Transmigration: The Peerless Immortal Husband - Chapter 79

In the center of the clearing, Gu Yao had entered an almost meditative state, shutting out everything around him. His focus was entirely on the alchemy furnace in front of him and the spiritual herbs by his side.

Using the same mid-grade furnace as before, he skillfully ignited the fire vein stone, throwing in one spiritual herb after another. He adeptly refined each herb, removing its impurities with practiced ease, his expression exceptionally focused. Before even reaching the halfway point, the Pill Peak disciples who had come to support their side began to feel their confidence waver. They exchanged glances, realizing that this person’s alchemical talent was far from ordinary—he wasn’t just some empty name.

The higher the grade of a spiritual herb, the tighter the bond between its impurities and spiritual essence, making it harder to refine. This process demanded significant spiritual energy and mental focus from the alchemist. Yet Gu Yao extracted and purified the herbs effortlessly, as though he had done this many times before. Could it be that he had previously refined the ‘Restorative Spirit Pill’? But that was a high-grade pill!

“He’s just putting on a show. He’ll mess up soon enough—just wait,” someone scoffed dismissively.

However, individuals like Liu Lingge were watching with increasing apprehension. Gu Yao’s speed at refining the materials wasn’t any slower than Li Shurong’s. Unless his refinement was sloppy and left impurities, could it mean that those superior-quality pills he produced truly were his work? If so, his alchemical talent might rival that of the Peak Master’s direct disciples. Liu Lingge immediately felt immense pressure, silently hoping for Gu Yao’s failure.

The spectators, initially laughing and dismissive, began to adopt a more serious attitude. Gu Yao’s performance clearly wasn’t just a case of bluffing or overconfidence—he had genuine skill. His speed in refining the herbs had even surpassed Li Shurong’s.

Unfit herbs? That could only be judged by the quality of the final pill.

The noise around the clearing gradually died down as more and more people turned their attention to Gu Yao. His every move was steady and deliberate, exuding the demeanor of a master. Though this thought only briefly crossed a few minds—after all, how could that possibly be true?

After the spiritual herbs were refined, they needed to be combined according to the principles of ‘monarch, minister, assistant, and guide’. This ensured that the different spiritual essences fused into a unified whole. Any mistake in this process could result in conflicting properties, potentially causing the furnace to explode.

Gu Yao skillfully performed the alchemical hand seals, guiding his spiritual sense and hand movements in tandem. Even the most unruly spiritual essences became obedient under his control, merging smoothly with others. Inside the furnace, dramatic transformations were occurring, accompanied by rumbling noises. As the process progressed, the previously jumbled herbal aromas began to meld into a single, unified scent. Gradually, only one distinct fragrance filled the air.

“This is… the aroma of Restorative Spirit Pills?! The pill formation process has already begun inside the furnace?”

“Heavens, is he really about to succeed? This is unbelievable!”

“Look at him using the pill-formation seal! He wouldn’t be doing that unless he had reached this critical stage. I wonder how many pills he’ll produce!”

Unconsciously, the crowd’s way of addressing Gu Yao shifted. No longer dismissing him as “that new student” or “that reckless fool,” they now called him “Junior Brother Gu” or “Alchemist Gu.” The change became even more pronounced when it was evident that Li Shurong’s progress was lagging behind Gu Yao’s.

The disciples from The Pill Peak Peak were utterly shocked and filled with doubt. ‘Impossible!’

They shouted silently in their minds: ‘It’s absolutely impossible! That’s a high-grade pill!’

The aroma of the Restorative Spirit Pill grew richer and more intoxicating. Some bystanders felt rejuvenated just by inhaling it, as if their spiritual energy was replenished. Inside the furnace, the pills were nearing completion, their surfaces being stabilized. The pills tumbled against the furnace walls, producing melodic clinks that were music to the ears of those present.

At this point, questioning Gu Yao’s alchemy skills or doubting his authenticity would be absurd. Not only was he an alchemist, but he was an exceptional one!

“Collect the pills!” someone called out.

The furnace lid opened, and perfectly round pills shot out, eagerly flying into the jade bottle Gu Yao held in his hand. Once the bottle was sealed, the dense aroma was instantly contained. Some who had been basking in the fragrance moments ago now wore expressions of regret.

“How many pills? What grade are they?”

“Nine pills… and their quality? Honestly, I don’t even dare to say.”

No one present lacked the ability to count. Producing nine pills from a single batch was already impressive, and their exceptional quality was unmistakable. The purity of the fragrance alone confirmed it.

Liu Lingge’s face turned ashen. Her fists clenched tightly beneath her sleeves. ‘This person… is actually a Grade Nine High-Level Alchemist?!’ How was that possible? He was only a fifth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator! She herself had to reach the seventh layer before she could even attempt high-grade pills. The spiritual energy required for such a feat should be well beyond his capacity!

What did this mean? It meant that Gu Yao’s alchemical talent far surpassed her own. Their attempt to challenge him had now made them a laughingstock in the eyes of the academy. Liu Lingge’s face grew pale with shame.

After a while, Li Shurong finally completed his refinement. He had isolated himself from external distractions to ensure the highest success rate. In the end, his furnace produced four low-grade Restorative Spirit Pills. He wore a satisfied smile—this was an excellent result for him. He looked around, expecting congratulations and hoping to see his opponent thoroughly defeated.

However, aside from a low hum of murmuring, the scene was far quieter than expected. Scanning the crowd, Li Shurong noticed many faces bearing complicated expressions of reluctance, while others seemed hesitant to speak. Some of his fellow peak disciples looked visibly strained, their faces betraying suppressed emotions.

“Sister Liu, what’s going on?” Li Shurong asked, turning to Liu Lingge, confused. The situation was far from what he had anticipated.

‘He lost! Li Shurong had lost!’

But Liu Lingge couldn’t bring herself to utter those words clearly. Reality had dealt her a harsh blow. Even if it were her standing in his place, she wouldn’t have been able to defeat Gu Yao!

“I’ll act as a judge to verify the results for everyone,” Zhou Li said with a chuckle as he stepped forward. “If anyone doesn’t trust me, feel free to join me in examining the pills.”

“I’ll join in for fun,” Tao Yue chimed in as the second volunteer, covering her mouth with a soft laugh. She was equally astonished—Gu Yao had refined a high-level pill with such ease! Moreover, his alchemy skills were clearly leagues ahead of Li Shurong’s. Tao Yue eagerly wanted to see up close what quality of ‘Restorative Spirit Pills’ Gu Yao had produced.

“Count me in as well,” said another crisp voice from the crowd. Everyone turned toward the speaker. At some point, Jiang Yan had arrived unnoticed. Even those nearby hadn’t realized when he appeared—it wasn’t that Jiang Yan moved silently, but rather that everyone had been so captivated by the events at the center that they’d neglected everything else around them.

Jiang Yan strolled forward casually, a faint smile gracing his lips, exuding an air of elegance and composure. Yet, both Zhou Li and Tao Yue instinctively stepped back, giving way to him.

Jiang Yan didn’t refuse the gesture and walked directly toward the front. Meanwhile, Chi Changye stepped behind Gu Yao with steady strides, not worried about the quality of the pills but more concerned about Gu Yao’s condition. Observing that Gu Yao had only expended a moderate amount of spiritual energy and mental strength, Chi stood silently behind him without a word.

Tian Feirong and the chubby boy also rushed forward, brimming with joy. The chubby boy was so overjoyed that he even forgot about the trouble he’d gotten into earlier.

Jiang Yan extended his slender, jade-like fingers and picked up the jade bottle in front of Gu Yao. He opened it and poured out a single ‘Restorative Spirit Pill’. A flicker of astonishment flashed in his eyes as he glanced at Gu Yao and then surveyed the crowd. Holding the pill delicately between his fingers, he announced: “Top-grade ‘Restorative Spirit Pill’. Alchemist Gu Yao has produced nine pills in total—three top-grade, six mid-grade.”

“Wow!” The crowd erupted into an uproar. This event, spurred by the Pill Peak alchemists’ challenge to an unknown student, had already stirred the entire outer academy. The area was packed with layers of spectators, and upon hearing the result, the crowd was abuzz. Without even needing to compare the opponent’s results, this outcome clearly showcased Gu Yao’s exceptional alchemy skills and solidified his victory.

Jiang Yan turned and tossed the jade bottle to Zhou Li. After inspecting it, Zhou confirmed the results. Tao Yue did the same, her face openly displaying shock and delight.

Jiang Yan then walked over to Li Shurong’s side, reaching for his jade bottle, only for Li to snatch it away in a sudden motion. His face turned pale, then flushed, and he exclaimed in a panicked voice: “There’s no need to look! I concede this round! Sister Liu, it’s your turn now!”

Hearing Jiang Yan’s announcement of the results, Li Shurong knew that not only had he lost, but he’d been utterly humiliated. He had lost both his dignity and reputation, a total and devastating defeat. Unable to face the crowd any longer, he hastily waved his hand, stowing away his alchemy furnace, and left in a rush, ignoring everyone present.

Seeing Li Shurong abandon her and flee, Liu Lingge’s face turned a kaleidoscope of colors, shifting between pale, flushed, and livid in quick succession. Her expression was truly a sight to behold.

Initially, she had approached the situation with an air of disdain, entirely dismissing Gu Yao as unworthy of her attention. She thought it would simply be a formality—an opportunity to boost her reputation while teaching an ignorant novice a lesson. Yet, things had taken an unexpected turn, leaving her stuck in a precarious situation, unable to advance or retreat.

‘Leave?’ She was unwilling. Perhaps Li Shurong had just been unlucky; maybe the ‘Restorative Spirit Pill’ happened to be Gu Yao’s specialty. It didn’t necessarily mean he was equally skilled with other types of pills. Every alchemist learns through countless failures before achieving success, after all. How many pills could someone as young as Gu Yao have refined? She refused to believe he would excel equally in crafting other pills.

‘Stay?’ But if she ended up losing as badly as Li Shurong, she would lose both her dignity and reputation. How would she recover from such humiliation?

On Pill Peak, there were plenty of others waiting to step over her and Li Shurong to rise to prominence.

“Senior Sister, ‘Clarity Spirit Pill’,” a fellow female disciple from The Pill Peak quietly reminded her.

In the end, Liu Lingge gritted her teeth and decided to stay. “Let’s compete by refining the ‘Clarity Spirit Pill’. How about it?”

The ‘Clarity Spirit Pill’ is a high-grade pill that keeps one’s mind clear and prevents the intrusion of inner demons. Though classified as an auxiliary pill, its unique effects make it highly valuable—its price nearly double that of the ‘Restorative Spirit Pill’. Naturally, the difficulty of crafting it is significantly higher. Even Li Shurong had tried refining the ‘Clarity Spirit Pill’ before but had never succeeded.

Liu Lingge, however, happened to have a rare talent for refining the ‘Clarity Spirit Pill’. While challenging Gu Yao with this particular pill might seem unfair, maintaining her reputation was her top priority at the moment. Fixing her gaze firmly on Gu Yao, she studied his reaction closely.

Jiang Yan, Zhou Li, and the others also turned to look at Gu Yao. Would he accept the challenge? At this point, even if Gu Yao chose to concede, his reputation had already spread far and wide, so it wouldn’t count as a true loss.

Besides, Gu Yao had just finished refining the ‘Restorative Spirit Pills’. With only the spiritual power of a fifth-level Qi Refinement cultivator, he hadn’t even had time to recover.

“Alright, let’s compete by refining the ‘Clarity Spirit Pill’,” Gu Yao replied decisively, accepting the challenge without hesitation.