Chapter 483 – Beginning Alchemy

The next day, Zhang Xiaohua continued cultivating the Big Dipper Fist as usual, without feeling the slightest difference. But just as he finished his practice and was about to return to the pill room, he saw Valley Master Nie and Elder Zhang hurrying out from the inner valley, chatting excitedly as they walked.

Zhang Xiaohua rubbed his nose and glanced at the sky blocked by the mountain wall, utterly speechless. The sun had only just risen from the east, yet here it was still pitch dark. Even if you want to squeeze out every ounce of labor, you don’t have to be this anxious, do you? The rooster hasn’t even crowed yet—oh, cough cough, I forgot, there are no roosters raised in the inner valley of Spring Rebirth Valley, only the chirping of sparrows.

Seeing Zhang Xiaohua standing in front of the pill room, Valley Master Nie quickened his steps, clasped his hands, and said: “Virtuous nephew Ren, you rise quite early.”

Zhang Xiaohua returned the salute and replied: “No helping it, it’s a toilsome life. Once daylight comes, I can’t sleep anymore, always thinking of what tasks await today.”

Valley Master Nie chuckled without replying, while Elder Zhang lifted the jade box in his hand and said: “No matter how early you wake up today, young hero, you still cannot compare with us. The records of Spring Rebirth Valley state that herbs are best harvested before the morning dew dissipates, so the Valley Master and I rose even before daybreak…”

Zhang Xiaohua froze for a moment and said in surprise: “There’s actually such a rule? How did I not know?”

“You’ve only just entered the sect a few days ago. There are many things you don’t know.” Elder Zhang struck mercilessly.

Valley Master Nie explained: “This is an old rule passed down in Spring Rebirth Valley from who knows what generation. It was only transmitted orally, without any written records. It’s normal for you not to know.”

Zhang Xiaohua nodded, though in his heart he felt somewhat different: “That’s true. I’ve read many pill recipes and classics, but after all, I’ve never studied systematically. Much of what I know is pieced together. As for these orally transmitted secrets and tips, I know absolutely nothing. Yet it’s often these subtle details that are crucial—the true knowledge distilled through the practice of those before us.”

Noticing Zhang Xiaohua deep in thought, Valley Master Nie asked keenly: “Virtuous nephew Ren, is there something improper about the way these herbs are harvested?”

Zhang Xiaohua started, then smiled: “I only learned another trick from your Spring Rebirth Valley, that’s all. How could there be anything improper? Let me take a look at these herbs first before saying anything.”

It wasn’t that Zhang Xiaohua distrusted Spring Rebirth Valley’s methods—he simply felt uneasy unless he did things with his own hands. Alas, anyone could see he was hardly cut out to be a Valley Master.

Elder Zhang, however, understood and said nothing. He simply handed over the jade box in his hand. Zhang Xiaohua accepted it and examined it carefully. It was about the same size as his own jade box, only the color was pale, and at a glance the quality of the jade was inferior. Sweeping it with his divine sense, he found no fluctuation of Yuan Qi on the box. Just as he was about to open it, Valley Master Nie quickly said: “Virtuous nephew, let us open it inside the pill room. These herbs have already been harvested from the ground—if we open it now, it may affect their medicinal nature.”

Valley Master Nie could indeed be considered an old hand at alchemy, yet when it came to a pill like the Scarlet Flame Pill, which had never before been refined, he was still somewhat overly cautious.

Zhang Xiaohua thought for a moment and said: “Uncle Nie speaks most reasonably. We’ll wait until we begin refining before opening it.”

When the three of them entered the pill room, Zhang Xiaohua placed the jade box on the grooved table surface and asked: “Uncle Nie, how many of these jade boxes for preserving herbs does our Spring Rebirth Valley still have?”

Valley Master Nie thought for a while and said: “There are still many. They were crafted with the help of the Artifact Refining Sect and the Weapon Forging Sect, but that was many years ago. In these recent years, pills as advanced as the Scarlet Flame Pill have long since ceased to be refined in Spring Rebirth Valley.”

Then, after a slight hesitation, he continued: “If there is ever a need for advanced pills, we usually wait until disciples of the Incense Spreading Sect come to Spring Rebirth Valley, then we bring it up, providing the corresponding rare herbs. We let them help refine, and when they return the next time, they bring the pills back.”

“Eh?” Zhang Xiaohua asked curiously: “Would the Incense Spreading Sect even help refine pills like the Scarlet Flame Pill?”

Valley Master Nie gave a bitter smile: “How could that be? Virtuous nephew overestimates the generosity of the Incense Spreading Sect. There are many types of advanced pills, but a pill like the Scarlet Flame Pill, which can increase inner strength—how could they refine that for us? Only some of the other kinds. Moreover…” Valley Master Nie hesitated, then went on: “I imagine the Incense Spreading Sect also has pill refining methods like the one you taught us, but I have never seen them pass anything of the sort down to Spring Rebirth Valley.”

Elder Zhang also said indignantly: “If they would help us refine, we two old men wouldn’t have to trouble Young Hero Ren’s esteemed self.”

Zhang Xiaohua felt somewhat embarrassed, realizing Elder Zhang still had a bit of resentment over the conditions he had laid out yesterday. He clasped his hands and said: “The two elders have treated me very well, and I too have learned much here in Spring Rebirth Valley…”

But Elder Zhang waved his hand to stop him and said: “Enough, Young Hero Ren, don’t say more. This old man simply feels uncomfortable, but we will not make you break the rules of your sect, nor will we put you in a difficult position. Only, during the refining process, the more we can observe, the better. And when the Scarlet Flame Pills are finally produced, we hope you will leave us a few more.”

Zhang Xiaohua laughed loudly and said: “Elder Zhang speaks reasonably. Once the pills are refined, I will only take three. The rest will all stay in Spring Rebirth Valley—how about that?”

Elder Zhang immediately followed up: “What if there aren’t three? Or not even six?”

Zhang Xiaohua answered without hesitation: “If there aren’t three, I won’t take a single one. If there aren’t six, Spring Rebirth Valley will keep the three first!”

Valley Master Nie was about to speak, but Elder Zhang raised his voice and declared: “Young Hero Ren is straightforward, then it’s settled!”

But Zhang Xiaohua waved his hand and said: “Elder Zhang, don’t be in such a rush. I also have a small, shameless request.”

Elder Zhang asked curiously: “You still have something to say? Wasn’t yesterday enough already?”

Zhang Xiaohua rubbed his nose and said: “Last night I carefully studied the Scarlet Flame Pill’s formula and found that refining it does not actually require whole stalks of the Scarlet Flame Grass and Crimson Pearl Grass. As for the other ingredients, half a stalk is enough as well. So I have a request: let me use only half of the herbs to refine first. If it succeeds, then we’ll divide them as we agreed just now. As for the remaining halves, I ask Valley Master Nie and Elder Zhang to leave them to me—what do you think?”

“This…” Elder Zhang looked troubled. He glanced at Valley Master Nie, not daring to decide on his own.

Valley Master Nie frowned and said: “And if the refining fails?”

Zhang Xiaohua pursed his lips and said: “Then of course I would have no face to accept the remaining halves.”

He then added: “With the remaining halves, I would simply try refining again.”

Elder Zhang laughed loudly: “Young Hero Ren’s calculations are clever indeed, not losing out in the least! You want to use our Spring Rebirth Valley’s Scarlet Flame Grass to refine twice?”

Zhang Xiaohua was also unreserved and smiled: “That’s still better than the Incense Spreading Sect—they wouldn’t even refine for you at all.”

While the two spoke, Valley Master Nie had already finished thinking it over. He nodded and said: “Dead things can never compare to the living. If virtuous nephew can refine pills, what harm is there in gifting the remaining herbs to you? And you need not carry any mental burden—refine without worry. Even if both attempts fail, it matters not.”

Zhang Xiaohua was overjoyed and said: “Uncle Nie can rest assured. This nephew has some confidence, and I will by no means waste such precious things, letting Elder Zhang’s years of painstaking effort go to waste. Oh yes, these jade boxes too must be given to me.”

“Clang!” Hearing that last sentence, Valley Master Nie staggered and thought secretly: “This fellow’s temperament truly is just as Little Yu said.”

Before Valley Master Nie could respond, Elder Zhang waved his hand and said repeatedly: “Take them, take them. Spring Rebirth Valley still has plenty of these things. If you like them, your future father-in-law can always get you a few more.”

This time, it was Zhang Xiaohua’s turn to be covered in black lines.

With everything discussed, Elder Zhang and Valley Master Nie also placed their jade boxes onto the table, ready for Zhang Xiaohua to light the fire and begin refining pills.

Zhang Xiaohua hesitated slightly, then stepped forward, removed the cauldron that had been set upon the ground fire, and replaced it with the Immortal Dao pill furnace he had brought from Elder Zhang’s pill room. He was just about to activate the mechanism to raise the ground fire.

Seeing this, Elder Zhang immediately stopped him: “Young Hero Ren, you mean to use this strange cauldron to refine pills?”

Zhang Xiaohua replied with a smile: “Precisely so.”

“But I’ve already tried this furnace myself, and it was impossible to control the temperature. How could it be used for refining pills?”

“Elder Zhang, you don’t know, a few days ago, after moving it from your place, I fiddled with it idly and happened upon a certain method of my sect. With it, I can control this cauldron quite well. In fact, its effect is even better than the original one. So when refining this most important Scarlet Flame Pill, I thought to use this method.”

“So that’s how it is! This is the true reason for his change in attitude!” Valley Master Nie and Elder Zhang both revealed looks of sudden realization. No wonder he could not allow them to watch the whole process—since it was a secret technique of his sect, it was naturally forbidden to be passed on.

Once Zhang Xiaohua had raised the ground fire and heated the cauldron, he stood there without adding any herbs. Elder Zhang asked in puzzlement: “Young Hero Ren, quickly channel your inner force to increase the temperature!”

Zhang Xiaohua only looked at him and smiled without replying.

Valley Master Nie tugged at Elder Zhang’s sleeve and said: “Come, Elder Zhang. Let us step outside for now. Young Hero Ren will call us when the time comes.”

“What? He hasn’t even put in the herbs yet, and we can’t watch already?”

Elder Zhang was thoroughly depressed.

But depressed or not, since the agreement had already been made, Elder Zhang could only rise and follow Valley Master Nie out of the pill room.

Through his divine sense, Zhang Xiaohua saw the two of them standing helplessly outside and could only whisper an apology in his heart.

He waved his hand, and all the jade boxes upon the table opened their lids. At once, the box containing the Scarlet Flame Grass overflowed with lively, exuberant Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth, while the box with the Crimson Pearl Grass overflowed with soft and tranquil Yuan Qi. The other herbs each released a different kind of aura, their densities varying as well.

Zhang Xiaohua carefully memorized the positions of each herb, then closed the lids of the jade boxes. Taking in a light breath, he formed a seal with both hands, striking the cauldron—he was about to begin refining the Meridian-Nourishing Pill!