C16 Body Tempering Liquid

After parting ways with Lee Qingqiu, Ling Chen made his way back home. Upon entering, he noticed Ling Shan seated in the living room, his gaze heavy with contemplation.

Approaching him, Ling Chen spoke gently, "Father, I've returned."

"Ah, Chen is back," Ling Shan replied, looking up. "Has Master Lee already left?"

"Yes, he left just a short while ago," Ling Chen responded with a smile.

Ling Shan nodded, then his face took on a curious expression. "Chen, aren't you going to give your father a proper explanation about today's events?"

"What events?" Ling Chen feigned ignorance. "Father, what are you referring to?"

"Young rascal, still playing dumb?" Ling Shan chided with a hint of annoyance. "I'm talking about Master Lee. Now that we're alone, are you still going to keep secrets from me?"

At that, Ling Chen let out a wry smile. He knew exactly what Ling Shan was alluding to—the matter of how he came to know Master Lee.

Of course, Ling Chen couldn't reveal the actual truth; if Ling Shan were to ask how he learned alchemy, would Ling Chen really admit that he wasn't the same person as before, but rather someone who had been reborn? It was unlikely Ling Shan would believe such a tale.

After a moment's thought, Ling Chen said, "Father, it's really not that serious. But since you're curious, I'll tell you."

"Go ahead," Ling Shan urged, eyeing Ling Chen intently, eager to hear his explanation.

"Father, the truth is, I once purchased a book on alchemy at the market. It contained some alchemical knowledge. Initially, I thought the book was full of nonsense, but during a visit to the Alchemy Branch, I noticed Master Lee's pill refining process was quite similar to what the book described. So, I offered him a few suggestions based on that information," Ling Chen explained, maintaining a straight face as he spun his tale.

"That's how I came to know Master Lee."

Ling Shan's brow furrowed with skepticism. "Is that really all there is to it?"

"Absolutely! It's the whole truth," Ling Chen assured him earnestly. "Father, I might deceive others, but never you. Don't you trust me?"

"You're quite the slippery one; who's to say if your story holds any truth?" Ling Shan shook his head, his lips curving into a light smile.

He had no intention of delving deeper into the matter.

After all, Ling Chen was grown up and entitled to his privacy. Pressing him for information would likely backfire.

"Still, Master Lee is with the Alchemy Branch, and it wouldn't hurt to cultivate a relationship with him. Take this chance to get to know him better," Ling Shan advised earnestly.

Lee Qingqiu, a senior consultant at the Alchemy Branch, held a prestigious position there. If Ling Chen could use his connection to gain entry into the Alchemy Branch, his prospects would soar.

Yet, Ling Shan kept these thoughts to himself.

He feared that voicing them would only make his son feel patronized, given Ling Chen's stubborn nature.

"Remember, Master Lee is your elder. You must show him the proper respect and avoid leaving a poor impression. Understand?" Ling Shan emphasized.

"I understand, Dad," Ling Chen replied, nodding.

Internally, however, he was skeptical.

He was willing to show Lee Qingqiu respect, but would the man demand it?

"Cough, cough, cough!" Just then, Ling Shan was seized by a violent coughing fit, his complexion turning deathly pale, with streaks of blood in his sputum.

"Dad, what's wrong?" Ling Chen quickly steadied him, his concern evident.

"It's nothing, just an old ailment," Ling Shan reassured him with a weak smile. "You know how it is with my condition. Any strong emotion can trigger it. But today, I'm happy, so it's nothing serious."

Ling Shan was indeed overjoyed.

He had endured so much frustration within the Ling family, and now he finally had a moment of triumph. How could he not be elated?

Yet, witnessing his father's condition, Ling Chen couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

"I need to accelerate my training and perfect that pill to heal my father's illness," Ling Chen resolved silently.

...

Before long, it was Monday.

Back to school.

During his lunch break, Ling Chen headed straight for the alchemy room at the academy.

For an esteemed institution like Empire Academy, having well-equipped facilities, including an alchemy room, was to be expected.

The alchemy rooms at the Empire Academy were reserved exclusively for alchemists. Within the entire academy, only a select few students had the aptitude to become an alchemist.

Thus, despite having spent several years at the academy, Ling Chen was making his inaugural visit to the alchemy room.

...

Upon reaching the alchemy room, Ling Chen located an unoccupied room and promptly entered.

Eagerly, he retrieved the medicinal ingredients Master Lee had provided him with.

Dragon Sun Grass, Mandara Snow Lotus, Seven Bone Burning Flower...

There were seven or eight different types of medicinal ingredients in total!

While Ling Chen had initially requested ten batches of each ingredient, Lee Qingqiu had generously prepared fifteen batches, showing considerable thoughtfulness.

The combined cost of these ingredients could easily amount to dozens of gold coins, equivalent to the half-year earnings of an average household!

Yet, to an alchemist, such quantities of ingredients were quite ordinary. High-level alchemists might use tens of thousands of ingredients for a single pill refinement. And the amount they might expend in researching new pills? That was simply beyond the realm of an ordinary person's imagination.

After a deep breath, Ling Chen murmured to himself, "These fifteen batches of ingredients should yield three days' worth of Body Tempering Liquid..."

Body Tempering Liquid was a widely circulated medicinal liquid that, when warriors bathed in it, nourished their muscles and bones, fortified their constitution, and enhanced their cultivation. Affluent youths were particularly fond of this liquid; a single day's soak could rival a week's worth of training for the average person!

Ling Chen picked up a herb and scrutinized it intently. Suddenly, a sharp glint appeared in his eyes.

He lifted his right hand, and with a "puff," a green flame ignited in the center of his palm.

The flame danced and flickered, burning steadily in the young man's hand...

Yet Ling Chen seemed impervious to the pain, allowing the flame to scorch his palm without so much as a wince.

Watching the flame in his palm, Ling Chen let out a soft sigh, "Indeed, with my current physical state, I can only summon a soul fire the size of my palm."

The soul fire is an exclusive tool of the alchemist. As Ling Chen had previously explained to Lee Qingqiu in the hall, when an alchemist reaches a certain level, they can achieve One with the Pill and catalyze the flame within themselves. This type of flame demands exceptional control from the alchemist and is reverently referred to as "soul fire."

Once the soul fire manifested, Ling Chen gestured, and the soul fire seamlessly entered the furnace before him. The flame within the furnace roared to life, growing fiercer by the moment.

When the flame had reached the proper intensity, Ling Chen took a stalk of herbs from beside him and cast it into the soul fire. The herbs were rapidly dissolved by the intense heat of the soul fire, their essence dripping down like beads of moisture. The dark green liquid shone like amber, its crystalline sheen flickering in the flames, while wisps of smoke hissed, as if on the verge of being vaporized by the soul fire.

Before the liquid could evaporate completely, Ling Chen grasped two more herbs. As if drawn by an unseen force, they enveloped the dark green liquid. Raising his right hand, Ling Chen summoned a surge of spiritual power. The spiritual power formed a shield around the three herbs within the flames.

With the spiritual power's protection, the two outer herbs were spared from immediate incineration, their burning slowed. The liquefied essence gently permeated through the herbs' structure, seeping into the dark green liquid at the core. A rich, herbal aroma began to fill the air.

After the outer herbs were fully consumed by the flames, Ling Chen didn't pause. He promptly took two more herbs and wrapped them around the periphery. The spiritual power ensured that these herbs, too, didn't burn away instantly but melted gradually. The resulting liquid trickled down, blending with the dark green essence at the center.

This process might sound straightforward, but executing it was incredibly challenging. It's akin to braising meat; it requires a gentle, slow simmer. If the heat is too intense, the outer herbs would be destroyed in an instant, and the inner essence would be vaporized by the soul fire just as quickly. Conversely, if the heat is too low, the outer herbs would melt too slowly, missing the optimal moment to combine with the central essence.

Ling Chen might not claim perfection, but his mastery of alchemy alone was enough to command the respect of every alchemist in Suinsa County!

Time slipped away silently during the refining process.

A seemingly simple step had taken Ling Chen an entire hour.

His forehead was soaked with sweat.

His back was completely wet.

Sweat streamed down his cheeks, evaporating before it could even hit the ground, thanks to the intense heat of the flames. The whole room felt like an enormous furnace, oppressively hot.

Even those outside were struggling with the heat.

...

"Susu, what's happening? It's unbearably hot!"

A crisp voice, tinged with impatience, called from outside.

A young beauty, probably seventeen or eighteen, spoke languidly. She wore a thin, short shirt that, due to the heat, clung to her body, outlining her figure in a captivating way.

Next to the young beauty was another stunning woman, engrossed in pill refining.

If Ling Chen were here, he'd be astonished to recognize the woman as his class monitor, Su Wanqing.

"I'm not sure either."

Su Wanqing wiped the sweat from her forehead, clearly distressed.

The intense heat was disrupting her focus on the alchemy.

"Shishi, it feels like the heat is coming from our room. Could you check it out and see what's going on?" Su Wanqing suddenly suggested, a realization dawning on her.

"Would that be okay?"

Shishi, the beauty addressed, hesitated, "I don't know the person in there. Wouldn't it be a bit rude to just barge in?"

"Oh, come on, my dear Shishi, please go!" Su Wanqing pleaded, "Do you really want to see me suffer in this heat?"

"Fine, fine."

Shishi reluctantly agreed, got up with a languid stretch, and weakly pushed the door open to step outside.

...

And as Shishi departed,

The scent of medicine in Ling Chen's room climaxed, and with a resonant hum, several drops of golden liquid materialized in the furnace.

They shimmered like amber, casting a brilliant glow.

"It's complete!"

A smile of satisfaction graced Ling Chen's face as his eyebrows lifted in triumph.

The ideal hue for Body Tempering Liquid is a radiant gold, and the liquid resting in Ling Chen's palm, though slightly yellowish, was nearly the perfect shade of gold.

Observing the golden liquid, Ling Chen effortlessly reached for a small jade bottle next to him and carefully transferred the liquid into it. He then secured it with a stopper.

With that, a bottle of Body Tempering Liquid was successfully prepared.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

As Ling Chen reveled in his accomplishment, an unexpected series of knocks at the door interrupted the moment.

"Hello, is anyone there?"