Level Up in Martial World
Chapter 353 - 353: Heavenly Alchemy

Lu Zhen was oblivious to his surroundings, his tranquil mind wholly absorbed in refining the pill, meticulously inscribing his intent into it.

Midway through the process, he noticed something strange—it felt as natural as breathing, as if the act of pill refinement flowed in harmony with the world itself.

An invisible hand seemed to be guiding him, subtly leading him through each step.

For a moment, he was stunned, his concentration faltering as he tried to grasp what was happening.

It was real—yet unreal. Something intangible yet undeniably present aided him, an ethereal force that defied logic.

Though he couldn't see it, he knew it was there.

"Sigh, what is happening?" He shook his head, exhaling deeply as he tried to calm his thoughts. Then, his gaze shifted to his panel.

Until now, he hadn't had the time to take a proper look at it. But as he did, he found messages layered one after another.

[You are refining a pill for the first time.]

[Your Alchemy has leveled up from Level 2 to Level 3.]

[You are using intent to refine the pill.]

[Your Alchemy has leveled up from Level 3 to Level 9.]

[You have reached the mortal limits of Alchemy.]

[Your Alchemy skill has evolved to Heavenly Alchemy.]

Lu Zhen was stunned. A skill that had been stuck at Level 2 had now advanced so drastically in mere moments.

Thinking of all the other skills he had painstakingly practiced for so long, yet still hadn't maxed out, he couldn't help but feel bitter. His alchemy had always been stagnant at Level 2, and now, out of nowhere, it had evolved entirely.

This could only be attributed to the fact that the pill he was refining required at least a First-stage Martial Artist. Undoubtedly, this breakthrough brought immense benefits to his body as well.

However, he didn't dwell on it for long, shifting his focus back to the skill.

That invisible hand was there to assist him, so he didn't need to concentrate too much on the refinement itself.

[Heavenly Alchemy:

Nature itself assists you when you perform Alchemy. The higher the level, the greater the support.]

The explanation was simple, yet flashes of inspiration surged through his mind.

Alchemy wasn't limited to pill refinement—it encompassed so much more. It was the art of transformation, a profound craft that extended far beyond merely creating pills.

For example, he might be able to transform a demon beast into something consumable. He could alter the properties of herbs, enhancing their potency without even refining them into pills. He could even create bombs and explosions powerful enough to kill a First-stage Martial Artist—or perhaps someone even stronger.

With Alchemy, anything was possible as long as the materials were available.

Of course, Lu Zhen wasn't yet familiar with such advanced applications, but the skill had already granted him a wealth of knowledge he could explore further in the future.

Just as he was lost in thought, a faint fragrance drifted into his nose. His gaze snapped to the pill.

The pill was a deep red, adorned with intricate, unknown patterns across its surface, and wreathed in flickering flames.

Lu Zhen glanced around. The other alchemists were still in the middle of their refinement, yet he had already completed his.

Without hesitation, he reached into the alchemist furnace, casually retrieving the scorching pill with his bare hand.

A temptation surged within him. Before he could second-guess himself, he popped the pill into his mouth.

A surge of overwhelming energy erupted within his body, flooding every inch of his being.

Devour, his skill that allowed him to absorb energy with 100% efficiency, activated instantly, ensuring not a single trace was wasted. The resulting improvement was nothing short of terrifying.

Even consuming raw materials had granted him immense boosts in his martial realm—let alone his first consumption of a refined pill…

Lu Zhen immediately sat down to process the surge of power, his body rapidly absorbing and adapting to the strengthening effects—all under the stunned gazes of everyone around him.

After a long while, he opened his eyes, his deep pupils gleaming as he scanned his surroundings. But something felt off. Everyone was staring at him with strange expressions.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" he wondered, confused.

An old man stepped forward, his face twisted with barely contained fury.

"You were supposed to submit the pill, not eat it on the spot!" he growled.

Lu Zhen's eyes widened slightly before he casually nodded.

"I see."

The old man's chest rose and fell sharply, his anger evident.

"You…!" He looked like he wanted to explode but held himself back.

Lu Zhen shrugged. "I can make another pill then."

Lu Zhen returned to his position, unfazed, and began refining another batch of pills.

"..."

The old man stood frozen, utterly stunned.

The entire stadium was silent, staring at the bulky youth in disbelief.

By now, most of the alchemists had completed their first pill, but nearly all of them had failed. Only three had managed to produce anything worth noting, claiming the first, second, and third places.

As for Lu Zhen, he casually went about refining the materials, the process guided subtly by nature itself.

Without a hint of hesitation, he retrieved the pill and handed it to the still-speechless old man.

"So, I took fourth place?"

The old man could barely respond, his gaze fixed on the flawless pill—smooth, perfectly formed, and surrounded by a swirling flame. He gulped hard.

"Yeah."

In terms of quality, Lu Zhen had obviously surpassed the three alchemists.

"Good."

Lu Zhen nodded nonchalantly, swallowing the pill in one motion. He sat down to stabilize the transformation, but disappointment quickly followed.

His physique had only been strengthened by about 5%, a far cry from the 20% boost he had received during his first consumption.

The yang energy inside his body surged, and with it came an overwhelming, almost primal urge... the urge of a man.

Cough! Cough!

Lu Zhen quickly stood up, feeling the discomfort, and silently retreated, entering the box where he glanced at Jui Luli with a poker face.

"Hey, can you help me a bit?" he asked, his tone casual. He subtly signaled to the others around them.

Jui Luli blinked in surprise but nodded. Without a word, she gestured for everyone else to leave the room.

"What is it?"