Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan! Chapter 565 Who Is Refining Inside?

A shift in the heavens did not go unnoticed.

What started as a distant rumble escalated into a growing disturbance.

Within the Mu Clan's domain, countless gazes were drawn upwards.

Eyes ascended toward the firmament.

An oppressive aura descended, weighing heavily upon all.

Even those positioned far from the alchemy chamber could perceive its might distinctly.

"This... what manner of pill tribulation is this?"

"It's significantly more potent than any previously encountered!"

"Which Grandmaster is engaged in refining this day?!"

Uproar echoed throughout the clan as bewilderment took hold.

Were it not for their frequent encounters with pill tribulations due to the continuous refining of Grade-7 pills, the outcry would have been considerably more pronounced.

Inside the main hall, Mu Qingyuan emerged, his gaze locked onto the sky.

His brow furrowed subtly.

"A Grade-7 pill?"

He murmured, yet a sense of unease lingered.

To his knowledge, no Grandmasters were scheduled for refining today.

Had such an event been planned, he would have made extensive preparations—not only to ensure their peace but also to provide necessary protection.

Furthermore, the sheer intensity of this tribulation...

It undeniably surpassed any he had witnessed before.

His eyes narrowed.

(Could someone be attempting a breakthrough?)

He entertained the notion that an individual might be striving to refine a higher-grade pill as a means to achieve a breakthrough.

However, he swiftly dismissed this line of thought.

That possibility seemed out of the question.

They had only recently attained the realm of Grade-7 Alchemists.

He doubted they would attempt a breakthrough less than a year into their achievement.

If such an endeavor were underway, he should have received prior notification.

Mu Qingyuan's expression grew visibly more grave.

Regardless of the cause, this was no trivial occurrence.

And more critically, such a spectacle was bound to draw unwanted attention.

Fortunately, he had already bolstered the defensive formations at his daughter's behest.

"It's fortunate she urged me to reinforce the formations."

Without further delay, he moved purposefully, accelerating his pace toward the origin of the tribulation.

***

He was not the sole individual taking notice.

In a separate courtyard, Mu Tianxuan abruptly opened his eyes.

The instant he sensed the aura, his countenance shifted.

"This pressure..."

His pupils constricted slightly.

It far exceeded anything he himself could generate.

"Did someone summon a Great Expert Alchemist...?"

Without a second thought, he rose to his feet.

***

The convergence occurred with remarkable speed.

One after another, figures materialized outside Bai Zihan's alchemy room.

Mu Qingyuan.

The three Grandmasters.

And shortly thereafter, Mu Yuelan made her appearance as well.

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However, not everyone was granted unimpeded access.

The moment others attempted to follow, they were halted.

As they stood before the alchemy room, the assembled group entered a brief period of silence.

Their gazes swept the vicinity, yet a palpable sense of confusion permeated the scene.

All the Grandmasters were present, so who was undertaking the pill refinement?

The powerful aura undeniably emanated from within this chamber, yet the individuals capable of such a feat were all standing outside.

Mu Qingyuan's brow knitted further.

"If it wasn't any of you..."

He directed his gaze at Mu Tianxuan and the others.

"...then who was it?"

An idea surfaced almost instantaneously.

"Could Bai Zihan have invited a supreme expert into the clan?"

The others exchanged questioning glances.

It wasn't an entirely implausible scenario.

Indeed, it might be the sole logical explanation.

Someone possessing the capability to generate such a formidable pill tribulation.

Perhaps he had taken an expert alchemist as his master—a possibility given his astonishing talent and the inheritance he acquired.

Without hesitation, Mu Qingyuan stepped forward.

Knock! Knock!

Even as he recognized the impropriety—disturbing someone during pill refinement being a significant taboo—

At this juncture, they had no alternative.

Understanding was imperative.

Inside, Mu Linyue remained utterly engrossed.

Her eyes were fixated on Bai Zihan.

On the cauldron.

On the coalescing pill.

Her mind had seemingly gone blank from sheer astonishment.

Knock! Knock!

The distinct sounds jolted her back to the present reality.

She blinked.

Then, with haste, she moved towards the door.

Creak-

The door swung open.

Mu Qingyuan and the others immediately laid eyes on her.

"Linyue'er!"

Mu Qingyuan exclaimed.

Mu Linyue blinked, a look of surprise crossing her features.

"Dad? Aunt? Grandmasters? What brings you all here?"

It was evident she had not anticipated finding them all gathered in this manner.

Mu Qingyuan wasted no time.

"Who is refining the pill within?"

His voice was low, yet imbued with a palpable urgency.

Mu Linyue tilted her head slightly.

Then, without a moment's pause, she simply raised her hand and gestured inside.

The sight that greeted them rendered them utterly speechless.

Within the chamber, flames danced with impeccable control.

And positioned at the very center of this spectacle was Bai Zihan.

Time appeared to halt.

Silence reigned.

No one moved.

They simply gazed upon the young man they had watched grow from childhood.

The very same boy who had once been known for his mischievous and troublesome nature.

Yet, here they were, witnessing the refinement of a pill capable of summoning such a

frightening heavenly tribulation.

Seemingly an eternity passed, and then, a soft, faltering voice sliced through the heavy silence.

"Zihan'er..."

Mu Yuelan's eyes were wide with utter disbelief.

Mu Tianxuan slowly moved his hand to stroke his long beard.

His gaze stayed locked upon Bai Zihan, profound and contemplative.

He then voiced the question that was clearly on everyone's mind, "Could it be that the inheritance he gained... was far more substantial than we ever fathomed?"

It seemed to be the sole explanation that could possibly fit the circumstances.

But even so, that reason felt woefully inadequate.

They had never encountered any tales of an inheritance that could empower someone to concoct a

Grade-7 pill, let alone anything surpassing that level.

The other observers exchanged significant glances, then gradually gave nods of agreement.

It didn't completely unravel the mystery, yet it was the only logical path they could find to make sense of the extraordinary event unfolding before them.

Mu Tianxuan's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Precisely what pill is he attempting to refine?"

A distinct undercurrent of deep curiosity resonated in his voice.

Because whatever it was, it was undeniably something far beyond the scope of their prior experiences.

Mu Linyue, who remained positioned near the doorway, responded instantly, without a moment's hesitation.

"A Grade-8 pill!"

Silence descended.

An absolute, deafening silence.

"Grade-8!!!?"

Their exclamations mingled, overlapping each other.

Eyes bulged. Faces turned to stone, expressions frozen in place.

A fresh wave of profound shock washed over them.

They had prepared themselves for numerous possibilities. Perhaps a mid-tier Grade-7!

Maybe even a top-tier Grade-7!

But Grade-8?

That was an entirely different stratum of existence.

A pinnacle that, according to their current knowledge, simply should not exist within the confines of the Desolate Heaven Empire.

Mu Tianxuan's hand, which had been engaged in the calm, deliberate act of stroking his beard, halted abruptly in mid-air.

His mind went completely blank for a fleeting instant.

"Grade... 8?"

He repeated the word slowly, deliberately.

As if seeking to confirm that his ears had not deceived him.

The others present were experiencing the exact same reaction.

Their gazes snapped back with renewed intensity towards Bai Zihan.

Towards the alchemical cauldron.

Towards the celestial heavens looming above.

The source of the terrifying tribulation.

If this was indeed the result of concocting something akin to a Grade-8 pill, it was no wonder that the tribulation felt several times more potent than those they had witnessed during Grade-7 pill refinements.

"Linyue, are you absolutely certain?" Mu Qingyuan inquired.

Though he inherently knew that Mu Linyue was not the type to fabricate such a claim, a confirmation was still essential.

After all, the subject of Grade-8 pills was not something to be spoken of lightly or carelessly.

Mu Linyue responded by shaking her head slightly.

"Bai Zihan declared it himself. I cannot say with absolute certainty, but that is what he stated."

Only at this point did they begin to feel a sliver of calm returning.

A collective thought formed among them: Bai Zihan must be playfully teasing Mu Linyue, and the pill being refined was, in all likelihood, still a Grade-7.

Of course, even that would represent an astounding accomplishment—almost beyond belief in its own right.