In the somewhat shabby bronze furnace, the pill fire burned slowly, maintaining the temperature of the medicinal liquid.
Tiny impurities were gradually stripped away from the liquid, and finally, the liquid became purer, leaving only a trace of impurities.
Qin Gengyun's forehead was covered with beads of sweat as he manipulated his Divine Sense to pick out the last few impurities from the liquid.
Success!
Steadying his mind, Qin Gengyun pushed all those impurities into the Pill Poison Room on the side of the furnace, isolating them from the main furnace.
Now, only the most essential part of the medicinal materials remained in the main furnace.
Refinement, success!
Qin Gengyun exhaled heavily, releasing all his accumulated tension.
He finally overcame the hardest part.
The next steps were threefold: fusion, spirit infusion, and pill formation.
Fusion was the process of blending the refined liquid together, preparing for the final two steps.
Qin Gengyun spent half a two-hour period melting the liquid.
Next was spirit infusion, where the Alchemist injected their spiritual power into the liquid and intensified the furnace fire to quickly blend the spiritual energy and liquid, transforming it into medicinal spirit qi.
Only at this point would the liquid have the properties of pills.
This step was not the most difficult, but it was the riskiest.
Because it required the fire to be intensified to its peak instantly, a sudden change in temperature meant a slight misstep could lead to an explosion.
But having passed the hardest refinement, Qin Gengyun was full of confidence, determined to succeed in alchemy tonight.
Succeeding on the second attempt might truly mean I am a one-in-a-million genius?
He infused his spiritual power into the liquid, then vigorously fanned the Fire-Control Spirit Fan, and the furnace fire blazed forth instantly, raising the temperature inside the furnace sharply.
Qin Gengyun used his Divine Sense to envelop the liquid when suddenly, the furnace lid started to thump and shake.
Not good!
Qin Gengyun was startled, and his Divine Sense withdrew.
The next moment.
Boom!
The lid was blown off and embedded directly into the stone slab above, and the furnace was blasted open, spilling the liquid everywhere, and the fire sprang forth.
Qin Gengyun quickly retreated two steps; fortunately, he wasn't burned by the pill fire, but this batch of liquid was utterly ruined.
An explosion!
This was a common occurrence, yet it was what Alchemists feared most.
Even a regular bronze furnace was extremely expensive, and losing one meant the lifetime savings of a low-tier Alchemist were gone.
To buy another furnace, for a typical Loose Cultivator's income, who knows how many Spirit Stones it would take to save up.
Qin Gengyun was in the same situation, perhaps even worse.
He couldn't even afford an ordinary bronze furnace and had to buy a second-hand one instead.
But now, even the newly bought second-hand furnace had exploded.
He had no more Spirit Stones to purchase another one.
Others facing this situation might simply give up on being an Alchemist.
But he couldn't give up because that would only mean waiting for death!
Qin Gengyun stood dumbfounded in front of the ruined furnace, his face ashen, his body rigid.
"You have Pill Poison within you; if you don't cure it, you won't live past forty."
"When you and I reach Foundation Establishment, we'll drink a big toast again!"
"I must reach Foundation Establishment before forty and become a Fourth Tier Alchemist!"
"I want to buy a Spirit Vein Immortal Mansion in Zhenyang City for you to live a good life!"
Suddenly, scenes from the past flashed through his mind.
The pain and endurance during Pill Poison episodes, the bold dreams of the future with friends, the confidence in his promises to his wife...
But at this moment, before that broken furnace, they all seemed like vain fantasies and jokes.
"You..."
A clear voice behind him jolted Qin Gengyun out of his chaotic thoughts; he turned to look at Qiu Zhihe.
Today, she was wearing an Embroidered Lotus Smoke Gauze Shirt. Though still black, the white skin above her chest was even more striking, and the curves beneath the black shirt were even more enticing.
This charming and beautiful woman bore a puzzled expression:
"Does even making Clear Wind Powder require an explosion?"
Qin Gengyun smiled bitterly, "Yes, even refining the lowest First Grade pills results in an explosion; how can I continue as an Alchemist?"
He wandered out of the kitchen, despondent, and Qiu Zhihe called after him:
"Taoist Friend Qin."
Qin Gengyun turned, but saw that her round face was still cold as frost:
"Throw out this furnace; don't take up the kitchen space. I need to cook porridge tomorrow."
Qin Gengyun stared at Qiu Zhihe with eyes wide open; he had spent eleven Spirit Stones on it!
How could she suggest throwing it away just like that?!
Qiu Zhihe calmly looked at him, and Qin Gengyun nodded in defeat:
"Okay."
The furnace had a hole, spiritual energy leaked, and the fire inside had long been extinguished. After a moment, when it was less hot to touch, Qin Gengyun moved the ruined furnace out.
It was an old bronze furnace, now with a hole, of no value, so he left it at the doorway for the landlord to dispose of the next day.
Qin Gengyun slouched down, re-entered the house, and found that Qiu Zhihe had already retrieved the lid embedded in the ceiling and handed it to him. Qin Gengyun took it, went to the door, and threw it out forcefully.
The lid hit the ground with a crisp bang and rolled far away.
"Keep it down! Can't sleep?!"
A voice shouted from the despicable cultivator next door.
Qin Gengyun hesitated for a moment, picked up the lid, and placed it back on top of the ruined furnace.
Gently caressing the still slightly warm body of the furnace, his expression was one of confusion.
"Time for bed."
Inside came Qiu Zhihe's voice.
Qin Gengyun sighed and returned inside.
Moments later, the candle went out.
"Taoist Friend Qiu, tonight I truly have no mood...?!
Exhausted in both body and mind, Qin Gengyun fell into a deep sleep.
Qiu Zhihe, after dressing, slipped out of bed.
In the darkness, her petite form gradually grew taller, her hands emitting an almost invisible red glow, drifting towards the opposite room on the left.
At this moment, in the opposite room.
Zhao Yi and Qian Er slept entwined on a narrow bed, their snores echoing resoundingly.
Sun San, who lost in the evening's game, lay on the floor, drooling onto his arm.
The three were usually very alert, but injured the night before, tormented by Heart-devouring Pill poison, having moved the bronze furnace to Willow Smoke Lane the previous night, waited in the cold wind for two hours, then moved it back to Narrow Rain Lane.
This constant fatigue left them so very tired, making them sleep soundly tonight.
Suddenly, all three felt a sharp pain throughout their meridians, waking up from sweet dreams in an instant.
"Ah!! How could this be?!"
"It's...it's Senior summoning us!"
"Senior, we're on our way! Please retract your Divine Power!"
The three quickly left, enduring the pain from injuries and the Heart-devouring pain, stumbling to Willow Smoke Lane, where they indeed saw that fiery and dreaded red figure.
The three knelt before the red-haired female cultivator immediately:
"Senior, please calm your anger, please calm your anger!"
"What orders do you have, Senior, please instruct us!"
The red-haired female cultivator spoke calmly, "Within one incense stick's time, bring yesterday's furnace here."
"Huh?"