The next morning, the rain ceased and the clouds dispersed, as the morning sun gilded Qingxuan Mountain with a layer of pale gold.
Lin Feng woke from his meditation, feeling the mana within his body clearly strengthened. Joy was hard to hide in his eyes. Fifth Layer of Qi Refining, success!
Although it was only a Breakthrough of a minor Realm, in such a difficult time for the Family, any increase in strength was precious. More importantly, that strange state from last night—the unprecedentedly clear perception and guidance of medicinal power—let him see a path vastly different from ordinary people.
"Is it because of... that bead?" Lin Feng peered into his Sea of Consciousness. That illusory bead still floated quietly, no different from the previous night, but he was certain the opportunity for the Breakthrough was definitely related to it.
He didn't make a sound, washing up as usual and then going to the Dining Hall for a simple breakfast—a bowl of clear porridge with almost no Spiritual Rice and two coarse flour buns. During the meal, most of the clansmen were silent, the atmosphere oppressive; they clearly knew the Clan Chief was going to the Zhao Family for negotiations today.
"Brother, you look great today." Lin Wanqing sat down beside him and whispered; a young girl's perception was always sharp.
"Mm, I had some gains from my cultivation last night." Lin Feng smiled and stuffed a bun into her hand. "Eat more, you're still growing."
After breakfast, Lin Feng didn't go to the Spiritual Vein nodes to compete for that thin Spiritual Qi to Cultivate like other clansmen. Instead, he went straight to the Family's Library. It was just a rather old two-story wooden building, guarded by an elderly clan uncle.
"Kid Feng, what brings you here today?" The Library guard uncle lay on a bamboo chair, asking with squinted eyes.
"Third Uncle, I want to find some records on Low Grade Medicinal Pills and medicinal herbs to read," Lin Feng said respectfully.
Third Uncle waved his hand. "Go on, go on. Those shelves on the east side of the first floor are all yours. Find them yourself. They're all common goods, nothing profound."
After thanking him, Lin Feng walked in. Thin dust lay on the bookshelves. Most of the records were paper, and many were even beast skin scrolls or bamboo slips, appearing ancient and dilapidated. He had a clear goal and soon found several common records like "Illustrated Collection of a Hundred Herbs," "Collection of Basic Pill Formulas (Incomplete)," and "Introductory Explanation of Alchemy."
He found a seat by the window and began to read carefully. Especially that "Collection of Basic Pill Formulas (Incomplete)," which recorded seven or eight common Pill Formulas used in the Qi Refinement Stage, but most were incomplete—either missing one or two supplementary herbs or having vague descriptions of the heat control. Among them was the "Juqi Pill" he had taken, as well as the "Nourishing Essence Pill," which had a milder effect and was more suitable for Early Stage Qi Refinement Stage Cultivators and younger disciples to build their foundation.
The Pill Formula for the Nourishing Essence Pill was also incomplete. The main ingredients were ten-year-old Qingyuan Ginseng and Purple Whisker Grass, with two supplementary herbs missing, and only fragments of the refinement incantations remained.
"Qingyuan Ginseng, warm in nature, supplements qi and benefits essence; Purple Whisker Grass, neutral in nature, harmonizes medicinal properties and nourishes Meridians..." Lin Feng's finger traced the yellowed pages, and his mind involuntarily began to analyze the medicinal properties of these two main ingredients. "According to the theory of Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, and Envoy, the main ingredients are already set as'Sovereign' and 'Minister.' The missing supplementary herbs should be 'Assistant' and 'Envoy,' used to balance the medicinal power, guide it into the Meridians, and reduce any potential dryness in the pill..."
His deep pharmaceutical background from his previous life began to play a role at this moment. Combined with the Spiritual Qi theory of this world, names of possible supplementary herbs flashed through his mind and were constantly ruled out. The deduction process was extremely mentally taxing, and before he knew it, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Just as he felt his spirit was somewhat overextended and his thoughts began to lag, that illusory bead that had been silent in his Sea of Consciousness moved slightly and imperceptibly again.
A sense of coolness instantly circulated through his body, washing away his fatigue. What shocked him even more was that the originally chaotic and complex information on medicinal herbs seemed to be organized by an invisible hand, becoming orderly. The requirements for the two missing supplementary herbs, possible candidate spiritual plants, and even the approximate sequence of addition and key points of heat control were clearly presented in his mind like clouds parting to reveal the sun!
"Shinan Flower... Three-Leaf Lotus?" Lin Feng suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils filled with disbelief.
Shinan Flower is slightly cool in nature, which can neutralize the warm supplement of the Qingyuan Ginseng and prevent the medicinal power from being too dry. Three-Leaf Lotus has the mildest medicinal properties and has the effect of strengthening the foundation and nurturing the essence, perfectly fitting the role of an "Envoy herb" to better guide the medicinal power to nourish the Meridians! Moreover, both are common Rank One spiritual plants and are inexpensive!
This... it's completed just like that?
Forcing down the turbulent waves in his heart, he immediately picked up the "Illustrated Collection of a Hundred Herbs" nearby and flipped through it quickly. Sure enough, on the corresponding pages, he found the illustrations and basic property descriptions for the Shinan Flower and Three-Leaf Lotus, which perfectly matched the information that had surfaced in his mind!
Golden Finger!
This is definitely a transmigrator's benefit, a powerful deduction ability!
Lin Feng's heart pounded, but he quickly forced himself to calm down. This ability was too Heaven-Defying and must not be exposed in the slightest. He took several deep breaths, and his face returned to a state of calm, though his eyes were deeper than before.
He quietly put the records back in their original places and, with a normal expression, bid farewell to Third Uncle as he left the Library.
Leaving the Library, Lin Feng did not return to his small courtyard but instead found the Second Elder, Lin Yuanshan, who was in charge of Family general affairs and was also the only one with some knowledge of Alchemy.
Second Elder Lin Yuanshan was a lean-faced old man at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining. Usually, he was mainly responsible for managing the Family's Medicinal Garden and external procurement. At this moment, he was in his small courtyard, sighing over a furnace of failed "Hunger Suppressing Pills." Family resources were tight, and every Alchemy failure was a significant loss.
"Second Elder," Lin Feng called out respectfully from outside the courtyard gate.
"It's kid Feng, come in." Lin Yuanshan's voice carried a hint of weariness.
Lin Feng walked into the small courtyard, smelled a faint scorched scent, and saw that half-person-high old Pill Furnace in front of the Second Elder, along with several portions of dull-colored medicinal dregs on the stone table nearby. He understood immediately.
"Second Elder, I was just browsing records in the Library and have some thoughts on the Pill Formula for the 'Nourishing Essence Pill'." Lin Feng got straight to the point; he knew the Second Elder was straightforward and didn't like beating around the bush.
"Oh?" Lin Yuanshan lifted his eyelids, not paying much attention. What insights could a Junior in the Qi Refinement Stage have on a Pill Formula? It was probably just some wild imagination. "Let's hear it."
"This Junior feels that the two missing supplementary herbs in the Nourishing Essence Pill formula might be the Shinan Flower and the Three-Leaf Lotus," Lin Feng said calmly. He then explained the theory of Sovereign, Minister, Assistant, and Envoy he had deduced earlier, using the concepts of "Five Elements balance" and "mutual medicinal benefit" that this world could understand, while hiding the strange nature of the deduction process and merely claiming it was a guess after repeatedly pondering the records.
Lin Yuanshan didn't care much at first, but as he listened, his expression gradually became serious. He had been immersed in Low Grade Medicinal Pills for many years. Although his talent was limited and he hadn't become a formal Alchemist, he was experienced. This combination Lin Feng proposed sounded a bit unorthodox at first, but upon careful consideration, it faintly aligned with the principles of medicinal balance. Especially regarding the mild nourishing effect of the Nourishing Essence Pill, it seemed... really possible!
"Shinan Flower... Three-Leaf Lotus?" Lin Yuanshan murmured to himself, his cloudy eyes growing brighter and brighter. He suddenly stood up and paced back and forth. "Yes! Shinan Flower is slightly cool, it can indeed assist in treating the Qingyuan Ginseng! Three-Leaf Lotus for foundation-strengthening, brilliant! Why didn't I think of that!"
He excitedly grabbed Lin Feng's shoulder. "Kid Feng, where did this idea come from? Was it truly just from pondering the books?"
Lin Feng acted "shy." "It's just a wild guess of this Junior. I don't know if it's feasible, so I came specifically to ask the Second Elder to correct me."
"A good guess! A great guess!" Lin Yuanshan rubbed his hands excitedly. "Even if it doesn't work, it provides a new way of thinking! It's better than us old fogies sticking to old ways!"
He immediately took action, saying to Lin Feng, "Wait here. I still have some stock of Shinan Flower and Three-Leaf Lotus in my warehouse. I'll go start the furnace and try it right now!"
The Nourishing Essence Pill was only a Rank One Low Grade Medicinal Pill, and the refinement difficulty was not high. Although the Second Elder's level was limited, he still had some confidence in refining this pill; previously, he had only been hampered by the incomplete Pill Formula.
Lin Feng stood quietly to the side and waited, feeling inevitably nervous and expectant. This was not only about verifying his Golden Finger's ability but also about whether the Family could find a new way to generate wealth.
An hour later, the Pill Furnace was opened.
There was no expected burst of fragrance, but there was no scorched smell either. Three round, pale-yellow Medicinal Pills lay quietly at the bottom of the furnace. Although the color wasn't full and the pill halo was thin, it was indeed a success!
"Success! It's really a success!" Holding those three Medicinal Pills, the Second Elder's hands were trembling slightly, and there were even faint tears in his old eyes. "A complete Nourishing Essence Pill! The medicinal properties are mild and pure, only better than the Low Grade ones on the market!"
He suddenly looked at Lin Feng with an incredibly complex expression—shock, wild joy, and even a light of seeing the Family's hope.
"Fenger!" The Second Elder's voice carried an unprecedented solemnity. "Who else knows about this?"
"Only the Second Elder and this Junior."
"Good! This matter must be kept strictly secret!" The Second Elder took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "This completed Pill Formula is the biggest turning point for our Lin Family right now! Shinan Flower and Three-Leaf Lotus are inexpensive, and our Family's Medicinal Garden can grow them on a small scale! If we can successfully refine the Nourishing Essence Pill, its profit will far exceed selling the raw Materials directly!"
Lin Feng's heart settled, knowing he had taken the right step. He cupped his hands and said, "I leave everything to the Second Elder's discretion."
The Second Elder patted his shoulder heavily, his tone filled with immense relief and a hint of entrustment. "Good child! To have extraordinary talent yet not be arrogant, and your Heart-Nature is even better! Our Lin Family... has a promising future! Go back for now, I will discuss this with your father immediately. Remember, do not reveal a single bit of this outside!"
Lin Feng nodded in agreement and turned to leave the Second Elder's courtyard. The sunlight fell on him, feeling warm. He looked back at the small courtyard that still wafted a faint medicinal fragrance, knowing that a seed had been planted.
The Family's fate might quietly turn from this small "Nourishing Essence Pill."
And at this moment, Clan Chief Lin Chengyun, carrying the Family's humiliation and expectations, stepped into the gates of the predatory Zhao Family.