Whenever she refined pills, Lara would pour her entire mind and soul into the process.
Three to five days straight without eating or drinking, not moving an inch from her spot.
If the refinement succeeded, she would rejoice like a child.
If it failed, she would cry as if she had lost her parents.
Alex stood silently behind her, watching the furnace alongside her.
As the fierce flames continued to heat it, the cauldron's body turned a deep red. From the lid at the top, a tantalizing medicinal fragrance wafted out, refreshing the mind and soothing the soul.
Just as the scent grew purer and richer, right at the moment when even Alex thought the refinement was about to succeed, there was a sudden poof.
The raging flames beneath the cauldron extinguished.
The furnace instantly lost its heat, rapidly cooling on contact with the air.
Everything happened far too fast. No time to salvage it.
In the blink of an eye, the intoxicating fragrance turned into a foul, bitter stench.
"It failed..."
Lara froze slightly before deflating like a punctured balloon. With a thud, she slumped to her knees, face blank, eyes turning slightly red.
"I clearly followed the pill recipe strictly. I've tried over a dozen times."
"Why won't it work?"
"Exactly where did it go wrong...?"
Her small mouth trembled, on the verge of tears.
Alex stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Lara, don't be discouraged."
"Saint Lord?" Lara froze before hurriedly standing up.
"You... why are you here?"
"I came specifically to see you." Alex smiled faintly.
"Over the past half-month, all the disciples in the clan have been cultivating like a raging fire."
"Adrian is in charge of gathering intelligence in the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, and Cedric is busy forging the Heavenly Clan Protection Formation."
"Only you remain completely unmoving, still soaking in the Alchemist Pavilion every single day."
"Truly, you remain unfazed even if Mount Tai collapses before you."
Lara smiled sheepishly. "Saint Lord, please don't make fun of me."
"You know my brain is a bit slow, aside from alchemy, I don't know how to do anything else."
"If it weren't for the fact that I can provide the family disciples with pills to aid their cultivation, I truly wouldn't have the face to occupy the position of Fourth Elder."
"What kind bullshit are you talking!"
Alex smiled and waved his hand dismissively.
"The prosperity of the Hale family is inseparable from an alchemy genius like you."
"The positions of Cedric, Adrian, and Tobias can all be replaced. Only you are utterly irreplaceable."
"Come, help me refine a pill."
Lara had been feeling quite happy and a little proud from the praise. Hearing that last sentence, her smile instantly became complicated.
"Saint Lord, I was wondering why you were only picking out pretty words to say today."
"So it turns out you just wanted me to help you refine a pill?"
"If you need help, you could have just said so, was there a need to beat around the bush like that?"
"Please speak, do you want a Heavenly Origin Pill, or a Blood Gathering Pill?"
The Heavenly Origin Pill and the Blood Gathering Pill were the two pills Alex used most frequently.
Both could elevate the spiritual energy within the body to attempt a breakthrough. Over the years, he had consumed thousands of them.
Yet his realm barrier remained as stable as a mountain. Not the slightest sign of breaking through to the eighth level of the Supreme Realm.
"No, today I don't want a Heavenly Origin Pill, nor do I want a Blood Gathering Pill." Alex smiled faintly.
"Rather, I need you to put your entire heart into helping me refine a specific pill."
"Oh?"
Lara's interest was instantly piqued, "I wonder what pill the Saint Lord intends to refine?"
"The Unregretful Pill, have you heard of it?"
"What?"
"The Unregretful Pill?!"
Lara froze, then let out a dumbfounded laugh, "Saint Lord, have you gone mad?"
"The Unregretful Pill is a Saint-tier pill. Its efficacy is incredibly potent, capable of saving thousands of lives."
"But to refine it, the most crucial ingredient is the Heavenly Heart Unregretful Orchid!"
"The only one in the entire Heavenly Flame Dynasty is in the hands of Princess Orchid, Selene."
"Without the Heavenly Heart Unregretful Orchid, no matter how brilliant my alchemy techniques are, it would be impossible to..."
"Hm?!"
Her words came to a screeching halt.
Alex had directly summoned an icy-blue orchid from his space ring.
Staring at the orchid's glowing blue petals and its pure, immensely powerful spiritual energy, Lara's face filled with absolute shock. She stammered blankly, "Saint Lord, this is..."
"This is exactly Selene's Heavenly Heart Unregretful Orchid." Alex smiled.
"I am handing this treasure over to you."
"How long will it take for you to hand the Unregretful Pill to me?"
Lara quietly pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming, she gulped hard and asked cautiously, "Saint Lord, you... are you really giving this top-tier medicinal ingredient to me?"
"Who else?" Alex shrugged.
"In the entire Hale family, is there a second person more worthy of it than you?"
"Thank you for your trust, Saint Lord!"
Lara trembled with sheer excitement.
"To be able to refine a Saint-tier pill is truly the greatest honor of my life!"
"Saint Lord, rest assured, leave this matter entirely to me!"
"Within fifty days, I will definitely successfully refine the Unregretful Pill and deliver it into your hands!"
"Good, your ambition is commendable!"
Alex nodded with a satisfied smile, then immediately poured a basin of cold water over her.
"However, I feel you cannot do it."
"Saint Lord... what did you say?"
Lara froze, a flash of indignation rose within her.
"If the Saint Lord feels Lara's skills are insufficient, then just go find someone else!"
"I'd like to see, if even I cannot refine the Unregretful Pill, who else in the entire Heavenly Flame Dynasty can!"
"Lara, you misunderstood." Alex smiled and waved his hand dismissively.
"I did not doubt your alchemy techniques."
"It's just that this Unregretful Pill is a Saint-tier pill. And right now, your cultivation is merely at the Mahayana Realm."
"To refine the Unregretful Pill, you would at least need to reach the Supreme Realm first, wouldn't you?"
"Huh?"
Lara froze, her expression became rather strange.
She couldn't fathom what Alex was actually trying to say, she could only ask cautiously, "The Saint Lord's meaning is...?"
"Within fifty days, first break through to the Supreme Realm, and then refine the Unregretful Pill." Alex chuckled.
"Of these two tasks, if you fail to complete either one of them, I will punish you."
Lara: "..."