Artifact Control, Alchemy

"So-called nourishing with qi was somewhat similar to the cultivation method of the Reverse Birth Triple Layer."

"Fully integrate an item's molecular structure with qi, while what I need to do now is perfectly fuse chakra with the chakra short sword."

Besides cultivating the Reverse Birth Triple Layer, Indra would use the artifact-refining secret art to refine the chakra short sword whenever he had spare time.

Three days passed, and his chakra short sword was now brimming with chakra, its blade emitting a soft glow.

"Weapon Control!"

Indra formed a sword gesture with his fingers, his thoughts stirring slightly.

The chakra short sword resting on the table rang out, then rose into the air.

In his perception, the chakra short sword became something akin to a Shadow Clone.

Not only could Indra clearly sense the high-density chakra contained within it, but he could also manipulate it at will.

When he focused his thoughts, the short sword stopped trembling and flew neatly toward him, circling around his body.

"Maybe I'm just used to the Rooster Talisman's telekinesis. It actually feels pretty easy to control."

In just a few minutes, Indra had already mastered the chakra short sword as though it were an extension of his own arm.

He pointed his sword fingers toward the sky, and his thoughts shifted.

Whoosh!!!

The chakra short sword shot skyward like a rocket, instantly turning into a streak of silver light as it surged upward.

Once the short sword flew more than a hundred meters away, controlling it became increasingly difficult for Indra.

"Fifty meters is optimal. One hundred meters is the limit."

After assessing his weapon-control range, Indra swept his gaze around and caught sight of a flying insect passing through the corridor outside the window.

The short sword in the sky changed direction and dove down at high speed. It deftly curved around a roof beam, precisely pierced the insect, and nailed it to a round pillar.

"If I combine it with the Rooster Talisman..."

Indra exerted himself again, and the short sword nailed to the pillar trembled slightly.

Bzzzz!!!

A faint glow abruptly lit up along the blade, extending into a half-inch chakra edge.

Propelled by telekinesis, the short sword's speed instantly broke the sound barrier, piercing straight through the solid wooden pillar in a single strike!

Shattered wood chips flew everywhere, while the roar of the sonic boom shook the corridor so violently that it seemed on the verge of collapse.

Indra did not continue experimenting carelessly. After controlling the short sword back into its sheath, he took out the Horse Talisman and touched the pillar.

The scattered wood chips flew back as if time were reversing, swiftly filling and restoring the bowl-sized hole. Even the trembling corridor was restored to pristine condition.

"What happened? Was there another ninja attack!?"

Si Chong hurried over to Indra with several sect members in tow.

Seeing that he could no longer hide it, Indra could only step forward and explain, "No, Martial Uncle. I merely made some progress in my recent cultivation."

Making some progress had caused such a huge commotion?

Si Chong recalled the hundred corpses that had piled up outside the mountain gate a few days ago, then smiled in understanding.

"Nephew, next time, give us a heads-up beforehand. I won't disturb you, then."

"Wait, Martial Uncle."

Just as Si Chong turned to leave, Indra immediately called out to him.

Indra stepped forward and took out the copy of the Complete Guide to Hundred Herbs that he had already read through three times.

"Martial Uncle, there are still a few things in this book that I don't understand."

"Herbal medicine? I'm just a rough man. Your senior sister is good at that. She's currently in charge of the sect's medicinal pill supply and should be over at the alchemy room."

Si Chong waved his hand carelessly and immediately pointed Indra in the right direction.

Without another word, Indra headed to the alchemy room. Before he even entered, he could already smell the rich scent of medicinal herbs.

He pushed open the door and found sect members bustling about inside the alchemy room.

Cheng Zhen carefully inspected everything as she walked through the alchemy room.

"Now that the mountain gate is closed and we are not receiving visitors or accepting disciples, the pharmacy business is our most important source of income. We must prioritize quality over quantity. No one is allowed to be careless."

"Understood!"

The sect members answered in unison and threw themselves into their work with renewed effort.

Indra could not help clicking his tongue at the sight. There were few memories of this place in the chakra memories, and none recorded the importance of the alchemy room.

It now seemed that the Three One Sect's sources of income were not limited to accepting disciples and receiving gifts from outsiders. The sect itself had quite a few businesses as well!

After finishing her inspection round, Cheng Zhen quickly noticed Indra entering.

She walked over and asked in confusion, "Junior Brother, what are you doing here?"

Indra immediately took out the Complete Guide to Hundred Herbs and asked softly, "Senior Sister, I've developed some interest in alchemy these past few days."

"But I can't understand what the book means by 'a small amount' or 'a pinch.'"

At his words, Cheng Zhen's expression turned to one of realization. "Oh, that? That's nothing."

Seeing Indra's interest, Cheng Zhen was quite pleased.

When she learned that Indra had already memorized most of the book's contents, she delightedly pulled him into the inner room, took out a pile of medicinal ingredients, and demonstrated on the spot.

"What Senior Sister is making now is [Qi-Honing Powder]. Taking it helps one better control and sense the qi within the body during cultivation.

For the main ingredient, use wild astragalus that is more than three years old. Take two qian, slice it, then honey-roast it until lightly yellowed..."

Cheng Zhen demonstrated the entire process in detail, explaining the methods and procedures of medicine refining along the way.

The refining of true medicinal pills could not possibly be done by simply throwing all the ingredients into a single furnace.

The main and supplementary ingredients needed to be processed separately, while the timing of adding them and the heat both had to be controlled with precision.

Three hours later, Cheng Zhen took out refined honey as a binding agent and kneaded the medicinal powder into pellets the size of mung beans.

"And that's it. Next, place the pills on a bamboo tray and air-dry them in a ventilated place for seven days. Remember, they must not be exposed to sunlight."

After explaining the last detail, Cheng Zhen smiled as she looked at the dazed Indra beside her.

Generally speaking, becoming an apothecary required at least five years of study, and that was only if one had talent.

Even if Indra was the reincarnation of an immortal, Cheng Zhen did not think he could learn it all at once. After all, this was not his field of expertise.

At last, she could display the dignity of an elder sister before her junior brother!

As Cheng Zhen was smugly pleased with herself, she failed to notice the single tomoe Sharingan in Indra's eyes slowly turning.

Perhaps because his soul had grown stronger recently, Indra found that his memory had become exceptionally good.

After activating the Sharingan, his powers of observation increased severalfold.

Just now, Indra had memorized every detail of Senior Sister Cheng Zhen's medicine refining in one go.

"Alright, I've got it, Senior Sister. Can I give it a try?"

"Of course. Go ahead and... try it?"

Cheng Zhen answered casually, but her tone faltered halfway through.

She blinked and stared fixedly at Indra as he began refining medicine with practiced ease.

Every step perfectly replicated her own. Without the time spent explaining, he was even faster!

Two and a half hours later, pill after pill the size of mung beans emerged fresh from the process.

"..."

Cheng Zhen was completely dumbfounded.

No, you actually knew how to do it?!

Having finished refining, Indra eagerly asked, "Senior Sister, do you think there's anything wrong with these pills?"

Cheng Zhen did not even need to inspect them to know there was definitely nothing wrong.

"Junior Brother, was that your first time refining medicine?"

Her mouth opened and closed, but in the end, that was all she managed to say.

"Yep. It's all thanks to how well Senior Sister taught me!"

Indra nodded as if it were only natural, not forgetting to praise Cheng Zhen at the same time.

Flattered by his praise, Cheng Zhen immediately looked much happier. "Hehe~ Of course!"

Seeing Indra practically itching to continue, Cheng Zhen could only keep instructing him, passing on every remaining technique of medicine refining.