Chapter 49 : Master, are you serious?

Chen Yuyang did not condense the Primordial Fire.

It wasn’t just to avoid showing off in front of Tai Lingxuan and the others—it was simply unnecessary.

Among the materials required for the Condensing Gold Pill, the highest grade was only third rank.

Not to mention the Primordial Fire, even using the Haoyang Fire would be a massive waste.

The Sun Fire was more than sufficient.

The Sun Fire roared and churned, while the medicinal herbs Chen Yuyang held in his hand either melted under the scorching flames or burned into pale ashes.

At the same time, his spiritual power circulated, maintaining the burned residue in specific shapes and patterns before adding them into the pill furnace in a precise order.

Beside him, Tai Lingxuan watched the young man, a flicker of light shining in her eyes.

At this moment, seeing how skillfully the boy handled everything, Tai Lingxuan realized that the seventy percent proficiency Chen Yuyang claimed was probably a conservative estimate.

This kid…Was truly a prodigy.

The pill manual she had given Yuyang was the most basic introductory type.

But seeing Yuyang’s practiced demeanor, even if someone said he was a sixth or seventh-rank master, she would believe it.

Moreover, even a third-rank alchemist represented the pinnacle of achievement that many spent their entire lives pursuing.

Although Yuyang often appeared somewhat lazy in daily life, to reach such accomplishments at such a young age surely required no small amount of sweat and effort behind the scenes.

Thinking this, Tai Lingxuan sighed softly.

Her gaze shifted, and she glanced at Liu Yiyi standing nearby.

Liu Yiyi respectfully stood with her hands folded in front of her, looking at Chen Yuyang with eyes full of admiration and… infatuation.

Liu Yiyi had watched Chen Yuyang grow up.

She had seen him transform from a child into a young man who could now stand independently and share the burden with their master.

Last time, the Foundation Establishing Pills Yuyang had refined had successfully helped two of her sisters break into the Foundation Establishing realm.

Furthermore, he was so young, handsome, and even when facing outer sect disciples like herself and other sisters, he remained gentle and never put on airs, besides being the only male disciple within the sect…

How could anyone not love such a junior brother?

“Yiyi!”

Sensing the girl’s unhidden infatuation, Tai Lingxuan gave a slightly stern reprimand.

“Master, Master, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been distracted!”

Liu Yiyi snapped back to attention immediately, apologizing as she continued to hold the spirit stones nearby.

Her job was to replace the spirit stones in the formation around the pill furnace when their spiritual energy was depleted.

Watching the girl lower her head, Tai Lingxuan’s heart stirred with complex emotions.

As a woman herself, she somewhat understood the unrealistic feelings Liu Yiyi harbored for Chen Yuyang.

But…

Yuyang and Yiyi were destined to be from two different worlds.

Moreover…

Yuyang…

His possessiveness was another reason Tai Lingxuan had reprimanded Liu Yiyi.

Yet, thinking further, Tai Lingxuan’s emotions only grew more complicated.

If Yiyi and Yuyang weren’t from the same world, then what about herself and Yuyang?

As his master, logically speaking, there was even less possibility—and it was even more inappropriate—for anything between them…

But…

Tai Lingxuan bit her lip, a wave of bitterness and helplessness welling up in her heart.

Chen Yuyang was unaware of what Tai Lingxuan was thinking at this moment, his body already soaked in sweat from maintaining the flames.

A drop of sweat condensed, sliding down from his brow, merging with other beads and rolling toward his eyes.

A hand, clutching a silk cloth, swiftly reached out.

Before the sweat could fall, it was gently wiped away.

Chen Yuyang, slightly startled, turned to see Tai Lingxuan standing beside him, her gaze complex as she looked at him.

“Master, you’re really thorough!”

Chen Yuyang said, somewhat surprised.

Tai Lingxuan pressed her lips, her cheeks flushed—whether from the firelight or something else, it was hard to say.

“Focus on refining the pill!”

Tai Lingxuan’s voice was stern.

Chen Yuyang chuckled and pointed behind himself:

“If that’s the case, Master, why not wipe the sweat off my back too?”

“Smack!”

The next moment, Chen Yuyang’s rear was sharply smacked.

Tai Lingxuan’s face showed anger, but rather than genuine irritation, it was more to hide the shyness within her.

This kid actually dared to be cheeky.

She couldn’t remember teaching him to be such a bad boy.

However…

Glancing at the dampness soaking through the young man’s clothes behind him, Tai Lingxuan pressed her lips even tighter.

It really did look uncomfortable…

Perhaps this would truly distract him.

This was material worth several hundred high-grade spirit stones; if the pill failed because of something like this, it would be a huge loss…

As his master, she had to consider the sect’s development after all.

With that thought, Tai Lingxuan finally reached out and grabbed the young man’s clothing.

Earlier, to practice swordsmanship, Chen Yuyang had changed into loose short sleeves and long pants instead of his usual robes.

Before Chen Yuyang could react, Tai Lingxuan mustered her courage and lifted his clothes, exposing almost his entire upper body.

Nearby, Liu Yiyi was completely stunned.

Master, what is this—what is she doing with Junior Brother Yuyang?

This… this is so embarrassing!

Liu Yiyi hastily covered her face and eyes, but through her fingers, her gaze couldn’t help but sneak a peek at the young man’s bare, fair, yet well-defined upper body.

Such a good figure…

“Master… this…”

“Focus!” This time, before Chen Yuyang could say anything, Tai Lingxuan’s scolding was even harsher.

Chen Yuyang could only fall silent, feeling the gentle, delicate hands softly wiping across his back.

Now, no matter how thick-skinned he was, Chen Yuyang couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

He swore on heaven and earth, he was only joking.

Who would have thought Master was serious.

What had been an effortless pill refinement now turned into a torment.

Those hands, meticulously and repeatedly wiping back and forth.

Liu Yiyi was shy at first but soon watched openly.

Though, there was one thing she didn’t know whether she should say or not.

That was—

Let me wipe.

After a while, Chen Yuyang placed the last herb into the pill furnace.

Next, all that was needed was for the furnace to operate for a certain period, and the pill would be complete.

Closing the lid of the furnace, Chen Yuyang quickly turned around.

“Master, it’s done.”

Tai Lingxuan said nothing, stepping back to give space, collecting the sweat-soaked cloth with a composed and elegant expression.

It was as if nothing had happened just now.

“Next, maintain a constant flame. After twelve days, I’ll temper it again, then maintain it for another eighteen days, and the Condensing Gold Pill will be complete.”

Chen Yuyang continued, turning his gaze to Liu Yiyi with warmth:

“Sister Yiyi, I’m counting on you to watch over it from now on.”

Liu Yiyi immediately nodded, smiling a little foolishly: “No problem, no problem! Junior Brother, you’ve worked hard, go take a shower and rest well.”

Chen Yuyang nodded, then saluted Tai Lingxuan, showing some exhaustion.

“Master, my spiritual power is depleted; I should go rest too.”

Tai Lingxuan nodded, about to agree, but then shook her head.

“Wait.”

“Master, do you have any other instructions?”

“Since your spiritual power is exhausted, go to the annex hall. There is a spirit-gathering formation there to help you recover quickly.”

“If you feel tired, there is also an empty room for you to rest.”

Chen Yuyang was silent for a moment, then said, “Thank you, Master…”

He couldn’t admit that his exhaustion was mostly feigned.

Though only a First Foundation stage alchemist, the Condensing Gold Pill still couldn’t drain his spiritual power.

But since Tai Lingxuan had said so, how could he refuse?

The sect’s main hall had been destroyed, and now Tai Lingxuan was temporarily staying in the annex hall.

Together, they headed toward the annex.

Although not as grand as the main hall, the annex was still considered luxurious, its scale comparable to the main halls of some second-rate sects.

When the mountain gate was rebuilt, Tai Lingxuan had invested heavily, hoping to restore the Hehuan Sect, ensuring all the necessary facilities and buildings were present.

Unfortunately, over the years, Tai Lingxuan had failed to recruit many disciples, and reviving the Hehuan Sect was far more difficult than she had imagined.

With limited resources, these buildings mostly remained unused.

If only Tai Lingxuan could go back more than twenty years, to the moment she decided to rebuild the mountain gate, she would surely scale down the project and save the spirit stones and resources for cultivating disciples.

Activating the spirit-gathering formation, Tai Lingxuan led Chen Yuyang to an empty room.

“This room is for you, Yuyang.”

“The spirit-gathering formation here will often be active; you can come here to train more.”

Tai Lingxuan said with regret:

“So many rooms are empty—it’s really a waste. After some cleaning, your senior sisters can also come and be arranged here.”

Chen Yuyang nodded and stepped into the room.

The room was tidy, with fresh bedding; although unoccupied, since Tai Lingxuan moved in, she had assigned a disciple to clean here regularly.

Just as Chen Yuyang closed the door behind him, Tai Lingxuan suddenly recalled something.

“Right, I haven’t carefully asked Yuyang about the sword intent yet…”

She had been worried but hadn’t asked because it wasn’t convenient.

Now that Yuyang had gone to rest, she didn’t want to disturb him.

Well, no rush; it could wait until he recovered.

No, that wasn’t right!

If there really was a lingering soul coveting him, Yuyang’s spiritual power being depleted now would be the perfect opportunity for it to strike.

But the probability of such a soul existing was already low, and the chance it would strike now was equally slim…

Tai Lingxuan was caught in a struggle.

Should she interrupt Yuyang’s rest to clarify the situation now?

Or wait until he was rested and then find out?

Splash—

At that moment, the sound of water came from inside the room.

Tai Lingxuan took a deep breath and made her decision.

Turning around, she returned to the door of the young man’s room, her face faintly flushed and filled with a trace of infatuation.

Yuyang was taking a bath now.

So… she really had to find out right away.