The Eternal Saint of Alchemy

Yun Ruoxi blushed and glared at him, but couldn't help but smile.

The warm sunlight of Donglin City shone on the bluestone pavement, casting long shadows.

He had walked this road countless times. This time, he walked very steadily.

After returning to the Xiao family, Xiao Fan stayed at home for the first month without going anywhere else.

During the day, he would accompany Xiao Zhankui to practice martial arts in the backyard. The old man couldn't sit still anymore and would pull several guards to practice boxing with him every day, his back ramrod straight.

Xiao Fan would come down every now and then to spar with him. Both of them were exhausted and covered in sweat. Su Wanqing mocked them for being so frivolous in the corridor.

That evening, Xiao Fan stayed alone in the alchemy room, preparing some spiritual medicines to nourish his soul based on the silk scroll given to him by Yin Tianyuan.

This matter is much more complicated than I imagined.

The fragments of the soul are far too fragile; they can be shattered with the slightest force.

After preparing the medicinal liquid, Xiao Fan could only use his gentlest true essence to envelop the Soul Pearl, slowly infusing its medicinal power into it. He only had two hours a day; any longer and the Soul Fragment wouldn't be able to withstand it.

A month has passed, and the Soul Pearl's light is growing brighter. Although it still has a long way to go before it is fully recovered, it is no longer as shaky as before.

That night, Xiao Fan finished nurturing the Soul Pearl as usual and was about to end his cultivation when he suddenly felt an extremely faint energy fluctuation coming from the Soul Pearl.

It's not simply warm.

Within that fluctuation was a faint, almost imperceptible consciousness, as if someone were gently calling his name from a great distance.

"Fan-er-"

Xiao Fan gasped and gripped the Soul Pearl tightly in his hand.

"Father? Is that you?"

As if sensing something, the Soul Bead flashed slightly.

Although that wisp of consciousness flashed by and never reappeared, Xiao Fan, sitting in the alchemy room, looked at the small bead in his hand, his eyes slightly red, and a smile appeared on his lips.

There was a response.

Even if it's just once, it represents the father's soul gradually awakening.

He took a deep breath, put the Soul Pearl back into the specially made jade box, added a few nourishing medicinal herbs, and then carefully closed the lid.

That night, when he came out of the alchemy room, he saw Su Wanqing sitting in the courtyard enjoying the cool air. In the moonlight, her white hair was mostly covered by her newly grown black hair.

"Fan'er, come and sit down, talk to your mother."

Xiao Fan walked to the table and sat down. Su Wanqing handed him a cup of iced tea and asked, "Is there any progress on your father's side?"

"Yes," Xiao Fan said, then looked at her again, "Although it was only fleeting, I did sense it."

Su Wanqing listened quietly, without crying. She gently stroked the jade box, raised her head, looked at Xiao Fan, and said, "Fan'er, you must remember, whether your father comes back or not, don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Eighteen years of waiting, my mother has waited, what does eighteen years matter? As long as you live, I'll be content.

Xiao Fan held his mother's hand. "Mother, I know what to do."

Su Wanqing hummed in agreement and then chatted about everyday matters—Fan Jian recently said he was getting married to a plump woman who sold rouge, and she was a good match for him.

Zhao Tieshan's second son was born, and Xiao Zhankui was so happy that he gave him a large red envelope; Fan Jian opened a branch of Fanchen Danfang in Lin'an City...

Xiao Fan listened quietly. The moonlight shone on the mother and son, and the osmanthus flowers in the courtyard were in full bloom, carrying a faint fragrance in the wind.

Half a month later, Xiao Fan began to try to integrate "Divine Soul Alchemy", which was the inheritance he received from the Grandmaster of Pill Refining.

The Grandmaster of Alchemy recorded that when one's divine soul becomes powerful enough, one can directly condense pills with one's divine sense, without the need for a pill furnace or medicinal herbs. Xiao Fan's "Qiankun Refining God Technique" has already reached its peak, and his divine soul power far surpasses that of others of the same level, so it's worth a try.

He secluded himself in the alchemy room for seven days, using his divine sense to condense, decompose, and condense again and again, finally forming the first pill purely formed from divine soul power—a thumb-sized, crystal clear "Soul Nourishing Pearl" that emitted a soft white light.

Although the Soul-Nourishing Pearl cannot be taken directly, it can protect the soul.

Xiao Fan took out the Soul Nourishing Pearl and placed it on his father's Soul Pearl. The two pearls slowly merged together, and the surface of the golden pearl was covered with a layer of white light, making it appear even more stable.

Xiao Fan thought to himself, "Father, I used my divine soul to create a shell for you. It's a bit ugly, but it's quite sturdy."

The golden light on the Soul Bead flickered slightly, as if it were smiling.

After the news reached the capital, Jiang Yuanji wrote a letter with crooked handwriting, which read: "I heard that you are researching the alchemy of the soul."

"Interesting. But don't just stay in seclusion. The Pill Tower has recruited a new batch of disciples, some of whom have decent aptitude. When you have time, you can teach them more."

Xiao Fan put away the letter, stood on the wall of the Xiao family's backyard, and looked out at the brightly lit night of Donglin City.

Han Fei peeked out from behind the wall: "Brother Xiao, why are you climbing up there? Come, have a drink!"

Xiao Fan leaped down, landing steadily in front of Han Fei: "Drinking? Who's paying?"

"Nonsense!" Han Fei declared with boundless pride, "My father said that when I go back, he'll give me an extra month's salary. I'm richer than a country now!"

Xiao Fan laughed heartily, put his arm around Xiao Fan's shoulder, and said, "Let's go, let's drink until we drop."

The two walked arm in arm toward the front yard, with the warm yellow light of the Xiao family's old house behind them, and the aroma of roasted chestnuts wafting from the street outside, making them feel relaxed and happy.

That night, Donglin City was both bustling and quiet.

For Xiao Fan, this is the true meaning of life.

The next two months were uneventful.

During this period, apart from nourishing his father's soul and cultivating the "Qiankun Refining God Technique", Xiao Fan spent almost all his time in the alchemy room, pondering the pill formulas and cultivation methods left behind by the Taixu Pill Saint.

He was already familiar with refining fifth-grade pills, and he could begin refining sixth-grade ones. Although the success rate wasn't very high, he always learned something from each failure. There are no shortcuts on the path of alchemy.

That morning, Xiao Fan was playing chess with Xiao Zhankui in the back garden. They were engrossed in the game when Fan Jian suddenly ran in, covered in sweat.

"Young master! Young master! Someone outside says that someone is requesting an audience on Mount Qingyun!"

Xiao Fan stopped playing chess. Qingyun Peak? That's Medicine King Valley.

"Please come in."

Before long, a young disciple from Medicine King Valley rushed over and knelt on one knee as soon as he entered: "Young Master Xiao! The Valley Master has urgent news for me! There's been a problem at Medicine King Valley!"