The First Pot of Gold (First Alchemy Attempt)

After driving for the better part of the day, the sports car finally pulled into a small town.

The streets were narrow and lined with shops. Bulma parked the car in front of a clothing store and tossed Lin Fan a few large-denomination bills.

"Go pick out some decent clothes. Don't come back out shirtless; it's terrifying."

Bulma tossed her long blue hair and headed excitedly toward a glittering accessory shop nearby. "I'm going to look over there. Meet back here in half an hour!"

There were many styles of clothing in the shop, but he had no time to be picky. He grabbed the most ordinary gray cloth shirt and trousers, added a pair of durable leather boots, and changed quickly.

He had finally shed his savage appearance. Paired with eyes that were becoming increasingly clear from his cultivation, he looked exceptionally handsome and refined.

After buying the clothes, Lin Fan stood by the roadside waiting for Bulma, his gaze sweeping the surroundings unobtrusively.

The town was nestled against mountains and water, the air humid, and the weeds along the roadside grew wild and untended.

Lin Fan's gaze swept over those weeds. In his sea of consciousness, the basic chapters of the Great Dao Source Scripture flowed naturally, containing a vast array of spirit herb illustrations and annotations on their medicinal properties.

Although most corresponded to primordial anomalies, the Great Dao was simple. Plants and trees were born from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth; even ordinary weeds sometimes possessed traceable spiritual medicinal power.

He spotted a few short, dark green grasses with thick, serrated leaves, and several clusters of vines blooming with small, pale purple flowers.

These grasses and vines were very similar to a type of herb mentioned in the scripture that could replenish a small amount of blood and energy and promote wound healing.

With a thought, he walked over slowly, leaned down as if casually, and plucked a few, hiding them in the pocket of his new clothes.

His movements were natural, like brushing away dust, and did not attract the attention of any passersby.

After a while, Bulma returned carrying several exquisite paper bags, in high spirits, humming a tune as she tossed them into the backseat.

"Done! Let's go, find somewhere to eat. I'm starving!"

The two found a restaurant along the street, and Bulma ordered a table full of dishes, tucking in with gusto.

Lin Fan, however, only touched a few light vegetable dishes. He spent most of his time silently circulating his internal technique, absorbing the thin spiritual energy in the air to consolidate his foundation and cultivate his essence.

He took the opportunity to use his fingertips to subtly dry the herbs from his sleeve with a trace of true fire, kneading them into small pellets.

After the meal, Bulma wiped her mouth, took out the Dragon Radar to confirm their direction again, and muttered, "The signal seems weak again... seriously."

She looked up at Lin Fan, her eyes expectant. "Hey, Lin Fan, do some fortune-telling. See which direction we should head next for the best luck?"

Lin Fan knew her thoughts. He smiled slightly, feigning deep thought, and pinched his fingers together, while secretly placing the three crudely made pills—which emitted only a faint medicinal scent—into his palm.

"This hexagram is quite obscure; it's difficult to discern a precise direction."

He first shook his head, and just as Bulma's expression turned to disappointment, he changed his tone and opened his palm. "However, while I was waiting for you earlier, I picked some herbs nearby and used an ancient method to knead a few 'Foundation-Consolidating Pills.' They aren't spirit pills, but they are quite effective for common bruises and blood deficiency. You could ask at a pharmacy; perhaps you could trade them for some money. It's the least I can do."

The three pills looked unremarkable, even ugly, stained with bits of grass, a far cry from the white, smooth, and beautifully packaged medicines Bulma was used to.

She skeptically picked one up and sniffed it; it had only a faint, indefinable scent that was neither quite fragrant nor quite grassy.

"This... thing can be sold for money?"

Bulma was full of disbelief. "It looks like a mud ball..."

"As for the efficacy, you'll only know after trying. There's a pharmacy right ahead; you can take them and test it."

Lin Fan said with a calm expression.

Bulma was half-convinced, but driven by the "better than nothing" mentality and a desire to see how things played out, she took the three pills and walked into the old pharmacy at the corner of the street, which bore a plaque reading "Hundred Herb Hall."

Lin Fan followed slowly behind.

The light inside the pharmacy was dim, and the air was thick with a mixture of medicinal scents.

Behind the counter sat an old shopkeeper with graying hair and beard, wearing round-rimmed glasses, busy with an abacus and an account book.

Seeing customers arrive, especially a girl as brightly dressed as Bulma, he hurried to greet them. "What does the young lady need?"

Bulma placed the three pills on the counter and said nonchalantly, "Boss, take a look at these. Do you buy them?"

The old shopkeeper adjusted his glasses, leaned in for a closer look, then picked one up to rub and sniff.

His brow furrowed immediately, and his face showed undisguised disdain. "Is the young lady here to make a fool of me? What is this? The ingredients are crude, and the refining... hmph, it's just grass roots and tree bark mashed together! Things like this wouldn't even be picked up if thrown on the road!"

Bulma's pretty face flushed red at these words, feeling embarrassed. She looked back at Lin Fan, as if to say, "See? I knew it."

Lin Fan's expression remained unchanged. He stepped forward and said calmly, "Boss, you haven't even tried them, so how do you know they aren't effective? This is a secret family recipe, meticulously refined!"

"Try? How do you expect me to try?"

The old shopkeeper sneered. "Do you want me to find a wounded person just to test these mysterious mud balls of yours?"

Just as he spoke, the pharmacy curtain lifted, and a young man dressed as an assistant walked in, clutching his waist and grimacing in pain. He said to the old shopkeeper, "Uncle Wang, I sprained my waist moving herbs yesterday; it hurts terribly. Give me a plaster..."

Seeing this, the old shopkeeper's eyes rolled, and a thought occurred to him. He pointed at the assistant and said to Lin Fan, "Fine! Kid, if you really think your pills are effective, let him try one. If it doesn't work, don't blame me for throwing you both out!"

Bulma tugged at Lin Fan's sleeve from the side, whispering, "Hey, let's just forget it. Don't embarrass yourself..."

Lin Fan shook his head slightly at her, took a pill, handed it to the assistant, and said gently, "Young man, if you trust me, take this pill. It will relieve your pain immediately."

The assistant looked at the ugly pill, then at his agonizing waist. He hesitated for a moment, but the pain was too severe. Gritting his teeth, he took the pill and swallowed it with water, muttering, "Might as well treat a dead horse as a living one..."

The pill entered his stomach, and at first, there was no change.

The assistant continued to rub his waist with a bitter expression.

The old shopkeeper looked smug, and Bulma was already preparing to drag Lin Fan away.

However, after only a dozen breaths, the shop assistant suddenly let out an "eh," a flash of suspicion crossing his face. He stopped rubbing his waist and tried twisting it gently, finding the movement surprisingly smoother than before.

He was both shocked and delighted. After moving around a few times, the bone-piercing soreness had miraculously subsided by more than half!

"Amazing! Uncle Wang, this... this medicine really works! My waist doesn't hurt as much, it feels all warm!"

The assistant exclaimed repeatedly, filled with shock and joy.

The smug expression on the old shopkeeper's face froze instantly, replaced by sheer astonishment.

He grabbed the assistant to examine him closely, questioning him repeatedly about his sensations. Once he confirmed there was no deception, he whipped his head around to look at Lin Fan, his eyes having completely changed, now filled with disbelief and curiosity.

"This... how is this possible? How can something refined from mere common weeds show results so quickly?"

He picked up the remaining two pills on the counter, his hands trembling, no longer showing a trace of his previous disdain.

Bulma's small mouth was rounded into an 'O'. She looked from the assistant to Lin Fan, her beautiful eyes wide, as if she were seeing him for the first time.

Lin Fan remained as calm and composed as ever, as if everything were within his expectations. He simply said indifferently, "Shopkeeper, you flatter me. I wonder if these few pills are worthy of your notice?"

The old shopkeeper dared not show any disrespect now and hurriedly replied, "They are! They are! It was this old man who was blind and failed to recognize your incredible skills, sir! How do you intend to sell these pills?"

He had even changed his form of address to "sir."

Lin Fan had no concept of the local currency and could only cast his gaze toward Bulma.

Bulma understood immediately. Putting on the air of a young lady of status, she held up five fingers: "Five hundred Zeni each! Not a single coin less!"

The old shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, looking at the pills and recalling their miraculous effect, before gritting his teeth: "Fine! We shall go by the price you set!"

He immediately counted out fifteen hundred Zeni in banknotes and handed them over respectfully.

Bulma took the money, stuffed it into Lin Fan's hand triumphantly, and winked at him.

Stepping out of the pharmacy, the sunlight spilled across the long street, making even Lin Fan's simple gray cloth robes seem to carry a touch of refined elegance.

Watching him, Bulma felt that the "wild man" she had picked up from the wilderness seemed to be shrouded in more and more mysteries.