A Little Knowledge

Yin Caiwei's words came in broken snatches, and by the end they were already hard to make out.

But Li Jun was now certain his earlier guess had been right.

Shen Xiyue really had sent her to keep watch on him.

"If this goes on, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my job as a cowherd."

As long as the fierce nature of these supplementary ingredients was successfully neutralized this time, Shen Xiyue would definitely ask him for the method.

If everything went smoothly with the Purple Foundation Pill afterward, then the value of the Spirit Oxen would be driven up.

And when that time came, would the people following Shen Xiyue really be willing to hand such a plum assignment to him, an outer sect disciple?

"The supplementary ingredients can succeed, but the Purple Foundation Pill can't go too smoothly."

Li Jun pondered inwardly. This was the key to his survival on Medicine Peak.

If the Purple Foundation Pill failed, Shen Xiyue would choose to keep using him because of the Ancient Array.

But once the Purple Foundation Pill succeeded, and his own strength was not outstanding, his days on Medicine Peak would likely become difficult.

"I'll find a chance later to add something else to the supplementary ingredients," Li Jun thought.

After finishing applying medicine to Yin Caiwei, he went to the cowshed and began massaging the Spirit Oxen.

While he could still raise cattle, he would stockpile more milk.

In any case, he now had two storage bags. There was plenty of room.

The night passed without incident. Far on the horizon, the first pale white of a fish's belly appeared, and the sky gradually brightened.

Yin Caiwei slowly opened her eyes. Looking at the wooden roof before her, she felt dazed for a moment.

"Senior Sister, you're awake? How do you feel?"

Li Jun came into the room, carrying in the porridge he had cooked.

"Junior Brother? What happened to me?"

Li Jun described what had happened last night.

When she heard that Li Jun had applied medicine for her, Yin Caiwei's face instantly flushed crimson.

Fortunately, it had only been her arms and back. Otherwise, she really would have been unbearably embarrassed.

"Senior Sister, the injuries on your body were very serious. If you hadn't been found yesterday, you really might have lost your life here."

Li Jun spoke with a solemn expression.

"Ah, I thought I could tough it out. Thank you, Junior Brother. If not for you, I might really have died."

Yin Caiwei smiled, but the weakness in her body made even her smile carry an added touch of bleakness.

"It's fine. Eat something first, then apply medicine to the rest of your wounds."

"Okay."

Yin Caiwei obediently ate, then honestly applied the medicine.

"Junior Brother, this medicine of yours is really good. The places you treated last night are mostly healed today."

Yin Caiwei checked the wounds on her arms. Some had already scabbed over.

"I learned a few folk remedies before. They can't compare to pills, but they're still enough to treat flesh wounds."

"Speaking of which, Senior Sister, is your assessment really that strict? Why were you beaten so badly?"

Li Jun was puzzled. He felt this whole matter was somewhat absurd.

Yin Caiwei paused, then sighed. "It's mainly because that Senior Sister Liu Pan'er is too strict. She already looks down on outer sect disciples to begin with. According to her, if someone can't even handle medicinal herbs properly, then they're nothing but trash and don't deserve to learn alchemy."

Li Jun was left speechless. He had met Liu Pan'er before, and the impression she gave him had indeed carried a trace of arrogance.

"Previously, when I went to take part in alchemy, Eldest Senior Sister had Liu Pan'er guide me. It seems she's highly valued by Eldest Senior Sister?" Li Jun pressed.

"Of course! I heard Liu Pan'er is Eldest Senior Sister's little maidservant. Back then, she came to the Azure Cloud Sect together with Eldest Senior Sister and accompanied her all the way to where she is today," Yin Caiwei explained.

Li Jun nodded. He had not expected them to have that kind of relationship.

"Senior Sister, where is Eldest Senior Sister from? How did she come to the Azure Cloud Sect?"

Yin Caiwei thought for a moment, then said, "Eldest Senior Sister is from the Fire Kingdom. It's said she comes from a famous and influential clan in the Fire Kingdom's capital. As for why she came to the Azure Cloud Sect, perhaps it was because this place has the strongest fire-attribute cultivation methods."

Li Jun nodded. The Hundred Thousand Mountains were a vast mountain range, situated in the southwestern corner of the continent.

In the depths of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, great demons often appeared. The terrain was complex, with abysses and ravines stretching across it, impossible even for immortals to cross.

And within the inner reaches of the mountain range stood three major immortal cultivation sects.

The Azure Cloud Sect, the Lingxu Sect, and the Zhenyue Sect.

The outer region bordered the Fire Kingdom. In the Fire Kingdom, most children from prominent and respectable families would enter the three major sects in the inner region.

"Junior Brother, although Eldest Senior Sister seems kind and gentle, in private she's actually very competitive. You absolutely must not make her angry."

Yin Caiwei reminded him earnestly.

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister. I'll be careful."

Li Jun nodded. Even without Yin Caiwei's warning, he had already sensed as much.

He thought of that sachet from the other day, and of Hu Dadao's words. Could Shen Xiyue really be a royal relative of the Fire Kingdom's imperial clan?

"Senior Sister, you just said your assessment was processing medicinal ingredients?"

"That's right. Alchemy requires many medicinal ingredients. If they aren't processed properly, even if a pill forms, its effects will be greatly reduced."

Li Jun nodded and sounded her out. "Senior Sister, I'm actually fairly skilled at processing medicinal ingredients too. If you need, we might as well discuss it. Maybe I can help you pass the assessment."

Yin Caiwei was startled, but after thinking it over carefully, this junior brother before her was indeed very good at processing medicinal ingredients.

Take the Spirit Ox in the cowshed, for example. After being fed by him, its coat was now glossy and bright.

Not to mention, he had even taken part in Eldest Senior Sister's alchemy. The experience he possessed might not be any less than hers.

"All right then. Junior Brother, can you take a look for me in a bit?"

Li Jun happily agreed. He wanted to see whether he could rely on entries to obtain a complete pill formula.

The cowshed storehouse.

Yin Caiwei mobilized the spiritual energy in her body and carefully processed the medicinal ingredients before her.

Li Jun watched intently. What she was demonstrating was the early-stage medicinal ingredient processing procedure for the Yellow Dragon Pill.

"Junior Brother, these are the medicinal ingredient processing steps for the Yellow Dragon Pill. My problem right now is that when the ingredients merge within the pill fire, they mysteriously crack apart. They can't last until the pill forms at all."

Yin Caiwei sighed. She also had no idea which step she had failed to do properly. Clearly, there was nothing wrong with the formula.

"Let me try."

Li Jun sat down and personally processed the medicinal herbs.

Everything went smoothly at first, but when it came time to add the Purple Fishy Grass, his hand suddenly stopped.

Then, under Yin Caiwei's puzzled gaze, he increased the amount of Purple Fishy Grass.

Aside from the Purple Fishy Grass, Li Jun also adjusted the proportions of several other medicinal herbs.

[Yellow Dragon Pill · Pill Formula: Progress 100%]

Looking at the entry that appeared before him, Li Jun was incomparably excited.

After briefly browsing through it, he slowly rose to his feet.

"Senior Sister, if you trust me, adjust the proportions and order of these three medicinal herbs. Maybe you'll be able to pass the assessment next time."

Yin Caiwei took the formula Li Jun had handwritten, half believing and half doubting inwardly.

The formula before her eyes was completely different from the ones those inner sect disciples had given her. Which one should she trust?

"It's already come to this anyway. I might as well take it and give it a try."

Yin Caiwei bit her lip with her pearly teeth, then directly accepted the formula.

"All right! There happens to be an assessment this afternoon. I'll go test it."

That afternoon, Yin Caiwei went to Medicine Peak's pill room.

Only when the sun had set and work had ended did her figure appear outside the cowshed.

"Junior Brother! Junior Brother! I passed! I passed the assessment!!!"

Yin Caiwei came flying over and arrived directly in front of Li Jun, hugging him fiercely.

"Junior Brother, you're truly miraculous! I processed the medicinal ingredients according to the formula you gave me, and in the end, the pill really formed!"

Yin Caiwei was full of excitement as she described everything that had happened that afternoon in vivid detail.

Li Jun smiled and nodded, inwardly letting out a breath of relief as well.

From now on, he could think of ways to copy and optimize the Azure Cloud Sect's pill formulas.