C5 Extremely Dangerous

After Ye Han finished gathering the medicinal herbs, he didn't rush to leave. Instead, he pushed open the door and stepped inside the room.

The air was thick with the scent of herbs, and the faint moonlight offered a glimpse of the room's interior. Items were scattered about, yet the space didn't feel cluttered.

In the southeast corner stood a lustrous black Medicinal Cauldron with five legs, its four sides adorned with imposing, gold-inlaid dragon heads.

"This Medicinal Cauldron, left idle here, must have been used by Old Man Qian to hone his alchemy skills. Given his level of cultivation, he has long since had the means to discard this cauldron."

"I doubt Old Man Qian will return anytime soon. Why not make use of his cauldron? It'll certainly save me a lot of hassle."

With that thought, Ye Han sprang into action. He ignited the fire and carefully added the spiritual herbs to the Medicinal Cauldron in precise proportions, commencing the pill refinement.

The refining flames were categorized into ordinary fire and Spiritual Fire.

Ordinary fire was generated by burning wood.

Spiritual Fire was created by a cultivator channeling Spiritual Energy.

Both could produce a flawless pill, but ordinary fire had a significant drawback: the flames were unpredictable and often led to ruined spiritual herbs. Without advanced alchemy skills, the failure rate was exceedingly high.

Yet, there was a purpose for pill refining with ordinary fire. High-ranking alchemists would burn rare aromatic woods, infusing the pills with additional value.

"It's been centuries since I last used ordinary fire for refining. My master emphasized the distinct features of both ordinary and Spiritual Fire. Even after achieving Great Completion in martial arts, I occasionally refined with ordinary fire to keep the skill from deteriorating."

Once the five spiritual herbs were in the Medicinal Cauldron, Ye Han sat down cross-legged and employed his Psychic Force to manipulate the flames. They entered the cauldron through the mouths of the golden dragons, enveloping the herbs in a pale yellow blaze, initiating the essence extraction process.

Over the next three hours, the crackling of the fire beneath the Medicinal Cauldron was incessant, as four bowl-sized fire serpents connected to the dragon heads provided a steady stream of flames to the cauldron's interior.

Ye Han remained seated cross-legged beside the medicinal cauldron, closely monitoring the activity within. He adjusted the firewood periodically to maintain control over the flames.

Meow! Meow! Meow!

Suddenly, a series of urgent meows emanated from outside the courtyard—a clear signal from Peng Wei that something was amiss.

Elder Qian is back!

"Shoot, Elder Qian is back. I'm so close to finishing. I need to speed up the pill refining process. If Elder Qian catches me here, given his temper, I'm as good as dead."

Whether it was the fear or the heat from the medicinal cauldron, Ye Han's forehead was slick with sweat, droplets falling in a steady stream to the floor, his lips pressed firmly together. The tension in the room had reached a breaking point.

"Boom!"

A muffled explosion sounded from the medicinal cauldron, and moments later, a pill tumbled out of the furnace.

Ye Han felt a wave of relief wash over him as he caught the pill in a jade bottle he had prepared in advance. He breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, "Thank goodness, I managed to finish the pill refining just in time. With this Vein Rushing Pill, I've now produced three in total—a substantial haul. I must leave here quickly."

After snuffing out the flames in the five-footed medicinal cauldron, Ye Han made a beeline for the door.

As he passed the cluttered desk, something caught his eye, and he paused. The desk was a mess, piled high with tattered books, some strewn carelessly on the floor. Only a piece of parchment in the center was clear, listing about a dozen herbs in a chaotic arrangement.

Clearly, Old Qian had been working on it.

With just a glance, Ye Han surmised it was a formula for a healing Spirit Pill, specifically a Grade Three Nurturing Spirit Pill.

Ye Han reflected, "Tonight, I've taken Old Qian's five herbs and used his medicinal cauldron for my own benefit. I feel a twinge of guilt. Since Old Qian is researching this formula and I happen to know the recipe for this type of pill, why not lend a hand? That way, we'll be even."

Upon deciding to act, Ye Han swiftly grabbed the cinnabar brush from the edge of his desk and meticulously noted down the precise ratios needed to blend the various spiritual herbs for the Spirit Pills. Satisfied with his work, he nodded contentedly and dashed out of the room.

...

Concealed within the willow tree in the courtyard, Peng Wei's heart pounded erratically as he watched two young boys assist the portly elder below. His heart raced like a startled deer, and his body was rigid as if it were a seized-up machine, unresponsive to his commands. His nerves had him shaking uncontrollably, his forehead glistening with perspiration.

"Please, let Ye Zi be safe," he prayed silently.

With the purple-robed elder's slow, unsteady movements, Peng Wei's eyes were glued to every nook around the courtyard wall, anxiously awaiting Ye Han's appearance.

It was crucial that Elder Qian didn't catch him red-handed; the repercussions would be dire, potentially costing him his life.

Meanwhile, the elder in purple hummed a tune, his face flushed with drunken joy, and his smile one of inebriated bliss. He seemed exceptionally cheerful, his body moving in a lively dance.

"Such... joy, tonight... with Old Deng, the... drinking was splendid. His thirty-year-old vintage wine is so rich... so aromatic. I must find another chance to swindle him again," he mumbled to himself.

A boy in green cautioned, "Elder, watch your step! There's a stone... Ah!"

Despite the elder's deep inebriation, the two boys at his side were solemn and careful, fully aware of the gravity of their charge.

They were acutely aware that they were supporting not just any disheveled old man, but an Earth Martial Stage Expert who could, if he so chose, instantly expel the drunkenness from his system and regain sobriety.

With a creak, one of the boys stepped forward to open the courtyard gate, allowing Elder Qian to enter. Once inside, the gate shut behind them.

Throughout this tense moment, Peng Wei held his breath, his face turning a stifled shade of red.

Watching Elder Qian being escorted into the courtyard, Peng Wei nervously shifted his stiff body.

His heart leapt into his throat, sensing that something significant was about to unfold.

Ye Han had yet to emerge.

He was torn, debating whether to leave this place of conflict to avoid unwarranted trouble.

Peng Wei's fingers curled into a fist as he fixed his gaze on the courtyard, bracing for the dreadful outcome. He muttered resentfully, "I couldn't get out in time after all. Yezi, if you're in trouble, how can I face Uncle Ye?"

Suddenly, Peng Wei felt a gentle tap on his shoulder, causing him to jolt. He spun around swiftly.

There was a charming smile—it was Ye Han.

"Yezi, you nearly gave me a heart attack! I was convinced you were a goner. Wait! When did you get out? How did I miss it?" Peng Wei was visibly shaken.

Ye Han chuckled, "I've been out for a while. But with Elder Qian's profound cultivation, I was worried about being detected, so I didn't dare call out to you. This place is too perilous! Let's get out of here first."

Peng Wei was eager to leave; every additional minute increased the risk.

Without a backward glance at the medicinal garden, they dashed towards the other courtyard, their escape an image of sheer desperation.

...

Back in the safety of the courtyard, Peng Wei, still shaken, patted his chest and whispered, "Yezi, you really frightened me earlier. I feared Elder Qian had captured you."

"Thankfully, it was a close call without any harm, and I managed to acquire what I needed. Now, unlocking my meridians should be no issue," Ye Han replied with excitement.

"What if Elder Qian goes into a rage upon discovering his garden has been robbed? Could he order a thorough search of our quarters?" Peng Wei's concern was evident.

Ye Han pondered briefly before offering a measured response, "It's difficult to predict. He is an elder, after all, and wields a certain level of authority. If he decides to conduct a search, it wouldn't be challenging for him."

Peng Wei, now anxious, whispered from the shadows, "What do we do then? You're carrying Spirit Medicines. If the Disciplinary Hall's disciples come to search and find them, we'll be exposed. I knew this plan was risky."

After listening intently to the noises outside the room and detecting nothing unusual, Ye Han reassured, "Don't spook yourself! Let's get out of our night gear first, then wash off the scent of the Spirit Medicines on us. And you needn't worry about someone finding the Spirit Materials."

With that, Ye Han produced a jade bottle and gave it a shake, grinning as he said, "I've already transformed those Spirit Materials into pills. Unless Elder Qian conducts the search himself, no one else will be able to detect a thing."

Gazing at the three softly glowing pills in the dark, Peng Wei exclaimed, "Ye, you're incredible. I was wondering why you took so long to come out. But when did you learn to make pills? I've never heard you mention it before."

Ye Han, of course, couldn't disclose his secret of rebirth, so he fabricated a tale: "Back in the day, before I ascended the mountain, an alchemist took me under his wing for a bit, and I picked up a few tricks then."

Peng Wei, ever the easygoing type, took Ye Han at his word without further scrutiny.

He figured that back when Ye Han's talents were intact, even as a youngster, he could naturally pick up the basics of pill-making.

The pair removed their black robes and burned them in the kitchen. After ensuring there were no traces left on them to raise suspicion, they finally relaxed.

"Ye, I've never heard of using pills to open meridians. Are you sure this will work?" Peng Wei asked, skeptical.

"Our teacher always said that opening meridians requires us to harness the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth ourselves. He warned against hasty actions and the dangers of indiscriminately consuming pills, which could ruin our meridians," Peng Wei cautioned.

"The Vein Rushing Pill I've crafted is a first-grade pill with immense medicinal power. It works just like the Spiritual Energy we channel, capable of opening meridians, and its medicinal strength is even more robust," Ye Han declared, his eyes alight with fierce determination.

Seeing Ye Han's unwavering belief, and considering his extensive knowledge displayed earlier that day, Peng Wei chose not to argue further. "I'll head back to my own place then. If others catch us together, they might start to suspect something."

Ye Han nodded, remarking, "We have no other choice."