Li Huowang cautiously watched the small alchemy furnace before him. Beside it stood three sticks of incense, burning steadily to mark the passage of time in a world without clocks.
As the last stick of incense burned out completely, he immediately extinguished the flames under the furnace and opened the door. A peculiar aroma of mixed herbs and plants wafted out.
Li's heart leapt with joy. The batch was done.
Pouring the refined mixture into a sieve, he gently shook it back and forth. The useless residue fell away, leaving behind black pills of varying sizes in the box below.
These pills were the so-called Blood-Replenishing Pills that Dan Yangzi had tasked him to create—a simple elixir designed to stop bleeding.
However, it came with a grave warning: consuming more than one liang (around 37 grams) at once would risk complete blood coagulation, potentially leading to death.
The pills sounded more like a tool for harm than healing, but their simplicity made them ideal for Li's first attempt at alchemy under Dan Yangzi's instructions.
Carefully counting, Li ended up with thirteen large Blood-Replenishing Pills and twenty-six smaller ones.
But the true value of this exercise wasn't just the pills themselves. Through the process, Li had gained fundamental knowledge about the art of alchemy.
It was far more complex than he had imagined. Beyond timing, even the orientation in which herbs had grown affected their properties.
A single misstep could drastically alter a pill's effectiveness and success rate, as evidenced by the pile of charred failures nearby.
Li stored the pills in a small bamboo tube, took a deep breath, and donned his Daoist robe. He muttered under his breath, "It's about time—the Hour of the Rat is near."
When Li pushed open the storeroom doors, all activity came to an abrupt halt. The workers froze, staring at him with a mix of fear and despair.
In their eyes, Li Huowang was no longer just another disciple—he was death itself, a grim reaper who determined who would live and who would be sent to the furnace.
Li scanned their faces, his expression complicated, before walking silently toward Bai Lingmiao.
The girl trembled uncontrollably, her white hair shaking with her frail body. She tried to hold back her tears, but they spilled over, trailing down her pale cheeks and past her unique, pink-tinged eyes.
Her lips quivered as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out.
Li's expression darkened. He grabbed her hand and led her out of the storeroom toward the alchemy room.
The damp corridors of the cave echoed with their footsteps. As they walked, Bai Lingmiao sobbed quietly, whispering her last wishes to Li.
Li said nothing. He simply led her forward until they reached the entrance to his quarters. Then, without warning, he pulled her inside and spoke coldly:
"Take off your pants."
Bai Lingmiao froze, her eyes widening in terror. She stood there like a frightened animal, paralyzed by his words.
Three quarters before the Hour of the Rat, Li and Bai Lingmiao arrived at the alchemy room, where Dan Yangzi was just arriving.
Seeing Li take the initiative to bring the medicine extractor without being told, Dan Yangzi's scabby face softened into a faint smile. For the first time, he looked at his youngest disciple with some approval.
"Ah, good disciple," he said with a chuckle. "Come here."
With a flick of his hand, Bai Lingmiao was lifted off her feet, flying straight into the massive stone urn. Dan Yangzi grabbed her by the neck and threw her in without a second thought.
Li's heart pounded as he watched, his fists clenching tightly.
Dan Yangzi picked up the heavy pestle, raising it high above his head. Just as he was about to bring it crashing down, he stopped abruptly.
"Tch. Why now, of all times, would she start bleeding?" Dan Yangzi muttered, frowning as he noticed the bloodstain spreading on Bai Lingmiao's clothes.
Seeing this, Li finally exhaled the breath he had been holding. His plan had worked.
Understanding the principles of alchemy in this world had given Li a way to disrupt the process.
Just as herbs and minerals had properties that could alter the outcome of an elixir, so too could the "human ingredients" used as medicine extractors.
In Daoist traditions, menstrual blood was considered impure—an obstacle to many rituals. Li had deliberately orchestrated this to make it appear that Bai Lingmiao was menstruating.
For the ruse to succeed, it was crucial that Dan Yangzi discover this himself rather than being told.
And now, Li's gamble had paid off.
Dan Yangzi waved his wide sleeve, and Bai Lingmiao was flung out of the urn, landing hard on the ground.
The impact was severe, and Bai Lingmiao clutched her knees in pain as she struggled to stand.
Li watched coldly, unable to offer her help. To do so would risk raising suspicion.
"Xuanyang, take her back to the storeroom," Dan Yangzi ordered, his tone indifferent.
Li felt a wave of relief wash over him. He bowed deeply. "Yes, Master."
When Bai Lingmiao limped over to him, Li noticed that her head was bleeding, fresh red streaks running down her face.
Despite her injuries, she looked at him with gratitude. Compared to dying in the furnace, this pain was a small price to pay.
At least this time, I've managed to save her, Li thought as they walked toward the exit.
But just as they were about to step out of the shadow of the massive furnace, Dan Yangzi's voice floated lazily through the air:
"Xuanyang, since this medicine extractor isn't suitable, bring another one. I believe there's another albino extractor in the storeroom. Be quick, so we don't miss the timing."
Li froze. A slight tremor ran through his body as he turned back and bowed again. "Yes, Master."
Li didn't remember how he made it back to the storeroom. His body moved like a puppet as he approached the other albino worker—a man this time.
The man collapsed to his knees, crying and begging for his life, kowtowing repeatedly.
Li felt hollow. There was nothing he could do. He grabbed the man's arm and dragged him toward the alchemy room.
The man's desperate screams echoed through the corridors, but they were silenced moments later by the heavy pestle. Thick smoke rose from the furnace, carrying the rich scent of alchemy. The stalactites above were coated with a greasy layer of human oil.
Li trembled as he turned to leave, only to be stopped by Dan Yangzi.
"Didn't you say you wanted to learn alchemy?" the master said with a sly smile. "Come closer. Watch carefully. The process of making such rare elixirs is not something you'll see anywhere else."
Li had no choice but to step closer. With a calm expression, he observed every step of the process, memorizing the timing and ingredients as Dan Yangzi explained.
When the flames beneath the furnace finally died down, the lid creaked open to reveal seven perfectly formed black pills, lined neatly.
"Not bad, eh? You're quite talented—far more eager to learn than my other disciples," Dan Yangzi said with a grin. He picked up one pill and handed it to Li.
"As a reward, this is for you."
Li bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master, for your generosity!"
With trembling hands, he accepted the pill and swallowed it in one gulp.