Life in the Alchemy Hall gradually settled into a steady rhythm, the earlier excitement fading like ripples on a still pond.0

Under Gu Caiyi's efficient leadership, the cultivators had begun to internalize the contents of the Compendium of Hundred Herbs and grasp the essentials of the Flame Manipulation.0

Their growing proficiency made them increasingly helpful in Luo Chen's alchemical work, lightening his work load and granting him more time for his personal cultivation and experimentation.0

A month later, far from the familiar stone halls of Crescent Moon Valley, deep within a primeval forest ten li behind the valley, the stillness of morning was suddenly broken.0

Rustle, rustle.0

A crimson-eyed rabbit bolted from a clump of underbrush, its fur bristling in fear. Something was chasing it—something that made every nerve in its small body scream danger.0

Just moments behind, a massive gray wolf—nearly as tall as a man and three meters long—exploded through the foliage like a battering ram. Its bulk tore through vines and saplings with ease, yet it moved with shocking agility.0

With a powerful leap, the beast pounced mid-air and snatched the rabbit in one claw. The next moment, its jaws clamped shut, blood and fur vanishing between rows of jagged teeth. After devouring the rabbit, the gray wolf seemed unsatisfied...0