The faint golden glow of the chamber's protective formation had barely dimmed when Elder Sun let out a shaky breath.
He rubbed his palms together, his mustache twitching nervously.
(I should probably clean this up before the Head Alchemist gets back. Young Master Li's little game probably left a mess inside.)
He muttered under his breath as he moved toward the chamber, preparing to clean up.
But before he could even touch the stone door—
"SUN HUAIII!"
The furious roar shook the courtyard.
Sun Huai froze, his back stiff as a rod. The blood drained from his face, and he turned around slowly.
A tall, broad-shouldered man in long crimson robes stormed toward him, his steps like thunder.
His black hair was tied back with a jade clasp, and his eyes burned with barely contained fury.
It was none other than Head Alchemist Wu Tianlan.
(What?! He shouldn't be back for another two days! How—how is he already here?!)
Cold sweat prickled down Sun Huai's spine as he forced a trembling smile, bowing deeply.
"Ah, H-Head Alchemist! Y-you've returned early! Did your trip… finish faster than expected?"
Wu Tianlan didn't even acknowledge the question.
His aura pressed down like a mountain, making the air heavy. His sharp gaze pinned Sun Huai in place.
"Answer me one thing," he growled. "Did you… allow someone into my Grade-3 Alchemy chamber?"
Sun Huai's throat worked as he tried to find words. His knees nearly gave out beneath the suffocating pressure.
(He already knows… I can't hide it.)
Lowering his head, Sun Huai stammered, "It… it was nothing, Head Alchemist. Just… a noble child from the Li Clan. He insisted he wanted to learn alchemy. I thought it harmless to let him look around."
His voice trailed off into a whisper.
Wu Tianlan's eyes narrowed, the fury in them flaring brighter.
"Look around? In my chamber? Do you take me for a fool, Sun Huai?!"
The courtyard seemed to quake with his voice, and several disciples nearby flinched, quickly ducking their heads to avoid drawing attention.
Sun Huai's legs trembled. His mind raced for excuses, but under Wu Tianlan's gaze, every word stuck in his throat.
Sun Huai forced a stiff laugh, though his lips barely curved.
"Haha… He should have just looked around, maybe checked the cauldron and nothing else."
(I hope!)
Wu Tianlan's glare sharpened.
"It better be!"
With a sweep of his sleeve, the Head Alchemist strode forward and pushed open the heavy stone door.
Sun Huai scrambled behind him, his heart pounding in his chest.
The chamber lights flared to life, the faint golden runes pulsing along the walls.
Wu Tianlan's sharp eyes scanned the interior.
The great cauldron sat in the center, its surface gleaming faintly, not a single scorch mark or crack on its body.
The preparation table was neat—ingredients separated into piles, though a few stalks and petals were clearly missing.
Even the air carried only a faint medicinal fragrance, nothing alarming.
It looked… perfectly normal.
Sun Huai's chest loosened with relief. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
"Head Alchemist, like I said—it was nothing! Just me showing the young noble around, thinking perhaps he might be inspired and choose the path of alchemy. It was for the sake of alchemy!"
He puffed his chest, trying to make himself sound righteous.
But Wu Tianlan wasn't listening.
He walked slowly toward the cauldron, his gaze sharp, nostrils flaring slightly.
He bent down, brushing his hand across the rim of the cauldron, then lifted his fingers to his nose.
His eyes widened.
Sun Huai blinked, uncertain.
"Head Alchemist…?"
Wu Tianlan ignored him, his brows furrowing deeper, his breathing growing heavier as he continued to inspect the table.
His fingers picked up a strand of herb residue, rolling it between his fingertips before sniffing again.
Then suddenly—
"Grade–3…"
Sun Huai was puzzled by the Head Alchemist's excitement.
"Excuse me?"
Wu Tianlan turned sharply, his face flushed with excitement, his eyes blazing like fire.
"Someone refined a Grade-3 Pill here!"
His voice echoed through the chamber, making Sun Huai's blood run cold.
The old caretaker gaped, his lips flapping uselessly.
(Grade-3…? H-how is that possible?! Young Master Li was just… playing around, wasn't he?)
"Head Alchemist, are you sure?"
"Hmph! Are you doubting my status as a Grade-3 Alchemist?"
"No-no! Of course not! But how can that be?"
Wu Tianlan's hands trembled as he touched the cauldron again, as if he had stumbled upon a priceless treasure.
His expression carried both disbelief and burning curiosity.
"Who was it that used this room?!"
Sun Huai swallowed hard, his eyes darting between Wu Tianlan's blazing expression and the spotless chamber.
He knew there was no hiding it now.
Sun Huai recounted the events carefully, choosing his words with utmost caution.
He told everything exactly as it happened, though he added details to make his own actions seem more favorable—as though he had only been fulfilling his duty by encouraging the young noble's interest in alchemy.
After everything was said, Wu Tianlan was deep in contemplation.
"Li Fengyuan, you say…"
He muttered, almost to himself.
The name was not unfamiliar. How could it be?
A notorious noble child, infamous throughout the Heavenly Path Academy.
Known for wasting his days chasing after Shen Yuyan, neglecting studies and cultivation alike.
So hopeless that even the strict Li Clan had failed to rein him in.
A stain on the Academy's prestige. A cancer!
And yet…
Wu Tianlan's eyes gleamed with a strange light.
"So… he is talented in alchemy. No… talented is not enough to describe him."
His voice grew heavier, laced with awe.
(If he truly refined a Grade-3 Pill at his age—then perhaps… he is not just talented. Perhaps he is an Alchemy God itself, walking among mortals.)
Sun Huai's knees nearly gave out at the thought, but before he could speak, Wu Tianlan's sharp voice cut through.
"Do you know what pill he refined?"
Sun Huai stiffened, shaking his head quickly.
"N-no, Head Alchemist. I don't know what pill it was…"
Just as he was about to repeat his denial, a memory struck him like lightning—Li Fengyuan had casually handed him a pill upon leaving.
He had thought it nothing more than a failed experiment, a pebble at best.
But now…
"Head Alchemist… Young Master Li… he gave me a pill!"
Wu Tianlan's head snapped toward him, eyes blazing with excitement.
"What?! You have it on you?!"
"Yes!"
Sun Huai said quickly, his trembling hands pulling the small jade vial from within his robe.
His voice shook as he held it out.
"He gave it to me as a token of gratitude… I didn't think much of it, but—"
"Quickly! Show me!"
Wu Tianlan's voice thundered with impatience.
Sun Huai swallowed, his hands quivering as he placed the pill in Wu Tianlan's waiting palm.
The Head Alchemist's fingers tightened around it, his breathing heavy.
A wave of medicinal fragrance burst forth instantly, rich and pure, washing through the chamber like spring wind.
Wu Tianlan's pupils contracted sharply.
"This… this is indeed a Grade-3 Pill!"
His heart hammered in his chest as he stared at the round, lustrous pill inside, its surface glowing faintly, radiating vitality.
His lips trembled.
"Li Fengyuan… just what kind of monster are you?"