Lingling, almost uncontrollable.
They weren't alchemists, but from ancient books and the elders' words, they knew that only top-grade spiritual pills could draw upon heaven-and-earth energy to create such visions.
There was no doubt—the alchemy had succeeded.
At that moment, a faint creak sounded.
The pill chamber door—closed for two months—slowly opened from within.
A voice came out, slightly weary but carrying unquestionable authority.
It was Sect Master Chu Shanhe.
"Come in."
The voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.
Hearing it, those who had waited so long could barely suppress their excitement. Almost at the same time, they poured into the pill chamber—quickly, but in orderly fashion.
The moment they entered, the pill fragrance hit them ten times stronger, wrapping around them like something tangible.
The room wasn't as scorching as they had imagined. Instead, it was filled with a warm, nourishing atmosphere.
Wisps of faint mist drifted slowly in the air. But this mist wasn't water vapor—it was pill-cloud essence condensed from pure medicinal power. It shone with subtle, colorful brilliance, making the entire chamber look like a fairyland.
In the center of the room stood a massive, dark alchemy furnace.
Its lid was shut tight, yet the furnace body seemed to retain untraceable remnants of heat and a profound aura—like something that had endured the baptism of violent energies.
Their gazes quickly left the furnace and turned toward five people seated before it.
Sect Master Chu Shanhe.
The Grand Elder.
Yang Wudi.
Yang Wushuang.
And Ye Cien.
All five sat cross-legged, their faces pale as paper, without the slightest hint of blood. Sweat drenched their brows and robes, clinging to their skin in a sorry state.
Ye Cien was already advanced in age. Now he looked even more drained, his chest rising and falling faintly—clearly pushed to the limit.
At this moment, their eyes were closed. Their nostrils flared slightly. Their chests rose and fell in a distinct rhythm as they greedily absorbed the colorful pill-cloud essence filling the room.
With each breath, the pill-cloud—carrying vast life energy and soul power—melted into their bodies like mist, nourishing their dried meridians and overdrawn soul power.
Their pallid faces slowly regained color at a pace visible to the naked eye.
Seeing this, Chen Yi and the others couldn't help but feel relieved—yet they also didn't dare disturb their recovery.
After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, the five of them opened their eyes one after another.
The fatigue still couldn't be fully concealed, but in the instant their eyes opened, the depth and sharpness belonging to true powerhouses returned.
Five pairs of deep, keen gazes met the eager eyes beyond the doorway.
Chu Shanhe, the Grand Elder, and Ye Cien exchanged looks, and none of them could hide the relief and excitement of finally succeeding after countless hardships.
Their smiles were filled with a joy beyond words.
Needless to say—every sacrifice, every ounce of effort, was repaid in that smile.
The next moment, the eyes of the five and the eyes of Chen Yi and the others who had just entered all shifted at once—burning with incomparable heat and expectation—toward the center of the room.
Toward the alchemy furnace that carried their hope and toil.