Indeed, alchemy could also serve as a rigorous training for manipulating spiritual energy. The subtle shifts in medicinal properties and the formation of complex runes were invaluable for truly comprehending the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth. No wonder alchemists advanced no slower than ordinary Spiritual Masters—

Back in the God Emperor game, Zong Shou had always relied on the automated setting for alchemy. Simply put, he outsourced all control to the system, accepting whatever success rate the dice roll dictated. Most players operated this way. However, some chose to manage the heat and timing themselves; these were invariably the most gifted apothecaries and alchemists in the real world. Just as he used the virtual illusion realm to hone his swordsmanship and talisman skills, these individuals used the game to accrue alchemy experience. But now, feeling the process firsthand, the sensation was entirely different. Zong Shou had been troubled by his soul power, which had surged dramatically, leaving his soul sea—expanded dozens of times over—feeling unruly and on the verge of spiraling out of control. At this moment, he decided to treat this alchemy session as a form of personal cultivation.

He sat motionless for half a day, estimating the time was sufficient. The heat from the Silver Silk Carbon had begun to wane. Impatiently, Zong Shou lifted the lid of the crucible. Inside, there was only a charred, sticky mess. The bottom of the vessel was filled with a soft paste, and the few objects that resembled pills were limp and collapsed. “Not enough heat?”

Zong Shou picked up the few lumpen forms, a faint medicinal fragrance clinging to them. However, they were glutinous and tacky to the touch. Seeing their appearance, he would never dare put them near his mouth. “Forget it. For a first attempt, not scorching it completely is a small victory. In a couple of days, I’ll persuade Xue’er to try one first.” He shook his head vehemently. This was not like the ‘Fate’ Heavenly Talisman; he couldn't tell if these were genuine elixirs or potent poisons right now. Furthermore, he treasured the girl; he couldn't bear to let her suffer any hardship. “Xue’er is out of the question. What a pity there’s no opportunity, or I could let that Li Yunniang test one. Or perhaps find some stray cats or dogs to experiment on—”

Putting the few pills aside, Zong Shou couldn't bear to waste the rest of the medicinal sludge. He rolled it into balls and wrapped them separately. Then, he immediately began the next batch of alchemy. He had only purchased about sixty catties of Silver Silk Carbon. Ignoring his fatigue, Zong Shou cycled through the crucibles five times, consuming nearly half of his fuel supply. It took an entire day and night before the contents of the crucibles finally resembled actual medicine. They were pure black, the size of longan fruit, mirroring the descriptions in the texts regarding scent, size, shape, and color.

Suppressing his rising excitement, Zong Shou rushed out of the room. He searched everywhere. The courtyard was serene and quiet, completely lacking any beasts or birds for testing. Suddenly, his mind sparked, and he walked to the edge of the pond, crushing one of the pills and tossing the powder into the water. He silently wondered if he possessed some innate talent for pill refinement. After only four attempts, he had truly succeeded in forming pills. This level of skill rivaled the legendary genius alchemists. As the powder dispersed in the water, perhaps influenced by the scent, the goldfish in the pond immediately began scrambling and fighting for it. Then, under his expectant gaze, the fish began to float weakly to the surface. Zong Shou’s eyes brightened. These Demonic Pills, called ‘Vascular Spirit Pills,’ were supposed to have exactly this effect: softening the entire network of channels and meridians. In later ages, they were rare but priceless elixirs used to correct faulty meridians. Moments later, however, the goldfish started belly-up, struggling violently before finally ceasing all movement and breathing. Zong Shou stood frozen, struck silent, as if doused with ice water. All his earlier elation vanished without a trace. A cool breeze swept over him, chilling him to the core. He looked up at the massive sun in the sky, yet felt an intense chill permeate his body. “This Vascular Spirit Pill is indeed tricky. Alchemy is no easy task; the ancients did not deceive me—”

As he sighed inwardly, Xue’er’s startled cry came from nearby: “Young Master, did you go mining? Why have you ended up looking like this?” Zong Shou blinked, then looked into the water of the pond. Indeed, the Silver Silk Carbon was not entirely smokeless. After a full day and night, his entire body was filthy black. His face was smeared dark, leaving only his starkly contrasting eyes, his lips bright red and his teeth white—a strikingly conspicuous sight. As he forced a bitter smile, Xue’er’s gaze drifted to the pond, and her expression turned to one of even greater astonishment. “Young Master, you said you were refining pills with Vascular Spirit Grass to heal your dual-meridian body. Could it be that you’ve actually been refining poison? Something you could smear on weapons, or perhaps throw into water to incapacitate a crowd? So fast—” Seemingly recalling the time Zong Shou had used a poisoned blade to repel Zhao Yanran, Xue’er’s eyes shimmered with excitement.

Hearing this, Zong Shou’s face flushed with embarrassment, yet the blush faded quickly. He cleared his throat, adopting a calm, inscrutable expression. “It’s hardly a success, merely an attempt to test the effects. Refining poison from Vascular Spirit Grass—no predecessor has managed it, so I wished to try. If this pill can be completed, it could even subdue a Celestial Realm expert!” Xue’er’s look of adoration deepened, filled with longing and eager anticipation. Suddenly, another figure emerged from around the corner. It was Xuan Yuan Yiren, accompanied by Li Yunniang. Seeing Zong Shou’s appearance, both women frowned initially. Then Xuan Yuan Yiren’s delicate nose twitched, and she murmured in confusion, “There’s a scent of carbon fire, and this fragrance—it’s medicinal, but utterly unfamiliar, quite strange—” A moment later, her gaze settled on Zong Shou’s right hand. She tapped her foot, gliding swiftly to stand before him, and snatched his right hand—the one that had just touched the powder. She sniffed it deeply, her expression growing even more peculiar. Finally, she stuck out her dainty tongue and licked the palm of his hand. Zong Shou instantly shuddered, feeling a sudden warmth pooling in his lower abdomen. Li Yunniang, meanwhile, looked as dark as a soot-covered pot, her needle-like gaze seeming capable of slicing Zong Shou into a thousand pieces. Xuan Yuan Yiren, however, appeared completely unfazed. She carefully tasted the powder's essence. Only then did her elegant eyebrows smooth out. “The main ingredient is Vascular Spirit Grass, and you’ve also added Troupial Root, Brown Bark, Palm Ginseng, Purple Creeper… Silver Bract, yes, and Spotted Scorpion!”

Zong Shou froze instantly, staring at Xuan Yuan Yiren, who had left yesterday and returned today, with utter disbelief. Not a single one of the more than twenty medicinal components in the Vascular Spirit Pill was incorrect. What was this woman’s tongue made of? He heard Xuan Yuan Yiren continue, pondering aloud: “You are refining pills? The Vascular Spirit Grass from Demonic Corpse Mountain contains a slight toxin and has always been considered useless by alchemists. Why use such an ingredient?” Just as Zong Shou was about to explain that he was refining poison, not elixirs, Xuan Yuan Yiren snapped her fingers in realization, her eyes blazing with sharp insight: “No, that’s not right. When the Vascular Spirit Grass combines with Spotted Scorpion and Purple Creeper, it softens the entire body’s meridians. The other auxiliary ingredients are there to neutralize the toxins. What a brilliant formula! Zong Shou, you intend to use this formula to resolve your dual-meridian condition? If you could combine it with a suitable physical technique, there is indeed a possibility—”

Zong Shou was utterly dumbfounded, staring fixedly at Xuan Yuan Yiren, wondering if this girl was some kind of monstrous genius. She only needed to lick his palm to deduce all of that? Then, in the next instant, he felt another gaze fall upon him. It was Xue’er, but her expression was filled with pure disdain.