Chapter 13: Strengthening Failed Pills

“Ow, ow, ow…”

“Watch what you’re doing!”

“My… ribs… cough cough cough…”

Amid Hao Yun’s constant yelling, He Pingsheng carried him to his bed.

“I need to rest for a while!” Hao Yun said: “Uh… Xiao He, right now the priority is to clean the alchemy room, then come back—I’ll teach you how to control the flame in pill refining!”

“I can’t move for now—this alchemy room is all yours!”

“Yes!” He Pingsheng hurried out and began cleaning the alchemy room.

First, ventilate!

Then scrub the pot.

When he lifted the lid of the alchemy furnace, He Pingsheng saw the state of this batch of failed pills.

Unlike the previous explosion when Jade Xuan Shibo refined pills, this batch was just a hair’s breadth from success.

It didn’t turn to ash—it became twelve dull, grayish failed pills.

Each one was black.

A burnt, acrid smell wafted from the pills.

He Pingsheng swept his hand—using a broom—and swept all twelve failed pills out, then hurled them into the trash basket!

Scrub the furnace clean!

Then clean out the furnace ash.

After clearing the ash, he swept the floor, then carried the trash basket toward the dump behind the mountain.

But as he was about to dump it, a flash of insight struck him—he reached out and stopped the twelve failed pills.

Even though they’re useless, what if I put them in my Treasure Basin overnight—what would happen?

Could they be strengthened?

Let’s try!

What if it works?

Right now there’s nothing else worth putting in there—leaving the basin empty all day is a waste.

With this thought, He Pingsheng slipped the twelve black pills into his robe and returned to the alchemy room.

He glanced at Hao Yun—the man was already asleep.

He Pingsheng returned to his bedroom, locked the door, and barred it from inside.

He closed all the windows too.

Only then did he pull out the jet-black Treasure Basin from under his bed.

He tossed the twelve black pills into the basin.

Whether it would work or not—now it was fate’s call.

Splash…

After covering the earthen basin with a wooden board, He Pingsheng shoved it back under the bed.

Then, fumbling around, he pulled another pill from the other end of the bed: Golden Bone Pill.

This pill had been given to him earlier by a certain green-robed senior sister.

There were two in total!

Zhang Da took one; the remaining one was accidentally placed by He Pingsheng into the earthen basin and refined into two top-grade Golden Bone Pills.

He Pingsheng ate one—this one remained.

Having consumed it before, he knew its miraculous power—it could instantly heal all bodily injuries.

Only one remains now!

Should he give it to Senior Hao?

He Pingsheng was torn.

It wasn’t that he was unwilling to give it—he was afraid that if he gave it, Hao would ask questions, and how would he answer?

He couldn’t just spill the whole truth.

But if he didn’t give it, his conscience wouldn’t let him—he owed Hao his life.

Hmm…

Better come up with a perfect excuse first, then give it.

Night fell!

After eating with Hao Yun, He Pingsheng returned to his room, opened the window, and let the moonlight stream in.

Dappled moonlight gathered toward the Treasure Basin.

He Pingsheng noticed the basin absorbed moonlight regardless of whether it was covered.

Even a thick wooden board couldn’t block the moonlight from entering the basin.

After watching for a while, He Pingsheng propped his chin and began crafting the perfect excuse to give the Golden Bone Pill to Senior Hao.

As he thought, he fell asleep.

When he woke the next morning, He Pingsheng suddenly smelled a rich, potent medicinal fragrance.

“Oh no…”

Boom…

He Pingsheng leapt from bed like a leaping carp, yanked the earthen basin from under the bed, and lifted the wooden lid.

Hiss hiss hiss…

The pills inside came into view.

“One, two, three, four…”

He Pingsheng slowly counted.

Exactly twenty-four pills.

Each the size of a silkworm bean, pure white as jade.

And each bore four engraved patterns.

Top-grade?

Good heavens!

But He Pingsheng had no time to admire them—the fragrance was overwhelming.

And growing stronger by the second.

What to do?

Hide them?

But… where?

He didn’t understand—Golden Bone Pills had a faint scent, so why was this Qi-accumulating Pill’s fragrance so intense?

He Pingsheng first shut the window, then rummaged through his belongings, testing several hiding spots—all failed to mask the scent.

Clothes couldn’t cover it. Blankets couldn’t cover it.

Wooden boards and the Treasure Basin couldn’t hide it.

What to do?

Sweat beaded on He Pingsheng’s forehead.

If anyone came to refine pills now and smelled this fragrance—what then?

Forget it!

Better to abandon the pills than expose the Treasure Basin’s secret.

He Pingsheng gritted his teeth, pried up several floor tiles, grabbed the axe, and smashed a hole beneath the bed. He tossed all twenty-four top-grade Qi-accumulating Pills into the pit, covered them with dirt, then replaced the tiles.

Indeed!

The pill fragrance vanished.

He quickly opened the window, letting the wind blow the lingering scent clean away.

Once done, He Pingsheng took two iron bowls to the laborers’ mess hall, fetched their meals, and brought them to Hao Yun’s room. They ate together.

“What was that smell? So fragrant!” Hao Yun asked after taking a bite. “Like the scent of Qi-accumulating Pills… but Qi-accumulating Pills aren’t this strong… unless they’re top-grade!”

He stared at He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng’s heart pounded, but he kept his face calm. “I smelled it too… I was just about to ask you, Senior!”

“Weird,” Hao Yun shook his head. “But I don’t smell it now.”

“Never mind—eat, eat, eat!”

He Pingsheng exhaled in relief.

“By the way!” Hao Yun, who had just been eating, suddenly stopped. “Is the alchemy room cleaned thoroughly?”

“Are all the fuels ready?”

“Has anyone said they’re coming to refine pills?”

Here we go again…

He Pingsheng answered each question carefully again. Only then did they resume eating.

No sooner had they finished than He Pingsheng took a deep breath, ready to pull out his Golden Bone Pill to heal Hao Yun’s injuries—but before he could, a stern voice rang from outside: “Where’s Hao Yun?”

“I need to refine pills—where have you run off to?”

“This brat!”

"Hurry up!" Hao Yun panicked, slapping He Pingsheng: "Go see what's happening... or we'll get beaten again!"

He Pingsheng burst out of Hao Yun's room at once and saw before him a tall old Daoist, his hair and beard entirely white, standing before the elixir chamber.

His features radiated an ethereal aura, as if he were a celestial immortal.

He Pingsheng was so startled he moved to kneel.

The man said: "Don't kneel... I despise nothing more than disciples bowing and scraping!"

"Too much kneeling shortens my lifespan!"