Two days later, at Ink Plum Courtyard.
Chen Jinshu had just finished refining five batches of Qi Condensation Pills, draining the spiritual energy in her dantian completely. Without delay, she pulled out the snow lotus she had long prepared and took a swift bite. The snow lotus's medicinal value lay mainly in its petals and stamen. It tasted cool and faintly sweet.
"Let's aim to break through to Qi Refining Level Five in one go."
Steadying her mind, Chen Jinshu began circulating her cultivation method, guiding her internal energy to refine the snow lotus in her stomach. A cool sensation spread through her abdomen as the snow lotus dissolved. Soon, its medicinal effects began to release.
On her forehead, the lotus petal-shaped birthmark lit up faintly, instinctively channeling the energy into her body. In an instant, the mark exuded a wisp of pale white, refined spiritual energy—purer and more concentrated than what the Qi Condensation Pills provided.
Her expression brightened slightly. She guided the pale energy through her meridians with swift precision. As the refined energy coursed through her, it brought with it a ticklish, almost itchy sensation, like something deep inside was being pushed out or rejected.
Before she knew it, three full hours had passed.
Her dantian was now filled to the brim, glowing with vibrant green light as spiritual energy radiated in all directions. With a sudden boom, her dantian expanded. Spiritual energy from the earth surged upward, and a thin internal barrier shattered like glass.
Her cultivation rose—Qi Refining, Level Five.
"Half a year and I've broken through another layer… That's on par with dual spiritual roots now."
A smile tugged at her lips, hard to restrain. To be precise, it had taken six or seven months to reach this stage. But with the help of the lotus mark and Qi Condensation Pills, the pace was reasonable.
She wasn't even particularly fast—some disciples with single spiritual roots were said to break through a level in under six months during their refinement stage. Of course, the higher one climbed in cultivation, the longer each breakthrough typically took.
"I didn't expect there were still so many impurities… No wonder the snow lotus is renowned for purging them."
A sharp, metallic stench tickled her nose. She looked down to see a thin layer of black residue on her skin—impurities forced out of her body. Aside from being edible, the snow lotus was also one of the core ingredients in breakthrough pills.
However, the complete formula was notoriously hard to collect, so most cultivators simply consumed the raw lotus directly. After quickly cleaning off the surface grime, she resumed her breathing technique to consolidate her new cultivation level.
Three more days passed.
Chen Jinshu had now memorized all of the tier-one, lower-grade pill formulas available in the Sect's library. With that preparation done, she finally made her way to the Pill King Hall at Medicine King Peak.
This hall was used specifically to assess disciples' alchemical skills and to host alchemy competitions. It was one of the largest buildings on the peak and held the most alchemy chambers.
The Medicine King Peak's assessment wasn't the typical "pick one pill and refine it" style. Instead, it used "spiritual herb blind boxes" to test if a candidate could successfully produce a tier-one, lower-grade pill.
The blind box system meant that a supervising elder would offer each alchemist a choice of sealed boxes—each packed with various spiritual herbs. The quality, tier, and even condition of these herbs were completely unknown.
Some boxes might even contain mid-grade tier-one herbs. This method tested not just one's knowledge of herbs and pill formulas but also one's ability to react quickly and accurately.
It was what made the test notoriously difficult.
After asking around the hall for a while, Chen Jinshu finally found where to register for the assessment.
"I didn't think so many disciples would be lining up to take this test."
She had just reached the side hall used for registration when she saw a long line snaking across the steps outside.
Though the disciples were all dressed similarly in their sect robes, each carried a distinct aura. Their cultivation levels varied, but every one of them was at least Qi Refining Level Five. Like her, only five or six others were at Level Five. The rest were at Level Six and above. She waited in line for nearly fifteen minutes before it was finally her turn.
"Your disciple token. What grade of assessment are you taking?" the steward asked.
"I'd like to take the tier-one, lower-grade alchemist test," she replied.
The steward, Elder Lin Xiao, gave her a brief glance before jotting her name onto a jade slip and handing her a token and a number plate.
"Head to the testing chamber that matches your number. If you pass, come back here to receive your alchemist certification."
"Understood, Elder."
Once she was out of earshot, Lin Xiao sighed softly. "Another one hoping to get lucky instead of properly honing the basics."
The truth was, earning an alchemist title in the Xuanming Sect was incredibly difficult, which is why high-level alchemists were so rare. But it was also the reason the sect's alchemists had a stellar reputation in the trade markets—anyone who earned their certificate could produce pills of exceptional quality.
Chen Jinshu quickly activated the number plate and soon arrived at Chamber No. 3, Section Ding.
The chamber door was open, guarded by a senior disciple who had already reached Foundation Establishment.
"What's your business?" he asked.
"I'm here for the alchemist test," Chen Jinshu said, holding up her number.
"Good. Go straight to the elder inside, choose a blind box, and pick an unused furnace. Don't forget to activate the formation around the furnace—if your process is interrupted, that's your loss."
He paused, then added sternly, "And don't try any tricks. The consequences are severe."
"Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother," Chen Jinshu said with a polite bow.
She figured most people wouldn't have gotten such clear instructions.
"Alright, go on in."
Tucking the number plate away, she stepped into the chamber. Inside, two rows of pill furnaces stretched to either side, spaced two zhang (about 6–7 meters) apart to avoid interference.
Several disciples were already refining pills in silence.
Without hesitation, Chen Jinshu made her way to the assessment elder at the far end and presented her number plate.
"Disciple greets the elder," she said respectfully.
The woman glanced up—her expression calm, refined, with a quiet elegance between her brows and lips. Chen Jinshu felt an instinctive reverence rise within her.
"Choose a blind box," the elder said flatly, five identical boxes appearing with a wave of her hand.
Chen Jinshu hesitated for a breath, then pointed at the one in front of her.
"I'll take this one."
"Take it and choose a free furnace. Once you start, remember to store the finished pill properly before bringing it to me. If the effects dissipate, I can't judge its quality. Time's not limited—what matters is how much you can make from the box."
"Thank you, Elder."
Holding the box, she surveyed the room and chose a light blue furnace in the southeast corner. Once she reached it, she activated the surrounding array. Instantly, a golden barrier rose around her, isolating the space.
"I wonder what kind of herbs are in this…"
Anticipation flickered in her eyes. Sitting on the cushion before the furnace, she dispelled the seal on the blind box. A wave of herbal fragrance swept over her as nearly a hundred spiritual herbs floated out, each with its own distinct scent.
"This many?" Chen Jinshu frowned slightly at the sight.
A single batch of tier-one, lower-grade pills usually required five to six herbs at most. This amount could easily make over a dozen batches. Of course, she knew she wouldn't get that many chances during the test.
"There are more than ten herbs I don't even recognize," she muttered, her expression growing more serious.