Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

Xiao Bai's deep, piercing eyes locked onto Xiao Yan, silent. He pointed to the stone bench nearby.

Xiao Yan shuffled over reluctantly, rubbing his nose with an awkward grin. "Brother Bai, I swear I didn't mean to barge in. The gate was open, so I just—"

"Enough. I need to talk to your teacher," Xiao Bai cut him off with a wave.

Xiao Yan exhaled in relief. Not my problem, then.

"Kid, what do you need from this old man?" Yao Lao floated out of the ring, stroking his beard with a smile. Though only a soul now, he carried an air of authority.

"Senior, with your vast experience, I have something I'm unsure about. I'd like you to take a look," Xiao Bai said, smiling.

Yao Lao's brow furrowed. In his mind, Xiao Bai wasn't like his dim-witted disciple, lacking in knowledge. What could stump him? And if Xiao Bai was unsure, wouldn't his little girlfriend know?

That girl's origins were extraordinary—she harbored the fourth-ranked Heavenly Flame, Golden Emperor Burning Flame. To house such a flame at her age and cultivation level required a Dou Sheng's intervention, likely from that fearsome ancient clan. Her knowledge was surely vast.

Together, their insight rivaled the best in Central Plains. What could possibly baffle them both? A rare treasure?

Yao Lao's expression grew serious, curiosity burning within. Xiao Xun'er watched Xiao Bai, intrigued but slightly miffed. Xiao Bai gege, if there's something at home, why not let me see first? What if it's something we shouldn't reveal?

Xiao Yan, embarrassment forgotten, leaned forward eagerly. He loved hearing his teacher and Brother Bai discuss such matters—it broadened his mind and horizons.

Xiao Bai swiped his storage ring, producing a small white porcelain vial and placing it on the stone table.

Everyone's eyes locked onto the vial, studying it curiously.

After a moment, they nodded. Not the vial itself—just an ordinary porcelain bottle. It's what's inside.

Xiao Bai, seeing their reactions, was speechless. It's just a first-tier pill. Why the fuss?

Yao Lao beckoned, and the vial floated to him. He cautiously opened it and peered inside.

His face froze. Isn't this just Blood Coagulation Powder?

A mix of irritation, embarrassment, and amusement welled up. He was tempted to fling the vial away and snap, Xiao Bai, you mocking me? Asking an eighth-tier alchemist to appraise a first-tier pill?

But he held back. He'd overthought it, assuming Xiao Bai had some extraordinary item. He'd even braced himself to avoid looking ignorant in front of the youngsters, protecting his sage-like image.

Yao Lao shot Xiao Bai a dark look. This brat's no good, full of tricks.

Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yan waited for Yao Lao to reveal the contents, but his odd expression made them wonder. Does even he not know? Their curiosity spiked.

Xiao Bai, meanwhile, was baffled. Yao Lao's shifting expressions and intense stare after glancing at the pill left him uneasy. "Senior, is there something wrong with it?" he asked cautiously.

His concern wasn't unfounded. After refining the pill, he'd tested it on some rabbits in the back mountain, and the results were… unexpected. That's why he sought Yao Lao's expertise today.

The memory of those rabbits made him cringe. He'd cut one rabbit and fed it a Blood Coagulation Powder. The rabbit convulsed, blood spurting from its wound. Shocked and guilty, Xiao Bai thought his pill was a failure. Looks like it's done for. I'll make sure to roast it well as an apology.

But moments later, the wound healed visibly, and the rabbit sprang up, brimming with energy. Sniffing the air, it pounced on a female rabbit, engaging in vigorous… activities.

Xiao Bai was floored. Did I refine Blood Coagulation Powder or some blue pill?

Days later, he still wondered if his alchemy talent had veered off course.

At Xiao Bai's question, Yao Lao glanced at the purplish-red pill in the vial, grumbling, "It's just Blood Coagulation Powder. What's the—huh?"

He paused, sensing something off. Pouring out the pill, he examined it closely, his face registering shock.

Muttering, he said, "This shouldn't be. It's clearly Blood Coagulation Powder, so why does it have energy fluctuations?"

In the Dou Qi Continent, each pill tier had distinct identification traits:

First-Tier Pills: Faint medicinal scent, with basic healing or enhancement effects.Second-Tier Pills: Still faint scent, but noticeably stronger effects.Third-Tier Pills: Improved effects, more varied uses, and higher cost.Fourth-Tier Pills: Rich medicinal aroma, with energy fluctuations. The stronger the aroma, the higher the quality.

Yao Lao was baffled. The pill's faint scent marked it as first-tier, yet it carried the energy fluctuations of a fourth-tier pill. The energy was complex—a mix of intense, yang-aligned lightning and a subtle, refreshing wood essence, easily overlooked without close inspection.

The lightning energy felt familiar—identical to Xiao Bai's crimson lightning. Yao Lao's heart jolted. He hadn't believed Xiao Bai could succeed in alchemy. Lightning attribute for refining? Nonsense. He'd dismissed it after the Miteer Auction House herb purchase, thinking Xiao Bai underestimated alchemists. If any attribute could refine pills, would alchemists be so revered?

He'd even planned to offer Xiao Bai something else to reclaim the eighth-tier alchemist inheritance if the boy regretted trading his Heavenly Flame.

But now, holding the pill— unmistakably Blood Coagulation Powder, infused with that distinct lightning energy—Yao Lao was stunned.

"Kid, you didn't… refine this, did you?" he asked, voice trembling. The revelation shook his worldview. If lightning can refine pills, what does that mean for alchemists' prestige?