"Hehe—I can do it too!" Qing Xuanling smiled as she gazed into the cauldron, where five newly formed pills released a faint wisp of smoke. "I succeeded on my very first attempt!"

  Xuan Dan rolled her eyes. "Stop being so arrogant. You only succeeded because I shared my insights with you!"

  Qing Xuanling grinned mischievously. "That doesn't change the fact that I succeeded in my first attempt at refining pills~"

  She was genuinely happy. As far as she knew, there wasn't a single alchemist under twenty years old in the family branches. She might even be the clan's first sixteen-year-old alchemist.

  If that wasn't talent, what was? Would those who mocked her still have the audacity to keep sneering?

  Qing Xuanling's smile didn't fade for a long while. She cleaned the room of the mess they'd made and quickly stored the five Qi Recovery Pills she'd crafted into a bottle—she'd give them to Madam Yechan as promised.

  "Do you want to sell the Brave Pills? They don't hold any special meaning for us anyway," Xuan Dan asked from the side.

  The Brave Pill was the second formula they'd purchased—a pill that boosted courage and helped maintain calmness. It was quite popular among powers with sheltered youths in their ranks.

  It was more difficult to refine than the Qi Recovery Pill. Xuan Dan had only succeeded on her final attempt—though she'd managed to produce seven pills that time, enough to fill a standard five-pill bottle. They could easily sell for forty spirit stones.

  But Qing Xuanling shook her head.

  "I want to go to the clan's Alchemy Hall and officially obtain the title of novice first-rank alchemist. With luck, the clan will recognize our talent and support us with abundant resources to improve our alchemical skills." Qing Xuanling's eyes shone brightly.

  Beyond that, she harbored a desire in her heart—to strut proudly before those who'd mocked her over the past two years. She'd endured quite a bit because of them.

  Mockery, gossip behind her back, and constant confrontations with fools had been her daily bread. Of course, it hadn't reached hatred—only the Qing Clan's youths had made things difficult for her, like the three Peng brothers.

  Generally speaking, the clan's adults had always treated her well. Perhaps not with the same affection they showed Qing Wentian, but they'd never mistreated her.

  'But it's time for the Qing Clan's twin pearls to start receiving equal treatment!'

  Xuan Dan shook her head but couldn't deny feeling somewhat excited herself.

  "Alright—just make sure to be as arrogant as possible!"

  She said this before retreating into Qing Xuanling's divine sea to rest. For her, being in the divine sea was like sleeping.

  Qing Xuanling nodded with a smile and left her room after placing her cauldron into her storage pouch. She hadn't stepped outside her chamber in a full week.

  By coincidence, she ran into someone familiar upon exiting.

  "Oh—look who we have here? If it isn't the hardest person to find in the entire Qing Clan," Qing Wentian greeted her with a smile. "Finally decided to show your face?"

  Qing Xuanling couldn't help but smile at the sight of him.

  "Get ready—in the future, it'll be even harder to see me." She teased lightly. "Has anything important happened in the clan? I've been out of the loop for over a month."

  Qing Wentian sighed in exasperation at her words. "Sigh—seriously, why did my feeling have to be right? You might be the only person in the Qing Clan who doesn't know what's currently happening!"

  "Something really happened?" Qing Xuanling smiled sheepishly. "I really have been quite busy lately."

  "Of course something happened! And something huge!" Qing Wentian gestured broadly with his arms. "Some rogue cultivators recently discovered a secret realm—but major forces at the level of the Celestial Orchid Sect swiftly seized ownership of it!"

  "Now, two great sects and one clan are fighting over the secret realm's ownership! The news even spread that they would allow subordinate forces to enter!"

  Qing Xuanling's eyes widened in surprise. "What?! What makes this secret realm so special that three powers are after it?!"

  But Qing Wentian shook his head.

  "We don't know. News of the secret realm only emerged three weeks ago." He frowned. "Still, the whole situation gives me a bad feeling. It's rare for superior forces to grant such opportunities to their subordinates forces. They usually do everything they can to prevent us from becoming stronger."

  Qing Xuanling nodded. "You're right. Whatever reason lies behind their sudden generosity probably isn't good for us. However…"

  "It's a secret realm coveted even by those great powers. I've been thinking about it too."

  Qing Wentian smiled wryly.

  "The temptation is simply too great to refuse."

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  Qing Xuanling nodded, her expression complex. "When is it? And what's the maximum cultivation realm allowed inside?"

  "We don't know—it could be in a month, a year, or at most two. Fortunately, only cultivators below Golden Core can enter the secret realm." Qing Wentian smirked. "But even that might be too much for our family…"

  She nodded. Indeed, for the current Qing Clan—a secret realm allowing Foundation Establishment cultivators was extremely dangerous. They barely counted nine Foundation Establishment cultivators: the eight elders and the clan leader.

  Such a small force was but a speck of dust compared to the great powers.

  "Forget it—this doesn't concern us." Qing Xuanling shook her head. "The elders and clan head will surely think of something. Instead—don't you want to come with me to do something fun?"

  Qing Wentian's eyes lit up. It had been a long time since he'd played with Qing Xuanling. Both had tactically kept their distance in public—it was rare for him to receive an invitation from her.

  "Sure! And tell me what you've been up to these past few months! I feel like I haven't talked to you in years!" Qing Wentian began chattering as he walked beside her.

  'Heh—still the same as always.'

  Qing Xuanling smiled faintly and began recounting her past four months: her constant participation in field exercises, achieving Perfection realm mastery of the Iron-Cutting Sword technique after five months of practice, and her adventure into the Scarlet Forest.

  Of course, she'd slightly altered the story, wary of revealing Xuan Dan's existence.

  The two talked nonstop, each sharing their experiences from recent months. Qing Wentian exclaimed in surprise several times upon hearing about Qing Xuanling's Scarlet Forest adventure and her battle against the Emerald Python.

  Qing Xuanling sighed enviously when she heard about the benefits Qing Wentian received from the clan thanks to his dual spiritual roots and Nine Refinements Body.

  Both filled the void that had formed in their friendship during months without contact.

  They chatted until their mouths went dry—until finally, they arrived before a grand pagoda steeped in a strong medicinal scent.

  "What are we doing here, Xuanling?" Qing Wentian asked in confusion. "You know the clan's Alchemy Hall doesn't sell pills to those under twenty, right?"

  Qing Xuanling rolled her eyes. "Obviously I know. I didn't come to buy—I came to shut the mouths of everyone who's been whispering while we walked here."

  Qing Wentian frowned. He'd noticed it too but had ignored it. On their way—not him, but rather Qing Xuanling—had constantly received scornful and mocking glances from same-aged clan members for walking beside him.

  They'd even overheard some murmuring loudly enough that Qing Xuanling was merely a slut who only knew how to sweet-talk others.

  He'd grown furious upon hearing that, but Qing Xuanling had simply shaken her head and kept walking. Qing Wentian had been forced to swallow his anger since the affected person seemed so calm.

  But now he was seriously confused. What was Qing Xuanling talking about?

  Qing Xuanling smiled radiantly as she headed toward the Alchemy Hall's entrance.

  "I can see exactly what you're thinking on your face." She laughed playfully. "We came to the Alchemy Hall to obtain my official alchemist title!"

  Qing Wentian's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared fixedly at Qing Xuanling's retreating back.

  His heart pounded violently. An alchemist under twenty years old—the clan had never had such a prodigy in its ranks!

  * * *

  Qing Yenglan, the Qing Clan's Young Master, entered the clan's secret meeting hall with a solemn expression.

  Inside already sat the clan leader and the eight elders. He mentally recalled each of their names:

  Qing Yunkang—the current Qing Clan chief.

  Qing Meipong—the first elder. A hunched, wrinkled old woman with a terrifying aura around her. She stood at peak Foundation Establishment realm.

  Qing Chenweng—the second elder. A thin old man with unusually clear eyes. Also at peak Foundation Establishment.

  Qing Xuyun—the third elder. Unlike the others, he didn't look particularly aged—in fact, he appeared to be a middle-aged man. What set him apart was his lack of eyes. His cultivation stood at late-stage Foundation Establishment.

  Qing Huomei—the fourth elder. She appeared as a woman in her thirties with a shapely figure, giving off a maternal aura. Her cultivation was at peak Foundation Establishment.

  Qing Wangu—the fifth elder. She had the youngest appearance among all the elders, yet her eyes seemed the deepest and most ancient of them all. Her cultivation level was unknown.

  Qing Zizhai—the sixth elder. His appearance was unique—surprisingly, he had no arms. Yet the sword intent radiating from him was incredibly sharp. He stood at late-stage Foundation Establishment.

  Qing Rufeng—the seventh elder. A fierce, untamable appearance—that was the best way to describe him. He stood at mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

  Qing Buyan—the eighth elder. A silent man at peak Qi Refinement realm.

  Qing Yenglan observed the people in the hall—the absolute pillars of the Qing Clan over the past two hundred years.

  Absolute legends of Ziyu City who had faded from public view over time.

  Many believed they had died—but in truth, they'd gone into hiding on orders from Qing Yunkang's predecessor, the former clan chief.

  At first, many had been perplexed by the former chief's orders—but time had proven how wise that decision had been.

  "Elders—I believe you already know why I've called this meeting today, correct?" Qing Yenglan opened the discussion despite his young age. "The undercurrents that have remained calm for decades have suddenly been stirred."

  Qing Chenweng, with his unusually clear eyes, frowned. "What do you mean, boy? You know many of us here have delegated our positions to substitutes to remain hidden from public view. At least I'm not very aware of the outside world's current situation."

  "I understand, Second Elder. In fact, the situation is so complex that I'm not entirely certain of all the details myself—but I believe each of you has already sensed the danger." Qing Yenglan sighed. "Otherwise, why would all of you have come to this meeting?"

  The fourth elder, Qing Huomei, smiled faintly. "As sharp as ever, Yeng'er. As you guessed—each of us has been receiving bad omens for some time. Today was especially ominous."

  The clan chief nodded. "The sudden appearance of that secret realm was like throwing a piece of meat into a sea full of sharks—while we're at best a river trout that accidentally fell into that sea."

  "Lamenting our weakness won't help. Tell us, boy Yenglan—why did you call us here today?" The first elder spoke suddenly, her tone firm. "Each elder has important tasks to attend to. We don't have much time to spare."

  Qing Yenglan nodded.

  "Very well—I won't waste your time any further, elders." Qing Yenglan was direct. "Today I want everyone to propose ideas for strengthening clan members under twenty years old as much as possible. We must also ensure we have at least one alchemist and one formation master under twenty."

  The clan chief and elders frowned.

  The fifth elder was the first to voice the question everyone had.

  "Yeng'er—did you discovered that one of the secret realm's entry requirements is being under twenty years old?"

  Qing Yenglan nodded, his face darkening.

  "I performed a divination. I discovered that—and that the secret realm will open in two years." He didn't look happy at all. "And currently, that's the worst news for the family. We have twenty sixFoundation Establishment cultivators counting substitute elders not present today and secretly cultivated geniuses from family branches—but every single one of them is over twenty years old."

  "As for youths under twenty… none are especially outstanding except perhaps five or six. Worse still—we don't have a single alchemist or formation master under twenty. At this rate, the family will gain nothing from this secret realm—and might even fall into ruin."

  Qing Yenglan took a deep breath.

  "We must do something to strengthen the younger generation—or the clan will be in grave danger."