In the City of Many Stars, within a luxurious mansion near All Stars Academy.

SMASH!

With a flick of his wrist, Ye Ding hurled an Exquisite White Jade Cup. It flew over ten zhang before viciously striking a rock outside the main hall.

BANG!

The cup and the rock were instantly annihilated.

They melted into nothingness without a sound.

A twisted expression marred Ye Ding’s incomparably handsome face. "Damn it! How dare that Qin Feng steal my position as the Chief Alchemist of the Medicine King Hall! He deserves to die a thousand deaths!"

Ye Ding gritted his teeth. Ever since the Medicine King Hall announced they were recruiting Alchemists, he had considered the position of Chief Alchemist to be in the bag. He had prepared for a long time, pulling strings behind the scenes. He had already greased the palms of many of the Medicine King Hall’s Elders.

But he never expected that at the final moment, some nobody would appear out of nowhere and snatch the prize from his grasp.

The position of Chief Alchemist of the Medicine King Hall... The benefits that came with it were beyond imagination.

Waves of killing intent pulsed in Ye Ding’s eyes.

And yet, he couldn’t touch the man.

A fifteen-year-old Fourth Grade Alchemist had already attracted the attention of the Star Sect. No matter how bold or unscrupulous Ye Ding was, he wouldn’t dare make a move against a genius of that caliber.

To do so would be tantamount to making an enemy of the entire Star Sect. Even with his adoptive father’s astonishing background, he wouldn’t be able to protect him.

Ye Ding sat in his chair, his chest heaving violently. A vicious light flickered in his eyes, as if he were about to devour someone whole.

Outside the main hall, a group of women furrowed their lovely brows. It was the first time they had ever seen Ye Ding this furious.

Suddenly, a faint voice materialized out of thin air. "Ye Ding, you are far too impulsive. With your Cultivation at the Sea of Reincarnation Realm, you’re letting a minor gain and loss drive you to such irrational behavior. You disappoint me greatly!"

In mid-air, an incorporeal shadow of light gathered in the Void, forming the figure of a middle-aged man in simple hemp clothes. His gaze swept over, carrying with it an exceptionally terrifying authority.

Ye Ding’s expression changed drastically. He scrambled to his feet and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Adoptive Father!"

This mysterious man in hemp clothes, who had used some terrifying power to project his image here, was none other than Ye Ding’s enigmatic adoptive father.

The man in hemp clothes stood proudly with his hands behind his back, his presence as imposing as a majestic mountain. Cold sweat dripped down Ye Ding’s back; all his previous arrogance and confidence had vanished completely.

After a long moment, the man in hemp clothes spoke. "Ye Ding, your aptitude and Qi Fortune are undoubtedly among the best of the younger generation. Even when compared to the most elite prodigies of the Martial Dao in the Star Sect, you are in no way inferior. But do you know why your Cultivation speed has slowed, even stagnated, since you advanced to the Sea of Reincarnation Realm?"

Ye Ding’s body trembled. "Please enlighten me, Adoptive Father!"

"Your state of mind. Your path has been too smooth. Although you’ve faced some trials, the rest has come so easily that your mind has grown increasingly impetuous. Compared to those true prodigies of the Martial Dao, your mental fortitude is far too lacking!"

"Although your Cultivation speed is no slower than those true prodigies of the Martial Dao, if you were to fight them to the death, they could kill you with ease!"

The man in hemp clothes spoke calmly and deliberately, stating it as if it were a simple, self-evident fact.

But to Ye Ding’s ears, his words struck like a clap of thunder, drenching his back in a cold sweat.

The man in hemp clothes continued on his own. "A deficient state of mind will inevitably affect your Cultivation. Your thoughts are too scattered, you indulge too much in the company of women, and even your Martial Dao Will is wavering. I imagine you’ve noticed it recently—your Cultivation speed has slowed, and you’re unable to focus!"

"And now, simply because Qin Feng took the position of Chief Alchemist of the Medicine King Hall, you can’t suppress your anger, flying into a rage and letting your mind be shaken!"

"You should be aware by now that, based on your Qi Fortune and aptitude, you should have already broken through to the Yin Yang Realm, the second of the Three Realms of Sea of Reincarnation!"

Ye Ding’s handsome face turned deathly pale. Beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead, and his palms grew slick.

Suddenly, he gritted his teeth. "Adoptive Father, I planned for the position of Chief Alchemist of the Medicine King Hall for a long time and invested so much effort. For the prize to be snatched away like this... my Qi is in turmoil, my heart is unsettled, and my thoughts are in chaos. This has already become a demonic obstacle in my heart. I must kill this boy to sever this obstacle and reach the next level!"

The man in hemp clothes glanced at Ye Ding and said suddenly, "I see. So you’ve long been aware of the flaw in your own heart. You intend to use this Qin Feng as your Heart Demon, as a stepping stone. You will focus all your Demonic Thoughts onto him, and by slaying this Heart Demon, you’ll be able to mend the flaw in your heart and soar to the heavens!"

"This is a heterodox path, a method of nurturing a demon!"

The man in hemp clothes nodded. "Your idea is not bad. It is a shortcut. Slowly polishing one’s state of mind is the path ordinary people take. You are no ordinary man, so naturally, you should walk an extraordinary path!"

"For you, this young man named Qin Feng is indeed a perfect whetstone. He possesses talent comparable to your own, his potential is no weaker, and his backing is formidable. If he is given room to grow, he will surely rise quickly. However, it is precisely this that can force out your full potential!"

"However, the demon-nurturing method is a heretical Secret Technique from Ancient Times—the most heretical of the heterodox paths. It is exceptionally dangerous, with a slim chance of survival. One careless mistake, and you will be slain by the Demon, your Qi Fortune used to empower it instead!"

"Although this method is perilous, you possess great Qi Fortune. You were born blessed by the heavens, able to turn disasters into blessings and misfortune into luck. For you, the success rate of this heretical Dharma Gate, which would mean near-certain death for others, is extremely high. If you handle it properly, you have at least an eighty to ninety percent chance!"

"It seems I’ve underestimated your resolve!"

Offering faint praise, the man in hemp clothes asked, "So, how do you plan to deal with this Qin Feng?"

"Adoptive Father is wise!" Murderous intent roiled in Ye Ding’s eyes, a hint of madness flashing within, yet underneath it all, a sliver of clarity remained. "The current Qin Feng is still too weak. This whetstone has not yet fully matured. It is not yet time to reap the harvest!"

To Ye Ding, the current Qin Feng was certainly strong, but still far too weak to be a worthy opponent.

A Heart Demon needed to be nurtured. Only by slaughtering it after it had been fattened up could one reap the greatest rewards.

Of course, with Qin Feng deep within All Stars Academy, Ye Ding had no opportunity to act.

A sinister smile appeared in Ye Ding’s eyes. "As for this Qin Feng, I will slowly grind him down. He’s a tall tree that catches the wind right now; plenty of people will make a move against him for us!"

"We don’t need to do a thing. All I have to do is remain behind the scenes, control the overall situation, and get him firmly in my grasp. Then, when the time is right, I will slay my demonic obstacle in one fell swoop and soar to the heavens!"

"Very good. You’ve finally grown up." A look of gratification appeared on the face of the man in hemp clothes. "Although this Qin Feng’s potential is formidable, he is out in the open. He is like an untamable, spirited steed. No matter how excellent the breed, it can never escape the destiny of being enslaved and broken. We have countless ways to train him, make him serve our purposes, and squeeze every last drop of value from him!"