Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

"Indeed, I refined it," Xiao Bai replied calmly, nodding in response to Yao Lao's shocked question.

Xiao Xun'er's eyes sparkled with delight. He really did it! My Xiao Bai gege is as amazing as ever! She'd wanted to ask earlier but hesitated, fearing she'd touch a sore spot if he'd failed. Now, she could finally relax.

Xiao Yan, watching his teacher's astonishment, was equally stunned. He'd asked Yao Lao before and learned that for millennia, only fire and wood attributes could refine pills—no exceptions. Brother Bai's broken new ground in the Dou Qi Continent! Thrilled for him, Xiao Yan also felt a twinge of embarrassment, recalling how he'd pitied Xiao Bai and offered to refine pills for him later. Now, Xiao Bai had succeeded, while Xiao Yan lingered at the Dou Zhi Qi stage, unable to even produce a refining flame.

Rubbing his nose, Xiao Yan's thick skin couldn't stop a faint flush.

Yao Lao, seeing Xiao Bai's unruffled demeanor, felt a pang of frustration. Is this kid just showing off, or does he not grasp how earth-shattering his lightning alchemy is?

Xiao Bai had a history of theatrics. Even Xiao Yan had once grumbled to Yao Lao, "Sometimes, seeing Brother Bai so calm and smug, I wanna punch him to see how he reacts. If I could beat him, I'd have done it already!"

Shaking off the thought, Yao Lao said gravely, "Kid, do you realize what your lightning alchemy would do to the alchemist world if it got out? Countless fire-and-wood alchemists would want you dead—your method threatens their status. Meanwhile, lightning cultivators would either worship you or try to kill you for your secrets."

"So, I won't ask how you did it. But be careful. Don't reveal this until you're strong enough," Yao Lao warned, his voice tinged with awe. The moment Xiao Bai confirmed it, even he'd felt a fleeting urge to act, let alone other alchemists. If it were anyone else, Yao Lao, as a beneficiary of the current alchemical hierarchy, would've considered eliminating them.

But this was Xiao Bai, a young man he admired deeply. If Xiao Bai were willing, Yao Lao would've taken him as a disciple. Plus, Xiao Bai was his current disciple's big brother. Acting against him would invite betrayal later. And with Xiao Xun'er nearby—not to mention Xiao Bai's own strength—Yao Lao wasn't confident he could win. The memory of that seemingly harmless black-red lightning, which had knocked him out for two months, sent a shiver down his spine. Any more, and I might've slept forever.

Xiao Bai listened, unfazed. Did he not know the risks? He did. He'd weighed them long before trading for Yao Lao's eighth-tier alchemist inheritance. His method, though unreplicable by other lightning cultivators, wouldn't stop the chaos driven by two words: human nature. Alchemists and lightning cultivators wouldn't care about replicability—they'd believe what they saw.

That's why he'd secured Yao Lao's inheritance, ensuring he wouldn't need to scrounge for knowledge later, risking exposure.

Today's confession served two purposes: to consult Yao Lao about the pill's odd effects and to test his reaction. Xiao Bai knew he couldn't hide his success from those in the courtyard. Since secrecy wasn't an option, he chose to reveal it early and gauge Yao Lao's stance.

The outcome was better than he'd feared—not the worst-case scenario.

"Thank you for the advice, Senior. I'll keep it in mind," Xiao Bai said, a faint smile on his lips as he nodded.

Yao Lao said no more. Xiao Bai was sharp—even if he hadn't considered the risks before, Yao Lao's warning would ensure caution.

Turning to Xiao Yan, he instructed, "Don't breathe a word about your Brother Bai's matter outside, got it?"

Xiao Yan nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, Teacher. I'll keep it locked in my heart—not a single word will slip!"

Yao Lao nodded, not bothering to warn Xiao Xun'er. She'd be even more protective of Xiao Bai than they were.

Examining the pill again, Yao Lao said with wonder, "This pill is a first for me. Its scent is faint, typical of a first-tier, yet it has the energy fluctuations of a fourth-tier. Calling it first-tier feels like an insult, but its potency isn't quite fourth-tier. Truly remarkable!"

"I don't care about its tier—it's the effects that concern me," Xiao Bai said, hesitating. He glanced at Xiao Xun'er, reluctant to elaborate.

Xiao Xun'er, engrossed in the discussion, was intrigued. Though not an alchemist, her knowledge of pills was second only to Yao Lao's. She was eager to learn about Xiao Bai's unique creation, but his sudden pause and glance puzzled her. Why's he looking at me?

Sensing her confusion, Xiao Bai patted her head gently, saying nothing. Instead, he transmitted the rabbit experiment's details to Yao Lao via soul communication.

Yao Lao, initially confused by the sudden switch to transmission, listened intently. After a moment, he smirked, giving Xiao Bai a teasing wink. "Haha, Xiao Bai, you're a genius! Turning Blood Coagulation Powder into that kind of pill!"

Xiao Yan, clueless, frowned. Brother Bai didn't finish, and Teacher already knows? What's going on?

Xiao Xun'er, pensive, gave Xiao Bai an odd look. What's he hiding that I can't know? That was soul transmission, wasn't it? Yao Lao's mention of "that effect" and his sleazy grin made her suspicious. What effect can't I know about? And why's that old man smirking like that?

She watched as Xiao Bai continued transmitting to Yao Lao, whose grin widened. Xiao Bai's brow furrowed, then relaxed as if enlightened.

"Thank you for the guidance, Senior!" Xiao Bai said, cupping his hands respectfully.

"No trouble at all," Yao Lao replied, stroking his beard with a chuckle. "You just lack knowledge of herb properties. Otherwise, you'd have figured it out yourself. Haha!"