Furnace explosion

The ' Eight-Foot Madam ' moved swiftly through the intricate courtyards of the clan, her figure like a flowing Moonlight Essence.

Finally, we stopped in front of a relatively secluded but exquisitely decorated courtyard.

Unlike the ruggedness of other parts of the clan's territory, the stone walls of this small courtyard were covered with vines that emitted a faint fluorescent glow. In the courtyard, there was also a small patch of strange plants that resembled orchids and were carefully tended, their silvery-white leaves unfurling in the moonlight.

The sternness and Clear and Cold she had displayed in the Alchemy Room had faded from her face, replaced by a complex expression that mixed with anticipation and tenderness.

She took a deep breath and pushed open the slightly ajar courtyard gate.

"Yinyue, Mother is here. Mother brought good things. Come out quickly." Her voice was extremely soft, completely different from before.

"Mother!"

A cheerful, childlike voice rang out.

A small figure skipped and hopped out of the house.

It was a Human Race cub that looked about five or six years old, a little over half a meter tall, covered in soft, fluffy, silvery-white fur. It was round and plump, with only the tips of its paws and ears showing a hint of dark gray.

He wore a tailor-made brown leather armor embroidered with simple Wolf Pattern, and his big, round eyes, a clear, azure blue, were blinking expectantly as he looked at his mother.

Looking at her son Yinyue's lively demeanor, the ' Eight-Foot Madam ' felt even warmer in her eyes.

She crouched down, extended her slender fingers, and gently stroked the soft down on Yinyue's head before taking out the Essence Replenishing Pill Jade Bottle containing the essence pills that Su Bai had refined from her sleeve.

"Try it." She poured out a few round Pill, placed them in her palm, and handed them to Yinyue.

"This is Spirit Pills concocted by a Human Race Alchemist I just invited. Its potency isn't too strong, making it perfect for your current stage."

She explained carefully, afraid that her son would resist.

Demon Race cubs will instinctively dislike anything originating from Human Race.

Yinyue curiously twitched her little black nose and sniffed it.

The pure, mild medicinal scent made him blink; he didn't seem to dislike it.

He stretched out his little paw, carefully picked up a grain, and put it in his mouth.

The Pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, and a pure and gentle warm current quickly spread out, nourishing his still tender and weak Meridians.

Contrary to expectations, there was no stinging or indigestion from impurities that Demon Race often experience when taking inferior Human Race Pill. Instead, it was a warm and comfortable feeling, as if enveloped in gentle moonlight.

"Hmm..."

Yinyue squinted her large, azure eyes in comfort, her little tail wagging gently involuntarily. "Mother, this Spirit Pills is so delicious! It makes me feel so comfortable! So warm!"

Looking at her son's contented and carefree expression, Yuelanxin felt a slight relaxation in her tense heart, and a barely perceptible trace of relief flashed deep in her eyes.

She stroked Yinyue's little head, her voice even gentler. "It's good that you feel comfortable. These bottles are all for you; you can eat them as snacks on weekdays."

She took out several more identical Jade Bottle and stuffed them into Yinyue's small leather armor pouch.

"Eat more, absorb the Spiritual Power well." She gazed into her son's eyes, her tone becoming solemn, "Your Bloodline... needs more nourishment to truly awaken and reveal the brilliance that belongs to the direct line of our Moon Wolf Tribe Clan."

"As long as you successfully awaken the Moon Wolf Tribe Bloodline, then your mother... will be extremely, extremely happy, understand, Yinyue?"

Yinyue looked at her mother, seemingly understanding but not quite.

He didn't quite understand what "awakening the Bloodline" meant, but he knew it seemed to be something very important that could bring a smile to his mother's face.

He nodded vigorously, then his little hands opened another jade Jade Bottle, poured out a few Essence Replenishing Pill, and chewed and swallowed them like candy, mumbling, "Mmm! Yinyue will eat more! To make Mother happy!"

The Demon Race cubs are born with strong and resilient Demonic Body, and their ability to digest and absorb energy far surpasses that of Human Race children.

The Essence Replenishing Pill was just right for him, replenishing his growth needs without causing any burden.

However, since the Spirit Pills was created by Human Race alchemists specifically for the Human Race meridians Alchemist, the conversion efficiency of the Demon Power will inevitably be reduced when consumed by Demon Race. A large amount of the medicinal power will dissipate into their strong physique and be used to temper their physical body, rather than being entirely converted into demonic power or used to stimulate their Bloodline.

Watching Yinyue skip and hop back into the house with the Pill in her hands, the gentleness on Yuelanxin's face gradually faded, replaced by the deep gaze befitting the Moon Wolf Tribe Matriarch.

She stood in the courtyard, looking up at the bright full moon in the night sky. Her silvery-gray eyes reflected the Clear and Cold moonlight, and also a hint of resolute determination that no one could see.

The Moon Wolf Tribe Settlement, the alchemy chamber.

It took Su Bai nearly an hour to sort out the mountain of spirit medicine into categories.

Those that should be kept in a cool, dark corner should be placed in a shady place. Those that need to be kept fresh and active should be kept moist with water for the time being. Those that have completely died and are no longer usable should be piled up separately.

After all this was done, the previously chaotic stone chamber finally looked more organized, and the musty smell in the air was much less noticeable.

This can be considered a small amount of free labor that he is giving to his new "employer".

After finishing organizing, he took out a blank Jade Slip, immersed his Divine Sense into it, and quickly inscribed a detailed list of spirit medicine.

Then, he took the Jade Slip and walked out of the stone chamber.

Hong Gu still stood guard not far from the door, her back against the cold stone wall, her figure straight, like a statue.

She seemed to need no rest, or rather, the Moonlight Essence at night was the perfect time for her to cultivate.

When Su Bai came out, he saw that she was surrounded by a very faint silver halo that was almost imperceptible to the naked eye. It rose and fell slightly with her breathing, and she was absorbing the energy of the Moonlight Essence in the air.

"Hong Gu," Su Bai handed over the Jade Slip, "It's getting late, let's skip the refining."

"Starting tomorrow, please prepare these Spirit Medicine Ingredients for me daily according to the proportions listed on this Jade Slip. Is that alright?"

Hong Gu opened her dark brown wolf eyes, took the Jade Slip, and scanned it with her Divine Sense.

The list clearly shows: one set of Yellow Dragon Pill Ingredients and two sets of Golden Marrow Pill Ingredients, followed by detailed notes on the names of the medicinal materials, the required year, and the processing status, all in a well-organized manner.

She nodded, her voice calm and even. "Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), a member of the clan on duty will deliver the materials here."

Without asking why the Golden Marrow Pill Ingredients were needed, nor questioning whether Su Bai could actually refine it, he was only responsible for carrying out the mistress's orders.

Su Bai was very satisfied with this answer.

He estimated that it would take about two and a half hours to refine one Yellow Dragon Pill, and about three hours to refine one Golden Marrow Pill.

In total, it took more than eight hours, exceeding the six hours stipulated by Eight-Foot Madam.

But he had his own plans.

The initial attempt at the Golden Marrow Pill will inevitably have a high failure rate. The materials for the Golden Marrow Pill are worth three hundred Spirit Stone each. It's a bargain to take advantage of this. If you can master the Golden Marrow Pill with the Moon Wolf Tribe, you can save a lot of money on self-practice.

The Yellow Dragon Pill that was refined was considered a satisfactory result for the Moon Wolf Tribe Matriarch, ' Eight-Foot Madam '.

"Oh, right," Su Bai said as if he had suddenly remembered something, his face showing just the right amount of curiosity about the unfamiliar environment and a little bit of boredom.

"Since I'm free today anyway, can I wander around the area near the base and enjoy the scenery?"

"I've long heard that the Moon Wolf Tribe's architecture is unique and quite ancient. My Alchemy Room is really stuffy. Hong Gu, what do you think...?"

Upon hearing this, Hong Gu frowned almost imperceptibly, seemingly somewhat troubled.

It is clearly against the rules to allow an outsider, especially a Human Race, to roam freely within the tribe's territory.

However, the mistress only instructed her to look after and assist, without explicitly restricting her movements...

She pondered for a moment, then finally nodded, but her tone carried a warning. "Alright, but remember to be careful. If you get killed by my people in the camp, I'll be the one who gets scolded too."

As she spoke, she took a bone talisman that emitted a faint Moonlight Essence scent from her waist and tossed it to Su Bai: "Keep this with you. Seeing this talisman is like seeing the mistress's personal attendant; ordinary clansmen won't easily make things difficult for you."

"But remember, this talisman isn't recognized everywhere."

Su Bai took the talisman; it felt slightly cool to the touch, and he could sense a trace of pure Demon Power within it.

He cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you for your advice, Hong Gu. I understand now. I'll just wander around the neighborhood and make sure I don't cause any trouble."

Hanging the Moon-Shaped Bone Talisman conspicuously at his waist, Su Bai strode away from the area where the alchemy chamber was located, seemingly casually but actually heading towards the depths of the encampment with a clear goal.

Human Race faces certainly stood out in a territory teeming with wolf demons.

Before he had gone far, Su Bai was stopped by several groups of the Moon Wolf Tribe Demon Cultivator were patrolling or passing by.

Most of them had a fierce aura, sharp eyes, and an undisguised scrutiny and a hint of rejection.

"Halt! Human Race? What are you doing here?"

A wolf demon guard in the mid-stage of the Spirit Gathering Stage held his spear horizontally, blocking Su Bai's path.

Su Bai stopped and calmly pointed to the Moon-Shaped Bone Talisman at his waist, saying in a peaceful tone, "I am a newly recruited Alchemist by the mistress, ordered to refine Pill here. Today, during my free time, the mistress's attendant, Hong Gu, allowed me to walk around nearby. This is my Token."

The wolf demon guard's gaze fell on the bone talisman, carefully sensing the aura emanating from it. The wariness on his face eased slightly, but did not completely disappear.

He sized Su Bai up and down, especially noticing his attire, which was so out of place among the Demon Race, and his "weak" aura (which Su Bai had deliberately concealed). He snorted, "Alchemist? Human Race's showpiece... Since Hong Gu has given permission, then hurry back and don't wander around, and especially don't go near places you shouldn't be!"

The message carries a strong warning.

"Of course, of course," Su Bai replied with a smile.

Similar situations occurred two or three more times.

Each time, Su Bai patiently revealed the bone talisman to show his identity.

Gradually, the news seemed to spread in small circles. Although the Moon Wolf Tribe members they encountered later still cast curious or indifferent glances at them, fewer of them directly stepped forward to stop them.

Several Moon Wolf Tribe, who even seemed to hold higher positions within their tribe, noticeably changed their attitude after learning that Su Bai was Alchemist. They proactively approached him, revealing in their words that they wanted Su Bai to privately refine some specific Pill for them, and hinting at a "reward."

Su Bai readily agreed, saying that he needed to first complete the daily alchemy tasks assigned by the mistress, and would discuss the details with everyone when he had some free time.

This attitude of not making definitive statements avoids offending people and also leaves oneself with information channels that can be used in the future.

After wandering around for a while, Su Bai gained a basic understanding of the Moon Wolf Tribe Settlement.

The Moon Wolf Tribe Settlement was larger than he had anticipated, with buildings arranged according to the terrain, the central area being the most magnificent.

He could see the core area in the distance, surrounded by numerous independent stone courtyards.

- A magnificent, enormous hall with a predominantly silver-gray color scheme.

The hall's design resembles a crouching giant wolf, its head raised towards the moon, exuding a subtle sense of power even in broad daylight.

That is the location of the main family of the Moon Wolf Tribe Direct Bloodline.

The current Wolf King, the Mistress, and Crown Prince Howling Moon of the Moon Wolf Tribe all reside in this palace.

Around the palace, squads of heavily armored and well-trained Wolf Clan guards could be seen patrolling regularly, their vigilance covering the plaza in front of the palace and the main roads leading in all directions.

Furthermore, a subtle yet powerful array fluctuation enveloped the entire core area. As soon as Su Bai's Divine Sense approached, he felt a needle-like warning and immediately withdrew.

'The defense is indeed tight,' Su Bai thought to himself.

Forcibly breaking in or infiltrating to assassinate is extremely difficult and carries enormous risks.

He noted down a few rough times when the guards changed shifts, as well as a few relatively secluded blind spots that might exist for surveillance, and then did not linger any longer to avoid attracting the attention of spies in the shadows.

He continued his seemingly aimless wandering, memorizing the general layout of the outer area of the clan's territory, where the Alchemy Room was located, as well as some of the clan's residential areas.

To his slight surprise, the entire stroll, though fraught with some hiccups, went relatively smoothly overall.

It's unclear whether it was the Moon Mistress's authority that was sufficient, or whether Hong Gu's bone talisman was truly effective, or whether the Moon Wolf Tribe, from top to bottom, held a certain degree of tolerance and observation towards this newly arrived Human Race Alchemist.

Or perhaps... they didn't truly see a "weak" Human Race Alchemist as a threat that needed to be guarded against.

As dusk fell, Su Bai returned to the vicinity of the alchemy chamber.

Hong Gu remained in the same spot, her posture almost unchanged. However, when Su Bai returned, she opened her eyes to look at him, making sure he was unharmed and hadn't brought back anything he shouldn't have, before closing her eyes again.

Su Bai did not disturb Hong Gu, and stepped into the Alchemy Room, where he also took out a Blue Origin Pill and consumed it.

The Blue Origin Pill are running low, and once they're gone, they probably won't be available in Demon Star City. Before defeating Howling Moon, I'll be forced to stop taking the pills and cultivating for a while.

The next day, at the beginning of Chen Shi (7-9 AM).

As expected, a Moon Wolf Tribe servant delivered two large bags of processed Spirit Medicine Ingredients to the entrance of the alchemy chamber on time. After being inspected by Hong Gu, they were handed over to Su Bai.

After taking stock, Su Bai found one set of Yellow Dragon Pill Ingredients and two sets of Golden Marrow Pill Ingredients. The types, quantities, and processing conditions all met his requirements. In fact, the quality of some of the main ingredients was even better than he had expected, clearly indicating that they were the finest items from the Moon Wolf Tribe Clan's treasury.

"The Moon Wolf Tribe is truly 'rich and powerful'."

Su Bai thought to himself that he was quite satisfied with this practice resource.

After examining the spirit medicine, Su Bai, under Hong Gu's watchful eye, began refining First-Tier Superior-Grade Golden Marrow Pill.

Su Bai had purchased the Pill Formula for the Golden Marrow Pill back in Heavenly Star City, and it came in handy now.

The Golden Marrow Pill takes more than three hours to refine, and the refining process is much more complicated than that of the Yellow Dragon Pill.

This was Su Bai's first attempt at using the Golden Marrow Pill.

Two hours later, with a loud bang, Su Bai's alchemy furnace exploded...