As boring as it could look, there was a compelling interactivity to concoctions. From the outside, the practice appeared mostly about patience due to the long periods of stillness, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
Alchemists never stood still, even when they didn't move. The alchemical flame required constant attention since the slightest change in the amount or nature of Qi fueling it could affect the entire concoction, and that was only the beginning.
The variables were too many to count. No ingredient was identical to the previous, even if it came from the same plant. The cauldron also changed after each use despite its planned resilience, and that issue applied to the environment, too.
The air's composition, the cave's temperature, the alchemist's state, and even mere specs of dust could create new variables that affected a concoction.
