Baili Ye explained as he worked, beginning to process the elixir materials about to be added; the Three Springs Leaf could be used directly after a simple cleaning.
The hundred-year-old Blood Leaf Fruit taken from the pharmacy had already been prepared; after the seeds were removed, it was crushed into powder.
"Boy, lower the fire another degree."
"Yes."
Baili Ye watched the furnace with complete concentration, secretly nodding at the subtle changes in the fragrance of the pills, satisfied with Su Mu’s control of the flames. After about three breaths, he opened the pill furnace and first added the Three Springs Leaf; as the fresh green herb entered, the nearly coagulated elixir liquid inside rippled with a vibrant green shade, then the semi-solidified elixir melted once again.
Soon after, Baili Ye poured in the Blood Leaf Fruit powder.
"Boy, more fire."
Su Mu’s eyes grew even brighter. As he absorbed Baili Ye’s earlier explanations, he also took in every one of Baili Ye’s actions, the spiritual light in his mind burning more fiercely, shining ever hotter.
"Whoosh—whoosh——!"
The red furnace flames turned pure blue once again, the temperature in the room climbing steadily, while chaos raged outside; the Wang Family members were still desperately fighting the fire.
Townfolk from the alleys near the Prince’s Mansion, woken by the blast and firelight, rushed from their bedrooms in alarm. Upon seeing the sky-high flames originating from the Wang Family estate, they all hesitated, then simultaneously showed joyful expressions.
"Th-that’s the Wang Family’s compound on fire...? Hahaha, let it burn, let it burn!"
As the saying goes, distant kin can’t match close neighbors. The townspeople who had intended to get up and help fight the fire, upon seeing the Wang Family’s estate transformed into a sea of flames, immediately abandoned the idea of lending a hand, and instead secretly applauded the disaster.
As the Wang Family chased the midnight intruder and battled the blaze, the citizens of Shifeng Town busied themselves with silent applause, and time slipped away by the second.
Inside the Prince’s Mansion’s inner Alchemy Room, the fragrance of elixirs grew ever thicker as time passed.
When pill fragrance suffused the air and smoke filled the room, a batch of elixirs was finally refined. Instantly, the entire pill furnace trembled violently, as if the pills inside had come to life and were about to burst out.
As it shuddered, a series of glowing inscriptions lit up on the surface of the furnace, three Flood Dragons coiling and surging. Baili Ye immediately stepped forward and poured Power into it, suppressing the restless elixirs.
Buzz!
Having personally participated, Su Mu completed the pill refinement alongside Baili Ye, and failed to notice this moment. Suddenly, his whole body shuddered, and the sound of breaking shards surged in his ears, one after another without pause.
Upon the Comprehension panel before him, his perfected Alchemy and Medical Skill shattered like mirrors; amid a surge of radiance, both skills disappeared, replaced by a new line appearing on the panel:
Alchemy (Entry Level 1%)
Master leads the way, cultivation depends on oneself. Su Mu’s Medical Skill originated from his master, both a mentor and a friend, who gave Su Mu access to all the medical texts at Yunhe Clinic; now, every book from Yunhe Clinic was in Su Mu’s Sumeru Ring.
As for the Alchemy Art, it was something Su Mu refined bit by bit through repeated failures, with occasional guidance from his master; for instance, when refining the Jade Bone Pill, his master once hinted at the missing clues in the Jade Bone Pill Formula.
Now, thanks to tonight’s fateful coincidence, Su Mu willingly accepted being a ’Medicine Boy’ and was finally able to break free from the shackles of perfection.
"So, the fusion of Alchemy Skill and Medical Skill truly is... Grade-Entering Alchemy Skill!"
Comprehension: 150 (Dragon-and-Phoenix Level)
As Su Mu comprehended Alchemy Skill, a warm current formed at his brow, flowing down into his Dantian, and Su Mu’s terrifying comprehension came into play: after entering Alchemy, the spiritual light in his mind did not exhaust itself.
"Within the path of Alchemy hides the laws of heaven and the ways of humanity... the principle of Five Elements Mutual Generation..."
As he contemplated, the remaining spiritual light continued to shine, and Su Mu gradually closed his eyes, entering the realm of realization, letting the Five Elements Technique quietly revolve within him.
This unlocked new understanding; the proficiency Su Mu had just attained in the Minor Achievement Realm of Five Elements Technique soared rapidly.
Simultaneously, the Vast Qi he had just broken through began to surge uncontrollably, swallowing mouthful after mouthful of the warm current born from the breakthrough in comprehension, growing stronger and stronger.
Forty-eight strands.
Fifty-two strands.
Fifty-eight strands.
In just a few breaths, the count broke the fifty-mark, then, with undiminished momentum, swiftly surged toward sixty; several breaths later, the sixty-mark was surpassed.
Instinctively, Su Mu’s mouth parted slightly, reciting the incantation from Nurturing Vast Qi.
"Winds blow from four corners; at times, it becomes daylight Qi;"
"Fanning the rise of blaze, at times, it becomes fire Qi..."
The fifth and sixth clusters of gleaming white light drifted from Su Mu’s brow and grew larger in the wind, resembling the raging flames outside the chamber.
"Good lad, you’ve truly achieved enlightenment... This—this is a Confucian Skill, such pure Literary Qi!"
In the room, Baili Ye’s expression shifted several times at the sight. The ’Wang Family Medicine Boy’ he had just been reprimanding now seemed like a transformed person, possessing an aura no ordinary Wang Family youth could ever have.
In Baili Ye’s eyes, not only did pure Literary Qi swirl around Su Mu, but a terrifying, nearly tangible Power flowed around every inch of Su Mu’s body.
No need to think further—Baili Ye knew that if he approached recklessly, the seemingly placid Power encircling Su Mu’s body could erupt like a deluge, crushing anyone who dared step too close.
"Who in the world is this person?"
Baili Ye’s pupils contracted, mind racing, as he glanced outside to the inferno, then looked back down at Su Mu, suddenly guessing Su Mu’s identity—whereupon his expression grew complicated, and he let out a long sigh.
"Ai... In the end, the Wang Family has reached this point!"
With a sigh, Baili Ye made no move to leave, simply stood there, absent-mindedly watching the Literary Qi swirl about Su Mu, lost in unknown thoughts.