After the spiritual root testing, the steward led Zhou Xun and others around the entire Pill Treasure Pavilion, explained the arrangements for the next month, and then left.
The thirty of them were arranged two to a pill room.
The pill room was not large, only about two or three zhang square.
In the center was a pill furnace, with earth fire connected below.
Sharing a pill room with Zhou Xun was Wang Erniu.
Previously, Wang Erniu was taken away by Lin Zhishan to meet Master Yun Ku.
Master Yun Ku personally re-tested Wang Erniu's spiritual root. Once confirmed, he wanted to take him as a disciple on the spot.
However, Wang Erniu stubbornly claimed he already had a master and would not take another.
Master Yun Ku, of course, didn't force him and sent him back.
After returning, Wang Erniu recounted his experience to Zhou Xun.
Hearing Wang Erniu reject Master Yun Ku, Zhou Xun admired his deep sense of loyalty but also regretted him giving up such an opportunity.
Yet Wang Erniu seemed unconcerned.
"I was just a cowherd from a mountain village; becoming a cultivator is already very satisfying!"
The two sides of the pill room were filled with scriptures.
All of them introduced various alchemy materials in the Cultivation Realm.
There was even a basic elixir—a Grain Avoidance Pill recipe.
Looking at the thick scripture in his hand, Zhou Xun couldn't help but chuckle wryly.
He never expected the pill recipe to be in such a thick book; in his impression, a pill recipe should just be a simple piece of paper.
Upon opening it, he understood.
The scripture recorded several methods to refine the Grain Avoidance Pill.
It included all the issues that might arise during refining and various solutions.
It could be said that once he thoroughly comprehended the book, the refining of the Grain Avoidance Pill would be familiar, and actual practice could follow.
As for that single sheet of paper, it was merely the elixir formula, lacking the refining methods for the needed spirit medicines, cautions, and solutions for issues during refining.
Only a true alchemy master could refine elixirs based on a simple formula.
Quickly, Zhou Xun understood this principle.
No one in his past life had created a product just by following a recipe.
On the first day, no tasks were assigned, and they were simply allowed to get familiar with the Pill Treasure Pavilion.
Zhou Xun stayed in the pill room to glance through various scriptures, as he had never dealt with alchemy before.
Thankfully, he had now awakened his divine sense, gaining the ability to memorize at a glance.
Learning became much easier.
While Zhou Xun was concentrating on reading the scripture, a knocking sound suddenly came from the door.
Wang Erniu quickly got up to open the door!
It was Chief Steward Lin.
Steward Lin was surprised to see Wang Erniu opening the door but soon showed a friendly smile:
"It's Erniu, you're assigned here too!"
"Greetings, Steward Lin, is there something you need?" Wang Erniu greeted with a bow, then asked with slight confusion.
"I came to see you and Nephew Zhou!" Steward Lin, with a kind demeanor, appeared like a neighborly uncle.
Zhou Xun also came out upon hearing, stepping forward with a greeting bow.
"Greetings, Steward Lin!"
"Ah, it seems I wasn't wrong that day; you truly got selected!" Steward Lin showed a satisfied expression.
He thought Zhou Xun was unaware of his actions and came specifically to make his presence known to him.
Zhou Xun, seeing this, sneered inwardly but outwardly maintained a grateful expression.
"I must thank Steward Lin for this!"
Hearing this, Steward Lin laughed heartily, as if having achieved his goal, and waved his hand:
"I merely recommended you, the real decision was made by Master Yun Ku! Oh right, I have an alchemy manual here, you must study it well daily and become a proper alchemist sooner!"
Saying this, Steward Lin pulled a booklet from his storage bag and handed it to Zhou Xun.
"Thank you, Steward Lin!" Zhou Xun bowed once again.
"Alright, study well!" With that, a pleased Steward Lin left with hands behind his back.
"Steward Lin is such a good man!" Wang Erniu exclaimed.
"Indeed, he is a good man!" Zhou Xun nodded, an unusual expression in his eyes.
It wasn't until evening that Zhou Xun left the Pill Treasure Pavilion and returned home.
The Pill Treasure Pavilion did not provide accommodation for the quasi-alchemy apprentices; the pill room was merely for their alchemy studies.
...
The next day, Zhou Xun arrived at the Pill Treasure Pavilion early.
Today, he was to take the first lesson, an introduction to alchemy.
The class was held in a large hall.
The hall spanned several dozen zhang, with a high platform in the center.
Thirty cushions were neatly placed around, meant for their use.
At the third quarter of the hour before 8 AM, everyone had arrived.
Zhou Xun, arriving early, chose a spot near the platform.
From his past school experience, he knew good students always sat near the front.
At 9:00 AM exactly.
A delicate figure walked in from outside the hall.
Everyone looked over.
She was a young lady as gentle as jade, with brows like distant mountains and a snowy face like blooming lotus.
In a long dress reaching her low shoes, bright starry eyes, and white teeth, she was elegant and refined.
Everyone was stunned; they had never encountered such a beautiful woman of extraordinary aura.
Wang Erniu's face flushed; he didn't dare to look at her directly.
Zhou Xun also felt awestruck.
Though he had seen many beauties in his past life, he had to commend her, elegant and otherworldly.
The young lady walked past them and gracefully stepped onto the platform.
From her storage bag, she took out a cushion and then sat cross-legged.
"The eldest miss of the Lin Family, it's actually her!"
It seemed someone recognized her identity.
The eldest miss of the Lin Family, Zhou Xun immediately understood.
In Red Leaf Square, she was a renowned figure.
She was the only daughter of Lin Family's current patriarch, Lin Anshuo.
Nevertheless, what made her famous was not her status but her high-grade spiritual root and talent in alchemy.
At merely sixteen, she was a Fourth-Layer Qi Refining expert.
At the same time, she was a Tier One Middle-Grade Alchemist, a prodigy-like character.
"Quiet!" A voice as melodious as a lark rang out, like the sound of a clear spring on stone.
"Today's first lesson will be a demonstration of alchemy, to give you an initial impression of the alchemy skill!"
The young lady, with a cold expression, simply said, and retrieved a pill furnace, silver spirit charcoal, and various alchemy materials from her storage bag.
Silver wood charcoal is refined from Tier One low-grade silver spirit wood.
This, when ignited, produces spiritual fire more gentle and easily controlled than earth fire, making it the best ignition source for alchemists to refine elixirs.
"Today's refinement is an Energy-Introducing Pill commonly used in the Qi Refining stage!"
Saying this, she placed the silver spirit charcoal under the pill furnace.
A spell was cast onto the furnace, and a crimson flame leaped up instantly.
"When refining pills, spiritual fire is needed to warm the furnace!" The young lady explained while operating.
After a moment, the furnace was adequately warmed.
Her fingers, as white as scallions, gently motioned, and a blue-green spirit medicine flew into the pill furnace.
"This step is to condense the medicinal liquid. There are various methods for medicine condensation; different spirit medicines require different methods..."
...
One hour passed just like that.
Suddenly, a medicinal fragrance rose from the pill furnace, filling the entire hall and invigorating everyone's spirits.
The young lady's expression changed, casting another spell, and the lid of the furnace opened automatically, from which twelve milky white round pills flew out.
Eleven were a bright milky white, while one was lackluster.
The young lady frowned slightly, seemingly having made a mistake.
"Twelve success pills, eleven prime, one inferior!"
"Worth over four spirit stones, yet the cost is less than two!" Zhou Xun mused to himself.
The profit was over double, no wonder alchemists were said to be the wealthiest among cultivators.
Those below the stage all displayed eager expressions.
This was precisely the effect the first lesson was meant to achieve.
"Today's alchemy demonstration hopes to inspire everyone to practice hard, and soon become true alchemists!"
After saying this, with a wave of her hand, she put away the alchemy materials and gracefully left.
...
The next day, it was the same hall but with an elder replacing her, explaining the pharmacology of spirit medicines.
This was an elder alchemist of the Pill Treasure Pavilion, although just a Tier One Middle-Grade.
Yet Master Yun Ku highly praised his understanding of pharmacology, and even Lin Zhishan felt inferior.
Learning pharmacology also required mastering spirit medicine processing methods and the condensing pill technique.
Zhou Xun became accustomed to the daily life of alchemy study.
Every day, he traveled between the Pill Treasure Pavilion and his home in Luliu Lane.
Thus, a mundane month passed.
One day, Wang Erniu suddenly found Zhou Xun, unable to hide his excitement.
"Big brother, I'm getting married!"