Chapter 136 – Pill Refining

  Jun De found himself falling back into his old rhythm that he was familiar with on Earth. Studying was the kind of focused solitude that steadied him, allowing him to come to terms with everything that had, and almost, happened.

  When he was in university, he had studied because he had to in order to succeed. But there was also a comfort in it. Sure, he didn’t go to parties, and he didn’t have many friends to spend time with, but he could forget about his troubles when he was immersed in history or literature.

  Now, in this new world of cultivation, Jun De would spend his time in the Alchemy Hall surrounded by the smell of herbs, medicinal pills and ink.

  At first, it was simply something to satisfy the requirement of Elder Mu, who had a keen interest in his studies. But after his month in confinement, it also got him out of his residence and around people again, a suggestion by Shen Weifeng that Jun De followed.

  Now that most of the people he was close to were injured and in recovery, Jun De found himself with a lot of time on his hands.

  But as Jun De read through books and scrolls discussing pill refining, herbalism and flame control, he remembered how excited Lin Yu would be when she discovered a new property in a herb, or how she would laugh when he struggled to distinguish between two nearly identical roots.

  At the time, he had returned her laughter and didn’t understand why is mattered. Now, he began to share her interests.

  Jun De would study herbs in the Alchemy Hall under the supervision of an Elder or visit the Herb Gardens to tend the spiritual plants that Lin Yue had favoured but couldn’t currently care for in her current state.

  Months after the events of the Secret Realm, Jun De was standing in the Alchemy Hall early in the morning, with sunlight streaming through the wide windows and glinting off rows of bronze pill furnaces and jade jars filled with herbs. A strong smell of crushed flowers and grass hung in the air.

  Next to Jun De, standing at one of the long, stone tables, was Elder Wen Hailin, a sharp-eyed man with grey hair and a thin, neatly trimmed beard. His blue robes were spotless, except for faint stains and wear around the sleeves that spoke of long years of handling medicinal powders.

  The Elder was known throughout the Tranquil Mountain Sect for his precision when it came to pill refining and for his lack of patience for anyone who tried to rush his process. His temper was legendary, and it would flare as quickly as his furnace’s flames when anyone spoke to him carelessly.

  A series of jade trays was placed on the table in front of Jun De, each containing dozens of herbs of various sizes, colours and shapes. Some were common and easy to recognize, while others were rare specimens gathered from the Elder’s personal stock and gardens.

  Elder Wen’s eyes stared at Jun De as he tapped the stone tabletop with his knuckles.

  “Name them all, along with their primary alchemical uses. No mistakes, or you’ll start over from the beginning with a new batch. After a suitable time of self-study, of course.”

  Jun De bowed his head respectfully and began.

  He pointed to the first herb, a stalk of tiny blue leaves that shimmered faintly with frost.

  “Frostvein Grass. It draws out heat and stabilizes Yin-attributed Qi. It is commonly used in pills for internal cooling or to suppress the aftereffects of fire-elemental backlash.” Jun De recited evenly. Ever since he began cultivating, his memory had substantially improved.

  ‘If I had this kind of memory on Earth, I’d be a genius.’

  Elder Wen didn’t give any reaction; he simply motioned to a pale green vine that had curling tendrils that coiled around the jade tray like a snake.

  “Serpentroot Vine. Used in refining antidotes and clearing toxins from the bloodstream. If it is incorrectly mixed with Fire Lotus pollen, it turns volatile.”

  Wen Hailin’s eyebrow twitched slightly, but he remained silent. Jun De wasn’t sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The Elder didn’t engage in any chit-chat or waste time with pleasantries. He reminded Jun De of some of his stricter professors who would walk into the classroom already giving their lecture and simply expected everyone to keep pace with them.

  Jun De moved on to the next, a simple flower bud with crimson edges.

  “Heartflame Bud. Stimulates spiritual energy flow and enhances the body’s affinity for fire-element techniques. Valued by the Ren Clan, it’s dangerous if consumed raw and can cause Qi Deviation.”

  There was a brief pause as Elder Wen shifted to the next tray without saying a word. The man gave another gesture, and Jun De continued to identify the herbs in front of him. Every explanation Jun De gave was detailed but concise.

  He had studied for months for this test, and with the delay of the Inner Sect Ranking Competition, it allowed him not to be distracted by anything else. Even as the questions grew more obscure, and the herbs required more observation before being identified, Jun De didn’t falter.

  After a few hours of questioning, Elder Wen’s expression finally softened ever so slightly as he studied the talented young man in front of him.

  The Elder had heard of Jun De’s genius, just as everyone else in both the Inner and Outer Sects had, but Wen Hailin had thought he was simply talented in cultivation. But it seemed there was more to Jun De than that.

  “You have been studying diligently.” Elder Wen said, nodding his head in satisfaction.

  “I find studying enjoyable, Elder Wen.” Jun De said truthfully.

  The older man examined him a moment longer before the Elder stored the herbs back in his storage ring with a flick of his hand. The faint fragrance of hundred-year-old Ginseng, silver lotus, and sunleaf lingered in the air for a long time after the herbs themselves vanished.

  “You have done well.” Elder Wen said, his tone even but with a hint of approval.

  “You can recognize the main ingredients in most Qi Condensation level pills, and the herbs' spiritual affinities, without hesitation. That’s more than most manage in their first few months of tutelage. You are ready to begin Pill Refining.”

  Elder Wen folded his hands behind his back and glanced toward the rows of empty furnaces in the corner of the hall. Many of them were older and battered, clearly having been used for years.

  Jun De was reminded of used textbooks in the university bookstore. He saved a lot of money by buying them, but he was always embarrassed to pull them out during class when the covers were falling off, and some other student had drawn pictures in the margins.

  “Do you have a cauldron of your own, Disciple Jun, or shall the Sect provide you with one? We keep a few basic alchemy furnaces that can be borrowed with contribution points.”

  Jun De shook his head.

  “I have one, Elder.” Jun De said quietly.

  He reached into his storage pouch, rather than the ring on his finger, and waved his sleeve to place a bronze pill furnace on the table in front of him with a shimmer of light. It was simple but well-crafted, engraved with delicate motifs along the sides.

  It was the pill furnace he had given Lin Yue when he had visited Yunlai City. When she had heard that he would be pursuing Alchemy again, she had pushed the pill furnace toward him.

  ‘I’ll let you borrow this for now, Jun De, but you have to promise to discuss everything you learn with Elder Wen when you bring it back to me. Then, when I have recovered, we can go shopping for your own Pill Furnace in Tranquil City.’ Lin Yue had said when he had last visited, and he couldn’t say no to her.

  “This is a good piece for your stage. As long as you keep your flame steady and your intent focused, it will serve you well. I have heard from Outer Sect Elder Hua of the Nine-Treasure Pavilion that you already have a flame?”

  Jun De nodded, holding up his palm to let the Dawnheart Flame send a small lick of golden fire hover above it.

  “Good. Good. Remember, pill refining is not for the poor of spirit or those with a light purse. Each failed batch is a pile of wasted herbs. The Sect offers no charity here; the costs will fall upon you.”

  “There is a reason that our branch is the smallest in the Sect, and our skills are in high demand everywhere we travel. They say the value of each Master Pill Refiner can be measured in Spirit Stones. I have seen small Clans beggar themselves in the hope of training one.”

  “That’s fine, Elder. I can cover the cost.” Jun De replied as he looked down at the small, gold storage ring that he had taken from the Hollow Stream Sect’s treasury. It held more spiritual stones than he could use for years, and he couldn’t think of a better way to put them to use than learning how to refine pills.

  Elder Wen simply nodded, not questioning how Jun De could afford the cost. He knew that he had the backing of the Vice Sect Master, Mu Yanyu, and was close to the granddaughter of Han Zhengwu.

  In the Elder’s opinion, it wasn’t surprising for Jun De to have wealth.

  “Very well, begin with a simple refinement. I will observe.”

  Jun De placed a hand on the furnace’s cool surface and took a deep, steadying breath. He had practiced the basics before, but this was one of his first true attempts at pill refining. His Qi stirred, and he had the Dawnheart Flame ignite beneath it.

  While the furnace was warming, he laid out a dozen small bundles of herbs on the stone table, each wrapped in thin rice paper. The Elder’s eyes flicked over them, instantly identifying them as the ingredients for the Fasting Pill, the simplest but most fundamental of the Sect’s alchemy formulas.

  “Do not let the fact that the Fasting Pill is a basic formula fool you. Most Qi Condensation Disciples only achieve about a fifty percent success rate after months of practice. Purity defines the worth of a pill.”

  The grades of a Pill are ranked from Acceptable, Refined, Superior, Pure, and Perfect, depending on the number of impurities that remain in it. An Acceptable-ranked pill would work as intended, but would eventually have a diminishing effect over time.

  Jun De nodded and got to work.