A few days later, Su Qian personally brought out a batch of rare medicinal materials along with a scroll containing the formula for a 6th-grade low-level pill . The aura coming from those herbs alone made the surrounding Dou Qi fluctuate slightly.
"This… these are materials for a Dou Zong-level dou qi recovery pill," Xiao Feng muttered, his eyes narrowing as he carefully examined them.
Su Qian nodded slowly, his expression serious.
"Correct. This pill can instantly replenish Dou Qi for Dou Zong and even low-level Dou Zun experts. Very few in the entire region can refine it… Are you confident?"
Xiao Feng didn't hesitate. He took the pill formula, his gaze sweeping through every line, every detail, every control requirement. After a brief moment, he closed the scroll and said calmly,
"I can do it."
Just as he was about to begin refining, Su Qian suddenly raised his hand and stopped him.
"Wait. Not here."
Xiao Feng frowned slightly. "Dean, what's wrong?"
Su Qian looked around before speaking in a low voice,
"A 6th-grade pill will definitely cause a phenomenon. If word spreads that our academy has a new 6th-grade alchemist… it will attract unwanted attention. Especially from people like Han Feng."
Hearing the name, Xiao Feng's eyes flickered slightly, but he remained silent.
"Come with me," Su Qian said, turning around.
Naturally, Zi Yan and Xiao Yi Xian immediately followed.
"Old man, where are we going?" Zi Yan asked, tugging his sleeve.
"To a place where your little friend here won't blow the whole academy's secrets into the sky," Su Qian replied dryly.
Zi Yan pouted. "Hmph, as if I would leak anything…"
Xiao Yi Xian just smiled softly and stayed beside Xiao Feng without saying anything.
Soon, the group arrived at the Library Pavilion entrance. Two powerful auras could already be felt even before stepping closer. Standing there were the guardian elders — Bai Lie and Qian Mu.
Beside them stood another familiar figure — Xiao Feng's teacher, Elder Huo.
The moment he saw Xiao Feng, Elder Huo burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Good, good! I didn't expect you to reach this level so quickly. It seems… you've already surpassed me."
Xiao Feng shook his head respectfully.
"Teacher, without your guidance, I wouldn't have reached this stage."
Elder Huo waved his hand dismissively.
"Enough humility. Talent like yours cannot be suppressed."
At this moment, Bai Lie stepped forward slightly and spoke in a deep voice,
"We have already set up a sealing formation. Once you begin refining, the fluctuations and pill phenomenon will be completely contained within this area."
Qian Mu added calmly,
"Focus on your refinement. Leave everything else to us."
Su Qian turned to Xiao Feng and said firmly,
"This is your chance. Show us… the birth of a 6th-grade alchemist."
Then Elder Huo glanced at Xiao Yi Xian and said,
"You, girl… watch carefully. Opportunities like this don't come often. If you learn even a fraction of it, it will benefit you for life."
Xiao Yi Xian nodded seriously, her eyes filled with focus.
"I understand, Elder."
Zi Yan leaned closer to Xiao Feng and whispered playfully,
"Don't fail, okay? Otherwise I'll laugh at you for a whole year."
Xiao Feng smirked slightly.
"Just watch carefully… you'll be the first to see it succeed."
Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward into the center of the formation. Flames slowly began to rise in his palm… and the atmosphere instantly turned heavy as everyone held their breath, waiting for the moment history would be written.
Xiao Feng stood at the center of the sealing formation, his expression completely focused as the deep-purple flame surged into the cauldron. Unlike before, his movements were slower and far more cautious—this was his first attempt at refining a true 6th-grade pill, and even he did not dare to be careless.
"Stay calm… control everything step by step…" he murmured softly.
As the flame stabilized, the first batch of medicinal ingredients floated out — Heavenly Soul Orchid, Six Yin Spirit Grass, Earth Vein Root, and Thousand-Year Blood Essence Ginseng. One by one, they entered the cauldron, where the flame carefully refined them.
The process dragged on slowly. Time passed minute by minute… then hour by hour.
After nearly two hours, the impurities were finally removed, leaving behind pure medicinal essences. Even so, Xiao Feng's control wavered slightly at times, and he had to repeatedly adjust his flame and soul power to prevent any loss. Sweat had already begun to form on his forehead.
"Almost lost it…" he muttered under his breath.
Outside, Elder Huo watched intently.
"For a first attempt… maintaining this for so long is already impressive…"
Without resting, Xiao Feng moved to the next step. The second batch — Black Spirit Vine, Golden Core Flower, and Nine-Layer Flame Leaf — entered the cauldron.
As the ingredients merged, the energy inside became extremely unstable. Violent fluctuations shook the cauldron repeatedly, forcing Xiao Feng to concentrate fully.
Another hour passed.
"Merge!" he commanded in a low voice.
His flame surged, pressing down on the chaotic energy, but it was far from perfect. Small ripples of instability kept appearing, and he had to constantly suppress them using his soul power. His breathing gradually became heavier.
By the fourth hour, the mixture had barely stabilized into a thick, glowing mass.
Then came the final step.
Xiao Feng took out the core ingredient — the Heavenly Essence Tempering Fruit. The moment it entered the cauldron, the entire mixture erupted violently, almost collapsing on the spot.
Zi Yan widened her eyes.
"Hey! It's going to explode!"
"Not yet…" Xiao Feng gritted his teeth.
His soul power burst out completely, forcing the violent energy back under control. The flame roared at its highest intensity as he struggled to maintain stability. Even then, part of the medicinal essence was lost during the process.
Time continued to pass… slowly, painfully.
Finally, after nearly five full hours, the chaotic energy began to compress. However, due to the earlier losses, the energy was no longer sufficient to form multiple pills.
Su Qian spoke softly,
"He can only condense one…"
Xiao Feng's eyes sharpened despite his exhaustion.
"Then… one is enough!"
With a final surge of flame, he compressed all the remaining energy into a single point.
"Condense!"
The light inside the cauldron shrank instantly, forming one complete pill. It was round and smooth, with a faint glow—not dazzling, and without pill patterns, but still carrying a dense and stable aura.
A gentle medicinal fragrance spread through the formation, making the surrounding Dou Qi stir slightly.
Xiao Feng slowly withdrew his flame, his body relaxing as the pill floated into his palm. His clothes were slightly damp from sweat, and his breathing was heavier than before.
"For a first attempt… five hours… one pill," he said quietly, examining it. "Average quality… but stable."
Elder Huo burst into laughter.
"Haha! You call this average? Refining a 6th-grade pill in your first attempt within five hours—this is already exceptional!"
Su Qian nodded with satisfaction.
"Indeed. Even this pill is something many Dou Zong experts would value greatly."
Zi Yan leaned closer, sniffing the air with bright eyes.
"It still smells amazing… can I eat it?"
Xiao Feng flicked her forehead lightly.
"Not for you."
Looking at the pill in his hand, Xiao Feng's exhausted expression slowly turned firm again.
"This is just the beginning… next time, I'll do better."
After Xiao Feng successfully refined his first 6th-grade pill, Su Qian stepped forward with a satisfied expression and said,
"Not bad… for a first attempt, this is already outstanding. Right now, the academy has prepared over twenty sets of medicinal materials for Dou Qi Recovery Pills. Use them well and stabilize your foundation in 6th-grade refining."
Xiao Feng nodded seriously. He understood that repetition was the only way to truly master this level.
At this moment, Elder Huo also stepped forward, taking out three carefully preserved sets of medicinal herbs. His expression turned slightly solemn as he handed them over.
"These… are for the Mighty Huang Pill. Try refining it when you feel ready."
Xiao Feng's eyes flickered slightly as he received them. He naturally knew the value of this pill.
"The Mighty Huang Pill… a peak 6th-grade pill…" he muttered.
Elder Huo nodded.
"Yes. It can allow a Dou Huang to raise one or even two stars in a short time, and it also tempers the bones and strengthens the body. Even among 6th-grade pills, it is extremely difficult to refine."
Su Qian added calmly,
"Don't rush. First master the basics. Then attempt it."
Xiao Feng took a deep breath and said firmly,
"I understand."
From that day onward, Xiao Feng completely immersed himself in pill refining.
Using the twenty-plus sets of materials provided by the academy, he repeatedly refined Dou Qi Recovery Pills, slowly improving his control over flame temperature, soul power precision, and the timing of fusion.
Days turned into weeks… and weeks into months.
He maintained a strict routine — refining continuously for days, then taking two days of rest each week to recover his soul strength and stabilize his gains.
Inside the sealed refining area, flames would burn almost endlessly. The fragrance of medicinal pills lingered constantly, and batches of 6th-grade pills were gradually produced — some failed, some average, and some above average.
At first, Xiao Feng struggled with instability and low success rates. But as time passed, his control became sharper, his movements smoother, and his understanding deeper.
After two full months, the change was obvious.
"I can now refine 6th-grade low-level pills consistently… and even reach medium quality most of the time," Xiao Feng said calmly, looking at a newly formed pill in his hand.
Occasionally, he could even produce above-average quality pills, something that many newly advanced 6th-grade alchemists could not achieve.
Now, looking at the three sets of medicinal herbs for the Mighty Huang Pill, his eyes held confidence.
"If I use all three sets… I should be able to refine at least one successful pill… even if it's only average quality."
His voice was steady, no longer uncertain like before.
Seeing this progress, Elder Huo was deeply moved. He had personally witnessed Xiao Feng's growth from start to finish.
"Haha… good! Very good!" Elder Huo laughed, his eyes filled with excitement. "Watching you refine… even I have gained new insights."
He clenched his fist slightly, his expression turning determined.
"With this… I finally have the confidence to attempt a breakthrough into the 6th-grade alchemist realm myself!"
Su Qian smiled faintly at the side.
"It seems the academy will soon have more than one 6th-grade alchemist."
Xiao Feng simply smiled and said,
"Teacher, when you attempt your breakthrough, I will assist you."
Elder Huo waved his hand, laughing loudly.
"Good! Then let us both step into that realm properly!"
However, Xiao Feng did not delay any longer. On the very next day, he entered the refining chamber once again — this time, specifically for the Mighty Huang Pill.
The atmosphere grew tense. Even Su Qian and Elder Huo stayed behind to observe.
Xiao Feng took out the first set of medicinal herbs, his expression calm but focused.
"Let's begin…"
The flame rose steadily, and the refinement process started smoothly. Compared to before, his control was clearly much better — every step was precise, every transition stable.
But the moment the process reached the fusion stage, the energy inside the cauldron suddenly turned violent. The medicinal essences clashed fiercely, far beyond the difficulty of ordinary 6th-grade pills.
Xiao Feng's expression changed slightly.
"Too unstable…"
He immediately tried to suppress it with soul power and flame control, but the balance had already been broken.
Boom!
A muffled explosion echoed. The first set… was destroyed.
Silence filled the room for a moment.
Elder Huo spoke calmly,
"Continue."
Xiao Feng nodded without hesitation and took out the second set.
This time, he slowed everything down even further, carefully controlling each step. The refinement and fusion stages went much more smoothly, and even Su Qian showed a faint nod of approval.
But at the condensation stage, the problem appeared again.
The forming pill could not withstand the immense pressure required. Tiny cracks began to spread across its surface.
"Not enough control…" Xiao Feng muttered.
Crack!
The pill shattered instantly.
The second set… failed.
Zi Yan, standing at the side, frowned slightly.
"This pill is way harder than the others…"
Xiao Feng exhaled slowly, his eyes turning more serious.
"…Last one."
He took out the third and final set given by Elder Huo.
Before starting, he closed his eyes briefly, recalling both failures — the unstable fusion, the weak condensation.
When he opened his eyes again, they were completely steady.
The third attempt began.
This time, everything was nearly perfect. The refinement was clean, the fusion stable, and even the violent energy was suppressed effectively.
Su Qian murmured,
"He's improved again…"
But just as the pill was about to fully condense—
A tiny fluctuation appeared.
Just a slight imbalance… but enough.
Xiao Feng reacted instantly, trying to stabilize it, but the energy had already slipped out of control.
Boom!
The third set… also failed.
The chamber fell silent once again.
Three sets of rare materials… completely gone.
Xiao Feng stood there quietly, looking at the empty cauldron. There was no frustration on his face — only deep thought.
"…So this is the gap of a peak 6th-grade pill," he said slowly.
Elder Huo smiled instead of showing disappointment.
"Good."
Xiao Feng looked up slightly.
"To fail like this and still remain calm… that means you're truly ready to succeed next time," Elder Huo said.
Su Qian added,
"You've already seen the problem. Next time… you won't repeat the same mistakes."
Xiao Feng clenched his fist slightly, determination rising in his eyes once again.
"Next time…"
"I will refine it successfully."
At that moment, within the Inner Academy, that quiet change continued to grow —
Not just a rising alchemist…
But one who was steadily approaching mastery.