Splendour Translations
Pledge on Patreon to get rewarded with Advance chapters.
Chapter 76:
"Alright!" Seeing everyone fall silent, Xu Ze knew it was his time to speak.
"Xiaoxuan, your talent in alchemy far exceeds my expectations." Xu Ze nodded repeatedly, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. "Given the circumstances, does anyone object to letting Miss Xiaoxuan attend the sessions in the Holy Fire Palace's alchemy room?"
The six disciples exchanged glances.
Fan Hua stepped forward leading the group, his eyes filled with admiration for Jing Xiaoxuan: "Miss Xiaoxuan's talent in alchemy far surpasses ours. We have no objections to her joining."
The other five disciples immediately nodded in agreement.
Seeing that his goal was achieved, Xu Ze smiled.
Jing Xiaoxuan possessed exceptional alchemy skills. In the later stages of 《Emperor of Heaven and Earth》, she became a top alchemist known across the world. In this lifetime, how could Xu Ze let Jing Xiaoxuan waste her talent?
However, the rules of the Holy Fire Palace were strict, and they only admitted male disciples. So, Jing Xiaoxuan couldn't formally join the palace but could attend as an alchemy apprentice. Moreover, her spiritual veins were still damaged, making her a mere mortal. The disciples of the Holy Fire Palace were all geniuses, and associating with a mortal would likely cause some discontent, even making them think Jing Xiaoxuan got in through connections.
To prevent this, Xu Ze intentionally had Jing Xiaoxuan critique Fan Hua's slightly flawed alchemy, ensuring she could hold her own among the palace's talents. This way, she could smoothly return to her path as an alchemist.
"Xiaoxuan, I've gone through great lengths for you. In the future, you must refine many pills for me. Please, don't turn against me." Xu Ze thought to himself, then turned to the remaining five disciples.
"Let Miss Xiaoxuan also check your alchemy." He instructed.
"Yes!" The five disciples quickly stepped forward with their pills.
This time, knowing that Jing Xiaoxuan had some real skills, they didn't dare be careless and behaved more obediently. Jing Xiaoxuan didn't reveal too much, and offered brief opinions.
In the end, despite a slight flaw in Fan Hua's pills, the criteria didn't focus on such minor imperfections. The key to an alchemist's skill wasn't just in crafting flawless pills but also in the overall quality and efficiency. Considering all factors, Fan Hua's pills were still superior.
Thus, Xu Ze declared Fan Hua the winner of the competition. The six disciples bowed and thanked him, and Xu Ze left the alchemy room with Jing Xiaoxuan.
As they exited, the sky had begun to turn dark.
Xu Ze walked ahead, Jing Xiaoxuan beside him, frequently glancing at his back.
"Um... all my alchemy knowledge comes from books..." Jing Xiaoxuan suddenly blurted out.
Xu Ze glanced at her and couldn't help but laugh. He reached out his hand and gently ruffled her hair. "Where you learned your knowledge doesn't matter to me."
"I-I just thought you might be jealous..." Jing Xiaoxuan muttered, blushing.
"Oh? Why would I be jealous?" Xu Ze asked, amused.
Jing Xiaoxuan seemed to gain confidence, and puffed out her chest proudly. "I don't want to brag, but my talent in alchemy is quite high."
"I can see that." Xu Ze nodded.
"In the future, my achievements in alchemy might surpass yours as the Holy Son!"
"That's a good thing," Xu Ze smiled. "I don't primarily focus on alchemy. There are many whose alchemical achievements surpass mine."
Seeing that Xu Ze wasn't lying, Jing Xiaoxuan felt relieved. She knew that Xu Ze had a strong sense of pride and didn't like being bested in anything. He always wanted to be the best. It was this drive that had led him astray in previous lives, competing with the cheat-like Ye Fan.
Jing Xiaoxuan had been reluctant to show her alchemy talent, fearing Xu Ze would resent her as he did in their past lives, where he eventually abandoned her. But now it seemed her worries were unfounded.
"Hehe, since the Holy Son said that, I'll aim to reach heights you'll never dream of!" Jing Xiaoxuan beamed.
"Good, I'll be waiting." Xu Ze replied gently. He hadn't expected the once unpredictable and temperamental girl to be concerned about others' feelings. Perhaps his past abandonments had made her fearful. But while Xu Ze was indeed a proud man who disliked being outdone, it didn't matter if the person surpassing him was someone he cherished.
"Anyway, no matter how high you climb, you can't escape my grasp..." Xu Ze thought, extending his hand with a smile. "Xiaoxuan, do you want some pastries from the Zixia Palace?"
"Zixia Palace!" Jing Xiaoxuan's eyes lit up. In previous lives, she'd studied alchemy there because of Ye Fan, and she loved the pastries.
"Yes, yes, yes!" She nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling.
"Then hurry." Xu Ze gestured for her to take his hand.
Jing Xiaoxuan hesitated, and her face turned slightly red. But she soon placed her delicate hand in his.
"Hold on tight." Xu Ze smiled. Holding her soft, smooth hand, he leapt into the air, taking her with him.
A rainbow of light streaked through the sunset sky, heading toward the floating island.
(Meanwhile, in the Cold Heavenly Palace)
Qu Qinghan leaned on the windowsill, bored. Since escorting the Holy Son back to the sect, he'd been recuperating in closed-door cultivation for three days. Honestly, Qu Qinghan felt itchy with impatience. She wanted to check on his condition but couldn't bring herself to. Besides, Lin Yu'er had visited today to mobilize disciples, and when Qu Qinghan tried to inquire about the Holy Son, Lin Yu'er ignored her, looking at her like she was a loser who'd been left behind.
Qu Qinghan was both angry and anxious. She was also a proud person and couldn't bring herself to seek out that damned scoundrel. But she was worried.
"Damn it, are you healed or not? If you are, come out and visit me at Cold Heaven Palace!" she fumed.
Just then, a streak of rainbow light flashed across the sunset. With her sharp eyes, Qu Qinghan immediately recognized Xu Ze.
"He's healed?" She felt joy, ready to catch up and pretend it was a coincidence. But the next moment, seeing Jing Xiaoxuan holding his hand, her veins bulged with anger.
Crack. The window frame shattered in her grip.
***
-To be continued!
T/N: Thanks for reading!
T/N: Thanks for reading!
Pledge on Patreon to get rewarded with Advance chapters.