My First Batch of Pills Goes to Dad!

The Origin-Restoring Meridian-Nourishing Pill nourished the meridians and dispersed stagnation.

Xiao Yan read the pill formula from beginning to end, his eyes growing brighter by the moment.

He recognized most of the ingredients. Several supporting herbs were already part of his father's original prescription, and even the most expensive ingredient, meridian-warming ginseng, was stocked in the Xiao Clan's dispensary.

Only the proportions and refinement process were entirely different.

"This is a healing pill I put together using the medicinal ingredients available in this plane. Refined according to this formula, it would qualify as a second-rank pill here."

Bodhi said it casually, but Xiao Yan nearly sat bolt upright.

Second rank?!

How long had he even been learning? He was already going to try his hand at second-rank pills? Even the respected Master Gu Ni in Wutan City was only a Second-Rank Alchemist!

Seeing his stunned expression, Bodhi smiled.

"With a suitable formula and someone beside you to guide you, there is no reason not to try. Following instructions to produce a batch and handling every variation in medicinal properties on your own are still some distance apart."

Xiao Yan quickly nodded.

He understood that distinction.

Making something under guidance was naturally not the same as being able to solve every problem himself. Even so, it was more than enough to excite him.

"Master, may I tell my father that I've become your disciple?"

"He is your father. Why should he not know what you are learning?" Bodhi glanced at him. "There is no need to publicize my name. As for the rest, explain it to him yourself."

With that assurance, Xiao Yan felt at ease.

Two days later, all the ingredients were ready.

Xiao Yan set the Bronze Cauldron firmly in place. Dou Qi flowed steadily from his palm, and flames sprang to life beneath the cauldron. He sliced the meridian-warming ginseng thinly and put it in first. A faint medicinal fragrance soon spread.

This time, he was even more meticulous than when refining the Azure Origin Body-Tempering Liquid.

This was something his father would be taking. He could not let himself stop at "close enough."

Extraction, purification, combination.

By the time he finished the first few steps, a light sheen of sweat had appeared at Xiao Yan's temples. Yet the medicinal liquid in the cauldron remained clear, without a trace of scorching.

Only when he began forming the pills did the mass of liquid suddenly tremble, scattering several droplets from its edges.

Xiao Yan's breath caught.

"Lower the flame. Do not chase it with the fire."

His grandmaster's reminder came at just that moment.

Xiao Yan immediately restrained the flames and, following the method in the formula, immersed his awareness in the medicinal liquid. Slowly, he gathered the scattered droplets back in, and the surging medicinal power finally steadied again.

After a while, a delicate fragrance drifted from the cauldron, far richer than before.

Three pale green pills rotated slowly in the gentle heat. Xiao Yan stared at them, not even sparing a hand to wipe away the sweat sliding from his forehead to the corner of his eye.

"That will do."

Only when Bodhi spoke did he carefully extinguish the flames and remove the pills.

As the first pill landed on the jade dish.

It made a faint, crisp sound.

Looking at the palm-sized dish, Xiao Yan suddenly did not know whether to smile first or breathe a sigh of relief.

Bodhi picked up one pill, examined it briefly, and put it back.

"The medicinal properties are correct, and the heat was right. Take them to him."

Only then did Xiao Yan break into a full grin and solemnly bow to his grandmaster.

"Thank you, Master!"

In his study, Xiao Zhan was examining the account books sent back by the caravan.

When Xiao Yan entered, he instinctively raised a hand to motion his son to sit. The movement tugged slightly at his left ribs, however, and his brows creased almost imperceptibly.

Xiao Yan noticed. He stepped forward, set the jade bottle beside the desk, and said softly, "Dad, I brought you something."

"Been to the market again?" Xiao Zhan picked up the bottle with a smile and pulled out the stopper. His expression suddenly changed.

The fragrance of pills?

This scent was far purer than that of the medicinal powders he had been taking lately.

He looked down at the three pills inside. His first reaction was to stopper the bottle again, then look up and ask:

"Where did these come from?"

Xiao Yan did not beat around the bush. He answered seriously:

"I refined them."

The study fell silent for a moment.

Xiao Zhan looked at the bottle, then at his son, as though he had misheard.

"What did you say?"

"I refined them. Master guided me from beside the cauldron. They just came out."

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and gave a rough account of how an accomplished expert had offered him guidance and accepted him as a disciple to teach him alchemy. He said nothing about the origins of his cultivation method or the space inside the ring, explaining only that his master disliked meeting strangers and did not want his name spread around.

By the time Xiao Zhan finished listening, he had long since set down the account book. He had certainly noticed the changes in his son these past days.

But at most, he had assumed the boy had made progress in cultivation. How could he have imagined that his son had encountered such an extraordinary opportunity?

"Has that senior asked you to do anything?"

Xiao Yan paused, then warmth stirred in his heart.

That was the first thing his father had asked.

"To cultivate diligently and take learning my skills seriously."

He thought for a moment, then added:

"And not to spend all day grinning like an idiot."

Xiao Zhan could not help laughing, and his tense expression finally eased a little.

Xiao Yan simply opened his palm before him and activated the Fire-Control Method. A tiny flame rose at his thought.

The flame grew taller and shorter, then finally shrank to the size of a fingertip, hovering steadily above his palm.

Xiao Zhan's gaze became completely fixed.

He naturally knew the requirements for becoming an alchemist. Such precise fire control was certainly not something his son could have learned by casually picking a book from the clan's collection and practicing for a few days.

"Dad, these are Origin-Restoring Meridian-Nourishing Pills. Master has already checked them. Your injury never damaged your foundations. These will disperse the stagnation, and with a few more days of recovery, you'll feel much better."

Xiao Zhan watched the youth earnestly explain, saying nothing for a long while.

He had already been delighted when his son held out that ring and said he wanted to give it to him as a token of filial devotion. Yet so little time had passed, and now the boy had brought him the very first batch of pills he had refined with his own hands.

He reached out and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder, his voice softening.

"All right. I'll try one."

Xiao Zhan swallowed a pill and sat cross-legged where he was.

As its medicinal power spread, he immediately noticed the difference.

There had always been a slight sluggishness around his left ribs. Whenever he circulated his energy through that area, he had to deliberately slow it down. Now, as the warm medicinal power flowed in, that blocked, uncomfortable feeling actually began to loosen.

Xiao Yan quietly stood watch beside him.

After roughly an hour, Xiao Zhan slowly opened his eyes. He first raised his arm, then tried rolling his shoulders and back.

There was no tugging pain.

He paused in surprise, then circulated his Dou Qi once more. At last, irrepressible joy appeared on his face.

"Excellent medicine!"

Hearing those words made Xiao Yan happier than being praised as a genius.

"Take the remaining two at the intervals Master specified. And don't rush to leave the city with the caravan these next few days. Let someone else make the trip."

"All right, I'll listen to you." Xiao Zhan agreed readily, then grew serious. "Since that senior is willing to teach you, you must honor your master and respect his teachings. If you need anything, just tell me."

Xiao Yan nodded, taking those words to heart.

At dinner, Xiao Zhan helped himself to an extra bowl of rice for once.

When Xun'er saw how freely he moved as he stood to get soup, a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. Then she looked at Xiao Yan sitting beside him, smiling especially brightly.

"Uncle Xiao, is your injury feeling better?"

"Much better."

Xiao Zhan looked at his son, his smile deepening.

"Yan'er's efforts these past days haven't been wasted."

Xun'er immediately understood some of what had happened. She did not ask more at the dinner table, merely waiting until Xiao Zhan turned away to quietly smile at Xiao Yan, her eyes curving.

Holding his bowl, Xiao Yan returned a rather smug look.

This time, he truly had something to be proud of.

After dinner, Xiao Zhan asked him to stay and brought up his future spending on medicinal ingredients, intending to set aside another sum from his own personal allowance.

Xiao Yan had meant to accept, but then he remembered the prices he had seen while collecting herbs over the last two days and silently did the calculations.

Medicinal baths cost money. Alchemy cost money.

As his cultivation rose, he would need even better ingredients.

At this rate, even if his father did not mind the expense, he would feel embarrassed dumping the entire bill on him.

Xiao Yan raised his head and gently pushed back the money pouch Xiao Zhan offered.

"Dad, I still have enough ingredients for now."

"And later?"

The youth smiled, a new plan taking shape in his eyes.

"Later, I plan to earn the money myself."

Could someone who knew how to refine pills really lack the money to buy herbs?