The Second Level of Qi Refining

Three days later, the sun blazed over Divine Hand Valley, and the cicadas shrilled incessantly.

The doors and windows of Han Li's cottage stood wide open, letting hot gusts sweep inside with the scent of plants from the medicinal garden.

A pot of cool tea sat on the wooden table, fine beads of condensation clinging to the rims of the cups.

Jing Wen sat at the table, his long gray-white hair casually tied behind his head.

He held a Yellow Dragon Pill between his fingertips, examining it closely in the sunlight streaming through the window.

The pill was pale yellow all over, though several scorched brown streaks were faintly visible on its surface.

"Fire toxins are strongest at noon. Opening the furnace then is the greatest taboo in pill refining." Jing Wen suddenly spoke, shifting his gaze from the pill to Han Li across from him.

"Did you refine this batch in the middle of the night?"

Han Li's shoulders and back stiffened, and fine sweat seeped from his temples-whether from the heat or his nerves, it was hard to tell.

He lifted his teacup and took a sip, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Your eyes are keen, Senior. I did indeed refine them at midnight."

"Yin energy is heavy at midnight, while Yellow Dragon Pills are yang in nature. If the heat is insufficient, their potency will suffer."

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior."

"But... boy, are you certain this is a Yellow Dragon Pill?" Jing Wen abruptly changed tack, addressing Han Li beside him in a stern voice.

That piercing gaze seemed capable of seeing straight through a person's heart, leaving Han Li uncomfortable all over.

Han Li's Adam's apple bobbed once. He hurriedly cupped his hands and explained, "Please judge fairly, Senior. This truly is a Yellow Dragon Pill. It's just... my skills are lacking, so its potency may be somewhat weaker..." His voice dwindled, and a trace of embarrassment crossed his dark face.

He had indeed refined this pill himself, but he had used medicinal herbs grown with the Little Green Bottle.

With so little time available, Han Li had not had much opportunity to mature the herbs, so they had fallen slightly short of the required age.

Han Li felt uneasy, unsure whether this mysterious senior could spot anything amiss.

Jing Wen brought the pill close to his nose, and a scent mingling fresh fragrance with scorched bitterness entered his nostrils.

A sharp glint flashed through his eyes-with his senses as an immortal cultivator and the memories of his previous self, he had naturally identified the pill's problem at a glance.

But he deliberately feigned suspicion. Han Li's nervousness was exactly what he wanted.

"Let me see the pill formula." Jing Wen suddenly held out his hand, his tone brooking no refusal.

Han Li visibly froze for an instant. His right hand instinctively moved toward his chest, only to stop in hesitation.

That slight movement did not escape Jing Wen's eyes.

"What?" Jing Wen frowned, his voice suddenly turning cold.

"Are you afraid I'll steal such a basic pill formula?" He deliberately looked offended while swiftly recalling everything he remembered about Yellow Dragon Pills.

"The main ingredient of Yellow Dragon Pills is fifty-year-old yellow essence, supplemented with snow lotus and reishi, slowly simmered over a gentle flame..."

Han Li was startled. The man actually knew the formula so well!

He hurriedly waved his hands. "It isn't that I doubt you, Senior. It's just..."

He gritted his teeth. "My master gave this to me. Without his permission..."

Halfway through, Han Li remembered how Doctor Mo's gaze had grown increasingly strange over the past few years, how he often stood beside Han Li's bed late at night with a chilling gleam in his eyes...

Perhaps this retainer, Jing Wen, can help me...

At that thought, Han Li stopped hesitating. He drew a thin booklet from inside his robe and offered it with both hands. "Please take a look, Senior."

Jing Wen accepted the booklet, keeping his expression composed while inwardly rejoicing.

First, he carefully examined the Yellow Dragon Pill formula, checking it against his memories.

Once he confirmed that it was correct, he pretended to flip casually through the other pages, while in truth swiftly memorizing the various basic pill formulas and medical principles recorded within.

As an immortal cultivator, Jing Wen could remember almost anything after a single glance.

With the memories of his previous self to assist him, he finished reading the entire book in mere moments.

Throughout the process, Han Li simply stood quietly, the look in his eyes shifting uncertainly.

Jing Wen was very pleased with Han Li's reaction. This probe had confirmed his suspicions-the relationship between master and disciple had probably deteriorated considerably.

Otherwise, Han Li would never have handed over the pill formulas so readily.

"Mm, there's nothing wrong with the formula." Jing Wen closed the booklet and gave Han Li a meaningful look. "It seems the medicinal ingredients weren't old enough."

Han Li inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly replied, "Your discerning eyes shine like a torch, Senior. I will certainly take greater care in the future."

"This bottle doesn't count. Don't try to fob me off with pills like these again."

Jing Wen handed the booklet back to Han Li, then casually tucked the bottle of Yellow Dragon Pills into his robe.

Watching Jing Wen's retreating figure, Han Li gave a wry smile and tightened his grip on the Little Green Bottle inside his sleeve.

Han Li had only just discovered the Little Green Bottle's wondrous uses and was still somewhat inexperienced at maturing medicinal herbs. As a result, one of the ingredients had fallen a little short of the required age.

Even so, this bottle of Yellow Dragon Pills had at least eighty percent of their proper potency.

Faced with Jing Wen's almost shameless behavior, Han Li would have had to bargain with him in earnest if he had not had the Little Green Bottle to rely on.

But at that moment, Han Li had no desire to concern himself with that.

Once he mastered the Little Green Bottle's wondrous uses and improved his pill-refining skills, wouldn't he be able to make as many mere Yellow Dragon Pills as he wanted?

On the narrow cliffside path, rising heat shimmered into distorted mirage mist.

Several patrolling disciples of the Seven Mysteries Sect were resting, leaning on their spears. The full-bearded man leading them unfastened the waterskin at his waist and took a long gulp.

Suddenly, the youngest disciple sprang to his feet. "Look!"

Everyone turned at his cry and saw a black-robed figure gliding toward them from Divine Hand Valley.

The figure seemed to be taking a leisurely stroll through a courtyard, yet crossed dozens of yards in the blink of an eye.

"It's Retainer Jing!" The bearded man hurriedly kicked awake two dozing companions, and all of them cupped their hands in greeting.

Strangely, the figure had clearly still been over thirty yards away, yet as a mountain breeze swept past, he was already standing at the cliff's edge ten yards behind them.

The sharpest of them, a small disciple, noticed the anomaly first. Startled, he dropped his spear with a clang.

"Th-this..." The youngest disciple stammered, unable to get his words out.

The bearded man clapped a hand over his mouth. To their horror, they realized that not even the finest grains of sand had stirred on the gravel path Jing Wen had crossed.

Jing Wen stopped at the cliff's edge and suddenly turned to look at them-

Beneath the blazing sun, his eyes shone with an eerie, cold blue light.

Drip. Drip.

Several drops of cold sweat struck the scorching rock in succession, quickly evaporating into white vapor.

By the time they looked up again, the cliff's edge was deserted. Only a few fallen leaves, shredded by a fierce gust, still spun through the air.

Returning to the residence the Seven Mysteries Sect had arranged for him, Jing Wen reached back and slid the door bolt shut.

His earlier display had been deliberate.

His purpose was to leave everyone in the Seven Mysteries Sect with the impression that his abilities were unfathomable.

Jing Wen's current strength was nowhere near enough to subdue everyone in the Seven Mysteries Sect, so he needed to cloak himself in mystery.

Leaving them with the image of an unfathomable expert would spare him a great deal of unnecessary trouble.

At the same time, it would make everyone in the Seven Mysteries Sect more respectful and obedient toward him.

Afternoon sunlight slanted through the carved window lattice, tracing mottled patterns of light and shadow across the floor.

Jing Wen strode over to the meditation cushion and sat cross-legged, then took out the Yellow Dragon Pills Han Li had refined.

In the clear sunlight, a faint golden gleam played over the pill's surface, while several scorched brown streaks spread wildly across it like a spiderweb.

Jing Wen gently pinched it between his fingertips. With a crack, the pill split in two, fully exposing its slightly murky core.

"Not poisonous..."

Without the slightest hesitation, Jing Wen placed half the pill in his mouth.

The moment it entered his throat, a scorching current exploded inside his body, as though millions of steel needles were piercing his meridians at once.

Jing Wen's eyes flew wide, his pupils contracting slightly. He had never expected such a crude-looking pill to possess such violent potency.

He dared not slacken for an instant and immediately began circulating the Burning Blood Art.

In an instant, wisps of black vapor seeped from pores all over his body, churning and congealing across his skin into eerie, blood-colored markings.

As he circulated the art, the violent medicinal power was gradually tamed, turning into pure spiritual energy that raced merrily through his meridians like a gentle stream.

Jing Wen was secretly delighted. Though this bottle of pills he had gained for nothing looked poor, their medicinal effects were excellent.

Once the medicinal power dissipated, Jing Wen's gaze burned with eagerness, and he swallowed a whole pill without hesitation.

In an instant, another mighty surge of medicinal power spread through his meridians, making them tremble slightly wherever it passed.

When the last pill entered his stomach, Jing Wen's entire body jolted. An almost imperceptible rumble sounded within him, as though a sturdy barrier had shattered in an instant, and his spiritual energy surged like floodwater bursting through a dam.

The blood-colored markings on his abdomen writhed madly as though alive, gradually gathering into the pattern of an eerie datura flower that radiated a strange sanguine glow.

"The second level of Qi Refining!" Jing Wen slowly opened his eyes, brilliant light flashing within them.

The afternoon sunlight shone on his face, gilding his satisfied smile.

He turned his gaze toward Divine Hand Valley, thoughtfully rubbing the empty bottle. "Ten bottles of Yellow Dragon Pills..."

A hint of anticipation colored his murmur. "They should be enough to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining."