Guo Lan glanced at you timidly before finally taking his leave from He Manor. Watching his retreating figure, you knew he actually wanted to ask about that so-called ancestral pill manual. But Guo Lan understood you weren't related and he had nothing valuable to offer, so he couldn't bring himself to mention it. You also had no obligation to guide someone you'd only met a few times.

Putting Guo Lan out of your mind, you focused on improving your pill refining skills. Your eighth-grade pill refining technique was nearing mastery.

One month later...

Year Three, inside the pill refining chamber...

The exquisite pill furnace stood before you, its flames recently extinguished, still radiating heat. Your Source Power crept up the furnace lid like a gambler about to reveal dice, your eyes gleaming slightly. Finally, with a surge of will, you channeled Source Power to abruptly open the furnace.

As the lid lifted, golden light burst forth like the unsealing of a gourmet dish from Cooking Master Boy. Squinting, you saw nine perfect eighth-grade pills neatly arranged inside.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!!" you cheered excitedly. "Yes! I've finally become a master chef... I mean, an eighth-grade pill refiner!!"

You'd officially surpassed Xie Huide and reached Deng Rusong's level. Combined with your perfected Divine Micro-Vision talent, even if Xie Huide and Deng Rusong teamed up, they could barely match you now.

Thrilled, you declared: "Seems Old Wang isn't jinxing me after all!" To celebrate, you invited Old Wang to drink with you that evening.

When summoned to dine with his master, Old Wang initially refused. But unable to resist your insistence, he reluctantly joined. Beneath the moonlight, you drank together in the lakeside pavilion of the rear garden - just you, Old Wang, and the full moon making a trio of drinkers.

After a jug of wine, Old Wang nearly renamed your He Manor as "Wang Manor" in his drunken ramblings. When he climbed onto the table for the third time, you used special techniques to sober him slightly.

The somewhat clearer-headed Old Wang shared his life story again - how he'd planned to try his luck in the capital if he couldn't find work in Youtong County. He'd heard the capital was wonderful, a big city where opportunities abounded for the bold. Rumor had it capital residents were so wealthy they wouldn't bother picking up stray silver, as the time spent bending over would earn more.

"I must visit the capital someday," Old Wang insisted.

You asked, "Old Wang, haven't I treated you well? Why this capital obsession?"

"Young Master's been very good to me, paying the highest steward wages in Youtong County," Old Wang's flushed face admitted. "But it's different. Even if just to see it, I want to visit the capital."

Raising your cup, you promised: "Your chance will come, Old Wang!"

Old Wang lifted his own cup, his smile wavering: "Thank you, Young Master... for visiting my Wang Manor!"

Thud—

Old Wang collapsed drunk onto the table, his cup hitting the surface hard, the clear liquor inside sloshing violently, shattering the moon's reflection.

The next morning...

Your robust constitution prevented drunkenness even without using Source Power to sober up - except when drinking with close friends, when you'd get wasted without a single drop.

As morning mist dissipated, you began daily cultivation. Just as you entered the training room, the gatekeeper announced a visitor. Delighted, you assumed Xie Huide had arrived a month early - only to learn it was Guo Lan requesting an audience.

You received Guo Lan in the main hall, where he dragged a large sack of unknown contents. Beaming, he announced he'd finally been promoted to full disciple.

You chuckled: "Congratulations, little brother! So you've mastered first-grade pills?"

Guo Lan grinned even wider, whispering mysteriously: "Young Master He, I didn't just master first-grade refining!"

You started: "Then how were you promoted? Did you... master the examiner instead?"

"Not quite that extreme..." Guo Lan blushed. "My first-grade refining jumped straight from uninitiated to mastery!!"

Frowning, you said: "The pressure drove you delusional?"

Anticipating disbelief, Guo Lan produced his full disciple token: "See for yourself, Young Master He!" A glance confirmed its authenticity.

Eyebrow raised, you demanded: "Explain."

It turned out Guo Lan had taken his final qualification test days earlier - failure would have meant expulsion from Danxia Sect. Having never successfully refined a proper pill before, his heart nearly leapt out during the test. With no alternative, he'd proceeded with his usual flawed process before despairing completely.

Too afraid to check the furnace himself, he'd waited for the examiner to open it - only for both to be stunned. Instead of the usual failed pills, eight perfect first-grade pills sat inside. Guo Lan's skill had vaulted straight from uninitiated to mastery, qualifying him instantly as a first-grade refiner.

When skeptical examiners made him demonstrate twice more, he produced eight perfect pills each time, convincing them completely.

Your interest was piqued. Had Guo Lan been ordinarily incompetent you wouldn't have cared, but such bizarre incompetence demanded investigation.

Having Guo Lan demonstrate on the spot yielded another eight perfect pills. Marveling, you remarked: "Your 'late bloomer' phase was blooming late indeed!"

You realized Guo Lan's peculiar trait - once reaching basic proficiency in any pill grade, he immediately mastered it completely. However, reaching that initial proficiency took him far longer than others.

Average talents typically mastered first-grade basics in six months, but required three to five years for mastery - with higher grades taking exponentially longer. Hence most never progressed beyond fourth or fifth-grade in their lifetimes.

Judging solely by the time taken to master first-grade refining, Guo Lan's pace placed him slightly above average. But his instant mastery upon reaching basic proficiency was utterly bizarre.

You half-suspected Guo Lan possessed some "critical proficiency" cheat - remaining at zero until the first point was gained, then skyrocketing exponentially.

"You've found the master key to all techniques!" you observed.

Guo Lan scratched his head: "I don't understand it either..."

Further questioning revealed nothing unusual about his refining process. Preparing to send him off so you could resume cultivation, Guo Lan suddenly stood up hesitantly:

"Young Master He... about that ancestral pill manual... could I... purchase it from you?"