Learning Alchemy

That night, after returning home and telling his parents the good news that he had advanced to Dou Zhe,

after returning to his room, Liu Xi began examining the gifts Xuan Hao had prepared for him.

His eyes burning with excitement as he looked at the Storage Ring in his hand, he first put it on. Then, soul power surged from between his brows and entered the Storage Ring.

The Storage Ring contained roughly five cubic meters of space. Several books were neatly arranged inside, along with a pile of Gold Coins.

Liu Xi ignored the Gold Coins for now. What interested him more were the cultivation methods and Dou Techniques among the books. With a thought, he took them out and examined them one by one.

Xuan Rank Intermediate Cultivation Method, Heavenly Fire Refining; Xuan Rank Beginner Dou Technique, Blazing Flame Sword Art; Xuan Rank Intermediate Movement Dou Technique, Soaring Swan Steps.

Looking at these Xuan Rank cultivation methods and Dou Techniques, Liu Xi excitedly licked his lips. "They're all good things. There are also a few thicker books. Let's see what they contain."

Beginner Herbal Compendium for Alchemists, <Mutual Generation and Restraint of Herbal Properties>, Introductory Explanation of Alchemy...

Liu Xi stared at the books for a moment before smiling. "Teacher really prepared everything thoroughly for me!"

Liu Xi first put away the books concerning alchemy, then specifically took out Heavenly Fire Refining, opened it, and began reading it carefully.

After memorizing the Meridians through which the Cultivation Method circulated and its hand seals, he closed the book and reviewed it once more in his mind. Then he sat cross-legged on the bed, formed the hand seals, mobilized his Dou Qi, and began cultivating the method.

The next day.

Liu Xi arrived at his teacher Xuan Hao's residence. Upon seeing Xuan Hao, he first bowed and said, "Greetings, Teacher."

Seeing Liu Xi arrive, Xuan Hao stroked his beard. A smile appeared on his proud face as he said, "My good disciple is here. Come, sit down first. Today, we will begin learning alchemy."

"First, I'll tell you some basic knowledge about alchemy. To refine medicine, one must first have a Medicine Cauldron. An alchemist's Medicine Cauldron is like a warrior's weapon—indispensable. Moreover, the better and higher the quality of the Medicine Cauldron, the more help it provides us, and the higher the quality of the refined pills."

"Besides the Medicine Cauldron, the flames we use for refining medicine are generally flames catalyzed by our Dou Qi. Therefore, to refine high-quality pills, one needs profound Dou Qi cultivation. You must never neglect your Dou Qi training."

"Of course, for alchemists like us, the finest flames are naturally the Heavenly Flames, divine objects nurtured by heaven and earth. They are all born in the most perilous and inaccessible places in the world, so they can only be encountered by chance, never sought." As he spoke, longing for the Heavenly Flames appeared in Xuan Hao's eyes. Seeing Liu Xi's gaze grow fervent along with his explanation, he shook his head again.

"During the refining process, different herbs have different levels of tolerance for flames. If you wish to extract all of their essence, control over the heat is of utmost importance."

"Furthermore, during the process of forming a pill, the medicinal properties must blend together for the pill to be successfully formed. If the medicinal properties clash, the result will either be a cauldron explosion or a flawed pill."

"No amount of talk can compare to experiencing it yourself. Come, I'll demonstrate it for you." Xuan Hao rose to his feet as he spoke to Liu Xi.

"Alchemy is a quiet process. If you are disturbed by the outside world while refining, not only will the refinement fail, but you will suffer backlash. In the future, remember to find a quiet place when refining pills." Xuan Hao instructed Liu Xi as they walked.

When they arrived at the pill-refining room, Liu Xi saw a large three-legged cauldron standing about a meter tall. It was entirely crimson red and exquisitely crafted, with birds, beasts, fish, and insects carved upon its surface.

Liu Xi then witnessed an alchemist refining medicine for the first time. Flames catalyzed by Dou Qi entered the Medicine Cauldron. One herb after another was devoured by the flames within, leaving behind either powdered or paste-like medicinal essence. In the end, they fused into a mass of emerald-green liquid, which Xuan Hao wrapped in Dou Qi and placed into a jade bottle.

"Teacher, this is..." After seeing his teacher finish refining, Liu Xi stepped forward, looked at the bottle of emerald-green liquid, and asked in confusion.

"This is called Blood Replenishing Powder, a first-grade pill for external use. It is remarkably effective at treating wounds from blades, swords, or Magical Beast bites." Hearing Liu Xi's puzzled question, Xuan Hao explained voluntarily.

Xuan Hao then took out a pill formula and several portions of herbs from his Storage Ring. He handed them to Liu Xi and said, "This is its formula. The herbs are not particularly valuable, making it suitable for you to use as practice."

"Thank you, Teacher." Liu Xi accepted the formula and herbs, first thanking Xuan Hao. Then he began studying the pill formula carefully.

Thus began his first attempt at refining medicine. One herb after another was swallowed by his flames and reduced to ashes, leaving him looking slightly embarrassed.

"Different herbs have different levels of tolerance for flames. You must control the heat properly." After another failure, Xuan Hao began correcting Liu Xi's mistakes.

After experiencing many failures, Liu Xi finally refined a batch of Blood Replenishing Powder that contained slight impurities.

"Not bad. You grasped the key so quickly." Xuan Hao looked approvingly at the Blood Replenishing Powder Liu Xi had refined.

After that, Liu Xi's life became increasingly regular. He cultivated at night, while during the day he practiced Dou Techniques and studied alchemy.