Su Wen walked toward the farm, his movements calm and practiced. For his grandparents, he carefully selected ordinary vegetables, cabbages, carrots, and gourds, plucking each with attention and care.
For Du Yue, however, he chose spiritual produce: Luminous Spiritleaf lettuce that shimmered with inner energy, silver-fruited Moonmelon that glowed faintly under the sunlight, and Jadeberry tomatoes that pulsed with vitality.
Lastly, he reached for a single leaf of the Spiritvine Herb, essential for healing meridians. He plucked it gently, mindful of its delicate energy, and stored it safely in his storage ring.
With all the ingredients gathered, he returned to the kitchen. First, he prepared the meal for his grandparents: a fragrant stir-fry of cabbage and carrots, a hearty gourd and mushroom soup, and steamed rice with sesame garnish. Then he moved on to cook for Du Yue, carefully crafting a Spiritleaf salad, Moonmelon and Jadeberry stew, and a delicate Spiritvine tea. Each dish was prepared with the utmost care, his intent not just to nourish, but to aid her recovery.
When the meals were ready, he set the dining table. Little sparrow was served first, chirping and hopping excitedly. Then came his grandparents, who accepted their dishes with approving nods and smiles. Finally, he placed the carefully arranged meal in front of Du Yue. She looked at him calmly, and said politely, "Thank you..."
Yet deep down, a quiet warmth spread through her chest. No one had cared for her like this before, someone preparing her meal thoughtfully, tending to her needs without asking for anything in return. Though her face remained composed, her heart felt full, and a gentle happiness lingered in her mind.
The family began eating, the aroma of the dishes filling the lakeside lodge. Little sparrow nibbled happily at its seeds, chirping cheerfully between bites. Grandma and Grandpa savoured the stir-fried cabbage and carrots, the gourd and mushroom soup, and the steamed rice, occasionally exchanging approving glances. Du Yue carefully sampled each dish placed before her, the Spiritleaf salad, the Moonmelon and Jadeberry stew, and finally, the delicate Spiritvine tea.
As she drank the Spiritvine tea, a soothing warmth spread through her body. She could feel that some of the minor blockages in her meridians were beginning to ease. Though the more serious injuries still required Su Wen's treatment, this small step brought a glimmer of hope to her recovery.
A soft smile appeared on her face, and she looked at him with genuine gratitude. "Thank you, Su Wen…," she thanked her again, her voice quiet but sincere.
Su Wen simply nodded, his expression calm yet attentive. "Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, your treatment will begin."
Du Yue felt her heart stir at his words, and for a moment, the warmth of both the tea and his concern lingered within her.
After dinner, Su Wen quietly excused himself and made his way to his personal alchemy room, a small, secluded space he had set up during breaks from the academy. The room was situated just next to the farmland, with a carefully concealed pit he had dug to safely place his alchemy cauldron. He has already added a sound-blocking formation, barrier formation, temperature control formation, wind control formation to the alchemy room two years ago. In case, any accidents happen like blowing up the cauldron, excessive temperature, smoke congestion etc. these formations can take of everything. The faint smell of earth and herbs mingled in the air, calming his mind as he prepared for the delicate work ahead.
At the centre of the pit rested the black cauldron, a priceless gift from his alchemy teacher, Elen. Its black surface absorbed the light, and the golden vermillion pattern exuding a quiet, almost imperceptible aura of power that seemed to respond to his spiritual qi. Su Wen has already finished refining the cauldron earlier. He sat down in front of the treasure cauldron, using his Spiritual Qi to ignite the fire beneath the cauldron without a single flame escaping the pit.
He then began organizing the carefully prepared ingredients for the pills he planned to refine. First, he laid out the Yang Essence Pill herbs, chosen to strengthen the body, replenish blood, and ignite the inner fire. Next came the Soul-Lustre Pill components, aimed at enhancing his spiritual perception and refining the soul. Finally, he carefully arranged the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill, designed to aid in his breakthrough and consolidate his cultivation.
One by one, Su Wen methodically added each herb into the black cauldron, his hands steady and movements precise. As the fragrant steam rose and mingled with the faint glow of spiritual qi, he focused entirely on the process, knowing that every step could determine the quality of the pills, and the success of his cultivation breakthrough.
After a night of meticulous refinement, Su Wen finally succeeded in completing all three pills. The quality was exceptional, less than 5% impurities, a figure that would shock even the most skilled alchemists in the outside world. Only the top geniuses of the great sects in the Central Continent, or the seasoned old masters, could consistently achieve such precision.
Su Wen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. Even for him, this level of purity was unexpectedly high. He knew much of the credit went to the black cauldron gifted by his alchemy teacher, Elen. The special properties of the cauldron helped stabilize the spiritual energy and control fluctuations during refinement, significantly reducing impurities.
This remarkable result was also thanks to Su Wen's Soul cultivation, which granted him extraordinary control and the ability to precisely sense and adjust even the subtlest changes. Apart from that, he required almost no rest; a brief meditation was enough to restore him completely, leaving him as alert and focused as if he had slept for hours.
Su Wen sat in meditation under a tree, recovering his mental energy and calming his mind, preparing for the breakthrough. After some time, once he felt ready, he took out the Yang Essence Pill, intending to fully refine his bones. Although this wasn't strictly necessary for the upcoming breakthroughs in soul and spirit cultivation, he didn't want to fall behind in body cultivation.