Passing on the craft

A peach returned for a plum.

Delight stirred in Fu Shaoping's heart, and he hurriedly offered his thanks.

The Hou Yi Bow had the potential to become a second-tier magical artifact.

Even after he entered the Earth Origin Realm, it would still be useful to him. Naturally, Fu Shaoping wanted to make it his own.

For now, he did not have enough Origin Stones.

But once Sister Pan'er learned alchemy as well, the two of them would earn Origin Stones much faster. In three or four months at most, they should be able to scrape together three hundred low-grade Origin Stones.

After seeing his visitor out.

Fu Shaoping took out the pouch and counted its contents. There were thirty low-grade Origin Stones in total-three more than even a price ten percent above the market rate.

Not only had Junior Banner Zhuo refrained from using his authority to squeeze him for labor, he had even given him quite a few extra benefits:

Junior Banner Zhuo is someone worth knowing!

Fu Shaoping smiled and put the Origin Stones away.

Leaving the tearoom, he headed to the alchemy room. When he saw Sister Pan'er already itching to start refining, he smiled at once:

"Sister Pan'er, watch me refine a few batches first."

With that.

He lit the clearwood.

Once the furnace was heated.

He tossed in the clear-sky grass and sunflower one after another, then added a dozen or so supplementary herbs. Although this was his first time using the Purple-Gold Alchemy Furnace, Fu Shaoping's movements still flowed like drifting clouds and running water.

Two hours later.

The smell of blood wafted through the room.

He opened the furnace to reveal a completed portion of Grade A Blood Qi Powder.

Zhou Pan'er had not dared make a sound as she watched, afraid of disturbing Fu Shaoping. Now, seeing the superb-quality Blood Qi Powder, her eyes sparkled as she looked at him:

"Shaoping, you're incredible!"

Watching him just now had been a feast for her eyes.

Although she had never seen another Alchemist refine medicine, Fu Shaoping's skill was undoubtedly top-notch.

For a moment.

Zhou Pan'er felt some pressure.

For the next two batches.

She focused with every ounce of her attention, immediately jotting down anything she did not understand.

The second batch was Grade A as well.

When it came to the third batch.

Zhou Pan'er, who was taking notes, gave a soft murmur of surprise.

She faintly caught the scent of wheat:

Could my little brother be cooking barley rice today?

While she hesitated.

The furnace lid was lifted.

The fragrance of wheat instantly rushed into her nose.

The Blood Qi Powder extracted from the furnace had an even finer color than the previous two batches. It was actually supreme grade.

Even experienced Alchemists rarely managed to produce supreme-grade Blood Qi Powder.

Overcome with excitement, Zhou Pan'er rose onto her toes and kissed Fu Shaoping on the cheek, exclaiming:

"Shaoping, you're amazing!"

The sweet kiss she offered so willingly stirred Fu Shaoping's desire, but remembering the task at hand, he suppressed it.

He continued refining.

However.

This time, he began explaining as he worked.

Three days passed like this.

Fu Shaoping completed his fourteenth batch of Blood Qi Powder.

Of those fourteen batches, four were supreme grade!

The Treasure Mirror in his sea of consciousness flickered faintly, and a line of text flashed into view:

Blood Qi Powder: Perfection (40/100)

Fu Shaoping was slightly surprised by the number. He had only refined fourteen batches this time, yet the value had risen by over thirty. After a moment's thought, he understood:

It seems teaching Sister Pan'er also made me reflect on and verify my own experience. That's why my progress through the perfection stage has been so fast.

Fu Shaoping felt satisfied.

Over those three days.

Zhou Pan'er had already become capable of serving as his assistant.

Fu Shaoping said:

"Sister Pan'er, it's your turn now."

No matter how much was said.

She would only truly succeed by trying it herself.

Zhou Pan'er smiled and said:

"All right, I'll give it a try."

After assisting with more than a dozen batches.

Zhou Pan'er had some idea of what to do. With Fu Shaoping standing right beside her, she felt even more confident.

She lit the clearwood.

After preheating the furnace.

Zhou Pan'er methodically placed the clear-sky grass and sunflower inside. As their purified essences fused, she added three supplementary herbs at just the right moment to harmonize them better.

Throughout the process.

Zhou Pan'er looked as though she had rehearsed it a thousand times.

She did not make a single mistake.

"Phew-"

Zhou Pan'er let out a long breath.

She quickly removed the clearwood and lifted the furnace lid. The smell of blood rushed into her nose.

Inside the furnace lay a portion of scarlet Grade C Blood Qi Powder!

She had succeeded on her very first batch!

Watching from the side, Fu Shaoping could not help marveling.

Back then, he had relied on the Treasure Mirror to reach the beginner stage before attempting alchemy, which was how he had succeeded on his first batch. But now, it seemed Sister Pan'er not only had outstanding talent for cultivation, but considerable talent for alchemy as well!

"Sister Pan'er, you're incredible!"

Fu Shaoping brushed a light kiss against Zhou Pan'er's forehead, like a dragonfly skimming the water.

He gave her an emphatic thumbs-up.

Zhou Pan'er, however, said in frustration:

"Shaoping, my technique is still terrible. Even your worst batches are Grade A, but mine is Grade C-not even Grade B. No, I have to keep working harder!"

Zhou Pan'er seemed as though she had been injected with chicken blood.

For several days in a row.

She refined medicine almost without pause.

By the final five batches.

She had achieved Grade B quality, and all five batches reached it.

During those days.

Fu Shaoping practiced the Mysterious Tortoise Qi-Nourishing Art, occasionally offering a pointer or two.

Seeing Sister Pan'er finally succeed in producing Grade B Blood Qi Powder delighted him as well.

At this rate.

Sister Pan'er should be able to produce Grade A Blood Qi Powder after another few dozen batches.

Zhou Pan'er's face was slightly pale.

Yet her eyes sparkled:

"Shaoping, I can finally go see Granny Xue!"

Both her cultivation and her alchemy had met the requirements.

Zhou Pan'er desperately wanted to know whether her birth parents were farmers, hunters, or perhaps traveling merchants. Were they still alive? Why had she ended up in someone else's home all those years ago?

All those mysteries.

Although she told herself she did not care, whenever she woke from a dream at midnight, she found that these were the answers she wanted most:

"Shaoping, it's time for me to leave."

"Sister Pan'er, I'll go with you."

Fu Shaoping could not quite set his mind at ease.

But Zhou Pan'er shook her head:

"Granny Xue told me that if I brought anyone else, I would never be able to see her again. Don't worry, Shaoping. Granny Xue won't hurt me-I can at least tell that much. Wait at home for my good news!"

"All right. Be careful, Sister Pan'er!"

Fu Shaoping escorted her out of town and only left once she was out of sight.

After delivering Junior Banner Zhuo's Grade A Blood Qi Powder, he went to the Hundred Fragrances Tower and bought their newly added spicy stir-fried Firecloud Chicken. Then he drove his carriage out of town toward Sunwood Forest.

In a few more days.

Old Zhan's stint guarding Sunwood Forest would come to an end.

Fu Shaoping intended to bring Old Zhan back to town.

Besides.

It seemed he had not taken a mission for two straight months. It was time to improve his combat strength.

At the fourth level of the Body Tempering Realm, his meridians had yet to be opened, and he still absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth through breathing techniques. Relying on seated cultivation alone would make his progress far too slow.