Bai Xiaochun was breathing heavily. He had already lost himself in the process, no longer thinking about how many times he had succeeded, nor paying attention to the outcome of the assessment. His eyes were bloodshot. At this moment, he had only one thought: how to ensure absolute certainty in his next attempt.
**If he wasn't confident, he wouldn't refine.**
His naturally cautious personality had reached its peak in alchemy.
But after all this thinking, he found that no matter how he tried, he couldn't solve the issue. The only solution was to **stabilize the ink essence** inside the Mo Ling Fruit. Though it wouldn't technically change the recipe, it would count as a **minor modification**. After a moment of silence, Bai Xiaochun's eyes flashed with determination.
> "I'll have to step outside the recipe and adjust it based on my needs!"
With that, he crushed the Mo Ling Fruit in his hand.
**Crack!** A flood of juice spilled out—not into the furnace, but suspended mid-air. Under Bai Xiaochun's control, it fused together in precise ratios, forming the **concentration** he needed.
To others, this looked odd but not remarkable. Even Bai Xiaochun himself didn't think it was anything special. He was simply being cautious.
But **Elder Xu's eyes snapped open**, and for the first time, a look of **shock** flashed across his face. Even Bai Xiaochun's previous seven successes hadn't shocked him like this.
> "He's modifying the recipe?! No wonder the Sect Leader asked me to keep an eye on him before leaving last month," Elder Xu thought, his expression thoughtful.
Moments later, Bai Xiaochun waved his right hand, discarding the excess ink essence and leaving only a **fingernail-sized** portion, which he dropped into the furnace. He then added the other herbs and began refining the **eighth batch**!
The cauldron visibly turned red. Less than an hour later—about two sticks of incense's time—it trembled, and a rich fragrance burst forth.
**The eighth batch succeeded!**
Elder Xu's eyes locked onto the cauldron—and inside was a **ten-inch-long** block of Mo Ling Incense, black with a hint of purple!
> "Near mid-grade!" Elder Xu's eyes gleamed.
Bai Xiaochun could also sense the difference in this batch. A flash of clarity came over him. Suddenly, he understood why all his past concoctions had been **low-grade**.
> "Recipes aren't fixed… Only by refining based on one's understanding and needs can one produce mid-grade—or even higher—medicines!"
Bai Xiaochun felt a rush of enlightenment. He hadn't even waited for the crowd to react before waving his hand and launching into the **ninth batch**!
At this point, no one spoke. They could only stare in awe. Though they had expected much from him, watching him **succeed eight times** in a row was something no one could truly believe.
This had **surpassed Zhou Xinqi**—and placed him **on par with Wang Qingshan**, now a prestigious Legacy Disciple.
Before anyone could recover, Bai Xiaochun's next refinement was even faster—just **one stick of incense** later, the cauldron shook again, and an overwhelming scent exploded outward.
**The ninth batch succeeded!**
> "Unprecedented!!"
> "No one has ever succeeded nine times in a row—especially with Mo Ling Incense! Even if he takes forever to think between batches, his success rate is terrifying!"
Xu Baocai's mind was ringing—he was completely dumbfounded. Du Lingfei's heart was in turmoil, and she couldn't help but recall how, during the previous contest, Bai Xiaochun had casually explained **grafting herbs**.
Even Han Jianye, instead of going mad with jealousy, now just sighed bitterly. If Bai Xiaochun had barely outdone him, he would have fought to reclaim honor. But now… **he admitted defeat**.
> "Just one more. Senior Brother Bai has already created history—can he now create a **miracle**?"
> "It was all worth it—even if we spent days waiting here!"
At that moment, **all eyes** were on Bai Xiaochun. Heavy breathing, intense gazes—even Elder Xu couldn't hide his amazement.
Soon, Bai Xiaochun moved again. With a solemn expression, he took out the final batch of ingredients, sorted them carefully, and added them to the furnace based on precise timing and combinations. His hands formed seals, igniting the fire beneath the cauldron.
Time passed.
The area was deathly silent. One could hear their own heartbeat. Then, **one stick of incense later**—
**BOOM!** A deafening rumble echoed from the cauldron!
No failure smoke rose. But strangely, there was **no fragrance** either. Everyone's hearts tensed.
> "Did it fail?" Xu Baocai's mouth went dry.
Bai Xiaochun also paused, confused—then his eyes lit up with realization.
Just then, **colorful light** began seeping out of the cauldron's cracks. Elder Xu rushed forward. Inside, he saw a completely **purple**, **one-inch** piece of Mo Ling Incense. His eyes filled with joy.
> "Mid-grade!"
Elder Xu laughed heartily, waving his sleeve. All the cauldrons, storage pouches, and finished incense blocks flew into his hands.
> "This round of the assessment is complete. Bai Xiaochun, Han Jianye, Du Lingfei, Chen Zi'ang, and Zhao Yiduo—you five are now promoted to **Alchemy Apprentices**. Bai Xiaochun, **first place**, earns **five thousand contribution points**!"
As his words echoed, the crowd erupted. Booming cheers spread across the square.
> "Ten! Ten successes in a row!!"
> "And the last one was **mid-grade**! An apprentice capable of producing **mid-grade** incense!"
Everyone—Xu Baocai, Du Lingfei, Han Jianye—was left in awe.
Bai Xiaochun, however, looked a bit annoyed. He hadn't yet had time to properly examine the **only mid-grade incense** he had made, and now it had been snatched away. Seeing Elder Xu's attitude, he knew there was **no chance** of getting it back.
He sighed. Exhausted, he walked down from the square. As he passed, everyone stared at him with fervent admiration. It was now obvious to all: Bai Xiaochun's tenfold success **was no fluke**. His long hours of pondering had shown how **unmatched** his dedication was.
> "Congratulations to Senior Brother Bai for creating a miracle!"
> "Senior Brother Bai, respect! Respect!"
> "Senior Brother Bai, I'm struggling with some herbal issues—could you help me?"
Bai Xiaochun blinked. During his deep focus, he hadn't realized how big of a scene he'd caused. Now, seeing everyone's enthusiastic faces, he felt **deeply moved**. He clasped his hands in greeting, joy in his heart.
For the first time since the *little turtle* incident, he felt what it was like to be **the center of attention**. He soaked it in.
To the female disciples asking for help, Bai Xiaochun agreed without hesitation. He even reminded others calling him "Senior Brother Bai":
> "I'm called **Bai Xiaochun**, don't forget!"
Just as he was basking in glory, he noticed a young man in the crowd staring at him **venomously**. Bai Xiaochun instantly recognized him—it was one of Zhou Xinqi's admirers!
Seeing the hostility, Bai Xiaochun quickly slipped away.
He jogged all the way back to his wooden hut, collapsed into bed, and instantly passed out—completely drained from days of alchemy.
He slept for **two full days**.
By noon on the third day, he awoke refreshed. The dizziness and fatigue were gone. Thinking of the mid-grade incense he'd crafted—and how Elder Xu had taken it—Bai Xiaochun sighed. But when he checked his identity token and saw **5,000 contribution points**, he felt a bit better.
With those points, he planned to keep refining pills and cultivate his **Undying Longevity Art**. He went out to the sect marketplace, traded for **seven or eight** new alchemy recipes, chose one that replenished vitality, and bought tons of herbs.
The process was quick, but he felt anxious—along the way, he noticed several people react upon seeing him. One of them, clearly another **Zhou Xinqi admirer**, smirked coldly and took out a jade slip—**likely sending a message**.
Bai Xiaochun got nervous.
After getting his herbs, he **didn't return to his courtyard**. Instead, he went straight to the Alchemy Pavilion and used most of his remaining contribution points to **buy a full year of refining time**. Then he hid himself inside.
> "I let my guard down this time… Hmph! Once my **Undying Iron Skin** reaches perfection, anyone who comes after me—I'll crush one after another! If ten come at once… I'll go straight to the Sect Leader!"
He snorted coldly and began refining again.
Bai Xiaochun was right. During those two days of sleep, news of his alchemy feat had **spread like wildfire** across Xiangyun Mountain.
People were even starting to suspect that **Bai Xiaochun was the little turtle**.
How could it be a coincidence? Both were masters of herbalism and beast training. Now Bai Xiaochun had refined a **mid-grade** incense—and succeeded **ten times**!
Zhou Xinqi's admirers sprang into action. Even Du Lingfei's fanboys joined them. But none expected Bai Xiaochun to be **so cautious**, hiding in the Alchemy Pavilion without returning home. And when they discovered that he had **purchased an entire year** of refining time, they were all furious.
They couldn't barge into the Alchemy Pavilion. And Bai Xiaochun's new status made them wary. Though they couldn't **kill** him, giving him a good beating wasn't out of the question—after all, strength speaks for itself in the sect.
But for now, they had no choice but to **leave angrily**.
However, within the crowd, a **pockmarked young man** stared coldly at the Alchemy Pavilion. A cruel smile slowly spread across his lips.
> "Think hiding in there will keep you safe? You hit my cousin Chen Fei—that was one thing. But then you humiliated my beloved Sister Zhou… and even Sister Du! Now even my newest crush, Sister Hou, can't stop talking about you!"
> "Bai Xiaochun… even if you have talent with herbs… **killing you wouldn't be hard!**"
This young man was an **inner disciple named Qian Dajin**.
Meanwhile, inside the Alchemy Pavilion, Bai Xiaochun enjoyed a peaceful life—spending his days either refining pills or cultivating the Undying Longevity Art. Day by day, his strength grew.
His skin became tougher than ever. His speed and strength exceeded past limits.
> "Just two more days… and my **Undying Iron Skin** will be complete!"
Bai Xiaochun took a deep breath, eyes full of anticipation.
But that very evening—
A **beam of green light** shot out from the sect's mission hall, streaking toward the Alchemy Pavilion. It **ignored** all defensive formations and appeared **instantly** inside Bai Xiaochun's room.
Startled, Bai Xiaochun looked carefully.
It was a command token.