Ultimate Magus in Cultivation World

The Grand Square was transformed.

Where once stood a gathering ground of orderly disciples, now an intricate web of spirit arrays pulsed beneath the stone—each circle a testing platform, each rune a gate to judgment. Rows of cauldrons shimmered under the sunlight, their polished surfaces catching firelight from countless conjured flames.

Elders hovered above on floating platforms, watching like silent stars.

"Begin the Outer Alchemy Selection!" the herald's voice rang out, and the ground came alive with motion.

Instantly, hundreds of disciples ignited their flames. Scarlet, azure, jade, and violet fires burst into life, painting the square with dazzling hues. The air thickened with spiritual essence as herbs were tossed into cauldrons, techniques unfolded, and the music of alchemy began—the hiss of boiling elixirs, the hum of circulating qi, the faint crackle of refinement.

Tian Lei stood before his cauldron, calm amidst the storm. His flame didn't roar—it whispered. A silver-white glow flickered to life in his palm, gentle yet radiant, like moonlight woven through morning mist.

The disciples nearby glanced his way and frowned.

"What kind of flame is that? It's too soft.""Probably some half-trained fire from the Middle Gardens. It won't even melt spirit ore."

Tian Lei didn't respond. His mind was still, his heart steady.

He placed a single Spirit Lotus Petal into his cauldron. The soft flame rose to meet it—not to consume, but to embrace. Slowly, the petal melted, releasing luminous droplets that floated like tiny stars inside the cauldron's belly. He added a Blue Vein Root, a Crimson Leaf, and a trace of refined dew essence.

Then, instead of commanding the fire, he listened to it.

The flame adjusted on its own—gentle, rhythmic, patient. The ingredients didn't fight; they danced. Impurity dissolved into vapor, and the liquid within began to glow faintly gold.

Onlookers soon fell silent.

That kind of harmony… it was unnatural. Controlled flames could refine; but flames that resonated refined perfectly.

Above, one of the observing elders leaned forward. "A balanced flame… not destructive, but nurturing. That's not common among Outer Disciples."

Another elder nodded. "No, that's the mark of a cultivator who has already glimpsed the essence of alchemy."

Tian Lei exhaled softly, tapping the side of his cauldron once. The sound echoed like a heartbeat, and the brew within condensed instantly—shimmering into a cluster of golden pills, perfectly round, perfectly pure.

The nearby disciples froze. Even their best attempts produced faint cracks or residual vapor. Tian Lei's pills, by contrast, emitted a serene aura that cleared the mind.

"Impossible," one whispered. "That's a Tier-Three Purity Pill! We're only supposed to aim for Tier-One refinement!"

The supervising elder descended slowly, eyes glowing faintly. "Name."

"Tian Lei," he replied, bowing slightly.

The elder studied the pills, then turned to the others. "Record it. Tian Lei, Tier-Three Alchemist confirmed."

A shocked murmur swept through the crowd. Tier-Three—at an Outer Selection? Such a feat was virtually unheard of.

The elder who had first spoken raised a hand, halting the recorder mid-etch. His brows furrowed—not in doubt, but in discipline.

"Let's not be hasty in declaring him a Tier-Three Alchemist," he said evenly, his voice rippling through the crowd like tempered steel through silk. "Regulations dictate that six distinct Tier-Three formulations must be refined before such certification is granted. One success proves skill—six prove mastery."

He turned his gaze to Tian Lei. "Disciple Tian, are you confident enough to continue?"

Tian Lei's expression didn't waver. "Confidence is unnecessary, Elder," he replied softly. "Alchemy speaks for itself."

A faint glimmer passed through the elder's eyes—approval, or perhaps curiosity. With a gesture, he summoned a golden jade case that hovered before Tian Lei. It opened to reveal six neatly sealed jade bottles, each labeled with intricate runes: Verdant Recovery Pill, Ironbone Essence, Azure Dream Pellet, Spiritflow Elixir, Flameheart Dust, and Mind-Cleansing Pill.

"These are the standard Tier-Three formulations for examination," the elder explained. "You will be provided the ingredients for each. Refine all six within the time of one incense stick, without external aid. Fail three or more, and the evaluation is forfeit."

As he spoke, six groups of glowing ingredients materialized in midair—roots, blossoms, essences, and minerals suspended in strands of light. The spectators murmured in awe; even Inner Disciples would hesitate to attempt all six at once.

The elder descended a little, his tone lowering into something ceremonial. "Tian Lei, this is your personal alchemy test. You may proceed."

Tian Lei inclined his head. "Understood."

He placed both palms over the cauldron. The silver-white flame surged upward—still gentle, yet now threaded with gold. The spiritual air around him bent and shimmered. Where others relied on force and technique, Tian Lei moved through intuition—his motions almost meditative.

One by one, the ingredients entered the cauldron—not as random additions, but as verses in a rhythm only he could hear.

The Verdant Recovery Pill came first. Green smoke spiraled upward, carrying the scent of spring rain. Within moments, the cauldron released a soft chime, and the pill floated out, flawless.

Next was Ironbone Essence. The ingredients clashed violently, sparks flying as the metallic spirit resisted purification. Tian Lei's eyes glowed faintly, and the silver-gold flame folded inward, cocooning the mixture in a sheath of light. A heartbeat later—silence. Then a gleaming black pill emerged, humming faintly with contained strength.

"Two successful condenses within twenty breaths…" one elder whispered, stroking his beard. "That's good, very good."

He continued without pause.

Azure Dream Pellet—a challenge of balance. Too much fire and the essence would evaporate; too little, and it would stagnate. Tian Lei breathed once, exhaled silver mist, and his flame adjusted itself, dancing in hues of twilight blue. A faint aroma, both serene and surreal, spread through the square.

Spiritflow Elixir—completed in the time it took for one elder to blink. Flameheart Dust—compressed into radiant red powder that shimmered like crystallized sunlight.

By now, the entire square had fallen into silence. Even the flames of nearby disciples wavered, drawn toward his aura like moths to a sacred flame.