Chapter 44: Golden Dragon Fire Control Technique

“You mean you don’t need to blend the ingredients first, but can forcibly merge different medicinal properties? What kind of technique is that?”
“There’s actually such a method in the world? Why have I never heard of it?”
“Judging by what the elders said, this technique seems extremely mysterious.”
“So, do you think that boy actually knows such a technique?”
“He’s probably just putting on a show. After all, he doesn’t even know how to prepare the ingredients, and earlier the three masters said themselves that this technique is exceedingly difficult to master.”
The earlier conversation involving Master Jin had been overheard by many, and soon whispers started spreading.
This was the Golden Dragon Fire Control Art—others might not know, but Master Jin was well aware of its existence.
It was precisely because he knew that his expression grew even more grim.
The Golden Dragon Fire Control Art was not just a technique for refining medicine; it was also a divine art for wielding fire offensively!
Once mastered, not only could one control flames for alchemy, but their ability to command fire for attacks would increase dramatically!
Yet the Golden Dragon Fire Control Art, though immensely powerful, was infamous for its near-impossible requirements for cultivation.
Li Jiansan had come to take the apprentice examination at the Alchemist Guild; Master Jin was very clear about his abilities.
To say he had mastered such a formidable technique was no different from believing in fairy tales.
With this in mind, the anger on Master Jin’s face intensified, his stern gaze falling upon Li Jiansan, imbued with a touch of pressure:
“Boy, stop wasting time and cease your actions at once!”
Li Jiansan was taken aback, asking in confusion, “Why should I stop?”
“You should know your own limitations,” Master Jin replied coldly.
Li Jiansan answered calmly, “Of course I do. That’s why I came to take your test. To be honest, these tasks really aren’t difficult for me.”
Master Jin’s face grew even darker. “Still pretending, are you?”
“Pretending? Am I not refining pills right now?”
Li Jiansan was genuinely bewildered, unable to fathom the source of the old man’s unprovoked fury.
“You didn’t even do the most basic ingredient preparation, just threw everything in together! And you dare claim you’re refining medicine?”
Dividing and allocating medicinal materials according to their properties before alchemy was an inviolable rule for every alchemist.
Even they, as third-rank alchemists, dared not break this principle.

So, in Master Jin’s eyes, Li Jiansan was simply an ignorant dandy with no grasp of alchemy.
“Who told you that refining pills requires the ingredients to be sorted in advance?”
Upon hearing Li Jiansan’s words, Master Jin’s pupils shrank involuntarily.
From the boy’s tone, could it be that he truly knew the Golden Dragon Fire Control Art?
Impossible.
Could a mere child possess such talent, mastering a technique that us old men have failed to comprehend for years?
As Master Jin stood dumbfounded, Li Jiansan continued:
“The world holds three thousand paths, each a simplification of complexity. All the great Dao are born of heaven and earth’s spiritual energy.
Martial cultivation follows this truth—humans are born simple, with nothing to their names, and through constant refinement and absorption of spiritual energy, move from one to two, two to three, and finally merge with the Dao of the world…
As for alchemy, all ingredients are born of spiritual energy, sharing a common origin. What harm is there in refining them together?”
At these words, Master Jin was struck silent, his face blank with utter shock and disbelief.
How… how could this be possible?
What Li Jiansan had just said completely upended his understanding.
Such profound insight—he had never heard it before.
Master Jin stared at Li Jiansan in horror, his body shaking uncontrollably.
How old was he? Fifteen, maybe sixteen? And yet he had grasped such subtle truths.
Others his age probably didn’t even know the basics of alchemy, let alone this.
After Li Jiansan spoke, those nearby could not help but look at one another in astonishment.
They had all thought Li Jiansan to be an outsider, here only for amusement.
But none expected him to possess such deep understanding of alchemy.
Perhaps he really could ignore the properties of the ingredients and still refine a pill.
“This boy has brought far too many surprises today. I’d thought his only strength was his powerful soul force,
but to think he has such profound insights into alchemy—he puts even me to shame.”
On the high platform, Xu Fu’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Not just you—even we old men don’t have his level of understanding.”
Hearing Xu Fu’s words, Master Qi’s expression suddenly froze.
“What did you say earlier? His soul force is also very powerful?”
Master Qi’s body began to shake violently. Staring at Li Jiansan in shock, he remembered that in the previous round, the boy had tested at seventh-level soul strength.
“With such formidable soul power, combined with his insight into alchemy, he’s bound to become a fourth, no, a fifth-rank, perhaps even higher, alchemist one day!”
Xu Fu could hardly believe it. “Above fifth-rank… isn’t that a bit exaggerated?”
As a second-rank alchemist, Xu Fu knew well the hierarchy among alchemists.
Though alchemists were rare, one in ten thousand, their ranks were strictly stratified:
Alchemists of the first to third rank were considered junior alchemists; fourth to sixth, intermediate; seventh to ninth, advanced.
Third-rank alchemists marked the almost insurmountable barrier between junior and intermediate levels—many spent their whole lives unable to break through.
If junior alchemists were rare treasures, intermediate alchemists were like phoenix feathers or unicorn horns—almost mythical.
Master Qi laughed heartily:
“Ha! You don’t understand what kind of talent that boy has. With my guidance, his future achievements will surely surpass fifth-rank!”
As the two spoke, Master Mo beside them began to emanate a subtle shift in aura…
Meanwhile, Yang Zishuo’s eyes widened in shock. Inside, he was shaken to the core.
He had never imagined Li Jiansan possessed such ability—it was far beyond his expectations.
Even so, Yang Zishuo thought, he had already fallen so far behind; even if Li Jiansan could refine a pill, it could never compare to his own.
Yang Zishuo said resentfully, “He must have seen it in some ancient text—he’s just showing off!”
After hearing this, Master Jin snapped back to himself.
Yang’s words seemed plausible; after all, how could someone so young grasp such profound truths?
Did that mean he had been fooled by a mere child?
With this thought, Master Jin’s anger finally boiled over…