Sun Lie looked at Meng Chong, speaking irritably, “Your grandfather ordered me to help you quickly disperse all your cultivation.”
“With my method, you’ll lose all your cultivation in a single night. What? Are you afraid?”
Meng Chong raised his eyebrows, chest puffing up. “Afraid? Not at all!”
Sun Lie burst into laughter, “Good, I didn’t misjudge you.”
Changing his tone, he continued, “In fact, cultivating using an alchemy furnace is an ancient method.”
“You must have heard of the divine ability, Heaven-Piercing Eyes.”
“To cultivate this ability, one must have the innate talent of either Fire Eyes or Golden Eyes, then enter an ancient alchemy furnace.”
“Once the furnace is opened, the cultivator must endure for forty-nine days, unable to close their eyes, barely blinking, bearing the fumes and intense flames, suppressing the pain.”
“You should be mentally prepared for entering the furnace this time.”
Meng Chong nodded gravely.
Sun Lie opened his storage bag, taking out a large bowl and a small glass vial.
Inside the bowl was a sticky, amber-colored substance, translucent and glowing orange.
The vial contained red and yellow powdered herbs.
Sun Lie instructed, “Now, remove all your clothes.”
“First, apply the contents of this bowl over your body, then sprinkle the powder from the vial all over yourself.”
Meng Chong nodded, undressed, and took the bowl and vial.
He applied the substance from the bowl, then sprinkled the powdered herbs evenly over himself.
He began to notice something strange, sniffing, “Old Sun, why does this smell like honey and cumin?”
Sun Lie took a hearty swig from his gourd, chuckling, “Ha, you just noticed? Your grandfather wasn’t wrong when he said you’re terrible at all things cultivation!”
Meng Chong’s face darkened, “I may not be skilled at alchemy, but I’ve eaten my share of spiritual foods.”
Sun Lie nodded, “Indeed, medicine and food are inseparable.”
“The best nourishment often comes from food itself.”
“Spirit chefs and alchemists—what difference is there?”
With a grin, he teased Meng Chong, “You don’t actually think I’m trying to roast you, do you?”
Though he hadn’t seen Meng Chong often, Sun Lie clearly understood his personality well.
Meng Chong, younger than Ning Zhuo at only fourteen yet looking like a young man of eighteen or nineteen, was competitive, proud of his Meng family lineage.
“Don’t underestimate me.” Meng Chong glared at Sun Lie, then climbed into the Purple Sun Furnace.
Sun Lie let out a burp, following closely behind and firmly closing the furnace door.
The sound of the closing door made Meng Chong’s heart skip a beat.
Inside the sealed furnace, there was only dim light.
Standing by the furnace door, Meng Chong looked around, noticing the bottom of the furnace was already layered with various medicinal herbs.
This gave him a slight sense of reassurance; clearly, Sun Lie had prepared in advance.
Though smearing himself with honey and cumin seemed unreliable, Sun Lie’s status as a master alchemist suggested it served a purpose.
Meng Chong moved to the center of the furnace, sitting cross-legged.
Outside, Sun Lie tilted back his head, taking a large swig of wine, then exhaled.
Boom.
A blaze erupted, igniting the Purple Sun Furnace.
Within breaths, the temperature soared, the crimson flames reflecting off Sun Lie’s flushed face.
“It’s here,” Meng Chong thought as he sensed the sharp rise in heat.
The dim interior of the furnace suddenly brightened, filled with blazing red light.
Meng Chong’s body temperature rose rapidly, melting the honey on his skin, releasing the aroma of cumin, while waves of spiritual power steamed out from his pores like smoke.
Outside the Purple Sun Courtyard, Sun Lingtong’s eyes glinted, his innate spirit eyes peering through the walls to observe the scene faintly.
“Perfect. Sun Lie’s busy refining pills—this is the ideal time to strike.” He thought with excitement.
Once a pill refining session begins, an alchemist usually can’t leave the furnace’s side.
This meant Sun Lie’s peak foundation establishment combat ability was effectively neutralized for now!
“Formation-breaking Talisman, go!”
Without hesitation, Sun Lingtong deployed his most powerful move.
Sensing the attack, the courtyard’s protective formation activated instantly, creating a hemispherical light barrier.
The talisman, small and seemingly insignificant, disintegrated upon contact with the barrier, dispersing into faint light that immediately dissolved the barrier.
The Purple Sun Courtyard’s formation was nullified!
“Go.” Ning Zhuo, already prepared, flicked his cloak open.
Countless mechanical silent thunderbirds shot forward.
In midair, they crackled with electricity, flooding the front yard.
Clang, clang, clang!
A piercing alarm sounded within the courtyard.
Ning Zhuo’s pulse quickened as he untied two storage bags at his waist, tipping them open and releasing everything inside.
A collection of mechanical constructs expanded, returning to their true size as they hit the ground.
Twenty brass automatons and forty bronze mechanical beasts lined up in formation, advancing toward the Purple Sun Courtyard.
Naturally, the courtyard was equipped with guards.
Four foundation establishment cultivators and eighteen late qi refining cultivators were on alert.
The foundation establishment cultivators cast spells to clear away the silent thunderbirds.
The eighteen qi refining cultivators formed a battle formation, generating power rivaling mid-foundation establishment, holding their position firmly.
The mechanical constructs surged like waves, while the formation held strong like a rock by the shore, unshaken by the crashing tide.
“Old brother, Sun Lie’s in the alchemy chamber refining pills!” Sun Lingtong’s voice reached him in secret.
Ning Zhuo felt a stir, immediately redirecting some of his constructs toward the alchemy chamber.
Strike where the enemy must defend!
“Damn!” cursed the four foundation establishment cultivators, but they didn’t move.
Suddenly, a mid-foundation establishment cultivator appeared from the shadows, wielding a mirror artifact that emitted a light, enveloping the advancing constructs.
With a flick, the mirror revealed the concealed figure of the Mysterious Puppet Master.
“There he is!” the mid-foundation establishment cultivator called out, pointing out Ning Zhuo’s exact position.
In an instant, a figure shot forward.
“Another mid-foundation establishment hidden in the shadows!”
Ning Zhuo’s pupils narrowed as he gathered his silent thunderbirds around him, his dangling death whip raising like a black python, braced for battle.
Soon, sounds of fierce fighting broke out from the dark alley where he was hiding.
“Hmph! I hope he’s as skilled as Sun Lingtong claimed,” Han Ming muttered, glancing toward Ning Zhuo’s direction before she moved.
Surrounded by a cold wind, her movements were swift and soundless, like a ghostly shadow.
Gliding like a specter, she first aimed for the alchemy chamber but spotted a foundation establishment cultivator standing guard by the entrance.
She swiftly changed direction toward the storage room.
Midway, however, a flash of sword light and a flying sword intercepted her.
A peak foundation establishment cultivator slowly appeared.
“I’m only here for the pills; I have no wish to harm anyone.” Han Ming narrowed her eyes, speaking calmly.
Her words were met with a sharp sword light.