In the dead of night, the rain grew heavier.
It hammered against the rooftop like a cascade of falling beans, creating a noise that frayed the nerves.
Bai Mo finally finished cleaning the shop. He then sprinkled medicinal powder around to ensure no trace of blood lingered by morning.
Only then did he stop, satisfied with his work, and uncover the mutton that had been stewing for a long time.
White steam billowed from the pot. Bai Mo took a satisfied sniff, then ladled out a bowl for himself and began to savor it.
The flavors of the mutton and medicinal herbs exploded in his mouth—a pleasure beyond description. The fatigue from a long day's work melted away.
As he enjoyed the rich flavors, his mind grew active.
'According to Lanshan, the Qi Blood Pill works by burning qi and blood for power. The process seems irreversible, and there's no way to tamper with it.'
'And it's not like I can just replenish the source qi and blood. I'll have to find another way.'
Bai Mo ladled another bowl of mutton from the pot, his mind racing.
'In that case, I'll have to perform a little sleight of hand. I need to find a substitute for the source qi and blood.'
The moment the thought occurred, several potential solutions immediately sprang to Bai Mo's mind.
Even Bai Mo himself was taken aback.
'Damn, I really am a genius!'
He calmed himself and began to consider the feasibility of his ideas.
'By using a specific combination of medicinal herbs, I could burn the immense medicinal power they generate. That could definitely replace a portion of the qi and blood.'
'However, the power provided by burning medicinal energy might not be sufficient, and there's a risk of it impacting and damaging the meridians.'
Bai Mo continued to deduce the Pill's effects. Before he knew it, the mutton soup in the pot was nearly gone.
'It could actually work!'
Bai Mo was energized. Based on his ideas, a new Qi Blood Pill was indeed feasible.
'It's just that the cost would be too high. It's not a viable business model.'
He lowered his head, deep in thought.
'Actually, the most direct method would be to use a Demon Beast's essence blood to replace the qi and blood a Cultivator burns.'
'A Demon Beast's essence blood isn't actually that different from a human's. Someone else's would also work…'
The moment that thought surfaced, a chill ran down Bai Mo's spine.
'Isn't this method a little deviant? If people brand me as a Demon Cultivator…'
Bai Mo shivered, then forced himself to calm down.
'Since ancient times, Pills have been made using Demon Beast ingredients. As long as I don't use human essence blood, it shouldn't be a major issue!'
He had just calmed down and resumed his deductions when, a moment later, his expression fell.
'It's no good. With my current skill in Alchemy, I can't fully work out the formula for the new Qi Blood Pill.'
Pills using Demon Beast parts had their own unique and bizarre medicinal properties. Recklessly refining them into a new Pill was no easy task.
With a thought.
[Pill Master: Bai Mo]
[Realm: Qi Refining Second Layer]
[Identity: Pharmacy Apprentice (363/500)]
[Aptitude: Self-Reflection; Minor Insight]
Bai Mo gazed at the ink-black panel floating before him.
'My only option now is to rely on my insight. This Qi Blood Pill is something I modified myself, after all.'
'If my insight were a bit higher, I might be able to elevate it to a whole new grade.'
His decision made, Bai Mo snapped back to reality.
He quickly washed the pot and bowl, then sat cross-legged on his bed to meditate.
As he circulated the Basic Guidance Technique, wisps of Spiritual Qi were drawn into his body. Bai Mo savored the cool, silky sensation.
'I should've known to ask Lanshan for a better guidance technique.'
Bai Mo didn't know Lanshan's exact realm, but for him to lead a Demon Hunting Team into Celestial Barrier Mountain, he had to be at least at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer.
Most of the people doing business on this street were low-level Cultivators at the Qi Refining Third or Fourth Layer; those at the Fifth Layer were rare.
However, even among those in the same realm, the difference in strength could be enormous.
Lanshan, who had spent years tempering his strength and surviving in Celestial Barrier Mountain, would likely have no trouble defeating a city-dwelling stall owner of the same realm.
This was the source of the Demon Hunting Teams' confidence when confronting the city's influential families.
When the Demon Hunting Teams united against a common foe, even the city's Law Enforcement Team—let alone the influential families—would have to think twice.
Of course, that was as far as the Law Enforcement Team's hesitation went.
As disciples of the Myriad Dharma Sect, members of the Law Enforcement Team were commonly at the Fifth Layer. Armed with superior weapons, even Lanshan would have to be wary of them.
...
「The next day.」
Bai Mo climbed out of bed.
Even though he had stayed up half the night, the hour of meditation he'd done had ensured Bai Mo was still full of energy today.
The days following the grand market were always much quieter.
There were few pedestrians on the street, making it feel quite desolate.
Bai Mo decided not to open for business today and to focus solely on Alchemy.
'Over a hundred Pills to make. That should keep me busy for a while.'
'Once I break through, the road ahead will be wide open.'
What he had seen and heard yesterday had added a layer of worry to Bai Mo's heart.
'For the sake of this pitiful sense of security, losing some business to improve myself is worth it.'
The ground was still damp. Bai Mo dragged a snakeskin bag out from under his bed and started pulling out medicinal herbs.
He then brought over all the other common herbs as well.
Bai Mo took out all the herbs, save for those that needed to be sun-dried. After carefully washing them, he began to process each one.
Bai Mo's hands moved with deft efficiency. Especially after practicing the Intercept Mai Hand, his technique had become even more precise and rapid.
When washing them, he could scrub away the dirt and grime without damaging even the finest rootlets of the herbs.
If anyone had been there to watch, they would have cried out in amazement.
The pharmacy apprentices in the city, even those who had handled herbs for three to five years, definitely didn't possess such skill.
Even so, processing the large pile of medicinal herbs still took Bai Mo half a day.
He took a break to eat a flatbread. Seeing the sky was still dark and gloomy, Bai Mo decided to simply shut the doors and windows and devote himself to pill-making.
"Hey, Shopkeeper Bai!"
A neighbor's window slid open, revealing a pale, haggard face.
"I've got some gossip. You want to hear it?"
Bai Mo knew his neighbor's personality. One look was all it took to know the man had spent another night in the brothels.
"Might as well let me hear it." Bai Mo paused, his hand on the window.
The neighbor was all right, if a bit of a motormouth. He had inherited his family's Talisman business and lived a rather comfortable, wealthy life.
The young man leaned halfway out the window, cracking sunflower seeds as he spoke:
"This morning, the guys from the Demon Hunting Teams got into a scuffle with a few of the influential families in the city."
"I heard it's because those families were preying on households with no heirs."
The young man sighed. "Truly despicable."
Seeing that Bai Mo hadn't responded, he continued:
"Your old customer, that fellow Lanshan, caused quite a stir."
"He didn't actually fight, just stood there to show support, but the fact that he managed to escape a whole pack of Demon Beasts chasing him out of Celestial Barrier Mountain is enough to get people talking."
Bai Mo wasn't surprised by this news, so his expression remained unchanged.
"Is your news really this dull, my friend? Utterly uninteresting."
The young man gave a sly grin. "Oh, I've got something interesting, all right."
"You know that Lord Li in the city?"
"There are several Lord Lis in Immortal Arrival City."
"Er, the one who built his fortune on the Talisman business," the young man said in a low voice.
"He pissed off the Demon Hunting Team, so they exposed him—revealed that his only son is actually a bastard."
"Tsk tsk, with his own house in chaos, everything's in an uproar. I bet it won't be long before the Law Enforcement Team comes to pick the bones clean."
Now this caught Bai Mo's attention. The fall of an influential family could fatten up several others, and even Loose Cultivators like them could get a decent piece of the pie.
It was a bit like the excitement of vultures gathering for a feast.
After exchanging a few more words with the young man, Bai Mo moved to close his window.
His neighbor was also in the Talisman business, so of course, he was particularly interested in the matter.
"Hey, if you ever actually refine that Golden Spear Pill, remember, I'm your first customer!"
SLAM!
Bai Mo paid him no mind, slamming the window shut. The room had its own vent to let out the smoke from his Alchemy.
'Heaven knows what kind of trashy book that guy read to learn about a "Golden Spear Pill."'
'He'd given Bai Mo a list of nonsensical ingredients and had been dreaming ever since that Bai Mo would one day successfully refine it.'
Shaking off those thoughts, Bai Mo began to set up his pot and furnace.
His technique for refining the familiar Pills was already masterful; he could easily do it while multitasking.
Before long, thick, acrid smoke began to billow from the room.