Feeling the need to elevate her alchemy to a new level, Yulan decided it was time to enter closed-door cultivation. With a heavy heart, she bid farewell to her friends, knowing that she would be in seclusion for a long time. As a cultivator committed to defying the limitations of her own destiny, she knew that only with years of dedication could she reach the level of alchemy that could defy the heavens themselves.
And so she returned to her personal cave, a solitary retreat that had, over time, become her sanctuary. With one last look at the outside world, she firmly closed the doors and sealed the space with isolation formations, ensuring that nothing could disturb her concentration. She removed her magical necklace, which glowed softly in the light leaking from her green spiritual flame, and with a deliberate touch, activated the magical garden. It was here, in this hidden space, that she would spend the next few years, immersed in alchemical studies and experiments.
Upon entering the magical garden, Yulan was greeted by the warm familiarity of its spiritual plants and the soft hum of energy that pulsed through the air. This secret space, where rare and exotic herbs flourished under the influence of her spiritual flame, was the source of her alchemy and the laboratory where she could safely experiment. In the center of the garden was her alchemy furnace, an artifact of ancient origin that, under the influence of its green flame, enhanced the fusion of ingredients into new creations.
With the years of practice she had accumulated, Yulan had developed a deep connection with her spiritual flame, and she knew that her advancement in alchemy would depend entirely on her ability to harmonize her green flame with the furnace. With each attempt, she hoped to achieve an alchemy that not only surpassed mortal limitations, but was capable of defying even the laws of heaven.
The first few years of her seclusion were spent intensively concocting low- and mid-level pills that enhanced health, vitality, and body strengthening. Constant practice allowed Yulan to refine her technique, perfecting her control of her green flame to achieve precise timing when fusing ingredients. Soon, she began to notice significant progress: the pills she produced were purer and possessed denser energy than any she had ever created before.
By her second year, Yulan had become confident enough to take on more complex challenges. She began working on rare and powerful elixirs, delicate concoctions that required precision and absolute mastery of spiritual energy. The process was risky; a slip-up in the mixing of elements could result in violent explosions, but Yulan, with patience and focus, learned to feel the pulse of each ingredient. She allowed her green flame to intertwine with the spiritual essence of the materials, fusing them in a unique and precise way.
The many years had brought the greatest challenge of all: the creation of celestial-level pills, those that contained the power to defy natural laws. These pills were not only difficult to refine; they required perfect harmony between the cultivator and the furnace. Any distraction could destroy not only the pill in production, but her entire magical garden. Yulan knew the risks, but she was willing to take on the challenge. With unwavering determination, she began to gather the rarest herbs in her garden, carefully selecting those with the energy needed to concoct pills that rivaled destiny itself.
During the process of concocting one of the heavenly pills, Yulan felt a suffocating pressure in the air. It was as if the heavens themselves were watching her efforts, an invisible force looming over the magical garden, daring her to continue. The alchemy furnace trembled under the pressure of the dense, complex energy she channeled through her green flame, and Yulan felt the weight of her own limit. However, determined to prove her worth, she focused every shred of her soul into the final fusion.
At the crucial moment, a green spark shone brightly from her spiritual flame, and the furnace exploded in a burst of light. For a moment, Yulan thought all was lost, but as the smoke cleared, she saw, shining amidst the ashes, the first celestial pill of her creation. The energy emanating from it was intense, pure, as if it carried the essence of life itself. She held the pill in her hands, feeling its power pulse like a heart.
By the end of his closed-door cultivation, Yulan had accumulated a stockpile of powerful pills and elixirs, each with unique abilities. Knowing the importance of sharing his success, he decided that he would donate some of these precious creations to the sect in exchange for contribution points, reinforcing his commitment to the betterment of those around him.
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Emerging from the cave after years of dedication and hard work, Yulan now possessed an alchemy that transcended the ordinary. Her strength and determination had taken her skill to a new level, and with the heavenly pills in hand, she knew she was ready to face whatever fate brought.
When Yulan finally emerged from the cave, the sunlight and freshness of the air felt different, almost strange. Although time had been a constant, uninterrupted flow to her, the world had transformed into a terrifying 90-year span. She knew that closed-door cultivation could consume precious years, but the extent of time that had passed felt almost surreal.
The landscape around her cave remained the same, the towering mountains and clear skies of the valley that enveloped the Heavenly Flame Sect. As she approached the gates of the sect, she was greeted by new faces and looks of reverence, marks of respect for someone who was now considered an elder. The young disciples who had previously admired her from afar now bowed deeply as they watched her pass, acknowledging her presence with respect and even a certain reverence, as the story of her advancement and alchemical talent had become almost legendary.
Walking through the familiar corridors, Yulan soon noticed the subtle changes. Although the structure of the sect was largely the same—the same halls, the same protective formations, and the same elders and patriarchs—many of the faces she had once known had become mere memories. Most of the low-talent disciples, those without the blessings of longevity in cultivation, had aged and left this world. Her closest colleagues, those who lacked strong spiritual roots, had turned into faded memories, and the few friends who remained were now respected figures in the sect, with silver hair and faces lined with the wisdom of years.
Li Mei, her master and elder, was still there, seemingly untouched by time. With her experience and cultivation level keeping her young and alert, Li Mei now watched Yulan with pride, as if watching a flower fully bloom. “Yulan,” she said with a warm smile, “you have not only exceeded my expectations; you have become the alchemist I dreamed of one day seeing.” Alongside Li Mei, the other elders also respected Yulan’s trajectory, acknowledging her mastery of alchemy and her spiritual abilities.
Recognizing her potential and value to the sect, the patriarch offered Yulan a new position: she would now be an elder responsible for teaching alchemy. The sect believed that her knowledge would not only strengthen the new disciples, but would also bring lasting benefits to their legacy. She accepted the position gratefully, knowing that her journey thus far could be a beacon for others.
Setting up shop in her own hall, with a laboratory equipped with rare tools and advanced alchemical furnaces, Yulan began to welcome disciples from all walks of life. She guided them through the intricacies of alchemy, sharing her knowledge of spirit herbs, alchemical flames, and the power of pill creation. The seeds of her green flame, which she regularly cultivated and refined, became an invaluable resource in the sect, and Yulan used these seeds in advanced classes to teach control over spirit flames, one of the secrets of her own alchemical skill.
The most talented disciples watched her every word and gesture with fascination and zeal, entranced by the techniques Yulan revealed and the complex elixirs she created. Rumors among them held that Yulan possessed heaven-defying alchemy, an ability to concoct pills so powerful that they could prolong life, heal wounds in ways never before seen, and even strengthen one’s cultivation in astonishing ways.
But for Yulan, the lessons that time had taught her were deeper than alchemy or cultivation. The deaths of loved ones had touched her in unexpected ways. The friends who had once stood by her side, those who had not possessed the spiritual roots to become immortal, were gone forever, leaving Yulan with a unique and painful understanding of mortality and the cost of immortality.
Every disciple she saw growing old, every face that faded with age, reminded her that on the path to immortality, many would be left behind. She knew that in choosing to move forward and transcend the limitations of mortality, she had also accepted the price of watching the world change while she remained. Yulan came to view mortals with compassion, understanding that to them, every moment was precious, every achievement fleeting yet intense.
Thus, Yulan continued to teach with profound wisdom and growing compassion. The Heavenly Flame Sect, with her as its elder, prospered even more, and her name became a living legend among the cultivators. Yulan, with the green flame that radiated serenity and power, was not only an advanced cultivator, but a guide, a mentor, and a symbol of determination for those who followed her.
As she looked out over the horizon of the sect, she knew that although time and the world continued to change, she was ready to face whatever the path to immortality had in store for her, sustaining the flame that now guided the next generation.