Although Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu were reluctant to part, they still gritted their teeth and watched Xiao Yexuan's figure gradually disappear into the distance.
They didn't slack off for a moment. Turning around, they went their separate ways and got busy.
Xiao Wu contacted Da Ming and Er Ming, asking them to search all over Star Dou Forest for rare medicinal herbs.
Ning Rongrong hurried back to the sect and began consolidating all the medicinal shops under the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, paving the way for the alchemy to come.
Zhu Zhuqing was busy too. She made a special trip to every bookstore in Heaven Dou City, gathering all the books related to medicinal herbs and alchemy, hoping she could study and discuss them with Xiao Yexuan in the future.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yexuan hurried straight to Liu Erlong's residence.
Before he even stepped through the door, a rich, mellow medicinal fragrance wafted toward him. It rushed straight up his nose, making him wrinkle it despite himself.
Just from the pungent medicinal fragrance, Xiao Yexuan knew how much Liu Erlong had gone out of her way for him. She had even been willing to use so many precious medicinal herbs.
But then he thought about it: that also meant Liu Erlong had wasted quite a lot of resources.
Wouldn't it be nice if all these herbs were refined into pills?
Still, Xiao Yexuan didn't feel the slightest pang of regret. After all, Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu had his back now. As long as he asked, wouldn't as many medicinal herbs as he wanted be within easy reach?
"Xiaoxuan, you really did come back right on time!"
Liu Erlong's voice came from inside the room, carrying a hearty laugh.
"When you're taking a medicinal bath, your body is at its weakest, and it's also the easiest time to absorb the medicinal properties."
"My precious disciple, why don't we spar while we have the chance?"
Liu Erlong strode out to greet him, fists clenched, looking eager to give it a try.
Xiao Yexuan saw right through her intentions. What kind of sparring was this? She clearly wanted to use the chance to get handsy with him.
He rested his chin on his hand, looking at the large tub filled with medicinal herbs, then glanced at Liu Erlong. Suddenly, he remembered that her Martial Soul was the Fire Dragon.
So Xiao Yexuan didn't hesitate. He told Liu Erlong, in detail, about the plan he and the others had discussed to make pills.
After hearing him out, Liu Erlong didn't think he was some impractical spendthrift. On the contrary, her eyes filled with admiration. She thought her disciple was a man with a sense of responsibility and dreams.
He was a hundred, a thousand times better than that good-for-nothing Yu Xiaogang!
"So, my precious disciple, you want to borrow the flames of my Martial Soul to refine pills?"
Liu Erlong didn't beat around the bush. As soon as she finished speaking, she released her Martial Soul.
A blazing mass of flames suddenly appeared in her palm. The scorching heat made the air around them grow warm.
"Master, I'm going to try controlling these flames now."
Xiao Yexuan's expression was serious as he gave her a solemn warning.
"Whatever I do in a moment, don't resist."
"You just need to keep releasing the flames of your Martial Soul."
Xiao Yexuan knew very well that Soul Power recognized its owner.
If he wanted to control someone else's Soul Power, any resistance on their part would make it many times more difficult.
Liu Erlong readily agreed. Whatever Xiao Yexuan said, she would do.
The flames in her palm surged, and even more fire poured forth.
Xiao Yexuan took out the paper fan he carried with him and gave it a gentle wave.
A small current of air rose, swept up the flames, and carried them precisely beneath the medicinal-bath tub.
The fire blazed. The herbs and water in the tub soon began to churn, bubbling and frothing as countless bubbles rose to the surface.
As he focused on drawing and controlling the flames with his Soul Skill, Xiao Yexuan slowly walked over to the nearby shelves.
The shelves were neatly lined with all kinds of medicinal herbs, along with a booklet recording the medicinal-bath formula.
Using the booklet, Xiao Yexuan quickly identified quite a few of the herbs.
Whenever he came across one he didn't recognize, he turned to ask Liu Erlong beside him.
Liu Erlong had prepared thoroughly for Xiao Yexuan's medicinal bath, and knew the properties of these herbs inside and out.
No matter what he asked, she answered smoothly. She not only named each herb, but also explained its basic properties in detail.
Xiao Yexuan listened carefully, without letting up. While maintaining the flames' temperature, he picked out several herbs from the shelves that could balance the medicinal properties and tossed them into the tub one by one.
In Xiao Yexuan's view, the art of refining medicine was actually quite simple. It was just a matter of balancing medicinal effects, diluting them, or strengthening them.
Once he had mastered those principles, he could refine quite a few excellent pills.
But the process consumed a great deal of mental and Soul Power. Before long, the vortex of wind he'd created with the paper fan began to falter and grow sluggish.
Suddenly, as he drew the flames in once more, the fire in Liu Erlong's palm burst apart.
A spark flew out and landed squarely on the hem of Liu Erlong's clothes.
The flame flared up at once, starting to burn through her clothes.
At that moment, Xiao Yexuan was wholly focused on the tub, watching the medicinal liquid grow thicker and thicker, almost boiling dry.
His mind was full of anticipation about what kind of pill he might be able to make, and he didn't notice what was happening behind him at all.
Liu Erlong kept her eyes fixed on Xiao Yexuan, her gaze blazing, as if he had become her entire world.
She didn't feel a thing happening to herself.
She thought to herself that she was just a "gas tank" whose only job was to provide flames. However much fire Xiao Yexuan needed, she'd give him, and she didn't need to worry about anything else.
And so, the sparks spread along her clothes.
The flames grew fiercer and fiercer, soon burning away half her clothes and revealing the enticing, fair skin beneath.
The room was already filled with a rich medicinal fragrance. It covered the burnt smell of her clothes so thoroughly that it was barely noticeable.
Xiao Yexuan naturally noticed nothing amiss and continued working with his head down.
The flames grew stronger, and Liu Erlong's clothes grew fewer and fewer.
Only when Xiao Yexuan had nearly finished did he turn around, intending to say a few words to Liu Erlong.
The moment he turned, he was so stunned that his eyes went wide and his jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
Half of Liu Erlong's clothes had been burned away.
Her hair had been singed by the sparks and curled slightly, making her look rather pitiful.
But that wasn't the point. The point was that half of Liu Erlong's curvaceous, fiery figure was now on full display before Xiao Yexuan.
After being burned by the flames, she looked even redder, even more alluring...
Her figure was enough to drive countless men wild, making her every man's dream woman.
Xiao Yexuan's cheeks burned as he hurriedly raised a hand to cover his face.
He put on the air of a proper gentleman, as if he were afraid that even one more glance would take advantage of Liu Erlong.
Still, Xiao Yexuan was very worried about his master, and hurried to remind her:
"Master, y-you're... you're on fire!"
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