The chamber door creaked open, and Jia Hao stepped inside, the scent of herbs clinging faintly to his clothes.
In his hands was the pouch, bulging with freshly bought ingredients.
His sharp eyes immediately swept over the scene—the glowing runes, the great cauldron, and Li Fengyuan standing before it.
"Fengyuan, what are you planning?"
Jia Hao asked, voice low with caution.
Li Fengyuan didn't answer directly. Instead, a small smile touched his lips.
"You came at the perfect time!"
His hand extended.
"Give me the herbs."
Jia Hao's brows knitted in confusion, but he obeyed and handed over the pouch.
The moment Li Fengyuan took it, he turned back to the cauldron as if the world around him had ceased to exist.
Behind them, Sun Huai gave a quick bow.
"Young Master Li, this humble one shall leave you to your work. If you require anything, just call me."
With that, the elder carefully pushed the stone door shut, sealing the chamber.
The faint golden light of the formation lines pulsed once, ensuring both protection and silence.
Li Fengyuan poured the herbs onto the preparation table, fingers moving with surprising familiarity.
He separated stalks, roots, and dried petals, each handled with precision and care.
The faint medicinal scent began to rise, mixing with the fragrance that flowed through the chamber.
Without hesitation, he raised his hand.
A flicker of flame burst forth from his palm, steady and controlled.
He guided it into the cauldron, where it roared to life, the inscriptions along its surface shimmering faintly.
Jia Hao slowly walked to Zhao Dazhu's side, lowering his voice.
"Is he actually going to refine pills?"
Zhao Dazhu scratched his head, equally bewildered.
"I… I think so. But can he even do it? I mean… this is Li Fengyuan we're talking about!"
No matter how they thought about it, it didn't make sense that Li Fengyuan—who spent most of his time chasing after Shen Yuyan—would know anything about alchemy.
Well, they also hadn't thought that Li Fengyuan would know such an incredible cultivation technique, so all they could do was wait and find out whether he was bluffing or truly knew alchemy.
Inside the cauldron, the fire reflected off Li Fengyuan's eyes.
His expression was calm as he began adding the first herbs in precise order.
The flames curled, devouring the ingredients, breaking them down into liquid essence.
Each motion was practiced, each adjustment perfect.
The chamber was silent except for the steady crackle of flames and the faint bubbling within the cauldron.
Half an hour later, a faint glow began to rise from within the cauldron. The fragrance of herbs intensified, rich and soothing, washing through the room in waves.
Li Fengyuan's gaze sharpened. His fingers traced a quick seal, and the flame flickered, compressing just slightly.
Clink!
The cauldron shuddered once.
Then, with a soft burst of light, several round, lustrous pills floated upward, glowing faintly as if each carried a sliver of vitality.
With steady hands, Li Fengyuan guided them down into a jade vial he had prepared.
He sealed it quickly, his motions smooth, before letting out a long, weary breath.
Sweat beaded across his forehead, dampening his hair. His chest rose and fell heavily.
(This is much harder than I thought.)
In his previous life, controlling flame and balancing herbs had been effortless—thanks to his high cultivation.
But now, in this weak body that had yet to even step firmly onto the cultivation path, every movement required full concentration.
Maintaining the flame at just the right temperature while timing each herb's fusion had drained him far more than he anticipated.
He leaned lightly against the cauldron, eyes narrowing.
(I thought I could refine three, maybe four batches… but like this, even one batch is my limit. My current strength just can't support it.)
His gaze drifted to the emptied table. The herbs Jia Hao had brought were now nothing but lingering traces of medicinal Qi.
(Well… the ingredients are gone anyway.)
He looked at the pill vial which holds precious pills.
(Still… one batch should last us quite a bit.)
Li Fengyuan exhaled slowly, wiped the sweat from his brow, and straightened.
"Alright," he said at last, his voice calm but firm. "We're done here. Let's go!"
The words jolted Zhao Dazhu out of his half-doze. He blinked rapidly, rubbing his eyes.
"Eh? Already? Did you… did you actually succeed in making pills?"
Li Fengyuan gave a faint nod.
Zhao Dazhu leaned forward eagerly.
"Show me! Show me, quick!"
With a flick of his wrist, Li Fengyuan revealed the jade vial.
The faint medicinal fragrance escaped instantly, drifting through the chamber. He tilted the vial just enough for Zhao Dazhu to glimpse inside.
Zhao Dazhu's eyes went wide.
"Wha—! They're not really black lumps!"
He had half-expected charred failures, yet what he saw were smooth, rounded pills with a faint glow clinging to their surface.
It really looked like Li Fengyuan had succeeded—and they were even more beautiful than the pills his clan bought.
Jia Hao was equally shocked.
"Come," Li Fengyuan said, sliding the vial away.
"First, let's head to the cultivation grounds. You will find out how amazing they are!"
***
Sun Huai was outside, waiting for Li Fengyuan to finish playing around, and expected him to come out within ten minutes.
But more than half an hour had passed, and he now couldn't help but get worried.
His expression was stiff, eyes darting toward the chamber as if checking for smoke or damage.
(Hopefully he didn't break anything… if he did, I'm finished!)
Crack!
Relief washed over him the moment Li Fengyuan stepped out, flanked by Jia Hao and Zhao Dazhu.
The chamber behind them remained intact, its runes still pulsing faintly.
Li Fengyuan paused, turned to Sun Huai, and inclined his head politely.
"Thank you for your help, Teacher Sun."
To Sun Huai's surprise, Li Fengyuan reached into his sleeve and took out a single pill, placing it in his palm.
(While this is the lowest quality from the batch, it should still be better than other Grade-3 Pills.)
Having been satisfied with the alchemy room, he decided to reward Teacher Sun who helped him to get the room.
Sun Huai blinked, stunned for a heartbeat, before his lips stretched into a hasty smile.
"Ah—Young Master Li is too courteous! This humble one does not dare to accept—"
But Li Fengyuan had already withdrawn his hand, giving him no room to decline.
Awkwardly, Sun Huai tucked the pill into his robe pocket, his mind racing.
(A pill, eh? Surely some failed refinement, no different from a burnt pebble… Still, best to keep it.)
He didn't think much about the pill and accepted it only in case Li Fengyuan got angry if he refused.
"Many thanks, Young Master," Sun Huai said, bowing low.
Li Fengyuan gave him a final nod, then turned away, leading his two friends toward the cultivation grounds.