The next day.
Qin Gengyun woke up, got out of bed, and saw Qiu Zhihe still with her back turned to him, seemingly still asleep.
Not wanting to disturb her, Qin Gengyun washed up briefly and then left the room.
Upon arriving at the Spirit Pill Workshop, it was bustling with activity today, despite it only being 7 a.m., and everyone was already there.
Even Wang Ping and Xu Li arrived on time, energetically picking up brooms to start sweeping the courtyard.
Qin Gengyun asked Wang Ping, "Is the Pavilion Master back?"
Wang Ping chuckled, "Taoist Friend Qin, you always show up on time, yet you don't know—the Pavilion Master returned last night. The Ice Purity Pill was reportedly sold for sixty-five Spirit Stones, and the buyer ordered two more. The Pavilion Master will likely be conducting alchemy today."
Qin Gengyun's eyes lit up, "The Pavilion Master is going to perform alchemy today?"
He failed at the refinement step last night; if he could enter the Alchemy Room today while the Pavilion Master is performing alchemy and observe, perhaps he might gain some insight.
However, Qin Gengyun is just a Pill Furnace Medicine Officer, a servant among servants, usually unqualified to enter the Alchemy Room.
He used to secretly watch from outside the door but couldn't see clearly. Now that he has undergone his first practical operation, he urgently needs to observe the refinement process of a High Tier Alchemist.
This would greatly benefit him.
At that moment, a male cultivator entered from outside the pavilion, dressed in a fine brocade Taoist robe, with a jade-like face, a tall and slender figure, and long whiskers on his temples and chin. He held the whiskers between his fingers as he walked, exuding a somewhat heavenly and immortal demeanor.
"Pavilion Master!" Everyone clasped their hands in respect.
This person was named Pei Daoyu, the Pavilion Master of the Spirit Pill Workshop.
Fourth-Layer Qi Cultivation, Second Tier Alchemist.
Such cultivation and alchemist realm are considered quite good among the Loose Cultivators in Yunling Town.
Beyond that are cultivators from major forces and sects.
The stout Yang Fengshan followed behind Pei Daoyu, also wearing a fine brocade Taoist robe, but his stature and demeanor were vastly different.
Pei Daoyu paid no attention to everyone and walked straight into the Alchemy Room. Yang Fengshan arrogantly scolded everyone:
"Listen up! No one is allowed to disturb the master without my orders!"
He then scanned the room and pointed at Fang Chao:
"Old Man Fang, you come in and assist!"
When the Pavilion Master refines important Spirit Pills, he occasionally lets people in to assist, grabbing herbs and adding Pill Stones.
It seems today the Pavilion Master indeed plans to refine the Ice Purity Pill. Each one sells for sixty-five Spirit Stones; such a profitable undertaking is naturally extremely important.
Old Man Fang coughed twice and quickly agreed.
Suddenly Qin Gengyun stepped forward and said to Yang Fengshan, "Steward Yang, Taoist Friend Fang is not feeling well; perhaps I could take his place and assist?"
Fang Chao looked gratefully at Qin Gengyun; his frail body indeed made service in the Alchemy Room arduous.
Yang Fengshan glanced at Qin Gengyun and scolded, "I call who I call, not up to you to decide!"
After speaking, he ignored Qin Gengyun, and Fang Chao nodded helplessly at Qin Gengyun, following Yang Fengshan into the Alchemy Room, looking miserable.
Everyone else went about their tasks, and Qin Gengyun paused, picked up a broom, and walked to the window of the Alchemy Room, sweeping while carefully extending his Divine Sense inside.
He moved cautiously, stopping his Divine Sense an inch inside the window, knowing that Pei Daoyu was at Fourth-Layer Qi Cultivation; too close a distance could easily be detected.
"Master, that Qin Gengyun wanted to come in earlier, but I didn't let him because he seemed sneaky."
His Divine Sense had just entered when he heard Yang Fengshan's voice.
Qin Gengyun was speechless; he hadn't offended Yang Fengshan usually, so why was he bad-mouthing him in front of the Pavilion Master?
Such people only curry favor with leaders, showing loyalty by using others as stepping stones.
In Qin Gengyun's previous life at the chemical factory, his supervisor was the same, always circling around the leader and incessantly complaining, annoying those below.
One day, that person was ambushed on the way home, thrown into a gutter after being beaten.
At this moment, inside the Alchemy Room, Pei Daoyu merely acknowledged with a tone and then said:
"Let's begin."
Quickly, no more voices were heard from inside, and shortly after, the Pill Fire ignited, with Yang Fengshan directing Old Man Fang to add herbs to the Pill Furnace.
Qin Gengyun withdrew his Divine Sense, no longer standing by but heading to the backyard to clean.
The Ice Purity Pill as a Second Grade Spirit Pill requires more than one or two kinds of herbs, and the Medicine Transformation step alone takes at least two hours.
Qin Gengyun only needs to start observing from the Refinement step; there's no need to stay around now.
Two hours later, holding a broom, Qin Gengyun began "sweeping" around the Alchemy Room again.
Standing by the window, he cautiously manipulated his Divine Sense to re-enter the room.
Advancing slowly.
He was ready to retract his Divine Sense immediately should anything feel off.
However, things went smoothly as his Divine Sense probed forward; the Pavilion Master was evidently fully concentrated on the Pill Furnace, indifferent to other matters.
Qin Gengyun grew slightly bolder, continuing forward with his Divine Sense, seeing the Pill Furnace, with Yang Fengshan wielding the Spirit Fan beside it, while Old Man Fang was on the other side, covering his mouth, seemingly trying hard to suppress coughing, quite suffering.
The Pavilion Master sat in front of the Pill Furnace, staring intently at it, his Divine Sense likely inside the furnace.
Qin Gengyun's Divine Sense lacked intensity and was too distant to penetrate the furnace.
Nevertheless, he could already sense the Pavilion Master's changes in spiritual power during refinement.
One hour later, Qin Gengyun could no longer sustain his external Divine Sense and had to withdraw.
Yet, the close observation earlier gave him enough insights, considering he was only at First Tier.
Qin Gengyun no longer lingered outside the Alchemy Room but went to work.
At 5 p.m., it was time to disperse; the three were still in the Alchemy Room, and people at the workshop were hesitant, unsure whether to go home or wait for the Pavilion Master to emerge.
This situation resembled Qin Gengyun's previous life at the companies, where employees felt uneasy leaving early if the boss was still working overtime.
Only Qin Gengyun, eager to return home for alchemy, couldn't resist and left.
He first bought a Clear Spirit Grass, then quickly returned to Narrow Rain Lane.
Upon entering the house, Qiu Zhihe emerged from the kitchen, holding an iron pot, containing freshly cooked porridge.
Qin Gengyun said, "Taoist Friend Qiu, you eat first, no need to wait for me."
Saying so, he eagerly went into the kitchen, cleaned the Pill Furnace, ignited the Pill Stone, and lit the Pill Fire.
Tonight he planned to attempt making Clear Wind Powder again.
Fanning the Fire-Control Spirit Fan, waiting for the Pill Fire to blaze, adding Clear Spirit Grass into the Pill Furnace.
This time Qin Gengyun's efficiency improved significantly, and half an hour later, the Clear Spirit Grass had transformed entirely into medicinal liquid.
Finally, the most crucial step—refinement!
Qin Gengyun held his breath, concentrating on guiding his Divine Sense into the Pill Furnace.
The Divine Sense slowly entered the medicinal liquid, meticulously extracting any impurities.
This process was much more challenging than Medicine Transformation, but his efficiency was also much better than last night; one hour later, most of the impurities from the medicinal liquid had been removed.
Outside the kitchen, Qiu Zhihe quietly sat at the table, gently placing her hands under the iron pot, palms emitting almost invisible red flames, keeping the porridge warm.
Inside the kitchen, sweat appeared on Qin Gengyun's forehead, with the medicinal liquid still containing the last bit of impurities.
Success or failure hinges on this moment!