"Since you wish to learn pill refining, you must first understand what it truly is," Elder Shi began calmly.
"Many people believe that alchemy is merely about combining herbs and producing pills, but in truth, it is a process of refinement, control, and understanding. Even the smallest mistake can ruin the entire process."
As he spoke, he waved his hand lightly.
A pill furnace appeared before them.
It was simple in design, without excessive decoration, yet it carried a faint, steady aura that hinted at its quality.
Master Shi looked at Xiao Feng and said, "Today, I will start with the most basic pill—the Qi Gathering Pill.
Although it is only a first-rank pill, it contains all the fundamental principles of alchemy. If you can understand this properly, everything else will become easier later."
He paused slightly before continuing.
"In this world, pills are divided into ten ranks.
The first rank corresponds to the Qi Refining Realm, and each subsequent rank aligns with higher realms of cultivation.
By the time one reaches the tenth rank, the pills produced are already considered Emperor-level treasures, capable of shaking entire regions."
Xiao Feng listened carefully, absorbing every word.
After a moment, he asked, "Master, what rank are you?"
Shi Bodong's expression froze for a fraction of a second.
Then he straightened slightly, his tone carrying a trace of restrained pride.
"At present, I have reached the peak of the ninth rank."
Although his voice remained calm, it carried a trace of undisguised confidence.
After all, this was his first disciple.
Naturally, he needed to maintain some face.
Without wasting further time, Master Shi raised his hand.
A strand of spiritual energy gathered at his fingertips, condensing rapidly before transforming into a flame.
The flame burned steadily, its color pure and its heat contained, yet the surrounding air seemed to distort slightly from its presence.
"This is where everything begins," Shi Bodong said. "Before refining pills, one must first learn to transform spiritual energy into flame. Without sufficient control over this step, attempting alchemy is nothing more than courting failure."
With a gentle flick, the flame entered the pill furnace.
The temperature inside began to rise gradually.
Shi Bodong's movements were neither fast nor slow. Instead, they carried a natural rhythm, as if everything was under perfect control.
He picked up a spirit herb and held it briefly between his fingers.
"This herb is the base of the Qi Gathering Pill. Watch carefully how it changes."
He placed it into the furnace.
Under the steady heat, the herb slowly softened, its structure breaking down as impurities were burned away. What remained was a pure, translucent essence that floated within the furnace like liquid light.
Xiao Feng leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed on the process.
He could clearly feel the difference between raw material and refined essence.
One was chaotic and mixed.
The other was pure and controlled.
Shi Bodong continued, adding the remaining herbs one by one.
Each time, his timing was precise, and the temperature of the flame adjusted subtly according to the nature of the herb. Some required gentle heat, while others demanded a sudden increase in temperature to release their essence fully.
"This stage tests your control," Elder Shi explained. "Every herb is different. If you treat them the same, you will fail before you even begin."
As the process continued, the various essences began to gather within the furnace.
A faint medicinal fragrance spread into the air, becoming richer with each passing moment.
After all the essences had been extracted, Shi Bodong's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Now comes the most crucial step—fusion."
The flame flickered, becoming slightly more intense.
Inside the furnace, the different essences began to move toward one another, slowly merging. At first, there was resistance, as if they rejected each other, but under the steady control of the flame, they gradually blended into a single, unified mass.
Xiao Feng could sense the change clearly. The chaotic mixture was becoming stable.
Finally, Elder Shi reduced the flame.
"The last step is condensation," he said calmly.
The liquid essence began to solidify, forming into smooth, round shapes. The fragrance reached its peak, filling the entire backyard with a rich, refreshing scent.
After a moment, Shi Bodong waved his hand.
The furnace lid opened and several pills flew out, landed neatly in his palm.
They were perfectly round, with a faint luster on their surface, and a subtle flow of spiritual energy could be felt within them.
He placed one on the table and looked at Xiao Feng.
"This is a Qi Gathering Pill."
His tone returned to its usual calm.
"Simple in appearance, but every step you saw just now must be mastered before you can succeed."
Xiao Feng picked up the pill and examined it carefully.
The smooth texture and stable energy within. For the first time, he truly understood what pill refining meant.
Elder Shi watched him quietly, then smiled faintly.
"Now that you've seen it once," he said, "it's time for you to try."
/
Xiao Feng placed the pill back on the table before adjusting his posture. He slowly raised his hand and spiritual energy gathered at his fingertips.
Although it was his first attempt at using this technique, the moment the spiritual energy gathered to a sufficient degree.
It ignited a steady flame that burned quietly in his palm without showing any signs of instability.
Elder Shi who had been watching casually at first, could not help but pause slightly as a subtle change appeared in his expression.
Even though forming a flame was only the first step in alchemy, it was also one of the most difficult for beginners.
Most people would require repeated attempts before barely managing to succeed, yet Xiao Feng had accomplished it in a single try without any visible difficulty.
Although he did not show it openly, a faint trace of surprise had already appeared in Elder Shi's heart. He could only attribute this to Xiao Feng possessing an unusually high affinity for alchemy.
Xiao Feng, however, did not pay attention to his master's reaction. His focus remained entirely on controlling the flame.
Despite successfully igniting it, he could still feel that his control over the technique was somewhat unfamiliar, caused his movements to appear slightly stiff.
Even so, he did not hesitate to proceed, and following the sequence he had just observed.
He guided the flame into the pill furnace before picking up the first herb.
Placing it inside, allowing the heat to gradually break it down as impurities were removed and the pure medicinal essence remained.
As the process continued, Xiao Feng added each herb in turn, carefully adjusting the flame according to the changes within the furnace.
Although his movements lacked the natural ease displayed by Master Shi, every decision he made was accurate, with no mistakes in timing or order.
Elder Shi's gaze gradually became more focused as he observed the process.
Because he quickly realized that Xiao Feng was not merely imitating what he had seen, but was actually understanding each step at a fundamental level.
If not for the slight stiffness in his movements, it would have been difficult to believe that this was his first attempt.
But he didn't know that the stiffness did not come from a lack of refining, but rather from unfamiliarity with the technique itself.
When all the medicinal essences had been extracted, Xiao Feng adjusted the flame slightly and began the fusion process. Carefully guiding the different essences together as they resisted briefly before gradually merging into a stable and unified form under his control.
The moment the fusion stabilized, he reduced the intensity of the flame and allowed the condensed mass to solidify. After forming several smooth, round pills as a rich fragrance spread through the air once more.
With a controlled motion, he opened the furnace and collected the pills in his hand. His expression remaining calm as he observed the results.
While on the other side, Elder Shi stared at the pills dumbfounded.
'Is this a human being can do?'
Although he didn't show outwardly, a deeper sense of surprise had already taken root in his mind.
Because the pills were complete in every aspect, with no visible flaws, and their quality was comparable to a properly refined first-rank pill.
This was not something that should have been possible for a first attempt.
Xiao Feng examined the pills briefly before speaking in a thoughtful tone, "It does not seem particularly difficult, and the process is quite straightforward once the steps are understood."
After a short pause, he looked up and added, "Master, should I try refining another type of pill?"
Elder Shi's expression immediately darkened.
He was about to praise him, but hearing his question, a faint trace of irritation appeared as he responded.
"You have only just refined your first pill, and you are already thinking of moving on to another. Do you think alchemy is something that can be mastered so easily without repeated practice?"
Xiao Feng seemed slightly puzzled by the reaction, and after thinking for a moment, he replied honestly.
"But this was my first attempt, and it did not feel particularly difficult."
Hearing this, Elder Shi felt a heavy stone pressure in his chest, but he quickly maintained his composure and said in a steady tone.
"That is because your foundation is not bad, and you were able to grasp the basics quickly. But for ordinary people, even forming a flame would take several days of effort.
So you should not make careless comparisons."
After a brief pause, Xiao Feng asked again, "Then, Master, were you able to succeed on your first attempt as well?"