After two failed attempts, Li Taihang began his third and final round of refining. This time, his technique was far more refined, every movement precise and deliberate, as if his skill had suddenly upgraded. He appeared more confident, and it was clear that he had drastically reduced any unnecessary mistakes.
Seeing this, Yao Lao's eyes gleamed with admiration.
"Tsk tsk, this kid has potential," he muttered, watching Li Taihang closely.
But even as Yao Lao recognized the improvement, he quickly dismissed the thought. 'Even if he's better now, it won't matter. He already failed twice. What's one good attempt going to change?' Yao Lao snorted and took another sip of his old wine.
However, just when Li Taihang was nearing the final step of the refining process, a small error in timing occurred. He was too hasty.
And then it happened again.
"Boom!"
The furnace exploded for the second time, filling the room with a cloud of black smoke. Li Taihang's face was blackened by the soot, leaving only the whites of his eyes and teeth visible as he looked at Yao Lao with a sheepish grin.
"Pfft!" Yao Lao sputtered, spraying his old wine in a fit of surprise and disbelief. "Damn! What in the world are you doing, boy?"
His frustration bubbled to the surface. The process had been going so smoothly, so how could the furnace explode again? He had expected Li Taihang to succeed this time, yet once more, the young man had blown it at the last second. Yao Lao's mood shifted to one of irritation, and his glare became sharper.
"Boy, this is your last chance," Yao Lao grumbled, his patience thinning. "I hope you know how to cherish it."
"Okay, okay," Li Taihang nodded, offering a nervous smile, though his demeanor remained relaxed. Without bothering to clean the soot from his face, he got to work immediately. He cleaned the furnace, recalibrated the fire, added the ingredients, and carefully watched over the refining process.
This time, everything proceeded without any sign of error. His hands moved with a practiced grace, and even Yao Lao, who had been dismissive moments before, could not help but watch in awe. The precision with which Li Taihang controlled the fire and the timing of his ingredient inputs impressed even him.
"Damn it, if I hadn't seen those two previous explosions, I'd swear this kid was me," Yao Lao thought, unable to tear his eyes away from Li Taihang's smooth operation.
The pill was completed in record time.
However, Yao Lao was left utterly confused. His mind whirled with questions.
"Wait... it's done already?" He blinked several times, trying to grasp what had just transpired. "What did I just witness? Is he playing a joke on me?"
He stared at Li Taihang with suspicion, his brows furrowing deeply. "Are you messing with me?" His voice was low, laced with irritation.
"No, no, Yao Lao! How could I?" Li Taihang cried out in a voice filled with mock innocence. "You saw the whole process! The first two failures taught me valuable lessons. As they say, 'Failure is the mother of success!' I learned from my mistakes, and that's why the third attempt succeeded."
Yao Lao grumbled to himself, stroking his chin. "Failure is the mother of success, huh? Well... there's truth in that." After a long pause, he finally relented. "I must say, you're quite the talent."
Li Taihang's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, he worried Yao Lao might unleash his wrath. But, to his surprise, the old man was actually complimenting him. 'Phew, dodged a bullet there,' Li Taihang thought, feeling relieved.
Outwardly, he maintained his humble appearance, bowing respectfully. "Thank you, Yao Lao. Your praise is too kind. I am but a novice compared to you. Please continue to guide me."
Yao Lao's expression softened, clearly satisfied with Li Taihang's modest attitude. "Well, alright," he said, nodding approvingly. He was starting to appreciate this young man more, recognizing his talent despite his inexperience.
What Yao Lao didn't know was that Li Taihang had manipulated the entire situation. With his system's amplification ability, he could have created a perfect pill at any moment. But he had purposely held back to ensure he didn't shock Yao Lao too much. The last thing he wanted was to stand out too much in front of such a seasoned master. He figured it was better to keep the old man guessing.
In truth, Li Taihang had produced an eighth-grade Bone Forging Pill—an accomplishment that far exceeded Yao Lao's seventh-grade result.
When Yao Lao inspected the pill, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"An... eighth-grade Bone Forging Pill?" he whispered. "But how...?"
His brain struggled to comprehend the reality before him. The smoothness of Li Taihang's operation, the final product... none of it made sense. How could a young man like him surpass a master like Yao Lao in alchemy?
He had lost the competition.
"Impossible! This kid must have cheated!" Yao Lao couldn't accept it. His pride as a master alchemist demanded an explanation. He stared at Li Taihang, searching for signs of trickery.
But Li Taihang was prepared. He put on an innocent face and said, "Yao Lao, you saw everything. Did I cheat? I followed the same steps as you!"
Yao Lao paused, thinking back over the competition. He had been watching closely the entire time. There were no shortcuts, no deceptions. Finally, with a reluctant sigh, he admitted defeat. "No, you didn't cheat..."
"So," Li Taihang continued, "does what you said earlier still stand? May I leave now?"
Yao Lao slumped in his chair, clearly unhappy with the outcome. But he couldn't go back on his word. "Yes... yes, you can leave." His voice was heavy with disappointment.
Li Taihang was overjoyed. He immediately bowed and expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Yao Lao! You're truly a role model for us juniors."
Hearing that, Yao Lao's face darkened. The words didn't sound like a compliment to him in this context. It felt like a subtle jab at his pride. "Get out of here, you brat!" he growled, waving his hand dismissively.
"Yes, yes!" Li Taihang didn't wait for a second invitation. He turned and bolted from the alchemy room as fast as his legs could carry him, knowing that sticking around any longer might tempt Yao Lao to change his mind.
As he dashed away, Yao Lao scowled, watching the young man's retreating figure. "Damn brat," he muttered. "He managed to win, but he still rubbed salt in the wound. Whose disciple is that kid anyway? He's as infuriating as... no... it can't be..."
Yao Lao froze. A memory surfaced in his mind. There was something about Li Taihang's behavior that felt... familiar. He frowned and clenched his fist. "Could he be... connected to Wang Xuanwu?!"
The mere thought of that name made his blood boil. Wang Xuanwu, the disciple of the Fifth Elder, was infamous for her mischievous ways. The more Yao Lao thought about it, the more convinced he became.
His face contorted in anger. "Damn it, why didn't I ask for his name earlier?!"
Suddenly, Yao Lao stormed out of the alchemy room, kicking the door open with a loud bang. He grabbed a machete from the corner and brandished it as he stepped outside.
"You stinking brat! Come back here! You're not getting away from me!"
But by then, Li Taihang had already disappeared into the woods. There was no trace of him anywhere.
Yao Lao stood there, seething with frustration. "Wang Xuanwu... if that kid really is connected to you, we have unfinished business!"