Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 538 Seventh Grade Pill!

Meanwhile, in the Mu Clan—

The mood had shifted entirely.

What once resembled a silent quarantine—

Had transformed into an ironclad bastion.

Fortified and unassailable.

All outsiders barred from entering.

Not even kin with the tightest bonds to the Mu Clan.

Every external element excluded.

The cause stood clear.

All Mu Clan Elders plunged into scrutinizing the recipes supplied by Bai Zihan.

Fixated on one objective.

Seventh Grade Pills!

A level untouched by their lineage for ages.

Obviously, this pivotal instant brooked no interruptions.

Confidentiality turned ironclad.

The protective formations around the clan got bolstered several folds. No risks overlooked.

To those outside—

Such actions appeared odd and dubious.

Even alarming.

With the Bai Clan backing them,

Bai Tianheng's rising might deterred most regional powers from challenging them.

Yet they sealed themselves off totally.

Rumors started circulating.

Certain folks suspected the Mu Clan crossed a mighty entity outside the Empire.

Some figured they geared up for war against a major

sect.

A handful murmured of strife within.

Yet within the Mu Clan—

None paid heed.

They lacked the moment to.

Against their pursuit, gossip held no weight.

The outer realm barely mattered.

At this juncture, their efforts would reshape the Empire!

Within a staunchly guarded alchemy hall—

Hush dominated!

An elder positioned himself at the furnace.

Mu Tianxuan, Mu Yuelan's father and Bai Zihan's grandfather, that was his name.

His locks had gone fully silver.

His presence ran profound, firm, but static.

The Mu Clan's top alchemist, Mu Tianxuan held the best shot at forging a Grade-7 pill, making him the pioneer.

All Elders attended, keen to observe what could etch history for eras.

Mu Tianxuan drew a profound breath.

For centuries, he lingered at Peak Grade-6 Alchemist.

Barred from that last leap.

Until now.

Before him—

Flames swirled with exactitude.

Mastered.

Polished.

His every motion perfected.

The surrounding elders observed mutely.

None ventured a word.

From the ten Seventh Grade recipes, Mu Tianxuan picked the most basic.

Sensible, as it marked their debut at Grade-7 pill refinement; the simplest proved prudent.

Though the least complex, it remained a Seventh Grade pill.

A tier none had assayed before.

Moments dragged on.

Each phase advanced meticulously.

Every stage handled with utmost care.

Eyes stayed glued.

Tension never eased.

Breaths grew weightier.

Then came the concluding phase.

Mu Tianxuan managed it smoothly too, completing the pill.

Excitement surged among many, believing they had birthed a Grade-7 pill at last.

"I knew Master Mu Tianxuan—no, Grandmaster Mu Tianxuan now—could pull it off."

"As expected from the Mu Clan's finest alchemist. Nailed it on the first go." "We're ascending! Grandpa's poised to claim the title of Desolate Heaven Empire's first Seventh Grade Alchemist!"

All assumed Mu Tianxuan triumphed, granting them a Grandmaster in their midst.

Yet a subtle quake rippled through the furnace.

Flames flared briefly.

The elder's face grew taut.

Then it struck.

Over the Mu Clan, the heavens stirred.

Gloomy clouds amassed.

Gradually first, then swiftly.

A crushing weight bore down.

The sort that weighed on the soul.

Elders' faces paled in unison.

Pill Tribulation!

Some froze briefly.

As though the concept had slipped their minds.

None had ever concocted a Seventh Grade pill prior.

This marked their initial encounter.

But events rushed forward unyielding.

Clouds densified.

Lightning sparked dimly inside.

Despite activated formations—

Despite thick veils of secrecy—

Concealment proved futile.

This phenomenon defied full suppression.

Defied hiding.

They realized outsiders would spot it, hoping none discerned its nature.

But such hopes rang hollow.

A lone observer might miss it, yet amid crowds, several undoubtedly would.

***

And beyond—

In the lurking shades around the Mu Clan—

Shadows stirred.

Stealthy watchers.

Agents from diverse clans and sects.

They had lurked for days, vigilant.

As skies altered, their visages twisted sharply.

They hastened to document all.

Dispatching reports.

Relaying intel.

A portion puzzled.

Not everyone was unsure.

However-

Some were not.

A handful spotted it immediately.

Pupils contracted sharply.

Breaths grew rapid.

Pill Tribulation!

Only Seventh Grade Pills or higher could trigger such a

spectacle.

No delay-

They sent word back to their own factions.

Utmost Urgency!

For they grasped its implications fully.

The Mu Clan sought to forge a Grade-7 pill-a height untouched by any in the Desolate Heaven Empire.

***

Within the alchemy room-

As soon as the tribulation clouds gathered-

Mu Qingyuan's face shifted.

His command echoed without pause.

"Block it!" Zero hesitation.

Since all there knew well-

Should the Pill Tribulation go unchecked-

The pill wouldn't be the only loss.

It might harm-

Or outright slay-

The alchemist who crafted it.

In the instant that followed-

Elders sprang into action. Seamless teamwork.

Defensive artifacts deployed in layers.

Talismans for barriers flared. Arrays for protection lit up. Shields of spirit energy stacked tightly.

Building a thick barrier over the furnace.

BOOM! First lightning bolt crashed down.

Savage.

Ruthless.

Bearing heaven's wrath.

It crashed straight onto the shields.

The chamber quaked violently. Yet defenses stood firm.

Elders' faces grew tense.

Qi poured forth to bolster the barriers.

Next-

Strike after strike!

BOOM!

One more!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Tribulation poured down without mercy.

Bolts growing fiercer each time. Yet Mu Clan stood ready. Backed by numerous Peak Grade-6 Alchemists-

Their vast hoard of protective items-

They withstood it.

Repelled it.

Time and again.

Lightning thundered. Room shuddered.

Still the furnace endured unharmed.

The elder before it- Still as stone. Concentration absolute. At last- After endless torment-

Tribulation started to ebb. Clouds dispersed.

Lightning dimmed.

Till-

Quietness reigned once more.

Skies brightened. Oppression lifted.

The Pill Tribulation....

Had ended. In that fleeting instant-

All stood frozen.

Suddenly-

All eyes fixed on the furnace.

Gazes aflame.

Hearts racing.

Excitement building. For at this point-

Only one thing left-

The outcome. Their inaugural- Seventh Grade Pill!