Chapter 17: I Will Forge Elixirs

After speaking, Wu Tian left directly.

Hao Dahu squinted as he watched Wu Tian’s retreating figure. He had seen countless young disciples, but never one so inscrutable. This Wu Tian was impossible to read—whether in cultivation or temperament.

When Wu Tian emerged unscathed from the Hall of Punishment, the disciples waiting outside for a spectacle were all stunned. They had expected that, after offending Elder He Jiang, Wu Tian would surely be punished. Yet, in the end, he walked out unharmed, while Elder He Jiang stormed out in a rage.

Soon after, the Hall of Punishment announced its decision regarding the matter, and the other disciples of the Heavenly Sky Sect learned of it as well.

“Wu Tian offended Elder He and wasn’t punished at all, just sent to sweep the back mountain for a month. Damn, that’s basically no punishment!” some disciples discussed.

“That’s not even the most baffling part. What’s truly incomprehensible is that Elder He’s senior disciple, Wang Xiaoshi, was expelled from the sect! And Elder He lost his monthly stipend for a month!”

“This useless Wu Tian must have had some crazy luck to escape punishment. But I doubt this is the end of it. After offending Elder He, that loser Wu Tian won’t have an easy time from now on!”

“…”

The disciples of the Heavenly Sky Sect debated Wu Tian’s situation heatedly, but the subject of their gossip returned quietly to his dilapidated hut. As Wu Tian approached, he sensed a fluctuation of true energy inside, immediately heightening his alertness.

“Little Jin, has someone broken into my house?” Wu Tian asked the puppy at the door.

“Woof!” Little Jin shook his head and barked at Wu Tian.

Puzzled, Wu Tian walked into the hut. Pushing open the door, he saw Xiao Hui with her hands glowing faintly with true energy, busy with something. Wu Tian’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Xiao Hui, you can already refine true energy?” Wu Tian asked in astonishment.

Xiao Hui nodded innocently. “Yes, I followed the Qi-Gathering technique you taught me. In just half an hour, I managed to cultivate true energy. The method you gave me is amazing—I generated true energy right away, and now I’m using the Sacred Healing Technique to treat my facial injuries.”

Wu Tian didn’t know how to describe his feelings. Even though he was a transmigrator himself, his memories told him that ordinary people needed a long time to cultivate true energy—sometimes a year, at best a month. Even prodigies, with medicinal aids or elders’ help, would need at least ten days. Yet Xiao Hui had managed it in just half an hour. She was undoubtedly a genius among geniuses.

“Well… the technique is only the most basic one. Your ability to cultivate true energy is entirely thanks to your comprehension and aptitude. Keep working hard and you’ll become truly formidable one day.” Wu Tian scratched his nose, unsure how to explain. Xiao Hui probably didn’t realize just how extraordinary she was.

“Thank you, young master! I’ll keep working hard!” Xiao Hui smiled happily.

As she spoke, Xiao Hui brought her hands to her cheeks, a faint blue light flickering in her palms.

Seeing the swelling on her cheeks, Wu Tian felt a pang of pain. “Xiao Hui, your face is still a bit swollen. I’ll go buy some healing pills for you now. Wait at home.”

“Young master, I’m already fine. Look, my face has improved a lot.”

“It’s better, but your true energy is still weak. Don’t waste it unnecessarily. I’ll get you some medicine.” With that, Wu Tian left Little Jin behind and went to town.

Wu Tian arrived at a large pharmacy and called to the clerk, “How much for a premium healing pill?”

“Two thousand silver taels each,” the clerk replied cheerfully.

“Two thousand each?” Wu Tian’s eyes bulged.

He had just spent three exchange credits buying a cultivation technique for Xiao Hui, nearly exhausting his silver. After two months hunting beasts in the Misty Forest, he had only earned thirty thousand silver taels, and now a single healing pill cost two thousand. It was exasperating—he only had a few hundred taels left.

“Can you go lower? How about five hundred?” Wu Tian asked.

The clerk’s smile vanished. He glanced at Wu Tian’s shabby attire and sneered, “Five hundred? What, do you think you’re giving to beggars? Two thousand is already cheap for a premium healing pill. If you can’t afford it, don’t waste my time. Go on, don’t distract me from other customers.”

Wu Tian glared at the clerk. The man was certainly rude. As Wu Tian prepared to argue, he suddenly remembered—didn’t he possess alchemy skills? If he couldn’t afford pills, he could make them himself.

“Hey, what’s the recipe for the premium healing pill?” Wu Tian asked.

The clerk curled his lip and pointed to a piece of paper posted on the wall. “These common recipes are public knowledge. It’s written right there. But what use is it to you, kid? Are you planning to make your own pills?”

Wu Tian ignored him and studied the recipe on the wall.

Two taels of Fire-Dispelling Ginseng, three taels of Wall Grass, four taels of Azure Aloe…

Wu Tian memorized the recipe and asked, “How much for the ingredients—Fire-Dispelling Ginseng, Wall Grass, and so on?”

“You want the healing pill ingredients? Those are cheap, but why buy them? You can’t eat them raw—they’ll kill you,” the clerk mocked.

“I’m buying them to make pills. Is that so strange?” Wu Tian retorted.

“Haha! You making pills? That’s the joke of the year. Everyone knows martial arts are easy, but alchemy is hard. You’re young and think you can make pills? Wishful thinking!” The clerk laughed loudly, not believing Wu Tian in the slightest.

Several customers joined the laughter. No one believed Wu Tian could make pills.

On Dragon God Continent, alchemy was indeed a technical craft. Making pills required not only the ingredients and their proportions, but also mastering the timing and heat. It demanded years of experience; a slight mistake could ruin everything. That’s why skilled alchemists were usually much older.

“What’s so funny? Laugh all you want! Just wait until I smash your face with the pills I make. Listen up: pack ten pounds of each ingredient on the recipe for the healing pill. I’m going home to make pills!” Wu Tian pointed at the clerk coolly.

“Tch! Go ahead, I’m looking forward to seeing you make pills!” the clerk said disdainfully, gathering the ingredients and tossing them to Wu Tian.

Wu Tian said nothing, slinging the sack of herbs over his shoulder and heading home. As he left, he pointed at the clerk, “Just wait—tomorrow I’ll smash you with my pills!”