The alchemy chamber was sweltering, the flames in the furnace roaring with intensity. Xuanyuan Yiren sat at the center of the room before a massive tripod cauldron entwined by three golden dragon carvings. Her furrowed brows revealed deep contemplation.

Zong Shou's eyes never left the fire. A master alchemist demonstrating his craft without reservation - this was an opportunity too rare to waste. He might as well memorize every detail now.

"I cannot decipher the Seven Withering Ghost Mask toxins," Xuanyuan said with regret, her voice soft but clear. "The most dangerous aspect of Ghost Mask Vipers is their hybrid nature. They absorb and metabolize toxins from various spiritual beasts. Each breeder cultivates them differently, resulting in unpredictable toxin compositions. I recognized only twenty-four types when analyzing the blood - seven remain unidentifiable."

Zong Shou's eyebrows lifted in astonishment. "Twenty-four? Your mentor was right to call you a prodigy in alchemy!" His own research had barely identified half that number.

The disparity between their skills seemed as vast as heaven and earth. Xuanyuan brightened slightly under his praise. "Those seven missing toxins are obscure but not deadly. However, they significantly alter the overall toxicity profile. I simply cannot formulate an antidote..." She paused before continuing with a hint of admiration in her tone. "...but your blood-testing method was brilliant. Without that discovery, we'd have no solution at all. Yesterday's three formulas were merely neutralizing agents - ineffective but harmless. The first two would help Lady Ruoshui eliminate toxins while the third enhances her natural resistance. If you exchange her blood every three days, she should recover completely within two years."

"Two years?!" Zong Shou exclaimed. "Are you trying to make me wait that long for your help?"

Xuanyuan blinked in surprise as he casually flicked a folded paper scroll toward her. "Let me see if these additional formulas can shorten the treatment period," she murmured, unfolding the parchment.

"Cool Snow Fearlessness Pill? Mandrake root with Nine-Mile Frost and Dragonbreathe..." She trailed off as her eyes narrowed at the predominantly toxic ingredients listed. When she reached the final entry - "Yellow Dragon Grass!" - recognition dawned. Her voice softened with appreciation: "That single ingredient transforms an outright poison into a detoxifying elixir. Whoever created this formula must be a genius beyond our time."

Zong Shou rubbed his nose, staring at the ceiling. The formula's creator wouldn't exist for seven millennia.

"With these formulas," Xuanyuan continued thoughtfully, "a three-month recovery is possible within one or two days of alchemical preparation." Her gaze sharpened as she scanned further down the parchment. "These... are you developing accelerated cultivation methods?"

Zong Shou chuckled at her astuteness. "That wimp Zong Yuan should have broken through to Martial King level long ago but got stuck at Three Veins for three years. I'll push him to Six Wheel Meridian status using these formulas." He hesitated before adding, "Yin Yang needs them too. With proper resources, my faction could gain a Xuanwu Grandmaster in under a year."

"Those formulas are unprecedented," Xuanyuan remarked as she examined the scroll more closely. Her eyes widened at the final two entries: "The Coldfire Spirit Nourishing Pill and Supreme Yuan Qi Replenishment Formula - were these from the Coastal Academy's archives?"

Zong Shou evaded with a chuckle, continuing to gaze upward.

A sudden impulse made Xuanyuan leap up, landing lightly beside him. Her lips brushed his cheek in a quick peck before she retreated with a tinkling laugh.

The sudden proximity froze Zong Shou mid-thought. The situation was dangerous - two lone people in an intimate space! He sprang into action, tackling her to the ground before she could react. His tongue invaded her mouth like serpentine fire, expertly coaxing and drawing out her breathless surrender.

Xuanyuan initially struggled violently but soon melted against him as electric sensations coursed through her body. Zong Shou's movements softened into tender exploration, his hands gradually wandering beneath her robes to caress the soft mounds of her chest before descending lower...

When he finally inserted a finger into the damp heat between her thighs, Xuanyuan's eyes fluttered open with dazed realization. Her body trembled with conflicting desires - frustrated yet eager as waves of pleasure overtook her senses.

But Zong Shou abruptly withdrew, leaving only silken saliva connecting their parted lips. She retreated several paces, face crimson as she hastily adjusted her robes. The damp stain at her center betrayed her more than any words could.

"You initiated it," he said simply, his voice strained with unfulfilled tension. "Another failure of my animal instincts."

"I didn't provoke you!" Xuanyuan protested weakly, still trembling from residual sensations. Her gaze flicked to the bedraggled state of his hand before she spun away in mortification.

Zong Shou watched as her back stiffened with resolve. "You seem very... experienced," she accused suddenly, her voice carrying a hint of uncertainty.

"First time for everything," he replied smoothly. "Especially my first kiss."

"That 'kiss' during Ruoshui's treatment?" she countered sharply.

"Call it medical treatment!" he said, waving his hand dismissively as Xuanyuan flung a meditation cushion at him in exasperation.