Shenxu Mountain. The Alchemy Peak.

Amid the drifting clouds and mist, the Daoist Qianfeng and the Daoist Jinxue stood side by side, looking down below.

“Do you think Lan'er can accept it?” The beautiful woman looked a little worried.

“Hah. Knowing Senior Brother, never mind Ye Lan—if he set his mind on taking your peak master's seat or mine, he could do that too.”

The Daoist Qianfeng's face was cold. That day in the Alchemy Peak's little courtyard, Ye Lan had snubbed him stiffly. But as a fourth-rank Taiyi Heaven Immortal, he had enough magnanimity toward a wronged junior not to hold it against her.

It was only that the present business wasn't something either of them could change.

“Ah.” The Daoist Qianfeng sighed, irritable for no reason he could name. Ever since the disaster on the Alchemy Peak, the fellowship among the disciples of Shenxu Mountain had grown thinner and falser by the day. It was sickening to watch.

“Not accept it? What does she have to refuse it with?”

With a cold scoff, the black-bearded man turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.

The Daoist Jinxue hesitated. She wanted to go down and talk to Ye Lan, but didn't know where to begin. After wavering for a long while, she shook her head and left the Alchemy Peak too.

And in the little courtyard—

Shen Yi was still holding an alchemy book. He already knew its contents inside out, but the notes jotted in it by earlier masters of the Alchemy Peak held the hard-won wisdom of those who came before. Every now and then a single line would make everything suddenly clear.

The two sisters sat beside him.

Ye Jing was pouring tea. Ye Lan was quietly gazing into the distance. She had sensed the two martial uncles a moment ago, and she could hear the talk buzzing among the eight peaks.

After running the Alchemy Peak for so many years, Liu Ruifeng was finally going to step forward and show the disciples of the eight peaks his skill in alchemy.

And then what?

If…