Chen Lin dared not delay. He immediately took the last bottle of spirit spring water out of his Storage Ring. The pill recipe clearly stated that the better the water used to brew the medicine, the better the quality and effects of the finished pills.
He unscrewed the cap and carefully dripped exactly thirty drops of spirit spring water into the pot.
Humm-
The instant the spirit spring water blended into the medicinal liquid, the entire clay pot gave a faint hum! What had been nothing more than a fragrance now seemed to come alive, turning into streams of pale white vapor visible to the naked eye. They spiraled out through the gap beneath the lid, curling upward like a scene from an immortal realm.
Chen Lin secured the lid, feeling a little more at ease.
What followed was the longest part: waiting.
The mixture needed to simmer over low heat for six full hours, completely fusing the essence of all the medicinal ingredients with the spiritual energy in the spirit spring water before finally refining it into pills.
Toward evening, Li Jiaojiao came out of the house carrying a large tray.
"Brother Chen Lin, dinner's ready!"
On the tray were four dishes and a soup specially prepared by the Water Restaurant's kitchen, a balanced mix of meat and vegetables that looked, smelled, and tasted delicious.
"Sister Xiaoyue told me to bring you dinner. She said you'd definitely forget to eat, so I have to watch you finish it!" Li Jiaojiao arranged the food on the courtyard's stone table, then planted her hands on her hips like a little housekeeper, watching him with a solemn expression.
Warmth filled Chen Lin's heart. Without making a fuss, he picked up his chopsticks and began eating.
With his constitution, going three to five