For five full days, Ji Yuan and the other two did not leave the small hut, their minds fully immersed in the Way of Alchemy. Fortunately, all three were cultivators, and several days without food or water posed no great difficulty, merely a slight drain on their vital energy. Moreover, Mingxin Pavilion had already prepared辟谷丹 (Bigu Dan), a single pill of which could satisfy a cultivator’s daily energy needs.
During these days, Zhao Yuebai and Jiang He began to refine batches of pills themselves. According to Ji Yuan's words, it was enough to remember the general principles; the rest depended on repeated practice. With the vast supply of medicinal herbs provided by Mingyue Pavilion, there was no shortage of materials for them to practice with, allowing them to quickly accumulate experience.
Among the four paths of Dan (Alchemy), Fu (Talisman), Zhen (Formation), and Qi (Artifacts), all except formations required guidance from renowned masters and abundant ancient texts to even begin to grasp the basics. The rest was a process of practice making perfect, akin to the Confucian saying: "Read ten thousand books, and its meaning will become apparent."
As for the pills consumed due to their joint efforts, Ji Yuan alone replenished them. The pill formulas he had self-improved, while achieving the same or even superior effects, significantly increased the efficiency in terms of medicinal herb consumption and the number of pills produced.
Using the pill formulas provided by Mingyue Pavilion, a moderately skilled alchemist could refine five to seven healing pills per batch, and a more accomplished one might reach eight or nine. However, with his improved formulas, Ji Yuan only needed half the herbs to produce pills of equivalent medicinal effect, yielding eleven or twelve pills for an ordinary alchemist. When Ji Yuan refined them himself, a single batch could produce as many as fifteen pills! This meant that the number of pills he refined alone was sufficient to compensate for the medicinal herbs consumed by Zhao Yuebai and Jiang He during their practice, even leaving a surplus.
On the eighteenth day after the calamity ended and chaos gripped the county town, a contingent dispatched from the prefecture city, having taken several days to arrive, finally reached Qianyu City. This group consisted of prefecture city soldiers, led by officials from the Prefectural Governor's yamen, who would temporarily assume control of all affairs in Qianyu City. Liu Hongsheng, who had been living in constant anxiety, was immediately thrown into the county prison, awaiting escort back to the prefecture city to face judgment from imperial officials after the local matters were resolved.
Also on the evening of that day, a convoy formed by various forces from the prefecture city, carrying substantial provisions, slowly arrived. Ironically, these prefecture city factions had prepared their personnel and supplies much earlier. However, they dared not act until the Prefectural Governor's officials arrived. Otherwise, incurring the displeasure of the Prefectural Governor, while not forcing them out of Luoxia Prefecture, would certainly lead to a difficult situation. The intricate reasons behind this were both easily understood and complex beyond words.
That evening, in the courtyard behind Mingyue Pavilion.
Despite the late hour, many shop assistants were still busy organizing the supplies that had been transported into the city, to save effort the following day. Liu Ruyan, who had been busy all day, was still overseeing the progress in the courtyard. This was a crucial matter for the patron’s breakthrough and a key opportunity for the Qian family to gain some breathing room, thus requiring utmost diligence.
Seeing that everything was gradually being prepared, she finally had a moment to accept a cup from a maidservant, though the tea within had long since turned cold. As she swallowed the lukewarm tea, she noticed the door of a small hut in the corner of the rear courtyard open, and a white-haired elder emerged.
Upon seeing this, Liu Ruyan immediately put down her teacup and quickly approached the elder, greeting him with great respect. This elder, named Cui Long, was an alchemist who had cooperated with the Qian family for decades. Although he only possessed mid-Enlightenment realm cultivation, his mastery of alchemy was renowned enough to be considered well-known even in the prefecture city.
“Elder Cui has worked hard these past few days,” Liu Ruyan said with a smile, trying to make her tone sound concerned. Despite her respectful demeanor, she inwardly grumbled. If it weren't for his status as an alchemist and the Qian family's current predicament, she would have wished for the old man to exhaust his lifespan quickly. He had benefited greatly from the Qian family’s patronage and cultivation in his youth, and for decades he had relied on the family's influence to establish a business and reputation in the prefecture city. Yet, when the Qian family fell into hardship, instead of simply joining another faction, Cui Long, while professing loyalty, had set his sights on the patron’s estate and the current family head, Qian Nishang. He masked his true intentions with talk of benevolence and righteousness, yet harbored wicked desires, even foolishly demanding that the patron marry his son!
Liu Ruyan maintained her smile, but her inner curses never ceased.
“Another new alchemist has arrived?” Cui Long nodded, then looked towards another side of the rear courtyard. The light from the window of that room and the aroma of pills filling the air both indicated that the Qian family had found two more alchemists. However, in his opinion, these two were at best apprentices, likely having no more than six months of experience in alchemy. With over half of the aroma being burnt, even if this batch was successful, the medicinal effect would be unsatisfactory.
“Now is a critical time for the Qian family. If we are short of manpower, I can work harder. Why allow such apprentices to interfere?” Cui Long said with an displeased expression. “Little Nishang is being too reckless. This is her opportunity to break through!”
Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan smiled slightly and quickly offered an explanation of the hidden circumstances, seeking to placate the elder's anger. But inwardly, she was already unleashing vulgar curses. If it weren't for the need to consider the bigger picture, she would have loved to mock him. Did he truly believe he could act as an elder of the Qian family based on his old age? He didn't even address her as "Patron," but called the Qian family head by name!
“What alchemists can there be in a mere third-tier county town? They are merely seeking fame and reputation,” Cui Long shook his head. If one didn't know the truth, his demeanor might indeed suggest a senior master.
Just then, the door of another small hut opened, and a young man and woman emerged together. The man was named Wu Shan, and the woman Feng Xiaoxiao. Both were barely over twenty, yet were already renowned alchemists in the prefecture city, disciples of a master alchemist. The moment this pair emerged from the hut, they saw the elder nearby and almost turned back into the room. They harbored no good feelings towards Cui Long and were even disgusted by him, as his reputation had long spread throughout the prefecture city.
“Shopkeeper Liu, Senior Cui!” After a moment’s hesitation, they stepped forward and offered a slight bow. Upon seeing them, the smile on Liu Ruyan's face became more genuine, and she engaged them enthusiastically in conversation. Compared to Cui Long, Wu Shan and Feng Xiaoxiao were genuinely willing to help the Qian family, and were close friends with the patron, Qian Nishang.
“The Patron is truly fortunate to have found two more alchemists,” Feng Xiaoxiao glanced at the hut illuminated by firelight, a smile appearing on her face. Wu Shan nodded in agreement; anything beneficial to the Qian family brought them genuine joy. However, Cui Long was not so pleased. He hoped for the Qian family’s decline so he could seize their remaining assets, perhaps even arranging for his son to win the hand of the beauty.
“He is merely a glory-seeker. What alchemists can there be in a mere third-tier county town?” he snorted, appearing highly displeased with Qian Nishang's decision. Seeing this, Liu Ruyan inwardly mused that it was fortunate their conversation hadn’t reached the ears of the alchemists, as any one of them, even a second-realm cultivator, would be more than enough for this old man. She couldn’t help but wonder if Cui Long would be so furious that his beard would stand on end if he knew that one of them was not only a highly skilled alchemist but had also been granted the position of Special Guest by the patron.
As she was lost in thought, she suddenly saw her patron, Qian Nishang, the current head of the Qian family, appear in the rear courtyard with an excited expression. The four people gathered there quickly stepped forward to pay their respects. However, Qian Nishang's mind was elsewhere. After a brief greeting, she hurried towards a small hut. She gently knocked on the door, announced her identity, and then waited outside, her face filled with excitement and a constant smile.
In a moment, the door opened, and Ji Yuan emerged, leaning on his long sword. His fifth senior brother, Guo Tao, who had been guarding the door, immediately stood behind him.
“The Patron visiting in the middle of the night must be about this item.” He had anticipated this, and seeing Qian Nishang’s expression, he showed no surprise. As Ji Yuan spoke, he took out several sheets of paper filled with writing from his sleeve. These contained the pill formulas he had personally improved. Not only was there a formula for healing pills, but also for two other types of pills with different effects.
One, when added to water, could purify it, making it potable without boiling, and it was rich in vital energy, capable of replenishing minor deficiencies in the body. The second, though called a pill, was actually an ointment. When applied externally to wounds, it had remarkable effects, not only preventing the wound from worsening or festering but also accelerating its healing. Ji Yuan had refined a considerable amount of these two types of pills and ointments in the past few days and had them tested by the shop assistants of Mingxin Pavilion, with excellent results. Most importantly, the refining methods for these items were not overly complex, and the cost of the medicinal herbs used was very low. The provisions prepared by Mingxin Pavilion this time included a substantial quantity of these herbs. Qian Nishang's visit was precisely for these three pill formulas. Once other alchemists could refine them simultaneously, it would resolve the immediate crisis.
“I will note this down for now. After this matter is settled and we reach the prefecture city, I will repay you in full.” Taking the formulas, she could no longer suppress a radiant smile. Before coming, Qian Nishang had already heard from the shop assistants that these three types of pills could be refined nearly every half hour, and the quantity of finished products was significant. Crucially, the cost was extremely low, only half of what they originally used to refine pills, and the ointment was even cheaper, costing about one-fifth of the original pill's price.
Ji Yuan was not particularly concerned about her promise. These formulas were not exceptionally precious; giving them away caused him no regret. With the Great Dao Compendium, he could devise seven or eight similar formulas if he wished, given enough time.
“Who are these individuals?” he asked with a smile, subtly observing the three unfamiliar faces. He could detect a strong aroma of pills emanating from them, indicating they were indeed the alchemists hired by Mingxin Pavilion. The two young people had kind expressions, but for some reason, the elder looked arrogant, with a hint of hostility towards him.
Upon hearing this, Qian Nishang introduced them one by one, and also handed the formulas she held directly to the three alchemists.
“Please refine the required pills according to these formulas starting today.” Her mood was exceptionally good, and her demeanor became even more charming during the conversation.
The three took the formulas. First, they glanced at the smiling Ji Yuan, and then their gaze fell upon the papers in their hands. Initially, they were somewhat dismissive. However, after reading them through once, they couldn't help but re-read them, and began to meticulously calculate the contents of the formulas in their minds. This calculation caused even Cui Long, who was confident in his alchemical attainments, to be secretly astonished. Despite using ordinary medicinal herbs, their combination led to vastly different medicinal effects. This method was beyond what ordinary alchemists could deduce on their own. It was likely only achievable by masters of alchemy with decades of experience.
Ji Yuan smiled faintly. The expressions of the three were clearly visible to him, and he could even guess some of their thoughts. Relying solely on himself, he certainly couldn’t achieve this level. While his alchemical attainments were decent, they had not yet reached such heights. However, by deriving the principles from the Great Dao Compendium and using them for directed deduction of formulas, it was naturally not difficult. The Great Dao Compendium was an inheritance left by the founding ancestor of Xuan Tian Monastery, a divine being who bequeathed it as a legacy. Its preciousness was self-evident. It could be said that Ji Yuan's extraordinary achievements in alchemy and talisman crafting, as well as his comprehension of sword intent, within a little over a year, were not only due to his considerable talent but also the reliance on this Great Dao Compendium. This book seemed to encompass all fundamental principles of the world. As long as one held this book, they could immerse themselves in the evolution of its principles while focusing their mind and spirit. The pill formulas deduced from this, although the resulting pills were not of a specific grade and could be easily refined by any familiar alchemist, required the understanding of a master alchemist to fully comprehend.
“You have truly given me a great surprise!” Qian Nishang glanced at the young Taoist beside her, her smile never fading. Her gamble, based on the words of Xu Lin, the master of the Mingjian Division in the prefecture city, who regarded her as someone destined to dominate the region and stated Ji Yuan’s future achievements would not be inferior to his own, had paid off. She had unexpectedly received such a surprise within days, when she had only anticipated seeing a hint of it years later. These three seemingly simple pill formulas could reduce her costs by nearly half, allowing her to allocate more financial resources to other matters. After all, although she was one of the three patrons of Mingxin Pavilion, the Qian family had declined in recent years, leaving her with far fewer resources than before, and facing constraints everywhere.
“If I can break through this time, I will surely remember this kindness!” Qian Nishang said with a solemn expression. Although she made no explicit promise, the sincerity in her eyes spoke volumes. Seeing this, Ji Yuan did not stand on ceremony and openly showed his anticipation. His life principle was: a thousand words are not as good as genuine gold and silver.