Li Wei watched as Jia Long's figure receded into the distance, footsteps fading. The tension in his body, wound tight from the day's events, and the fear of discovery, began to ebb away. Fatigue draped over him like a heavy cloak, his muscles aching and his eyelids heavy with the need for sleep. He had pushed himself hard, too hard perhaps, the cultivation breakthrough and the long hours of vigilance had taken their toll.
But he could not rest, not yet. There was work to be done—urgent, vital work. He held a pouch of bone ash in his hands, its contents far more than what the small ceramic cup could hold. With the precious flame of Bone Fire still alive, he knew he had to act swiftly.
He poured a portion of the ash into the cup, almost to the top, leaving just enough room for the fire to do its work. The essence needed to be pure, free from the earthly impurities that clung stubbornly to it. Li Wei's hands were steady, his movements careful as he held the cup over the white flames. The heat leapt up, hungrily licking at the ash, consuming the lesser elements and leaving behind the potent core of bone essence.
As the volume of ash reduced under the purifying flame, Li Wei tipped more into the cup. The process was slow, requiring patience and precision. He couldn't rush or allow the flames to consume too much, too quickly.
His eyes were fixed on the cup, watching as the ash within transformed, shrinking in quantity but growing in quality. He was determined to refine it all, to not waste a single grain of potential power. The Bone Fire, was a fleeting gift, and he had to use it before it was lost.
The cup was full to the brim with pure, white bone essence. Li Wei continued the process, his body running on reserves he didn't know he had. Every part of him longed for rest, but he couldn't give in. Not when the Bone Fire still burned.
After endless cycles of feeding the bone ash to the fire and watching the impurities dissipate, Li Wei completed the purification of all five pouches. His movements had become mechanical, almost part of the natural rhythm of the cave itself, as the pile of ash he started with became a small mountain of pure, refined bone essence.
The ceramic cup, once barely able to contain the ash, now cradled a concentrated wealth of power. Li Wei gazed at it, acknowledging its potential and recognizing the limits of his own physical state. He was completely drained from the exertion of breaking through in his cultivation and the meticulous refinement process.
He could not push further; his body simply would not allow it. The essence would have to wait. His health and strength were paramount if he continued his cultivation journey.
He took the empty pouches that had contained the bone ash, now waiting to be filled with the more potent substance. With careful hands, he opened the first pouch and transferred the essence. Each movement was deliberate, ensuring not a single grain was wasted. The essence was fine, almost like a powder made of the most delicate snow, and it flowed smoothly into the pouch.
The first pouch filled quickly, its capacity reached with the essence still remaining in the cup. Li Wei sealed it, tying the top with a simple yet secure knot. He set it aside, protected within the folds of his clothing, and took the second pouch.
Again, he poured the essence, the flow of the white powder steady and controlled. This pouch began to fill, but as Li Wei had estimated, the essence would not completely fill a second pouch. He continued until the cup was empty and the second pouch was filled halfway.
He sealed the second pouch with the same care as the first, ensuring the precious content was safe. Li Wei now had one and a half pouches of pure bone essence, a tangible measure of his progress. It was a small fortune for someone of his standing, and he felt a surge of satisfaction at the thought.
The filled pouches were precious, and he knew he had to hide them well. He found a loose stone in the cave's wall, a perfect hiding spot. He placed the pouches behind it, ensuring they were not visible to anyone who might enter his humble abode.
Bone Fire was left to safely extinguished, a precaution against any accidents that might arise from his negligence.
Finally, he allowed himself to succumb to the weight of exhaustion. His body slumped to the floor, no longer able to support itself upright. Sleep overtook him rapidly, a deep, dreamless state that enveloped him in its merciful darkness. His last conscious thought was a simple acknowledgement of the day's accomplishments and the work that awaited him on the morrow.
The cave was silent, save for the soft, rhythmic breathing of a young cultivator who had pushed the limits of his endurance.
The morning light crept through the gaps of Li Wei's cave, nudging him awake. His eyes flicked open, and for a moment, he lay still, the weight of sleep heavy on his limbs. Then, abruptly, clarity struck. He had overslept.
Panic surged within him as he bolted upright. There was no time to consider his aching muscles or the lingering fatigue that clung to him like a second skin. He had duties to attend to, and tardiness was not tolerated in the Pill Hall — especially not by Senior Huo.
Li Wei gazed at the remnants of the Bone Fire, its once fierce white glow reduced to a smattering of inert ash. Keeping the Bone Fire alive indefinitely was beyond his current means; it required resources and someone to watch it.
Li Wei scrambled to his feet, his movements frantic as he gathered his wits. He didn't bother to straighten his dishevelled robes or tame his unruly hair. Time was a luxury he couldn't afford.
He dashed from his cave, his feet finding the familiar path even as his mind raced with excuses, with contingencies for the wrath he might face. The cool morning air hit his face, a sharp contrast to the warmth of his panic. He ran, each step pounding against the earth, a rhythm to his rising sense of urgency.
The Pill Hall loomed ahead. As he neared, he tried to steady his breathing, to calm the thunderous beat of his heart. He couldn't show up breathless and wild-eyed.
Li Wei slowed to a brisk walk as he approached the entrance, trying to compose himself. His mind raced through his tasks, the layout of the herb shelves, and the motions of his servitude. He was late, but he would not let it define his day.
He reached the pavilion, hoping his disruption would go unnoticed and that he could slip into his role without drawing the ire of Senior Huo.
Li Wei's entrance into the Pill Hall was quieter than he had feared, his footsteps nearly silent as he joined the hustle of the busy chamber. To his surprise, Senior Huo didn't acknowledge his late arrival. There were no sharp words or disapproving glares. It was as if his tardiness had gone unnoticed, or perhaps it was being ignored.
The day unfolded with a steady rhythm, each task flowing into the next. Li Wei moved through his chores with a practised ease, his hands working on autopilot as his mind churned with thoughts. The room he had cleaned in haste the previous day showed no sign of his negligence. Everything was as pristine as if he had never touched it.
Senior Huo remained distant, but today, there was no harsh reprimand. It was a reprieve that Li Wei hadn't expected but desperately welcomed. He worked diligently, the memory of the silver coin and the leniency he was experiencing weaving a complex image of the senior alchemist in his mind.
Perhaps, Li Wei mused, Senior Huo was not the unforgiving tyrant he had been portrayed as. Maybe, just maybe, there was a sliver of understanding in the senior alchemist's heart. The thought gave Li Wei cautious hope.
As the day's end neared, Li Wei allowed himself a small smile. It was a smile not of joy but of relief. He had survived the day without incident, without the expected punishment.
Li Wei trudged back to his cave, the weight of the impending assessment heavy on his mind. He knew that survival meant increasing his cultivation, and for that, the bone essence was key. As he reached the entrance of his cave, he stopped to gather an armful of dry wood from the nearby trees, the branches snapping crisply in his hands.
Once inside, he set the wood aside and pulled out the pouch filled with the precious white bone essence. With deliberate care, he mixed a portion of the powder with water in the ceramic cup, watching as it dissolved into a cloudy solution. He raised the cup to his lips, the mixture cold and chalky on his tongue.
As the bone essence settled in his stomach, a sense of fullness spread through him, staving off the pangs of hunger that gnawed at him. It was a strange sensation to feel nourished by something so far removed from food. But in this world where power was the ultimate goal, it was the essence that sustained him, not grains or meats.
Li Wei sat cross-legged on the hard ground, closing his eyes to concentrate. He could feel the energy of the bone essence coursing through him, a silent force that promised strength. Each gulp was a step away from being the mincemeat he feared to become.
He focused on his cultivation, the cave around him fading away until there was nothing but the flow of Qi within him.