After a satisfying breakfast, Bai Xifeng felt a surge of motivation to hone her skills as a pharmacist. She was eager to attempt crafting a 3rd-grade elixir, but before she could set up her cauldron, Baishe's voice echoed in her mind, instructing her to enter the Mirror World first.
Confused but curious, Bai Xifeng followed the spirit's command. Upon crossing the threshold into that mystical dimension, she gasped in genuine surprise.
"Baishe, what happened here?" Bai Xifeng asked, her eyes darting across the horizon.
The Mirror World had undergone a significant upgrade. The previously cramped space, which she estimated to be roughly 16 by 23 feet, had expanded considerably. While the central room remained familiar, the surrounding area now boasted fertile soil specifically designed for cultivation.
"Baishe, does this mean we can actually grow our own ingredients now?" Bai Xifeng asked, her fingers brushing against a newly formed planting bed.
"It appears so. The space evolves alongside your own progress, though the specifics are still a mystery to me," Baishe replied from the shadows.
"This is perfect." Bai Xifeng murmured, her mind already cataloging rare seeds. "I want to get straight to my pharmacy practice."
"Have you forgotten something vital?" Baishe asked, his tone dry.
"What?" Bai Xifeng tilted her head, blinking in confusion.
"You are nearly out of raw materials. You don't have enough herbs left to practice a 3rd-grade recipe." Baishe reminded her.
"Oh, no! I completely forgot!" Bai Xifeng groaned, slapping her forehead in frustration.
Baishe merely leveled a long, judging glare at her.
"Fine, fine. I'll head out to the market and restock our supplies immediately." Bai Xifeng stated.
Without another word, Baishe shimmered and transformed back into a delicate earring, affixing itself to her earlobe.
"Xiao Li, I'm heading out for a while." Bai Xifeng called out as she stepped back into the manor.
"Where are you going, Young Miss?" Xiao Li asked, looking up from her chores.
"I need to procure some specific herbs." Bai Xifeng stated.
"Please, allow me to go in your stead, Young Miss." Xiao Li offered quickly.
"No need, I should handle this myself." Bai Xifeng rejected the offer gently. Then, a thought struck her. "Xiao Li, what is your current cultivation level?"
Xiao Li's shoulders slumped slightly. She possessed the talent to cultivate, but a chronic lack of resources had left her stagnant for years. "I am still at the same level. Low-rank Gathering Qi Realm." She admitted quietly.
"In that case, these are for you." Bai Xifeng reached into her sleeve and produced two containers, a bottle of Scarlet Gathering Qi pills and a bottle of Qi Cleansing Elixir.
She had intended to give them to her yesterday, but her own intensive practice had driven the thought from her mind.
"What are these, Young Miss?" Xiao Li asked, staring at the high-quality porcelain bottles.
"Pills and elixirs," Bai Xifeng said firmly, pressing them into the girl's hands. "Take them. They belong to you now."
"Oh! I will keep them hidden and safe for you, Young Miss. But... where did you get such treasures?"
"I did not 'get' them anywhere. I made them," Bai Xifeng stated matter-of-factly.
Xiao Li's eyes widened until they were like saucers. "What? Young Miss, what did you just say?"
"I said I made them. And I want you to use them to break through your bottleneck." Bai Xifeng repeated, tilting her head at the girl's shock.
"You made these? But these are high-level alchemical products! How is that possible? You... you can't cultivate!" Xiao Li stammered, convinced her mistress was playing a sophisticated prank.
Bai Xifeng glanced at her earring, mentally asking Baishe to mask their presence before she released a burst of her hidden power. "Xiao Li, look closely."
As the golden aura of Qi shimmered around Bai Xifeng, Xiao Li's knees turned to jelly. "Young Miss... you can cultivate? Truly? No one can call you a 'trash' ever again!" Tears began to stream down the girl's face. "I am so, so happy for you!"
"Hey... stop that! Why are you crying?" Bai Xifeng panicked, reaching out to pat the girl's shoulder as the sobbing intensified.
"I'm just... so relieved." Xiao Li blubbered, her joy overflowing.
"Okay, okay, deep breaths." Bai Xifeng sighed, waiting for the storm to pass.
Once Xiao Li had composed herself, Bai Xifeng continued, "As I said, I refined these myself. Your only job today is to cultivate. Take two pills and a mouthful of the elixir. You are to remain in meditation until evening. Understood?"
"Yes, Young Miss! I won't let you down." Xiao Li nodded vigorously.
Bai Xifeng then donned her travelling male attire and used Baishe's illusion to manifest a handsome, masculine face. As she prepared to leave, she noticed Xiao Li blushing furiously. The girl clearly found the "Young Master" version of her mistress quite dashing.
"Remember. Focus on your practice." Bai Xifeng reminded her one last time.
"I will, Young Miss!" Xiao Li nodded.
Bai Xifeng had Baishe teleport her to a secluded alleyway near the market district. Once she was sure no one was watching, she stepped out into the bustling crowd and navigated toward a familiar pharmacy, the same one Xiao Li had visited previously.
The storekeeper looked up and greeted her with a professional smile. "Welcome, Young Master. How can I assist you today?"
Bai Xifeng laid a detailed list on the counter. "I need every item on this list. I'd like one hundred units of each, if you have them."
"One hundred of each?" The storekeeper's eyebrows shot into his hairline.
"Yes. Is that going to be an issue?" Bai Xifeng asked, her voice cool and authoritative.
"Oh, no... not at all. No problem!" The man stuttered, quickly scanning the list.
He noted that many of the herbs were essential for 2nd and 3rd-grade elixirs. He wondered if this wealthy-looking youth was a genius apprentice practicing his craft, but he knew better than to pry into the business of a big spender.
"Young Master, please wait just a moment. I need to verify our warehouse stock for such a large order." The storekeeper said, bowing before rushing into the back room.
Bai Xifeng leaned against the counter, perfectly content to wait. She knew her request was unusual, but with her new wealth and the Mirror World's expansion, her path to becoming a master pharmacist was finally wide open.
***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. It breaks my heart when someone steals my hard work. Can you consider reading it on the original website for those who read my novel on another website besides w e b n o v e l .c o m, as your support to me? Thank you, from, your shameless author, ZerahNeko***