The Iron Wood door opened, and Lu Heng stepped out.
Three days of intense herb refining had left him looking a little weary.
Hei Qing sat by the stone table gnawing on a beef bone, while Yao Tianhuo slowly sipped wine across from him.
When Hei Qing saw Lu Heng, he tossed aside the bone and wiped his mouth.
"Brother Lu Heng, all done?"
Lu Heng took ten Azure Porcelain jars, each half as tall as a person, from his Storage Ring and lined them up neatly beside the stone table.
"These are for Zi Yan, Brother Hei Qing. Three thousand in all. Enough to last that girl more than half a year."
Hei Qing broke the clay seal on one jar, leaned in for a sniff, and broke into a broad grin.
"Good stuff! Sweet enough to make your teeth ache. That little princess will love them! You really know how to deliver, brother!"
Hei Qing stored all the jars in his Storage Ring and patted his belly in satisfaction.
Lu Heng rubbed his temples and sat down on a stone stool.
"The pills for you and Yao Lao will have to wait until tomorrow. Refining Eighth-Grade Pills causes too much of a disturbance. I need a full day to get myself ready."
Yao Tianhuo set down his cup and nodded gravely.
"An Eighth-Grade Pill is no small matter. A lightning tribulation is certain to descend when it forms. There's no rushing this. Rest well. Hei Qing and I will watch the grounds; nothing will go wrong."
Lu Heng acknowledged him and said no more.
He returned to his room, enjoyed a long hot bath, changed into a fresh cloth robe, and fell into a deep sleep on the bed.
He slept soundly for an entire day and night.