Chapter 95: Surrounded

Before settling back down into the large bathtub, Xu Xiaoshou swore that this time he absolutely wouldn't get sidetracked; he needed to properly master alchemy.

Since the "compressed fire seed" the size of a fingernail couldn't be controlled, he could only settle for the next best thing: using a snail... err, fireballs for alchemy.

He clenched his hand, and a spherical flame appeared. Xu Xiaoshou sent it beneath the large, three-legged bathtub.

In just a few moments, the milky-white bathtub began to turn crimson, its temperature rising extremely quickly.

Xu Xiaoshou recalled Elder Sang's extravagant method of tossing herbs. He impressively grabbed a handful of herbs from his ring and threw them towards the bathtub.

*Sizzle!*

While still high in the air, before even falling, that handful of herbs instantly turned to ash. Not to mention liquid essence, not even dregs were left.

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

Indeed, the temperature was too high.

This was a flame that could directly burn spirit crystals into gas.

Moreover, he clearly didn't possess Elder Sang's ability to perfectly separate and contain the herbs. He should probably just do them one by one!

Using his mind, he made the flame become more contained. Within a controllable range, Xu Xiaoshou compressed it again.

One herb flew over...

*Sizzle!*

"Still no good?"

Xu Xiaoshou didn't continue. He wasn't an impulsive person. Although he had many herbs, continuing like this would be too wasteful; he needed to draw some conclusions.

*Hmm...*

There didn't seem to be much to conclude. It was just that the flame temperature was still too high.

"How should I cool it down?"

Xu Xiaoshou rubbed his chin, his brows furrowed tightly, when suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.

The temperature was too high, so what if he used his "Breathing Technique" to absorb it?

"Clever!"

He clapped his fists together, realizing the feasibility of this method. The "absorption method" of the "Breathing Technique" wasn't just for cultivation!

His pores dilated, and heat was instantly absorbed into his body. The spherical flame beneath the large bathtub also seemed less menacing.

Xu Xiaoshou felt a surge of heat, and his whole body started sweating, but he could still endure it.

Compared to refining the "Burnt Illumination Fire Seed," this temperature didn't even trigger the "Attacked" notification in his info panel.

Another herb flew into the bathtub.

This time it landed perfectly, suspended inside, held by spiritual essence. However, it didn't last more than a second before it was destroyed.

"Mmm..."

Xu Xiaoshou stopped, realizing this method was a bit unstable.

If the heat energy absorbed into his body couldn't maintain a consistent amount, then the spherical flame's temperature would constantly fluctuate. This way, there was no way to perform alchemy.

But for now, there was no other method, so Xu Xiaoshou could only continue to try.

"Practice makes perfect!"

Alchemy was a delicate process. That old geezer was right; through this process, he should be able to control his own power more precisely.

He casually grabbed another herb. Before he even threw it, his info panel suddenly refreshed:

"Surrounded, Passive Points, +1."

Xu Xiaoshou: "???"

Surrounded?

He paused for a moment, looking around. There was no one!

Wait, outside?

Someone surrounded the Spiritual Repository?

He remembered the masked figures from yesterday, and his heart immediately felt a chill. Could it be that someone was trying to forcefully attack the Spiritual Repository in broad daylight?

How did they break into the Tiansang Spiritual Palace?

Xu Xiaoshou put away the herbs, casually conjured two spherical flames, and readied his "Minor Fireball Technique." He then stealthily crept towards the window and peeked out, careful to remain out of sight.

"Holy crap!"

"So many people!"

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked.

As far as his eyes could see, a considerable number of black-clothed figures had completely surrounded the Spiritual Repository, three layers deep both inside and out, making it impenetrable.

Wait...

Black-clothed figures?

Weren't these the enforcement personnel from the Spiritual Law Pavilion?

Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled. He pushed open the window and suddenly saw the leader step out from the crowd...

A little familiar.

Wasn't this the referee from the group stage competition that day?

Xu Xiaoshou widened his eyes, rubbed them, then looked again. The other person's gaze also happened to fall upon him at that exact moment.

"It's you?"

"It's you?"

In unison!

Zhao Xidong was completely dumbfounded. Even his battle plan went blank in an instant.

Xu Xiaoshou?

How could it be him?

No, wait, how did this guy get into the Spiritual Repository?

No, no, no. Wasn't he still an outer disciple? He should be asking how he dared to sneak into the inner courtyard!

And... were those two explosions just now related to him?

Impossible!

Mere Xu Xiaoshou...

"Suspected, Passive Points, +1.""Suspected, Passive Points, +1.""Mocked, Passive Points, +1.""..."

Xu Xiaoshou was amused. He looked at the referee, not speaking, but silently urging him on.

*Come on, let your imagination run wild.*

*Although I don't know what you're thinking, I won't stop you from thinking.*

*Thinking—that is the ladder of human progress!*

Zhao Xidong watched the silent youth. He thought about how this guy killed Feng Kong and Shao Yi, and that mysterious unpredictability during the competition...

Could it really be him?

Not just Zhao Xidong, every one of the enforcement personnel present was confused.

After all, almost everyone here knew Xu Xiaoshou. Not just because of his bizarre performance in the "Wind and Cloud Hegemony" competition, but more importantly, during the pursuit battle last night...

This guy was the only one with Post-natal cultivation who participated, and he was one of the storm's epicenters!

"Suspected, Passive Points, +169.""Suspected, Passive Points, +112.""Suspected, Passive Points, +84.""..."

So effective!

Xu Xiaoshou stood at the window, clenching his fists. Just this one peek out the window, and his Passive Points were already close to breaking the six thousand mark.

Zhao Xidong couldn't hold back his impatience anymore. He asked, "Were those explosions just now your doing?"

"Yes." Xu Xiaoshou nodded. He leaned his elbows on the windowsill, propped his chin, and looked at the crowd. "Don't worry, the Spiritual Repository is fine. You can leave now."

"???"

Everyone was stunned by his words. It would've been better if he hadn't said anything; now that he had, they were really panicking!

"Suspected, Passive Points, +266."

Xu Xiaoshou was amused again. He didn't know why, but whenever he told the truth, no one ever believed him. It was to the point where he didn't even need to lie.

"How are you in the Spiritual Repository, and on the third floor no less?"

Zhao Xidong was exasperated. "This isn't a place you can set foot in. Get down here, quickly! An outer disciple secretly entering the inner courtyard is already a major offense, and you—you actually dared to trespass into the Spiritual Repository?"

"Elder Sang told me to come," Xu Xiaoshou replied.

"Suspected, Passive Points, +266."

Everyone's first instinct was disbelief, but then they remembered the scene of Elder Sang saving people yesterday, and suddenly felt it was quite possible.

It didn't matter; the Passive Points had already been collected.

"Why did Elder Sang tell you to come?" Zhao Xidong asked, curious.

"To refine pills."

"Suspected, Passive Points, +267."

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled happily. He saw another enforcement officer arrive and join the ranks of those contributing Passive Points.

Zhao Xidong laughed in anger. Refine pills?

I must be crazy to have believed your nonsense! Just now I actually believed Elder Sang told you to come!

Alchemy—is that something a guy with mere ninth-stage cultivation can dabble in?

You don't even have innate attributes. What would you use to refine pills?

With firewood?

Ridiculous!