Imminent Alchemy

Zi Yan bit her lip, her small hand unconsciously tugging at the corner of her clothes, her gaze drifting.

She remained silent for a long while before whispering, "I... I know I am not human, I am a Demonic Beast. But... but I myself do not know what I really am."

She suddenly raised her head, her amethyst-like eyes staring straight at Shen Wen, filled with confusion and a strange sense of reliance: "Are... are you also a Demonic Beast?"

"From the first moment I saw you, I felt a scent on you, one that was especially familiar, especially... making one want to get close."

She wrinkled her small nose, trying hard to describe that feeling, "It is just like... like the sense of ease when eating medicinal herbs."

This description was very Zi Yan.

Shen Wen did not answer her question.

"You are a Void Ancient Dragon." Shen Wen's voice was not loud.

Zi Yan froze, her small mouth slightly agape, forgetting even to put the half-piece of pastry she was holding into her mouth.

Shen Wen continued, his tone calm, as if narrating a story unrelated to her: "The Void Ancient Dragon Clan is the Supreme royal clan of the Demonic Beast world, born with the ability to control the power of the Void Realm, possessing a powerful Bloodline."

"This is why you were able to control a portion of the power of the Void Realm when you were a Dou Wang."

"And your father is the Dragon Emperor of the Void Ancient Dragon Clan. Many years ago, he mysteriously disappeared, and Ancient Dragon Island subsequently fell into internal strife. You were the one who ended up here during that time."

Every word was like a hammer striking Zi Yan's heart.

Supreme royal clan? Dragon Emperor? Father? Internal strife?

These words were distant and unfamiliar to her, yet they were like a key, suddenly unlocking a box deep within her heart that had always been locked, the existence of which even she herself did not know.

She felt a wave of dizziness, her small body swaying.

"So," Shen Wen watched her somewhat pale complexion and finally asked that question, "Now you know. What is your choice? Will you stay here and continue being the Zi Yan of Jia Nan Academy, or... go and face the destiny brought by your Bloodline?"

Zi Yan subconsciously turned her head, her gaze passing over Shen Wen's shoulder and landing on Su Qian.

The old man's face no longer held his usual gentle smile; he just quietly watched Zi Yan, his always wise eyes now filled with complex emotions.

There was concern, reluctance, and a faint sorrow like that of seeing one's own child suddenly about to go on a long journey.

Jia Nan Academy was her home.

Every tree here, every path, the searing heat of the Cultivate Tower, the fragrance of the pharmacy, and the old man before her who was always stern-faced but cherished her the most... were all things she was familiar with.

Leave?

She had never thought about it.

At least not now.

Su Qian also watched her, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, it only transformed into a barely audible sigh.

Of course, he was reluctant.

Although this little one was mischievous and always gave him a headache, over these many years, she had long since become an inseparable attachment in his heart.

Watching the nearly identical hesitation and reluctance on the faces of this old man and young one.

Shen Wen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, feeling somewhat speechless.

"You two," he spoke up, interrupting this slightly sorrowful silence, "are you not thinking a bit too far ahead?"

Zi Yan and Su Qian looked at him simultaneously.

"I will still be staying here for quite some time." Shen Wen's tone was calm, as if he were stating something very ordinary, "Moreover, with your current strength, even if you wanted to go to the Central Plains, you are still far from it."

"At the very least, I will only consider taking you away after you Breakthrough to the Sixth Rank, which is equivalent to the human Dou Huang level. Speaking of this now is simply too early."

Zi Yan blinked, the confusion on her face replaced by a trace of realization.

Su Qian also froze for a moment, and then a trace of imperceptible embarrassment flashed across his old face; he made a fist and placed it by his mouth, coughing softly.

"Ahem... Young Friend Shen is right." Su Qian quickly adjusted his expression, recovering the steadiness of an Elder, "It is this old man... who was a bit too impatient."

Shen Wen did not say more, his gaze turning to Su Qian: "Let us leave it at that for now. Once I have finished refining the Medicinal Pill currently in my hands, I will accompany you to the bottom level of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower to see what that Seal is truly like."

"Good! Then this old man will not disturb you any further."

Su Qian stood up, took one more look at Zi Yan, who was leaning against Cao Ying and still clutching a pastry in her hand, his gaze softening for a moment, before nodding to Shen Wen and turning to walk out of the courtyard with steady steps.

The courtyard gate closed gently.

Zi Yan was still standing in place, a bit dazed, her mind filled with words like "Void Ancient Dragon," "Dragon Emperor," and "Sixth Rank," all in a mess.

It was not until Cao Ying smiled and handed her a new piece of pastry, the warm, sweet fragrance entering her nose, that she came back to her senses.

"Stay here for now." Shen Wen's voice came, and he had already picked up the ancient book on the stone table again, his gaze falling on the pages, "If there is anything you want to ask, we can talk about it slowly in the future."

Zi Yan looked at him, then at Cao Ying, who was smiling gently beside her.

There were also Xiao Yi Xian and Dan Chen, who were looking at her curiously not far away, the always quiet and well-behaved Qing Lin, and Sister Cai Lin, who was under the corridor, looking cold but still nodding slightly at her.

The sudden panic and emptiness in her heart seemed to be filled little by little by the peaceful and warm scene before her.

She nodded forcefully, stuffed the last bit of pastry in her hand into her mouth, and gave a vague "Mm."

...

In the Quiet Room within the courtyard, Shen Wen found Su Qian, who was handling the new affairs of selecting Outer Academy Disciples to enter the Inner Academy.

"Elder Su, Alchemy requires an open space, preferably far away from buildings and crowds." Shen Wen got straight to the point.

Su Qian looked up from the list and said without hesitation, "The academy can accommodate the heaven and earth energy triggered by a Sixth Grade Medicinal Pill."

"Not enough." Shen Wen shook his head, "The one I am refining this time is an Eighth Grade Pill."

"Oh, Eighth Grade... What? Eighth Grade?!" Su Qian's hand shook, and the writing brush drew a long ink mark on the file. He stood up abruptly, his eyes wide, his voice involuntarily raised, "You did not say you were going to refine an Eighth Grade Pill!"

Shen Wen's expression did not change, and there was even a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth: "Did I not just tell you now?"

"Is that the same!" Su Qian walked around the desk in a few steps, arrived in front of Shen Wen, his brows tightly knitted, his face showing undisguised anxiety.

"The Pill Lightning brought by an Eighth Grade Pill is comparable to a strike from a Dou Zun!"

"Even in places like the Pill Tower, whenever an Eighth Grade Pill is refined, is it not prepared months in advance with a lightning-attracting Formation, gathering several experts to defend together? How could our Jia Nan Academy have such Formation foundations!"

He pointed toward the direction of the back mountain outside the window, his speaking speed fast and urgent: "Even if we invited the two Douzong Peak Seniors, Qian Mu and Bai Lie, who are in seclusion deep in the Inner Academy, to join forces, it is absolutely impossible to confront that level of lightning head-on!"

"Once the Pill Lightning goes out of control, never mind the Medicinal Pill, I am afraid half of the academy will be leveled! This is too risky!"

Watching Su Qian, who was so anxious that sweat was visible on his forehead, Shen Wen just waited calmly for his voice to fall before speaking slowly.

"As for the Pill Lightning, I will handle it." His tone was firm, without a shred of hesitation, "Elder only needs to arrange the venue for me and evacuate the nearby personnel. The lightning will not fall."

All of Su Qian's words of dissuasion were blocked back; he thought of Shen Wen's miraculous nature, since he was the Disciple of that Senior from the Pill Tower.

Perhaps he had some special means.

"...Good."

"This old man will go and make the arrangements now. The back mountain valley can be put into use by tomorrow."