Dawn broke over the Crimson Pill Sect, painting the sky in nervous shades of purple and grey. The morning air in Liu Ruyan's secluded valley was unusually still. The usual chirping of spirit birds was absent, as if the entire world was holding its breath.
Inside the manor, the atmosphere was tense, focused.
Liu Ruyan emerged from her alchemy chamber after a final, all-night session of intensive meditation and refinement practice. The change in her was noticeable. The last three months of grueling, high-pressure training, guided by both her Teacher's orthodox wisdom and Wang Jian's unorthodox, almost demonic, insights, had forged her.
Her aura was no longer just gentle; it was sharp, stable, and clear. Her eyes, usually soft and shy, were bright with a focused confidence. She looked like a true master alchemist, ready for her defining moment, a sword that had been tempered in the hottest of flames.
She walked directly to Wang Jian's chamber and knocked softly.
