The Fire Kiln, the Medicine House.
A horse-drawn carriage arrived from Lu Manor. Hong Jiang, wearing his sword, gazed at the 'hut' before him—an area intentionally cordoned off—and couldn't help but feel a pang of envy:
'The Young Miss really favors him, to even secure such a cushy job at the Medicine House for Ji Xiu.'
As he grumbled internally, he couldn't help but think of his own duties, and a wave of bitterness washed over him.
'This Medicine House is so nice.'
'Pharmacist Huang is disheveled and mutters nonsense all day. As long as you don't interfere with his Alchemy, he won't even give you the time of day. He just bosses around the servants and Medicine Boys.'
'All you have to do is find an empty spot in the courtyard. You can drink tea or practice your skills as you please. Before you know it, the day's over.'
'Then there's me.'
'I'm stuck supervising the Iron Refining and coal mine shops. The choking smoke and scorching fire make it hard to even open your eyes. Comparing the two, it's like heaven and hell!'
In no time, they had arrived.
He was about to jump down and act as a 'human flesh cushion,' but Ji Xiu grabbed him, gestured for him to return, and then walked into the Medicine House without a backward glance.
Watching Ji Xiu, whose Qi and Blood radiated like a Furnace, Hong Jiang's eyes filled with even greater envy:
'It's all about who you know. He gets a cushy post and endless benefits.'
'A pity that good looks are a natural gift. The rest of us can't ask for it.'
"SIGH!"
'In just over half a month, he's developed muscles like that... just how many Pills did the Young Miss personally feed him...'
...
He stepped into the Medicine House.
Ji Xiu glanced to the side. On either side of the spacious courtyard, bamboo racks were filled with dried herbs, Mountain Ginseng, and restorative joints from tigers, leopards, and wolves.
Every so often, a few Medicine Boys and servants in plain blue clothes with their hair tied up would come and go, drying and sorting the medicinal ingredients.
And when Ji Xiu, dressed in tight-fitting black clothes with an Iron Saber at his waist, walked in.
Instantly, a young man in apprentice attire to his left heard the commotion and walked over to greet him:
"You must be the new Sword-carrying Guest from the manor?"
Ji Xiu nodded slightly.
Seeing this, the young man's face broke into a wide smile:
"Excellent! I heard the news. You must be Lord Ji Xiu, right?"
"I am Zheng Jun, an apprentice to Pharmacist Huang here at the Medicine House. The teacher doesn't usually handle daily affairs; I take care of them for him."
Huh?
A hint of surprise flickered in Ji Xiu's eyes as he looked at the young man named Zheng Jun:
"When I came before, wasn't I told that Pharmacist Huang didn't have any disciples?"
Zheng Jun, who had been leading the way, looked embarrassed upon hearing this:
"Er... Pharmacist Huang, the old man, really doesn't bother with these things. But I've been fascinated with the path of Alchemy for years, and I've learned a thing or two. I've even managed to refine a Ninth Grade Mortal Pill, and I've been a Medicine Boy for many years."
"Since the old man saw I could lend a hand, he just went ahead and dumped all the miscellaneous tasks of the Medicine House on me."
"But enough about that. My lord, I'll take you to see Pharmacist Huang. He happens to be free right now, so he should see you."
"But usually, when you see smoke and clouds billowing from the Medicine House... you must never disturb him. If the furnace explodes, the Pharmacist will be in a bad mood, and he'll actually go and pick a fight with the Manor Master!"
As he spoke, Zheng Jun quickened his pace and pushed open a simple, fumigated wooden door.
Upon entering the room.
He saw several Medicine Boys bustling about, sorting medicinal ingredients.
In the very center, a disheveled old man with graying hair and a filthy gray robe was tapping on an Alchemical Furnace while muttering to himself. With his other hand, he was grinding ink and holding a brush, sprawled on the floor, writing something down.
"Two taels of Twin Lotus, one qian of Centennial Xuan Ginseng, supplemented with a pot of Spiritual Spring..."
"What else to add? A compatible Spirit Medicine grown in Spirit Soil? But where can I find materials that involve an Earth Treasure? Besides, the furnace already exploded once last time..."
"Wrong, wrong, it's still not right!"
"This Half-Page Fragment has such limited information! How am I supposed to refine a Qi Pill with this?!"
RIP!
He leaped to his feet, SWISH, and tore the paper he'd just written on in half. After the burst of anger, he scratched his hair, his facial wrinkles bunching up into a pained expression.
Only then did he notice Ji Xiu, who had been brought in by Zheng Jun.
He turned to size him up, his tone indifferent:
"The new Guest?"
"Pick a room outside and settle in. Come find me if there's business. Otherwise, don't bother me."
"Alright, go."
Pharmacist Huang spoke curtly, then returned to his deep contemplation.
Just as Zheng Jun was about to lead Ji Xiu away...
He discovered...
...that this man had brazenly stepped forward and picked up the torn fragment. Zheng Jun was shocked:
"My lord, don't—"
Meanwhile, Pharmacist Huang, still sprawled on the floor with his rear in the air, heard the footsteps and turned his head, his disheveled hair falling across his face. He was about to frown and speak.
But Ji Xiu bowed and spoke first:
"Pharmacist Huang, when you begin Alchemy, may I assist you and observe the process?"
His tone was sincere.
The disheveled old man saw him holding the torn page, his eyes as clear as a spring, full of a genuine desire to learn, and completely lacking the annoying arrogance of a Martial Artist.
He stared with a straight face for a moment, then scoffed and turned his head away:
"Another one sent by Manor Master Lu to learn the craft?"
"He really never gives up."
"Watch if you want, learn if you want. How much you can pick up is your own business."
"This old man came up the same way. A qualified Pill Master who can't 'taste' and 'observe' will be nothing more than a by-the-book craftsman their whole life."
"As long as you can endure the suffering of the smoke and fire, do as you please, do as you please!"
...
「A few days passed in a flash.」
It was evening, and the setting sun cast its slanted rays.
"Hooo..."
In the brick courtyard, Ji Xiu assumed the 'Profound Turtle Great Toad Technique' stance. A plume of white vapor followed his breath, circulating for one full macrocosmic cycle!
"HAH!"
He exhorted a single breath.
It shot out over a zhang long, lingering in the air like the breath of a Profound Turtle.
[Profound Turtle Great Toad Technique: (30/30)!]
[Current Status: Perfection!]
[Advance completed. The Tutor may advance 1 Martial Arts or Skill Dao!]
'As expected. A few days after reaching Great Success, I completely digested that dose of Tiger Blood Powder. My flesh and blood have grown stronger and stronger under the constant Quenching and lashing of my Force!'
'Although, I'm still about thirty or forty jin short of truly 'Condensing Mercury Blood and wielding a hundred jin of force.''
'But now I can practice my Pile Skill twice a day, once in the morning and once at night!'
'This means I've completely mastered the Upper Volume Blood Nourishing Chapter of the Turtle and Snake Grand Foundation Stake.'
He recalled Duan Chenzhou mentioning that it took a month just to get started.
Ji Xiu couldn't help but smile faintly.
'If my Master were to see this...'
'I wonder if that perpetually calm, expressionless face of his could even show a second expression.'
'But Pile Skill is just Pile Skill. It only allows my Blood Nourishing progress to surpass an ordinary person's by several times. Developing muscles and bones is not something that can be achieved overnight.'
'Those Nobles and disciples from major sects who claim to achieve 'Hundred Days Foundation Establishment and Great Success in Marrow Refining' rely on Superior Pile Skill combined with meals of Spirit Pills and medicinal baths. How could I possibly afford that?'
'Blood Nourishing is already difficult enough. The Muscle Forging that comes after will be impossible to advance without resources.'
'However...'
He thought about how he'd been assisting for the past few days, watching Pharmacist Huang perform Alchemy. The cost of a full set of ingredients was only about the price of a single Pill.
But whenever he succeeded, one furnace would yield at least three or four Pills!
He would pocket the extra ones and only hand over one or two to the client.
The most crucial part was that he didn't even try to hide it. The assistants and even the regular Medicine Boys could see it all clearly!
And those who came to the Medicine House to request Alchemy, whether it was the Great Manor Master Lu Chengfeng or others, all acted as if this was completely normal...
This made Ji Xiu keenly aware of the outrageous profits involved.
Holy crap!
'So all the Pill sellers out there are just middlemen marking up the price!'
'It's only the buyers like us who suffer, watching our hard-earned silver taels disappear into someone else's pocket.'
'I don't know about high-level Spirit Pills.'
'But at least for these ordinary, Mortal Grade Blood Nourishing and Muscle Forging Pills, if I learn to make them myself, I could open a shop—call it the 'Ji Family Pharmacy'—and use the Lu Manor's name for backing.'
'Wouldn't I then have the resources for my future Marrow Refining and Bone Tempering!?'
'I have to learn! I must learn!'
'My Turtle and Snake Grand Foundation Stake is halfway to Perfection, but my Blood Nourishing hasn't reached Great Success yet, so I can't advance to Muscle Forging.'
'The Soaring Serpent Cloud-Chasing Technique can wait.'
'This is the perfect chance...'
'First, I'll advance the Alchemy Skill!'
'Once I've gotten the hang of it, I'll use some silver coins to buy ingredients, refine three or four pills, achieve Great Success in Blood Nourishing, and break through the Muscle-Forging Barrier!'
Ji Xiu's mental abacus clacked away as he plotted his future.
Suddenly.
Hong Jiang appeared at his door, leading a stooped old man in a Steward's uniform who was looking around with a mix of envy and nostalgia.
When they stepped into the courtyard, Ji Xiu squinted, got a better look, and suddenly smiled.
"Older Brother Yao?"
"What made you decide to come out from the Lin Residence to find me tonight?"