Shiwu's eyes were filled with gratification. He nodded slightly and bowed in return.
Next, Qi Mobai began cultivating the Flame Devouring Art, and the entire process went exceptionally smoothly.
Afterward, Shiwu splitting his flame seed and establishing a symbiotic contract with Qi Mobai proceeded without any mishaps either.
When Qi Mobai opened his palm and a cluster of dark green flame ignited within it, the grown man wept for joy at the sight. Tears burst forth like water through a breached dam, and he was choked with sobs.
Watching the young man squatting on the ground, burying his face in his hands and weeping uncontrollably, Li Guanqi was at a loss for words of comfort.
Qi Mobai had imagined a scene like this countless times.
In his dreams.
Yet he had never thought that dream would actually come true.
Furthermore, through the bond with his contracted flame, he naturally sensed just how formidable it was.
Devouring all things... and capable of advancing!
Such a flame was an exceedingly precious existence even across the entire Immortal Realm!
Thud!
Qi Mobai dropped to his knees with a thud, kowtowing thrice with resounding bangs toward Li Guanqi and the Flame Spirit.
Even when Li Guanqi tried to stop him, he was repelled by Qi Mobai's aura.
A smear of blood appeared on the young man's pale forehead, and the blue bricks on the floor had already cracked.
"Today, I, Qi Mobai, have received immense kindness from Brother Li and Shiwu! Even if my bones are ground to dust, I will never forget it!
"I, Qi Mobai, hereby swear a heavenly Dao oath! If Brother Li should ever have need of me in the future, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"
Buzz!
A profound ripple emanated, and Li Guanqi's heart shook. In the unseen depths, he genuinely sensed a connection forming with himself.
Li Guanqi muttered inwardly, *Could this be a Dao oath?*
*Or rather... a karmic bond?*
Li Guanqi helped Qi Mobai to his feet. "Why must you go to such lengths..."
Qi Mobai said with utter solemnity, "It is only right!"
Li Guanqi did not dwell on the matter, asking bluntly, "Do you have the confidence to refine a cauldron of pills?"
Qi Mobai looked at Li Guanqi with bright eyes. "I do!"
Immediately after, however, his face fell. He nervously gripped his cuffs, mumbling under his breath, "Though... I've never actually refined pills before... Having confidence is one thing, but whether I can pull it off, I don't know."
Qi Mobai scratched his head and could not help adding, "If it doesn't work... I'm afraid both of us will have to work our lives away for them."
Li Guanqi suddenly felt a pang of regret over giving him the flame.
Knock, knock, knock!
"Young Master Li, the castellan requests your presence," Qian Ronghe's voice came from outside the door.
"Oh, right, coming right out."
Li Guanqi turned and sent a voice transmission to Qi Mobai: "My identity is rather sensitive. Remember, under no circumstances must you reveal the source aura of Shiwu's flame to anyone!
"When showing it to others, use only the flame that has already fused with your own origin!"
Qi Mobai nodded heavily with a grave expression. "Understood, I will keep it firmly in mind!"
"Good. Let's go see Castellan Lin."
Rumble!
The heavy doors swung open. When Qian Ronghe saw Qi Mobai with his surging aura, he was slightly taken aback.
Qi Mobai's aura was clearly on the verge of breaking through to the second tier of the Mystic Immortal realm.
This sight made the old man murmur to himself in bewilderment.
*Hiss... Just what is Li Congxin's background? How is it that everyone who comes into contact with him sees a breakthrough in their cultivation?*
Reflecting on this, Li Guanqi felt that the smile on the old man's face was growing increasingly fawning.
The party of three soon arrived at the main hall of the Castellan Manor.
Lin Chuanqing and Lin Wujiu had already been waiting there.
Aside from the two of them, there was also an elder with white eyebrows and the demeanor of a transcendent immortal, dressed in a snow-white alchemist robe.
The elder sat with a straight back, his eyes carrying a haughty and indifferent gaze, while fiery-red ribbons of immortal aura drifted around him.
Li Guanqi's eyes narrowed slightly.
*A first-rank alchemist? At least in the fourth tier of the Mystic Immortal realm!*
The elder turned his head, cast an indifferent glance at Li Guanqi and Qi Mobai, and frowned slightly.
Lin Chuanqing's eyes lit up, a sharp gleam flashing across his gaze!
He sensed a dense power of flame radiating from Qi Mobai!
*Interesting. He really did have a way!*
Li Guanqi saw Lin Wujiu wink at him.
Only then did he notice two ancient purple jade slips resting beside the teacup next to Lin Chuanqing!
"Haha, not bad, kid."
Li Guanqi looked up at Lin Chuanqing's playful gaze and dared not say too much—more words meant more mistakes.
"Merely a trifling parlor trick. Senior Lin is being too kind."
As a Heavenly Immortal expert, Lin Chuanqing naturally did not think much of Li Guanqi's minor methods.
Turning to Qi Mobai, his voice was calm, carrying the scrutiny of a superior.
"Qi Mobai, you surely know why you've been summoned today.
"Among first-rank pills, so long as you can refine any one of them, I promise you glory and wealth."
As he spoke, Lin Chuanqing waved his hand, setting out ten beast-skin scrolls.
From left to right, their refining difficulty increased from lowest to highest.
Among first-rank pills, the Xuanyuan Pill's refining difficulty was not the lowest; it ranked fourth.
Refining the Xuanyuan Pill heavily tested an alchemist's technique in both flame control and the extraction of spiritual liquid.
Normally, alchemists who had just stepped into the first rank would choose the White Jade Pill, used to heal Mystic Immortal cultivators, to begin with.
Meanwhile, the elder who had remained silent all along was thoroughly unenthusiastic.
A dignified first-rank alchemist like him had actually been invited to watch such boring nonsense...
Had Lin Chuanqing not offered conditions he could not refuse, he would never have come.
After all, for refining a batch of Xuanyuan Pills for Lin Chuanqing this time, his remuneration was substantial.
The main hall was dead silent, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.
Qi Mobai took a deep breath, stepping forward slowly without the slightest timidity.
Just when everyone thought Qi Mobai would choose the least difficult White Jade Pill, he reached out toward the Xuanyuan Pill in fourth place without hesitation!
Seeing this, the elder was even less polite. He picked up his teacup and sneered, "Young people these days truly have grand ambitions but poor skill. Couldn't he just refine a White Jade Pill honestly?
"And he's a wood-attribute cultivator to boot...
"Castellan Lin, perhaps I should take my leave. This is a pure waste of my time."
Hearing this, Lin Chuanqing could only smile placatingly.
"Elder Jia, please be patient. It won't take much time. Besides, the remuneration I promised you isn't small."
Although Lin Chuanqing was furious that the elder dismissed him so bluntly in public, he did not dare do anything.
When he turned to Qi Mobai, his voice grew noticeably sterner, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Qi Mobai, are you certain you want to attempt refining the Xuanyuan Pill?"
Clutching the pill recipe scroll for the Xuanyuan Pill, Qi Mobai said in a deep voice, "Certain!"
"Very well, then begin!"
A storage ring floated toward Qi Mobai.
"Inside are three sets of ingredients for the Xuanyuan Pill. You only need to successfully refine one cauldron."
Yet Qi Mobai did not move. With an awkward expression, he turned his head to look at the nervous Li Guanqi.
"Why are you looking at me? It's not like I know how to refine pills!"
"Uh... Brother Li, that's not it. I... I don't have an alchemy furnace..."
The introverted Qi Mobai flushed beet-red, barely able to lift his head.
Chapter 1589