This doesn't make sense either, because every time that entity occupied Xin Ci's body, Old Han sensed a soul power comparable to Xin Ci's normal state.
Possession was impossible!
Then this is strange, is there another person living inside Xin Ci?
Old Han probably racked his brains and couldn't figure out that Mu Qingqing was actually half of Xin Ci's soul, or another "Xin Ci".
Xin Ci didn't overthink it; he only knew that the mysterious being within him hadn't lied to him and was treating him sincerely. That was enough.
Next, it was time to improve his realm. Xin Ci sat on the bed and took the Yellow Dragon Pill he obtained from Elder Gong Ci.
Upon sensing the peculiar medicinal aroma, a rich and potent energy surged within his body.
Xin Ci quickly circulated the two Qi vortexes in his body to absorb this energy.
His realm also advanced to the peak of the Yellow Realm mid-stage.
However, unfortunately, due to Xin Ci having two Qi vortexes, the spiritual energy required for breakthroughs was immense.
Normally, one Yellow Dragon Pill would allow any martial artist to unconditionally break through a minor realm.
But for Xin Ci, it only raised him to the peak of the mid-stage.
Now, the spiritual stones in his spatial ring were also depleted, and the spiritual items required for cultivating the Phoenix Nirvana Technique – Phoenix Yang Flower, Phoenix Fire Grass, and Phoenix Blood – were also missing.
These spiritual items might be found in the Treasure Pavilion, but they required a large amount of academy points.
Xin Ci sighed helplessly; he was now penniless.
However, Old Han pointed him in a clear direction.
"As my disciple, I believe you should also begin learning alchemy."
"Alchemy!"
Xin Ci's eyes immediately brightened.
Indeed, if he became an alchemist, his cultivation resource problems could be solved.
"Old Han, are there any requirements to become an alchemist?" Xin Ci asked.
"Generally speaking, it's not easy to become an alchemist."
"Firstly, you need extraordinary soul power, which you've more than met. Secondly, you need extremely precise control over your soul power to manage the spiritual fire's temperature and the pill formation process."
"For this, try lifting the cup on the table with your soul power."
Xin Ci complied, and the cup soon floated into the air with seemingly little effort.
"Old Han, have I met this requirement?"
Unexpectedly, Old Han retorted, "Not yet. Now comes the crucial part. Control your soul power to separate the liquid from the cup and try to form your name with the liquid."
"But remember, the cup must remain suspended in the air throughout."
Xin Ci was stunned.
"Ah, forming my name with liquid in mid-air sounds difficult enough, and I have to multitask!"
Old Han said irritably, "Of course, do you think it's easy to become an alchemist?"
He then bragged about himself, "Back in the day, I was known as the alchemy prodigy of the Northern Cold Sacred Land. It only took me three..."
"Old Han, I think I succeeded!"
"Cough... cough... What did you say!"
Before Old Han could finish, he was so shocked he couldn't breathe. He stared wide-eyed at the floating cup in the room and the characters "Xin Ci" formed by the liquid.
For a moment, he was speechless with astonishment.
He never imagined that Xin Ci's soul power control would be so formidable, succeeding on his first attempt.
Xin Ci, still looking dazed, asked, "Right, Old Han, what were you saying just now?"
"Uh, nothing," Old Han replied guiltily.
"That's not right, I clearly heard you say three something just now?"
"That's irrelevant to your cultivation. I'll tell you the final condition for becoming an alchemist now."
Old Han faked a cough and quickly changed the subject.
Meanwhile, Mu Qingqing emerged from the consciousness space after a long time. Although Xin Ci and Old Han couldn't see her, she instinctively covered her mouth, chuckling slyly as she looked at Old Han and teased.
"It's just that you're discouraged by your disciple's talent, Old Han, yet you're still hiding it. What's with the pretense?"
For some reason, Old Han felt as if someone was mocking him nearby.
He quickly adopted a serious expression and said, "The final condition is basic medicinal herb identification and alchemy knowledge."
"However, this is also easy to resolve. With your soul power and the comprehension enhanced by the mysterious technique within you, coupled with my knowledge as a seven-star alchemist."
"For you, becoming an alchemist will be no difficult task."
Five days later,
Xin Ci concluded his cultivation in the crystal space and stepped out of his room, stretching comfortably as he savored the beautiful morning sunlight.
He saw Li Jianxing still beneath the large banyan tree in the courtyard, practicing sword forms alone in the air.
Xin Ci approached and respectfully greeted him.
However, Li Jianxing seemed not to see him and continued to swing his sword.
Xin Ci wasn't angered; he merely smiled slightly and left politely, not wishing to disturb his senior brother.
Although Xin Ci had already learned from Luo Fei that Nalan Wuchang would be in seclusion for a month to break through to the Earth Realm mid-stage,
he had still frequently encountered many students from the Profound Realm causing trouble for him at the secondary courtyard over these past five days.
Among them were even experts on the Earth Ranking.
Xin Ci's current strength was no match for these individuals.
But to his surprise, these people were all flung out of the courtyard by a single sword strike from Li Jianxing when they intruded.
It seemed to have disturbed Senior Brother Li's sword practice.
However, it was thanks to Li Jianxing that Xin Ci had fewer troubles these past five days, and thus Xin Ci deeply respected this senior brother.
Xin Ci first went to the Treasure Pavilion and exchanged five thousand points for a large quantity of low-grade medicinal materials, then proceeded to the Alchemy Hall to attempt pill refining.
Inside the Alchemy Hall.
Gu Nuo had been the attendant of the Alchemy Hall for two years already, and she had become increasingly proficient in the duties assigned to her.
However, today she encountered an ignorant junior disciple who, upon arriving at the Alchemy Hall, immediately demanded a refining room.
This disciple was quite handsome but appeared young and didn't seem like an alchemist.
Upon inquiry, she learned that this fellow wasn't even an alchemy apprentice and likely couldn't even distinguish medicinal herbs, yet he wanted to refine pills.
Instantly, Gu Nuo felt the disciple was mocking her and, with some annoyance, urged him to leave.
But he retorted that she had no right to dismiss him and only needed to deduct one thousand points according to academy regulations to open a refining room for him.
Gu Nuo was genuinely angered and wanted to see what this brat could refine.
At this moment, a fair-skinned, cute girl in a pink dress emerged from a refining room.
Dejectedly, she approached Gu Nuo.
"Cai Cai, did you fail again? Don't be discouraged; you'll definitely refine the Yellow Dragon Pill if you try a few more times."
However, Gu Nuo's comfort had little effect on Bai Cai, who became even more dejected.
"Sister Gu Nuo, but I've already failed nearly fifty times."