Li Huowang cautiously watched the small pill furnace in front of him, next to which stood three sticks of incense used for keeping time.
In an environment without any alarm clocks, Li Huowang could only rely on this primitive method to measure time.
When the last stick of incense had burned completely, he immediately extinguished the furnace fire, opened the Pill Door, and a scent mixed with the aroma of unique herbs wafted out from inside.
With joy in his heart, Li Huowang knew he had succeeded. The refined alchemy ingredients were shaking inside a sieve, and once the useless ash and dregs were all sifted away, what remained in the box were black elixirs of varying sizes.
These elixirs were what Master Danyang referred to as Blood Coagulation Pills, a very simple type of elixir, used for stopping bleeding.
One should not consume more than one or two at a time, or there would be a risk of complete blood coagulation.
It sounded rather unimpressive, perhaps even more useful for harming people rather than healing them,
but since this elixir was the simplest, Master Danyang allowed Li Huowang to practice with it.
After a careful count, Li Huowang obtained thirteen large Blood Coagulation Pills and twenty-six small ones.
Li Huowang's gains were not only these, but through the process of making the Blood Coagulation Pills, he also gained some basic knowledge about alchemy.
Alchemy was far more difficult than he had imagined. Apart from the differences in time, even the growing directions of the herbs had to be meticulously distinguished.
A single mistake at any step, and the efficacy and success rate of the elixir would be worlds apart; the pile of charred waste next to him was proof of that.
Li Huowang took out a small bamboo tube and stored all the elixirs inside. Then, taking a deep breath, he put on the Taoist robe beside him and walked outside. "The time is almost up, the hour of Zi is nearly upon us."
When Li Huowang reached out to push the door of the Elixir Room open, everyone who was working stood up in unison, looking at him with fear.
Right now, in the eyes of the others, he was no different from King Yama.
With a complex expression, Li Huowang looked at them all, walking past them under their watchful eyes, until he finally arrived in front of Bai Lingmiao.
The girl's white hair trembled along with her body. She tried to hold back her tears, but ultimately could not, and tears flowed from the light pink pupils characteristic of her albinism.
Li Huowang, with a serious expression, took her hand and left the Elixir Room towards the Alchemy Room.
In the damp cave tunnel, Bai Lingmiao sobbed as she tried to dictate her last words to Li Huowang.
Li Huowang listened silently, saying nothing. When he purposefully arrived outside his residence, he turned his body and pulled her into the house. "Take off your pants."
Bai Lingmiao's eyes widened, frozen in place, seemingly frightened by his actions.
Three quarters before the hour of Zi, Li Huowang brought Bai Lingmiao to the Elixir Room, and Master Danyang had only just arrived.
When he saw that Li Huowang had brought the Medicinal Guide over without being instructed to, a hint of satisfaction appeared on Master Danyang's face; he seemed to view his youngest disciple with a bit more favor.
"Hehe, my good apprentice, come here." With a casual summon from Master Danyang, Bai Lingmiao flew towards him and was grabbed by the neck and thrown into the person-sized stone urn.
Seeing this scene, Li Huowang's heart thumped violently, his hands clenched tightly.
Just as the several-hundred-pound pill grinding stone rod was about to smash down below, Master Danyang suddenly stopped.
"Alas, why did the bleeding come just at this moment? Now the medicinal properties have all changed," Master Danyang frowned slightly as he spoke, looking at Bai Lingmiao's bloodstained trousers.
Seeing this scene, Li Huowang immediately breathed a sigh of relief; his plan had succeeded.
Once Li Huowang understood how alchemy worked in this world, he found a way to break the situation.
If the medicinal properties of other metals, stones, plants, and trees could change so much, then a human Medicinal Guide would have variations as well.
Moreover, in his memory, a woman's menstruation was considered something dirty within the Taoist Sect, so having Bai Lingmiao pretend to have her period was his countermeasure.
And, to avoid suspicion from the other party, no one else could mention it; it had to be discovered by Master Danyang himself.
Now it seemed that his objective had been achieved; Bai Lingmiao's life was saved.
With a wave of his wide Taoist robe, Master Danyang sent Bai Lingmiao flying out from the stone pestle, crashing heavily to the ground.
The fall was severe, and it took Bai Lingmiao a while to crawl up while holding her knee, but Li Huowang couldn't help her; he could only watch coldly from the sideline.
"Xuanyang, take these ingredients and guides back," Hearing Master Danyang speak these words, Li Huowang was completely reassured, and he respectfully saluted and said, "As you command, Master."
When Bai Lingmiao came up beside him, it was only then that Li Huowang noticed the wound on her head appeared to have been knocked open, with fresh red blood streaming down her cheeks.
Even so, Bai Lingmiao still looked at Li Huowang with gratitude. In the face of death, enduring such pain meant little to nothing.
"No matter what, we've managed to muddle through this time; it's likely to be a long while before Bai Lingmiao's turn comes up again," Li Huowang walked towards the door with Bai Lingmiao.
Just as they were about to step out of the shadow of the huge pill furnace, a light and floating comment came from behind them from Master Danyang.
"Xuanyang, since this Medicinal Guide won't work, go bring another one over. I remember there's another White Medicine Guide, hurry up and don't miss the hours," he said.
These words made Li Huowang's body tremble slightly, and right after, he turned around and respectfully saluted Master Danyang once more. "Yes, Master," he said.
Li Huowang didn't know how he managed to walk to the ingredient room; he could only numbly move towards another man with albinism, stretching out his hand and pulling him to leave.
The man was crying out in despair, kneeling on the ground, continuously kowtowing and begging Li Huowang for mercy. But Li Huowang could do nothing. He had to personally deliver this man to the Alchemy Room.
The trembling Li Huowang was about to leave when he was called by Master Danyang, "Don't you aspire to the path of alchemy? Come here, take a careful look, you can't find such a complicated and rare elixir crafting process anywhere else."
Li Huowang walked over, carefully observing, listening as Master Danyang explained when to add which ingredient, when to increase the flame. He watched the entire alchemy process like a studious child.
When the flame beneath the Alchemy Furnace was extinguished, the furnace opened, and seven fully formed black elixirs lined up in front of Master Danyang.
"Not bad, not bad at all, you are very talented. Other disciples don't have your eagerness to learn. Come, your Master rewards you," Master Danyang took one out from his palm.
"Thank you for the elixir, Master!" Li Huowang respectfully performed a deep bow to Master Danyang, his hands trembling as he held the elixir.