Dashing Student Chapter 1444 - 1440: Path to Death (Part 2)

As the alchemy process reached its crucial nurturing phase, the disheveled old man extended a hand, summoning the enormous lid of the pill furnace and bringing it down with a resounding crash. A wisp of white smoke ascended from the sealed furnace, piercing directly through the roof above.

"Boy, what caliber of elixir pills can you produce?" the grubby elder inquired, fixing his gaze upon Chen Nan.

Aiming to balance his Foundation Establishment cultivation with a display of his alchemy prowess, Chen Nan responded, "Elder, I am capable of forging eighth-grade elixirs. Were my cultivation not a limiting factor, I would venture to attempt seventh-grade as well."

"A fine lad indeed!" the shabby elder exclaimed with boisterous laughter. "Considering your current cultivation level, to be able to forge eighth-grade elixirs is truly exceptional. I never expected Moon River Valley to discover such a gem."

"From this moment forth, remain within the pill room; there is no need to frequent the medicine hall. The path of an alchemist offers a more promising future than medical cultivation, wouldn't you agree?"

Chen Nan lowered his head, replying, "I shall abide by your arrangements, Elder."

"Indeed, sensible. Rest assured, once you achieve the rank of a seventh-grade alchemist, your standing within Moon River Valley will surpass that of the other disciples," the elder stated, appearing quite pleased with Chen Nan’s compliant demeanor.

"Thank you kindly for the commendation, Elder," Chen Nan declared with an uplifted voice, projecting an air of great satisfaction.

The shabby elder nodded. "Incidentally, I overheard that Yun Ying was the one who rescued you. You must be quite close to her, no?"

"Senior Sister Yun Ying saved my life; I could never forget such a debt," Chen Nan answered with measured sincerity.

"While repaying kindness is commendable, there are matters you must feign ignorance of. Do you comprehend?"

The elder’s tone underwent a sudden shift, becoming stern, his visage contorting into a terrifying grimace. His eyes locked onto Chen Nan, seeming to bore through him.

Chen Nan’s brow furrowed. "What is the Elder implying?"

"Hmph, playing innocent. You are well aware of my meaning. Uttering certain words could lead to your demise!" the shabby elder retorted with a cold snort.

Chen Nan dared not respond, merely lowering his head, now fully convinced that the valley’s three elders and the sect leader harbored malicious intentions towards Yun Ying.

Yet, upon his previous examination of Yun Ying’s physique, he had discovered nothing out of the ordinary.

"Could it be a unique constitution?" a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

He understood that his own Innate Yin Yang Spirit Body was akin to a supreme elixir for cultivators of the Nascent Soul Realm. If Yun Ying possessed a similar constitution, their connection would be far deeper.

The shabby elder redirected his attention to the pill furnace, from which waves of medicinal fragrance began to emanate. This caused Chen Nan considerable distress. If his suspicions were correct, the Burning Vein Breaking Realm Pill being refined was intended for Yun Ying.

Therefore, he absolutely had to prevent its completion!

Chen Nan discreetly extended his divine sense. While the elder’s focus remained fixed on the elixir's progress, Chen Nan secretly injected a wisp of his Heaven-Burning Flame into the depths of the pill furnace.

Concealed within the intense heat, this thread of Heaven-Burning Flame would remain undetected by anyone.

With a violent explosion, the flames inside the pill furnace surged uncontrollably, and, as a consequence, the elixir was consumed entirely, reduced to mere ashes.

Having been on the cusp of success only to fall short at the final moment, the shabby elder erupted in fury. "Blast it! Blast it all!"

He whirled around, directing a venomous glare at Chen Nan. Channeling mana into a white whip, he struck Chen Nan with blinding speed.

"Damn you, it must have been you! You accursed wretch, you ruined my elixir! Do you have any inkling how arduous it was to gather those spiritual medicines?"

*Crack! Crack!*

The whip continued its relentless assault. Chen Nan feigned agony, collapsing onto the ground, his body accumulating dozens of bloody welts.

After a considerable interval, the shabby elder finally ceased his onslaught. Pointing towards a side chamber, he commanded, "Proceed to that room. Within, you will find pill recipes and spiritual medicines. You will forge pills for me without pause!"

Chen Nan staggered to his feet, limping into the adjacent chamber, his eyes glinting with a chilling, murderous intent!

"Damn you, old cur, I will see you dead!"

Despite his outwardly pathetic state, thanks to his robust physique, the elder’s whip had not inflicted truly grievous harm.

However, deep within Chen Nan’s heart, the shabby elder had been irrevocably marked for death.

Upon entering the side hall, Chen Nan observed several pill recipes laid out on a table, all pertaining to eighth-grade elixirs. The requisite spiritual medicines were also present and complete, making the forging process remarkably straightforward.

Within the side hall, a small pill furnace was also available. Chen Nan took a seat before it, ignited the special spirit wood, placed it within the furnace, and commenced the process of alchemy.

For those devoid of Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire, employing flaming spirit wood to forge pills represents the most conventional methodology.

Crafting eighth-grade elixirs posed little difficulty for Chen Nan; he could complete two to three furnaces within the span of an hour. However, it was imperative that he concealed the true extent of his cultivation.

Consequently, he maintained the pretense of a sluggish forging process, deliberately making his movements appear labored while inwardly, he diligently healed and refined the threads of yin energy within him.

Even as he deliberately slowed his pace, Chen Nan still managed to produce a furnace of elixirs by nightfall. He intentionally introduced errors, yet astonishingly, six pills were successfully refined nonetheless.

Furthermore, the quality of these elixirs was superb.

Shortly after he completed the elixirs, the shabby old man burst into the side hall. His eyes gleamed as he regarded Chen Nan’s refined pills, exclaiming, "Haha, magnificent! You truly are a prodigious talent, I knew I was right about you!"

"From this moment on, you shall be solely responsible for forging elixirs; my burdens will be significantly lighter."

Chen Nan adopted a facade of fear, replying, "Yes, Elder."

Internally, however, he harbored immense contempt for the shabby old man, viewing him as utterly two-faced, his demeanor shifting more rapidly than the turn of a page.

In the ensuing days, Chen Nan remained within the confines of the pill room, dedicating his time to forging elixirs while subtly purifying the threads of yin energy. From the shabby old man's perspective, Chen Nan appeared to be diligently engaged in his task, seemingly free from any errors.

Yet, the shabby old man's disposition remained perpetually sour. During this period, he still failed in his attempts to refine the Burning Vein Breaking Realm Pill, frequently unleashing his frustrations and helplessness within the pill room.

Whenever his mood soured, Chen Nan inevitably became the target of his ire. These outbursts would only cease once Chen Nan had been severely beaten, thus fueling Chen Nan's ever-growing murderous intent.

"You wretched old fool, as long as I'm here, do you truly believe you can succeed in forging pills? It will undoubtedly drive you to madness!"

Observing the shabby old man once more in a fit of rage within the pill room, Chen Nan silently rejoiced internally. He felt a surge of gratitude that he was within the pill room; otherwise, the precious Burning Vein Breaking Realm Pill might have already been handed over to Yun Ying.

Just as Chen Nan was lost in these thoughts, a clear voice echoed from outside the pill room, "Uncle!"

Soon after, Yun Ying entered the pill room. The shabby old man’s expression underwent an immediate transformation, softening into one of gentleness and kindness as he inquired, "Oh, it is Yun Ying. What brings you here today?"

Yun Ying replied with a smile, "Lately, my fortune has been rather poor, resulting in continuous failures in forging pills. However, please rest assured, Uncle, I will undoubtedly forge the elixir soon to aid you in enhancing your cultivation."

"Thank you, Uncle. But my visit today is actually for Chen Nan!" Yun Ying stated with a smile.

"Oh, so you are looking for that brat." The shabby old man turned his head towards the side hall, calling out, "Chen Nan, Yun Ying has come looking for you."

"It is opportune timing. Take the elixirs you forged and deliver them to the Affairs Hall over there."

Chen Nan emerged from the side hall, carrying a box laden with several porcelain bottles, each containing the carefully crafted elixirs he had refined.

"Yes, Elder."

The shabby old man's gaze remained steely, seemingly issuing a silent warning to Chen Nan.

Yun Ying and Chen Nan departed the pill room together. Yun Ying promptly inquired, "Junior Brother, how has your experience been in the pill room? Master Zhang Sen is quite kind; he hasn't caused you any trouble, has he?"

"So, the old dog's name is Zhang Sen," Chen Nan mused silently. He then offered a smile and replied, "Certainly not. I am faring quite well here. How about yourself?"

He could feel Zhang Sen's divine sense still subtly monitoring them, making it imperative that he refrain from speaking imprudently.

Yun Ying chuckled lightly. "Recently, my cultivation has not progressed significantly. The Master mentioned that I am advancing too rapidly and should perhaps take some time to stabilize."

"By the way, I am eager to hear about the state of the outside world. Could you tell me?"

Chen Nan nodded with a smile. "Indeed, the outside world is quite thrilling..."

As they conversed and walked, Chen Nan recounted his experiences since entering the cultivation world, embellishing certain details to make his narrative more exciting for Yun Ying, who listened with rapt attention.

Although the pill room was not far from the Affairs Hall, their journey took on a leisurely pace. Sunlight bathed them, lending them an almost radiant appearance.

All paths eventually converge, and the pair arrived at the Affairs Hall. Chen Nan then approached Qiao Que to formally submit the elixirs he had prepared.