Chapter 258: Guiding Alchemy

Miss Mo Yu really cried this time.

Are you deliberately messing with me?

I just got first place in beast taming, and you come over, beat up my beast, and become a formal beast tamer.

Just as I proudly called myself a physician apprentice, you jump out, not only scolding a two-star medical grandmaster but also stating the symptoms and cure for the Howling Sky Beast...

I thought I could still show off in alchemy, but then... you take out an alchemist badge and say you passed the pill debate...

Who did I provoke?

Is it so hard to quietly display some talent?

"Pill debate? What's that?"

"It's an assessment where you challenge ten formal alchemists at once and force them to admit defeat! I heard this assessment method is extremely brutal, with a pass rate of less than one percent."

"An assessment with less than one percent pass rate?"

...

Many beast tamers present were unclear about the pill debate, but after hearing the explanation, they were all stunned.

How formidable must one be to pass an assessment by forcing ten formal alchemists to admit defeat?

Yun Tao, who had always considered himself a genius, finally realized that compared to Senior Zhang Xuan, his meager talent amounted to nothing, not worth mentioning.

Formations, beast taming, medicine, master teacher, alchemy...

Brother, I want to ask, is there anything you can't do?

I'd like to learn too...

Forget it, I'd better not ask. Every time he says he can't do something, if you take it at face value, you're naive. Guaranteed, the moment he acts, he'll leave you with no room to resist... Haven't you seen Miss Mo Yu?

He even felt embarrassed for the princess.

In short, this guy is a freak. Don't compare yourself to him in anything.

"Since you know alchemy, you must have brought an alchemy furnace or something, right?"

Ignoring the crowd's shock, Zhang Xuan looked over.

"Yes."

Gnashing her teeth in anger, Miss Mo Yu still held back and snorted.

"Good." Zhang Xuan nodded, then turned to the beast tamers: "Hall Master Feng, please prepare the following herbs as soon as possible: a thirty-year-old Blazing Sun Grass, fifteen-year-old Sunfire Leaf one tael..."

He listed a series of herb names.

Hearing these herbs, Mo Yu was startled, then suddenly thought of something, her pupils contracting: "You... you don't mean to have me refine... the Blazing Sun Pill, do you?"

"Yes." Zhang Xuan nodded matter-of-factly.

"Are you joking? The Blazing Sun Pill is a peak two-star pill. I'm only a one-star alchemist. How could I possibly succeed?"

Miss Mo Yu's body trembled, almost fainting.

Is this guy out of his mind?

The Blazing Sun Pill, a pure yang pill made from nine yang-attributed herbs, peak two-star. Even ordinary three-star alchemists find it hard to refine, and he wants me, a one-star, to do it...

Is he mistaken?

"Don't worry, I'll guide you. You just need to use the furnace and control the flame temperature. It's very simple."

Zhang Xuan said calmly.

"Use the furnace? Control flame temperature? Very simple?"

Not hearing the explanation was fine, but after hearing it, Miss Mo Yu felt she was going crazy.

Brother, are you really an alchemist?

Even apprentices know these basics. If alchemy were that simple, wouldn't everyone be an alchemy grandmaster?

Alchemy isn't mechanical one-plus-one-equals-two. The key is real-time control of the pill and mastery of the furnace fire. She had just reached one-star this year and couldn't even refine some difficult one-star pills, let alone peak two-star...

Most importantly, alchemy requires personal involvement to control the pill's progress in real time for the next step. He said he'd guide... meaning he wouldn't participate in the refining!

Where does this guy get his confidence?

"If you think you can't do it, you can find an apprentice. It's hard to find a one-star alchemist in the Beast Hall, but alchemy apprentices should be available." Seeing her frantic expression, Zhang Xuan frowned.

Is this woman crazy? She's so jumpy.

I told you, I'll guide you in alchemy. Why all the nonsense?

If you really think you can't handle it, I'll find someone else.

"No need to find anyone. I'll do it."

Seeing his disdainful look, Miss Mo Yu felt like a thousand cats were scratching her heart. She was nearly mad, gritting her teeth and snorting.

In the Tianwu Kingdom, except for that one person, she was a top-tier genius in every aspect. Yet here, in a remote corner, she was being looked down upon by a country bumpkin from a backwater place!

Damn it!

Fine, you want to show off? Let's see what you do when I can't refine a peak two-star pill!

"Let me tell you in advance: strictly follow my instructions. Not a single mistake is allowed." Afraid she might cause trouble, Zhang Xuan warned.

"Don't worry!"

Miss Mo Yu's stubbornness flared up.

"Good."

Zhang Xuan nodded and said no more.

Knowing the urgency, Hall Master Feng didn't hesitate. Soon, a pile of herbs was brought before them.

Although the Beast Hall wasn't the Alchemist Guild, beasts naturally liked medicinal herbs, so some essential herbs were well-stocked.

"Let's begin."

Seeing the herbs were all there and checking that their ages were sufficient, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

Among the many professions, the one he was most familiar with was alchemy.

Not only because he had first taken the alchemist assessment, but more importantly, with the help of the golden book, he had converted all the books he saw in the Alchemist Guild into his own knowledge.

In terms of basic knowledge alone, he might surpass some two-star or three-star alchemists.

"Hmph!"

Holding a grudge, Miss Mo Yu wasted no words. With a flick of her wrist, a huge furnace appeared before her. Igniting the fire and heating the furnace, she moved smoothly, showing solid fundamentals.

Although she was a hundred percent sure it was impossible to refine a two-star pill, since he was so confident, she would try. She could mock him later when it failed.

"Not bad."

Seeing her movements fluid and without hesitation, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

As expected of a genius from the Tianwu Kingdom. Although Miss Mo Yu seemed young and somewhat aloof, her alchemy technique was impeccable, far superior to Bai Ming, Chen Xiao, and others he had seen before.

Marveling inwardly, he approached the furnace and casually touched it.

Zhang Xuan said no more and stood still.

"Do you think... he can succeed?"

Looking at the two standing not far away, Beast Tamer Lu couldn't help but worry.

"I don't know. But if someone told you before that beating a beast could tame it completely with 45 loyalty, would you believe it?" Hall Master Feng smiled bitterly.

"That... I would never believe." Beast Tamer Lu hesitated.

If someone had told him that before today, he would have beaten that person to death.

Beating a beast to tame it, and with 45 loyalty... isn't that a joke?

But he saw it with his own eyes today... he couldn't refute it.

This young man named Zhang Xuan seemed like a creator of miracles, constantly refreshing everyone's understanding of the world.

"I once saw guided alchemy in a titled kingdom. A three-star master teacher guided an alchemy apprentice to successfully refine a pill, stunning the audience. I didn't expect to see it again today!"

Beast Tamer Wang's eyes shone as he murmured.

"I know about that too. But back then, they refined a one-star pill. Beast Tamer Zhang is guiding Princess Mo Yu to refine a peak two-star pill, which is more than twice as difficult."

"Indeed. Each pill grade is an insurmountable gap, like a vast mountain range. If a one-star alchemist could really refine a peak two-star pill, it would be jaw-dropping!"

Hall Master Feng and Beast Tamer Lu couldn't help nodding.

"Look, the alchemy has begun!"

Amid their murmurs, the alchemy had started.

Rumble!

The furnace fire blazed. Miss Mo Yu's jade-like hands moved like butterflies, her whole body circling the furnace, leaving trails of afterimages.

"Add the Green Artemisia Leaf. After seven breaths, the White Beard Grass. After fourteen breaths, the Blazing Sun Grass. Use the Cloud Wave Thousand Illusions Hand..."

Zhang Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his voice steady and orderly, without pause or hesitation.

Although the Blazing Sun Pill was said to be a yang-attributed pill made from nine pure yang herbs, it still required many neutralizing herbs. Otherwise, putting so many yang herbs together would surely cause the furnace to explode.

"Huh?"

Miss Mo Yu initially didn't think she could refine a peak two-star pill following his guidance. But as the herbs were gradually added, her disdain faded, her expression grew more serious, and her shock deepened.

She had seen the recipe for the Blazing Sun Pill. The nine yang herbs were like nine bombs. Even with neutralizing herbs, if the timing was slightly off, they would explode. Many two-star alchemists had failed due to poor timing, destroying both the herbs and the furnace.

But now, she had already added five yang herbs, more than halfway through, and the furnace was still running smoothly without any sign of fluctuation...

That meant the steps and timing for adding the herbs so far were flawless, without any error or omission!

How... is that possible!

You see, everyone has different cultivation levels, different true energy, different furnaces and charcoal. So during alchemy, there are significant differences. One must constantly adjust and control, never relaxing for a moment.

Even the same person refining twice, with different states and strengths, cannot follow the same steps for adding herbs!

With such complex alchemy, following his steps without any issues, how could she not be shocked?

Most importantly... how did he know her alchemy techniques and her level of control? Every instruction was spot-on, never exceeding her ability!

She was sure she had never refined pills in front of him. So how did he know so much detail?

"Don't get distracted!"

Just as she was lost in thought, a loud shout rang in her ears. She realized that due to distraction, she had added a herb half a breath too early, not following his timing.

Gurgle gurgle!

Instantly, the yang energy boiled. The previously stable neutralizing force seemed to ignite, and the entire furnace shook violently.

"Oh no, the furnace is going to explode!"

Someone shouted, and everyone's face changed color.