The Immortal’s Path to Alchemy

“Wugou? You, what are you doing?”

Hua Youdie watched Wugou open all the windows in the dormitory, initially quite puzzled.

Only when Wugou moved all the tables and benches aside did he truly understand. This boy was clearly preparing to personally refine pills.

“Refining pills, of course~”

Wugou twisted his arms with a relaxed expression, his eager anticipation undeniably clear.

“But, but…”

Hua Youdie stammered, his sudden nervousness palpable. Heaven knew he had been convinced that Wugou had a “senior” backing him.

Initially, when he followed Wugou to steal medicine, he had intended to pilfer finished pills. He never imagined that Wugou would have him bring back only “raw materials.” Seeing Wugou’s confident demeanor, he had assumed the “hidden expert” would surely make a move.

Yet, the reality was…

“What else? I don’t know any alchemists myself, and it’s been a long time since I’ve refined pills. I wonder how rusty my skills have become.”

Wugou gave a slight shake. Although the pills he was about to refine weren’t high-grade, he was only at the second stage of Qi Refining. According to the cultivation rules of this world, ordinary cultivators were simply unqualified to control fire arts without first establishing their foundation.

Fortunately, he had found these “Marching Pills.” With his extraordinary speed of True Qi conversion, combined with the pill’s potent Qi-gathering effect, he should be even stronger than an average Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Wugou slowly rolled up his sleeves. “What are you still doing standing there? Hurry up and take out all the medicinal ingredients! Oh, and quickly take that pill furnace to wash. It was taken from under the table, so it might have just been used. If there’s any dregs inside, the furnace might explode later.”

“This… I… sigh…”

Hua Youdie was at a loss for words. However, he was already on this ‘pirate ship,’ and getting off was impossible. He could only silently pray in his heart that Wugou hadn’t deceived him.

‘An eight-year-old alchemist… how could that be possible?’

Hua Youdie took out the medicinal ingredients one by one, shaking his head as he walked out of Wugou’s room, a dazed look on his face.

“Th-thief!”

A startled cry instantly brought Hua Youdie back to his senses. Looking ahead, he saw it was Nian Yun’er.

Hua Youdie had once attempted to steal Nian Yun’er’s Qiankun pouch, only to be easily seen through by Wugou. Naturally, she had left a very deep impression on him.

‘Why is this girl here?’

“Uh, Junior Sister, just call me Senior Brother,” Hua Youdie offered with an awkward smile.

After a few days apart, Nian Yun’er still looked well. He recalled that when he first arrived at Saint Water Palace, it had taken him more than ten days to slowly adapt to life here.

“Thief! Wugou! Are you there? Come out and catch the thief!” Nian Yun’er completely ignored him, instead running and shouting at the top of her lungs.

Hua Youdie: “…”

“Yun’er, come here, I brought you something delicious.”

A voice, as lazy as ever, sounded from behind Hua Youdie. It seemed utterly mismatched with the childish tone.

Upon hearing this, Nian Yun’er’s face instantly lit up with joy. She turned around and made a face at Hua Youdie. As she approached him, she deliberately hugged the wall, and even after passing him, she glanced back every few steps, clearly showing how deeply Hua Youdie’s first impression had stuck with her.

Hua Youdie: “…”

Wugou pulled out a few flatbreads from his Qiankun pouch. These were a specialty of Old Man Wang from the South Market. Though simple flatbreads, they were richly filled with meat, making them particularly satisfying.

Wugou had always believed Yun’er’s parents were too thoughtless. A child so young was still growing; how could she endure Saint Water Palace’s rule of only one meal a day?

“Is it tasty?” Wugou asked, smiling as he patted Nian Yun’er’s head.

“So… cough, cough…”

Nian Yun’er had eaten too quickly, accidentally swallowing a large mouthful of crumbs.

Seeing this, Wugou quickly moved to Nian Yun’er’s side and gently patted her back. Once her face improved, he retrieved a pouch of clear water from his Qiankun pouch and slowly brought it to her lips.

“Little silly girl~”

Wugou chuckled softly, lightly flicking Nian Yun’er’s upturned nose.

Nian Yun’er’s small face instantly flushed slightly. She squirmed, “Wugou, I, I’m fine now.”

“I have more of these flatbreads; eat slowly,” Wugou gently advised.

Nian Yun’er nodded slightly.

Hua Youdie stood a short distance away, a gloomy expression on his face. ‘So, the flatbreads this boy borrowed money from me to buy were for this girl? Fine, he really has a way with things.’

“Hey, are you going to treat your injuries or not? It’s almost dark, hurry up,” Wugou said with dissatisfaction.

“Yes, yes, yes, I won’t disturb you, my future Casanova~”

Hua Youdie gave Wugou a strange smile, but seeing Wugou’s brow furrow, he inwardly cursed and immediately took off.

Upon reaching the pond in front of the dormitory, filled by a water-storage array, he pulled out the ancient and oddly shaped “pill furnace.”

Without a second thought, he decisively lifted the “furnace lid.” Suddenly, a wave of “immortal aura” assaulted his nostrils.

“Ugh~”

“Wugou, cultivation is so boring. It’s all uncles and aunties in there, and no one talks to me.”

Nian Yun’er pouted, her small head resting on Wugou’s shoulder.

The two sat side-by-side on the corridor railing, just as they had yesterday. However, the weather wasn’t good today, so they likely wouldn’t see the sunset.

“I just entered Qi Refining Hall One, and you’ve already gone to Qi Refining Hall Two. What if by the time I reach Qi Refining Hall Two, you, you’ll be gone again…”

Nian Yun’er quietly voiced her small anxieties.

Wugou simply listened in silence.

He knew Yun’er might be homesick. There were simply too few children her age in Saint Water Palace, and he was likely the only playmate she could find in the entire sect.

“Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you.”

Wugou extended his right hand and gently patted Nian Yun’er’s shoulder.

“Mm.”

Nian Yun’er edged closer to Wugou. Soon, feeling it still wasn’t enough, she simply wrapped her arms around Wugou’s waist, burying her small head against his slightly bulging stomach.

“Ahem, you two… I truly don’t want to disturb you, but I’m really in a hurry!”

Hua Youdie had been standing behind them for a while. The atmosphere between the two had been particularly delicate moments earlier, and he feared if he didn’t interrupt now, he’d be standing there until dawn.

“Why are you only just getting back? It takes you this long to wash a furnace?”

Wugou grumbled. With a push of his hands, he jumped off the railing, then turned around again, opening his arms to slowly help Nian Yun’er down.

“Hmph, thief, annoying pest!”

Indeed, Hua Youdie had interrupted Nian Yun’er’s chance to be affectionate with Wugou, which made her quite displeased.

Hua Youdie: “…”

“This pill furnace has a nice design; it’s quite good-looking.”

Wugou casually took the “pill furnace” from Hua Youdie’s hands. The moment he felt its weight, he sensed something was amiss. Yet, the material of this “furnace” was surprisingly excellent, so he decided against commenting further. He opened the lid, revealing a sparkling clean interior.

Wugou gave Hua Youdie a strange look.

Then, with a light cough, he took the “pill furnace” back to his dormitory.

‘Well, the quality is decent, and it’s clean enough. I’ll make do with it…’

Wugou sighed inwardly. ‘Hua Youdie, oh, Hua Youdie, it’s fate. Don’t blame me for not telling you the truth~’

“Wugou, what are you doing?” Nian Yun’er chased after him into the room. Seeing all the furniture in Wugou’s dormitory moved aside, she couldn’t help but ask.

“Refining pills,” Wugou replied with a smile.

Before Nian Yun’er could press further, Wugou began arranging the medicinal ingredients in front of him, categorized and counted, around his body.

Hua Youdie was surprised to see Wugou’s technique. ‘Could this boy actually refine pills? His method of arranging the ingredients seems remarkably skilled.’

After arranging all the medicinal ingredients, Wugou instructed Nian Yun’er, “Yun’er, come sit next to me. You have a fire spiritual root, so watching me refine pills should be beneficial for you.”

Nian Yun’er paused, wondering, ‘Isn’t Wugou a water spiritual root? How will he refine pills? By burning firewood?’

Nevertheless, since Wugou had asked her, Nian Yun’er obediently sat beside him.

Hua Youdie, however, felt a shock in his heart. ‘Indeed, this boy truly possesses more than one spiritual root.’

After settling Yun’er, Wugou immediately turned to Hua Youdie. “Hua Youdie, you should have known this already, which is why I’m bothering to hide it from you now. However, since I’ve healed you today, I’ll need to borrow those five stones on your person for a few days to play with~”

“You!”

Hua Youdie’s heart tensed. He naturally knew what the five stones Wugou referred to were. However, considering Wugou hadn’t said he would take the five “Spirit-Testing Stones” permanently, Hua Youdie hesitated for only a moment before nodding in agreement.

“Alright, from now on, no matter what you see, do not make a sound. My current cultivation realm is too low, and it’ll be difficult to correct any mistakes if I’m disturbed.”

“Mm.” Nian Yun’er immediately covered her mouth with both hands upon hearing this, nodding repeatedly at Wugou. Her wide, sparkling eyes made her look utterly adorable.

“Understood!” Hua Youdie affirmed, sweeping his robes aside and sitting cross-legged on the ground.

Seeing that both were ready, Wugou crossed his legs and entered a meditative state.

The Qi vortex within his now unblocked meridians instantly became highly active. In an instant, all the spiritual energy in the room was pulled by an invisible force towards Wugou.

Soon, the spiritual energy inside the room grew thin, only to be immediately replenished by the spiritual energy from outside.

‘The spiritual energy in this world is truly abundant!’

For a moment, a gentle breeze wafted through the room, sending a slight chill through the two onlookers.

Nian Yun’er’s cultivation period was too short for her to discern the profound mysteries at play.

However, seeing Hua Youdie’s eyes wide with astonishment, a look of utter shock on his face, she knew Wugou’s abilities surely far surpassed his.

She couldn’t help but feel a secret delight. ‘As expected, Wugou is truly amazing.’

Nian Yun’er watched Wugou’s focused expression, her small hands involuntarily clasping together.

Gradually, the wind inside the room subsided.

Only then did Wugou open his eyes.

He commanded, “Rise!”

A cluster of flames suddenly ignited on Wugou’s raised index and ring fingers.

“This, this is a fire control art!”

Hua Youdie’s face instantly changed drastically. Even though he had spent half the day mentally preparing himself, knowing Wugou possessed a fire spiritual root was one thing. Yet, this ability to conjure fire from thin air—wasn’t that a divine ability only cultivators who had reached the “Foundation Establishment stage” could wield?

‘Could Wugou’s True Qi truly sustain the refining of a pill?’

Hua Youdie involuntarily leaned forward. He was determined to see just how monstrous Wugou truly was!