Xuan Kongzi's gaze subtly shifted toward Xuan Yi. Since this young man was already half an insider, there was no need to be overly strict.
"Mother Xuan Yi, Father looks even more handsome when he's being serious," Xiao Meng whispered, resting her chin on her hands as she watched Xiao Jietian. "It's just a shame that Father is too lazy. Mother even said that he only moves when there's a whip behind him."
Xuan Yi nodded in agreement, but in her heart she thought: This guy really looks good no matter what he's doing. He always manages to captivate people.
A serious Xiao Jietian indeed carried a more composed and rigorous aura than usual, yet he normally also possessed a casual, calm demeanor.
...
Alchemy was an extremely time-consuming process. It was normal for a single pill to take two or three days to refine. For more complex, high-grade pills, five days, ten days, or even half a month was common.
Half a day later.
Under the continuous roasting of the flames, the medicinal ingredients inside the cauldron gradually melted into liquid or turned into fine powder.
Once all the ingredients had been fully refined, Xiao Jietian flipped his palm and rapidly changed his hand seals. The scattered Sea Heart Flame began to condense, steadily fusing the medicinal powders and liquids together.
His soul power remained tightly locked onto the gradually merging liquids, carefully controlling the temperature and guiding them into the shape of a pill.
Another day passed.
"Is the pill about to form?" an elder quietly asked upon noticing the nascent pill already taking shape inside Xiao Jietian's cauldron.
Xiao Jietian's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened. A silver gleam flashed in his pupils as his hands formed a series of complex seals.
Strands of soul power were carefully injected into the pill, giving it spirituality. This was the most crucial step when refining an Eighth Grade Pill. The slightest mistake could result in unstable spirituality, greatly reduced efficacy, or even complete failure.
...
Another half a day passed.
"Clang!"
A crisp ringing sound rang out from Xiao Jietian's cauldron. Immediately afterward, the cauldron lid was blasted off by a powerful energy wave, producing a deafening metallic clang.
"Boom!"
The moment the lid flew off, a massive deep-blue pillar of fire shot straight into the sky, dyeing the surrounding heavens a fiery red.
"Has the pill finally formed?" Xuan Kongzi murmured as he looked up at the sky.
Xuan Yi and Xiao Ling also grew slightly nervous. Although they knew Xiao Jietian wouldn't fail, the terrifying scene unfolding in the sky still made their hearts tighten.
At the edge of the sky, at the end of the towering pillar of fire, strange mist rapidly condensed and instantly transformed into rolling thunderclouds.
The thunderclouds churned violently. Finally, three distinct colors—blue, silver, and red—slowly emerged from within them.
"To think this child could refine a pill that triggers three-colored pill lightning at such a young age… his future is truly limitless. As expected, each new generation surpasses the last. I'm getting old," an elder sighed emotionally as he gazed at the three-colored thunderclouds.
"Indeed, such talent is truly enviable," another Grade 8 Alchemist said softly, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Xiao Jietian, whose expression remained calm and unchanged.
Hearing their discussion, Xuan Yi and the two girls all wore expressions of pride, as if they were sharing in the glory. Having such an outstanding person by their side naturally put them in the best of moods.
Forming an Eighth Grade Pill did not mean success. It still had to undergo one final step: enduring the pill lightning, or in other words, protecting the pill from it.
Because of its immense power, the pill would draw the wrath of heaven and earth, which sought to destroy it. Therefore, the final step was to withstand the tribulation lightning and preserve the pill intact.
If the lightning struck the pill directly, it could instantly turn it into nothingness.
The power of pill lightning increased with the quality of the pill. Three-colored pill lightning already possessed the strength of a peak Nine-star Dou Zong—power that even a One-star Dou Zun would not dare underestimate.
"Do you really not need to activate the lightning-attracting device?" Xuan Kongzi asked Xuan Yi while looking at the continuously churning thunderclouds above.
The assessment arena was equipped with lightning-attracting devices to handle such thunderclouds. Since this was merely an assessment and not a true competition, safety was naturally a priority.
Some alchemists who lacked sufficient cultivation strength would even hire powerful experts to help them withstand the lightning.
Xuan Kongzi was not entirely clear about Xiao Jietian's true strength, but out of respect for talent, he still asked one more time.
Hearing his words, Xiao Meng answered without hesitation, "Uncle Xuan Kongzi, don't worry. This is also Father's own request. Father loves these thunderclouds the most."
Seeing her confidence, Xuan Kongzi said nothing more. In any case, he could step in if the situation turned dangerous.
In the center of the arena, Xiao Jietian reached out his hand. The azure pill floating in the sky slowly descended and landed gently in his palm.
"Mere three-colored thunderclouds… do you really think you can destroy my pill?"
Xiao Jietian stood with his hands behind his back. His black hair danced wildly in the wind as his white-and-purple robe fluttered without any breeze. He looked up at the thunderclouds with a faint trace of disdain on his lips.
"Rumble—"
As if provoked by Xiao Jietian's mockery, the three-colored thunderclouds in the sky churned even more violently. Muffled thunder rolled continuously, as though something terrifying was brewing.
"Hiss!"
Amid the churning clouds, a dazzling bolt of lightning as thick as a thigh suddenly erupted, carrying a destructive aura as it shot straight toward Xiao Jietian—or more precisely, toward the pill in his left hand.
Xiao Jietian's right hand suddenly rose. His five fingers curled like hooks as he clenched his fist in the air.
Within three zhang of the lightning pillar, the space seemed to be squeezed by an invisible giant hand. It began to twist and ripple like water.
"Crack!"
Cracking sounds echoed from all directions. The distorted space filled with countless tiny spatial cracks that continuously tightened, slicing and disintegrating the descending lightning pillar.
The lightning pillar gradually collapsed, emitting sounds similar to shattering space, until it was completely annihilated, turning into countless tiny electric sparks that scattered in all directions.
Xiao Jietian stood on the ground and glanced up at the tribulation clouds. The corners of his lips curved slightly, revealing an extremely domineering smile.
His right hand's five fingers suddenly spread open before clenching tightly once more. Streaks of lightning traveled along his arm as his aura steadily climbed.
"Since you strike me with lightning, I shall return the favor and let you taste my lightning."
His right fist punched out fiercely. A three-colored fist imprint rapidly expanded with the wind. The force of the punch tore through the air with a sharp whistling sound as it shot straight toward the thunderclouds.
The thunderclouds seemed to feel the provocation and churned wildly. Streaks of lightning power crashed down onto Xiao Jietian's fist imprint.
Yet his fist imprint was like an indestructible vajra. The lightning that struck it disappeared like drops of water falling into the ocean, stirring no ripples. The power of the punch did not diminish in the slightest and smashed directly into the churning thunderclouds!
The fist's power erupted. The entire thundercloud trembled violently. The dazzling lightning within it was torn apart by an invisible giant hand, creating a huge hole nearly ten zhang wide and revealing the clear sky behind it.