Qin Gengyun exited Narrow Rain Lane, arriving at the Spirit Pill Workshop before 7 a.m.
As he entered, he encountered Wang Ping and Xu Li, both looking fatigued, with puffy eyes, obviously having gone to Yihong House to listen to music again last night.
"Taoist Friend Qin, we're going to take a nap first. If Steward Yang comes, just tell him we're cleaning the backyard."
The two weakly cupped their hands towards Qin Gengyun and headed towards a room on the left side of the courtyard.
It was the Pavilion Master's former Alchemy Room, where an old bronze furnace and a Lower Grade Spirit Fan were kept.
When the Spirit Pill Workshop first opened, the Pavilion Master used this bronze furnace to concoct pills. Later, after earning Spirit Stones, he bought a Lower Grade Spirit Gathering Furnace and built a larger Alchemy Room next door.
This old Alchemy Room and bronze furnace became idle, now serving as a perfect napping spot for Wang Ping and Xu Li.
Today the Pavilion Master was out, and only his disciple was at the workshop, so the two dared to act so recklessly last night.
"Rest assured, Taoist Friends, if there's anything, I'll call you."
"Thank you, Taoist Friend Qin. We'll treat you to music at Yihong House another day!"
"Uh, that's not necessary."
The two sly fellows went into the old Alchemy Room, and Qin Gengyun swept the courtyard alone, all the while contemplating the alchemy equipment.
He remembered that a Lower Grade Fire-Control Spirit Fan the Pavilion Master used was also kept in that old Alchemy Room.
As he was thinking, a stout male cultivator in a fine silk white robe walked in from outside, moving with momentum, his short legs pushing forward with the aura of a thousand miles in a day.
Seeing Qin Gengyun, the stout cultivator asked sternly, "Why are you the only one here? Where are Wang Ping and Xu Li?"
Qin Gengyun replied, "Steward Yang, Wang Ping and Xu Li are cleaning the backyard."
This stout male cultivator was named Yang Fengshan, the Pavilion Master's disciple, the steward of the Spirit Pill Workshop, and also the Pavilion Master's Spirit Fan Medicine Officer.
Medicine Officers vary in rank, from top to bottom being Spirit Fan Medicine Officer, Pill Poison Medicine Attendant, and Pill Furnace Medicine Officer.
Spirit Fan Medicine Officers assist the Alchemist in controlling the flame with the Fire-Control Spirit Fan during alchemy, requiring delicate control over cultivation and Spiritual Energy, thus holding the highest rank.
Pill Poison Medicine Attendants regularly handle toxic medicinal residues, risking their lives, and are nearly as well-paid as Spirit Fan Medicine Officers, with a secondary rank.
The Pill Furnace Medicine Officer holds the least important role, typically just cleaning the pill furnace or offering encouragement from outside during alchemy, thus the lowest status.
Yang Fengshan, as the Pavilion Master's disciple, had followed him for many years and was just below the Pavilion Master in rank at the Spirit Pill Workshop.
If placed in Qin Gengyun's previous life, he would be akin to a department manager.
Yang Fengshan usually possessed a commanding presence, bossing everyone around except the Pavilion Master with great authority.
Upon hearing Qin Gengyun's reply, he grunted and asked, "Where's Old Man Fang?"
Old Man Fang was the only Pill Poison Medicine Attendant in the Spirit Pill Workshop, reportedly having a daughter in Zhenyang City with hopes of entering the Zhenyang Sect's Outer Sect. He put his life at stake to earn Spirit Stones for her future.
Qin Gengyun replied, "Steward Yang, Taoist Friend Fang has a bad cough and took today off."
Yang Fengshan snorted, "It's good Master isn't concocting pills today, otherwise it would cause delays. Such a sickly person should be let go sooner or later!"
Having said that, he turned to walk away, but Qin Gengyun stopped him, "Steward Yang."
Yang Fengshan turned back impatiently, "What is it?"
Qin Gengyun said, "Could you please tell the Pavilion Master, when free, if I might use that vacant Alchemy Room?"
Yang Fengshan looked at him, puzzled, "Why do you need to use the Alchemy Room?"
Qin Gengyun cupped his hands, "I've recently had some insights into alchemy and want to practice. Steward Yang, if the Pavilion Master agrees, I'm willing to cover some costs."
He initially planned to buy the workshop's second-hand bronze furnace and Spirit Fan, but it wasn't cheap, and his rented room was too small to accommodate an alchemy furnace comfortably.
It would be easier to borrow the Spirit Pill Workshop's facilities and equipment instead.
Of course, if he could use it for free, all the better.
"Alchemy? You? Haha."
Hearing Qin Gengyun's words, Yang Fengshan chuckled coldly and turned to leave.
Qin Gengyun hurriedly stepped forward, "Steward Yang, could you please help? If not, I can buy that bronze furnace and Spirit Fan."
Yang Fengshan glared at Qin Gengyun, "Is the courtyard cleaned? Have the Pill Stones in the furnace been replaced? Haven't done any of it? Then why are you daydreaming here?"
"Get everything done before noon, or I'll report to the Pavilion Master and dock your Spirit Stones!"
Watching Yang Fengshan's stout figure leaving, Qin Gengyun shook his head helplessly.
It seemed he could only try his luck at the night market.
At 5 p.m., Qin Gengyun left the Spirit Pill Workshop, had a quick bite outside, and when dusk fell, arrived at the east end of Caifeng Street.
This was the night market in Yunling Town, where many vendors came each night to sell goods.
From booklets of suggestive tales to Second Grade Spirit Pills, everything was available at the night market.
Of course, whether what one bought was genuine depended on one's eye and luck.
Qin Gengyun entered the night market, where small stalls lined both sides of the wide cobblestone street, the air filled with vendors' shouts:
"Take the Hehuan Pill, and your partner will sing with joy, just one Spirit Stone per pill!"
"Second-hand Lower Grade Flying Sword, can fly and cut, the perfect show-off tool, only 20 Spirit Stones!"
"Top-grade Spirit Beast, Yellow Jade Dragon, can grow or shrink, an essential for single female cultivators!"
Qin Gengyun stopped in front of a vendor selling "Yellow Jade Dragons" and asked him, "Taoist Friend Huang, isn't Taoist Friend Mo here tonight?"
This Taoist Friend Huang was busy attending to a female cultivator interested in the Yellow Jade Dragon. The so-called "Yellow Jade Dragon" was a First Tier Spirit Beast, golden in color and eel-like, with a slight chance of morphing into a spiritual jiao if well-cared for.
Originally intended as a battle spirit beast to be nurtured slowly, it was later discovered by some female cultivators for other ingenious uses and became one of the most popular items at the night market.
After attending to the inquiring female cultivator, Taoist Friend Huang finally addressed Qin Gengyun, "Taoist Friend Qin, you're here? Taoist Friend Mo is out delivering goods; she'll be back soon."
He pointed to an adjacent unattended stall, and Qin Gengyun smiled, "Then I'll help watch it for a while."
Qin Gengyun sat down, noting dozens of low-grade talisman papers laid out on the stall, among which were a few "Divine Movement Talismans" he'd used the previous night.
The owner of this stall was a female Talisman Master, who also lived in Narrow Rain Lane, her house directly across the alley from Qin Gengyun's.
Speaking of this female neighbor, Qin Gengyun had a great deal of respect for her.
She was only at the Second-Layer of Qi Cultivation, a First Tier Talisman Master, with no background or support. During the day she worked as a Post House Cultivator, setting up at the night market in the evening, returning before dawn to cultivate and draw talisman papers, only to be out the door again by early morning.
If hard work guaranteed success, Qin Gengyun believed she would already be a Nascent Soul Great Power.
Unfortunately, in this world, talent and background are indispensable, and effort hardly counts for anything.
And this female neighbor, unfortunately, had only her effort.
Qin Gengyun had grown quite familiar with her and had heard her mention that she intended to achieve her dreams through her own capabilities, without relying on anyone.
Thus, even though Qin Gengyun was friendly with her, he had never considered her as a partner for Dual Cultivation.
Because he knew that Taoist Friend Mo would never take the easy path.
After waiting a while, a slender figure in a plain daoist robe hurried over, and Qin Gengyun stood up, smiling, "Taoist Friend Mo, I've been waiting for you."