Chapter 7: Tier-7 Alchemist, the Gu Clan’s Most Brilliant Alchemy Genius!

Gu Yao pondered for a moment before summoning one of his trusted subordinates.

"Go to the Northwest Continent immediately."

The subordinate looked up at him with slight confusion but saw a terrifying murderous intent brewing in Gu Yao's eyes.

"Find Xiao Yan and eliminate that bastard!"

The subordinate shuddered under the oppressive aura and the chilling gaze, cold sweat breaking out on his back. He quickly nodded in obedience.

With that, the assassin targeting Xiao Yan had been dispatched.

Meanwhile, Gu Fei returned to the mountaintop.

After arriving at his residence, he sat down to rest briefly before deciding to refine a Tier-7 Pill.

A Tier-7 Pill—if news of such an achievement spread, it would shock countless people.

How young was Gu Fei?

Only sixteen years old!

Yet, he was already capable of refining a Tier-7 Pill, something many alchemists could never accomplish in their entire lives!

A single Tier-7 Pill could fetch an astronomical price at an auction. Most were considered priceless treasures, and releasing even one could ignite a bloodbath.

Previously, the system had upgraded Gu Fei's alchemy skills to Tier-7, granting him mastery over numerous Tier-7 Pill Recipes.

Gu Fei hadn't slept the previous night—not just because of Xun'er's marriage, but also because of this Tier-7 Pill.

Since he now possessed many pill recipes, it was only natural for him to attempt refining one.

This time, Gu Fei aimed to refine a 1-Star Cultivation Boosting Pill for the Dou Ancestor Stage—known as the Sea Strengthening Pill (Tihai Dan).

It was an exceptionally rare Tier-7 Pill in the market, primarily due to its unique advantage:

Not only could it boost a Dou Ancestor's cultivation by one star, but more importantly, it had no side effects!

There would be no instability in the foundation—just a single pill, and the Dou Ancestor's power would rise by a full star.

Even for a Tier-7 Alchemist, refining this pill would require immense time and effort, with a high risk of failure.

So why was Gu Fei attempting it?

Recalling the recipe provided by the system, he muttered to himself,

"Consider it a way to pass the time."

Indeed, most Tier-7 Alchemists needed weeks, if not a full month, of preparation before daring to refine a Tier-7 Pill.

Gu Fei's decision to refine one now was partly to kill time.

The mandatory cooling-off period for the divorce was exactly one month—by the time the pill was complete, the deadline would likely have arrived.

Once everything was ready, Gu Fei set up barriers around his residence.

He didn't want any interruptions at a critical moment—any disturbance could ruin the alchemy process.

As days passed, neither of the two protagonists appeared in the Gu Clan.

Discussions about Gu Fei and Xun'er gradually died down.

After all, gossip required the subjects to be present—with both missing, no one knew what they were up to.

Besides, daily cultivation kept everyone busy.

Atop the mountain, Gu Fei sat by the window, eyes closed in deep concentration.

A small, exquisite alchemy furnace glowed faintly before him, its medicinal fragrance permeating the room.

Then, half a month later—

BOOM!

Gu Fei's eyes snapped open as the skies above the mountain sundered.

While the surrounding peaks remained bathed in sunlight, dark clouds gathered directly above Gu Fei's residence.

Within them raged a furious Pill Thunder—so thick and terrifying that it sent chills down the spines of onlookers.

The Pill Thunder gathered rapidly before striking down like lightning, blasting into the house on the mountaintop!

The deafening impact alarmed nearby members of the Gu Clan, who rushed over to witness the spectacle.

Among them were several alchemists.

One of the most respected young alchemists stared at the Pill Thunder in disbelief before gasping,

"That's Pill Thunder—it only appears when a Tier-7 Pill is born!"

Though few alchemists were present, they all understood the immense value of a Tier-7 Pill.

A young girl sighed in admiration, her eyes filled with reverence.

"Not only is Brother Gu Fei's cultivation far beyond ordinary geniuses, but his alchemy skills are also unparalleled!"

Another clansman added regretfully,

"Indeed… and he's only sixteen. Miss Xun'er truly made a mistake."

After all, Xun'er was also a prodigy—had she stayed with Gu Fei, their union could have elevated the Gu Clan to unprecedented heights.

Yet, she had chosen another man…

Whispers of admiration and pity spread through the crowd—most in awe of Gu Fei.

All these emotions—admiration, envy, reverence—were absorbed by the system.

[Gu Yao generates envy—Emotion Points +1]

[Gu Yan generates admiration—Emotion Points +1]

[Gu Yaqin feels reverence—Emotion Points +1]

…

Countless subtle but accumulating emotional values flowed into Gu Fei's account.

A faint smile curled his lips.

Small streams could form an ocean, after all.

Then, the final notification made his smile deepen.

[Xun'er falls into depression—Emotion Points +100!]

Unbeknownst to the crowd, Xun'er had also arrived, hidden among the gathered clansmen.

No one noticed her presence—except for Gu Fei's system, which immediately detected her.

From the shadows, Xun'er stared up at the mountaintop residence, her mind drifting back to the days when she had lived there herself…

Had Gu Fei not proposed separation, would she now be the envy of the clan instead of its pity?

The murmurs around her stung like blades.

"Miss Xun'er shouldn't have betrayed Gu Fei…"

"What a waste… they could have been perfect."

"Now she's stuck with that nobody, Xiao Yan."

Though her cultivation was profound, the whispers pierced her ears—and her heart.

Why did it hurt so much?

She shouldn't care about Gu Fei anymore.

Yet, hearing these words…

A bitter weight settled in her chest.

Her pearly teeth bit into her lower lip as she frowned, gazing at the distant peak.

Her eyes were distant, lost in thought.

Though she didn't love Gu Fei, her instinctive reverence for the strong had drawn her here.

She had sensed the anomaly earlier—the overwhelming pressure of a supreme-grade pill being born—and had rushed over, eager to witness it.

After all, her father, Gu Yuan, had been furious after the incident.

He had confined her to seclusion for a month, decreeing that she would only be freed when Gu Fei came to see him again.

Deep down, she couldn't help but resent Gu Fei for this.

Yet now, half a month later, sensing the birth of a Tier-7 Pill, she had sneaked out while Gu Yuan was distracted.

Her heart had raced with excitement—she assumed an elder of the Gu Clan had succeeded in crafting such a legendary pill.

Never had she imagined…

That the alchemist was Gu Fei himself.