Chapter 312: Re-examination

Lian Dan Fang.

Dappled sunlight filtered through the skylight, falling on Xu Xiaoshou's exceptionally handsome face.

The young man stretched out his hand, then curled it back. He glanced awkwardly toward the door and said discontentedly:

"I say, with so many of you watching, I'll feel a lot of pressure."

In front of him stood Shi Ti, Yun He, and the others, while at the broken doorway, a crowd of eager spectators had gathered, including various elders looking for a good show.

Mu Zixi waved her hand at his side, encouraging him:

"Xu Xiaoshou, you got this! Make an eighth-grade dan pill in one go!"

Xu Xiaoshou felt uneasy. He turned his head and looked at the little girl squeezed in beside him.

"You'd better get out of here. It's too crowded in here. What if the furnace explodes? Can you even escape?"

From the other side, Fu Xing called out:

"Bro, don't be afraid. I'm here, so even if this furnace explodes ten times, it won't hurt you at all."

As he spoke, he unhooked a jade pendant from his waist and handed it over.

Xu Xiaoshou was startled and took the jade pendant, saying:

"You'd better leave too. It's too stuffy with everyone crammed in here."

"No, bro, I want to witness your ascension to godhood with my own eyes!"

Fu Xing said excitedly, gripping his hand.

He accepted the jade pendant!

My "Ten-Section Sword Finger" technique is finally in play!

Shi Ti said with a dark expression:

"You lot, get out of here right now. What are you all crowding around for? This is a dan refining assessment, not a show for you to watch."

"Being allowed to watch at all is already a privilege, so stop crowding."

He waved his hand, shooing everyone out the door.

Unfortunately, with the place so rundown and no door left, people were still piling up outside.

He didn't dare move to another location—what if Xu Xiaoshou blew up another furnace? His Dan Ta barrier couldn't take any more damage.

"Just make do," Shi Ti said.

Xu Xiaoshou withdrew his gaze and nodded:

"As long as you don't talk, that's fine."

"Also... President Shi Ti, you should step back a bit, just in case..."

"I am a Wang Zuo!"

"Ah!"

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly remembered that this time, his proctor wasn't Yun He, but Shi Ti!

He sat down on the spot and flicked his finger against the small bathtub.

Clang—

The rebounding force instantly shook out all the residue inside the bathtub. Everyone's hearts tightened, but they saw Xu Xiaoshou flick his finger again, and the room instantly grew scorching hot.

"Jin Zhao Tian Yan!"

Shi Ti straightened up, his face full of shock.

He had suspected that Xu Xiaoshou might be Sang Lao's disciple, but seeing this familiar flame, the astonishment in his heart was still hard to hide.

Jin Zhao Tian Yan—so this young man, who seemed so unreliable, had endured that kind of pain too...

As he gazed at the youth, it was as if he saw again that old companion who had practiced in Da E Hu, boiling the lake water.

Without the endless nights of sleepless cultivation, without that all-out, desperate persistence, maybe that old guy...

Wouldn't have those dark circles under his eyes.

"Lian Ling Dan."

Xu Xiaoshou's call snapped Shi Ti out of his wandering memories.

Shi Ti pulled out the spirit herbs from his ring and handed them over, saying:

"Ninth-grade, Lian Ling Dan. You have three chances."

Xu Xiaoshou replied with an "Oh" and tossed all the spirit herbs into the pot as if he were preparing a meal.

This action immediately caused an uproar among the crowd outside.

Some of the elders were about to shout out, but Yun He, looking like a seasoned expert who had "seen it all" and "knew the guy," took the initiative to explain:

"Don't rush, everyone calm down. This is normal procedure."

"This process is familiar to me. It's just the beginning. This kid's got style, so don't say anything."

"Shut up and just watch!"

The crowd stared at Yun He, their faces twisted in discomfort, looking as if they were about to turn green from frustration.

When did this old guy learn to shut people down like that, not even leaving room for a retort?

Compared to the others, Shi Ti's expression was completely unfazed.

Seeing Xu Xiaoshou's familiar and skillful movements, he thought to himself that it was just as expected.

Apart from that domineering Jin Zhao refining technique, no other dan refiner would dare make such moves.

Sizzle—

Soft sounds emerged from the small bathtub. Under the overpowering Jin Zhao Tian Yan, the spirit herbs were refined into liquid effortlessly.

Xu Xiaoshou entered the tedious phase of controlling the heat. His gaze began to wander around.

Heat control was one of the key features brought by his "Culinary Mastery."

This feature directly guided him into the path of dan refining, opening up a side profession.

For most dan refiners, "refining the medicinal liquid" and "condensing the dan" were naturally more challenging in the former.

Refining the medicinal liquid required mastering the properties of the herbs and maintaining perfect focus over a long period, without any mistakes.

That demanded vast experience and practice.

As for "condensing the dan," no matter how difficult, it was still just a spirit technique.

As a spirit refiner, as long as one was willing to learn and didn't aim too high, picking up a technique at the appropriate level was generally feasible.

But for Xu Xiaoshou, it was the complete opposite!

Thanks to "Culinary Mastery" and its sub-path of heat control.

Because of this passive skill, the knowledge in his mind felt as if it had been practiced countless times.

Dan refining came naturally to him.

Aside from adjusting the flame intensity and handling any minor accidents that might arise,

His process of refining the medicinal liquid had no other barriers.

What truly stumped him was condensing the dan!

He just couldn't learn it...

Glancing sidelong at Shi Ti, who was carefully watching his hands, Xu Xiaoshou became even more casual in his movements, which only deepened the confusion in Shi Ti's eyes.

He looked toward the door, where the large group of people was in even worse shape.

Led by Yun He, everyone was staring so intently their eyes might bleed, trying to decipher his "profound and heavenly" dan refining technique.

But no one could see through it.

Xu Xiaoshou sneered to himself—of course they couldn't. Even he couldn't fully understand his own technique!

Under the Jin Zhao Tian Yan, the medicinal liquid was being refined at an astonishing speed, and it was nearly done. He focused his mind slightly.

"Condensing the dan..."

Xu Xiaoshou murmured, glancing at his passive value column.

"Passive value: 24,333."

It wasn't increasing quickly, but it was enough to upgrade a skill if needed!

Xu Xiaoshou hadn't planned to waste passive value on dan refining, since his enemies were too numerous and too strong.

But now, if he could produce an eighth-grade dan pill, one of Shi Ti's three favors might be enough to fend off that unknown assassin.

Three incense sticks...

An assassin at least at Wang Zuo level...

As Xu Xiaoshou thought about it, his fingers moved even faster involuntarily.

Boosted by the passive skill "Agility," if he didn't hold back, his hand speed could create afterimages that would shock everyone!

"So fast..."

Everyone watched even more intently. Shi Ti, inside the Lian Dan Fang, unconsciously shifted his feet.

Step by step, gently, without even realizing it, he had moved quite close to Xu Xiaoshou.

"What an amazing technique—it's just like Yun He said, exactly like stir-frying!"

"It's so chaotic and unstructured, like random flailing. But is that even possible?"

"He's Sang Lao's disciple, so maybe this is that old guy's latest creation?"

Shi Ti pondered inwardly, bending his knees and squatting down right beside Xu Xiaoshou.