Chapter 70: “You Have to Say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank You.'”

What? How could this be! Yao Shenzi was dumbfounded on the spot.

He strained to widen his small eyes, leaning close to the pill furnace to look left and right, trying to make sure his eyes weren’t deceiving him.

It really was a Soul Nourishing Pill!

Although these few pills were of inferior quality and the yield was low, it was undeniably a Soul Nourishing Pill!

Yao Shenzi sucked in a breath, unable to react for a long while.

Yan Zhao had successfully concocted a Soul Nourishing Pill on her very first try?

Such talent was likely unprecedented and would never be seen again.

Yao Shenzi was so shocked that he stood there like a wooden post, motionless.

Until Yan Zhao tugged on his sleeve. “Master, I succeeded, right?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right.” Yao Shenzi’s eyes were unfocused, his speech jumbled. He managed with difficulty, “…You succeeded.”

Yan Zhao laughed cheerfully. She picked up the little fox and rocked it back and forth. “I can do alchemy now! From now on, I can refine pills for you to eat!”

The little fox was also stunned by Yan Zhao’s talent, its round eyes full of disbelief.

Did these pills truly come from Yan Zhao’s hand?

After a long moment, Yao Shenzi finally steadied his mind, his thoughts clearing somewhat. “Good Disciple, such talent as yours is something I’ve never seen before. Perhaps you can refine another batch? I’ll observe and see if there’s anything you can improve on.”

Yan Zhao readily agreed. “Sure.”

She grabbed the ingredients and repeated the steps from before.

Yao Shenzi crouched beside her, watching intently.

Soon, he made a discovery.

Yan Zhao’s so-called alchemy was simply tossing the ingredients into the pill furnace. She didn’t use her divine sense to control the fire within, nor did she go through the step of separating the medicinal properties of the ingredients.

Yan Zhao’s contribution to this alchemy process was limited to opening the lid, throwing in the ingredients, and waiting for the pills to refine themselves.

In other words, Yan Zhao was cheating.

Yao Shenzi tugged on his own beard. “Disciple, this won’t do. You won’t learn alchemy properly by relying on the furnace.”

He fished out a different pill furnace and stuffed it into Yan Zhao’s hands. “When you practice from now on, use this furnace. Unless absolutely necessary, don’t use your own.”

Yan Zhao blinked, not understanding. “I have a furnace, why shouldn’t I use it?”

Yao Shenzi didn’t know how to explain for a moment.

Just then, the little fox jumped out of Yan Zhao’s arms. Slap, slap. Two seals were placed onto Yan Zhao’s pill furnace.

Yao Shenzi squinted and smiled. “Your furnace has been broken by your fox.”

Yan Zhao was speechless. “…”

She scooped up the little fox and patted its head, scolding, “Naughty.”

Despite this, Yan Zhao didn’t get angry and accepted the new pill furnace as instructed.

Under Yao Shenzi’s encouragement, she repeated the steps for refining the Soul Nourishing Pill once more. This time, she indeed failed.

Yan Zhao’s cheeks puffed up, making her look like an angry pufferfish.

Yao Shenzi’s beard finally perked up. “Good Disciple, you have a long road ahead of you. But it’s alright, with me here, I will definitely teach you alchemy!”

Yan Zhao was about to continue practicing, but Yao Shenzi, now feeling the pain of his lost spirit herbs, stopped her. “Disciple, you mustn’t overreach. The Soul Nourishing Pill is still too difficult for you. Start practicing with the most basic first-rank Blood-Clotting Pill.”

Having said this, he imparted the pill recipe for the Blood-Clotting Pill to Yan Zhao and handed her a Universe Pouch filled with low-grade ingredients.

He proudly patted his chest. “Disciple, feel free to squander these ingredients without worry.”

Ren Qingyue watched the master and disciple from the side, her face showing a troubled expression.

Just then, a junior disciple of the Medicine God Sect arrived outside the alchemy room and knocked on the door. “Sect Master, there is a guest seeking an audience.”

Yao Shenzi stood up and walked out. Yan Zhao remained in the room, beginning to research the method for refining the Blood-Clotting Pill on her own.

She ignited the pill fire according to the method Yao Shenzi had taught her, then threw the ingredients into the furnace. As the pill fire burned and stripped the energy from the ingredients, she used her divine sense to perceive the state inside the furnace.

The little fox quietly stayed by Yan Zhao’s side.

Alchemy was a technical skill, and it didn’t know how either, so Yan Zhao could only figure it out herself.

Before the pill furnace, Yan Zhao tilted her head.

She “saw” the pill fire burning, incinerating the ingredients into ash.

The medicinal power refined from the ingredients condensed into liquid droplets, but they only existed for a fleeting moment before turning into steam and dissipating.

Yan Zhao rested her little head on her hands and began to think seriously.

She tried to inject her own dharma power into the pill furnace. The flames within flickered erratically.

At one point, a bang sounded.

The pill furnace shook violently, and several fine cracks split open on its walls.

Yan Zhao was dumbfounded. “Ah, it shattered.”

A broken furnace couldn’t be used for alchemy. She needed to get a new one from Yao Shenzi.

And the Soul Nourishing Pills, Yao Shenzi had said he wanted to study them and had taken them along, forgetting to give them back to her.

Yan Zhao picked up the little fox and stood, walking out of the room.

Yao Shenzi and the visiting guest were talking right outside the door.

Yan Zhao pulled the door open. Yao Shenzi and the guest both turned around at the same time.

“Junior Sister Yan!”

A familiar voice rang out. Yan Zhao looked at the newcomer, surprised. “It’s you.”

The person standing outside the alchemy room conversing with Yao Shenzi was none other than Bi Lan.

The little fox’s gaze fell on Bi Lan, and a hint of suspicion appeared in its eyes.

It had clearly just heard Yao Shenzi addressing Bi Lan as “Lan’er,” indicating that Bi Lan and Yao Shenzi were old acquaintances.

Given Bi Lan’s cultivation level, how could an ordinary person be so familiar with a figure like Yao Shenzi?

Bi Lan felt a chill under the little fox’s stare.

Her earlier conversation with Senior Yao Shenzi might have been overheard by the fox.

Luckily, the fox didn’t make things difficult.

Yan Zhao recognized Bi Lan and nodded at her in greeting.

Then she looked at Yao Shenzi. “Master, the pill furnace exploded.”

Yao Shenzi was not surprised at all. He immediately produced a new pill furnace and handed it to her, cautioning her to be careful.

Bi Lan was stunned. “Master?”

Yan Zhao was clearly a disciple of the Fuyun Sect. How had she suddenly become Yao Shenzi’s disciple?

Yao Shenzi merely twirled his beard, looking immensely pleased. “Zhao’er is my newly accepted Closed-Door Disciple. From now on, she will be studying alchemy under my guidance.”

Bi Lan hesitated, glancing at the white spirit fox in Yan Zhao’s arms. “Then the Fuyun Sect…”

Yao Shenzi retorted unhappily with a biting tone, “A bunch of sanctimonious, duplicitous hypocrites. Would they dare try to steal her from me?”

Bi Lan was speechless with embarrassment.

The little fox maintained its usual expression.

It seemed to have gained some insight.

Recalling Yan Zhao’s past experiences in the Fuyun Sect, Bi Lan felt this might well be a good thing.

She then offered sincere happiness for Yan Zhao.

But since she was here and Yan Zhao happened to be present, she didn’t need to go out of her way to find her.

“Junior Sister Yan!” Bi Lan called out to Yan Zhao, who had just turned and was about to go back into the alchemy room.

She had initially wanted to grab Yan Zhao directly, but the little fox had already jumped onto Yan Zhao’s shoulder and was looking at her defensively. She could only restrain her steps and pull her hand back.

When Yan Zhao stopped and looked back, she said, “I need to ask you for a favor.”

Bi Lan had always taken care of Yan Zhao in the past, so Yan Zhao was willing to talk to her. “What favor?”

“The demon core.” Bi Lan probed cautiously. “Today, Xuanyuan Mu gave you demon cores. Could you spare one for me?”

Yan Zhao’s two delicate eyebrows furrowed. “Huh?”

After just two days without seeing each other, she hadn’t expected Bi Lan to open her mouth and ask for a demon core.

Seeing Yan Zhao’s displeased expression, Bi Lan hurriedly said, “I won’t take it for nothing. I’ll trade you a better demon core for it.”

Having spent some time with Yan Zhao, she had come to understand her nature somewhat.

Except for being generous towards the little fox, at other times, Yan Zhao was a genuine miser who wouldn’t part with a single feather.

Getting something for free was a no-go. A trade—especially with something better—was a great, great deal.

Yan Zhao’s frown immediately smoothed out. From the one hundred and twenty-seven demon cores, she picked out the one with the worst quality and handed it to Bi Lan.

Seeing this, Bi Lan’s expression became helpless.

But the quality of the demon core wasn’t important. She obediently brought out a better demon core and exchanged it with Yan Zhao.

Yan Zhao tucked the demon core into her own pocket and then said, with exaggerated seriousness, “If you want to ask for my help, your attitude needs to be better.”

“???”

A string of question marks popped up over Bi Lan’s head.

Was her attitude bad?

The little fox was surprised and looked at Yan Zhao.

Sensing that Bi Lan hadn’t grasped her meaning, Yan Zhao lifted her chin and proudly taught Bi Lan the new knowledge she had learned. “You have to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.'”

Bi Lan was speechless. “…”

Ren Qingyue was also silent.

She absolutely refused to admit that she had taught this.

Yao Shenzi looked on with a kindly expression. “My disciple indeed has impeccable manners.”

Ren Qingyue’s eyes were numb. She couldn’t help but grumble internally. You call this impeccable manners?

Bi Lan’s face flushed with embarrassment, her expression strained.

She cleared her throat and then, following Yan Zhao’s demand, spoke clearly and precisely. “Thank you, Junior Sister Yan.”

Yan Zhao was satisfied. Holding her new pill furnace, she returned to the alchemy room and continued studying the method for refining the Blood-Clotting Pill.

Ren Qingyue silently mulled it over. I’ll still need to find a chance to teach her to say ‘you’re welcome.’

As Yan Zhao closed the door, Bi Lan also prepared to take her leave from Yao Shenzi.

“Ah, Lan’er.” Yao Shenzi called out to her. “Make a trip to the Treasure Pavilion for me.”

Bi Lan was puzzled. “Does Senior need to purchase something?”

Yao Shenzi counted on his fingers, making a rough estimation. “Go and buy me a hundred… no, a thousand low-grade pill furnaces.”

Bi Lan was stunned. “Has the Medicine God Sect recruited many new disciples this year?”

“Not really.” Yao Shenzi waved his hand. His eyes glanced at the alchemy room, and his kind smile revealed a hint of helplessness. “Just one.”

Just one…

Bi Lan understood. Though it sounded unbelievable at first, if it was Yan Zhao, it all made perfect sense.

“This Junior will not fail Senior’s request.”

Bi Lan took the purchasing funds from Yao Shenzi and cupped her fists to bid him farewell.

However, before she had gone far, a sudden boom echoed. The alchemy room, along with the whole pavilion, trembled.

Bi Lan stopped in her tracks.

Behind her, Yao Shenzi indeed hurried over, his heart aching. He took out a small portion of the money earned from selling the Yang Marrow Pill today and pressed it into Bi Lan’s hands.

“A thousand furnaces is still far too few. Let’s start with a modest purchase of ten thousand.”