A Night of Alchemy for a Beauty, Ya Fei Tearfully Asked About Parting

The alchemy room was scorching hot.

That dark-red, twin-mouthed pill cauldron stood quietly at the center of the stone platform.

Lu Heng sat down cross-legged but did not begin immediately.

He closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing.

The Dou Qi within him flowed slowly through his meridians like a gentle stream.

Azure Wood in his left hand, Li Fire in his right.

Two entirely different attributes of Dou Qi gathered in his palms.

"Rise."

Lu Heng gave a low shout.

Scarlet flames surged from his palms and instantly shot into the cauldron's fire vent.

Whoosh!

The flames inside the cauldron blazed.

Lu Heng remained calm. With a wave of his hand, the Yao Cai on the stone platform flew into the cauldron one stalk at a time, like birds returning to the forest.

The first step: extraction.

Lu Heng had done this step countless times, so skillfully that it was as natural as drinking water.

The flames wrapped around the Yao Cai. Under the searing heat, they withered and turned to ash, leaving only droplets of pure medicinal liquid suspended within the fire.

This time, Lu Heng did not pause in the slightest.

What he intended to challenge was the Yuan-Gathering Pill, a second-tier medicinal pill.

Although it was rated as second-tier, its demands on flame control were even harsher than some third-tier pills.

Because it required energy to be compressed to an extreme degree.

"Fuse!"

Lu Heng flicked all ten fingers in succession, sending several streams of Dou Qi into the pill cauldron.

Inside the cauldron, five clusters of medicinal liquid in different colors began to draw toward the center.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

The instant the liquids came into contact, they let out a harsh sound that set one's teeth on edge. Violent energy fluctuations slammed against the cauldron walls with dull thuds.

The pill cauldron shook violently.

Fine beads of sweat seeped across Lu Heng's forehead.

"Compress!"

Lu Heng suddenly increased his output of Dou Qi.

The dominance of the Li Fire Body was displayed to the fullest at that moment.

Like a cage, the scarlet flames tightly imprisoned the cluster of medicinal liquid that was about to explode, forcibly kneading it all together.

At the same time, a trace of green, wood-attributed Dou Qi quietly seeped in.

Wood fed fire and could also nourish medicine.

With this trace of vitality mediating it, the previously violent medicinal liquid miraculously settled down.

Time passed second by second.

Lu Heng's face had gone somewhat pale, and the Dou Qi within him was being depleted at a rapid pace.

This kind of cross-tier refinement placed an enormous burden on him in his current state.

Just as his Dou Qi was about to run dry.

A crisp chime suddenly rang out from within the cauldron. A rich medicinal fragrance erupted at once, filling the entire stone chamber.

Success!

Lu Heng let out a long breath. With a beckoning motion, a round, full medicinal pill with a pale green hue shot out and fell into the jade bottle he had prepared beforehand.

The Yuan-Gathering Pill was complete.

Without bothering to rest, Lu Heng grabbed a handful of Qi Recovery Pills and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing and swallowing them like beans.

Strike while the iron was hot.

Next came the Yuan-Nurturing Powder.

Compared to the Yuan-Gathering Pill's violent nature, refining Yuan-Nurturing Powder was far gentler, yet also far more tedious.

It did not require forceful compression. Instead, it required the medicinal power to be dispersed and made extremely easy to absorb.

This time, Lu Heng's movements became incomparably gentle.

The flames danced within the cauldron. They were no longer savage beasts, but embroidery needles.

Half an hour later.

Three clusters of pale-blue powder formed at the bottom of the cauldron.

Lu Heng carefully divided them into three jade bottles.

Looking at the three bottles of Yuan-Nurturing Powder in his hands, a smile curled onto Lu Heng's lips.

This was practically tailor-made for Sister Ya Fei.

Ya Fei had possessed only ordinary talent for cultivation since childhood and had been stuck at the Dou Qi stage for a long time.

This had always been a pain in Sister Ya Fei's heart.

In the original story, Sister Ya Fei would not reach the Dou Zhe stage until her early twenties.

Now, with this Yuan-Nurturing Powder, Sister Ya Fei's cultivation could gradually improve.

He did not expect Ya Fei to become some great expert, but at least she could live longer and avoid illness.

Lu Heng put away the pills and glanced out the window.

The horizon had already begun to brighten with the pale light of dawn.

This single refining session had actually lasted the entire night.

Though his body was exhausted to the extreme, his mind was unusually exhilarated.

A six-star Dou Zhe, Beast Power Pills, and the Yuan-Gathering Pill—then a trip to the Magical Beast Mountain Range for training.

This was in the bag.

Lu Heng pushed open the stone chamber door. The cool morning air rushed toward him, dispersing the heat clinging to his body.

He rolled his stiff neck, producing a series of crisp cracks.

It was time for breakfast.

He wondered what breakfast would be today.

Thinking of Ya Fei's cooking, Lu Heng's stomach gave a very uncooperative growl.

In the courtyard.

The air was filled with the fragrance of millet porridge, mixed with faint traces of scorched fried egg.

The moment Lu Heng entered the small courtyard, he saw Ya Fei emerging from the kitchen with two steaming bowls of porridge.

The chief auctioneer who was usually so decisive and capable now resembled a gentle young wife.

"Wash your hands and eat."

Ya Fei set the porridge on the table and casually smoothed her slightly messy hair at the temples.

"I saw you stayed in the alchemy room all night, so I made you some medicinal porridge to replenish your Qi."

Lu Heng obediently washed his hands by the basin and sat down at the table.

He lifted his bowl and took a large gulp.

The flavor was actually ordinary, even a little bland, yet Lu Heng drank it with great relish.

"Slow down. No one's fighting you for it."

Resting her cheek on one hand, Ya Fei watched Lu Heng wolf down his food with eyes full of affection. In her other hand, she lightly stirred her own bowl of porridge with a spoon.

"How was it? Did you succeed?"

"I succeeded."

Lu Heng put down his bowl and wiped his mouth.

He took the three jade bottles containing pale-blue powder from his robes and pushed them in front of Ya Fei.

"What are these?"

Ya Fei picked up one of the bottles and held it up to the light.

"Could they be like the Beast Power Pills again?"

"No."

Lu Heng shook his head and said seriously,

"This is called Yuan-Nurturing Powder. It is specifically for cultivators at the Dou Qi stage."

Ya Fei's hand paused.

She raised her eyes. Her peach-blossom eyes, usually filled with a shrewd smile, now held a few ripples of emotion.

"For those at the Dou Qi stage..." Ya Fei murmured, then gave a bitter smile. "Little brother, you refined this specifically for me, didn't you?"

In this household, aside from Lu Heng, that freakishly talented genius, she was the only one at the "Dou Qi stage."

"Sister Ya Fei, its medicinal nature is very mild."

Lu Heng looked at her.

"Take a small spoonful every day before cultivation. I guarantee your cultivation speed will improve greatly."

The fingers holding the jade bottle tightened slightly. No one knew what Ya Fei was thinking.

She remained silent for a long time.

There was none of the delight Lu Heng had expected, nor any excited tears.

Ya Fei merely gazed quietly at the bottle, as though she were looking at some rare treasure—or perhaps a token of parting.

"Why did you suddenly give me this?"

Ya Fei set down the bottle. Her spoon lightly clinked against the porridge bowl.

"Do you think your sister is holding you back?"

"How could that be?"

Lu Heng smiled. "I just want Sister Ya Fei to be healthier. Besides, I'm still counting on you to keep supporting me."

"Cut it out."

Ya Fei rolled her eyes at him, though her eyes had reddened slightly.

She took a deep breath to calm herself, then suddenly lifted her head and stared directly at Lu Heng.

That gaze seemed intent on seeing straight through him.

"Little brother."

Ya Fei's voice was soft, yet certain.

"You're leaving, aren't you?"