Chapter 137 | Backlash

Chapter 137: 137 | Backlash

Deep within Alchemy Peak, the central refinement chamber glowed beneath the steady crimson light of the zz formations.

Elder Liu stood before a medium-sized bronze cauldron, carefully guiding the medicinal essence within. The formula was far simpler than the high-grade pills she usually refined, but the lower-grade Crimson-Sun Roots currently available to her lacked the rich Yang essence needed for a stable refinement.

She had chosen the simpler formula because it consumed fewer valuable ingredients. If the batch succeeded, it would at least keep part of the peak’s lower-tier alchemy work running while she searched for better materials.

"Condense."

Her voice remained steady as her Core Formation Qi flowed into the cauldron’s formation nodes.

The medicinal essence gathered slowly.

The weaker herbs resisted her control, forcing Elder Liu to draw more deeply on the power of her Verdant Flame Physique. Each adjustment demanded more effort than the formula should have required, yet she continued with practiced precision, guiding the unstable medicinal flow through one spiritual seal after another.

The cauldron grew hotter.

A thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead as she tightened her control and gradually forced the medicinal essence into alignment. The process was slower than usual, but the mixture did not collapse.

At last, the restless medicinal flow began to settle.

A low hum came from the cauldron.

Clang!

The bronze lid lifted, releasing a thin cloud of fragrant white smoke.

Three Mid-Grade Soothing Elixirs rested at the bottom.

Elder Liu examined them briefly.

They were far below the standard she expected from herself, but they were usable.

The moment she withdrew her Qi from the formation, however, the strain revealed its cost.

The exertion had weakened her suppression of the Pill Toxicity.

A sharp burst of pain spread through her chest.

Elder Liu’s breathing faltered. She caught the edge of the cauldron and steadied herself as the Phantom Burns flared briefly through her body.

The pain disrupted her breathing for several breaths, but she maintained control. Once the flare eased, she straightened and waited until her breathing returned to normal.

Before she could fully recover, the stone doors opened.

Han and Feng hurried inside, drawn by the successful refinement.

"Master, you succeeded," Han said with relief. "Even with the lower-grade materials, you completed the batch."

"These pills are usable," Elder Liu replied evenly. "Nothing more."

Han looked at the three elixirs. "Can they help us keep the lower-tier furnaces operating until the better supplies arrive?"

"For a while," Elder Liu said. "Do not mistake a workable result for a lasting solution."

Feng bowed. "Understood."

"Take the elixirs and distribute them where they are needed. I need to recover before I attempt another refinement."

The two disciples bowed and left with the pills.

The stone doors closed behind them.

Only then did Elder Liu sit upon the profound-ice jade slab.

She rested a hand against her chest and slowly steadied her breathing. The flare had passed, yet the strain of the refinement remained fresh in her mind.

The formula itself had not been especially difficult.

What troubled her was the amount of effort required to make a simple batch work.

Her gaze lowered to the spatial ring on her finger.

After a moment, she reached into it.

A faint spiritual hum filled the chamber as a sealed jade box appeared in her hand.

She opened it.

Three high quality Dragon-Fire Lotuses lay inside, each petal holding concentrated Yang essence.

Elder Liu had preserved the lotuses for years, keeping them as an emergency reserve rather than spending them on ordinary alchemy. She had intended to leave them untouched unless the situation truly demanded it.

Now, the result of today’s refinement had made that calculation less comfortable.

She carefully plucked a single petal from one lotus and placed it beneath her tongue.

The concentrated Yang essence entered her Qi pathways as she circulated it inward. Warmth spread through her body, gradually suppressing the lingering discomfort from the Phantom Burns.

Elder Liu closed her eyes and continued circulating her Qi until her breathing became steady again.

When she opened them, her gaze settled on the jade box.

Two lotuses remained intact, while the third had lost only a single petal.

That expenditure was small compared with the value of an entire Dragon-Fire Lotus.

Even so, it had been necessary after a relatively simple refinement.

Elder Liu’s fingers tightened slightly around the box.

She still had other avenues to pursue, but using this reserve whenever a difficult refinement strained her would soon become wasteful.

She closed the box and returned it to her spatial ring. The pills had been produced, yet the result had revealed something she could no longer dismiss.

Greater effort could carry her through for now.

It could not be the answer every time.

From a concealed position above the inner cauldron chamber, Lady Yun watched without moving.

The observation had given her something more useful than a moment of weakness. She had seen the limit of what Elder Liu could currently achieve with the materials at hand.

The simpler refinement had succeeded.

But the strain had been significant enough that Elder Liu needed part of her emergency reserve afterward.

Lady Yun committed the details to memory, paying particular attention to the order of events rather than the pain itself. She wanted to know whether Elder Liu’s caution would hold once another promising avenue appeared and demanded her attention more directly.

That meant the pressure was affecting her choices without yet destroying her judgment.

There was no need for Lady Yun to remain.

She withdrew from the chamber and moved back through the shadows. she slipped away from Alchemy Peak and made her way toward the Cloud-Sea Pavilion.

By the time the sun disappeared behind the towering peaks, twilight had settled over the Crimson Nimbus Sect.

Within the Cloud-Sea Pavilion, The formations shielded the pavilion from outside senses while the last traces of evening light fell across the polished spirit-wood floor.

Lin Tian sat in his spirit-wood chair, his dark robes neat and his aura concealed beneath the Abyssal Shadow Veil.

The faint spiritual glow of the formation lines crossed the hall, leaving the chamber calm and undisturbed. When the shadows near the edge of the room shifted, Lin Tian raised his gaze.

Lady Yun emerged and walked toward him.

"My Master."

Lin Tian studied her briefly. "Report, Shadow Queen."

Lady Yun stopped a few steps away.

"Elder Liu completed the simpler refinement. The pills were usable, but the effort required was considerable. After her disciples left, she used a single petal from one of her Dragon-Fire Lotuses to settle the backlash."

Lin Tian’s expression changed only slightly.

"And she still remained composed?"

"Yes, Master. She concealed the strain from Han and Feng and made no unnecessary move afterward."

Lin Tian rested one hand against the arm of his chair.

That detail was more important than the pain itself.

Elder Liu had felt the cost, recognized it, and responded by using only what she considered necessary. She had not abandoned caution, and she had not rushed into an obvious course simply because the current method had become troublesome.

"Did she decide where to turn next?" Lin Tian asked.

"Not yet."

Lady Yun paused before continuing.

"I saw no sign that she suspected outside interference. Her attention remains on the problem before her, and her actions suggest she is still considering several ways to deal with it."

Lin Tian nodded.

That left the situation unchanged in the way that mattered.

If Elder Liu had begun making choices without considering consequences, there would have been less to learn from her next move. Instead, she was still thinking carefully. That made the person she contacted next, and the reason she chose them, more revealing.

"Then don’t watch only Elder Liu," Lin Tian said. "Watch the people around her."

Lady Yun’s expression sharpened with attention.

"Who does she send? Which contacts become important to her? And when she has to choose between two imperfect paths, which one does she trust?"

"Understood, Master."

Lin Tian leaned back slightly.

"We do not interfere unless something changes. Let her make the next decision herself."

Lady Yun bowed lightly. "I will keep watch."

"One more thing," Lin Tian said.

Lady Yun stopped.

"Pay attention to any change in the pattern of her searches. A new contact, a new destination, or an unusual request may tell us more than the refinement itself."

"Yes, Master."

Lady Yun stepped back into the shadows and left the pavilion as quietly as she had entered.

Lin Tian remained seated beneath the steady hum of the isolation arrays.

For now, the situation required no further push.

What mattered was not how much Elder Liu could endure today, but what she chose to do tomorrow.

The quiet hall soon returned to stillness. Beyond the pavilion, the night wind moved across the distant peaks, carrying no sign of disturbance. Lin Tian closed his eyes, already waiting for the next change in Elder Liu’s course for now.