A year passed like a dream, daily lessons and long training sessions punctuated by monthly ingestion of Origin Pills made the reincarnated blonde boy cross into Nascent Soul Realm,

a small but important step for any cultivator. At this realm of cultivation, people would start perceiving the reality with their soul as well, including other auras, more colors and a sense of unity with the universe. Pef observed the new universe with calm eyes, happy to have finally entered a new realm.

But for Pef, this was more of a worry than an achievement, as Heavens Tribulations would also increase in strength, and quite possibly fatally.

'I need another ace, some kind of treasure or method to protect my life. Anyone can die, and being a child is not really a defense.' Pef concluded inside.

He opened his eyes to find the training field packed to the limit, since in the past year more and more disciples had began to gather and listen to the Holy Son's enlightening teachings.

Not much surprise there, since the Outer Court disciples had risen dramatically in cultivation, none below Core Realm and even some gifted ones ascending into Nascent Realm as well, many decades too soon.

"Xia boy, you take over and run the disciples through the physical routine." the blonde boy commanded as he was deftly picked up by his Sky Realm bodyguard and placed on his shoulder. "As you command, Holy Son!" the former Young Master exclaimed as he took over as a substitute.

"Where to, Holy Son?" the Sky Herald asked politely.

"I want to make a round through all the Halls, starting with Alchemy Hall." Pef demanded in a childish tone.

Soon enough, his bodyguard took off at speed, avoiding pedestrians with long gliding jumps, and crossing through courtyards without care. There weren't many complaints about a disturbance, not even from the Sect Elders.

In a minute, they arrived at the Alchemy Hall, and Pef jumped to hug his mother for a minute. "Another Star, Holy Mother?" he observed with a small smile.

His mother tickled his sides in revenge. "Other people can cultivate too, not just you, little Pef." she continued with a warm voice.

"That is true. I'm just faster and more handsome." Pef allowed in a magnanimous tone.

"Here comes the Head Alchemist..." Rena noticed with a faint worry in her voice.

Pef just glanced at the Elder and nodded, then jumped off. "Take me to the pill recipes room, Elder." he demanded curtly.

"I will escort you there, Holy Son. Some pill recipes are old and irreplaceable..." the man offered with a deep frown, possibly concerned of possible damage.

"Excellent. You can explain some things if I need to." Pef allowed with a regal tone, making the old man's face twitch.

Soon enough, Pef was let inside the sacred room of Alchemy, where dusty scrolls and tomes were set inside glass boxes for safe perusal.

Without comment, Pef simply scanned each page and moved over, not bothering to learn anything, just memorize the contents for later comparison with his memories. This system worked the best for the young boy, and also prevented mental exhaustion like most Alchemists suffered from studying recipes for too long.

'They call it the Dao of Alchemy, but for me it looks like basic programming, if the code was the source code of the universe.' Pef mused inside as he sat down to reflect.

Various internal processes and traits could be amplified or diminished by combinations of ingredients, anything from faster healing to coma inducing pills or stamina restoration.

There were even a pair of pills that could forcefully open new cultivation circuits, and those pills triggered a string of memories from Pef's old life.

"How rare are the ingredients for the Ice Meridian Pill?" Pef asked as he turned towards the Head Alchemist.

"...So you do remember what you read, even at that speed. Well, only two ingredients are rare, the Freezing White Lotus and the Icehot Pearl, such that they cost over a million gold if they appear in auction outside the Sect. The Resource Hall also has some, but they only trade them for ten thousand Contribution Points." the Elder answered in a sad tone.

"I have some money, and probably some of these points too. I want one of these pills. Both if possible." Pef decided after thinking for a minute.

The Head Alchemist seemed to consider it for a minute, then nodded. "It is possible. I haven't refined one of them for too long. I look forward to trying again."

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"...Failure chance?" Pef guessed at once.

"Yes. Despite my cultivation realm, only practice makes perfect, and I don't have such ingredients often." the Head Alchemist admitted with a shrug.

"Other factors should help too. Perhaps someone with innate flames as a Skill." Pef proposed with obvious implication. The Grand Elder of the Snowflake Sect did have his blue flames as a skill, which is mostly why Pef had brought him along.

"Your grandpa is still a Novice Alchemist, Holy Son. It will take centuries of practice until he could refine such a pill. the Elder replied curtly while shaking his head.

"By himself, you mean. But he can simply provide the flames, for now. Start trials with other pills, until we obtain the ingredients for my pills." Pef demanded as he walked out on his short little legs.

As he walked out, he passed by dozens of other Alchemists and Alchemy disciples, even noticing his mother and grandpa slicing and portioning some herbs and plants with careful moves.

Pef smiled kindly and walked on, then climbed back on his Sky Herald's shoulder. "Elder Hall now."

They rushed at a rapid pace, since Sky Realm cultivators could move really fast if they had to.

The Sect Master appeared at the door, possibly sensing his approach. "Just in time, Holy Son. Come, we have to talk." the man said in a level voice and turned around, leaving Pef to follow at a fast walk.

As they entered the inner quarters, Pef began to feel a chill and then a deep cold, until he started trembling heavily. "You have visitors, Sect Master?" Pef wondered as his approach began getting more difficult.

'Almost like a Domain. No, certainly a Domain. Ice.' Pef concluded with a hint from his memories.

The little boy began pushing into the cold air, and inside himself something shifted. 'Ice is also Water' Pef remembered as he continued walking easier, and entered the Sect Master's room.

Seated on a frozen mat, an old man with frosty hair and eyebrows slowly opened his eyes to examine the newcomer.

"You must be Pef, our new Holy Son." the man spoke gravely.

"And you have poor control over your Domain, Ice Saint." Pef replied as he jumped onto a chair and sat, feet dangling high above the floor.

"Ha. Sharp tongue on the little one." the Saint rumbled as he glanced at the Sect Master.

"He did pass your test, Ancestor." the Sect Master observed politely, then turned to boil some tea for his guests.

"Have you ever seen a Saint before?" the frosty old man asked while examining the blonde boy curious.

"Not in this life, frosty guy. Are you stuck in your cultivation?" Pef asked in a calm voice, then smiling cutely at the Saint.

A deadly silence fell as the Sect Master froze in fear.

"..." the Saint was also silent, although flames began to ember in his eyes.

"It is okay, I love helping people. In your case, I expect you have trouble with the nature of water. Solid, liquid and gas...probably too hard to understand without some education." Pef continued in a carefree tone.

"Explain!" the Saint ordered in a gruff voice.

"Hmmm. Something simple to understand then. Tea!" Pef spoke as he grabbed the teapot from the Sect Elder and swirled it about, making the water slosh inside. "There is water here. But if you pour bits of ice in the teapot, it will melt and become water as well. Clear so far?"

"Come now, Holy Son. We are not Outer Disciples." the Sect Master warned him with a glare.

"Okay. Now we heat the teapot. Water starts to boil. But we keep heating it. Water becomes vapor and rises in the air, until it touches something cold, like the sky. Then it falls down again, as rain or snow. This is also a great way to obtain drinking water from the sea or even some dirty pond. Boil it, then cool the vapors down somewhere else." Pef concluded with a flourish and a bow, as if expecting applause.

The Sect Master swayed for a moment then sat down. "This is what the scripture meant?" he muttered a bit confused then closed his eyes in meditation. Rare Dao insights were precious, and he might gain another Star from this casual explanation.

The Saint glanced dismissively at the Sect Master, then just grabbed the blonde boy by the back of his robe. "Come with me, smart guy."

In a few steps, Pef and the Saint arrived in a deep cavern under a mountain, where a cold flame burned with immense energy in a middle of a octagonal stone fountain.

"This is Icefire. Tell me you can unlock its mystery." the Saint demanded in a morose voice, and just sat down to stare at the icy-blue flame.

Pef gulped and sat down as well.