Arranged carefully beside the cauldron lay the materials Magha had instructed him to prepare. First were the five Blue Leaf Herbs, their thin, mystic leaves faintly glowing under the moonlight. Each leaf carried a soft azure radiance that pulsed gently, as though breathing in rhythm with the natural spiritual flow of the valley.

  Beside them rested five stalks of Spirit Grass, vibrant green and luminous against the darkness, emitting a quiet vitality that made them appear like living objects rather than mere plants beneath the star-filled sky.

  The third group consisted of ten Small Golden Ball Fruits, round and smooth like polished beads, shining faintly like miniature orbs forged from condensed sunlight.

  Next came five small branches taken from the Strik Tree. They were entirely devoid of visible glow, yet released a deep, woody fragrance that resembled freshly cut timber after rainfall—earthy, damp, and strangely soothing. It was a scent capable of calming even a restless soul.

  Finally, there were five Profound Seven-Leaf Golden Vines, each vine glowing with a muted golden light and bearing seven attached green leaves. The veins within the leaves were faintly visible, forming delicate spiritual patterns.

  The combination of colours, fragrances, and subtle radiance blended together, filling the space around Eklavya with layered scents of wet wood, fresh herbs, and refined spiritual essence. The atmosphere became both tranquil and heavy with latent power.

  Eklavya’s expression remained composed as he observed the materials before him. Everything matched Magha’s earlier explanation perfectly, down to the texture, colour, and aura of each herb. Until now, he had only listened and imagined them based on Magha’s words. Seeing them laid out before him brought a quiet sense of clarity and focus to his mind.

  Magha’s voice echoed again within his consciousness. ‘The cauldron is hot enough now. Place one of each herb inside at the same time, except for the Small Golden Ball Fruits. Use two of those together. Once they are inside, control and guide the flame within the cauldron exactly as I instruct.’

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  Eklavya paused, momentarily startled by the instruction. ‘All at once?’ The thought surfaced almost instinctively, and he voiced his concern without hesitation. “Magha, won’t the herbs burn out if I put all of them inside simultaneously?”

  Magha released a faint sigh before replying, his tone calm yet weighted with history. ‘Your concern is correct under conventional alchemy. However, within the secret realm, God Emperor Avrah and Demon God Emperor Dashirsur devised a new pill-refining technique after they lost their main bodies and survived with only fragments of their souls. That method was created solely for the inheritor of their legacies. Since you have obtained that inheritance, you must practice it.’

  Understanding dawned on Eklavya, and he nodded without further hesitation. With a steady motion, he placed the herbs into the cauldron simultaneously, the ingredients settling into different positions within the heated interior. “What should I do next?” he asked.

  “Divide the flame into five separate directions,” Magha instructed. “Each type of herb must be heated individually. Maintain equal distance and control.”

  Eklavya immediately acted. Within the cauldron, the bluish-purple flame separated smoothly into distinct streams, each positioning itself beneath a different herb. The flames stabilised quickly, evenly distributed, their movements precise and controlled.

  Magha was momentarily surprised. Even seasoned alchemists struggled with such fine control on their first attempt, yet Eklavya had managed it instinctively.

  “Now,” Magha continued, his tone turning more serious, “adjust the temperatures independently. Each herb requires a different heat level to undergo liquefaction through the demon refinement method. Remember this clearly—you are not using flame to melt the herbs. Instead, you are using your ki to convert them into liquid form, while the flames merely provide external heat support. This reduces ki consumption and prevents internal collapse of the medicinal essence.”

  Eklavya nodded in understanding, but almost immediately, a doubt surfaced in his mind. “You said to use the demon method to convert them into liquid,” he said slowly. “Doesn’t that method require blood? That’s what I remember from the inheritance.”

  The question lingered in the air as the flames continued to burn steadily beneath the herbs.