Flames burned within the bronze alchemy furnace, and the sudden changes in its walls made Dao Ling's heart tremble. He blurted out, "What's happening?"
His eyes fixed on the walls, feeling that as the flames burned more fiercely, the patterns became clearer.
Shadows appeared, resembling ancient先民 (ancestors), though blurred.
These terrifying shadows sat between heaven and earth, seemingly refining great dao golden pills, summoning five-element dao fire and absorbing四方 (four directions)精气. The patterns grew more fearsome, as if containing a world within.
Dao Ling's heart quaked. Staring at the blurred patterns, he became沉醉 (intoxicated) in them, observing how ancient pill dao ancestors refined逆天 (heaven-defying) golden pills. Their ingenious techniques left him mesmerized...
In the alchemy room, flames hissed continuously. Two days passed, and Dao Ling remained sleepless, his entire temperament transcendent, like a Buddha with a solemn appearance.
These two days brought him enormous gains. Observing various pill dao sages refine pills was like experiencing countless cycles of time, advancing his understanding of pill dao by leaps and bounds.
His eyes flickered as he woke, inwardly admiring the methods of these pill dao sages—true powerhouses.
He smacked his lips, gazing at the furnace. The patterns on its walls had vanished without him noticing. He sighed, "Fortunately, seeing those images saved the pill from ruin."
Dao Ling had no prior alchemy experience and thought he could easily succeed, but he hadn't realized how difficult alchemy was, requiring countless techniques that couldn't be learned from ordinary ancient pill scriptures alone.
These two days, he'd witnessed countless pill dao sages refining pills—figures even alchemy masters would worship. Having such an opportunity would envy countless alchemy masters.
"This furnace is no ordinary thing. It must be a rare treasure. The earlier images were likely engraved on the walls by its owner during alchemy—this is probably an ancient powerhouse's furnace!"
Dao Ling thought to himself. The patterns revealed by the furnace walls were also extraordinary inheritances, their value inestimable!
"I wonder who obtained the inheritance in the main hall. How powerful must that inheritance be?"
Dao Ling clenched his fist slightly. This furnace, glazed pill flame, and ancient pill scripture were all extraordinary. What kind of inheritance would the main hall hold?
"Never mind. It's not mine anyway. Forcing it is useless. Obtaining the furnace is already a great blessing." After thinking, he turned his gaze to the furnace and suddenly shouted, "Open the furnace!"
With a rumble, the silent alchemy furnace loudly掀开(open) its lid, spewing flames that pierced a vast vacuum.
His hands quickly formed seals, and the glazed pill flame transformed into a glazed lotus. Its petals opened, holding a black pill aloft.
As the pill emerged, it seemed to channel heaven-earth energy, the most dangerous step. One mistake, and the pill would explode under the energy infusion.
The glazed lotus held the pill, blooming with firelight. Surrounding energy was淬炼 (tempered) into pure energy by the pill flame, forming wisps of white mist that poured into the pill.
Dao Ling's heart tensed, his soul surging as he carefully observed the pill—no mistakes could be allowed now.
After about ten breaths, he relaxed. The Soul-Strengthening Pill settled down, stopping energy absorption. It fell from the air into Dao Ling's hand.
"It worked!" The corner of his mouth lifted, his face beaming. He fondled the pill—his first refined pill.
This would cause a huge stir if word got out. Succeeding on his first alchemy attempt would spark much jealousy, as most people needed hundreds of tries to even初步 (initially) succeed.
This was experience. Did alchemists pass on experience? Dao Ling had observed pill dao sages, gaining vast—even top-tier—experience.
Dao Ling put away the furnace and didn't hesitate to start refining his first pill. His soul surged, wrapping around it.
The pill quickly dissolved, releasing pure soul qi to strengthen his soul本源 (origin). He felt his soul grow stronger after absorbing the medicinal power.
After about an hour, slightly more powerful soul波动 (waves) swept around, doubling in strength. Dao Ling was amazed—this pill was indeed extraordinary.
"It's time to look at the memories."
Dao Ling's face became melancholy. He closed his eyes, and deep memories began to surge—those he had lost.
The scene returned to his childhood, lying on a stone缭绕 (wreathed) in dao rhyme, sleeping soundly.
This was like a仙境 (fairyland), with a quiet green lake, ancient trees as vigorous as dragons soaring into the clouds, exhaling磅礴 (vast) spiritual qi as if they had become spirits. A few birds with vibrant feathers flew in the sky.
A white-clothed woman floated over, her temperament ethereal as if merged with heaven and earth. With慈爱的 (loving) eyes, she looked at the sleeping child and gently picked him up.
"Is this my mother?" Dao Ling was失神 (lost in thought).
"This little rascal is sleeping again. He's over a year old—why can't he get enough sleep?" A heroic youth strode over, laughing and scolding, looking very martial.
"This is the Lame Man." Dao Ling was shocked. He was nothing like the down-and-out Lame Man, though their faces were similar.
Dao Ling's mother嗔怪道 (chided): "It's a good thing. So carefree— I don't want our baby to enter the treacherous cultivation world日后 (in the future)."
"So I slept a lot as a child too." Dao Ling was speechless, then felt his background was increasingly extraordinary.
This place was vast, like a small world, with clusters of palaces and faint great dao heavenly sounds, sacred and solemn.
The people here were terrifying, with滔天 (soaring) blood qi, their波动 (waves) making the sky tremble—each seemed to hold the might to suppress heaven and earth.
A group of elders and中年人 （middle-aged person）gathered, all extremely powerful. The leading elder was like a dao ancestor, with a dao character between his brows, wreathed in profound waves that made one颤栗 (tremble).
"Xiaotian, why does this child always sleep?" A tall old man whose气息 (aura) resembled a prehistoric beast frowned.
Little Dao Ling was drowsy, blinking his black eyes and smiling at the surrounding elders, pure and innocent.
The elders were worried. At Dao Ling's age, he should be studying various scriptures and dao books, accumulating foundation for his future path to become a renowned prodigy and contend with天骄 (geniuses) of all clans.
"I don't know what's happening," Dao Xiaotian said with a忧愁的 (worried) expression, unable to see the reason.
"This is troublesome. Xiaotian, you're a Earth Master, yet even you're helpless, so we can't do anything," a tall中年人(middle-aged person) said softly. "Why did you call us here?"
The others nodded, inwardly puzzled. With Dao Xiaotian's ability, how could he have such a sleepy descendant? He was a Earth Master—how many Earth Masters were there in