The huge demand for pills had led to a situation where the tiny number of alchemists in the world could not keep up with production. After all, they were needed not only by cultivators but also by ordinary people.
To compensate for the shortage, special alchemy rooms were developed — in them, alongside the necessary tools, magical arrays for controlling fire and the alchemical cauldron were inscribed.
Even ordinary people could use these rooms, which partially satisfied the people's needs. Increasing the quantity, however, lowered the quality of the products. And creating unique and complex pills was out of the question.
It was in one of these rooms that our heroines were currently working.
Qinxuan carefully arranged the ingredients on the worktable, checking each one attentively. Her movements were precise and refined, like those of someone who had long mastered this craft.
Delia, comfortably seated on a bench nearby, watched her. Her gaze kept returning to her friend's face, as if drawn by the magic of the moment.
The first step was mixing the crushed Scorpion Flower with a few drops of her own blood. She added them to a small white porcelain bowl and set it aside, allowing the mixture to steep.
Then she took a Red Sapote fruit, cut its skin with a sharp knife, and squeezed the thick juice into a glass beaker. Droplets of the clear liquid slowly ran down the walls of the vessel. Adding night-blooming jasmine pollen, the master stirred the mixture until it was homogeneous.
Carefully but confidently, she placed the mixture into the cauldron and ignited the fire. Its soft glow illuminated her face, making her features seem even more delicate.
Nothing could pull her eyes away.
Without distraction, the black-eyed girl continued her work. She split a cherry laurel pit, extracted the kernel, and added it to the heating mixture. A faint, sweet aroma filled the air.
As the mixture began to solidify, Qinxuan deftly peeled the silverleaf stems, leaving only the thin inner fibers. These fibers, web-like in appearance, were surprisingly strong and elastic.
Using the cauldron's control array, she began shaping the future pill, simultaneously weaving in the peeled stems, which formed intricate patterns on its surface.
Waiting for the right moment, she plucked a perfectly round white orb from the cauldron and carefully placed it into a bowl with the infusion standing nearby.
The hot pill gradually absorbed the liquid, changing color — from pale to a rich red with silver stripes on its surface.
The tall girl, the sole observer, watched with fascination as Qinxuan handled the tools with grace and confidence. Each movement was light and elegant. Even with her hair now golden, she had not lost her astonishing beauty — particularly striking at that moment.
The young, petite girl with an oval face and expressive black eyes, shining with wisdom, looked like a living porcelain figurine. Her pale skin resembled fine porcelain, and her thin lips, tinted a light pink, added resolve to her expression.
Long, straight hair reaching her waist framed her face, emphasizing slightly pronounced cheekbones and neatly shaped eyebrows. Everything about her radiated confidence and mystery.
When the fire under the cauldron flared brightly, its light illuminated Qinxuan's face. The tall girl froze, overtaken by a strange, deep feeling. The admiration she felt suddenly turned into something more, piercing her soul.
Her heart skipped a beat, as if on the verge of stopping, and a shiver ran through her body, raising goosebumps on her skin.
This state lasted until Qinxuan approached, extending a dark-red pill — more like an elaborate piece of candy.
— Very beautiful! — Delia finally said, calming herself and smiling.
The words tasted like they meant more than the pill…
Who knows?
— Ha ha, beauty is only its lesser quality. — Qinxuan slightly lifted the corners of her mouth, holding the pill between two fingers.
— When are you going to take it? Before bed? — Delia asked, curious about the treatment process.
— No, — young alchemist replied.
Without a moment's hesitation, she tilted her head back and swallowed the pill in one motion.
— It doesn't act instantly. First it will expel the poison, then gradually begin healing the wounds it left.
— And how long until full recovery?
— About a day. Maybe a bit more.
— Then congratulations in advance, — Delia cooed.
— Thank you. — Qinxuan lowered her gaze, but her voice trembled with genuine warmth. — I couldn't have done it so quickly and easily without you.
Delia smiled, but along with the warm feeling came a shadow of doubt. She lowered her eyes to her hands, then asked quietly but directly:
— Now that the problem is solved… you don't need my help anymore?
— No, of course not. — A small body leaned closer, looking at the friend intently. — You might not know, but the energy you transmit… is different. Cleaner. Stronger. It accelerates development. Thanks to you, I can create the inner flame not in half a year, but in a month. So… you'll have to tolerate me a little longer. If you don't mind?
Not answering the playful question, Delia asked seriously:
— We've been together only three days. Can I call you my friend?
A minute of silence followed — suffocating, at least for Delia. Qinxuan's unwavering gaze pressed heavily on her, yet she didn't give in and stared back, waiting for an answer. Delia understood that for a person who had experienced betrayal, trust was a luxury, but still…
— After what my own family did to me, you might think I have trust issues. But that's not the case.
Delia's face shifted from confusion to surprise as Qinxuan, with a light movement, jumped onto her lap and continued.
— That incident hurt, yes, but it allowed me to open my eyes and clearly see who is sincere and who is only playing, — she said.
(Well, past-life experience plays a big role here too) — she added to herself.
— In this world, only you can be called my friend, and if you don't betray my trust, I will never betray yours.
At the end of her words, the girl took Delia's hand, gently squeezing it. In the light of recent events, the blue-eyed girl's mind went blank for a few moments. Forcing herself to appear calm, she whispered:
— You won't regret it.
— I believe that.