Li Huowang carefully watched the small Pill Furnace in front of him. Beside it stood three incense sticks, burning to mark the passage of time.
In an environment without clocks, this crude method was the only way Li Huowang could keep time.
When the last incense stick finally burned out, he immediately extinguished the fire beneath the furnace and opened the Pill Door. A peculiar fragrance, a mixture of various herbs, wafted out.
Success! A surge of delight filled Li Huowang's heart. He poured the finished Alchemy Ingredients into a sieve and began to shake it. Once all the worthless, ashen dregs were sifted away, only black elixirs of various sizes remained in the box.
These were the Blood Soothing Pills Master Danyang had mentioned—a very simple type of elixir used for staunching blood.
A single dose could not exceed one tael, otherwise there was a risk of the user's blood coagulating completely.
It sounds rather useless, probably more effective for harming people than for healing them. But because the formula was so simple, Master Danyang had assigned it to Li Huowang for practice.
After counting them carefully, Li Huowang found he had obtained thirteen large Blood Soothing Pills and twenty-six small ones.
Li Huowang's gains were not limited to the pills. Through the process of refining them, he had also learned some fundamental principles of Alchemy.
Alchemy was far more difficult than he had imagined. Beyond mere timing, even minute details like the orientation in which the herbs grew had to be carefully distinguished.
A single misstep would result in a world of difference in the elixir's efficacy and the success rate of the refinement. The pile of charred waste beside him was proof enough.
Li Huowang took out a small bamboo tube, placed all the elixirs inside, and sealed it. He took a deep breath, donned the nearby Daoist Robe, and walked toward the door. "It's about time," he muttered. "Midnight is almost here."
When Li Huowang pushed open the door to the ingredients room, everyone working inside stood up in unison, staring at him in terror.
In their eyes, he was now no different from King Yama himself.
Li Huowang regarded them with a complex expression. He walked past them under their collective gaze, finally stopping in front of Bai Lingmiao.
The girl's white hair trembled along with her body. She tried her best not to cry, but ultimately failed. Tears streamed from the corners of her pale pink eyes, a distinctive trait of her albinism.
His face grave, Li Huowang reached out and took her hand. He led her out of the ingredients room and toward the Alchemy Room.
Inside the damp, dripping cave tunnel, Bai Lingmiao choked out what she believed to be her final words to Li Huowang.
Li Huowang listened in silence, saying nothing. He deliberately led her to the door of his own quarters, then suddenly turned and pulled her inside. "Take off your pants."
Bai Lingmiao's eyes snapped wide open. She froze on the spot, seemingly stunned by his actions.
「Three-quarters of an hour before midnight」
Li Huowang brought Bai Lingmiao to the Elixir Room. Master Danyang had just arrived as well.
Seeing that Li Huowang had brought the Medicinal Guide without being told, a hint of satisfaction appeared on Master Danyang's face. He looked upon his youngest disciple a little more favorably.
"Heh, good disciple, come here." With a casual beckoning of his hand, Bai Lingmiao flew through the air toward him. He seized her by the neck and threw her into a stone urn large enough for one person.
Witnessing this, Li Huowang's heart pounded in his chest, and his hands clenched into tight fists.
Just as the Pill Grinding Stone Rod, weighing several hundred pounds, was about to slam down, Master Danyang abruptly stopped.
"Hmph. Of all the times for her to get her period. This will completely alter the medicinal properties." Master Danyang frowned, his gaze falling on Bai Lingmiao's blood-stained trousers.
Seeing this, Li Huowang breathed a silent sigh of relief. His plan had worked.
Once Li Huowang understood how Alchemy in this world truly worked, he had found a way out of their predicament.
Since the properties of every mineral and herb, like Gold Stone, were so variable, then the properties of a Medicinal Guide—a human ingredient—could surely vary as well.
He recalled that in the Daoist Sect, a woman's menstrual blood was considered a form of filth. Having Bai Lingmiao fake her period was his countermeasure.
Furthermore, to avoid arousing suspicion, Master Danyang had to discover this for himself. It could not be pointed out by someone else.
Now, it seemed his objective was achieved. Bai Lingmiao's life was saved.
Master Danyang waved his broad Daoist Robe, and Bai Lingmiao was flung from the stone urn, slamming hard onto the ground.
The impact was severe. Bai Lingmiao clutched her knee, taking a long moment before she could struggle back to her feet. But Li Huowang could not help her; he could only watch on coldly from the side.
"Xuanyang, take this Medicinal Guide back." Hearing Master Danyang's words, Li Huowang finally, truly relaxed. He bowed respectfully. "As you command, Master."
As Bai Lingmiao walked to his side, Li Huowang noticed her head had been split open. Bright red blood was trickling down her cheek.
Even so, Bai Lingmiao looked at Li Huowang with gratitude. In the face of Death, such minor suffering was nothing.
No matter what, we muddled through this time. It'll probably be a long while before they call on Bai Lingmiao again. Li Huowang thought as he led Bai Lingmiao toward the exit.
But just as they were about to step out from the shadow of the giant Alchemy Furnace, Master Danyang's light, airy voice drifted from behind them.
"Xuanyang, since this Medicinal Guide is unusable, go and fetch another one. I recall we have one more White Medicine Guide. Be quick, don't miss the auspicious hour."
The words made Li Huowang's body tremble slightly. He turned and bowed to Master Danyang again. "Yes, Master."
Li Huowang didn't know how he made it back to the ingredients room. He was completely numb as he walked up to the other man with albinism, grabbed his arm, and began leading him out.
The man cried out in despair, kneeling on the ground and repeatedly kowtowing as he begged for his life. But there was nothing Li Huowang could do. He could only personally escort the man to the Alchemy Room.
Shaking, Li Huowang turned to leave but was stopped by Master Danyang's voice. "Weren't you eager to learn the way of Alchemy? Come, watch carefully. The refinement of such a complex and rare Elixir cannot be witnessed just anywhere."
Li Huowang walked closer and observed with rapt attention, listening as Master Danyang explained when to add each ingredient and when to increase the intensity of the fire. He was like an eager student, absorbing the entire alchemical process.
When the flames beneath the Alchemy Furnace were extinguished and its door opened, seven fully-formed, black Elixirs floated out, lining up in a row before Master Danyang.
"Good. Very good. You have a talent for this. None of my other disciples are as eager to learn as you. Here," Master Danyang said, taking one of the Elixirs from his palm. "A reward from your Master."
"Thank you for the gift of this Elixir, Master!" Li Huowang bowed deeply to Master Danyang, his hands trembling as he cradled the precious Elixir.