Chapter 149 – A Fair Exchange

  The Ironvein Quarry Sect’s Alchemy Hall was a storm of heat and noise. Dozens of pill furnaces blazed in neat rows, their flames flickering in every shade from orange to an eerie, pale blue. The air shimmered with spiritual energy, and the smell of herbs mixed together in a cloying fashion.

  At the center of the chaos was Elder Wen. The sleeves of his robes were rolled back, and his face was flushed with frustration and anger. His voice thundered over the roar of the furnaces.

  “Who told you to add the Spiritroot Essence now? You’ll scorch the entire batch, you fool! Add the powdered Star Iron first!”

  One poor Alchemist flinched and bowed repeatedly while stammering apologies. He hastily tossed a silver powder into the pill furnace and adjusted the flames. Another cultivator yelped when his flame erupted toward the ceiling, and Elder Wen immediately rounded on him, his beard trembling with rage.

  “This pill requires a steady flame! If you can’t control your Qi, you belong in the mines and not in front of a furnace!”

  Jun De lingered near the entranceway, his expression caught somewhere between admiration for Elder Wen’s ability to oversee everything happening and dread at being caught in the crossfire.

  ‘So this is what he’s normally like. I’m glad I’ve never been on the receiving end.’ Jun De thought grimly.

  When there was a brief lull in the shouting and things seemed to calm down for a moment, Jun De cleared his throat and stepped forward.

  “Elder Wen.” Jun De said respectfully, bowing as he did so.

  Elder Wen turned sharply with harsh words ready to be unleashed, but his scowl softened as soon as he recognized Jun De.

  “Ah, Jun De!” Elder Wen’s shift in attitude made many of the Pill Refiners in the room look over in shock. The Elder’s sudden transformation was completely at odds with how he had been acting the past few days.

  “What brings you here? Are you missing your studies and wish to refine a batch of pills here? I think we may have a spot for you.”

  Jun De shook his head quickly.

  “No, Elder Wen. I came to ask you for your guidance. I was approached by the Sect Master’s Disciple, Han Lian, to refine a batch of pills. She gave me the recipe and the ingredients, but I have never seen this formula before. I was hoping you could look it over before I attempt to refine it.”

  Elder Wen’s expression shifted to curiosity at Jun De’s explanation. He rolled down the sleeves of his robes and gestured for Jun De to follow him toward a quieter part of the hall to speak.

  “Han Lian, you say? She has a body refinement technique suitable for Metal and Earth Elemental Essence. Let me see the formula. You are showing wisdom in seeking help, Jun De. Many Disciples would plough ahead in the hope of impressing their Seniors.” Elder Wen said as Jun De pulled the bag of ingredients and the recipe from his storage ring.

  “There were only enough ingredients for a few attempts, and I didn’t want to disappoint her.” Jun De replied.

  Elder Wen took the jade slip and sent his spiritual sense into it, scanning the recipe in a few moments. He began to frown and shake his head. His lips twitched once, then again, before he exhaled slowly through his nose.

  “This recipe..” Elder Wen began, before trailing off and lowering the jade slip. He coughed awkwardly before continuing.

  “This recipe is something that is not often used by Disciples of your age.”

  Jun De blinked in confusion, uncertain of Elder Wen’s explanation.

  “Is something wrong with it?”

  “Wrong? No, no, not wrong.” Elder Wen said quickly, his tone lighter than it had been before, as though he were trying to gloss over something.

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  “It will indeed enhance vitality, tremendously so in fact. But it was originally designed for…older cultivators. Those whose Yang Essence has begun to decline with age or overexertion.”

  Jun De’s confusion deepened.

  “So it will help strengthen the body?”

  “In a manner of speaking, yes.” Elder Wen muttered as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. His discomfort at explaining this particular topic was growing by the second.

  “Tell me, did Han Lian mention exactly why she wanted to refine this particular pill?”

  “She said she was given the recipe and ingredients for her body refinement training, and that it would help her reach the next level.”

  Elder Wen clicked his tongue and muttered.

  “Body refinement, is it? Well, that is possible, but there are far better methods. This pill would simply flood the body with unrestrained Yang Essence. It would be dangerous for anyone without the proper balance. She could break through, but it could also lead to unpredictable results.”

  “Then she shouldn’t take it?”

  “No, absolutely not.” Elder Wen said firmly, then his tone softened.

  “You did well to bring this to me, Jun De. Many young Pill Refiners would have gone straight to their furnaces without a second thought. It seems as though someone thought they had found a treasure and brought it to Han Lian, not realizing its dangers.”

  Elder Wen gathered the jade slip and the bag of ingredients, slipping them into his storage ring.

  “I will hold onto these and give you a substitute, something that will be far more appropriate for her cultivation. The value will be the same, and the results will be much more stable. She will not lose out. It will also be a good experience for you, Jun De, in refining a pill rich with Metal Qi. Follow the formula precisely, and I have no doubt that you will succeed.”

  Jun De clasped his hands and bowed gratefully.

  “Thank you, Elder Wen. The last thing I would want to do is to harm a friend or disappoint her.”

  “Quite right!” Elder Wen said, waving him off after handing over a new bag of ingredients with the pill formula on a Jade slip.

  “Now, go back to your residence to refine it. The Alchemy Hall is too chaotic at the moment for proper study. If you have any concerns, come back to find me.”

  As Jun De departed, Elder Wen turned back toward the furnaces lining the Hall, while his finger absently brushed against the ring on his finger where the Yang-rich herbs now resided. His eye glimmered with amusement and a hint of delight.

  “It is a pity to waste such fine materials. They’ll be very useful for refining…longevity pills.” Elder Wen murmured as a sly grin appeared on his face.

  While Elder Wen returned to pill refining, Jun De made his way back to his residence.

  He immediately pulled out the pill recipe and read through the formula carefully. This one was vastly different from the previous pill. It was more structured and balanced, containing herbs that he recognized.

  Greyleaf Fern, Silverrod Vine, Tempered Blossoms, and a dozen other materials that were all known for their Metal Elemental Essence.

  Only two ingredients were unfamiliar to him, but a quick review of the jade slips from Tranquil Mountain containing herb descriptions answered any questions he may have had.

  At the end of the formula, the name and use of the Pill was written in crisp, refined characters.

  “The Ironbone Tempering Pill.” Jun De read aloud.

  It was a pill designed for Metal-Attribute Cultivators in the Qi Condensation Stage, aiding in reinforcing the body’s meridians and hardening the bones and flesh against the strain associated with Metal Qi.

  Jun De smiled as he studied the structure of the formula.

  “This suits her perfectly. Elder Wen really is knowledgeable when it comes to suggesting pills. He recommended something like this after only meeting her once!”

  Jun De spent the next few hours poring over the formula and preparing the ingredients. He cross-referenced the herbs used against the Tranquil Mountain Alchemy Hall Jade Slip to ensure he had the proper process for readying them.

  By the next morning, Jun De had memorized the formula and had laid out all the ingredients. His borrowed furnace, which Lin Yue would probably want back soon, was warming under the golden fire of the Dawnheart Flame.

  Elder Wen had given him five sets of ingredients, which should have been enough for the average Pill Refiner of Jun De’s experience and skill to successfully make one or two batches of acceptable quality pills.

  Jun De refined three, with the final batch having a single higher quality pill that glimmered with Metal Qi, setting it apart from all the rest. Placing them in a bottle, Jun De put the higher quality pill in its own Jade Box and set off for Han Lian’s residence, satisfied that he hadn’t let anyone down.

  To his surprise, Han Lian and Zhao Wuxian were still sitting at the same table, talking and laughing together. The tea had been replaced by jugs of wine, and the pair exclaimed with drunken happiness at the sight of him.

  Placing the bottle of acceptable pills and the box containing the higher quality pill on the table.

  Han Lian blinked blearily at Jun De before staring at the pill bottles.

  “Already done? That was fast, Brother Jun! You really are as skilled as the rumours say!”

  Zhao Wuxian grinned at him, giving him a nod while his arm was draped lazily over the back of Han Lian’s chair.

  “I’m glad to be of help. Elder Wen told me that these pills should aid your body refinement considerably. The one in the jade box turned out to be much higher in quality than the rest, so I would recommend taking that one first.”

  “Thank you, Brother Jun! You have no idea how much effort you have saved me!”

  Jun De waved off her thanks.

  “No need for thanks between friends. Just…wait until you’ve rested before trying to break through.” Jun De said, before turning around and leaving.

  The last thing he wanted to do was to be roped into staying with them and being a third wheel again.

  ‘Once is enough!’