CH 36

“Controlling the fire is an extremely important step in refining pills. The flame is divided into micro, small, medium, and large. Still, this is only a preliminary classification. The higher the level of alchemy, the higher the requirements for fire. Some pills even require a continuous transformation of the flame.” Mu Yuanfeng said.

Mu Chen nodded his head to show his understanding. 

“This is a micro flame.” Mu Yuanfeng drew out a small cluster of flame from the earth fire vein.

“This is a small flame…” The flame in Mu Yuanfeng’s hand abruptly became several times bigger.

“This is a medium flame…” Mu Yuanfeng gave a demonstration for each one of the four flames.

Mu Chen watched him with rapt attention. The shape of the four flames, their strengths, and their weaknesses are also recorded in books, but, after all, records are just ink on paper, far less real than what you can see with your own eyes and feel for yourself. 

Mu Yuanfeng looked at him and asked, “Have you seen it clearly?”

Mu Chen nodded, “Yes!”

Mu Yuanfeng froze for a moment. He thought that Mu Chen would say that he didn’t see clearly and so he would demonstrate once again. Back then, his teacher had to show him a full five times before he could tentatively grasp the diverse intensity of the flame.

“Then you try.” Mu Yuanfeng said.

Mu Chen nodded and drew out a small flame from the earth fire vein, with exactly the same intensity as the one Mu Yuanfeng had demonstrated at the beginning. He, then, showed the other flames one by one.

Mu Yuanfeng swallowed, a genius! Why didn’t he know before that his son was such a talent? Feeling that he had delayed his son once more, the guilt in Mu Yuanfeng’s heart deepened.

“Father, is this right?” Mu Chen turned his head and looked at Mu Yuanfeng.

Mu Yuanfeng nodded, tried to maintain his composure, and said calmly, “Yes, you have a good grasp of it.” 

Mu Chen let out a sigh of relief, “That’s good.”

“You are just starting out, so let’s first try making the spiritual liquid.” Mu Yuanfeng said after thinking for a moment.

Mu Chen nodded his head, “Okay.”

The spiritual liquid is made for external use and doesn’t have to be condensed into a pill, so it’s usually easier to make. The spiritual liquid is slow to kick in and the effect is milder than pills. However, there are few after-effects and it doesn’t leave as much residual waste in the body. 

Mu Yuanfeng waved his hand, and ten pairs of spiritual herbs appeared in front of him, “These are the spiritual herbs needed to refine the Body Tempering Spiritual Liquid. Now, I will show you how it’s refined.”

Mu Chen stepped back a little to allow Mu Yuanfeng to demonstrate.

“Did you see clearly?” Mu Yuanfeng asked Mu Chen as he finished concocting the spiritual liquid.

Mu Chen nodded his head and said confidently, “I saw it clearly…” 

Two hours later, Mu Yuanfeng led Mu Chen out of the alchemy room. Mu Yuanfeng’s footsteps drifted slightly.

While in the alchemy room, Mu Yuanfeng showed Mu Chen the refining methods of two first-grade spiritual liquids and three first-grade pills, each of which Mu Chen grasped immediately after only one demonstration. Even when he accidentally failed to make a first-grade meditation pill, Mu Chen succeeded in one go.

Mu Chen’s face was a little shriveled, but his eyes were shining brightly.

“Second brother, what’s wrong with Mu Chen?” Mu Yuanhang asked. 

Mu Yuanfeng smiled, “Smoked by the fire.”

Mu Yuanhang looked at Mu Chen and said, “Second brother, in fact, Chen’er is still young. There is no need to learn alchemy so early, look at his appearance, he is about to pass out from the heat.”

Mu Yuanfeng smiled lightly, “I was around the same age.”

“What about Chen’er’s talent for alchemy?” Mu Yuanhang asked. 

Mu Yuanfeng smiled bitterly, “He is just starting out, how can I tell how talented he is so soon?”

Mu Chen smiled bashfully, “I think refining pills is interesting, it’s just that I can’t do it well.”

Mu Yuanhang smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said comfortingly, “Chen’er, alchemy is not something that can be mastered overnight, you have to take your time.”

Mu Chen nodded, “I understand.” 

Mu Yuanfeng looked at Mu Yuanhang’s back as he left, a cold smile spreading across his heart.

After discussing it with Mu Chen, he decided to conceal Mu Chen’s talent. There are several big families in Mo City and if they knew of his talent, his safety would be at risk.

Inside, he felt quite stifled. Having such an outstanding son, you can’t show it off to the public, but for Mu Chen’s safety, Mu Yuanfeng had to endure it.

………… 

“Shi Tou, your pork knuckles.” A’Mu handed him the pork knuckles with envy.

Ye Shi looked at the pork knuckles feeling a little uncomfortable. Mu Chen is not even coming to see him, what’s the point of giving him pork knuckles? What is he, a pig?

Ye Shi bit into the pork knuckle viciously, as if he was holding a grudge.

“Shi Tou, do you miss young master Mu?” Chen Da asked, leaning forward. 

Ye Shi gnashed his teeth, “Why should I miss him? He is so bad.”

“Shi Tou, if you really miss young master Mu Chen, you can go and see him, you don’t have to wait for him to come and see you!” Chen Da said disappointedly.

Ye Shi’s eyes flickered, he pondered thoughtfully for a while and said with a tense face, “He has to make pills, so if I go, he won’t have time to see me.”

“You’ll only know if he’s free to see you when you go!” Chen Da advised. 

Ye Shi thought about it and felt a bit moved.

“Shi Tou, someone is looking for you.” A waiter said walking in.

Ye Shi’s heart skipped a beat and asked nervously, “Who is looking for me?”

“It seems to be the attendant beside young master Mu Chen.” The boy said. 

Ye Shi’s mood was a bit complicated, “Just the attendant, did he not come?”

The boy shook his head, “I didn’t see him.”

Ye Shi calmed down, washed his hands, and walked out.

“Young master Ye Shi.” Seeing Ye Shi come out, Ren San called out respectfully. 

Ye Shi blinked his eyes and looked at him, “Why are you looking for me?”

Ren San handed him the food box in his hand, “This is for you, from young master Mu Chen.”

Ye Shi took the food box, his heart stirring for a moment. Finally, he couldn’t help asking, “How is he doing?”

“Young master Mu Chen has been working hard refining pills recently and he is very tired, so he’s now resting.” Ren San said. 

“Has he refined a pill yet?” Ye Shi asked gently.

Ren San smiled bitterly, “Refining pills, it’s not that easy.”

Ye Shi skimmed his lips, “I thought so.”

Ren San: “……” 

“Young master Ye Shi, if there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.” Ren San said.

“Wait a minute.” Ye Shi hesitantly called out to him.

Ren San looked at him, “What is it?”

“You tell him not to be too hasty, take his time, don’t work too hard, anyway…anyway…he is so stupid, even if he wastes his sleep and forgets to eat, he may not be able to refine a pill.” Ye Shi looked at Ren San fiercely. 

Ren San shrugged, “I will convey your message.”

Ye Shi hesitated for a moment, then called out to him again, blushing, “Otherwise, don’t say anything.”

Ren San looked at his expression, “Okay.”

Ye Shi looked at Ren San’s back depressingly. 

As Zhuang Yu walked down the street, he saw the scene of Ye Shi sending Ren San away.

“Young Ye Shi.” Zhuang Yu called out to Ye Shi, who was about to get back inside.

Ye Shi looked over at Zhuang Yu and found that today his usual entourage was replaced by a Lan Ruofeng, whom he had seen at the auction.

“This is Ruofeng.” Zhuang Yu introduced him to Ye Shi. 

Ye Shi nodded at Lan Ruofeng, “Hello.”

Ye Shi pursed his lips, thinking, “Zhuang Yu is quite good, he has hooked up so quickly. It seems that the Ice Lotus Water has fallen into his hands at last.

“Ruofeng is a level two alchemist.” Zhuang Yu said to him.

Ye Shi froze for a moment, “You’re amazing.” It was rare to find such a young level two alchemist. 

Lan Ruofeng looked at Ye Shi and felt a little strange inside. He was clearly a bit ugly, but he felt as if he had seen this man before and that they should be very close.

“Where. Have we met before?” Lan Ruofeng asked.

Ye Shi shook his head, “No, I don’t think so.” He saw him at the auction, but Lan Ruofeng shouldn’t have seen him before. 

Looking at Ye Shi, Zhuang Yu felt a little uncomfortable, for Ye Shi was so unattractive, yet Mu Chen seemed to have been charmed by him, and now even Lan Ruofeng seemed to be treating him differently.

Zhuang Yu turned his head to Lan Ruofeng and said, “Ruofeng, I have something to say to Ye Shi alone.”

Lan Ruofeng nodded, “Then, I will go to the Spiritual Herbs Shop first and come to pick you up later.”

Zhuang Yu nodded, “Okay.” 

As Ye Shi looked at Lan Ruofeng’s back, a strange feeling welled up in his heart. His intuition told him that he would be deeply involved with this person, to the point of being desperate for him.

Ye Shi shook his head and thought, “Why should I risk everything for such a person? It’s too unlikely.