Although Claudia knew her thoughts were unkind, she could not help it. If Seth surpassed her on his first attempt at alchemy, it would be a severe blow to her pride. How could she maintain her dignity as Seth’s master in the future?With a clang, the lid of the furnace opened. A rich and intense aroma of medicinal herbs rushed forth. Seth's heart sank when he realized the situation. Despite his efforts to restrain himself, the aroma emitted from the pills was a sign that the quality exceeded Claudia's.Claudia immediately approached the furnace with a serious expression to inspect the pills, and her expression changed drastically at first glance. Neatly arranged at the bottom of the furnace were 50 pills, each crystal clear. What she found most difficult to accept was that every pill had a faint pattern on its surface, indicating that they were all supreme rank.This was no longer just a slap in the face; it was like her head was being dragged on the ground. Seth coughed deliberat

The leader of the pack walked up to Seth and licked his face with a look of affection and eagerness in its eyes.Everyone was struck dumb.Claudia froze, her pupils dilated and mouth agape. Then, she pointed at Seth angrily and yelled, "You said you didn't do anything. What is this all about?!"Just as she finished her sentence, the other seven lions ran over and surrounded Seth while glaring at Claudia with hostility.Claudia could not help but take a few steps back, her face turning pale. She was thoroughly shocked, feeling as if her home had been stolen.The others also looked at Seth with disbelief. The scene before them felt surreal."I didn't do anything,” Seth said innocently.Anger took over Claudia. Her beloved spirit beasts whom she raised for so many years had collectively betrayed her. Who would not be furious? She did not just invest in them in terms of resources but also emotion!Claudia gritted her teeth, her gaze toward Seth menacing. "If you didn't do anything,

Seth ran inside. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Pearly floating in mid-air. The spiritual energy in the entire room surged toward it and quickly depleted from the room. Suddenly, the snake wrapped itself up, turning into a huge cocoon as it slowly descended to the ground.Seth was pleasantly surprised to see Pearly about to evolve again. The last evolution did not bear any significant improvements, but his intuition told him that this time, there would be much more of an improvement.Seth poured the remaining spiritual spring water he had onto the cocoon, hoping it would accelerate the process. Then, he picked up Frei, who was nearby. The little fox did not look to have changed much, its body like a bottomless pit.Seth then refined tens of thousands of Jade Spirit Pills to feed it. It was likely that there was no one else in the entire sect who could afford to be as extravagant as Seth.…For the next half month, Seth either refined pills or practiced spells. News about

"What's the matter? Did you manage to succeed in just one day?" Sebastian asked eagerly as soon as he saw Seth, his eyes filled with anticipation. It had been a long time since his powers improved. The main reason was the lack of corresponding pills. Soul Fusion Pills were rare on the market. Even if they appeared in auctions, they were often auctioned off at exorbitant prices.Claudia could also refine them, but it usually took her five or six attempts to succeed. The costs were also considerable.Seth handed over the nine diluted pills to him before sighing and saying, "I didn't disappoint. But I didn't expect my alchemy skills to be so poor that they all turned out to be lower-rank."After seeing the nine Soul Fusion Pills in his hand, even the scheming Sebastian could not help but look astonished. He then burst into laughter. "Well done. Good job. Your alchemy skills might even surpass your master's."Seth smiled shyly. "That's impossible. I still have a long way to go. Um...

"We happen to have an auction today, and one of the important lots is an ancient puppet with Astral Beginner Stage's combat power. If you can afford it, you can bid for it."Seth was tempted. An Astral Stage puppet was highly valuable. Obtaining one would greatly enhance his overall power.Seth nodded and headed straight for the black market.The black market was no different from a flea market in the mortal world. Many cultivators sat on both sides of the street with various items displayed in front of them."Come take a look. I have high-quality magic weapons at fair and honest prices.""I'm selling an ancestral technique in exchange for fire crystals.""I'm a woman willing to marry in exchange for 100 spiritual stones."...There were a variety of things that were bewildering.Seth walked past the stalls. Many things caught his interest, but they were not practical, so he did not purchase them.Suddenly, he stopped at one booth. Instead of goods, a woman sat there. She wor