Learning to Make Medicine

Currently, Yan Lingyun experienced a sensation akin to playing a video game in first-person perspective, with one crucial difference: she wasn’t controlling the character. Instead, an AI took the reins, leaving her to merely observe its every move.

After sweeping her gaze across the myriad spirit herbs, Yan Lingyun quickly located the first ingredient she sought.

“Shopkeeper, how much is one stalk of this Heart-Corroding Grass?”

The stall owner glanced briefly at Yan Lingyun before casually quoting a price.

“Heart-Corroding Grass, a Tier 1 spirit herb, costs one spirit stone per stalk on the market.”

Yan Lingyun nodded, handed the stall owner a spirit stone, and took the herb.

She then resumed her search through the market, and in the blink of an eye, half of the hundred spirit stones she possessed had vanished.

“Be mindful of our spending,” Yan Yun reminded her. “Don’t buy too much at once; we still need to save some spirit stones for a pill furnace.”

At her reminder, Yan Lingyun suddenly recalled this necessity and turned towards a shop selling cultivation tools.

The shops in the East City that dealt in cultivators’ supplies were predominantly clustered within a single district.

At least half of the establishments in this area belonged to the Jiang and Yan families, while the remaining half comprised shops opened by other factions who rented the premises.

The Yan and Jiang families merely collected rent each month.

This district also boasted the highest foot traffic of cultivators in Qifeng City, exceeding that of the Zhou and Song families’ areas by two or three times.

Primarily, their longer operating history had cultivated a reputation and trustworthiness that the Zhou and Song families simply could not match.

Both the Zhou and Song families had only moved here within the last five centuries.

Consequently, Yan Lingyun purchased a furnace for Yan Yun—the most ordinary one available, as there was no other option; the remaining funds were only sufficient for the cheapest model.

“Excellent, everything is ready,” Yan Lingyun declared. “It’s time to refine some pills.”

“My esteemed Ancestor,” Yan Yun said with a worried frown, “please don’t jest. We’ve spent all hundred spirit stones. If we can’t make this money multiply, we’ll be in serious trouble.”

Yan Lingyun chuckled.

“Rest assured,” she replied, “I wouldn’t deceive you about something of this importance.”

With that, Yan Lingyun departed the market and returned to the Yan family estate, having stored all her purchases within the Heavenly Tome.

This was one of the Heavenly Tome’s functions: item storage, boasting a spatial capacity far exceeding ordinary storage pouches or rings.

Yan Yun first found a secluded spot outside to change back into her male attire. She dared not linger too long, for if someone were to suddenly seek her out, it would be difficult to explain her appearance.

Upon returning to her abode, she immediately retrieved the items they had purchased.

“Ancestor,” Yan Yun addressed Yan Lingyun, “it’s all up to you now. I don’t know how to refine pills.”

Subsequently, Yan Lingyun once again took control of Yan Yun’s body.

“If you don’t know how to refine, then learn,” Yan Lingyun instructed. “I will use your body to demonstrate a few times, and through this, you will grasp the skill.”

As she spoke, Yan Lingyun began to circulate her poison cultivation technique. She only activated a small portion, concentrating the power into her right hand, where a purple, toxic energy swiftly coalesced into a violet flame.

This was a poisonous fire, and once it had fully formed, she directed it into the pill furnace.

“The first pill I shall refine is called the Heart-Corroding Pill, a toxic elixir that affects one’s consciousness,” she explained. “It is effective against cultivators below the Cavern Realm (TL Note: A cultivation realm). There are two methods of use: The first is oral consumption. Upon ingestion, it causes mental unease, hindering cultivation. Should one attempt to cultivate forcefully, the probability of qi deviation (TL Note: A common cultivation mishap where internal energy goes awry, leading to physical or mental harm) will significantly increase.”

“The second method involves crushing it with spiritual power, which releases a substantial amount of toxic mist. This mist affects the minds of all who inhale it, though its efficacy is only half that of oral consumption.”

Yan Lingyun elaborated as she proceeded with the refining.

Under the tempering of Yan Lingyun’s poisonous flame, the herb rapidly melted, transforming into a concentrated medicinal essence. The Heart-Corroding Pill required two main herbs combined with supplementary ingredients for its refinement.

A few minutes later, three blood-red pills tumbled out of the furnace.

“Hmph! Only three pills? It seems I’m not as impressive as I once was,” Yan Lingyun remarked with a hint of disappointment.

Evidently, in her prime, she would have yielded far more than three.

Yan Yun’s expression, however, was anything but calm. Having read extensively, she knew perfectly well that most alchemists could only refine a single pill at a time. For Yan Lingyun to produce three in one go was a clear testament to her exceptional alchemy skills.

“Ancestor,” Yan Yun urged, “could we perhaps refine pills that we can sell first? We are quite short on money. Once we have sufficient funds, then we can refine pills for our own use.”

Yan Lingyun immediately retorted.

“Mustn’t I first get a feel for it?” she scoffed. “It’s been over a thousand years since I last refined pills. Now, I shall refine the salable ones. This pill is called the Blood Burst Pill, an elixir capable of temporarily boosting one’s strength.”

The Blood Burst Pill was a Tier 2 elixir, suitable for cultivators below the Spirit Transformation Realm (TL Note: A cultivation realm). Its efficacy diminished with higher cultivation, and its effects lasted for three minutes.

When consumed by a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator, it increased their strength by thirty percent, depending on their individual cultivation.

For those in the Cavern Realm, it offered a fifty percent increase, while cultivators in the Spirit Gathering Realm would see their strength directly doubled.

However, this pill was a poison elixir. It stimulated the body with toxins to unleash latent potential, and after its effects wore off, the user would be poisoned. It would require at least three days of recuperation to clear the toxins—such was the cost.

Poison elixirs were a type of pill, but they generally came with significant side effects, making them suitable only for critical moments.

Alchemists capable of refining poison elixirs were exceedingly rare, so their prices were undoubtedly high.

Refining this Tier 2 elixir required a longer duration.

Yan Yun observed with utmost seriousness; she seemed to grasp the refining process after just one viewing.

Another half an hour passed, and two red pills, adorned with golden patterns, rolled out of the furnace.

After completing the Blood Burst Pills, Yan Lingyun promptly announced her departure.

“Ah, that’s enough for today. I’m a bit tired. We’ll continue tomorrow.” With these words, Yan Lingyun retreated back into the Heavenly Tome, becoming quiescent.

As a remnant soul, she was inherently weak and could not expend too much energy in a single day.

Thus, Yan Yun was left to her own devices, somewhat bored, to study the pills and alchemy techniques.

The Poison Scripture contained numerous poison recipes, so as long as Yan Yun mastered alchemy, she could refine them herself.

‘Well, there’s something to do now,’ Yan Yun thought, her mind fully absorbed in the prospect of refining poisons.

****

Meanwhile, at Jiang Yao’s residence within the Yunhua Sect.

Today, the Jiang family had sent someone to deliver a scroll, intended for her viewing.

“Fifth Uncle, what is this?” Jiang Yao inquired, her gaze fixed on the middle-aged man before her.

This middle-aged man was Jiang Heng, Jiang Yao’s paternal cousin-uncle.

“Haha, Yao’er,” the middle-aged man chuckled, “this is a portrait of your future husband, so you can get acquainted with him beforehand.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yao looked utterly speechless, yet she opened the scroll nonetheless. The moment it unfurled, a strikingly beautiful youth appeared within her sight, making it difficult for her to discern their gender at first glance.

“This? Is this Yan Yun from the Yan family? Doesn’t this look like a girl?” Jiang Yao asked, bewildered, turning to her uncle.

Jiang Heng offered a somewhat sheepish smile.

“Haha, the lad is indeed quite handsome, but he is certainly a man; there’s no mistake,” he assured her. “Are you satisfied?”

Jiang Yao immediately rolled her eyes at him.

“It’s merely a marriage of convenience, so what is there to be satisfied or dissatisfied about?” she retorted. “By the way, Fifth Uncle, when you return, please tell Father to be wary of the Lin family. My master informed me that Lin Mo has been frequently contacting his family lately, and I fear he might be secretly plotting something to disrupt our two families’ alliance.” Jiang Yao set down the scroll, offering Jiang Heng a stern reminder.

Her words instantly put Jiang Heng on high alert.

“The Lin family… have you offended Lin Mo?”

Jiang Yao replied with an utterly calm expression: “After he learned of the family’s arrangements that day, he came to confront me. I thoroughly disgusted him, and he left with harsh words, vowing to make me ‘look good.’ I suspect he intends to leverage his family’s power to suppress both our families.”

Jiang Heng understood at once.

“I understand. I’ll head back now, and you must also be careful.”

A cold, stern glint also filled Jiang Yao’s eyes.

‘Lin Mo, oh, Lin Mo, don’t you dare do anything foolish, or the consequences will be severe indeed.’