Liu Quan stared coldly at Chen Shi'an. "Jing Yuan, let's see how long you can keep up this act!"
Chen Shi'an ignored him and walked straight toward an alchemy room.
Confusion crossed Hong Qingliu's face. "Jing Yuan, why not choose an alchemy room with earthfire?
The success rate is somewhat higher with earthfire than with firewood."
Chen Shi'an smiled faintly. "Sect Master, I have always used firewood, so I am used to it.
Also, an earthfire alchemy room costs three times as much as a wood-fired alchemy room.
My home is far away in Dingzhou, and my family only sends me money once a month. I have to save where I can."
At this point, he turned his gaze toward Liu Quan. "If I really embezzled the sect's money, as certain people claim, I wouldn't be so reluctant to spend money on an earthfire alchemy room."
Liu Quan snorted coldly and was about to speak.
Hong Qingliu waved his hand. "It is getting late. Begin refining."
Inside the alchemy room.
Chen Shi'an lit the firewood and began preheating the pill furnace.
Hong Qingliu, Liu Quan, and the other senior members of the Earth Pill Sect gathered beside the pill furnace and watched quietly.
"Sect Master, the second-level pills I will be refining today are Poison-Averting Pills," Chen Shi'an said softly as he sorted the spirit herbs.
Hong Qingliu nodded and waved his hand. "Refining three batches of pills will take quite some time. Everyone, don't stand on ceremony. Make yourselves comfortable."
At his words, the senior members of the Earth Pill Sect dispersed, each finding a place to sit.
Chen Shi'an paid no further attention to those around him and focused entirely on refining pills.
In fact, he had already successfully refined Poison-Averting Pills four days earlier.
His success